Rag & Bone

Kempt compatriot and American hero Michael Williams (better known as the man behind A Continuous Lean) is out in Vegas for the Project trade show. Things got a bit weird, but he managed to file the following dispatch for Kempt. Godspeed, Michael!

Being in the apparel business, coming to Las Vegas trade shows are a necessary evil. The adventure begins at the airport when you see twenty people you know load in to what is endearingly referred to as the “garmento express,” a plane where you can’t walk to the bathroom without hearing someone say “feel this quality.” Once you arrive and get yourself settled in, the ping pinging of the slot machines gives way to the soft embrace of convention center fluorescent lights.

More info and photos from the western front»

At long last, we have arrived at CES…but unfortunately the mighty power of Energi-to-Go was not enough to force the airline industry into competence. So, after a five-hour delay and various fun with baggage handlers, we were greeted with the disheartening scene above. Although the subwoofer arch from Vibe does look pretty awesome.

Expect our savage journey into the heart of consumer electronics to continue with a little more gusto tomorrow.

And in case you’re curious about the logo on that coffin/speaker in the middle»

So far, the rise of workwear has mostly focused on the American Rust Belt, but there’s plenty of labor going on across the water too. Or should we say, labour.

Inspired by England’s Northeast coast, Norsea Industries comes at the blue-collar revival from a scrappier vantage, mixing steelworker denim with Member’s-only style jackets, vintage-inspired beachwear, and a nautical vibe that reminds us more than a little bit of Rogues Gallery. Apparently Yorkshire is quite the sartorial melting pot. After this, we’ll be sure to keep our eye on it.

After all, one post-industrial wasteland is as good as another.

Get a closer look at the line after the jump»

Labels get inspiration from lots of different places, but this is the first time we’ve seen macho anthropology pop into the mix. We got a look at the new Rogues Gallery line the other day, and it’s not just nautical—it’s practically survivalist. The line takes inspiration from Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki, documenting a trip from Peru to Polynesia in only a raft, giving RG’s usual Cape Cod sensibility a rougher seagoing edge.

Needless to say, if you’re trying something like that, you’ll need a hell of a sweater.

More pics after the jump»

After getting the scoop on BBlessing’s sample sale last week from Archetype Showroom and Gallery, we were hungry for more. So we set up an appointment to scout Archetype’s designer lineup and look ahead to SS08. We found an impressive group of emergent and established designers, each with a passion for individuality. None aspire to the masses or to be the next Perry Ellis, they want to forge their own identities with forward visions. First up is The Cast, a gritty, rocker line…