Negative Reaction: Kenneth Cole falls $3.1 million into debt. Where be your cheeky billboards now? [DNRNews]

Cardigan Cabal: The international press is conspiring to make the Cardigan today’s, “dead sexy chick magnet.” Almost Orwellian, ain’t it?

Restoration Hardware: John Varvatos’ conversion of CBGB’s is taking for-frigging-ever. [Racked]

Lil’ Bit More: Crunk poet and Renaissance man Lil’ John not only has his own celeb clothing line on the way, but is currently vintnering up a storm at Little Jonathan Winery. All class that one. [Pro Hip Hop]

Collateral Damage: The new Bond film is an absolute blood fest, destroying one innocent Tom Ford suit after another. [VogueUK]

Co-Ed Naked Design: Matthew McConcaughey and his old lady create new clothes to shed while walking on sunny pacific beaches. [Gawker]

It’s easy to overdo the knit look but, as this Nordic fellow demonstrates, overdoing it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As things get colder, looking comfortable can be as important as looking sharp, and this piece of needlework looks very very comfortable.

It comes from Scandanavian designer Carin Wester, who’s currently only selling at Tres Bien Shop, a surprisingly consistent online boutique, but if they keep building up press like this, you may see them in person before too long.

Quiksilver isn’t a brand that’s on a lot of people’s minds these days now that the surfer and skater crazes have gently passed us by, but they’re still up to some interesting things.

The Limited Collection—shorthand for the more experimental wing of the brand—just put out their Spring ’09 line, and there are more than a few pieces worth checking out. Most of it stays firmly in Spicoli territory, but that’s not such a bad thing these days, especially with winter beach season rolling around. On the creative front, they’ve got hoodie oxfords, cardigan shirts (which they endearingly refer to as “shirtigans”), and this electric blue number, which may be the most unapologetically sunny piece we’ve seen in showrooms in quite some time.

See more pics here»

There are many ways to wear a cardigan. For the Italian premiere of a film you may have heard of, the esteemed Mr. Craig opted for the big collar/big tie route. It’s a good choice, since Italy is silk country and more is still better in Rome. He keeps the cardigan tactically slim instead of opting for the grandpa look, and ends up with a thoroughly adult outfit.

Also, it helps if you look like you’re ready to kick someone in the face.

Between Savile-obsessed trads and an older tribe still reliving the British Invasion, it’s easy to forget the younger generation of British designers, even when they’re churning out goods as impressive as anything you’ll find in New York. For example, our old friend Oliver Spencer.

Spencer’s Fall ’08 line has a lot to recommend it, but what caught our eye was the rough fabrics, long pirate-style peacoat, and his clever twists on the cardigan. Add in a little classic tailoring, and we’re pretty much sold. What else would you expect from Keith’s tailor?

See the line in full»

Hyden Yoo has been a New York boutique mainstay for some time, but after seeing his Spring/Summer ’09 collection, we’re ready for him to jump into the world of department store pop-ups and fast-fashion collaborations.

Between this angular three-piece and the asymmetrical cardigan after the jump, he’s earned a much higher profile than he has. Our only complaint is the Keffiyeh-esque scarf. It may be time to give that one back to the Palestinians.

See the rest of the line»

The cardigan resurgence is in full swing, but our favorite finishing touch has yet to take hold. We’re talking, of course, about the patched elbow.

It’s hit and miss on blazers, but on a sweater it gives a sense of permanence that can be hard to come by. This version comes new from Brit firm D.S. Dundee, but we bet it’ll look even better after it starts to show wear.

Loose-knit fabrics were one of the biggest trends to emerge from this season’s capsule show, and while we got a tiny taste of it with Raf Simon x Fred Perry’s S/S 09 collection, we’re now ready to upgrade it to a full blown happening.

This version is from Raf Perry’s Fall/Winter line, but we’d say approach it with caution. If you’re an undershirt type, you’re going to have a lot of glaring white peeking through…and even if you aren’t, you might have to worry about a few chest hairs making a break for it. It’s a good look if you can pull it off, but it’s not for everyone.

A more accessible option…»

We’ve seen a lot of cardigans but this one from L.A.’s Kzo stood out by virtue of those two lines running down either side.

