Amid a time of political in-fighting, death of iconic stars, and neo-racism, Black history month remains a justifiable constant. The reason being, Black History month seeks to discover, restore and procure the best of our nation’s talent, empathy, hardship and constitution.

As these 29 days count away, I am sadly reminded that the praise and acknowledgement of Black pride count with it. Thanks to a leap year, we can keep our Red, Black and Green colors up a little longer. But, of course, that does not begin to explain the greatness of Black history.

In my opinion, Black history month needs to become a fixture of the American collective conscience. It’s not something confined to a month, or an extra day, rather an infinite and eternal recognition to those who have made the United States what it is since day one. We need to have a constant invocation of Martin, Medgar, and Malcolm when it comes to activism and politics; Basquiat, Davis, and Henry O. Tanner when it comes to arts and culture; Aretha, Chaka, and Whitney when it comes to music and Carver and J.L. Love when it comes to science and invention.

Yet, if we fail to remember Blacks as an unavoidable pillar in Americana, they will be forever confined to a set of days that doesn’t begin to appreciate them.

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-Miles Elijah Yawada Gamble

Here is the official project description: “The garage anchors the house to the northwest corner of the site while the semi-detached guest quarters is perched above, cantilevering out to create a covered walk to the entry. The main block occupies the opposing corner of the site. Its southeast corner has been entirely removed and replaced with a thirty-foot tall tube steel bracket that supports the sheltering roof above. A steel and wood framed deck is literally suspended from the bracket by a 1” diameter steel rod. The main and upper levels open to the resulting two-story space with 14 foot wide lift & glide glass doors allowing the house to spatially expand and contract in response to the seasons”.

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What Do You Think?

-Phaon Spurlock, The Southern Gentleman

Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon

Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE

source

What Do You Think?

-Phaon Spurlock, The Southern Gentleman

Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon

Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE

What to Look for in your Luxury Watch

Luxury watches are an investment and many of the leading brands such as Breitling, Tag Heuer, Baume & Mercier and IWC watches cost thousands of pounds, so it is imperative that you know what to look for when you’re buying a luxury timepiece. There are various different features that differentiate luxury watches and it will stand you in good stead if you know what these are.

If you look at a watch and think that they all look the same, then purchasing a Panerai, Zenith or Jaeger LeCoultre may not be for you but if you see watches as flawlessly designed and stylish accessories – then keep reading…

…so, what should you be paying attention to when buying luxury watches?

Where to Buy?

This can be a big decision in itself when purchasing a high-end timepiece because, chances are, you are going to be committing to spending thousands of pounds on the watch so you are going to want peace of mind when buying it. The question may come down to whether you buy your watch online or on the high street and the best piece of advice so far as this is concerned is to opt for a luxury retailer that has both an online store and a bricks and mortar store. When buying mens watches of the quality of the stunning Breitling witnessed below, you simply have to have this reassurance:

Which Materials?

Luxury watches are so popular because they are so diverse and one of the areas in which they have the most variety is in terms of the materials used during their precision crafting. When you are shelling out thousands of pounds on a fashion accessory, you would expect the finest materials to be used and the likes of Breitling, U-Boat, Baume and Mercier and Tag Heuer certainly don’t disappoint.

It is fair to say, however, that the majority of the most striking mens watches on the market will be hewn from stainless steel and sapphire glass as this is highly scratch resistant – such as the Tag Heuer Carrera below:

Origins:

Luxury watches originate from all over the world but, it is certainly fair to say, that some countries are more renowned for their timepieces and the one that is invariably the first that everyone thinks of is that of Switzerland. And it’s not difficult to see why this is the case when you consider that the likes of Breitling, Tag Heuer, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger LeCoultre and IWC watches all herald from the small, neutral country nestled between France and Germany.

There are, of course, plenty of other options for those who don’t fancy luxury Swiss watches – Italy, for example, have a few highly respected and sought after brands to their name such as Panerai and U-Boat watches. Alternatively, if French style and design is more your thing, perhaps you could consider BRM or Chanel watches – such as the breath taking watch below from Chanel:

How Much to Spend:

As with most things, the most important point is that of money – and namely how much you are prepared to spend on your luxury timepiece. Fortunately, there are watches out there which will suit more or less any budget and style taste, so you are sure to find something that ticks all of the right boxes for you. It is important to remember when you’re purchasing a Baume & Mercier, Breitling or Panerai, for example, that this is likely to be your forever watch and one that you enjoy wearing for the rest of your life – so, it is important to put some serious thought and consideration into your purchase.

If you’re looking to spend between$1,583 and $3,166, why not consider choosing from one of the excellent array of Tag Heuer watches on the market – such as the belter below which typically costs around $2,849:

If you’re looking to fork out between $7,916 and $15,832, then why not consider an IWC watch, such as the stunning timepiece below from their Portuguese collection and costing around $8,707:

Last but not least, if you’re prepared to spend over $15,832 on your timepiece, why not consider Jaeger LeCoultre or Breitling watches – such as those seen below:

So, that’s it- hopefully, you’re now fully equipped to go out and buy luxury watches without falling into any potential pitfalls that can be encountered when making such an important purchase. Luckily, the likes of IWC, Panerai and Breitling are pretty skilled at crafting luxury mens watches so you’ll be onto a winner whatever you opt for in the end.

