Written by Craig Landale in Essentials on the 28th February 2023

Here we are again with another drop of the coolest wares of the month. With spring on the horizon I’m starting to get a little excited for the year ahead. It has been a great few weeks for product releases and it was difficult to narrow them down to just 10. So, put the kettle on and clear your schedule for the next 30 mins. Enjoy reading. 

HebTroCo Briony Jumper 

HebTroCo was launched on Kickstarter, a crowd funding website, at the end of January 2016, with the aim to sell an initial batch of 176 pairs of trousers. They sold that batch in just five hours, so they quit their jobs, and committed to HebTroCo full time. This striking Scandinavian style knit jumper is made from 100% wool and is knitted exclusively in Leicester using wool from UK sheep. Matching collar and cuffs just like in the 1970s. The Briony Jumper’s weight is midway between the brand’s super chunky Big Jumper, and the lighter yarn of their stripe jumpers. It is great for layering and recommended you wear it under a jacket or simply over a T-shirt. 

hebtro.co >

Chrome Ruckas Collection 

Get ready to access all areas in the all new Ruckas Collection from urban carry experts Chrome Industries. Ideal for travel, commuting and everyday use, all packs in the collection have been designed with a wide opening, sporting a 3/4 length main zipper that allows you to access your gear from the front, top or sides. Offering incredible convenience and versatility over traditional top loaders, this innovative design works like a suitcase, allowing you to open up your bag flat and see everything inside, making organising and accessing your kit a breeze. Light not only on weight, but also on the planet, all products in the Ruckas Collection are PFC free and have been consciously constructed with 300 Denier recycled poly Dobby scratch resistant outer shells, hardwearing 900 Denier recycled base panels and recycled poly liners. All packs feature a handy webbed hanging/grab loop to the top and wide, adjustable straps to allow for all day carrying comfort and great weight distribution when loaded. The ergonomically designed harness and back panel have been constructed with Blue sign approved recycled foam for comfort, with an air mesh panel providing ventilation to keep you comfy and cool in all conditions. 

chromeindustries.com >

KEEN WK400 Walking Shoes 

Following three years of development and over five thousand miles of testing, KEEN unveils the WK400, a revolutionary shoe designed specifically to make walking more enjoyable and fun. People are walking more than ever before, and the benefits are expansive. Walking heals. It builds relationships. It improves health and reduces stress. It encourages creativity. Above all, it is a catalyst for change and standing up for what is right. Four years ago, KEEN’s Global Product Innovation Creative Director, Rory Fuerst Jr., suffered a traumatic skiing accident that left him unable to walk for several months. Along his road to recovery, he found himself depressed and in a deep fog. As an accomplished athlete he never considered walking important, but four months into his recovery he discovered walking was much more than a means to get around. Walking brought him out of his fog and saved his life. This experience inspired him to share the power of walking with the world and has served as the catalyst for KEEN’s latest innovation, one that is revolutionising walking footwear. 

keenfootwear.com >

Palladium Palla Ace Supply Mid & Lo Sneakers 

Inspired by the revolutionary spirit of France, Palladium’s new, youthful SS23 Palla Ace Supply is an extension of the brand’s hugely successful Palla Ace style. Offering an updated version of one of its most iconic shoes, while still retaining Palladium’s military heritage design markers, the Palla Ace Supply is designed for those who like to go their own way. Available in MID and LO silhouettes, the Palla Ace Supply has been revamped with seasonal updates which include new colourways and design detailing. Featuring immediately recognisable Palladium branding, this understated lace-up canvas sneaker blends function with classic styling. An organic, breathable cotton upper sits on a generous, hardwearing rubber sole with a distinctive crosshatched pattern. 

palladiumboots.co.uk >

Hail Your Hair Dryer 

For too long we’ve accepted too little from hairdryers. They’re clunky, noisy, inefficient and heavy. Growing tired of what was on the market, ghd’s co-founder, Gary Douglas, set out to do one better with his new brand, Hail Your Hair. Bringing yet another revolution to the hair styling industry, Douglas designed the ionic Hail Your Hair Dryer using next-level technology that looks after your hair. Lauded by industry professionals for its power, light weight, quietness and sleek results, the Hail Your Hair Dryer packs a punch for an affordable price. For only £149.99, the Hail Your Hair Dryer costs between 25 and 30 percent less than comparable products. Thanks to an online-only sales model, they do not need to inflate price tags to compensate for third-party distribution costs. Thanks to its high-speed brushless motor, the hairdryer is one of the quietest on the market at only 79 decibels. That’s 20 percent quieter than its competitors, and a game-changer for anyone who wants to have a chat or watch the TV while getting ready. Most importantly, with an ergonomic airflow design, hair is dried by wind speed and not just heat. This helps to protect the hair’s protein, keeping hair looking and feeling healthy. 

hailyourhair.co.uk >

Timex Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic 38mm Limited Edition 

