Two local brands most Yanks don't know but should: Isaia, a Naples-based clothier (on a similar level with Brioni or Kiton), and Superga, makers of crisp white canvas sneakers. Here's an excuse to familiarize yourself with both: Starting this April, you'll be able to get Superga kicks made from any Isaia suiting fabric, including aquaspider, a water-resistant cashmere unique to Isaia. Hey, as long as they stick to cashmere sneakers and not suits decked out with shoelaces, it's a partnership we can probably endorse.
Available at Neiman Marcus, (888) 888-4757, neimanmarcus.com; and Barneys New York, (800) 926-5393, barneys.com

Any fears that an appearance at Pitti might buff some of the edge off Adam Kimmel's downtown sensibility proved unfounded last night as the designer unveiled his Fall '08 collection at the Istituto Statale d'Arte di Firenze. Kimmel cast his usual gang of artists and scenesters—Dan Colen, Ryan McGinley, and Slater Bradley, among others—as models, projecting their images onto screens roughly the same size as the nearby David. (Well, a reproduction of it, anyway.) And there was also a tribute to graf writer Joey Semz, who died last May. His trademark "SEMZ" was tagged in the bathroom, and stickers from his IRAK collective were everywhere: little old Italian ladies' purses, the back of Purple Magazine editorOlivier Zahm, even on the clothes themselves. Kimmel told us the collection was influenced by the West Coast bohemians of Wallace Berman's Semina magazine from the fifties and sixties, whom he considers kindred spirits to his present-day cohorts. This was obvious from his choice for guest of honor: assemblage artist and Berman contemporary George Herms. In his speech, Herms advised the youngsters on hand to "Remember, kids, it's not secondhand smoke that kills, it's secondhand thoughts." Now there's a quip worth repeating.

We'll be back with a full Tim Blanks review during New York Fashion Week. Meantime, click here for pics from the event >

Maybe it's just my hectic travel schedule right now, but I'm digging these new wallets and passport cases from Globetrotter. They were designed by Bill Amberg, the former Dunhill leather goods guru who also did Globetrotter's first line of leather bags. Look for them this fall.

Reopening today: the Museum of American Finance. Newly housed in the 30,000-square-foot former Bank of New York, it will showcase exhibits on finance-geek-friendly stuff like the history of the Street and the evolution of currency, and has a whole room dedicated to Alexander Hamilton. (No sign of Aaron Burr's pistol, though.) Also on view is something that should put your portfolio woes in perspective: a piece of ticker tape from Black Tuesday, 1929.
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall St., (212) 908-4110, financialhistory.org

The label founded by Hardy Amies, the late designer who held England's first men's runway show in 1958, did the costumes for 2001: A Space Odyssey, and outfitted the '66 World Cup champs is finally planning a U.S. debut. We hear it's in talks with both Barneys and Saks to launch a full collection of ready-to-wear and accessories for Fall—including these insane black gold cuff links.

Expect Williamsburg to be even more hipster-kidtastic than usual this weekend. Why? A.P.C. Surplus, the outlet selling previous seasons' clothes that we alerted you to last November, has finally opened its doors. So what's it look like? Well, here's a shot of the interior, sans customers. Which, of course, is not how you should expect to find it.
A.P.C. surplus store, 33 Grand St., Brooklyn, (347) 381-3193, apc.fr

Elizabeth II—Nintendo addict? So says U.K. publication The People, which presumably has an inside track on royal gossip. She's said to favor bowling on the console, which belongs to Prince William. Wait'll she discovers Guitar Hero.

PLUS: Looking to buy a gift for the Queen? Check out our video game Hotlist.

[The People via Crave]

This year's CES has been something of a disappointment—just ask this guy—but this video of Flight of the Conchords entertaining the geeks almost makes up for it.

[Stereogum]

Coming in April: Skin Minerals for Men, Armani's first skincare line targeted at guys. The collection will be unveiled Tuesday before his Milan show and will feature a total of six products, including cleanser, bronzer, and "regenerating cream." The line makes use of something called "volcanic complex," which consists of minerals sourced from volcanic rocks. Perhaps that explains why the potions are said to be the "priciest on the market," beginning at $37 for a 150-ml container of shaving cream.

[WWD]

Newer may be newsier, but it's not always better. So we're introducing this series on clothes, gear, movies, and other cool shit that, whether it's been around five minutes or five decades, deserves your disposable income.

Rolex's updated GMT Master has been in heavy demand since its debut last summer, and having clocked one on a friend's wrist after the holidays (it seems someone had a merry Christmas), I can see why. At the risk of heresy, the original GMT has always seemed a more credible choice than the Submariner: James Bond may have needed a watch that was waterproof to 300 meters. The average desk jockey? Somewhat less so. By contrast, the GMT Master's killer app—the rotating bezel that allows you to tell the time in a second time zone at a glance—is eminently useful, especially when the wife thinks you're on a business trip to Mumbai for the week.

