Abbot Kinney First Friday's at Brick Lane

Friday October 5th is our next First Friday's installment here on Abbot Kinney Blvd and at Brick Lane.

Brick Lane will be open until 10PM to give everyone an opportunity to come down, have a cocktail with us and check out the new Fall Fashions from London as well as mingle, meet and enjoy all the other activity on the street.

If you missed the Abbot Kinney Festival and the Once a Year BLOW OUT SALE at Brick lane - we don't have a ton left - but there are still a few great deals left including a few dresses by ISSA, Ted Baker and MERC and Oliver Spencer suits and shirts for men and more.

New Fall Merchandise will have a special on it for Happy Hour from 5PM to 10PM but you need to come down to the shop to find out about this one. In the past people have won $100 Gift Certificates, free classes at S-Factor and more. So come down and visit us on Friday October 5th for drinks and snacks and great London Styles!

Hope to see you down here! Cheers

London - Men's Fashion and Favourbrook

An Englishman and quite a dandy - the entrance to the arcade off Jermyn St.

OK - so now it's time for a little something for the men. Oliver Spencer of famed Oliver Spencer label as well as Favourbrook high end fashion and accessories for men, is simply one of the nicest blokes in this fashion world you could ever meet.

Upon hearing I was in town he invited my friend laurel and I to join him out to dinner. We personally opted for his local neighborhood pub. Pub's are of course a large part of the drinking culture here in London, but there is a difference between pubs on the main drag that beckon to tourists, and the ones like the Builder's Arms tucked away back in Kensignton in a neighborhood - that you would rarely stumble upon unless you were a local. This one was of the later - and quite a bit of fun. Laurel's friend Simon who also lives in the same neighborhood met us at the Builder's Arms (incidentally walking distance from where I stay - BONUS) and the 4 of us had a lovely evening out.

Oliver Spencer and I at the Builder's Arms

Laurel and Simon at the Builder's Arms

The next day after meeting more friends of Laurel's for lunch we went into Mayfair to visit the Arcade where the first of the Favourbrook shops are on Jermyn St.

Now the dress is a touch formal for our typical Venice Beach customer but it is important to note that the high end quality of the jackets and vests, cravats and accessories ae something I can source for any man in need of say a smoking jacket, a 3 piece suit with dueling jacket (which I have coming in the Spring), or a full "dandy" regale. Weddings are what initially come to mind - but who knows what occasion one might want to look like a proper gentleman's gentleman?

Oliver Spencer inside the largest of the Favourbrook shops.

In any case - the shops are incredibly beautiful, typically English and remind me of what bespoke tailoring shops of days gone by in this lovely area on Jermyn St would have all been like. I have said it before and will continue to say it - the English Men always has and still knows how to dress! Men take note!

New Arrivals for Men Week of August 20th

I love unpacking boxes and pulling out items I bought 6 months ago, it's like Christmas! This past week at Brick Lane we received a lot of new fall merchandise for men from Ted Baker, Oliver Spencer, Fred Perry, English Laundry and Kangol.

Dark grey zip up by Ted Baker, light grey sweater by Smedley, pants by Fred Perry


Classic Fred Perry polo, jeans by Ted Baker, hat by Kangol


Plaid jacket by English Laundry



White shirt with embroidery by English Laundry


Military style green jacket by Oliver Spencer, camel sweater by Smedley, pants by Oliver Spencer


Our model is one of our regular customers Vic Garvey. Vic is a neighborhood local who enjoys walking his dog around Abbot Kinney Blvd when he is not at school studying business. Some of his favorite hangouts on the boulevard are The Brig, Stroh's Gourmet, Lily's, Collage and of course Brick Lane! Thanks so much Vic for being such a great model for some of the new Fall collection! Photo Shoot Styled by Jordan Cappella

Oliver Spencer for men

As you can see by the article heading - the second British Invasion is in full swing! These days you can't open ANY magazine without reading an article on U.K. based designers and artists - not to mention the countless features on the foggy town across the pond itself! A city with a booming economy brimming with fabulous restaurants, hotels, museums, nightlife and of course SHOPPING!

Oliver Spencer is an incredible menswear designer with an eye and attention for detail that is hard to surpass. Named one of the TOP 10 Tailors in the U.K. by U.K.Vogue in 2006, his label is British style and fashion for men personified. Quintessential English style mixed with quirky flourishes and topped off by an astounding attention to detail, his collection is one that every man who likes English Style is absolutely required to investigate, and fortunately for the men in Southern California, you can find it at Brick Lane. New Yorkers can visit his new stand-alone shop!

During my recent shopping trip to the Big Apple in July I was fortunate enough to get a preview of his Spring/Summer 2008 collection at a rather unique party. Generally fashion week and market weeks center around runway shows and parties for women's lines, so it is always a pleasure to see one for menswear. So sister Kathleen (a NYC publicist) in tow, we headed down to the village to Cooper Classic Cars on Perry St, next to the infamous The Other Room (of which we have the west coast location directly across the street from Brick Lane on Abbot Kinney). It was an evening of fun and frivolity with a distinctly New York artist scene vibe mixed with people from my growing circle of British fashion friends and designers, great cocktails, canapes and fashion that was showcased not on models, but instead neon lights. Not the norm, but it does show how Ollie takes something ordinary and puts just enough of a spin on it to make it uniquely his. The collection is spot-on English tailoring meets upscale casual beach vibe. Spring Summer 2008 is looking good!

Fall Winter 2007 Collection for Oliver Spencer should be arriving in the next few weeks. Drop us an email to let us know you would like to be notified when it arrives.