Tagged: for him

Our first seasonal delivery from the UK sportswear legends at Fred Perry has arrived in the Garden City with spring styles now available at both Still Life For Him & For Her. A brand as focussed and quality-driven as Fred Perry always finds an immediate home amongst our goods in the store, with our recently expanded women's division really getting on board with the brand.

This first Fred Perry Spring 2012 arrival offers our Still Life ladies a selection of lightweight, cashmere-blend cardigans, drapey striped tees and slouchy v-neck sweaters. Our men's offering is fuller with classic Foxx and Byron footwear options returning once again, basic sporty tees, cardigan or pullover knitwear staples and madras & plaid spring shirting.

Iconic, legendary and authentically British. Fred Perry represents both a sporty, street wear casual customer as well as a proper, tailored and fashion-concious individual. Whether For Him or For Her, Still Life has been the home of classic, iconic Fred Perry styles for years. Immediately recognizable by their Laurel Wreath branding, attention to detail (and functionality) and nearly unmatched quality standards, Fred Perry Spring 2012 are available now at both Still Life For Him & For Her.

A serious breath of fresh spring air hit Still Life For Him & For Her this week with the arrival of casual California tees, hats, shirting and shorts from Brixton. Always offering stellar seasonal collections, Brixton introduces our Still Life customer to quality, on-trend garments in perfect fits for a very approachable price. Their online presence is solid with crystal clear product shots to the right and expertly styled lookbook shots sprinkled throughout. Styles from our first Spring 2012 Brixton delivery are currently available at Still Life For Him & For Her.

Inspired by music, culture, and the people who surround them, Brixton is the collaboration of three friends who wanted to convey their lifestyle through unique products. Created in 2004, the timeless and clean design of the Brixton collection is hard to duplicate and comes in a variety of styles that appeal to the individual in a modern yet traditional way. Each piece is constructed with the commitment to bringing the customer a high quality and limited product that they’ll want to hold onto forever.

This one is for the lovers! Valentines Day 2012 is coming this Tuesday, February 14th and we've air shipped stock in from either side of the continent to make sure our friends have the sweetest and most romantic time they can. With Still Life For Her rennovations completed we've got a gorgeous newly designed space at 550 Johnson for you to pick up some last minute gifts fro your Miss, and the boys across the street at Still Life For Him have some things to make your man smile ear to ear on the shelves at 551 Johnson. Flip through the images on the right and keep reading for our quick little guide to Valentines Day 2012.

• Only Hearts Lingerie: This line of Made in New York City lingerie has been a runaway hit at Still Life For Her since debuting this Fall. Sexy, romantic and feminine, these stretch lace underpinning bras, bralettes, panties & thongs are a perfect gift to buy for your lady, or For Her to buy for herself to feel sexy for someone else on the big day. We had a gorgeous batch of brand new sexy favourites overnight shipped from New York just in time for Valentines.
  
• Red Cap Valentines Day Cards: Adorable Valentines sentiments from the creative hands and mind of Francesca Montanari, these cards are simple, easy, affordable and hit the mark big time. Francesca is an artist/clothing designer/illustrator. She lives in Italy in the countryside but spends half of the year in Berlin Germany.
• D.S. & Durga Perfumes & Colognes: Beautifully handcrafted scents from Brooklyn, New York prepared to set the mood available For Him & For Her. Scents include Grapefruit & Silent Grove For Her and Boston Ivy & Italian Citrus For Him.
• Nudie Jeans Backbone Boxers: Fair trade organic cotton magnificently constructed into strong, masculine, body-defining boxer briefs ready to keep him feeling himself throughout the day. Pick up a pair or two of colours including Indigo, Grey Melange or Black available For Him.
• Land By Land Scented Candles: Perfect to set the mood in the condo, bedroom or romantic hotel suite for the evening - Land By Land Candles are made by hand in New York City. Available in three sizes we have scents ranging from Savon & Bergamot to Cassis & Leather. Light the candles, set the mood, and relax.
• BETA5 Chocolates & Confections: It really is pretty straight foward - everyone likes some sweets and chocolates for Valentines Day. Trust us even the most dedicated chocolatier will be hard pressed to down a jar of these incredibly BETA5 Chocolates. All made in Vancouver using incredible food science to bring the absolute best texture, taste and quality out of these treats. We brought a case back from Vancouver this week just for Valentines Day - this one is almost a no brainer.

