“All of our men jackets and trousers are sold separately, even if they match,” points out Clive Derby, owner of new menswear brand, RAKE. In these few words Derby is summing up not just his brand’s ethos but also the direction of men’s tailoring today. Suits are being split up and mixed with casual gear in new and unlikely ways. A formal jacket worn with jeans, T-shirt and white Converse trainers no longer garners comment.

Take RAKE’s high-twist wool and cashmere Prince of Wales check jacket. It can of course be bought with matching trousers to make a suit. Or, it would just as smartly sit a-top straight-legged darkest denims, grey flat-front trousers, even white jeans; for each of these combinations creates: a dressed down weekending banker, a casual Friday lawyer and even an Ibiza-bound party animal. Mixing tailoring with sports and casual-wear offers up a range of possibilities for the wardrobe, turning it into a running buffet rather than a set menu.

“When I was thinking about the collection I had Serge Gainsbourg in mind,” says Darby, referencing the crumpled elegance of the Gallic crooner, lothario, and yes… rake. Darby, with a background in buying and retail development with smartest labels Browns, Richard James and Kilgour understands men’s classic clothing consumption, with a depth of experience gained from over 20 years in the business.

He also seems to be designing for himself, looking low-key smart and relaxed wearing a navy cashmere sweatshirt and fine jersey flat-front trousers from the brand’s next collection. He looks like a sophisticated design tutor as he talks me through the range.

There’s a particularly fine dark-navy ‘one show one’ double-breasted jacket that, indeed, could be a Serge Gainsbourg cast off. It’s only missing the whiff of stale Galloises. Importantly for this first collection, the suit block is slim without being skinny. The RAKE customer is in his 30s or 40s, and is not trying to look like a youngster in body-hugging clothing.

There’s subtle branding too. “It’s the RAKE ‘halo’,” says Darby, pointing out the fine hand-stitched buttonhole found on the back of shirt collars and jacket lapels. “And look at our labels too,” he enthuses, “RAKE is about subtle difference in fabric texture and the label is formed by three built-up fabric layers. It’s that attention to detail we know our customer appreciates.”

With a collection this considered, it’s no surprise that even seemingly simple accessories like silk neckerchiefs are cleverly designed so the merest tug while tying it under the chin makes it look rakishly right. A feat even Hermès versions struggle to emulate. Or a simple waistcoat that is reversible, flipping between navy and grey.

Gainsbourg of course would be wearing his stained with Claret and cigarette ash, but then again so might you.  Rake is such a brand, and tailors high quality and beautiful men jacket, suits, and blazers for gentlemen!

Rake’s website:  http://www.rakestyle.com

Suit fabric really does make the suit literally and figuratively. Linen, polyester, wool, cotton, tweed, herringbone, flannel, silk, poplin, seersucker, and cashmere, are the materials that usually make up a men suit.

A mens linen suit will not feel the same as a polyester suit, and a polyester suit will not feel the same as a wool suit…etc. Also a suits price will vary greatly depending on what kind of material it is made up of.

Below you will find a brief overview of the different types of suit material you may find while searching for your ideal suit. Click through each to get a quick rundown on the advantages and disadvantages of each suit fabric.

Cashmere suits are highly coveted for their soft feel and quality of fiber. The quality of this material is well renowned throughout the minds of consumers everywhere.

Below you’ll find some of the advantages and disadvantages of owning one.

Advantages

This material is great to have on you when you live in an area with rapid climate changes. The reason for this is because it tends to insulate you depending on the moisture levels of the air.

Another great benefit is that it is softer than even linen or cotton making it feel great on the skin.

Also if you’ve ever watched Seinfeld you know that beautiful women will walk up to you and feel your material before asking “is this cashmere”.

Disadvantages

You will probably pay an exorbitant amount of money to wear this material. This type of suit may be hard to find in 2008. Many companies are moving towards more synthetic materials for all types of suits.

The cotton suit isn’t the most popular suit on the market, but cotton is the most popular fabric for clothing. In my humble opinion this is because cotton is cheap, wrinkles easy and is not meant for all types of suits. However, as always there are advantages and disadvantages to wearing one.

