Couture

July 7, 2026

The Fashion and Lifestyle Brands Backing Football’s Biggest Stars

The FIFA World Cup has always been the ultimate stage for athletic legacy, but today, the battle for global dominance is being fought just as fiercely in the commercial arena. As the tournament captivates billions of onlookers worldwide, top football players are transcending their roles as mere athletes to become the world’s most powerful brand ambassadors. Armed with undeniable reach and cultural influence, stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé are no longer restricted to traditional sportswear deals. Today, icons like Jude Bellingham are reshaping luxury fashion with Louis Vuitton, while next-generation talents like Rafael Leão bridge the gap between elite sports and youth culture.

Kylian Mbappé, France

France’s Kylian Mbappé evolved from a teenage prodigy into a global icon. He has carried the World Cup trophy and achieved many astonishing feats in the football industry before hitting his prime. Beyond the field, Mbappé holds a tight portfolio of brand endorsements. As their brand ambassador, he fronts Kim Jones’ tailored men’s collection as well as their Sauvage fragrance line, allowing him to give the brand a clean-cut image that resonates with younger audiences.

There is also Hublot, the luxury Swiss watch brand’s identity relies on precision timing and craftsmanship and those traits align with Mbappe’s play style on the field. Joining them in 2018, he became one of the rare active players to represent the house – placing him alongside the legendary Pele.

Besides luxury brands, his endorsement extends out to more lifestyle-driven brands such as Oakley. Known for disruptive, high-performance tech in the industry, these aligns with Mbappé’s values as an active professional playing athlete.

Jude Bellingham, England

Jude Bellingham is one of the next generational footballers, having secured major club trophies and played for clubs like Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. His influence has triggered an explosion in his commercial marketability — making him the center-piece of massive global campaigns.

Bellingham’s personal style aligns with Pharrell Williams’ vision for Louis Vuitton, earning him a spot as a brand ambassador, or “Friend of the House.” His global appeal and achievements have made him a central figure in their menswear campaigns, particularly featuring Pharrell Williams’ collections. Then there is SKIMS. With its expansion into menswear, Bellingham became a brand ambassador due to his massive global popularity, performance at the UEFA Euro 2024 Championships, and youthful appeal. Choosing Bellingham allows SKIMS to solidify its presence in the men’s fashion industry and appeal to a broader demographic.

Outside of fashion brands, Bellingham is also partnered with the men’s grooming brand, Onside, as their ambassador. Designed for an active lifestyle and athletic performance, he represents the “skin in motion” narrative. As one of the key representatives of the new generation of football, Bellingham is also signed with Adidas, being the main face of the Predator boot line and has released his own signature clothing line under Adidas Originals called the JB collection —which launched in summer 2024 and features 1970s-inspired capsules.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

One of the most widely known and influential footballers globally, Cristiano Ronaldo has been dominating the sport on the field for more than two decades, amassing over 900 official career goals, 32 senior club trophies, and 5 Ballon d’Or awards.

Ronaldo represents a lifetime ambassador role with Nike, signing a contract that is on the same tier as LeBron James. Aside from his presence on the field that serves as a direct translation for Nike’s performance gear, he possesses a massive and unparalleled reach and his immense influence and marketability have proven to directly boost global sales.

Another key partnership to note is with Jacob & Co. What started out as a standard brand endorsement has evolved into a 20-year-long friendship with the founder, Jacob Arabo. Both are recognized as self-made powerhouses through their shared discipline and determination. Ronaldo was an avid collector of the brand’s timepieces before becoming their first male ambassador in 2013; to honor his most iconic on-field moments, timepieces like the “Flight of CR7” and “Heart of CR7” were designed specifically with that purpose.

Aside from external brand deals, Ronaldo has built his own business-lifestyle empire named CR7, which is a combination of his initials and iconic jersey number. Launched in 2013, his brand has grown and expanded into various industries and markets, including fashion, fragrance, wellness tech, and luxury hospitality. A few notable examples include the CR7 Fitness Gym by Crunch, the Pestana CR7 hotel chain, and his own signature line, CR7 Fragrances.

Lionel Messi, Argentina

Famed for leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, Lionel Messi is a global icon who has built a legendary play style on the field, where his name carries more weight than anything else. His core partnership is with Adidas, signed in 2006, which later evolved into a lifetime contract in 2017. Because both parties value a dedication to performance and a family-oriented ethos, this allows Adidas to build a consistent story around his legacy. From custom F50 boots to lifestyle apparel, the brand treats Messi as its golden child.

Following his joint campaign with Cristiano Ronaldo for Louis Vuitton’s “Victory is a State of Mind” advertisement before the 2022 World Cup that went viral and became widely celebrated — Messi became the face of Louis Vuitton’s “Horizons Never End” luggage campaign in 2023, stepping up as the brand ambassador for their travel and fashion lines. Similar to Adidas, Louis Vuitton’s values and aesthetics align with Messi’s family-oriented, clean, and sleek traits.

Messi’s influence doesn’t stop there; he is also a brand ambassador and collaborative partner for the Swiss luxury watch brand, Jacob & Co. Having co-produced multiple high-end timepieces, the most notable is the Epic X Chrono Messi limited series, which features design elements honoring Messi’s Argentine heritage, his jersey number, and a personalized “M” initial logo.

Outside of standard brand endorsements, Messi turned his personal passion for fragrances into his entry ticket into the beauty market: Messi Fragrance. Instead of signing on simply to be the face of an established brand, Messi chose to partner with Game On Product Group and renowned perfumer Frank Voelkl. Together, they launched scents that reflect exactly who Messi is, making them accessible to fans worldwide.

Vinicius Junior, Brazil

Vinicius Junior is famed for his incredible pace and match-winning performances for Real Madrid and Brazil’s national team. Beyond sports, he is also known to be an outspoken figure who speaks up against racism in football, leading to his nomination as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

Nike serves as his longest-running partnership, though there was a minor dispute in the midst of their partnership, it was resolved and a long-term extension was signed — allowing Vinicius Junior to be one of the faces of the brand alongside Kylian Mbappé. He frequently wears the low-cut Nike Vapor 17 cleats and has actively collaborated on exclusive signature colorways.

Another brand built on the same values as Vinicius Junior is HUGO BOSS, where he serves as a global ambassador and the main face for their BOSS Bottled Beyond Fragrance campaign alongside actor Bradley Cooper and musician Maluma—highlighting that success is built on confidence and peer empowerment. Vinicius Junior has also headlined major global campaigns for Apple, with the recent one featuring the AirPods Pro 3—timed to coincide with the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and meant to highlight the Active Noise Cancellation features.

Rafael Leão, Portugal

While known for being a key member of the Portugal national team and a dominant presence as a left winger, he is also recognized for his creative pursuits as a hip-hop artist under the moniker Way 45. Rafael Leão serves as a prominent ambassador for Off-White. While Off-White is the official style and culture curator for AC Milan, he is also the club’s star player and the one who bridges the worlds of high fashion, youth culture, and professional football — Rafael Leão fully embodies the demographic that Off-White is seeking to appeal to, as he is active in the streetwear scene and even runs his own apparel line called, “Son is Son.”

