CLIENT: @RAUNLAROSE: The Dancer by Rankinfilm (@Rankinphoto) for @HungerMagazine

#fashion #Menswear

Whether you are up for a coveted spring 2012 fashion PR internship or well on your way to landing the c-suite dream job you are destined for, make the right impression with the following fashion advice from Michael Shane:

Read my article here on PRCouture.com: http://www.prcouture.com/2011/11/15/what-to-wear-the-dapper-mans-guide-to-fashion-pr-interview-attire/

The recent explosion of heritage brands can seem overwhelming. Here are two new Americana-inspired lines that stand out from the pack.

Friends Kaelen McCrane and Will Cheng founded The West Is Dead with the goal of reviving “the dying tradition of uncompromising craftsmanship.” Their menswear line features basic, hearty pieces, including some seriously cool denim barn coats and duck twill chinos. TWID is also committed to helping conserve what’s left of the Wild West, and has joined up with groups like the Intertribal Buffalo Council, who help assist American Indian tribes in returning the buffalo to their native lands.

Read more: http://www.papermag.com/2011/05/new_americans.php

Living in hardship can inspire creativity — after all, Anthony Kiedis never would’ve written “Under the Bridge” had he not actually lived under one, and Juvenile never would’ve written “Back That Azz Up” had he not recently lost most of his booty .gifs when his hard drive crashed. For more hard-living inspiration gone right, check out The West Is Dead.

Just staking out a spot on the information superhighway today, TWID is a classic-looking Americana-inspired brand from two LA dudes who met in northern Montana while one was living in an horse stall and the other in an abandoned school bus, most likely given up by Ms. Frizzle when the Dept of Education cut Magic Time Travel. Sheathe your lower body with options like Italian/Japanese-blend slim-fit jeans w/ extra fabric in the lower hip and thigh to provide more room, donut-riveted work pants w/ taped interior seams, and lightweight duck-twill chinos specifically made w/ a “hook” of fabric in the back intended to help avoid wedgies…so maybe that school bus wasn’t so abandoned after all. To cover your upper back tats of Calvin pissing on stuff, they’ve got a reversible crew-neck sweatshirt made from French terry on vintage South Carolina looms; chambray button-up shirts w/ scooped side vents; and an extra-long canvas-lined denim jacket made w/ a waterless wash they describe as “Dry Aged”, also a savvy liquor store’s creative way of promoting their super-old backstock of Bud Dry.

In addition, the West is Dead donates part of its profits to charity, and though they’re online-only right now, their clothes’ll be in stores by the end of the month, with local merchants including Edna King and Traffic, which, especially in this city, causes plenty of hardship under bridges as well.

Read more: http://www.thrillist.com/style/los-angeles/the-west-is-dead_hoodies_jackets_jeans_t-shirts#ixzz1cyWMWWke

Khakis for Spring

Whether you’re more obsessed with the color (khaki literally translates from Persian as “dusty”) or the breeziness of chino fabric, the simple versatility of the tan cotton pant makes it an enduring staple. Like many menswear classics, the utilitarian appeal goes back to military history—the current popularity of flat-fronted looks with a slightly tapered leg references a style resulting from fabric-rationing measures during WWII.

Newcomers to the fashion world, The West is Dead bring a great durable new chino (above left) to the table. They’re constructed entirely in America with off-seam pockets and a fit that’s like a slim pair of jeans, helping to avoid the sag that often comes with chinos. Built strong enough to withstand a hard day’s work and available in multiple colors, look out for them in The West is Dead online shop soon.

Read more: http://www.coolhunting.com/style/khakis-chinos.php

Michael Shane joins BR&NU/The Barbarian Agency to head PR for all brands represented in North America.

Ksubi Shoes (Those crazy Australian kids)

Property Of… (Bags, Wallets, deliciousness all around)

Perfect Tangent (Men’s wear from Fred Segal buyer, regal to say the least)

The West is Dead (New men’s premium denim line influenced by the Wild West, yup we’re talkin cowboys and indians)

Oliberté (Shoes from Africa..yup, made, sourced, jobs provided, CNN even covered them)

Vanguard (Australians who surf and do fashion week)

B:SCOTT (Move over Rick Owens, this is actually affordable)

Swear (London shoes, C’mon.. you remember)

For more information visit www.brndnu.com

More company profiles to come…

The West is Dead Autumn 2011 Looks

Here’s the story with The West is Dead: There’s two dudes living in the back roads of Montana near the Canadian border. One’s living in an abandoned school bus; the other in a horse stall. They jump in a car, tour 8,000 miles across the U.S.A. to get inspired for their “The West is Dead” collection. You the know rest – made in the U.S.A., a nod to the old-timers, and the West, and functional clothing for for working men. Fits galore from this collection. Worth a look.

Read more: http://www.selectism.com/news/tag/the-west-is-dead/

The West is Dead in Apparel News: Menswear With a Mission