Written by Craig Landale in Essentials on the 30th January 2019

Happy snow days guys. Some of you are probably using it as an excuse to “work from home” and haven’t even bothered to get dressed for the day (if so, I salute you). As the snow has been falling, there’s been a few new releases that have certainly caught my eye and it seems January is the month of collaborations. We have a menswear designer linking up with a Scotch whisky brand, and two brands joining forces to create a military US M51 parka (pretty cool). So, following on from my December roundup, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite products and releases for the month of January 2019 – enjoy. 

The North Face ‘92 Rage Collection 

Originally introduced in 1989, the Rage collection embodied the bold attitude of snowboarding and enabled athletes to progress the sport by addressing the unique demands of the emerging sport. Designed and engineered to withstand the thrashing and bashing of radical riding, the pieces were built with athlete input to perform at the level of alpine gear, without losing the party-with-pockets aesthetic. Big blocking, baggy fits and loud graphics also live on through this special streetwear release that pays homage to its snowboarding roots.

ALEC I-K Clothing 

A new clothing label known as ‘ALEC I-K’ has launched in to the premium, direct-to-consumer menswear market, reinventing the wardrobe staple that is the casual shirt. By specialising in luxury grade casual shirting, the brand has updated the traditional casual shirt with a contemporary approach to the collar and cuffs, a focus on the finest cotton and cashmere fabrics, made to last construction and subtle details in line with the company’s philosophy of ‘Standout Subtlety’.

Unity Diner 

It is pretty hard to ignore the mammoth explosion of vegan restaurants over the past couple of years. Veganuary grew by 183% in 2018 and whereas some may see Veganuary as just another 'trend', many now deem it as a way to considerably improve their health and the environment we live in. With such an increase in alternative plant-based products available in supermarkets, it is now, more than ever, an easily accessible diet. As part of Veganuary, MenswearStyle took a trip to the newly opened Unity Diner in Hoxton. We visited as, admittedly, non-vegans and we saw it as the perfect opportunity to test the waters. To say we were surprised by the delicious flavours from Jamaican-born head chef, Michael, is a huge understatement. We were treated to a range of dishes on the night but the stand-out serving was the sizeable Moving Mountains Burger.

adidas Originals x GORE-TEX

adidas Originals has introduced a new GORE-TEX Jacket and Pants, ‘PT3 ACMON’, designed in collaboration with functional clothing pioneer Conroy Nachtigall. The new collection is launched within the adidas Originals PT3 concept, which is based on three components: the adidas Originals mission statement, “the past empowers the future;” open source collaboration to add a new perspective; and best material choice GORE-TEX products, which offers lightweight protection in all weather conditions in combination with the finest adidas Originals in-house trims and fabrics.

Oris Aquis Date Relief Watch 

Oris and expedition swimmer Ernst Bromeis are going their own way to raise awareness of the importance of water, with the release of the Oris Aquis Date Relief, a high-quality diver’s watch. The watch shares its architecture and performance values with the Oris Aquis Date. It has a 43.50 mm (1.713 inches) stainless steel case with a uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel and is water-resistant to 30 bar (300 metres).

Griffin x Woolrich SS19 

Griffin introduces its second collaboration with Woolrich for the Spring 2019. The range comprises of unisex and featherweight pieces and artfully concentrated technology. The Fish Tail Parka is the highlight of the collection; a 3-in-1 jacket, inspired by the iconic military US M51 parka, created in 1951. Made from a ripstop fabric used by the British Army, in which the exterior enlarges the Buffalo Check pattern or enhances the intense colours, such as ultramarine blue, while the inside is embellished by a digital camouflage print.

Frenn AW19 Collection

Helsinki-based menswear line combines straightforward honest Finnish design, relaxed sophistication and urban functionality with an edge. For AW19 the Frenn collection has been divided into three different urban themes, which can be mixed and matched to create versatile combinations. For AW19 Helsinki Moods are visible in three different themes and colour schemes. Together the themes form a harmonious collection that can be combined whichever way. AW19 introduces a new print collaboration with Finnish designer Iiro A Ahokas.

Kestin Hare x BenRiach Distillery 

Scottish menswear designer Kestin Hare has teamed up with unconventional Speyside distillery BenRiach in a partnership which will celebrate the creative approaches to design and whisky distilling. To mark the collaboration, Kestin Hare’s SS19 Collection will feature five different garments inspired by the whisky, landscape and architecture of the BenRiach distillery in Speyside. Hare has teamed up with Scottish mill, Halley Stevenson, to develop traditional peat dyed and garment dyed products, representing the unique colours of aged Single Malt Whisky.

Nosy Wine Club 

Nosy is a fun and adventurous wine club, as wine clubs should be. Every month they invite a new world-class wine expert to choose 3 of their favourite wines which are then sent directly to their customers home in a subscription box. First launched in Portugal with great success, they recently launched in the rest of Europe, and within the past year they’ve had the pleasure to work with some of the best wine experts such as Alistair Cooper MW, Douglas Blyde, and the youngest Master of Wine in the world, Sarah Heller.

Beau Homme AW19 Collection

Beau Homme transforms traditional menswear into unique styles to express male individuality. Where in previous seasons this has been harnessed and explored, AW19 is no exception. After meeting in the workrooms of London College of Fashion, the British menswear brand was founded by designers George Bunker and Justin Mansfield. Their distinctive dynamic style is infused with cultural and artistic influences creating innovative and functional designs.

We feature The North Face 92 Rage Collection, Kestin Hare x BenRiach Distillery, Griffin x Woolrich SS19, and adidas Originals x GORE-TEX Jacket in January 2019’s Coolest Stuff.