A little inseason re-up from our bearded friend in Vancouver with Ken Diamond Quality Leather Goods arriving today at Still Life For Him:

• Braided Leather Wallet Chain (available in black) - Hand braided kangaroo leather finished with waxed cord and solid stainless swivel snaps on either end.
• Classic Bill Fold (available in black, chocolate and natural) - 3/4oz high quality veggie tan leather, hand stitched with 2 card slots and 1 bill slot. A taller and narrower option than the shorter and wider New Bill Fold.
• Classic Key Fob (available in black and natural) - High quality 5/6oz veggie tan leather finished with solid brass swivel snap.
• Envelope Card Wallet (available in black, chocolate and natural) - 3/4oz high quality veggie tan leather, hand stitched and finished with engraved Ken Diamond snap.
• Skinny Key Fob (available in black, natural & cognac) - 5/6oz high quality veggie tan leather, solid brass swivel snap finished with engraved Ken Diamond snap.

Ken Diamond began to work with leather in the late 90′s and established Ken Diamond in 2003. The philosophy behind the works of Ken Diamond are simple: high quality leather goods with classic designs, entirely hand made in his Vancouverstudio. As leather work is a dying art, he works at keeping the traditions alive while using modern techniques to keep the work simple and minimal.

Our very first official Spring/Summer 2012 arrivals are here and they come from the fine folks at Sweden's most loved denim brand: Nudie Jeans Co. For the past ten years Nudie has done things within this retail fashion industry that, in all honesty, they didn't have to: they've eschewed speed and overhead for quality production, they've worked tirelessly for human rights with Amnesty International, and this year (2012) they will finally become an entirely organic denim company as they rework all their classics with new denim options moving forward.

Nudie proves there's more in their pricetags than the backwards "N" and a cool stitch deal. There's a lot of heart, soul and hard work put into every pair of jeans they produce, and we're proud to have been such a big supporter of the brand for as long as we have. Cheers to Nudie Jeans Co, check out what we've received thusfar for Spring 2012:

• Tape Ted Black Black Ring: Italian comfort stretch. 10.25oz dry denim with evident ring effects. Black warp and white weft. A soft and flat fabric. Black threads all over and black back pocket embo. Gunmetal trims. 97% cotton/3% elastane. Made in Italy.
• Thin Finn Dry Flat Selvage Dry: Italian 13.25oz selvage denim with a little red-cast. It's compact and regular with a smooth, flat surface. On this style you find the selvage edge coin pocket and silver trims. Nudie orange threads all over except for the back pocket embo that is faded indigo. 100% cotton. Made in Italy.
• Khaki Slim Dry Black Coated: Unwashed dry black-coated denim from Italy. At front: Slant side pocket. A secret coin pocket just below the waistband. Zip fly with orange bar tack. Silver button and orange buttonhole on waistband. At back: Lowered yoke. Welt pockets where the pocket bag is marked with a blind stitch. Lined waistband. Narrow two-needle seams along yoke seam and front and back rise. The fit is based on Thin Finn.
• Backbone Sweatshirt Black or Grey Light: Dry unbrushed piqué in organic cotton. At neck a classic rib insert with flatlock seams. All seams are stitched down with flatlock. 100% fair trade & organic cotton.
• Backbone Boxers Black, Grey or Indigo: The cotton used for this jersey is organic. They feature an elastic waistband with the Nudie Jeans Co logo. Matching bindings at front and leg openings. 98% cotton/2 % elastane. 100% fair trade & organic cotton.
• Wayne Leather Belt Black or Natural: This fine leatherbelt is handmade in Portugal. Made out of the finest saddle leather thet when treated right will age beautifully. Nudie jeans Co logo embossed at end.
• Denim & Leather Haghdal Wallet: A wicked pocket-sized wallet that only measures 10x7.5cm when folded. It contains one currency pocket and eight pockets for cards, six horizontal and two vertical ones. The outside is made in a 13.25oz Japanese denim with the selvage edge visible at the currency pocket. It is stitched with heavy off-white stitches. The inside is made in genuine saddle leather that will age beautifully. On the inside you also find the Nudie Jeans Co logo debossed.

