corduroy magazine

You’re getting a sneak peek at the big re-launch of a men’s store opening up in the UK called “Heartless.” Located in the town of Essex (about two hours drive from Central London), the store features classic designer labels like YSL, United Arrows and Yohji Yamamoto, mixed in with new designers like Kiryuyrik and Mastermind Japan. The open concept space makes you feel like you’re digging through someone’s living room, filled with unique pieces you won’t find anywhere else. In fact, just about everything in the store is for sale, from the clothes to the furniture to the fixtures that line the walls.

We definitely see this becoming the model for stores in the near future, as the line between browsing and shopping continues to blur. (In fact, one of our favorite places to grab breakfast in New York is Nicole Farhi’s 202, where shoppers browse through racks of clothing and accessories alongside diners having their morning cup of coffee).

As for Heartless, the store is now open at 179 Queen’s Road in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. An e-shop is set to launch next month at areyouheartless.com

We’ve been meaning to blog about it for a few weeks now but we’re loving the new Rag & Bone store on Christopher Street here in New York. It’s only been open for a month but the boutique is already drawing a fashion-forward crowd to a street known more for its tattoo parlors and sex shops than high-end shopping.

The store is situated discreetly among a row of mom and pop-type establishments, and Rag & Bone owners Marcus and David have made it a point to preserve many of the original details of the space. From exposed brick walls to tin ceilings to the musky-minty smell that greets you when you enter the doors, it feels as though you’re walking into an old world magasin. Of course, you should really be there for the clothes: racks of tailored knits, shirts and jackets that Rag & Bone is famous for, sharing space with piles of velvety tees and jeans. 

The store’s address is 104 Christopher Street and check out the latest Rag & Bone collection on their website.

(photo courtesy WWD)

We wrote about the girls behind design team Little Fury in our very first issue of Corduroy. Now, Tina and Esther have released their latest collection for Start Here — a line of linkable eco-friendly notebooks and accessories. The notebooks are 100% biodegradable and the girls have taken steps to ensure that everything from the paper (recycled post-consumer fiber) to the lamination (a compostable alternative called EnviroFilm) respects the environment. In fact, the products were even made with renewable wind energy! 

The “eco-chic” movement is definitely hot right now, but few companies pay such attention to detail. Of course, the actual notebooks themselves are beautiful. Stark, but not boring, the books have linkable covers that allow you to add pages and tabs as you go. We already own the basic white notebooks, but we can’t wait to check out the new line, which features a variety of new colors and customizable options.

It goes without saying that we’re big supporters of Little Fury and happy to see that they’re getting the love they deserve. To learn more about Tina and E, pick up our first issue of Corduroy HERE or check out littlefury.com. And for more information about the Start Here notebooks, visit starthereny.com.

If you’re in New York tonight, stop by the Virgin Megastore in Union Square to catch a free set by Irish songstress Gemma Hayes. The talented singer-songwriter will be playing songs from her new album “The Hollow of Morning,” which hits stores September 30th. We got an advance preview of the CD earlier this month and we’ve fallen in love with the beautifully haunting melodies and Gemma’s flowing, effortless voice. 

We’ll be at the show tonight and we hope to see you there too. In the meantime, check out more of Gemma’s music at her myspace: www.myspace.com/gemmahayes

We took the train to New Haven this weekend, to spend some time out of the city. We had a great time walking through the Yale campus and wandering through the cobblestone alleyways and tiny parks scattered throughout the town.

We also stopped by the Yale Center for British Art — which houses of the largest collections of British paintings, sculptures, drawings and manuscripts outside of the UK. Unfortunately, an entire floor was closed off and some of the galleries seemed to be put together quite randomly (a solo Damien Hirst piece stood out for all the wrong reasons on a wall filled with 19th-century portraits), but we did find some favorites, like Thomas Gainsborough and Richard Wilson’s landscape paintings and also George Stubbs’ handsome sporting prints.

What impressed us most about the center was its physical look and design. It was modern architecture at its best, built from matte steel and reflective glass, forming a cube-like structure that blended in perfectly with its quaint surroundings. The interior, meantime, featured large marble walls, paired with white oak and Belgian linen. The open concept allowed plenty of natural light to flow through the galleries, while also giving viewers space to walk and observe without feeling boxed in.

The building was designed by noted architect Louis I. Kahn, who designed the Yale University Art Gallery across the street. In 2005, it was awarded the American Institute of Architects’ 25 year award for “Architecture of Enduring Significance.” The jury said “It is one of the quietest expressions of a great building ever seen — so rewarding and exhilarating when you step inside. The materiality and the language of the wood, stainless steel, concrete, and natural linen is still a delight for the eye.”  

We definitely agree.