Advantages

This material is nice and breathable and makes for a nice comfortable fit. Also the material is inexpensive and therefore these garments are usually much less expensive than their counterparts.

Disadvantages

Wrinkles are much more prevalent with this material. This material is apt to shrink, which means extra care will be needed when dealing with it.
The flannel suit is made from thick worsted wool or a wool/cotton mix. It is similar to tweed and herringbone suits but much softer in feel.

Advantages

This material is heavy enough to make a great winter suit but not quite heavy enough as to be useless in spring and fall temperatures. The versatility of the fabric gives it the ability to provide both plain and textured patterns. Also, its soft feel makes it more luxurious than most winter suits.

Disadvantages

Suits made from this material are more rare than standard worsted wools and can cost more. Although this suit will be lighter than most winter suits, it is still a winter suit and can be uncomfortable to wear in the hot summer months.

Mens linen suit is gonna be one of your more comfortable options when choosing a suit material. Linen is one of the oldest materials in the world and has many advantages as well as disadvantages.

Advantages

These suits are are light and resist moisture which makes them great for summer or heavy sweaters. They are also machine washable meaning you won’t have to read my page on finding a good dry cleaner after all.

Disadvantages

A linen suit will wrinkle very easily and although durable, they will crease easily at heavily folded areas. Creases can eventually lead to damaged fabric; at this point a tailor or trashcan will be needed. Fading under direct sunlight occurs quite easily which is bad for a suit designed for summer wear.

Polyester suits are not quite as common as they were in the 1970′s. However you can find many fiber blends these days. If your looking for one that is 100% you should look into a vintage suit. Read through some of the advantages and disadvantages below.

Advantages

This material is hard to wrinkle or shrink and less expensive than any other type in its class. A great suit for somebody that is prone to getting caught in the rain because of its low water absorption levels.

Disadvantages

These suits do not have a natural feel to them. Also, this suit is usually easy to spot because it is much cheaper. Trapped body heat is also an issue which can lead to discomfort after prolonged wear.

Seersucker suits are a type of cotton suit specifically made for warm weather. These garments are great for keeping cool in late spring through summer.

Materials are woven differently from the traditional cotton clothing. Strands of fabric are bunched together in some areas of the design to help keep the jackets and pants away from your skin.

Colors are usually white with blue stripes, but you can find just about any color imaginable.

Advantage

The superior design helps keep the wearer nice and cool and eliminates any need for ironing. A side benefit is the ability to machine wash this garment – be careful not to shrink it in the dryer.

Disadvantages

This material is noticeably different than your average fabric and may not be appropriate for your line of work. Also these suits are generally made in festive pinstripes with bright summer colors making it completely inappropriate for somber occasions.

Silk suits originate from the same insects that ruin suits…moths. Ironically they are also some of the most comfortable garments out on the market.

Advantages

- Extremely smooth and cool to the touch.

- Shimmering material – looks great under club lighting.

- Hard to Wrinkle.

Disadvantages

- Hot and sticky in warm conditions.

- Needs to be dry cleaned often.

- Lacks warmth in cold weather conditions.

Tweed suits are a heavy form of wool suit. They are made from a coarse woolen material created by combining three different color yarns. The yarns are twilled, leaving a distinctive pattern not found on other types of suits. Some of its more popular forms are Harris, Lovat, and Donegal.

Advantages

This material makes a great winter suit. It is thick, warm, and resistant to water. Many people love this material for its high durability.

Disadvantages

Warm weather makes this suit useless for the owner until it gets cold again. Also the coarse feel can be a turn off for people that prefer more comfort.

Wool suits are currently the most popular suits on the market. There are also many different types of wool to look. For instance mens suits can be made from virgin wool and worsted and can even be spun at different speeds to provide different comfort levels.

This material can be spun at super 90′s all the way up to super 200′s. The higher the number the higher the quality. Look to buy something that starts at super 100′s and above.

Advantages

These suits are the most durable on the market. They can also be effective against the fight on wrinkles. The versatility of this material has led to it being used for both summer and winter suits.

Disadvantages

Dry cleaning is a prerequisite for cleaning these suits. Cleaning costs can become quite expensive if you wear suits everyday.