Some of of knew Jamer from way back, some of us knew him from more recent times, some of us knew of him only from his work; Any way we knew him we were all affected by his tragic passing yesterday, January 12 2012. Read a beautiful writeup from a close friend over at Scout Magazine Online. We'll miss you Jamer.

It was with the utmost anticipation that our friends at Big Wheel Burger opened their doors at 341 Cook Street this past Autumn staking their claim as the "Best Real Fast Food in Victoria". In a city like ours it would seem every other foodie dining out is seated at their table eagerly drafting their review of the service/food/atmosphere/decor of the establishment on the tiny screen of their smartphone before the main course is even finished; Thankfully for these same Victoria foodies, Big Wheel Burger will leave them slipping smiley face emoticons into their reviews after finishing one of the absolute best burgers in the city.

Located in the vibrant Cook Street Village, a hop, skip, and a jump from Beacon Hill Park, Downtown Victoria, and the Dallas Road Waterfront, Big Wheel Burger is the perfect place for take-out picnic supplies, fun family meals, and speedy business lunches. The result of great ideas coming together between the brains at Pig and Zambri's, Big Wheel Burger has immedately harnessed the heart, soul and food quality of a legendary burger joint working with only the finest ingredients.

Sourcing product from within 100 miles of their location, Big Wheel Burger limits their carbon footprint while support local economies. Their burgers are ground fresh daily, using locally raised, hormone and antibiotic free meats and cooked well done on a cutting edge flat top grill all the while embracing a philosophy of fresh, local and delicious. They use only environmentally safe packaging materials and have instituted recycling programs on every product level.

You've probably heard the buzz surrounding the hottest new burger joint in town, so next time you're biking, walking or driving down by the water or up through Cook Street Village, be sure to make a pitstop at Big Wheel Burger and tell them "Hi" from all of us at Still Life.

No new SS12 debuts to speak of quite yet, but our favourite Nudie Jeans Co. Winter 2012 styles have been restocked both at Still Life For Him & For Her. The ever-expanding Swedish denim brand really broke the mould in 2011 with the introduction of an exceptional Recycled Dry Denim program and their strongest commitment to fairly traded organic cottons yet. Play the video below to get an insiders video into the denim recycling process at Nudie's Italian production centre, and keep reading for a summation of currently restocked Nudie AW11 styles.

• Tight Long John is a super tight fit with low waist and narrow leg opening. Zip fly. Restocked in Dry Stretch, an 11 oz power stretch denim from Italy. The look is dry, but the jeans have been rinsed to get maximum elasticity effect. Nudie orange threads allover and orange back pocket embo. Also restocked in Black Black an 11oz power stretch denim from Italy in pure indigo overdyed with black. The look is dry, but the jeans have been rinsed to get maximum elasticity effect. Black threads allover and black back pocket embo.
• Like the name suggests, High Kai has the highest waist in Nudie's range of fits. It is a supertight fit with narrow leg opening and zip fly. Restocked in Recycle Dry Navy Denim this 11.5 oz power stretch denim from Turkey is made with both organic and recycled cotton. It's a red cast with tight construction, smooth slightly shiny surface and obvious neps effects. Navy threads all over and navy back pocket embo. Organic trims and pocket lining. 68% organic cotton/29% recycled cotton/3% elastane.
• Tube Kelly has exactly the same top block as Tight Long John with a slightly wider leg opening. On Tight Long John it is 15.5 cm and on Tube Kelly it is 17 cm, which gives a straight tube leg silhouette. Restocked in Black Black an 11oz power stretch denim from Italy in pure indigo overdyed with black. The look is dry, but the jeans have been rinsed to get maximum elasticity effect. Black threads allover and black back pocket embo.
• Thin Finn is a tight fit with an extra low yoke and normal waist. The silhouette is similar to the 50’s carrot shape with the tight and narrow leg opening. Wear it low. Zip fly. Available in Organic Dry Ecru Embo a 10.75oz 100% organic cotton denim from Turkey. Pure indigo. Nudie orange threads allover except for the back pocket embo which is ecru. Also restocked in Dry Black Coated, the 11oz Italian comfort stretch denim. Black coating on white weft. Black threads allover and black back pocket embo.
• Grim Tim is a straight slim fit with normal waist and a straight leg. Available in Black Black Slubs, a 12.5oz comfort stretch from Turkey with black yarn in both warp and weft. The fabric has evident twill lines and subtle slubs. Black threads all over and black back pocket embo. Also available in Dry Dirt Organic, a 13.2oz ridgid denim with pure indigo from Turkey made in 100% organic cotton. Dry denim. Nudie orange threads allover and orange back pocket embo. Organic trims and pocket lining. Button fly.
• Slim Jim is one of Nudie's first fits. It is regular straight with normal waist and tube leg. The characteristic double stitches along the outer seam are considered a Nudie Jeans trademark. Zip fly. Restocked in an Organic Dry Grey Embo 11oz comfort stretch denim from Turkey made of 100% organic cotton. Pure indigo. Tonal navy threads all over except for the back pocket embo that is grey.
• Hank Rey is a new fit in the regular range. The yoke is low, legs are straight leg and waist is normal. Available in Recycle Dry 12.5oz denim from Turkey made of a recycled cotton. Red cast denim with flat surface and evident crosshatch effect. Nudie orange threads all over and orange back pocket embo.

We don't aim to be music critics or experts at Still Life, but we know what we like to hear, we go to concerts of our friends and favourites and we buy the albums we know we need when they're released. With the help of the new and expanded Ditch Records & CDs location up on Fort Street we were able to add to our vinyl collection at the stores better than ever in 2011. Here is a recap of some of our favourite releases this year, albums you very likely heard playing on loop at the stores or stripped for parts, carefully crafted into seasonal playlists.

Despite expanding into two locations for the last half of 2011, plenty of albums found their way onto the iPods and record players at both Still Life For Him & For Her. It was easy to work through an entire day before realizing we'd been listening to albums like Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Destroyer - Kaputt and James Blake - James Blake on repeat for eight hours. Other albums including M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation, Washed Out - Within And Without and Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming may not have got to "full-day re-play" status, but made our stores feel like home as soon as the first note came through the speakers.

Albums For Him: The fun of having a menswear specific location to start the AW11 season with was not lost on our music choices. Albums like Dirty Beaches - Badlands, Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On, King Krule - The Noose Of Jah City and Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo got repeat listens within the walls at 551 Johnson Street while maybe not quite as many spins at Still Life For Her across the street. Turning up the volume on classic rock, soul and hip hop staples also helped make the Still Life For Him space feel a little more comfortable for our guys.

Albums For Her: A new store with a new feel meant new music to get our ladies comfortable in the newly opened Still Life For Her back in August. While there were plenty of crossover hits at both locations, albums like Adele - 21, Feist - Metals, Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes, tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l and even Beyonce - 4 had our some of our new staff at Still Life For Her setting the mood themselves in new location with their favourite albums.

After Hours Jams: One thing a passerby may notice about Still Life For Him & For Her if you happen to walk by at 9:30PM on a Thursday night is that the music coming from the store is generally decidedly different (and louder) than what you heard earlier in the afternoon at the store. If a crew of staff was at the shop receiving product or pricing goods this year you were fairly likely to hear something from Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne whereas depending on the specific combination of staff working late you'd be more likely to hear something from Lana Del Rey - Video Games EP, A$AP Rocky - LIVELOVEA$AP or Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra blasting through the windows. Not albums we'd necessarily play throughout the day, but definitely a few tracks from these albums made their way onto our playlists.

Lastly, a huge shoutout to our friends & family that worked so tirelessly to put together another absolutely phenomenal event in Rifflandia IV this year! So many amazing shows, so many of our close friends, and such fantastic venues! We can't wait to be kitted up in our Tretorns and Native Boots again next September stomping around the Lounge at Royal Athletic Park!

Have a Safe and Happy New Year Victoria! Lots of love from the crew at Still Life For Him & For Her! See you in 2012!