Hasta La Ideas

National pride shines through in a collection of subtle shoes

The young duo behind Ylati Footwear perfectly mix traditional Italian craftsmanship with their love for sneakers. Supporting the Made in Italy push for homegrown products in their own subversive way—try reading the label from right to left—Ylati looks to the skilled masters in Italy’s Campania region, who use handmade processes to achieve a casually refined aesthetic.

Clean design and a precise balance of materials and textures defines the collection’s sharp, understated aesthetic for casual trainers with some polish, and both the fall and upcoming spring collections are based on pale neutral palettes, with details like contrasting soles and an unexpected Oxford eyelet addition to a suede low-top.

The collection is available through Ylati’s e-shop with prices starting at 165€.

Vidal Erkohen finds inspiration in Ottoman tile patterns in his newest limited edition eyewear collection

For Turkish companies RVS and the Iznik Foundation, heritage is everything. Vidal Erkohen of RVS eyewear made his name by collecting vintage glasses, starting with his father’s. “I remember one trip that [my father] came back from Italy wearing a folding pair of Persols, and I fell in love with the character the frames gave him,” Erkohen told us in a video we made with him earlier this year. Inspired by the quality he found in the vintage frames he began collecting and selling, Vidal decided to launch his own line of acetate glasses, which are hand-made in Istanbul.

Now he’s teamed up with an unlikely but brilliant bedfellow, the Iznik Foundation, which is dedicated to reviving Ottoman quartz tile-making, a millennia-old artform that was lost for hundreds of years.

Erkohen’s handmade glasses are known for their vivid colors and signature styling; the Iznik Collection brings a taste of Islamic tile to the world of couture accessories. With each item hand-inspected by Erkohen himself—the collaboration is limited to only 20 pieces of each of the seven sun and optical styles.

The frames are available for $599 at RVS by V stockists worldwide.

Ceramics, candles, hand printed agendas and more from one of our favorite Parisian brands

It took a recent visit to one of our favorite Paris shops to realize that despite using their products all the time we’ve never written about them. Astier de Villatte is a 15 year old lifestyle powerhouse founded by Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli. Their unique take on ceramics, paper goods, perfumes, candles, furniture, silverware, glassware and more are created in a Bastille workshop that used to house Napolean’s silversmith.

They are perhaps best known for their 18th- and 19th-century inspired handmade ceramics, many of which are designed with the equally multi-talented French artist Nathalie Lété. Their team of twenty ceramicists (perhaps the biggest in Paris) makes pottery the way Benoît’s father taught him and his siblings. Starting with black Terracotta, each piece is finished with a milky glaze that amplifies the unique character of the clay, celebrating its imperfections and ensuring that no two pieces are exactly alike.

A similar nod to the past styles and methods can be found in many of their other products, from scented erasers to the only hand-typeset agenda in the world. The two-page week layout also includes an important 8th day that changes each week, named after some of their favorite foods (Cassouletday anyone?). Created with a vintage printing press, the new 2012 agendas feature the same signature mosaic pattern and bright colors but now include the Astier team’s insider tips on their favorite venues in New York as well as Paris. Studiohomme has a great video visiting Astier de Villate’s print and ceramic workshops:

The candle market is certainly a saturated one, but quality shines through in these glass or ceramic votives with vegetable wax candles, often named for places that inspire olfactory overload: Alcatraz, Algiers, Honolulu and Naples among them. Recent additions include a series made in conjunction with Françoise Caron and the Japan-based fragrance company, Takasago: Cabourg, Quebec, Broadway, Zermatt and Yakushima. We’ve had the soda-inspired “Broadway” scent burning in the office for the last week—a nice way to rid the office from the smell of its new lunchtime infatuation with the Schnipper’s Chicken Club sandwich.

Also new this fall is a collaboration with New York-based designer John Derian. The artist worked mostly on small plates, painting them with his signature menagerie of birds and insects, as well as sweetheart symbols and everyday household items. The John Derian collection for Astier de Villatte, as well as many other of their products, are available at his NYC boutique.