Despite not being an official ambassador for Prada and Gucci, Rafael Leão frequently models for both luxury fashion houses. Taking inspiration from his dad’s love for fashion, he grew up viewing fashion as an extension of his identity. Playing for AC Milan allowed him to immerse himself in one of the fashion capitals of the world—using Milan Fashion Week as a runway for his personal aesthetics.

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Sporting Events Have Become Fashion’s Biggest Marketing Tool

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Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 7, 2026

Sporting Events Have Become Fashion’s Biggest Marketing Tool

The sports and fashion industry have always been closely intertwined, with talented athletes sporting fashion’s biggest names at worldwide sports events. The powerful relationship is now more evident than ever, with numerous luxury brands ensuring the star power of the athletes through ambassadorships, brand deals and collaborations. The infiltration of pop culture in sports is likely due to social media’s intense presence and influence and the rise of sports documentaries. These outlets give fans an insight into the athlete’s personal lives, showing us more than their athletic prowess but as relatable human beings. This real-life perspective generates a more extensive fan base and strengthens loyalty in an existing population of supporters. This is how professional athletes gain influence over that of an A-list celebrity, a brilliant marketing tool for brands and an excellent opportunity to reach a targeted audience, which will then translate into higher revenue.

In addition to the undeniable influence of the athletes themselves, major sports events like the Olympics, World Cup, Superbowl, Premiere League and Grand Prix — among many others — have massive global viewership. Furthermore, these highly publicised events are perfect opportunities for brands to catch the eyes of the public and to spot rising stars in the sporting hemisphere. These big-scale events present brands with a vast advertising opportunity, given that there is a correlation between highly-anticipated events and outstanding viewership. This provides brands with a powerful markting tool that has potential to generate significantly more revenue.

Read more: The Importance of The Olympic Team Uniforms and The Designers Who Make Them

Athlete ambassadors

Social media is always on the lookout for the next big thing. Thus, brands honing in on the rising talents of the sporting world is an effective tool to market their creations and garner attention. The beauty of sports’ rising stars is that the market for them is less competitive, and they possess massive potential to draw the public’s eye to the next generation of sports stars. Italian fashion house Gucci executed this flawlessly, partnering with Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner. The then-22-year-old became the first player in Wimbledon’s 146-year history to sport a luxury logo bag, the custom duffel bag appeared in the House’s classic monogram print and a unique blue and yellow colourway embellished with the player’s embroidered name. The partnership had proven successful, reaching viral status, followed by his first grand slam win at the Australian Open a few months later. He was sporting a Gucci duffel and pictured with the prestigious trophy in a Gucci get-up. Furthermore, Gucci’s clever investment in young talent Jannik Sinner resulted in significant media coverage, lots more engagement, and millions of tennis fans’ seeing their product.

Read more: Palaces, Superyachts and Chauffeurs: How UHNWIs Will Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics

Exclusive partnerships

Photo: Adidas

Football is the world’s most popular sport, boasting valuable athletes and a massive community of fans. It also has a highly successful pull — with the 2022 World Cup boasting a whopping 1.5 billion viewership, as revealed by FIFA. Football has explicitly cross-demographic appeal, reaching audiences of all ages, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds. The athletes’ influence in this sport is undeniable; thus, marketing potential is through the roof. Numerous streetwear brands have honed in on this advantage, collaborating with football teams to create exclusive kits. Appropriately, much of the sport’s culture is heavily influenced by streetwear, with its fundamental characteristics involving sportswear elements and youth culture.

Examples can be seen with the renowned football team Arsenal and Maharishi. The collaboration with London-based streetwear brand Maharishi and London club Arsenal organically unite, given that they both boast rich heritage rooted in London. This move was advantageous for Maharishi — well-known for being a cult London streetwear label — now had the ability to reach the club’s worldwide fan base, increasing brand awareness worldwide and possibly entry into new markets overseas. In addition to an expanded audience, factors like strategic logo placement, social media posts and exclusivity work in tandem to create the ideal marketing machine. For instance, when a high-profile athlete puts on a jersey, an audience can instantly be swayed; in a match, their star power lends credibility and influence, allowing a brand to gain prime exposure in addition to strategically placing logos to ensure constant brand visibility.

Read more: A Deep Dive into Fashion’s Penchant for Controversial Creations

Celebrity impact & trends

It is also worth noting that celebrities are frequently spotted at significant sporting events, driving up media attention and buzz. The intermingling between these influential figures is typically heavily publicised on social media by fans, social media teams and the figures themselves, garnering tons of engagement and clicks. Celebrities may also be drawn to the exclusivity of it all — like a stadium box, courtside seats or in an F1 paddock club — where attendance may be status and publicity-forward; celebrities are likely to come dressed to the nines. In these instances, celebrities’ ensembles for these events have prompted a trend of glamour in these sporting events, with fans anticipating what NBA courtside outfits or Formula 1 grid walk outfits they will see and who will be wearing them. Thus, using the combined influence of celebrities and athletes, brands are able to have broad visibility and market their products to the public in a more organic way that still increases brand awareness.

A recent example would be Tommy Hilfiger at the recent Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, official outfitter of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team. The brand was worn on the likes of drivers Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and supermodel Kendall Jenner. Furthermore, while not overtly pushing logos or promoting a specific product, the brand cleverly used the significant star power to raise media attention and brand awareness. The intermingling of the drivers and the model was essentially only posted through Tommy Hilfiger’s social media, posting updates as well as a “Hot Laps” video, a common occurrence in the sport that tends to get significant engagement. Here, the Miami Grand Prix was used as a huge marketing tool for the brand to gain credibility, media engagement and brand awareness through a strategic appearance of a celebrity.

All things considered, the current unwavering presence of social media, celebrity culture, and the idolisation of professional athletes provide a reliable outlet for brands to use sporting events with massive viewership as a marketing tool. The strategic use of these events amplifies a brand’s image, raises brand awareness, and engages a large audience to increase sales and revenue. With the ever-growing and ever-changing state of the sports industry, the influence of athletes in fashion will only get more significant in its ability to influence and promote a brand. Thus, there is huge potential in investing in the sports industry as a marketing tool. Its profound cultural impact allows brands not just to reach an expanded audience but also to foster a lasting relationship with consumers, based on the association and credability an athlete can provide.

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The Best Trench Coats in the World

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Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 7, 2026

A great trench coat is one of the rare garments that still carries its original intelligence. The belt, storm flap, epaulettes and throat latch were born from weather, rank and wartime utility; a century later, the best versions still earn their place by doing real work. They sharpen a suit, discipline denim, travel well through shoulder seasons and make rain feel like part of the plan.

