opening today, menswear emporium trunk brings an interesting well-edited range of sophisticated styles to london town. the store is set up by mats klingberg, a former corporate career maker with a keen eye for fine menswear, and is backed by monocle magazine’s parent company. the trunk store occupies a two-storey space, fitted out in stylish palettes of grey with subtly contrasting light wood floors.

so what’s in store? mimicking monocle’s global focus, trunk’s collections pretty much cater to those with a refined and international fashion palate. from bespoke shirts and tailored blazers to knitwear, denim and swimwear, it’s all here. the range of brands is quite impressive and includes [modern] classics like mackintosh, kitsuné and piombo, and also a few hot brands new to the u.k. such as beams+, aspesi and j.crew. location: 8 chiltern street [marylebone].



© trunk / photo: mats klingberg looking sharp and happy

they say style never goes out of fashion, but many would argue good service has well since seen its heyday. mr. start however, prides itself on a more involved approach by ensuring its customers get not only the best quality, but also the highest levels of service. from the husband and wife team of philip start, founder of woodhouse, and brix smith-start, their shoreditch treasure trove of immaculately tailored suits has steadily gained an enviable reputation amongst those in the know.

whilst their other two start boutiques retail a good range of all of the right names, its heart lies in fine tailored suits and prêt-à-porter, with the emphasis firmly on quality and a strong service ethic. mr. start realised their tailoring is a walking, talking brand advert. so investing the time with a customer to ensure a perfect fit and the right tones, will not only keep customers coming back, but also cut the best silhouette around town. suits us sir! location: 40 rivington street [shoreditch].



© mr. start

pssst…heard of ln-cc yet? short for late night chameleon café, this new and continuously evolving retail formula that’s to open in east london next month is currently strictly under wraps but here’s a few pointers. set up by two veterans of london’s directional retail and clubbing scene, it aims to present a next-generation shopping experience by blending sharply-curated music, art and books, presented in separate areas, into the fashion formula.

okay, okay…the brands? well, these include some hot and rare labels: nonnative, christian peau, new power studio for men, and preen, tze goh and mawi for women. how about that? interestingly, ln-cc is also to feature a vintage high-fidelity sound system and its book section will provide specialized publications hardly found elsewhere. although the store hasn’t opened yet, you can already check it out online.




© ln-cc / photos: some sharp styles that will be available at the store

he’s been a star snapper ever since he arrived on the scene in the early 1960s, not only shooting high-fashion for british vogue but also capturing and help creating pretty much of the swinging london of those days. we’re talking the fab david bailey, who’s show david bailey sculpture+ opens at pangolin on wed - sep 8. interestingly, it’s not only a photo show but also the first ever showcase of his sculptures.

on display is a dark and rugged collection of cast silver and bronze sculptures alongside a range of new photographs, which underline the contrast between the two mediums, and emphasize bailey’s versatility as an artist. the show very much explores the idea that image-makers should not be confined to one discipline. location: 90 york way [king's cross].

serpentine gallery has pulled it off again, this year presenting a striking pavilion by french starchitect jean nouvel. interestingly, it’s his first completed building in britain. the structure consists of geometric forms made from both metal and light-weight materials and allows a highly versatile use of interior and exterior spaces. its most striking feature is a sloped freestanding wall that stands 12 meters above the lawn. the pavilion will be used a public space, a café and for the gallery’s park nights program, and will remain open until oct 17. location: kensington gardens, hyde park [kensington].





© serpentine gallery

launching today [6pm-9pm] at pure evil gallery is the very first u.k. solo show by new york-based urban artist extraordinaire specter. he has made a name for himself creating installations and street artwork in abandoned buildings and obscure urban spaces to draw attention to urban problems and issues. on display will be a series of new paintings and drawings. location: 108 leonard street [shoreditch].



© pure evil gallery

party: the playground vs. super super
date: sat - aug 14 [9pm-3am]
location: koko, 1a camden high street [camden]
dj lineup includes kavinsky, kap bambino, autokratz, teenagersintokyo, is tropical
click [here] for tickets

swedish denim supremo acne’s flagship london store is finally unzipped on mayfair’s hipster dover street. stretching over three floors with a gorgeous roof deck to boot, the store boasts art gallery proportions with chic industrial design and showcases exquisite furniture by luxury fashion house lanvin. gracing the walls are murals by legendary interiors illustrator jeremiah goodman, images by photographer katerina jebb, drawings by jean cocteau and a striking three part eagle sculpture by fashion designer-turned-sculptor helmut lang. the store reflects jonny johansson’s conceptual vision of blending art and fashion into a seamless, luxurious and inspiring environment. location: 13 dover street [mayfair].






© acne

celebrating the 50th anniversary of jean-luc godard’s iconic film à bout de souffle [1960], james hyman gallery stages la nouvelle vague, an exhibition that captures the essence of the french nouvelle vague movement through works by photographer raymond cauchetier. mind you, some photos are being displayed for the first time [on until aug 28]. location: 5 savile row [mayfair].