Astier de Villatte has a few shops in Paris, is available on their site and at stores in many countries. Check their site for details.

See more of our favorite items in the gallery below.

Wrap your mobile phone in fine, seamless Italian leather

Slovenian company Calypso Crystal continues to add a human touch to tech accessories with their new Italian leather Calypso Case. Like their remarkable, hand-polished Crystal Dock, the cases are the work of experienced craftsmen who hand-stretch the leather skin around the titanium frame in order to avoid stitching.

The Calypso speaks to the beauty vs. protection dilemma many iPhone users have with most protective cases. Not only is it arguably as luxurious as the device itself, but its holster-like design allows you to keep the phone secure when not in use, and still show off its glossy exterior when it is.

Handcrafted in four vibrant colorways, the Calypso Case works with the iPhone 4 and 4S. Pick one up at Calypso Crystal online for $119.

Eight stylish boots for men that can walk from city to country

A solid pair of work boots will get any dapper dude through the winter months, whether trudging through the snow to a gallery opening or chopping wood in the wilderness. While a classic pair is sure to last year after year, there are a few labels that make a sturdy boot but let fashion lead the way. From the high-end house of Alexander McQueen to heritage legends Woolrich Woolen Mills, the following are eight pairs of boots for the more sartorially inclined man on the move.

Woolrich Woolen Mills

The ultimate heritage-inspired Para boot adds melton wool for a more casual accent to the traditional Derby brogue styling. A pebble-leather upper, stacked sole with Goodyear welt and waxed laces complete the look for €477. Made in England, check Nitty Gritty for details.

Cole Haan

For a more padded option, the Air Jayhawker ankle boot is lined with leather and supported with Nike Air. The heavily burnished suede lace-up takes its distinguished look from the longwing detailing and heavy welt where the upper meets the leather sole. These subtle boots are perfect for those with subtle style. Get them for $298 from the Cole Haan webshop.

Helm

Helm handmade boots recently partnered with North Carolina-based Raleigh Denim for the new release of their Ray Ray boot. Marking the first time the American-made denim company has allowed their denim to be used by another designer, the boot sports a more tailored toe box with a sophisticated aesthetic. With an Italian crafted sole of Dutch calfskin, the Ray Ray sells for $445 from Helm online.

Grenson

Also made in England, the Glenn boot is designed to resemble an old Italian infantry boot from the late 1800s. With updated materials and craftsmanship, the Glenn features British Millerain waxed canvas and a leather single sole. Available for £195 online through Grenson.

Rachel Comey

Rachel Comey’s Ruger boot resembles those intended for the assembly line, but with a much softer leather and stacked leather sole that is “ideal for a professor of architecture, perfect for a hard day on the instruction site.” The striped leather laces add a nice unfinished look to the glossy black boot, which is available for $403 from the Rachel Comey site.

White’s Boots

Truly American made, the Original Semi-Dress boot is special order only and handcrafted of a five inch mid-weight leather upper. The stitch-down construction shapes the shoe to your foot while the the single layer leather sole continues to add to the personalized fit. Check White’s Boots online, where the Semi-Dress sells for just under $400.

Yohji Yamamoto

As definitely the boldest boot in the lineup, Yohji Yamamoto’s Zip Lace Up boot is the quintessential adaptation of military fashion. The dramatic boots are constructed of rich cowhide leather with 15 sets of lace holes, a full-length black metal zipper on the inside of the foot and a thick black Vibram rubber sole. With an intimidating price tag of just over $1,375, the incredibly detailed boots sell online from London’s LN-CC.

Alexander McQueen

Also inspired by military workwear, the Alexander McQueen’s Zip-Placket boot is just as extravagant as one would expect from the revolutionary label. Made in Italy of pebbled leather and a thick lug rubber sole, the eight-eyelet vamp is fastened with a removable zippered leather placket. High fashion comes at a high price, and these McQueen beauties go for $785 from Park & Bond.