Written by Craig Landale in Essentials on the 20th January 2020

Happy New Year guys! I’m not doing dry January, but my New Year’s Resolution is to eat less meat. Go watch Game Changers on Netflix and you’ll want to do the same. Last year I gave up sugar and that lasted about 6 months, so let’s see how this one goes… Anyway, back on track. As usual I’ve kept my ears to the ground to seek out some of the coolest wares that have launched in 2020, so far. There’s a gym bag made from used truck tarps and a London-based unisex streetwear brand with female founders among others. So, following on from my December roundup, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite products and releases for the month of January 2020 – enjoy.

AVI-8 Flyboy Watch 

The Eagle Squadrons were three fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed with volunteer pilots from the United States during the early days of World War II. By 1942, following the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Americans had joined the war effort, and the three squadrons formed were transferred to the United States Air Force. Nonetheless, the bravery and sacrifice by a small group of Americans has not been forgotten and is commemorated by The Eagle Squadrons Memorial located in Grosvenor Square opposite a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The AVI-8 Flyboy Eagle Squadron Bronze Automatic Limited Edition pays tribute to the Eagle Squadron through a vintage pilot watch forged out of a classic silhouette. It is imagined with both history and technology, creating a timepiece that is a perfectly wearable homage to this chapter in the heroism of military aviation. A 39mm diameter case with a 22mm lug width sits comfortably on the wrist in a proportion true to the pilot watches worn during the war. A flat sapphire lens with anti-reflective coating offers a scratch-resistant clear window to the dial.

avi-8.co.uk

Freitag F660 Jimmy Bag 

Athletes need to be flexible – both physically and mentally. And so do their bags. Luckily, we can now buy the F660 JIMMY, the first flexible, variable-volume sports bag from FREITAG, produced from used truck tarps and a soft material sourced from discarded PET bottles. Thanks to its adaptability, the bag’s never too big for exploits requiring a minimum of gear and never too small for giant chess adepts with a penchant for taking the odd queen or bishop along with them. In a nutshell, F660 JIMMY is the perfect bag for serial winners who plan to win a championship medal on the way home; as well as people interested in more bizarre, individual sports; and those just planning to bike home from work. And for the first time ever, FREITAG sports bags have become team players. The F660 JIMMY isn’t just a recycled, individual one-off for solo sports fans: the PET material also comes in three different, basic team-building colours: foggy blue, marsala and black.

freitag.ch

The North Face x British Millerain 

The North Face and British Millerain today announced the launch of a new collaboration, bringing together two true icons of outdoor design. The limited collection takes the world-renowned history and technical expertise of British Millerain and combines it with The North Face’s iconic outwear cuts to create all-weather performance gear that’s truly unique. Two stand-out jackets are the focus in the collection, with both the full-zip Sierra and pullover Wind Jacket featuring iconic The North Face colour blocking and British Millerain’s 100% waterproof wax laminated fabrics, to help protect against the harshest weather this winter. Photoprint t-shirts in both black and white featuring images of the famous Yosemite Half Dome complete the range, offering another look back to the rich heritage of the brand.

thenorthface.co.uk

Harem London Clothing SS20 

Harem London was found in 2015 by two entrepreneur sisters, Creative director Dee and managing director Begum Ozturk. The brand melds different worlds: London and Istanbul, East and West, heritage and future, belonging and searching. Harem is about feeling comfortable with a global cross-cultural identity and the brand express an experience of diverse identity with pieces that blend influences, fabrics and techniques from both countries and cultures. Harem London creates well-made streetwear that is relaxed, comfortable and feels great. Designed to be versatile, the collection effortlessly translates from aeroplane to brunch and from shopping spree to the beach. As a business they’re conscious in production by producing high-quality, handmade pieces that are mindfully crafted to be forever pieces in their client’s wardrobe. For SS20, Harem London continue to use their fashion-forward initiative to create a unique collection for those who want to feel confident in their own skin. Inflicting their culture into each design whether it be through relaxed silhouettes or printed cotton knitwear, the collection offers a minimalist approach making the pieces easy to wear no matter what the occasion.

haremlondon.com

A Bathing Ape x XO 

A Bathing Ape and The Weeknd's label XO have come together again to release a full capsule collection using another special camo made exclusively for XO. The BAPE x XO collection features a tee and long sleeve tee of THE WEEKND in the special BABY MILO motif with his two dogs. The collection also features a corduroy varsity jacket with the GENERALS logo, a denim jacket with the CHAMPION logo that says 'BATHING APE XO TILL WE OVERDOSE', and a BAPE STA tracksuit with the BAPE XO motif. The capsule also includes a pullover hoodie, tees, full zip hoodie and sweatpants that use the SHARK motif.

bapeonline.com

Original Penguin Continuity Plus Collection 

Original Penguin's popular continuity range is one of the cornerstones of the business. The Ratner lightweight jacket, Sweat package and of course some classic clean polo to include the Earl, a style that has run continuously since the brands conception in 1955, are all core styles offered in black, white, navy and grey. This ensures brand fans get consistency across the collections each season. Global Merchandise and Strategy Director based in the US, Marty Roos has worked with them on a continuity plus package meaning their core styles are now also run in seasonal colours accounting for 20% of the business in Europe. Marty and his team have worked hard to elevate the core package, executing a consistently premium product that is desirable to their customers. For Spring/Summer 2020, Original Penguin focusses on a retro-future theme, using mid-century modern architecture as inspiration and a 'palm springs' colour-scheme. Some of the most eye-catching styles for the season are hoodies, sweats and tracksuits in fresh spring pink, teal greens and chambray creams.

originalpenguin.co.uk

Premium sportswear from PlayBrave 

Based on a philosophy of challenging your personal best every day, PlayBrave was founded out of a need to create a brand that provides everything you need to conquer yourself and excel. Treating every personal best as a breakthrough, PlayBrave helps to define what success means to the individual and provides everything you need to achieve it. On this journey, you are your toughest opponent. An independent, British brand, PlayBrave creates sportswear that is a cut above the global brands, for people that want to eschew the mass-market in favour of something extra special. Crafted from premium, technical fabrics designed to suit your environment and adapt to your body temperature and needs, each garment is expertly cut for the optimum in style, comfort and performance.

playbravesports.com

We feature AVI-8 Flyboy Watch, Freitag F660 Jimmy Bag, and The North Face x British Millerain in January 2020’s Coolest Stuff.