What's remarkable about the new GMT is that, in an era of pointless reissues, the update represents an improvement over the original. Everything about it is slightly (though not overbearingly) bolder—the thicker case, the larger markings on the dial, the green "24 hour" hand—but the clincher is the ceramic bezel. The thing fairly gleams. Don't believe me? My buddy also scored a white-gold Daytona over the holidays (it was a happy Hanukkah too, apparently). Guess which one spends most of its time in the box?

Page Six reports that former bartender Bruce Willis is investing in a friend's soon-to-be-announced downtown "hotspot" (we think that means bar), which is supposedly opening in February. He told the column that it's "in the hottest up-and-coming neighborhood in town." So, the Meatpacking District, then?

(Related: Die Hard with a Necklace)

Concerned about keeping your financial data and/or porn stash secure while on the road? Check out the Taiwanese brand Asus' forthcoming U2E notebook, just unveiled at CES, which employs face-recognition technology to ensure that you (and only you) can log on. The computer also has some nice design touches (a leather exterior, even a polish-plated hinge) to enhance the super-spy feel. If only it had a bigger hard drive—something tells us budding Bonds will need more than 32 gigs of space.
Asus U2E, price and availability not yet announced

Spotted recently at Club Monaco on New York's Upper West Side: vintage Rolexes, yours for $3,000 to $3,500. Evidently they've already sold two.

Hey, at Pitti Uomo, it almost makes sense. And yet, well, they're still creased jeans. Get the lowdown on the denim trend that may or may not be sweeping the Florentine fashion world, plus some more typically brilliant pics by The Sartorialist, here.

Today Adam Kimmel will headline Pitti Uomo in Florence with a preview of his Fall 2008 collection, a rare honor for an American designer. In one sense, it's simply recognition of the rise of a new wave of stateside talent. In another, it can be read as an acknowledgment by Pitti's Italian organizers that things ain't what they used to be. Much has been written lately about a return to elegance in menswear—and there may be something to that—but talk privately to the top executives at the more traditional Italian menswear houses, brands once considered as bulletproof as James Bond's tuxedo, and you hear the same thing: a concern, cautiously worded, about how they're going to attract the next generation of customers.

This is why everyone is watching Tom Ford so closely. Can a business that ostensibly offers a new vision but that is solidly based on the pillars of traditional luxury tailoring succeed? As Ford ramps up his expansion plans over the next year, a clearer picture will emerge. Ford's partner, of course, is Zegna, which as it happens has forsaken Pitti in favor of a presentation in Milan this season. Changes are afoot elsewhere, too. The Valentino men's collection, which has always offered a compelling if vaguely unattainable vision of international swank, has a new designer in the wake of the founder's retirement: Ferruccio Pozzoni, a veteran of both Brioni and the more fashion-forward Prada. It will be interesting to see which direction he'll favor for the line. In the meantime, Kimmel's show will take the form of a banquet, featuring many of his New York artist friends. No one is about to count out the Italian masters, but right now it's clear who's having more fun.

Sort of unexpectedly, I'm seeing Monkey Boots everywhere here in Florence. Harry's of London, Fratelli Ferrante, and Marlboro Classics (the Valentino-owned clothing brand, not the cigarette company) are all showing versions of the Czech military-inspired style. My favorite, however, is the sixties-era reissue from Grenson. Look for it this fall. Coming sooner: an exclusive line of Grenson suede desert boots, below, due at Bergdorf's in March.

This ought to make you feel old: Fight Club's tenth anniversary is just a year away. And this ought to make you feel even older: David Fincher is apparently working on a musical version to celebrate the occasion. Plans are still pretty vague, but even if they weren't, rules one and two would forbid him from talking about it.

[Page Six via MTV]

Count us as skeptics of the overhyped Personal Media Player category. Still, the iRiver M20, which was just unveiled at CES, might have us changing our minds—not only does it have a massive seven-inch screen, built-in GPS, and an antenna for picking digital TV signals, it just plain looks cool.

[iRiver via Engadget]

NYMag reports that Serge Becker is opening a second La Esquina outpost in Miami Beach. News of the expansion broke in a letter from Becker that's being used in the drug-conspiracy case against his former partner, Cordell Lochin. Still in the design phase, the eatery will evidently be housed inside the yet-to-open Gale hotel. Hey, better there than the Venetian in Vegas.