For Pursuitist, the world’s best trench coats must meet a higher standard than brand recognition. They need heritage, material integrity, proportion, repairability or longevity, and a serious offer for both men and women. These are not novelty trenches or runway gestures. They are the coats worth building a wardrobe around.

1. Burberry

Best for: The definitive luxury trench coat.

Burberry remains the benchmark because it owns the trench coat in material, myth and execution. Thomas Burberry founded the house in 1856 and introduced gabardine in 1879, a tightly woven, weather-resistant cloth that changed the possibilities of rainwear. The modern Heritage trench still draws power from that invention: cotton gabardine, military-derived details, check lining, balanced lapels and a silhouette that works across cities, climates and dress codes.

For men and women, the key is choosing the right cut. Kensington is the clean classic, Chelsea is slimmer, Waterloo is more relaxed and generous, while Burberry’s newer or seasonal shapes bring fashion voltage without abandoning the form. Daniel Lee’s recent runway language has also given the trench a sleeker after-dark charge, with London rain, evening texture and metropolitan polish sharpening the house classic for 2026. Buy beige, honey, black or navy if this is your only trench. Go long if you want drama and true coverage; go mid-length if you commute, drive or travel often.

Pursuitist Take: Why We Love It

Burberry is the trench against which all others are judged. It is expensive, visible and often imitated, yet the real thing still has the best mix of history, fit architecture, aftercare and global availability. If you want one luxury trench coat and do not want to overthink the decision, start here.

2. Mackintosh

Best for: Rain-first luxury with quiet authority.

Mackintosh belongs to an older rainwear story. Charles Macintosh patented waterproof fabric in the 1820s, and the brand’s rubberised and bonded cotton coats still speak in a more restrained language than Burberry’s military classicism. Where Burberry is iconic, Mackintosh is precise. The best Mackintosh trenches and macs are clean-lined, smooth-fronted and architectural, with a particular strength in wet-weather practicality.

The feel is different. A Mackintosh can be less decorative, more urban, and more serious about rain. Its best men’s and women’s coats suit people who dislike obvious branding and prefer a silhouette that can move from tailoring to knitwear without announcing itself. Look for bonded cotton, taped seams, raglan sleeves and a length that gives proper coverage.

Pursuitist Take: Why We Love It

Mackintosh is the connoisseur’s raincoat maker. It gives up some of Burberry’s cinematic romance, then answers with purity, weather discipline and beautiful restraint.

3. Aquascutum

Best for: Historic trench purists with an eye on technical reinvention.

Aquascutum has one of the strongest claims in the category. Founded in 1851 by John Emary, the house patented waterproof wool in 1853 and supplied military and civilian rainwear long before the trench became a fashion shorthand. Its history includes royal warrants, wartime use and a women’s department dating to 1900.

The present-day caveat is availability. Aquascutum’s ownership, licensing and distribution have changed over the years, so buyers should be more careful about sourcing than they need to be with Burberry. The newer Aquascutum Active presence also points to a more urban-technical reading of the brand’s waterproof heritage, extending the story beyond standard tailoring into performance-minded outerwear. When the right current trench is available through an authorized channel, especially in a classic cut with the brand’s club-check lining, it remains one of the most historically resonant choices in the world.

Pursuitist Take: Why We Love It

Aquascutum is for the buyer who cares about origin stories and old-world British rainwear, but still wants the brand to speak to today’s city weather. It is less straightforward to shop, though the heritage is real, and the best examples have a scholarly elegance.

4. Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Collection

Best for: American luxury with British tailoring instincts.

Ralph Lauren did not invent the trench, but no American designer has been more convincing at turning British codes into a complete world. His best trench coats, across Purple Label for men and Collection-level womenswear, are less about military reproduction and more about cinematic polish: the coat worn over flannel trousers, a fine rollneck, eveningwear, denim or a cashmere hoodie on the way to a country house that may or may not exist.

The strength here is proportion and styling intelligence. Ralph Lauren trenches often look best in cotton gabardine, Glen plaid, wool blends or softly tailored seasonal fabrics. They suit travelers who want a coat with romance, not costume. The brand is also one of the better options for couples who want parallel men’s and women’s luxury wardrobes without buying identical coats.

Pursuitist Take: Why We Love It

Ralph Lauren gives the trench a lived-in world. The best versions feel urbane, expensive and relaxed, with enough tailoring discipline to hold their shape for years.

5. Prada

Best for: Modernist luxury and technical fabric intelligence.

Prada earns its place for buyers who want the trench coat pulled into the present. The Milanese house has long understood the glamour of utility, particularly through nylon, technical cottons and severe, intelligent silhouettes. A Prada trench is rarely the most historically faithful option in the room. That is part of the point. It can be sharper, stranger, lighter or more urban than the British classics.

For men and women, the best Prada trenches are the restrained ones: dark technical fabrics, clean belts, hidden closures, sculptural collars and minimal hardware. Avoid over-branded versions if longevity is the goal. Choose Prada when you already own the classic trench, or when your wardrobe leans toward black tailoring, contemporary suiting, loafers, sharp knitwear and architectural accessories.

Pursuitist Take: Why We Love It

Prada is the best high-fashion trench for people who still care about function. The appeal is clear: less battlefield romance than Burberry or Aquascutum, more modern edge and material experimentation.

The Pursuitist Final Word

If you are buying one trench coat, buy Burberry. If you want the most rain-serious luxury coat, buy Mackintosh. If provenance matters most, hunt carefully for Aquascutum. If your taste is cinematic and American, Ralph Lauren is the move. If your wardrobe is modern, minimal and city-built, Prada makes the trench feel newly alive.

The best trench coat should never feel flimsy, tight across the shoulders or too short to protect the clothes beneath it. It should have enough room for a knit or jacket, enough weight to fall cleanly, and enough restraint to survive changing taste. A true trench is not a seasonal purchase. It is weatherproof character.

FAQs

What is the best trench coat brand in the world?

Burberry is still the best overall trench coat brand because of its gabardine heritage, consistent men’s and women’s offerings, recognizable cuts and long-term serviceability.

Should a trench coat be waterproof?

Most luxury trench coats are water-resistant rather than fully waterproof. For heavy rain, Mackintosh is the stronger choice. For everyday city weather, Burberry, Aquascutum, Ralph Lauren and Prada can all work well depending on fabric and finish.

What color trench coat should I buy first?

Honey, stone, khaki, navy or black are the safest first choices. Honey and khaki are the most classic; navy and black are easier for evening, business travel and minimalist wardrobes.

Should men and women buy different trench coat brands?

No. The best trench coat makers usually serve both well. Fit matters more than gender category: shoulder line, sleeve length, belt position and coat length determine whether the trench looks elegant or borrowed.

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The 5 Best Luxury Colognes for Men

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Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 6, 2026

The right luxury fragrance for men signals taste before you say a word. It sits close to the skin, changes as the hours pass, and emotes subtle masculinity because the composition has depth, polish, and intent.

