CP Company 24 Project: say it like it is

CP Company has been busy on another project, using as its inspiration the trials and tribulations of everyday city life, from the point of view of a jacket.

"People aim at surviving, they tend to adapt to the surrounding environment," says the promotional guff. "At every hour, they are stimulated by different spurs: every hour of the day is made of different meetings in places with the most diverse characteritics. It is possible to wake up in a spot of the world and fall asleep in another one, maybe located at its antipode."

And that is more or less where it lost me. No idea what it means, and I challenge anyone at CP Company to explain it in any way that might be considered understandable.

The bottom line is they've released this really cool jacket. It has a detachable hood and taped seams and looks the bollocks. Apparently there's another one which looks just as sharp.

There you go CP Company. You can have that sentence for free.

CP Company goggle jacket: It could be you

From its origins in the Italian Mille Miglia road rally to Saturday afternoons on the terraces, CP Company's goggle jacket has become outerwear legend.

Over the years it has been brought to us in all manner of incarnations and using some of the finest fabrics known to man.

This time round it's the turn of that veteran among fabrics, linen canvas, with some iridescent nylon to liven it up a bit. So it will crease a lot but probably outlive you.

And because CP Company is feeling full of the joys of spring and generous to boot, you have the chance to own one.

Just follow the link to enter the giveaway here.

A trench or not a trench. That is the question

I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to trench coats, or at least what defines a trench coat. For one they should be double breasted, and belted, with a raglan sleeve.

So the big question here has to be: does this Stone Island trench actually qualify? And if it doesn't then what is it? A mac? An overcoat?

It does, after all, have the epaulettes, and I'm sure there's a belt lurking around the back there somewhere.

Stone Island call it a trench, and it certainly has a nice length and cut to it. I'd have to get rid of that arm patch though, don't want any terrace associations.

And while we're at it, maybe someone ought to have a word with that fella about his jeans.

If you want one, click on that CP link on the left.

As a side note, I have been assured the trench does indeed come with a belt. And here is the picture to prove it. Sold!

Stone Island Shadow, SS10

Couple of nice bits from the SS10 Stone Island Shadow collection. The usual fayre - military influences with an urban twist.

In case you didn't know, the Shadow project is a collaboration between Stone Island and the team from Acronym. They complement each other well, even if some of the previous creations have been a bit far out for your average taste.

Looks like they've nailed it this time round though.

You can buy Stone Island via the CP Company ad to the left there. That's it, the massive white thing. Gone on, have yourself a click.

CP Company A/W 2010

CP Company is the understated brother of Stone Island. None of your flashy emblems or branding, just well-made, good looking clobber without the terrace hoodlum associations.

The brand looks like it's got its act together for winter 2010, with a typically laidback offering in the kind of fallen leaf and sludgy shades CP always trots out.

There are the usual shiny fabrics and they've even chucked a bit of plaid in there for good measure. It seems even the Italians are on the lumberjack tip now.

Seeing as the release of this lot is a whole three seasons away, you might want to give this year's collection the once over. The sale is still on, too. See that stonking great white banner to the left? Takes you straight to their website. How's that for service?

Via Slamxhype

Cardigans: Three I've found

I'm not going to labour this cardigan thing too long, especially seeing as it's no longer a lazy Sunday.

But yesterday's cardigan piece got me thinking a bit about what might be around in terms of button up, knitted snugability for this season. A quick trawl has turned up some very decent options - so decent in fact that I wouldn't know which one I would go for myself, if I was in the market. So it's over to you.

First up is a CP Company three quarter length knit, grey, naturally, and full-on chunksville, with a couple of hip pockets for you mits, epaulettes for the military edge, and a hood, for looking mean I guess.

Then you have Dunhill's superb cable knit offering, with the added option of genuine mammoth tooth buttons, if you fancy forking out the additional grand or two for them. Even without the flashy toggles it's a tempting proposition.

Then you have Obey's Bounty shawl neck for this winter. Nice and chunky, that neutral grey again, and equipped with a couple of nice pockets and more importantly, with Christmas round the corner, an OK price.

When you have that lot at your disposal, who gives a monkeys about the weather?

CP Company 20th Anniversary goggle jacket

Now I wouldn't want to own this jacket myself, a little too terrace casual for me these days, although I guess I could be persuaded if I was given one of them, along with a 1932 Bugatti in which to compete in the Mille Miglia in Italy.

But there's is no denying the thought that CP Company designer Aitor Throup has put into his re-invention of the company's signature jacket. If the fact that it is made from Gore-tex, and dyed with a pigment taken from the very earth itself doesn't impress you, how about the fact that it is designed around the seated driver, so that it provides sufficient protection both standing up and while hairing down a country lane with the roof off.

Add to that the redesigned ergonomic hood, complete with trademark inbuilt goggles which make you look like a retro super hero, and you have the ultimate in technical jackets.

If you still have any doubts about the whole thing, just take a look at Aitor Throup's account of his redesign, which begins with the effect the legendary Goggle Jacket had on his career and more importantly his decision to go into fashion design. It's a tale written with the sort of passion only a true devotee could author, complete with concept sketches which are a work of art in themselves.

It's enough to make you want to speed up to Beak Street in London and grab one of those iconic creations for yourself. Then hack the roof of your Escort, just so you have an excuse to put the goggles on.