ALOOF STUDIO + 502 LINK UP MADNESS

With the majority of new brands starting online and amassing a following through social media, there leaves little opportunity to get a feel for the product or connect with those involved. Aloof breaks down these barriers, bringing the people behind the scenes to the forefront, whose diversity and rich creative talent offers a uniqueness not found elsewhere.

Carnations x KJP Studios Bowling Shirt

Despite being menswear focused, it’s impossible to ignore the progress Carnations have made since their debut earlier this year. I was first introduced to them through a collaboration with my good friend Alice Hartley. Alice hand printed a bespoke fabric for Carnations featuring her signature aesthetic and it all came together to make a brilliant capsule collection, entirely made in London. Carnations clearly have an eye for potential collaborators and their team up with KJP Studios is testament to this. Printed on Tencel and done using a made to order system, this great piece of gear is one to look at for the lady in your life.

Heresy Cult Blanket

Heresy’s stand out collection Chaos and the Black Dog came through with some bona fide bangers. It seems like they keep pushing and treading new ground with each collection released and with their approach to research-based collections, you never know where they’re heading next. The blanket stands out as a defining piece of what Heresy are interested in. The occult symbolism that crops up elsewhere throughout the collection really pushes their research findings; all the while creating something that looks class.

Service Works Turbot Tee

Following a relatively soft launch on Blacksmith Store, Service Works have now got their own website and it is choc-a-bloc full of great things. Made by a kitchen professional with the idea that kitchen wear could also be perfect for everyday life, the elasticated trousers and jackets in an array of fabrics show a real aptitude for improving on an existing product. For me, the food industry is ripe with iconography looking to be appropriated and with the Turbot Tee, Service Works have done it perfectly. It looks like a professional logo but with just enough of a twist to make it something you’d want to wear outside of work.

Delly Deacon Mushroom Hat

Delly Deacon is a fairly new name to us at Aloof, having only found out about her work a month or two ago. It’s safe to say we’ll now not forget about the impeccable range of hats she creates. My pick of the bunch is the Mushroom Hat in Navy, which has all sorts of faded vintage denim vibes. What’s really special though is the wax finish, allowing the wearer to develop a unique patina and shape over the course of the hat’s life. Hats off to Delly on this one!

Haar Pictish Packable Cap in Moss Tweed

There are a few small brands supporting British manufacturing at the moment, with the extra expenses of making here pushing others to look farther afield to bring their products to life. Haar are one of those brands, with a mostly made to order system keeping waste down and quality control up. I’m a sucker for a bit of heritage fabric and this Haar Cap perfectly uses the tweed on something very contemporary. It’s durable, packable and perfectly suited to whatever terrain you want to take it on.

Nicholas Daley x Lavenham Quilted Nylon Scarf

Nicholas Daley probably needs little introduction; the LVMH nominee’s collections are already stocked at some of the best retailers around the world. That said, this team up with British farm wear champs Lavenham is just the extension of form we expect from Daley. A pocket on a scarf sounds absolutely ridiculous but it’s got me considering whether I’m simply not innovating enough and really Daley just operates on a higher plain. If he manages to keep putting out this standard of gear, whether it’s with Lavenham, Fred Perry or his mainline, it’s not going to be very long before I’m opening my wallet and jumping on the Nicholas Daley bandwagon.

Follow Aloof on instagram here and check out their website with some great interviews with the likes of Nandecott, XFEL and The Long Shot Exp.