These are the scents worth the outlay, chosen for quality, wearability, staying power, and the kind of provenance that matters the most when you are investing in an exceptional bottle.

Pursuitist evaluates luxury products by how they perform in real life: the materials, the craft, the brand story, and whether the experience justifies the premium. We reviewed the prestige men’s fragrance field and narrowed it to five bottles we would actually buy. Here are our picks.

The 5 Best Luxury Colognes for Men, Reviewed

Creed Aventus

Creed Aventus is the fruity, smoky benchmark that reset expectations for modern luxury men’s fragrance. Pineapple, bergamot, apple, and blackcurrant give it lift before birch, patchouli, oakmoss, and musk give it grip.

Concentration: Eau de parfum. Key notes: pineapple, bergamot, blackcurrant, birch, oakmoss, musk. Price tier: $$$$ (starting around $355 for 50ml).

It works nearly everywhere: office, dinner, a wedding, a first date. That range is why it became one of the most imitated men’s scents of the past 15 years.

The House of Creed presents a heritage reaching back to 18th-century London tailoring, though the fragrance house collectors know today was shaped in the modern era by Olivier Creed. Aventus launched in 2010 and quickly became the brand’s commercial engine.

Ownership has changed quickly in recent years: BlackRock Long Term Private Capital became Creed’s majority owner in 2020, Kering acquired the house in 2023, and L’Oréal completed its acquisition of Kering Beauté, including Creed, in 2026.

Why Pursuitist Recommends: Aventus is the safest expensive bet in the room, though recent batches can feel softer than the early mythology suggests. Buy from an authorized seller and sample before you commit.

Tom Ford Oud Wood

Tom Ford Oud Wood is the fragrance that carried oud, the prized resinous wood of Middle Eastern perfumery, into the Western luxury wardrobe. It reads smooth and dry rather than medicinal, with rosewood, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, and amber rounding out the woods.

Concentration: Eau de parfum (also sold as Parfum). Key notes: oud, rosewood, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, amber. Price tier: $$$ (starting around $195 for 30ml).

The effect is refined and quietly expensive, the kind of scent that gets noticed without announcing itself. It suits cool evenings and boardrooms equally well.

Tom Ford founded his fashion and beauty brand in 2005, and in 2007 introduced Private Blend, a more connoisseur-minded fragrance line. Oud Wood was part of that early Private Blend wave and remains one of the house’s most recognizable best sellers.

The Tom Ford brand is now owned by The Estée Lauder Companies, which had long produced its beauty and fragrance business before acquiring the brand in 2023.

Why Pursuitist Recommends: Oud Wood is one of the most versatile luxury ouds on the market. Longevity can feel modest for the price, so reach for the richer Parfum concentration if you want more evening presence.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir is a warm amber fragrance built for evening, from one of France’s most decorated living perfumers. Labdanum, benzoin, vanilla, and cinnamon leaf create a golden, enveloping warmth that flatters almost everyone.

Concentration: Eau de parfum. Key notes: labdanum, benzoin, vanilla, cinnamon, amber. Price tier: $$$ (starting around $240 for 70ml).

It is a comfort scent with polish, easy to wear yet clearly high quality. Cold weather is its home.

Francis Kurkdjian and Marc Chaya founded the house in Paris in 2009, and LVMH acquired a majority stake in 2017. Kurkdjian, who also creates fragrances for Dior, first drew global attention with Baccarat Rouge 540, which began as a Baccarat anniversary commission before becoming a modern fragrance phenomenon.

Grand Soir is the house’s warm, wearable counterpoint to that famous scent.

Why Pursuitist Recommends: Grand Soir is the amber we hand to anyone who wants instant compliments, though it favors comfort over provocation. If you want something more unusual from the house, sample Baccarat Rouge 540 or Oud Satin Mood first.

Amouage Interlude Man

Amouage Interlude Man is the smoky, resinous statement scent from Oman’s foremost luxury perfume house. Bergamot, oregano, and pimento berry open over a heart of frankincense, amber, cistus, and opoponax, then settle into leather, patchouli, sandalwood, and agarwood smoke.

Concentration: Eau de parfum. Key notes: bergamot, oregano, pimento berry, frankincense, amber, opoponax, leather, oud smoke. Price tier: $$$$ (starting around $395 for 100ml).

It is big, dramatic, and unmistakable, a fragrance that fills a room and lingers for most of a day.

Amouage was founded in the Sultanate of Oman in 1983 by the Albusaidi family as “The Gift of Kings.” The house still builds its identity around Omani incense culture, high oil concentrations, and a deep East-meets-West style of perfumery.

Interlude Man, composed by Pierre Negrin, became the brand’s boldest signature.

Why Pursuitist Recommends: Interlude Man is the choice when you want presence over restraint. It is loud and polarizing, so try Reflection Man for the refined side of the house, or Interlude Black Iris for a smoother, iris-tinged take on the same DNA.

Parfums de Marly Layton

Parfums de Marly Layton is a warm, sweet-spiced crowd-pleaser and the modern French house’s most popular men’s fragrance. Apple and bergamot brighten the top, lavender and geranium sharpen the middle, and vanilla with guaiac wood and a whisper of coffee anchor the base.

Concentration: Eau de parfum. Key notes: apple, bergamot, lavender, geranium, vanilla, guaiac wood, coffee. Price tier: $$$$ (starting around the low $300s for 75ml).

It is versatile, comforting, and reliably well received, especially in cooler months.

Julien Sprecher founded Parfums de Marly in 2009, drawing on the Château de Marly and the perfumed court of Louis XV. The rearing horses on every bottle nod to the Chevaux de Marly, Guillaume Coustou’s 18th-century sculptures commissioned by Louis XV.

Layton launched in 2016 and became one of the defining men’s scents of its decade.

Why Pursuitist Recommends: Layton is the easiest to love on this list, though it plays closer to a polished designer scent than an experimental niche one. It turns potent in heat, so keep it to two or three sprays.

The Pursuitist Final Word

These five cover the luxury fragrance map: the classic reach of Creed Aventus, the smooth woods of Tom Ford Oud Wood, the amber warmth of Grand Soir, the incense drama of Amouage, and the modern comfort of Layton. Buy the one that matches how you actually live, not the one with the loudest reputation. Sample before you spend, mind the concentration, and treat any of these as a long-term signature rather than a passing trend.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best luxury cologne for men?

Creed Aventus remains the most versatile luxury pick, wearable across seasons and occasions, which is why it is the common recommendation for a first prestige fragrance. The best choice depends on taste: choose Tom Ford Oud Wood for woods, Grand Soir or Layton for warmth, and Amouage Interlude Man for bold presence.

What is the difference between cologne and eau de parfum?

Cologne, or eau de cologne, carries a lower concentration of fragrance oil and tends to fade within a few hours. Eau de parfum holds a higher concentration, so it usually projects more and lasts longer. Most of the fragrances here are eau de parfum, even though people call them cologne in everyday speech.