The brand new Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic 38mm Limited Edition from Timex Watches was designed and created by Giorgio Galli, the brand’s Milan-based design director. Galli, one of the industry’s most recognised designers, knows better than anyone what makes Timex tick. With this knowledge he created the first of the Giorgio Galli timepieces with the GGS1 Automatic which combined the shared love of quality, accessibility and great design. The Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic 38mm Limited Edition is an elegant, updated timepiece that features details only Giorgio could have created such as a high-accuracy automatic movement, fully custom case design and a double-domed sapphire crystal under the watch’s sweeping hands. This synthetic sapphire stone is set into a fashionable black dial, where moments pass in an effortless glide that makes sure to capture your attention. 

timex.co.uk >

ellesse x Keith Haring for AW23 

UK based sports and lifestyle distribution firm Focus Brands have launched of a new collection from Italian sportswear brand ellesse, featuring the art of Keith Haring. Part of the brand’s AW23 range, this collection is a fashion fusion of ellesse’s classic fits with Keith Haring’s instantly recognisable art, bringing together two 1980s legends. Featuring casual separates in seasonal brown and cream, with a pop of detail from Keith Haring’s catalogue of iconic work. Mix-and-match joggers and shorts are complemented by T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts, and in relaxed fits and comfort fabrics that are perfect for cooler months. Alongside the apparel pieces there is a small selection of accessories which includes hats, backpack, and trainers with a muted cream backdrop and Haring’s artwork offering that pop of detail.  

ellesse.com >

Serengeti Eyewear SS23 Collection 

International eyewear brand, Serengeti, has launched of the new SS23 Collection – ideal for those seeking to express their creativity, authenticity, and style. Serengeti’s luxurious sunglasses offer unique 3-in-1 lens technology, including photochromic, spectral control, and polarization technology. Each pair of sunglasses has been meticulously crafted to manage and control the light, guaranteeing the best quality and protection irrespective of the season. The brand’s sustainably minded Sport Collection consists of frames created from eco-friendly nylon as well as presented in 100% recyclable FSC-certified vegan leather cases and lens cloths. The collection has launched four new sunglasses – Kingman, Endee, Hinkley and Hext – all of which feature Serengeti’s pioneering polarized SATURN lens, renowned as the most advanced organic lens. 

serengeti-eyewear.com >

Breitling Chronomat Six Nations 

Breitling has launched an extremely limited-edition watch series and a new squad, dedicated to the unions and federations that make up Six Nations Rugby: England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, and Italy. The Guinness Six Nations kicked off February 4, marking Breitling’s second season as the Official Timing Partner to Six Nations Rugby, the organisation known the world over for delivering rugby’s greatest championships, showcasing exhilarating men’s and women’s matches between its six competing unions: RFU, IRFU, WRU, SRU, FFR, and FIR. The Swiss watchmaker also holds the title of exclusive luxury watch partner to Six Nations Rugby, which was celebrated in the unveiling of the Chronomat Six Nations. This dynamic new series features a unique timepiece for each national team, limited to 150 pieces per watch. The stainless-steel watches have all the signature Chronomat characteristics: the raised rider tabs at the 15-minute marks, the easy-grip onion crown, the triple-register dial with integrated date at 6 o’clock and the classic rouleaux bracelet – all powered by Breitling’s exceptional Manufacture Caliber 01. Each model sets itself apart by a dial that expresses the individual union’s colours, with its logo positioned in the subdial at 9 o’clock as well as on the sapphire crystal caseback. 

breitling.com >

Rodd & Gunn X Gilbert Collection

New Zealand heritage brand Rodd & Gunn have teamed up with sporting legends Gilbert to design a very special collection. An ode to rugby, the range includes quintessential sportswear with a Rodd & Gunn twist, comprising of; printed sweatshirts, hoodies, polo shirts, trousers and jackets. Both known for their expert craftmanship, the scrum-tious Rodd & Gunn x Gilbert menswear collection will be sure to turn heads in all nations. The printed Landowne Road sweat is a standout item, the design features historic iconography and nods to Rodd & Gunn’s New Zealand origins. Sporting fans can also enjoy classic pieces such as the Loftus pants and Twickenham knits. According to legend, the sport rugby was born in 1823 when schoolboy William Webb Ellis, with a fine disregard for the rules of football, took the ball in his arms and ran with it. The ball in question was a Gilbert, made by William Gilbert, and the name has been synonymous with rugby ever since. For 200-years, generations of rugby players have relied on the quality and precision of Gilbert rugby balls to stay on the pitch. Now this unbroken heritage extends into an exclusive clothing collaboration with the timeless menswear brand, Rodd & Gunn. 

roddandgunn.com >

HebTroCo Briony Jumper, Chrome Ruckas Collection, KEEN WK400 Walking Shoes, Palladium's Palla Ace Supply Mid & Lo Sneakers, Hail Your Hair Hairdryer, and Timex Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic 38mm Limited Edition