APC SS10

APC are one of those extremely difficult brands. I talk about them a lot, but I can't explain why I like them so much. The depth and complexity of their products come from their unforgiving simplicity. My first pair of raw denim was APC, and back then they were even more affordable than they are now, and I still swear by them. They are rarely referred to as the top of the pile in a specific product (most markets are dominated by the real artisans), however, season-on-season they produce great overall collections. I'm not a fan of "seasonal lines", but APC seem to be one of those widely respected brands that can do little wrong, and without trying do a lot right.

This ideal comes through in this season's collection. What excited me was to see some of their lightweight pieces from the AW09/10 collection being recycled in this season's lookbook. That is the whole idea in a nutshell. Inoffensive, timeless and stylish pieces, so why not mix in some of the AW shirting with the SS lighter knits? I'm going to be involving Oxford shirts from three or four years ago in with newer pieces from this season. It'd be great to see more of this running through lookbooks over the next couple of seasons; brands thinking harder about reinventing classic, perennial pieces that sit alongside one another year after year. I want to see less perfectly groomed models, wearing brand new clothes, and more focus on time as a process of clothing. The best pieces are the ones that, for example, you can no longer tell was purchased at Ralph Lauren, because you've had such an impact on it as a piece. For any real enthusiast, I am sure that the buying is just the beginning of an exciting period of wear and personalization of a garment.

I saw this great bag on the tube whilst in London yesterday. The man was carrying two great pieces of luggage. As well as this, he had a canvas holdall that still proudly wore the scars of years of use, but I couldn't discreetly snap a photo of that.



Back to the earlier topic for two moments. A Continuos Lean have been at the forefront of internet blogging on menswear and style since its birth. They caught up with the man behind APC, Jean Touitou, for a chat about everything from the state of the internet, to some of the things that inspire him in his work.

A Conversation With | Jean Touitou of A.P.C. from Michael Williams on Vimeo.