What is #menswear talking about? Louis Vuitton’s nautical collection, Ksubi goes cowboy, and more
Plus, Boss and Aston Martin partner up, Kith x Marvel taps Haydenshapes for a surfboard collab and Piaget unveils its first ceramic watch
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WELCOME TO ‘What is #menswear talking about?’, a weekly dispatch where we discuss the news, rumours and conversations that are dominating the men’s style discourse, and therefore, our Esquire water cooler chitchat.
Scroll on for this week’s edition.
Louis Vuitton designs a nautical-themed collection for the America’s Cup
If there was one thing that was made certain during the Paris Olympics, it’s that Louis Vuitton’s grasp on sport goes way back. A premium sponsor to the America’s Cup – the world’s oldest international sporting trophy – since 1983, Louis Vuitton ramps up its partnership with a new capsule collection of nautical-themed ready-to-wear and accessories in time for sailing’s biggest event, which runs from August 29 to October 27 in Barcelona.
Divided into two themes for menswear, ‘Riding the Wave’ extrapolates on the kits you might see a sailor wearing. Windbreakers are made in technical fabrics, and the iconic, slouchy Keepall bag gets a revision in waterproof canvas. The second theme, ‘A Day on The Deck’, continues Pharrell Williams’ playful use of the Damier pattern from his men’s spring-summer 2024 collection, this time in the style and colours of maritime signal flags covering windbreakers, swimwear and bucket hats.
The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona capsule collection is available in stores and online.
Piaget releases its first ceramic watch
For its Polo model – synonymous for its sporty and elegant design – the Swiss watchmaker has broken new ground with the Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic – the brand’s first model to feature the material. Ultra-slim in build, Piaget wanted to bring the lightness and no-fuss design of their open-work skeleton further, so naturally, lightweight and durable ceramic was the obvious next step forward. Fitting like a second skin on the wrist, the watch is built with a jet black casing, and bridges treated with blue or grey colours for depth and texture.
Haydenshapes unveils its new ready-to-wear collection, ‘Pyrowave’, for the land and sea
When multidisciplinary designer Hayden Cox designs a new ready-to-wear collection, trust that it will never stray too far from its roots of mixing surf culture with streetwear. For his fourth RTW Haydenshapes collection, a key motif for Cox is his hand-cut ‘wave seams’, which run along sleeves of outerwear, shirts and down pant legs.
“This season I wanted to bring a more fun side of our surf DNA into panelling, shapes and fabrics,” says the designer. A brand that’s always ready for the beach, other standouts from the collection include surf rash tops designed for land and sea, made from quick-dry custom nylon spandex.
Shop the collection here.
Plus! Straight out of the comics: Marvel x Kith tap Haydenshapes to create the ‘Silver Surfer’ board
Though we won’t be seeing the Fantastic Four enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe till next year (starring Gladiator II co-stars Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn), the juggernaut film studio has collabed with New York label Kith, who then tapped Haydenshapes for a chrome surfboard – an ode to the franchise’s Silver Surfer villain.
Crafted in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, each board is said to have taken 50 hours to craft, made of PU foam and polyester laminated fibreglass. The three-way partnership is a meeting of America and Australia’s premier designers in high-performance surfing gear and streetwear, plus the added benefit of bringing a Marvel artefact to life.
BOSS casts an all-stars campaign for its autumn-winter 2024 collection
Since David Beckham was announced as an ambassador for BOSS in May, the world got a taster when he stepped out on the first day of Wimbledon in a custom suit from the brand – a coup making him one of the best dressed on the ground at the celebrity-magnet sporting event. And now, Beckham is one in an all-star cast of globally renowned talent for the brand’s autumn-winter 2024 campaign.
Starring alongside Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy, Italian tennis player Matteo Berrettini, and supermodel Naomi Campbell, to name a few, the cast wear dark brown tailored pieces with ochre undertones from the collection – an example of wardrobe staples that are needed for a 24/7 lifestyle.
Shop the collection in stores and online.
Plus! BOSS partners with Aston Martin for ultra-luxe grid-side wears
In a new collaboration with ultra-luxury car maker Aston Martin, it only made sense to cast Spanish driver Fernando Alonso in the campaign. The partnership brings two powerhouse heritage brands, known for innovative and contemporary style, for a craft-focused capsule lifestyle collection – spanning outerwear, polos, jeans, and hats – that you’ll catch on stylish folks grid-side.
Shop the collection online.
‘This Is Not A Rodeo’: Ksubi takes on the Wild West in new campaign
Aussie streetwear label Ksubi has brought its own spin on Western charm, shot in a new campaign around New York’s Midtown district. The 21-piece collection features some of the iconic brand’s archival silhouettes and motifs, namely the Ksubi skeleton printed on the back of their Oh G jacket and Anti K denim.
And if you were considering jumping on cowboy-core (perhaps watching Glen Powell wearing a cowboy hat in Twisters piqued your interest) this spring, the brand has collaborated with Australian hat maker BxmBxm for a limited run of Western hats as finishing touch. The focal point of the collection, the hats feature a hand-shaped brim, hand stitched accents, the brand’s signature distressing, and box cross hardware.
The collection is available in stores and online.
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