Are luxury colognes worth the money?

For many buyers, yes. Prestige houses often invest more in composition, materials, packaging, and brand craft, which can translate into better performance and a more distinctive scent. The tradeoff is price, and skilled alternatives exist, so sample first to decide whether the quality justifies the cost for you.

How long should a luxury cologne last?

A well-made eau de parfum typically lasts six to ten hours on skin, and an extrait or parfum concentration can last longer. Longevity varies with skin type, weather, and how much you apply. Spraying lightly on clothing can help a scent hold through the day, but test delicate fabrics first.

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Louis Vuitton’s $11,700 Woody Wagon Colognes

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Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 6, 2026

Louis Vuitton’s ,700 Woody Wagon Colognes

Louis Vuitton’s latest fragrance release is less a bottle launch than a miniature road trip. The Louis Vuitton Woody Wagon Colognes set, created with Los Angeles artist Alex Israel, packages the Maison’s six Parfums de Cologne inside a handcrafted tribute to one of California’s most recognizable symbols: the wood-paneled station wagon.

Limited to just 66 pieces, the Woody Wagon Colognes collection is priced at $11,700 and available by pre-order, with delivery expected in late September.

The piece continues Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Israel, whose sunlit, pop-inflected view of Los Angeles has shaped the Maison’s Cologne universe since 2019. Here, that California mood becomes physical: a sculptural fragrance case inspired by the classic beach-bound wagon, complete with surf-era romance, Route 66 symbolism, and the polish of Louis Vuitton craftsmanship.

A California Road Trip, Rebuilt By Louis Vuitton

The Woody Wagon is designed as a collectible object as much as a fragrance set. Its miniature body draws from the mythology of the American West — surfboards, Pacific highways, family road trips, and the hazy promise of Los Angeles light — then filters it through Louis Vuitton’s codes of travel and craft.

Each edition is assembled from 219 individual elements, including engraved wooden doors, Monogram detailing, wheels decorated with Monogram flowers, natural beige semi-aged leather, and mahogany wood chosen for its rich tone and visible grain.

Louis Vuitton says the project required 60 artisans and more than 7,000 hours of craftsmanship to produce the limited run. The edition size, 66, is a deliberate nod to Route 66.

Inside the Woody Wagon are the six Louis Vuitton Colognes, imagined as a fragrance family taking a California drive. The result is part perfume cabinet, part design collectible, and part art object — the sort of release aimed at serious Louis Vuitton collectors as much as fragrance enthusiasts.

Alex Israel’s Los Angeles, In Six Scents

Israel’s role gives the set its distinctive West Coast identity. Rather than treating Los Angeles as a backdrop, the Woody Wagon turns the city’s visual language into the main event: bright color, open roads, sunset gradients, and the blend of casual ease and high design that defines the best California luxury.

The collaboration also reflects Louis Vuitton’s broader fragrance direction under master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, where travel, memory, and place are central to the storytelling. The Woody Wagon does not simply house the Colognes; it gives them a world.

Limited-Edition Travel Cases For Three Louis Vuitton Colognes

Alongside the Woody Wagon, Louis Vuitton is introducing limited-edition travel cases for three Colognes: Sun Song, California Dream, and Afternoon Swim.

Each case is crafted in translucent resin and finished with color gradients inspired by the California landscape. The Monogram motif appears across the surface, while the transparent body lets the bottle become part of the visual effect.

The Sun Song Travel Case moves from yellow to orange, echoing the heat and brightness of a summer day. The California Dream Travel Case shifts from pink to blue, capturing the color of a Los Angeles sunset. The Afternoon Swim Travel Case uses aquatic blues, from clear azure to deeper ocean tones.

Each travel case is priced at $1,400 and limited to 100 pieces per version.

Why Collectors Will Care

The Woody Wagon Colognes set sits in a rare category: luxury fragrance presented as collectible design. Its appeal is not only in the six Colognes, but in the object itself — the scale, the materials, the edition size, and the unmistakable Alex Israel imprint.

For Louis Vuitton collectors, the scarcity is obvious. For fragrance collectors, it offers one of the Maison’s most theatrical presentations of the Cologne line. And for design enthusiasts, it captures a very specific fantasy of California: sunlit, mobile, optimistic, and beautifully overbuilt.

Price: $11,700
Edition: 66 pieces
Availability: Pre-order, with delivery expected in late September
Travel Cases: $1,400 each, limited to 100 pieces per version

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Christopher Parr

Christopher Parr, is the Editor and Chief Content Creator for Pursuitist, and a contributing writer to USA Today, Business Insider — and the on-air host of Travel Tuesday on Live at 4 CBS. He is an award-winning luxury marketing veteran, writer, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. Named a “Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger” by USA Today, Parr has also been selected as the official winner in Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ list of the “Top 50 Best Luxury Influencers and Bloggers in the World.”

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Pre-Owned Designer Bag Buying Checklist for First-Time Buyers

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 6, 2026

Pre-Owned Designer Bag Buying Checklist for First-Time Buyers

For a first pre-owned designer bag, start with use case, size, condition tolerance, and seller policies before you compare logos or trends. When comparing authenticated pre-owned pieces on Couture USA, the practical question is not just whether a bag is beautiful, but whether it fits your routine, care tolerance, and budget. Start with a clear checklist so the photos, dimensions, return window, and condition notes have a job before a tempting listing takes over.

Gucci Marmont Mini Flap Bag from Couture USA. Product photos can help you check shape, scale, material, and visible wear before comparing current listings.

Quick buyer takeaway

For a first pre-owned designer bag, start with use case, size, condition tolerance, and seller policies before you compare logos or trends. The right shortlist should make the piece easier to use, not just easier to admire.

Couture USA offers authenticated pre-owned luxury, free shipping, and a 14-day return policy. Those details matter because a pre-owned bag decision depends on trust, condition clarity, and whether the item can be evaluated calmly once it arrives.

What to check before you shortlist

Before comparing prices, make sure the listing answers the practical questions a careful buyer would ask in person. Strong listings make condition visible rather than asking you to infer it from a polished first photo.

Authentication language and return window.
All four corners and base.
Strap drop and comfort.
Interior marks, odor notes, and pocket wear.
Hardware tone and closure function.

How to compare the options

Use the same comparison frame for every candidate. That keeps a rare color, famous logo, or tempting markdown from overpowering the details that determine whether you will actually carry the piece.

Shopping situation
What usually matters most
How to confirm it

Everyday first bag
medium size, secure closure, durable material, neutral color
Compare photos, dimensions, condition notes, and policy details before checkout.

Evening first bag
smaller capacity, cleaner exterior, dressier hardware
Compare photos, dimensions, condition notes, and policy details before checkout.

Travel or errands
hands-free strap, easy access, less delicate finish
Compare photos, dimensions, condition notes, and policy details before checkout.