© raymond cauchetier - director jean-luc godard shoots a scene for breathless [1959]

charismatic frontman and sex symbol jim morrisson contributed a great deal to the doors‘ popularity. opening at the idea generation gallery on mon - jul 5 is the doors - when you’re strange, an exhibition that elaborately documents the band’s rise to fame through photography. on display are photo works by henry diltz, joel brodsky, bobby klein and ken regan, who all documented the band’s time together. location: 11 chance street [shoreditch].



© joel brodsky - jim morrisson, the young lion [1967]

flying off to the sun next month from heathrow airport’s state-of-the-art terminal 5? if so, check in early to soak up some brit creativity…and perhaps some do brit shopping too? celebrating the upcoming 97th edition of the tour de france, a cycling-themed exhibition of paintings and collages by brit artist james straffon opens at the paul smith globe store on mon - jul 5. location: terminal 5, departure lounge, gate a19 [heathrow airport].



© james straffon

awesome! london’s kkoutlet teams up with colette, the mother of all concept stores, for a unique shop swap. on thu - jul 1 it takes control of colette’s premises in the french capital and installs a kooky showcase of products, books, and artwork which best reflects the multi-faceted nature of the company and its output.

on mon - jul 5 the paris-based store reciprocates, setting up shop at kkoutlet in london. it will not only bring a slew of hypercool products, books, music and art work, but will also stage two not-to-be-missed exhibitions by artists andré saraiva a.k.a. andré and darcel. paris location: 213 rue st.-honoré [st.-honoré]. london location: 42 hoxton square [shoreditch].

the london festival of architecture is back on jun 19 - jul 4 with a jam-packed program at different venues in central, east and south london. this fourth edition is quite logically themed the welcoming city as london is gearing up for the 2012 olympics. our preferred highlights are the lecture by starchitect rafael viñoly, the wonderful portavilion showcase by berlin-based practice raumlabor and the international architecture showcase that gives the audience an insight in exciting architecture projects across the planet at more than 30 embassies and cultural institutes across town. check out the event’s program online and pick yours!



note: click image to enlarge

party: heads high
date: thu - jun 17 [9pm-late]
lineup: nasah, kevla, white kids, oliver rant, nice ‘n sleazy
location: the silver bullet, 5 station place [finsbury park].

meet up with interesting creatives at protein’s forum #6 on thu - jun 17 [7pm-11pm] and talk science, technology and design. the following invitees will be present: ben kreukniet, pete hellicar + joel gethin lewis, evan grant and shane walter. rsvp [here] for access. location: the future gallery, 5 newport street [strand].

the solo exhibition of french urban artist remed just launched at pure evil gallery [on until jun 23]. he started out as a street artist but gradually produced work on canvas and also sculptures. his work is heavily influenced by art nouveau and 1970s pattern graphics. location: 108 leonard street [shoreditch].

opening today at somerset house is maison martin margiela ‘20′, an extensive showcase that celebrates 20 years of the brand’s conceptual approach to fashion. on display are installations, photography, video and film that elaborate on designer martin margiela’s philosophy, from its deconstructivist design aesthetics to avant-garde couture and understated branding to store interiors and love for trompe-l’œil. the show was previously staged at modemuseum in antwerp and munich’s haus der kunst. location: strand [strand].

awesome! vice and intel join forces to launch the creators project, an online and traveling showcase for technology-enabled creativity. the initiative features curated artworks and installations, screenings, a panel discussion and performances by 80 artists from across the planet, and last but not least…cool parties! the lineup of participating creatives is pretty hot, and includes gang gang dance, mira calix, mark ronson, peng lei and the amazing muti randolph.

the creators project’s global trail launches in new york on jun 26 and stops in london [jul 17], são paulo [aug 14] and seoul [aug 28], before having its grand finale in beijing on sep 17-19. click the weblink for more info.



© the creators project / muti randolph - installation at the d-edge club, são paulo

the celeb-packed opening party may have taken place last week but louis vuitton’s new maison [indeed, this is not a regular lv-store] officially opens to avid shoppers today. its grandeur is as such that it rivals even that of the brand’s prestigious paris flagship. the superstore is a grand affair in more ways than one. it measures an impressive 15,000 sq.ft. spread over three floors and is rumoured to have cost well over gbp 30 million. it’s designed by house architect peter marino who ingeniously fused louis vuitton’s design heritage, hi-tech and cool contemporary art in the store’s interior design.

the ground floor features the many accessories collections juxtaposed with striking original artworks by the likes of takashi murakami, gilbert & george, damien hirst and other leading artists. a glass + led staircase leads to the first floor which is dedicated to womenswear and shoes, and on the second floor a private client suite is located. the huge two-storey luggage wall that highlights the brand’s expertise, is probably the store’s most spectacular feature. marking the opening, a small retrospective put together by überstylist katie grand features the first designs that designer marc jacobs created for the luxury brand. location: 17-20 new bond street [mayfair].







© louis vuitton / photography: stéphane muratet

opening on fri - jun 4 at kkoutlet is we want more, a photo exhibition of amsterdam-based photographer daniel cohen. on display is a selection of images taken between last song and encore at the city’s legendary concert venues, paradiso and melkweg. an eclectic string of artists have been shot on film, including erykah badu, the ting tings and blondie. location: 42 hoxton square [shoreditch].

note: click image for more info