This quintessential english brand has been leading the mens luxury goods market since 1893. In recent times we have seen Jude Law become the face of the evolving fashion house which has drawn the attention of many classic mens eyes with a revamped and stylish collection to keep the brand ahead of the game.

Kim Jones has created a stunning collection for SS 2010. Based on tradition and simplicity, the suits are classic and subtle. The 21st century twist comes through with the simple detailing and modern accessories. We see the addition of shorts with shirts giving a youthful edge to the overall impression which seals Dunhill as a brand which isn’t afraid to embrace change while still keeping it’s core style – the fail safe classic man.

The Christmas preview was a feast of tantalizing gadgets and games. My favorites include the Sentryman Explorer Pen (From a limited edition of 150) inspired by the needs of south pole explorers. It sports a pressurized refill which prevents the ink from freezing as well as an artificial flint to light a fire. A stunning design which any man would be proud to write with.

My other wish list item is the Crocodile Panel holdall. Created from layers of hard-wearing crocodile hide dyed a rich, chocolate brown it cuts a chic bag that would impress any man on the move. Water resistant and with a sliding palladium lock it is every bit the practical holdall.

The creme de la creme is the games compendium which comprises of a shagreen-covered box and cedar wood boards for chess, backgammon and noughts and crosses, all complimented by sterling silver playing pieces. This comes in an exclusive shagreen artist designed box which also includes dunhill playing cards, poker dice, bridge score cards and dunhill gaming pencils. With a price of £25k this truly is for the man who has everything.

We want to help retailers to identify and fix their mistakes in order to increase customer satisfaction and profits.

Friendly Customer Orientation

The staff needs to be friendly and helpful whilst being professional and well presented. I think most of these things are absent from the H&C stores. People working there seem to be either indifferent or not very helpful.

As face of the company the staff needs to be trained in order to provide exceptional customer experience. It pays off to smile and be friendly, as this is what people remember and when making their next decision they will not avoid the store, but gladly will go in to spend some money.

Embracing the Technology

As a customer I would like to know if it’s worth walking to another 5 stores to get what I want. So one would expect to have an integrated stock check. Unfortunately that’s not available in the H&C stores. This can only transfer into the loss of business, as there won’t be a lot of people who would spend their time hunting for that specific product around the city.

Another valid point is – how easy is it to find information about your brand online. We were looking for a decent picture to support this article, but unfortunately couldn’t find one. Even the logo wasn’t available in high resolution anywhere.

It’s not a secret that Internet plays major life in decision making – reviews are posted online, people share and comment thus creating particular online reputation. Is H&C following these? I bet it will take them a while to discover this post, unless they get pointed to it (Update: A representative from H&C has contacted us and we will share our experience with them shortly. We will report on that in a separate article.).

Catching up with Fashion

Classical cuts are fine and sell very well, but more and more modern men are looking for that special slim fit. One of the greatest products that Hawes & Curtis had is the super slim fit shirts. They are now gone and apparently the staff thinks that they are discontinued. “Apparently” – is not the answer I am looking for as a customer. I want to have the exact answer as to whether they are coming back or not. I understand that Hawes & Curtis might believe that this mystery would trigger people to return to the store to check on the availability of their favourite cut. But I would rather prefer to be informed on the spot and not waste my time again.

I hope every retailer can learn from this and work hard to create a better user experience and provide quality of service leading to increased customer retention, satisfaction and subsequently profit.

Updated 25/08/09: Text has been updated to fix minor mistakes and reflect the fact that the company got in touch with us.

Major US luxury brand department store Saks Fifth Avenue is meeting the challenge and is rolling out new men’s wear private collection in their stores.

The idea has been incepted two years ago and the recession did not stop it from coming reality this week when around 130 executives from its stores around all over US were present at Saks flagship store in New York for a catwalk presentation. Arguably the most important launch for the store; it targets both old and new customers.

The first ones will be impress with the collections commitment to quality, attributes and wearability. Special hang tags are being created to underline the quality and benefits. Titled “Know What You’re Wearing,” those will offer customers information on fabric, its quality and production origins.

The store is also hoping to attract new customer, ones that used to think about it as too expensive and trendy. We are however not sure how that is going to work, as the prices are about 20 percent higher than the opening-price point merchandise. It’s hard to see at this point how this brand will win new customers. For example, one would find polos from $65, and pay $75 for ties; suits will be from $1,100 to $1,300 and up to $1,500 for outerwear.

