1. Unique Luxur y 9392 www.uniqueestates.com.au
PRADA Marketing 101 dictates that choosing
a celebrity to endorse your product is
a route to success as about infallible
as boasting an argyle mine in your
super-sized asset portfolio.
As with all investments of this
nature there are of course key
considerations to be taken into
account – things such as ensuring
you select the right personality to
fit with your brand and that the
character concerned is as genuine in
their palpable praise for your product
as you are in your desire not to flush
your money down the toilet.
But if ever the decision was made to
stage a Master class in choosing the
right Hollywood partnerships then
surely Prada would have to be the
first pick.
Having recruited the crème de la
crème of Hollywood’s top male
talent for several years now (past
faces include Ezra Miller, Michael
Pitt and Christoph Waltz), Miuccia
Prada’s cutting edge line up for this
summer’s collections includes up-
and-coming stars Miles Teller (from
indie hit Whiplash), Ansel Elgort (The
Fault In Our Stars), Jack O’Connell
(Skins) and the uber cool Ethan
Hawke of Boyhood fame.
Following the theme of “familiar
things become less than familiar
the more they’re looked at”, the
brand’s ad campaign is shot by
Craig McDean who has taken the
collection’s core spring summer
themes – muted blues, browns
and oranges - and run with it in
both colour and monochrome
incarnations.
Prada’s decision to continue its
dalliance with stars of the big screen,
as with the savvy choice to open a
new store in Frankfurt completely
dedicated to its men’s collections, is
sure to prove popular.
Fashion
by Tracey Porter
MeN’s
The sun is shimmering, the sounds soft and the vibe chilled as
Europe’s finest fashion houses do their best to get
us to kick back and indulge.
Spazzolato Sandals - $1,180
Saffiano wallet - $590
Look 17A Sunglasses - $400
www.prada.com
Stockists: 02 9223 1688
LOUIS VUITTON

2. 94 www.uniqueestates.com.au
Giorgio ArmaniThe year was 1975 and after several
years as a freelancer in the design
wilderness, a 40-year-old Italian
former window merchandiser and
salesman by the name of Giorgio
Armani decided to roll the dice.
Confident in his own abilities yet tired
of working under the name of others,
Armani knew there had to be a better
way to get his unique aesthetic in
front of an audience who mattered.
So he elected to take charge of
his own fate and launched an
eponymous menswear label. It
proved just the recipe the world had
been salivating for.
This year at a sprightly 80, Armani
celebrates 40 years in the business.
But while his label has evolved to
include an empire incorporating
clothing, accessories, cosmetics,
furniture and hotels, he has never
made it look easier.
Armani says he has always believed
in building a wardrobe that lasts and
never was this more evident than in
his men’s spring summer collection
where his offering was touted as a
celebration of effortless elegance.
Low key v-neck jersey tops and
jackets dominated and came unlined
or in a supple knit with just a hint of
colour while pleat front trousers also
arrived in a relaxed, roomy fit.
While those in the know are keeping
tight lipped on 40th celebration plans
until later in the year, it is comforting
to know the master of re-invention is
still at the very top of his game.
Natural tan brown calf skin bag - $3,580
Deer skin two way use bag - $2,430
Calf skin Oxford shoes with rubber soles - $990
www.armani.com
Stockists: 02 8233 5858
Unique Luxur y 95

3. Unique Luxur y 97
LOUIS VUITTON Exploration has always been a
central theme for luxury brand Louis
Vuitton whose very essence is built
around the human desire to jump
aboard the nearest train, plane
or automobile and traverse new
territory.
And this season’s summer collection
is no exception.
Coming into his fifth year as Vuitton’s
Men’s style director, Kim Jones
clearly felt it was time to do some
adventuring of his own as his mentor
from London’s hallowed St Martins
College encouraged him to realise
his long held desire to head to India
and breathe in the sights, sounds and
colours of the second most populous
country in the world.
The sojourn resulted in Jones
producing a collection filled with
military references but then fused
with the timeless elegance that
evokes the Rajasthan maharajas of
the early 20th century.
Army shirts and shorts in suede
made an appearance as too
did military bomber jackets cut
with reversible coloured satins,
embellished flight suits with
strategically placed buttons and
zippers and chevron patterned shirts.
Colour was everywhere with fuchsia
and orange seamlessly worked in
alongside khaki, beige, navy and
sage green.
The pieces are sure to work well with
the new leather goods collection
introduced by the esteemed fashion
house. Dubbed V Line, the leather
featured in the collection, which
includes carryalls, backpacks and
totes, is completely water-resistant
and highlights the new V signature
taken from the House archive.
96 www.uniqueestates.com.au
Runaway Sneakers in calf leather - $1,160
Smart MM leather bag - $4,150
Satchel bag in Taurillion leather - $6,500
www.louisvuitton.com
Stockists: 1300 883 880