Photo and condition details that deserve extra attention

Zoom in on contact points: corners, strap edges, handles, bases, closures, zipper pulls, and interiors. These areas show how a piece was used and whether the written condition notes match the visual evidence.

For general designer bag browsing, compare the whole category first, then narrow by designer once the daily job is clear. Couture USA’s collection pages make it easier to move between Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, and the broader designer bag collection.

Before checkout: score the piece like a buyer

Give the listing a simple pass-fail review before you let scarcity or a markdown decide for you. A strong candidate should satisfy the practical job, show the wear clearly, and leave you with no major unanswered questions about authenticity, returns, fit, or care.

Use case: the piece solves the main reason you started shopping, whether that is daily carry, work, travel, gifting, or a polished evening option.

Condition: the visible wear matches the written notes and falls within what you will still enjoy using.

Fit: dimensions, strap drop, closure, and capacity work with your body, wardrobe, and essentials.

Confidence: authentication language, return policy, and seller detail are clear enough for the price level.

Common mistakes to avoid

Letting the first pretty listing set the budget.
Buying a size that cannot hold daily essentials.
Skipping return-policy details on a high-ticket purchase.

A pre-owned piece can still be an excellent buy with visible wear, but the wear should be understood before checkout. The goal is not perfection; it is alignment between price, condition, use case, and expectations.

Where to browse next on Couture USA

Use these checks before moving into the live inventory pages that match your intent. Start broad if you are comparing designers; go directly to the brand collection if you already know the house you want.

FAQs

What should a first-time buyer check first?

Start with whether the bag fits your real routine. After that, review condition photos, authentication language, return eligibility, and total cost.

Is pre-owned better for a first designer bag?

It can be, especially when you want access to discontinued styles or a lower entry price, but only if the seller gives enough condition and authenticity information to buy confidently.

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Why machine-washable bespoke is unusual

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 6, 2026

This bespoke jacket from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury is machine washable. That’s pretty rare – why?

First, most good tailored jackets are made with canvas in the chest and melton under the collar, both of which don’t react well to machine washing (even on a cool temperature). They get distorted and can shrink.

Second, the material of the jacket itself can’t usually be machine washed. Cottons are the easiest in that respect, but even then the material has to be thoroughly washed beforehand – often multiple times – so all of the shrinkage is taken out.

Bespoke tailoring is also harder than a regular suit, because there’s often more complex canvassing inside, sometimes more delicate handwork, and overall the shape is more precisely made in a 3D shape that can be distorted by the washing. It’s why expert pressing after dry cleaning is so important.

So when Whitcomb showed me a very nice-looking machine-washable jacket they were working on for a client, I was interested.

Not, however, because of the convenience. I cared less about the fact that I could clean it at home, and more that it would bring a bespoke cotton jacket closer to ready-to-wear ones.

Customers of bespoke are often disappointed when they commission a cotton jacket. They’ve seen one in a shop from an Italian brand like Boglioli or an English brand like Drake’s, and they want that softness, that casualness, but made to fit.

Bespoke cotton jackets don’t usually look like that because of the sharpness created by their internal structure, but also because they can’t be washed – and nearly all ready-to-wear cotton jackets are industrially washed.

This garment washing takes place in large vats, in large wash houses, and gives the jacket attractive fading around the edges and seams. The material itself is also often industrially washed beforehand, to break down the cotton and soften it.

This can happen with dry cleaning, but only over a long period of time. Generally the aim of dry cleaning is not to affect the material, as customers want it the same. King Charles has some cotton jackets that have been beautifully faded, but when I’ve spoken to the tailors that have made these for him, they note that they’re all at least 10 years old.

Even if that were one or two years, most people don’t have the patience to repeatedly clean clothes like this – to have it for so long in a state they don’t like and therefore don’t enjoy wearing as much. Even raw denim suffers from this problem today, as we discussed recently, and tailoring doesn’t have the advantage of becoming so much more personal in the way it fades.

My hope with the Whitcomb & Shaftesbury jacket was that it would quickly start to break down and fade when I washed it at home, making it closer to that attractive, lived-in look of RTW cotton jackets.

As pictured here, the jacket has been washed in a machine three times. Regular detergent, regular cycle, just 30 degrees and low spin. It’s then been hung on a good hanger and left to dry.

The jacket was made without canvas in the chest or melton under the collar, but some control and shape was given to the front with hand sewing on the collar. It’s remarkable that the jacket maintains so much shape of that shape when it’s worn, despite all the underpinnings bespoke usually has.

The jacket doesn’t just fit me better than a RTW one would do in 2D terms – the right length, width, overall shape – but in bespoke terms, with shape to the chest, pitch of the sleeve, hold on the neck.

After the second wash I did try steaming it, to take some of the wrinkles out. We have a good steamer in the office and I spent a good 10 minutes working every part of the jacket.

This made the body and sleeves smoother, but had less of an effect on the patched pockets, which didn’t change much. Some careful ironing would be required to change those.

In any case, after half an hour of wearing most of the wrinkles had returned, particularly in areas like the elbows and the lower back. And frankly looked better for it.

The Whitcomb team also pressed it the first time I got it, which made everything perfectly smooth, but again it looked better when I’d worn it for a bit. This is the aesthetic of the thing, the point. (I’ll do a follow-up article on style points such as this.)

After those three washes, the jacket has started to fade slightly on the seams and edges, but it’s barely noticeable. Great as the colour is from a style point of view, the fading would be more noticeable on a dark colour like navy or black. Perhaps that’s a good idea for next time.

The tack stitches around the pockets also needed to be reinforced, to cope with the combination of machine washing and heavy use I put the pockets through. But they’ve been perfect since, and that’s a note for Whitcomb for the future – they haven’t made many of these jackets yet, after all.

There’s a lot more to say on this project, and so I’ve deliberately split coverage into two sections: this one on the practicalities of a washable bespoke jacket, and the second one on aesthetic choices like the material, colour and design, as well as why the style so appeals to me and how I’ve been wearing it.

That second piece will be published on Wednesday this week. Please hold questions about those things until then, if that’s OK.

This jacket cost £2400 including VAT from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, made bespoke. Other colours available in the same material include black, navy, olive and beige.

Clothes pictured in main outfit, shown top and below:

‘East-West Passerby’ tote by Métier in Suede Marrakech
Bespoke trousers by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury in Art du Lin (covered previously here)
Black alligator belt by Rubato
Boy Scout shirt by Husbands in white voile (not currently available)
Loafers by Alessandro Gasperini (being covered soon)
Zepherin sunglasses by Jacques Marie Mage (also being covered soon)

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The Art Behind Fashion Drawing from a Live Model – University of Fashion Blog

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 4, 2026

The Art Behind Fashion Drawing from a Live Model – University of Fashion Blog

From University of Fashion’s lesson – Model Drawing: Non-Classic Silhouettes & Poses. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Fashion model drawing is often misunderstood as simply sketching what you see. In reality, it is a disciplined process of interpretation, structure, and intention. When working from a live model, you are not just copying a body—you are translating form, movement, and design into a visual language that communicates clothing.

