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Unveiled back in June 2013 during Pitti Uomo in Florence and Tranoi Homme in Paris to extremely positive reviews by critics and buyers alike, the ‘Deep Blue Sea’ collection is inspired by the colours found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Moorish architecture and interiors of buildings in Morocco and southern Spain, namely vibrant shades of blue, turquoise, navy, sand and terracotta. In addition to a range of staple pieces that the brand has got its followers used to, such as wallets, belts, weekend bags and business bags (made primarily from grained Saffiano calf leather), the collection includes new seasonal designs such as beach bags and totes and, for the first time, a series of linen scarves. New materials include stingray and eel skins, and innovative mixed fabrics such as a linen/viscose and an organic hemp/ramie.

On launching the collection, creative director and founder of the label Mark Farhat stated, “2013 has been one of the fastest growing seasons for Mark/Giusti with the brand being nominated for two awards: ‘Accessories brand of the year’ by the UK Fashion & Textile Awards (UKFT) and ‘Accessories Designer of the Year’ at the Drapers Annual Awards. ‘Deep Blue Sea’ is a very strong collection with two times the number of pieces and we believe that this season will be even more successful in reaching out to new markets.”

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Founded in 1959 in the English county of Lancashire, Hotter Shoes started out as makers of slippers before adding new shoe lines in the early 1990s with a focus on style with built-in comfort. Over five decades, the family business has grown to become the biggest manufacturer of footwear in the UK, having made 1.3 million pairs of shoes in the last year alone that could be purchased in more than 200 British retailers, in all of 54 Hotter stores and online on the brand’s website.

I started my examination of Hotter Shoes by looking into its Autumn/Winter 2013 menswear range, which was available in four styles: Classic, Leisure, Sport and Active. Although many models showed a preference for comfort over innovative design, I found some smart options in the Classic range and opted for one of Hotter’s newest models, the Senator brogues in dark brown leather.

When I first tried my pair of Hotter shoes, I was amazed at how light and warm they were. In addition, because the shoes included soft padding and cushioned foot-beds on the inside and light bending rubber soles, they felt very comfortable. A few weeks later, and after having worn the shoes a number of times in all sorts of weather, I was pleased that the leather hadn’t broken in the wrong places and that the colour hadn’t faded.

All in all, my examination of Hotter Shoes confirmed why this British footwear brand managed to sustain its reputation for so long. If I could make a suggestion, it would be that a small investment in new design would undoubtedly attract more style savvy and younger consumers. Nevertheless, Hotter shoes are worthy of commendation for all men looking for footwear options that are simultaneously comfortable and stylish.

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The store is divided into three main areas, each separated by portals finished in black lacquer and all including ash wood furniture finished with different colours. Men’s and women’s bags, jewellery, eyewear and fragrances are located by the ground-floor entrance in an area with silver walls and a green Persian onyx floor; a second room with gold walls and Renoir quartzite flooring leads towards the lift and staircase; and footwear and jewellery are displayed in the level above in a room with glossy blue fabric walls and South African quartzite floors.

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The project will comprise two 65-story towers with apartments and common areas designed by the Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio, the division also responsible for other Armani residential ventures such as the Maçka Residences in Istanbul, The World Towers in Mumbai and the Century Spire in Manila.

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The most distinctive aspect of the collection is the combination of fabrics that absorb or reflect light to create varied effects. Merino and cashmere knits contrast with glossy leather, lamé and velvet in a mirroring colour palette where dark hues such as claret, bottle green, indigo, black and navy are (in typical Pringle of Scotland fashion) highlighted by dashes of pure white. Similarly, the rigour of geometric patterns is questioned by mixing straight and curved lines in haphazard patterns of uneven definition and intensity.

Throughout the collection, the brand’s iconic argyle diamonds are rotated and reinterpreted through graphic grid effects: a wool dress features three different techniques to achieve the look, dissolvable yarn creates a laser-cut grid on a wool skirt, a double jacquard stitch forms a lattice on the dress body, a devoré knit stitch reveals smaller grids across the top, and a cashmere dress features diamond argyles knitted with silk thread to create a lace effect. Similarly, the Scottish heritage of the brand is reinvented in a shirt dress with kilt skirt buckled with traditional hardware, in a pintucked merino dress, in the pleated panel applied to a wool sable dress and in the vertical lines of ribbed knitted skirts.

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Drawing inspiration from the work of American painter Mark Rothko and his role in the Colorfield Painting art movement, BWGH explored how the gradation of shades of blue could be effectively applied to sports materials such as suede, mesh and bouclé knit. Throughout the creative process, Obadia and Hassan paid close attention to the adroit balance of tones in the smallest of details as evident in the careful choice of blues for the mottled laces. The collection, which was launched in stores worldwide this month, comes as a pack of accessories that includes a backpack and a limited-edition skate deck.

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