Some of our other selects for watches here at LuxuriousPROTOTYPE.com are Frédérique Constant and Hublot.

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-Leo Parker

It’s the first real day of fall because the leaves are the perfect array of earth tones, the wind is crisp enough for a jacket and the colors of every outfit are perfectly blocked. I’d say these guys are dressed for dinner with friends, a date with someone new or an impromptu hour of shopping down 5th Avenue. I’d call their attire emotional but senseless, sharp and angular but masculine and romantic. The color brown is prevalent, the patterns are flirty. Inspired from Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”, Carlos Campos Fall 2012 Collection is simple and well-balanced, not to mention versatile.

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-Brian Riddick

With Ja Rule new album PIL2 set to release on February 28th, here’s a quick listen to what’s set to be the first single released.

We’ll take a closer look at the upcmoing album later in the week.

What Do You Think?

-Brian Riddick

What Do You Think?

-Brian Riddick

Michael Bastian Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection was one of the best this New York Fashion Week. Bastian, winner of the 2011 CFDA Fashion Award for Menswear Designer of the Year, set out to create a collection that nods to the “Extra” men. Bastian told us backstage the inspiration behind the Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection, dubbed “The Extra Man”, came from the idea of a NYC party Goer (AKA Male Socialite). This is the man that can go from party to party and from scene to scene while dressing appropriately for each. To add background to the inspiration, a clipping of a 1974 New York Times article that highlighted New York’s most popular Extra Men including: Bill Blass, Charles Addams and William Lieberman, was added to the fashion show program.

With all of the preparation and story behind the collection we think Bastian hit it right on the head with his Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection. Plainly put, Michael Bastian gets menswear. He knows that not every man wants to wear a suit, daily. The runway show was set up that there were different scenes that featured different styles. Some of the styles that the collection incorporated were conservative gentleman, hipster, casual and preppy. Surprisingly, the different looks worked together to create quite a cohesive collection.

The collection is luxe in every sense. With fabrics such as camel hair, silk and cashmere it can’t help but be. As for accessories, Bastian used J. Frost for Michael Bastian replicated floral boutonnieres made of resin. He also used stamped crocodile belts throughtout  the show. Many of the shoes that were used were from our good friends at Stubbs & Wootton. Slippers are here to stay! Final Note: This collection is for every man, no matter your personal style preference. There is something in this collection for you.

Photo: Amanda De Simone / GoRunway.com

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-Phaon Spurlock, The Southern Gentleman

Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon

Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE

Reebok Classics hosted an exclusive gifting suite for VIPs and media at the Milk Gallery at Milk Studios in Los Angeles last Friday and Saturday and many celebs came through the suite to pick up kicks and apparel from Reebok Classics’ Spring 2012 collection.  Tying into the iconic photography that Jonathan Mannion has taken throughout his career, Reebok gifted their own “iconic” styles like the Ex-o-Fit Hi, Workout Mid, Classic Leather, Kamikaze and Dibello Mid Stud styles for the guys and the Freestyle and Chi-Kaze for the girls.  They also gifted styles from Reebok’s ongoing collaboration with the Basquiat estate as well.  VIPs in attendance included Swizz Beatz (of course), Rocsi Diaz, Omarion, Teyana Taylor as well as many more.

Reebok Presents Classic Photographs by Jonathan Mannion

On Friday, photographer Jonathan Mannion’s (http://www.jonathanmannion.com/) photo exhibit (which premiered at Art Basel in Miami in December) travelled to Los Angeles in time for this year’s Grammy’s.  The gallery officially opened to the public on Friday afternoon and culminated in a bang up party that night featuring sets by DJ Quick and a special performance by Big Daddy Kane.  Party attendees were able to view some of Jonathan Mannion’s truly iconic photos of the biggest names in hip-hop, rap and R&B – including Biggie, Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne, Aaliyah, LL Cool J, and Yasiin Bey to name a few.

Reebok Presents an Artist Discussion with The Game and Jonathan Mannion

Jonathan Mannion invited an intimate group of friends to an artist discussion with The Game.  The pair talked about The Game’s career as well as the different points in The Game’s life that Jonathan Mannion was able record through his camera.

What Do You Think?

-Phaon Spurlock, The Southern Gentleman

Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon

Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE

During the Custo Barcelona Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection Show the looks on the catwalk were translated into surprising combinations, which include a mix of fit and oversized lines to create drama on the runway. The touch of contradiction is demonstrated through the use of tromple l´oëil effects.

This season’s key fabric is wool, crafted in different ways. Like graphic boiled wool or cut-off wool mimicking tectonic plaques on embroidered fabrics. The designer also presented perforated wools as a base for pieces revealing what is underneath, and wool cut in small geometric shapes that create ironic animal figures. Other important elements for this season are metallic colors and tricot pieces with high-quality materials. Color is a key player with shades of green, red, brown, ocher and gray dominate the color palette. Each color becomes a symbol on the catwalk, transmitting Custo’s energetic and sophisticated personality.

The front-row at Lincoln Center was occupied by America’s Top Model judge Miss “J” Alexander, NYC socialite Tinsley Mortimer, actress Torrey Devitto, Housewives of New York Jill Zarin, Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, supermodel Almudena Fernandez, singer Zak Ambrose, and German television personality Loulou von Brochwitz.

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

What Do You Think?

-Phaon Spurlock, The Southern Gentleman

Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon

Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE