Jacket Required 2012

A week ago we were fortunate enough to attend Jacket Required, an invitation only event that showcases some of the best menswear brands on the market. As far as trade shows go this was the biggest one Fresh Habits has attended, with just under 100 brands exhibiting their latest collections, and it's fair to say that we were not disappointed in the slightest.

There were too many brands in attendance to list here, but a few that caught our eye were; Rascals, Herschel Supply Co., Edifice, Shades of Grey, Maiden Noir, Carhartt, Penfield, aNYthing, Gourmet, Goliath and Billionaire Boys Club.

We reveled in the opportunity to discover and meet brands that we hadn't come across before, as well as getting some long overdue face time with brands that we've been in contact with since the conception of this website.

Although there were many big names in the building, the show was extremely relaxed and brands were more than happy to chat with us about their latest collections, their direction for future seasons, and our opinions on the product. We arrived just before our scheduled interview with Carhartt, so as Dead Rabbit and No Face took care of that, Flossy and I hit the open bar for some beers and proceeded to explore the wealth of product that was on display.

Our interview with Carhartt went into some depth, so it will be featured as a post in it's own right, but I did manage to have some interesting chats with some brands that grabbed my attention.

Over at Billionaire Boys Club I was treated to a first look at their new Bee line, which was produced in collaboration with the prolific Mark McNairy. It offered a new, more tailored, direction for BBC with some unique designs that had me chomping at the bit.

I wish I could show you them, but alas BBC were keeping a tight reign on photos around their table.

Maiden Noir were also looking strong; with their refined take on streetwear and exclusive distribution, this brand continually delivers premium product. They had a collaboration with Stussy on display from last season which featured some murdered out black on black brogues and an all black five panel which I couldn't get enough of.

It demonstrated their passion for design, and the fact that they didn't go mad with Stussy branding where they could have shows that they appreciate fine detail. Danish brand Rascals caught my eye with their two tone button downs, and as a brand that originally catered to cyclists, it was clear to me that they were ready to reach a wider target audience.

Shoe brand Goliath were a pleasant surprise, and exactly the reason why we enjoy events like this so much. 

They were unknown to us, but boasted a dope selection of footwear and I'm pretty sure that each of us wanted at least one pair from their new collection. We will be going into more detail on this brand at a later date, as well as Penfield, who were one of my favourite brands of he day. They had a number of classics back in new colourways, as well as some new pieces such as the Hartland Jacket.

The Black Bear premium line and the new Japanese prints from Penfield were on point, as well as the smarter products constructed out of tweed and suit fabrics. Keep an eye out for the posts that will follow up this one, as we go into more depth on brands and some of their new releases.

All in all, the day was a tremendous success for us and all involved. It was great to meet brands face to face, and seeing product for real beats flat shots any day. I'm already looking forward to the next one.