Sure, your teens probably didn't play out as a series of Superbad-esque hijinks, but you can channel your inner McLovin tonight at Bblessing, as the Lower East Side boutique opens the exhibition Adolescence & the Virtues of Maturity. Curated by artist Vincent Skeltis and Bblessing cofounder Daniel Jackson, the show gives the Clearasil years the multimedia treatment through work by artists like Studio von Birken, Brendan Donnelly, Danielle Levitt, and Andrew H. Shirley, whose drug-fueled horror-satire "Wastedland" (above) ought to resonate with Superbad fans. "The exhibit's theme and title came from observing my friends over the years," explains Skeltis. "You watch people change before your eyes, and sometimes disappear." He adds, "This show's just a starting point. I suppose the follow-up could be called, 'Hey! Don't Forget Where Ya Came From!'" He laughs. "Subtitle: 'Where the Fuck Did You Come From, Anyway?'"
Adolescence & the Virtues of Maturity, opening tonight, Bblessing, 181 Orchard St., New York City, (212) 378-8005, bblessing.com

It may look like an espresso machine, but the nectar dispensed by Heineken's BeerTender goes down a bit smoother. Already available in Europe and headed here in March, the LCD-equipped Krups mini-fridge can evidently keep a five-liter keg of brew chilled and fresh for up to 30 days. Good to know, though that's probably about 29 more days than necessary.

[AP via Engadget]

On sale now: sweaters made from 100-percent black sheep's wool, produced by San Francisco brand Cordarounds. The knits are made in an Irish mill, and (naturally) there's an eco-angle: The sheep are raised on a certified organic farm. Better yet, despite the gimmick—"Now you can wear the figure of speech," the brand promises—the sweaters actually look pretty nice.
Cordarounds Black Sheep sweaters, $114, cordarounds.com

Coming stateside later this month: The London Cut, a history of Savile Row tailoring by British scribe James Sherwood. The book traces the district's history by dividing its houses into four sections: The Founders (Anderson & Shephard), The New Establishment (Ozwald Boateng), The Renaissance Men (Hardy Amies), and The Mavericks (John Pearse). Among the trivia: Apparently tailor Tommy Nutter did Jack Nicholson's Joker suit for Batman. (Your move, Ledger.) And if reading's not your thing, the pictures aren't bad, either.

Her name's Nicole, and she's the central figure of Another Woman Who Died In Her Sleep, a new show by photographer Katy Grannan. The New York native moved to Berkeley three years ago, but she's returned this week with this and another show, Lady Into Fox. The latter's a little, well, edgier: It documents Gail and Dale, two middle-aged transsexuals from her new home. "I was interested in describing an experience that swings from rapture to personal devastation," Grannan says. Mission accomplished.

Also bowing this week: Martin Schoeller's deftly titled exhibition New Work, which, yep, features new additions to his Close Up series that debuted at the gallery in 2006. Highlights include portraits of Clooney, Denzel, and members of Brazil's indigenous Pirahã tribe. (Insert Hollywood goes native joke here.)

Another Woman Who Died in Her Sleep, today through February 16, Greenberg Van Doren Gallery, 730 5th Avenue, NYC, (212) 445-0444, gvdgallery.com; Lady Into Fox, tomorrow through February 23, Salon 94 Freemans, 1 Freeman Alley, NYC, salon94.com; New Work, opening tonight at Hasted Hunt through February 23, 520 W. 20th St., 3rd floor, NYC, (212) 627-0006, hastedhunt.com.

Aquascutum has been outfitting Britain's Royal Army since the Crimean War, and yet somehow that hasn't translated into American success. That should be about to change—this fall, they're introducing a new mod-leaning line called Aquascutum Ltd., co-designed by Nick Hart of Savile Row's Spencer Hart. (Think finely tailored, three-buttoned jackets.) They also just hired a sales director from Zegna to help them break through stateside, where the brand's womenswear is already available at Bergdorf's. Can't wait 'til fall? Check out their trenches—a favorite of Michael Caine's—and more online.

Love basketball and the environment? Good news: Nike just officially unveiled the Air Jordan XX3, His Airness' first-ever shoe made from sustainable materials. Your cost: $230, which we're guessing isn't a coincidence.

[TMZ]

Vancouver has a new destination for grown-up hipsters in need of a wardrobe update: 1,000-square-foot Roden Gray, located in the city's trendy Gastown neighborhood. Owners Rob Lo and Davie Fernandes have stocked the space with a respectable mix of fashion staples (for example, coats by Nice Collective, Obedient Sons, and Comme des Garçons), plus some very region-appropriate accessories, including bags (and flasks) by Filson. Pyromaniacs, for their part, may appreciate the burnt fir logs used for displays.
Roden Gray, 231 Cambie St., Vancouver, (604) 689-7302, rodengray.comrodengray.com

We hear that Dunhill is shuttering its Fifth Avenue flagship in June, with plans to open a new space on Madison. We don't yet know much in the way of details, except that the new space is expected to boast something the old one lacks: a barbershop.