Further to demonstrate the importance of this launch Saks will move other luxury brands in order to put a bigger emphasis on its new collection. One thing for sure – expect even bigger competition for customer attention with new bold moves and ideas.

As for now, some brands are already working on new strategies to put their name outside the box of brand shops and department stores. We will be curious to see what other retailers, including Selfridges in London and Mitsukoshi in Tokyo will do to rival Saks initiative.

Gucci Suits Advertisement Campaign 2008

Frida Giannini has projected her own fantasy on the Gucci label. Her designs continue to improve from season to season as her playful yet stylish view pushes for reinvention and rejuvenation. Evolution is key to survival and Frida seems to have this in mind with the men’s collection for spring 2010. The collection is young and oozes sporty energy. SHINE takes a look at the future of your wardrobe.

White cotton jacquard suits teamed with bold colored shirts and white pebble-soled loafers. Flashy and bright which throws tradition straight out the window, but how can we resist the return to excess after the doom and gloom of previous seasons?!

Evening suits which shine and glisten as if wet. These are a truly a modern, young take on the traditional more subtle look that Frida refuses to embrace giving Gucci the zest and appeal which other brands fail to achieve. Mean and seductive in dark navy and if you dare to be as playful as you can, opt for the sexy, bold colors of red.

Frida has overcome the controversy of her appointment to head of Gucci, and the numbers prove it. Even us guys need some much needed glamour and now we know where to go. Over the coming months SHINE will be taking a deeper look into the Spring/Summer 2010 collections gearing up for your top 10 hit list.

Copyright notice: Photo by Marcio Madeira, source men.style.com. Text by Jason Stringer for SHINE Magazine.

Our top tip? Lanvin. The most sort after designer of the moment produces it’s best collection to date with Alber Elbaz at the helm. With the trainers and tux signature, Lanvin sums up the mood precisely with army green, trousers tucked into boots and muted colours of black, grey and monochrome. You can’t go wrong with any of his pieces! Below are our essential picks to get you bang on trend.

Military. Opt for military jackets and coats. A rather recycled trend, but a steadfast good looker. There are a host of classic cuts to choose from, the military angle gives an essential twist to get you standing out from the crowd. Look out for Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Burberry and Givenchy.

Black. Just like the women’s wear trends black is the new black.

Tote bag. Practical and stylish. Great for work and play.

Crocodile – Laced shoes and bags.

Ties Ties Ties. Another recurring trend, but do ties ever go out of fashion?! Team them with suits or cardigans. Add an optional flare with bright colours.

Bye Bye geek chic, hello classic style – Classic italian style, almost preppy. Slim fit suits, colourful shirts against black or grey suits. Look out for Gucci and Hermes.

Rock and Rolla. Leather jackets and bomber style jackets. A sure look at into the rock band style.

Velvet. Apparent in overcoats, suits and blazers.  Jill Sander, Bogetta Veneta and Giorgio Armani did them best.

Mean Boys. Construction boots, metal and leather. A perfect way to toughen up your look. Lanvin did this best be also look out for Calvin Klein, 3.1 Phillip Lam and Prada.

Winter whites. Versace did this to a back drop of images of broken icebergs, emphasizing the plight of the modern times and it’s involvement in global warming.

Lab Series For Men Multi-Action Face Wash (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US or Amazon.co.uk in the UK). A super foaming deep cleanser with gentle exfoliating beads with smooth dry patchy skin and give a great prep before a shave. Deep cleans by dissolving excess sebum which leaves skin clean and refreshed. Great for a normal to dry skin.

Origins Blade Runner Energizing Shave Cream. A frictionless shave with conditioning Kukui and Soybean. Not only do you get a smooth, rash free shave but Peppermint and Eucalyptus give a great wake up zing to the skin.

Clinique Skin Supplies For Men Face Scrub (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US or Amazon.co.uk in the UK). The perfect exfoliator that de-flakes, polishes and gives a powerful kick to brighten the skin. Formulated with Salicylic Acid for that extra boost. Perfect before a shave. A bathroom must have!

Kiehl’s Facial Fuel SPF 15 Energizing Moisture. This non-oily moisturizer helps to protect and waken dull, fatigued skin. Packed full of potent Vitamin C and E, Chestnut Extract and soy with a sunscreen of 15. Improves the healthy look and texture of the skin. Great for all skin types.