For the unfamiliar, they’re tailoring seams, and they go a long way to explaining why the cut is so trim, and why the item looks as much like a lapel-less blazer as a cardigan.

Ever since the new bespoke movement took off, we’ve been seeing tailoring toucheslike this sneak into casual clothes. This is as good an example as we’ve seen so far—but we’re hoping to see far better before the year is out.

Is anyone out there brave enough to put a set of buttonholes on the cuffs of their hoodie?

The U.S. doesn’t see much menswear from Marc Jacobs, but apparently London’s got more than enough. But there may be a reason for that.

For instance, this double-layer cardigan probably goes over a lot better on Carnaby Street than Canal Street. Something about the British temperament takes to complementary colors better than staid Americans, and the double-layered knit only makes the contrast stronger.

But if you’re feeling anglophilic, you know where to find it.

Retro style can be a powerful force, but you’re still only getting things second hand. The genuine article can be a bit harder to come by.

Luckily, Cleveland’s Ohio Knitting Mills (via Uncrate) has a stash of 22 models dating all the way back to 1947, and they’re just now putting it on sale.

Finds include this red mohair sweater, a pitch-perfect acrylic polo from the 50s, and cardigans from the same factory that outfitted Mr. Rogers. It’s mostly what you’d expect from digging through a local vintage shop…only you’d be pretty lucky to find all this in one pile.

See what they’ve got in store»

The nautical sweater has been kicking around for a while, but the knits keep getting looser, which is leading us to some surprising places.

Our Legacy’s latest collection adds a bit of fuel to the club collar resurgence, but the item that caught our eye was this cardigan. Aside from the tighter stripes, the mesh is so loose you can see through it. We’d recommend a light dress shirt underneath to make the most of it…but that’s just the beginner move.

Layering just got a whole new dimension.

The Scottish sweater-maker Inverallan has been getting a fair amount of blog love in the past few months, but the gear itself is still pretty hard to come by without crossing an ocean—either to the UK or Japan. Fortunately, all good things make it stateside eventually…

J. Crew’s Frank Muytjens let slip in a recent interview that Inverallan’s Aran fisherman sweater is next up for a J. Crew collab this fall, which means cable-knit cardigans are about to make a serious play at trendhood. And by the time cold weather comes around again, we’ll probably be beating down the doors for thick wool like this. Just don’t call it a grandpa sweater.

Lobster aside, Prince Edward Island’s main exports seem to be cold fronts and grandmotherly affection, so it’s only natural they make a hell of a cardigan.

Brooklyn outlet C’H’C’M’ just restocked their knitwear section with a few hats, scarves, and this cardigan from PEI’s Northern Watters. The color scheme is pretty twee, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and the wool is thick enough to inspire all sorts of warm, fuzzy feelings.

Your move, Nantucket.

Cardigans have always walked the line between being a casual outer layer and downright outerwear, especially as weaves get looser and wools get chunkier.

Pendleton’s latest cardigan (by way of Opening Ceremony) complicates things by bringing in one of our favorite professorial affectations, the elbow patch. That little tough of ruggedness puts it in the company of any number of fall jackets—at least, the non-weatherproof ones—and removes a sizable chunk of twee from an otherwise twee-packed item.

Well played, gentlemen. And as a late October boutique arrival, extremely well timed.

As you may have heard, the Olsens are trying their collective hand at menswear. And surprisingly enough, they’re pretty good at it.

Exhibit A: this narrowly double-breasted cardigan. The big loose-knit, shawl-collared style makes for an extremely cozy item, and a little overlap between the buttons only makes it cozier. It’s one of the best deep winter sweaters we’ve seen all season—and easily their best work since Passport to Paris.

Schott’s Perfecto motorcycle jacket is in the midst of quite the revival lately (it’s better known as a Ramones jacket, if that’s not ringing any bells), but the biggest surprise of the movement has been the non-leather side-zips popping up in its wake.

This Haversack knit, for instance, takes the style to the twee confines of the cardigan, swapping in a shawl collar for the Schott’s iconic notch collar, and ends up with a light jacket that looks considerably more rugged than it is. It won’t stand up to any wipeouts—even if you’re on a Vespa instead of a Harley—but if you’re looking for a clever twist on biker style, it’s the best one we’ve seen so far.