Brazil may have produced Adriana and Gisele, but its neighbor to the west has its own brand of lush scenery. By which we mean, well, scenery. You can check it out later this month on Peru's first ever luxury riverboat, the M/V Aqua. The 140-foot ship is moored in the Amazon River town of Iquitos (a 75-minute flight from Lima), and each of its 12 suites includes a 180-degree panoramic view and (just as importantly) air conditioning. (If you feel like going native—relatively speaking, anyway—head to the mattresses of the top-floor outdoor observation deck.) There's also a lounge with nuevo-Peruvian cuisine and guided tours at each stop. Unfortunately, though, it's strictly B.Y.O.Glamazon.
Aqua Expeditions, launching later this month, from $1,950 for three-day trip, aquaexpeditions.com

We're not saying today's new music releases aren't manly, but we're not saying they are, either: Your choices include a self-titled LP from Cali folkie Wisely; Made of Bricks by England's Kate Nash (aka this year's Lily Allen); and Patti Smith's live-in-the-studio, iTunes-exclusive cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Hey, at least the last one has Steve Earle on the banjo.

We learned two important things last night. One, there's apparently an event called the Critics' Choice Awards. Two, it seems that actors actually enjoy suiting up for these events. Who needs the Golden Globes?

Click for slideshow >

Turned off by Katie Couric and all her damned gravitas? Would you be even more impressed with that Obama guy if he were rendered in cartoon format? Get ready for Fast Draw, a new series of animated shorts from CBS News that will—finally—recap the day's events in a language the younger demo can understand.

[Variety]

And he seems like a good choice: Ferruccio Pozzoni, most recently creative director for Brioni. (He's also done stints for both Miu Miu and Prada men.) Pozzoni's first collection will be presented in Paris on Jan. 18, so something tells us today isn't the guy's first day.

Tonight at the Max Lang gallery, Repetto is celebrating its 60th birthday by (how else?) letting 60 creative icons tamper with its classic kicks. Marc Jacobs, Kim Gordon, Vanessa Beecroft, and Helmut Lang are among the notables involved, though our favorite pair is by Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who give an extra helping of élan to the legendary lace-up skimmers Serge Gainsbourg used to favor. If you see something you like, wait till October, when the shoes will be auctioned off in Paris to benefit the company's partnership with UNESCO.
Repetto's 60th Anniversary exhibition at Max Lang Gallery, Jan. 8-14, 229 Tenth Ave., NYC, (212) 980-2400, maxlanggallery.com, repetto.com

The high-def version of 3:10 to Yuma has something the regular disc does not: a conversation with Elmore Leonard, who penned the story on which the movie is based. (Whether or not close-up shots of an 82-year-old are an appropriate use of Blu-ray is another matter.) In any case, both versions also offer some of last year's best performances, courtesy of guys named Crowe, Bale, and Foster.

And speaking of great performances, don't miss the five-disc The Complete Collection of Sweatin' to the Oldies. Available, you'll be pleased to learn, in low-def only.

But don't forget to watch the fourth-season premiere of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on Discovery at 10—maybe he's mellowed out since he quit smoking. (We doubt it.) And in case you haven't heard, Ohio State and LSU fight it out tonight in the BCS title game.

A&F is launching a chain of lingerie outlets called Gilly Hicks, with the first store opening this month in Boston and more to come later this year. Obviously we'll be tracking this story with great interest, but in the meantime, check its website for a video preview. Be warned: SFW it is not.

That's one possible rationale behind the "Boss," a self-driving Chevy Tahoe prototype to be "officially" unveiled tomorrow at CES. If only it pumped (and paid for) its own gas.

[NYT]

Fashion Group International—which turns 80 years old this year—has announced the nominees for its 11th Rising Star Awards: Brian Wood, Carlos Campos, Hisham Oumlil for Oumlil, and Alex and Betty Wilcox for Lord Willy's. (Past winners include Duncan Quinn and Thom Browne.) The trophy will be handed out Jan. 24 (along with prizes for womenswear up-and-comers).

[WWD]

There's Wikia.com, a new search engine from the guy behind Wikipedia.com. The site, which launched today, basically uses a Digg-meets-Google model, with users ranking search results. Early reviews have been, um, less than favorable: TechCrunch offers a (scathing) take here, with founder Jimmy Wales responding in the comments.

Too cheap to buy a dual-config DVD player...er, hedging your bets in the format wars? Then consider Passive Technologies' new LifeStation HD, the first media center to play both Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. The brushed-aluminum box includes up to 1.5 terabytes of memory for storing those giant high-def flicks on its hard drive, and (just as importantly) a third-generation DynaChill cooling system—which means no noisy fan to compete with the high-grade audio. No word yet on pricing or availability, but expect it to hit shelves long before the HD quagmire ends.
Passive Technologies LifeStation HD, price TBA, passivetechnologies.com