Biotherm Homme Aquapower Moisturizer for Dry Skin (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US). This is a fresh, ultra moisturizing creamy-gel enriched with Thermal Plankton. Skin feels hydrated all day with a combination of Ceramides, Shea Butter and Apricot oil. The overall appearance was a more healthy and supple skin. Great for sun dehydrated or winter dried skin types.

Dior Homme Dermo System Soothing Moisturizing Lotion (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US or Amazon.co.uk in the UK). This lightweight, non-oily lotion helps to combat shave irritation with alpha-bisabolol and also protects skin from bacteria. Our top rated skin soother!

Shiseido For Men Deep Wrinkle Corrector (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US). A high performance cream for targeted treatment of deep lines or wrinkles. Great for the forehead, eyes and around the mouth. With Retinol A Complex and the unique Shiseido Defense Complex this truly does iron out those creases for a more youthful look. Our top rated anti-aging product!

Clarins Men Anti-Fatigue Eye serum (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US or Amazon.co.uk in the UK). Lightweight and refreshing, helps to combat dark circles and puffiness. Ginger helps to firm while Ginkgo Biloba detoxifies for a more youthful and energized appearance. Use morning and evening.

L’Homme Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Touch For Men. An amazing under eye concealer that hides those long days and long nights. Helps to minimize dark circles and puffiness in seconds. Invisible and easy to use. A must have for the bathroom cabinet.

Tom Ford For Men Extreme (You can buy from Amazon.com in the US). A sophisticated men’s fragrance with notes of Thai basil, coriander, chamomile, cardamom, cinnamon bark, Persian lemon and cistus. The heart melts black plum, Parma violet, cedar-wood Atlas and sandalwood, with a pinch of saffron and thyme and rich flavours of Brogiotto black fig. The base notes mix rum, Haitian vetiver, caramel, vanilla, black truffle, fir balsam, leather, amber, ‘patchouli vieux’ and shoyeido incense. This fragrance turns heads, get some to enhance that sex appeal!

The briefcase we are about to present is a special one. The suede-lined bag’s carbon-fiber shell is baked in a kiln. A process so delicate that half of those that enter the oven never make it out. But the shells that do escape, are super-lightweight and virtually indestructible. Apparently they are only able to produce two to three of these cases per week.

Our verdict? An excellent briefcase to carry your valuable and secret information in!

Carbon Fiber Briefcase – $4,400.00 (£2,800.00) by Schedoni.

The aluminium skin stretches with athletic definition over its structure, creating an aerodynamic power house of style. The nose features a new bumper design with a complex mess grille, technically advanced headlamps, and chrome detailed air intakes.

As you would expect from Jaguar quality craftsmanship, the interior is luxurious and sporty. Veneers, leather and suede make this a true style statement. The twin stitched softgrain leather seats, upper facia and doors are twinned with warm soft suede headlining. For convertibles, the fabric roof is triple lined for a hushed top up cruise and retracts in 18 seconds beneath the body work.

The XK is available in 3 models. The XK, XK Portfolio and the XKR.

A 5.0 litre V8 powers the XK and XK Portfolio — 0 to 60mph in just 5.2 seconds.The XKR has a supercharged 5.0 litre V8 with an impressive 0 to 60mph in 4.6 seconds. Even though these impressive improvements have been implemented there is still more fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions than previous models.

“We’ve started 2009 with the introduction of advanced new generation petrol and diesel engines that set new benchmarks in terms of performance, economy and efficiency, including a new diesel for the XF that offers a marked improvement in CO2 and fuel economy. Our cars meet the challenges of the modern world and the needs of today’s consumers and they’re also true to the Jaguar philosophy of creating beautiful fast cars.” — Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars

Check out a stunningly beautiful film made to pump up the press when Jaguar revealed the new XKR and XFR at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Lighting the fire within from £59,900 to £78,400 (from $100,000 to 127,000)!

You can check out the video and photography below or head straight for QASIMI website where you can learn more about the new brand!

Check out our Gallery below for more photos!

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This new, high-performing cooling emulsion improves the appearance of poorly-defined and sagging facial contours due to various factors such as ageing, stress, pollution and lack of sleep.

If you are a victim of any of these, then Shiseido might be the perfect solution for you. It contains yeast extract that tightens up collagen fibres, their unique Damage Defence Complex and vitamin E derivatives, all of which promote a well-conditioned complexion.

Shiseido claims that this is the first product on the market offering targeted action for a specific part of the face, which delivers proven results after just three weeks of use.