Understanding ProportionMapping the 9 ½ head fashion pose from UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Fashion Proportion & Movement. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

One of the first principles to understand is proportion. In fashion illustration, we commonly use the 9½-head figure, an elongated version of the human body that enhances elegance and emphasizes the garment. This is not about realism; it is about idealization. The extended proportions create space for design and movement, allowing the clothing to take center stage.

Mapping the Action Line, Center Front & Balance LineMapping the action line, center front and balance line from UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Fashion Proportion & Movement. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

From there, you begin with the action line—the visual spine of the pose. This line captures the energy and flow of the model and sets the tone for the entire drawing. Supporting this is the balance line, which ensures that your figure feels grounded, even in dynamic poses. You will also establish the center front line, a critical guide that helps you understand how the body—and therefore the garment—turns in space.

Gesture DrawingMapping the gesture from UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Fashion Proportion & Movement. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Gesture drawing becomes your foundation. It is fast, expressive, and focused on movement rather than detail. A strong gesture captures life in just a few lines. Without it, even the most detailed rendering will feel stiff.

Cylindrical PerspectiveMapping the cylindrical perspective from UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Fashion Proportion & Movement. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Another essential concept is cylindrical perspective. The human body is not flat; it exists in three dimensions. Limbs, the torso, and even the neck should be understood as forms wrapping around an axis. Thinking in cylinders allows you to correctly place contours, seams, and shadows, giving your drawing depth and realism.

Pose vs Garment SilhouetteUnderstanding pose choice based on garment silhouette from UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Various Poses for Different Silhouettes. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Equally important is the silhouette. The shape of the clothing—whether it clings tightly to the body or drapes loosely—dictates how the figure should be posed. This is where many beginners make a critical mistake: they choose a pose first, often inspired by a magazine image, and then try to fit their design into it. This approach rarely works.

In fashion drawing, the design must come first. The pose is not arbitrary—it is a tool to showcase the garment.

The Form-Fitting PoseFor a form-fitting silhouette the pose should support and reveal the contours of the body. From UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Various Poses for Different Silhouettes. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

For example, if you are designing a form-fitting outfit, the pose should support and reveal the contours of the body. A stance where the legs form a wide triangle would disrupt the line and obscure the garment’s shape.

From UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Pant Poses. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

On the other hand, if you are designing wide-leg pants, that same triangular stance could enhance the volume and movement of the fabric, creating a casual and relaxed effect.

Evening Wear & Tailored Silhouette PosesFrom UoF’s lesson Model Drawing: Evening & Tailored Garments (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Every decision you make—from proportion to pose—should serve the clothing. For example, an evening wear pose should be a dramatic, exaggerated pose, with an elongated neck and perhaps a back view that features a low back neckline. The goal is not to create an interesting figure, but to create a compelling presentation of your design.

When you begin to think this way, your drawings shift from sketches into intentional fashion illustrations. You are no longer just observing—you are designing with purpose.

University of Fashion’s Model Drawing Lesson SeriesFor more on drawing from a real-life model, view our entire Model Drawing lesson series, taught by Richard Rosenfeld. Richard has taught fashion illustration at Parsons and at FIT for 30+ years and is the Master!

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Rose Bowl flea market: A rainy-day diary

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 3, 2026

Rose Bowl flea market: A rainy-day diary

Manish thinks hard about whether he can pull off purple

When Cody arrived to pick us up, it had already started spitting. This was the one day we were going to be outside for any length of time, and wouldn’t you know it, it was the only day it was going to rain.

Never mind, it wasn’t that heavy and right now we were absorbed in hellos, hugs, and comments about Cody’s car. Cody Wellema, long-time friend, hatmaker and now vintage buyer, was driving us to Rose Bowl, and we were all piling into his old Honda CR-V.

Cody is one of those friendly, open people you immediately feel you know well. But it does add a level of intimacy when you travel in someone’s car – sort of a halfway point towards visiting their house. Cody’s was dotted with wrappers and various other pieces of kid-related paraphernalia, while the boot had threads, strips of plastic and other tell-tale signs of the amount of clothing he has to ship around.

In fact, one of the endearing aspects of Cody’s set-up for the day was that as he walked around the flea market, in his pitch-perfect western hat and rare vintage jacket, he also pushed a large plastic shopping caddy, because it was the only way to carry all the stuff.

Mercilessly mocking Cody for his old-man’s trolley

Manish and myself with piles of military surplus

Rose Bowl opens at 5am, and the real seekers turn up that early, often with head torches to help them see in the dark. We weren’t that keen, but our original plan had been to turn up at 7am at least, to experience a bit of the treasure-seeking vibe.

The rain made that pointless. There would be fewer sellers, so fewer buyers, and the atmosphere just wouldn’t be the same. We set our arrival time for 9am.

The rain did come throughout the morning, but it was splatters and showers, and it turned out everyone we wanted to see was there anyway. It helped that the rarer, more higher-end vintage fair Inspiration had been on the previous two days, so a lot of the top-end international buyers were in town anyway.

And apparently the opposite weather is much worse: on a scorching hot day the sun boils off the tarmac, and the place feels like a torture oven.

Vintage beads – see if you can spot Manish wearing them in future articles

Ben McGinty of McGinty’s Gallery in Altadena

Rose Bowl flea market is held in the parking lot of Rose Bowl stadium, a century-old arena that looks very much of its era, all concrete and columns. But is significant historically and culturally: it hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984, has seen five Super Bowls, and was the venue for the 1994 World Cup final (that’s football/soccer; Brazil beat Italy on penalties).

Rose Bowl is a flea market and it feels like it. Despite the reputation among vintage fans – it must be the most famous such market in the world – it has a very local, fun atmosphere. A chatty man with a massive white beard stamped our tickets with a chuckle, and everyone seemed to be calling out to each other as they strolled in.

Once inside, there were hundreds of potential stalls to visit (even on a grey day). Luckily, Cody is an old hand and guided us from one of his favourites to another, either side of a little bridge over a canal.

The standard of the clothes is high – pretty much every stall had something of interest – but Cody wanted us to meet some sellers in particular. One was Bob Melet, one of the men behind RRL alongside Doug Bihlmaier. Bob sells lots of things, but particularly specialises in shop fittings.

Manish chatted to Bob (above) while the rest of us rooted through the merchandise. Lucas was particularly pleased to find an old flannel shirt in his size; being a 54 chest, it’s often slim pickings for him when it comes to vintage.

An old flannel like that, by the way, is great because of the quality (old, less industrially farmed cotton) and the sheer number of times it has been worn and washed (creating particular softness, and a patina of tiny frays or nicks) relative to the price. Lucas’s was $60.

Next up was Woody and Barry, who ran the stall next door. Talking to Barry we learned he lives in Bishop, up in the eastern Sierra mountains, and specialises in outdoor clothing like thermals, fleeces and down jackets. There’s a lot of them in second-hand shops up there, but not much makes it to the city.

