Mulberry
approx $2885
Bettina Liano
Review
Last week Marc Jacobs showcased two traffic-stopping collections at New York Fashion Week and now the fashion designer has unveiled his latest masterpiece. Jacobs has bottled up his love of art with a pop art limited edition of his popular women's scent, Daisy by Marc Jacobs.
Lancôme's latest product combines moisturizer and anti-aging serum in one bottle.
To those who equate pastels with Easter egg hunts, makeup genius Pat McGrath counters: “Pastels aren’t weak! They’re vibrant and powerful.” The P&G global creative design director brightened Versace’s signature smoky eye with a blast of pale purple, after layering CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Silver Sky under Make Up For Ever Aquarelle in Violet.
Italians aren’t terribly fond of traditional seersucker, so Armani has reinterpreted this must-have material in summery striped linen. It reads like the original but has all of the markings of Milanese style with a rolled lapel and patch pockets.
Etro is known for its luxuriously loud looks, and this brown plaid blazer is no exception. The pattern may remind you of grandpa’s stodgy sportcoat, but the crisper cut with side vents shaves a half-century off its age. The slightly shrunken length doesn’t hurt either.
A wool sportcoat in warmer weather immediately triggers thoughts of sweating on the way to work. But Benetton – Italy’s answer to mass retailing – is keeping things cool with a lighter version of the blue blazer from its higher-end label, Sisley. Fortunaely, just like its pricier peers, this one too has the trimmer traits of an Italian masterpiece.
Orange can be awful when it’s done wrong, but everything is right
Moreschi isn’t on the short list of usual shoe suspects, but this cap toe is worth mentioning. Woven and punched detailing together would normally be brutal battery on the eyes, but it’s executed in a graceful way that’s both refined and relevant.
Bottega Veneta has made a name for itself by subtly nodding to rather than aggressively affirming trends. However, the luxe label is more than prudent wallets. These half-rim Havana shades in dark tortoise acetate are likewise a prime example of the timeless style upon which BV has built its regal reputation.
Duo Dean and Dan Caten (think equally odd but older male counterparts of the Olsen twins) hail from Canada but design in their ancestral home of Italy. This poplin shirt quietly ushers in spring with brown gingham and retains the signature sensibilities of Italian style -- namely, its impeccable slim tailoring.
Tough times have led labels to focus on their forte. And when it comes to wools, no one does it better than Loro Piana. This cardigan in burnt orange can be used as a lighter layering piece to provide the perfect passage between the seasons. Tip: The Italians aren't afraid of color, why should you be?
Tom Ford took Gucci from bankrupt to billion-dollar brand during his legendary reign, and the label has remained fun and fresh ever since. These white pants are ready to ring in spring with all of the distinctive details that make Gucci great: crisp construction, back flap pockets and contrast trimming.
The hallmarks of Versace menswear have long been boldness and bling. But this lightweight zip-up jacket is on trend in its understated elegance. The traditionally blousy jacket has a trimmer, contemporary cut here that’s complemented with oversized slit pockets.
Grapefruit citrus blends with pimento, moss, nutmeg, and, of course, vetiver. A number of the most intriguing colognes for 2010 include vetiver, which is a fragrant scent derived from the root of the perennial cuscus grass indigenous to India and Malaysia.
This new urban, masculine cologne has the top notes of pink grapefruit and lime that soon give way to dewy greens, hints of white pepper, tequila (yup, tequila), lavender, and, finally, oak with sandalwood thrown in for good measure. All of this conspires to become the perfect international business cologne for any man; while the top notes are citrus-based and the bottom notes are wood, there is no lag time in their confluence on your skin. The mixture of Kenneth Cole Vintage Black hits your senses all at once making it a masculine, powerful scent that should always travel with you -- but apply it sparsely.
Patchouli and the unique use of red basil and absinthe converge with pimento creating the complete antithesis of Davidoff’s popular Cool Water scent. Hot Water makes quick use of patchouli, which is the perfect date-night top note for a men’s cologne. OK, so what the hell is Patchouli? It is a warmly scented oil derived from an Indo-Malayan shrub. In its natural form, the oil has the aroma of heat. Blended here with basil and pimento one gets an unusually masculine and primal scent reminiscent of a man’s natural scent (i.e., she digs that).
Vetiver and cedar wood ride over a mixture of bergamot, lavender and cardamom revealing an earthiness not often found in men’s colognes. This is a result of the top notes of vetiver and cedar giving way to the airy citrus aroma of bergamot. Bergamot is culled from the northern Italian citrus tree of the same name. The tree produces a small orange-like fruit that has been a staple of colognes for years. Used here, however, it provides a gentler and less overpowering scent for intimate moments, but still provides you with a strong masculine presence.
Unwavering in its manliness and sheer power, L’Homme Sport by Lanvin is the singular sport and casual scent for the Everyman in 2010. The weighty notes of musk, pepper and sage overlay bergamot and patchouli. Translation? Your significant other will first notice the animalistic aroma of musk. As she gets closer, the subtle fragrant notes of the bergamot fruit and patchouli oil warm and console her senses with their blend of citrus and floral aromas.
