W)Taps A/W 2011: a bit like army surplus

W)Taps has perfected the art of faithfully producing the sort of kit you would expect to find in an army surplus store. Over the years they have also veered towards vintage looking pieces and this latest collection is no exception.

The quality, however, is arguably even better and the cut of the items has enough of an edge to set it out from genuine Military Specification clothing. Whether those little tweaks are worth the money is up to you to decide, but at least you'll be ready for a bit of urban rough and tumble when you have it on.

Nigel Cabourn AW11 collection: bring on the chill

Nigel Cabourn AW11 from Anna Victoria Best on Vimeo.
It might not seem like it as we simmer in a boil-in-th-bag mix of balmy temperatures and monsoon conditions, but the lion's share of the summer is over and like it or not we are heading, like an out of control train, towards winter. You can offset the gloom the thought of dark mornings and months of crappy weather induces with a look at the Nigel Cabourn collection, which is enough to brighten anyone's day.

Outlier Pivotal Bomber jacket: chuck something at it

Outlier, New York's answer to Rapha, have done a very decent job of reinventing the bomber jacket here, and at the same time given it the kind of bombproof treatment demanded of clothing in capital cities.

The Pivotal Bomber Jacket is at home either on or off the bike thanks to its pivotal sleeve contstruction, uses breathable Schoeller 4Season fabric and is wind, water, stain, muck grease and ketchup resistant.

You'll be asking yourself how you ever got by without one.

Acronym SS11: urban armour

You've got to hand it to the Germans. When it comes to efficiency they've got it sewn up, and you can take that quite literally in terms of Acronym.

The brand is known for its technical clothing which offers the sort of protection your average special forces unit would be quite happy to be deployed in.

And even though most Acronym garments won't see more action than a quick stroll down the pub, you know that if it really came to it, you would at least arrive warm and dry.

Now Acronym have taken a detour from their clothing production to produce a video to go with their spring summer 2011 collection, entitled Lightest Fastest Deffest Baddest. Their talents obviously don't stretch to film titles.

LIGHTEST FASTEST DEFFEST BADDEST from ACRNM on Vimeo.

Supreme spring summer 2011: all in one go

Here's a handy little guide to the best Supreme has to offer for spring summer 2011, with some shots from the lookbook and the catalogue.

From plastic water pistols to a dodgy-looking printed vest, there's something for everyone here, especially if you like weird patterns like zebra prints and stuff.

Once my eyes had adjusted to the visual assault, I found something I liked. Predicatably I went for the least offensive garment. Maybe it shouldn't be known as a flasher mac.

Visvim denim Nomad: it won't wash

I can't say I agree with everything that comes out of Hiroki Nakamura's mind, and if this denim Nomad is a taste of things to come then I have lost all hope.

It might have a nice worn-in appearance, might be three-layer, might have a neat little leather peak detail, but the bottom line is that this is a denim hooded jacket, of the type popularised during the Eighties. And while that decade may have provided many things, such as Skyway BMXs, it did no favours whatsoever for denim.

This a clear indication of a resurgence of the use of denim in jackets and shirts. I get the whole denim jean thing in a massive way, but I can't bring myself to dig it as an outerwear fabric.

Thankfully this will most likely be priced at the kind of stratospheric level that would make your average cowboy choke on his hotpot so it's not going to pose much of a dilemma.

But I hate to see a good Nomad go to waste.

Visvim spring summer 2011:

Hiroki Nakamura has always had a thing for native Americans, and even though he might have diversified a little with his motorsport inspired Visvim collection last year and the Moncler V collaboration this winter it seems that for spring 2011 he's been having another pow-wow with the Navajo.

As well as the more obviously mocassin influenced shoes such as the Shaman he has used blanket patterns in the blazers and also taken on more cowboy infuluences with yolked jackets and a number of denim treatments.

The result is a colourful palette and a collection that takes us back to the kind of look visvim always did best.

Via Slamxhype

White mountaineering Nep Tweed 3L jacket: bag me a bird while you're at it

When White Mountaineering takes on the country set they don't do things by halves. The traditional tweed jacket might well be perfectly weather proof and quite capable of crashing through a few sturdy hedges, but it doesn't come with taped seams and a 3 layer Gore tex membrane.

The White Mountaineering one does, subtly reinforcing an outer fabric of wool, polyester and angora tweed. There are a few other thoughtful details too, such as the hood hidden in the collar and the leather elbow patches.

All you need is a decent 12 bore and a few grouse to bag.