‘Obscura’ has been pursuing the‘Gentleman’s code’, with THINK SILLY Store as its embodiment. We put a lot of effort on understanding each product and the history behind each label. Lane Crawford, the specialty department store known for its history in Hong Kong, stocks the best of international designer brands. Its status in local fashion scene is widely acknowledged.This pop-up store is a joint effort, with‘Obscura’’s unique concept injected into a large scale department store set up.
The selection is chosen by TK, ‘Obscura’ Team and THINK SILLY Store buyer, a manifestation on our personal style. Including designer brands from Japan, Europe and U.S., the selection also includes limited edition specially created for this occasion. Here is a sneak preview.
01. VELVET BLAZER
A suit jacket is an important element of a classic gentleman’s look, apart from the tradi- tion Dark Suit Jacket; the Velvet Blazer has also been the ‘Obscura’ Team’s spotlight item for fall. For this limited project with Lane Crawford, we’ve chosen a Velvet Blazer from the French fashion house, Lanvin. The beautiful Old English aesthetic has been the core of the shop’s Gentleman’s Code and also serves as one of our highlighted looks for fall, hence the inclusion of this particular item.
02. ROUND FRAME GLASSES & BOWTIE
Round frames are something we’ve been pushing to be the perfect Gentlemen’s accessory. For this fall, metallic frames have caught our eyes. We’ve brought in a lot of products from all corners of the world, including America’s Oliver Peoples, England’s Linda Farrow Luxe and Japan’s Masunaga. Aiming for the classic college aesthetic, the Bowtie is a must-have item for the complete look. When we combine it with the already introduced Velvet Blazer, Tweed Jacket and round frame glasses, we’ll have the key essentials of the upper half of the outfit.
03. POCKET SQUARE AND BAG
Having gone through the essentials for clothing and shoes, the next area we’ll investigate is the world of accessories. If you’re going for suits, Pocket Square can definitely enhance the overall look and feel of the whole outfit. This time, we’ve picked out a neutral toned Pocket Square and for carrying things around, we went for Lanvin’s beige leather shoulder bag, which has a touch of winter elegance.
04. FOOTWEAR
Our latest collaborations with century-old American shoemakers Alden have been our choices of footwear in recent times. Apart from the traditional Gentlemen’s shoe, we’ve also been wearing a lot of hand-finished washed shoes from similar categories. With this occasion, we’ve introduced England’s Church’s and Italy’s Marsell. Regardless of design, finish and work ethic, both labels have their own unique appeal when compared to other general brands. The classic Tricker’s brown suede shoe is also in the mix, as the color is one of our top picks for this season, definitely something to watch out for. Lastly, Givenchy’s thick-soled leather boot with its woven upper and twisted laces is a true reflection of designer Riccardo Tisci’s recent gothic notion.
05. OUTDOOR STYLE
For daily outdoor needs, we’ve chosen some garments with native elements and functionality in mind. Established in 2004, Kolor’s founder Junichi Abe has worked as Rei Kawakubo’s assistant and is known for his use of materials on different types of clothing, like creating a sweater with the shape and cut of a suit jacket and a traditional fisherman’s jacket with a technical water- proof shell. Sacai’s designer Chitose Abe launched a full men’s collection in 2009 with their iconic native color patterns. They’re also one of the most forward thinking Japanese brands in recent years.
Another highlighted piece is the Down Vest from Engineered Garments. Using a light insulated material, it gives the wearer a pleasant experience for the winter months ahead, as well enhances the possibility of the layering effect. Based in New York, the brand’s Creative Director Daiki Suzuki uses both outdoor and military elements as his key inspirations, and he’s also one of the key figures to mix in the American Worker Style with the Japanese aesthetic. Successful in his execution of making workwear fashionable, he has created the new classic Americana through craftsmanship and his attention to detail.
06. LEATHER FACTORY ROBERU CAMERA & DAILY ACCESSORIES
We’ve been scouting all over the world for premium products to bring back to Hong Kong and Roberu is one of our success stories. Established in 2007, the small hand- made leather company from Tokyo’s Yokohama district have been gaining momentum in their short history with the label’s natural leather goods. Apart from camera accessories, which they’re more known for, their iPhone cases and wallets have also been our daily essentials. The high quality leather camera accessories are definitely must-have items for any photographers out there. As the exclusive stockist in Hong Kong, we’ll bring the whole Roberu experience to our Pop-Up store in Tsim Sha Tsui, so that more customers can come and feel what Roberu is about.
07. LADIES SELECTION
At ‘Obscura’, we’ve never had a divide between the sexes, it’s always been about finding things that are interesting and introducing them to our readers. Hopefully with this special project, we can keep up with the same spirit, as we’ll also be extending to the modern girl style, so that it’ll cater our female audience. Full of gracious European aesthetics, Japanese label Arts & Science are known for their usage of top tier materials and techniques, light color palette and strict tailoring procedures. By bringing in this long jacket and handbag, we hope our audience can feel the hard work Sonya S. Park has put in for her label. The list of leather shoes includes America’s Bass and France’s Repetto, both the Leather Oxford and the casual Loafer ooze out a sense of sophistication. We’ve also included Stella McCartney’s black/white polka dot dress, Alexander Wang’s white vest, Maison Michel’s headwear, Christian Louboutin’s stiletto, Adam’s wool jacket and also Carven’s crinkled dress, this eccentric mix will provide a good variety of looks.
08. TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloIst.
Takahiro Miyashita’s TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloIst. have been in THINK SILLY Store’s inventory since the label’s inception. The retro sewing and layering tech- niques to the distressed approach, Miyashita has once again re-defined the world of high fashion by inventing ‘The Middle Ages Nomadic Gent’. Hats, leather bracelets and silverware from the collection have a rich distinct 19th Century European mode.
09. SPECIAL COLLABORATION ITEM
To commemorate this project with Lane Crawford, we’ve invited some of our friends to produce a set of limited edition collaboration items for us. First up is Cash CA from England, who worked on a small capsule of underwear, which includes tops and vests with a relaxed and elongated fit. The length of the garments is designed especially for our layering needs. We’ve also collaborated with Roberu once again on a new series of products. The line-up includes Ground Leather Wristband, Camera Strap, iPhone 4 Case, Ground Leather Tote and a Long Wallet. All items are handmade and will feature de-bossed ‘SILLY THING’ and ‘Roberu for Obscura’ logos. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
Text: Vincent Lau | Translation: dilettante
Photo: Chan Man Ching
LANE CRAWFORD
3 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
+852 2118 3428
lanecrawford.com