This was echoed at a few other stalls around Rose Bowl – although most are generalists, there were enough that specialised in military surplus, or old sports wear, to add real depth to the offering.

Interestingly, at the farther end was a group of guys selling more recent vintage – mostly nineties and noughties, some eighties. This younger group has apparently grown out of the popularity of second-hand clothing, and then the search for rarities within that. It tends to specialise in denim, band tees, and made-in-the-US products from the likes of Ralph Lauren.

We kept running into people we knew. That might not seem surprising, but we honestly didn’t expect it given the day and location.

Jojo from Rag Parade in Sheffield was there, as was Atsushi Matsushima from Clutch magazine. We ran into Ethan Wong, Brandon Mahler (ex-Aime Leon Dore, now Buck Mason) and Marco Tamponi from Sebago/Woolrich, who we had hosted a dinner with just the previous month.

But what did I buy, I hear you cry? Well, two things. One a pair of US-made Ralph Lauren chinos with a really lovely fade, which turned out to be too low in the rise when I tried them on for longer back in the hotel. It’s hard to spend too much time taking your trousers on and off in a street market.

But also, more successfully, a beautiful Lee Storm Rider jacket – blanket-lined, so soft, and in need of a few repairs but nothing major. Lucky I have a guy for that.

And it was $90. Great value for what it was, and illustrative of the fact that I had swum further upstream than normal – I was buying from the flea markets that the buyers go to, rather than the buyers’ physical shop in a convenient location, where all the searching would have been done for me, and probably the repairs too. As Erik wrote recently, it’s all about paying for time.

The Lee jacket. These proportions work so well on me when the size is big enough

Cody was after a lot of vintage silver jewellery

Rose Bowl takes place once a month – the second Sunday – and if I was going to come to LA again I’d definitely time my visit for it.

Then again, I’m not so much of a vintage head, or the offering isn’t so unusual, that I would travel specifically to come. So perhaps it ranks at the level of a very good, destination menswear shop. Given the lack of such shops generally in LA, that is still significant.

Thank you to Cody, Kentaro and everyone else who showed us such a lovely time that rainy Sunday in Pasadena. Hopefully see you all soon.

Cody finds an old hat that appears to have been used as a graduation souvenir, with friends signing their names

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JFK’s Manitou Yacht

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

July 3, 2026

When John F. Kennedy needed a measure of distance from Washington, he often found it at the helm of Manitou, a slender wooden yawl built for speed and later adapted to carry the presidency onto open water.

The 62-foot yacht offered Kennedy something the larger presidential powerboats could not: the physical pleasure of sailing. Under canvas, with the New England coast or Chesapeake Bay in view, he could trim a course, feel the weather and briefly escape the ceremonial weight of office.

KN-C23202 11 August 1962President Kennedy sails aboard the U. S. Coast Guard yacht “Manitou” off the coast of Maine. Credit “Robert Knudsen, White House / John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston”.

Designed by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens, Manitou was commissioned by Chicago businessman and racing driver James R. Lowe. M.M. Davis & Son built the yacht in Solomons, Maryland, launching her in 1937. Her name came from the Manitou Passage in Lake Michigan. According to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, “Manitou” means “Spirit of the Water.”

Born to Race

Lowe wanted a yacht capable of winning the demanding Chicago to Mackinac race, a passage of more than 300 miles through Lake Michigan’s unpredictable winds, sudden squalls and long stretches of open water.

Manitou delivered. In 1938, she won the Chicago-Mackinac Cup, finishing more than six hours ahead of the fleet and establishing herself as one of the great American racing yachts of her era. She later won the Port Huron to Mackinac race in 1940 and 1941.

Her profile carried the hallmarks of early Sparkman & Stephens design: a long, graceful overhang, narrow hull, balanced proportions and a sail plan suited to both light air and heavy weather. At 62 feet overall, with a waterline length of 44 feet, she combined offshore capability with accommodations refined enough for extended cruising.

In 1955, Manitou was donated to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Cadets used her as a training vessel, learning seamanship aboard a yacht whose performance demanded close attention and practiced hands.

Kennedy Takes the Helm

Kennedy’s relationship with the sea began long before the White House. He grew up sailing around Cape Cod and raced the family’s 25-foot sloop, Victura, throughout his youth. During World War II, he commanded PT-109 in the Pacific. Even during presidential meetings, he was known to sketch sailboats on scraps of paper.

In 1962, Kennedy selected Manitou for presidential use. The Coast Guard yacht was fitted with communications and navigational equipment that allowed him to remain connected to Washington while underway. A radio direction finder, fathometer and radiotelephone transformed the elegant prewar racer into an unofficial command post.

The nickname “Floating White House” soon followed.

Kennedy sailed Manitou in New England and the Chesapeake, frequently joined by family members, friends and members of his staff. Photographs show him at the wheel in sunglasses and casual clothes, visibly at ease. The scenes reveal a president enjoying one of the few places where protocol could recede behind wind, water and the immediate demands of sailing.

Below deck, Manitou retained the warmth of a traditional American yacht. Polished wood surrounded a main cabin, galley, fireplace and private aft stateroom. The most discussed feature remains a sunken bathtub concealed behind teak doors.

Marilyn Monroe is said to have used it, although no reliable evidence confirms that she ever sailed aboard. Owners and historians have generally treated the story as irresistible maritime folklore, one more layer in the mythology surrounding Kennedy’s presidency.

A Presidential Yacht Restored

The government sold Manitou in 1968 to the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point, Maryland, for $35,000. She continued as a training vessel, although decades of institutional service eventually left the yacht in need of substantial work.

In 1999, Laura Kilbourne, a descendant of original owner James Lowe, acquired Manitou and began a comprehensive restoration. Later owners continued the effort, preserving her wooden structure, period interior and distinctive yawl rig.

Today, Manitou sails among the great surviving yachts of the 20th century, competing on the Mediterranean classic regatta circuit with the same poised silhouette that once crossed Lake Michigan and carried a president along the American coast.

Her appeal reaches beyond the Kennedy association. Manitou represents an era when speed, proportion and craftsmanship could coexist without excess. Her history contains racing triumphs, Coast Guard cadets, presidential communications and one famously unverified bathtub story.

Through it all, she remains what Kennedy valued most: a beautiful sailing yacht, responsive to the helm and ready to leave the shore behind.

Christopher Parr

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Kylian Mbappé, France

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BECOME A PURSUITIST VIP!

Quick buyer takeaway

What to check before you shortlist

How to compare the options

Photo and condition details that deserve extra attention

Before checkout: score the piece like a buyer

Common mistakes to avoid

Where to browse next on Couture USA

FAQs

What should a first-time buyer check first?

Is pre-owned better for a first designer bag?

Why machine-washable bespoke is unusual

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Rose Bowl flea market: A rainy-day diary

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