4. 98 www.uniqueestates.com.au Unique Luxur y 99
PAUL SMITHMost celebrated designers have
interests that extend beyond the
world of fashion – more often than
not it is in the creative fields where
photography or art appear as a logical
extension of their core talent.
But popular British fashion designer
Sir Paul Smith’s interests extend
beyond the usual realm with the
menswear icon always eager to take
a break from the studio and take to
the roads – on pushbike.
In 2007 Smith’s dreams came true
when asked to design that year’s
London Tour de France Prologue
shirt while in 2013 he was invited
to design the leader’s jerseys for the
Giro d’Italia, an annual cycle race that
begins in Naples and ends in Brescia.
Earlier this year his worlds again
collided when he was engaged by
two wheel clothing manufacturer
Castelli to design looks for the 2015
Dubai Tour road cycle event.
Forced to innovate in his fabric
selection (a key demand for the
design in the Middle Eastern project
was to keep the riders cool), Smith
used a breathable fabric on the front,
inserted a full zip that can be opened
if the wearer needs to cool down and
incorporated a back that boasted a UV
filter fabric.
In his Fall Winter 2009 range Smith
managed to incorporate some cycle
tops paired with suits. Disappointingly
among the modern suit jackets,
botanical-look prints and silk shorts
there was nothing to suggest cycling
was a consideration when he
released his latest summer offering
into the market. Those that share
his admiration for the sport remain
hopeful his two great loves will again
be reunited in future work.
Oxblood Calf Leather Fishing Tote Bag, 100% Leather - $1805
Rainbow Scarf, 100% Silk - $200
‘Rick’ Fabric Shoes, 100% Fabric Upper - $799
www.paulsmith.co.uk
Stockists: 02 9331 8222

5. Unique Luxur y 101
DIOR HOMME You don’t get to be one of the world’s
most revered apparel brands without
an insane amount of hard work, a
heap of obsessive compulsion, a
talented team of tailors and a few
time-honoured rituals.
Which may go some of the way
to explaining why Christian Dior’s
menswear offering Dior Homme has
stood the test of time.
Just after releasing its latest spring
summer range, the brand revealed
the ceremonial manner in which
each Dior Homme collection is put
together with nothing left to chance.
The first step sees Kris Van Assche,
the line’s creative director, design
the collection’s looks in a sketch that
encompasses four elements: the
Dior Homme spirit; rigorous tailoring
and urban ease; a play on form and
colour and a revisit of menswear
classics. Once interpreted by the
design studio, the suit’s structure,
hang and style are clarified in a
technical drawing. To ensure the
line is impeccable, fabric choice is
of utmost importance whereby the
hang and weight of the fabric are just
as important as the look and feel.
In keeping with the purest form, the
outlines of each pattern piece, placed
on lengths of fabric held in place
by weights, are chalked out before
being cut by hand. The tailor then
marks out the stress lines together
with the outline of the lapel, the jut
of the shoulder and volume of the
chest. A layer of canvas, tacked to
the fabric by hand, gives life to the
suit. From there the collar is added,
sleeves sewn and buttons and
embellishments stitched. After being
presented to Van Assche for any final
adjustments, the suit is then sent to
the production ateliers where it is
produced in limited runs and from
where it will eventually clothe men of
distinction the world over.
100 www.uniqueestates.com.au
Dior Composit sunglasses with flat silver mirrored lenses - $720
Duffle Bag in black grained calfskin leather - $5,900
Black multilaces calfskin derby - $1,800
www.dior.com.au
Stockists: (02) 9229 4600