Poplin suit is made of a combination of lightweight fabrics to include: silk, cotton, worsted wool, and even polyester. This silky smooth material is found mostly in high end models.

Advantages

This material is lightweight and makes a great summer suit. Also the silky smooth feel to the fabric makes it a great luxury suit. You can’t go wrong wearing using this material for your luxury summer suits.

Disadvantages

The major disadvantage to this fabric is its poor versatility. Do not wear this suit in late fall, winter, or early spring – it is much too light. Durability can also be an issue for the more aggressive suit wearer.

WHEN cosmetics began disappearing from her bathroom drawer a few years ago, Gretchen Bain knew the culprit. Her husband, Jarrod.

It turned out that Jarrod, 34, a burly customs and border-protection officer whose uniform includes a 9-millimetre handgun, had developed a fondness for his wife’s under-eye concealer, which hid his occasional dark circles. He was also swiping her face lotions and mud masks.

“At one point, I just started buying stuff for him because I don’t want him stealing mine,” Gretchen said.

Now, she orders products online for him at Menaji.com, which bills itself as a “masculine” and “undetectable” line of cosmetics and skin-care products. His favourites are an eye gel and stick concealer that target dark circles, and an anti-shine powder that comes (shhh!) in a compact.

Whether they admit it or not, more men are using cosmetics, judging from sales figures and the number of new products arriving on store shelves.

But please don’t call it “make-up” – cosmetics marketers pointedly steer clear of the term, which men tend to find emasculating.

Neither the “manscara” look of Adam Lambert, the American Idol star, nor the “guyliner” stylings of Russell Brand, the comedian, will likely be adopted anytime soon by the guy who fixes your car. But men’s use of stealth make-up like concealers is on the upswing.

American consumers spent US$4.8 billion ($6.4 billion) on men’s grooming products last year, according to market data firm Euromonitor International. In 1997, the figure was half that.

Among the fastest growing men’s segments is skin care, which refers to non-shaving products like facial cleansers, moisturisers and exfoliants. That category grew more than fivefold over the period, to US$217 million from US$40.9 million.

While the data suggests more mirror time for men, it doesn’t give the full picture. By and large, men’s cosmetics are sold online by companies that fly under the radar of researchers.

Among those brands, business appears to be booming. Menaji, for example, reports a 70-per-cent increase in online sales over the last three years, according to Michele Probst, the make-up artist who founded the company 10 years ago.

“People thought it was nuts when I came out with the idea,” said Probst. “But men have always been very vain and always have groomed, and these are just new grooming tools.”

A Canadian men’s line, KenMen, has quadrupled sales since 2005, according to founder Lee Gilbert. The film industry make-up artist developed the products for Hollywood actors, but now many use her line every day off-screen, she said, though she declined to name any. KenMen’s products include Guy-liner pens, a slightly tinted lip salve and pens to “sculpt and define” eyebrows and to fill gaps in beards.

One argument that men’s cosmetics are going mainstream: Some men are not even self-conscious about using them. Jeffrey Lederer, 63, a principal in several investment partnerships and a former Wall Street trader, openly applies Menaji products – including a Bronze Star facial bronzing gel, concealer and anti-shine powder – after his workouts at a private Manhattan club.

Lederer, who wears tailor-made suits from Milan, called himself an “aesthetic person” who attains an “airbrushed look” from the cosmetics. Mainstream beauty brands are listening to men like him. Among the big-name brands that make products for men are Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Clinique.

Julian Kynaston, the founder of Illamasqua, a unisex make-up line from England, said the obsession over whether make-up is manly ignores the past: “The irony for me is that it’s only in the last century that make-up and men parted company.”

As far back as 3500BC, Egyptian men and women wore an eye colour made of crushed ant eggs, perhaps more for the sake of sun protection than decoration, according to Stephan Kanlian, the chairman of the master’s programme at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Use of make-up by men was common among the ancient Greeks and Romans, and throughout the Renaissance, and America’s founding fathers powdered their cheeks as well as their wigs, Kanlian said.

Today, the heirs to this tradition include Peter Albert, 41, who directs a corporate training programme for an education company. He applies Illusionist Concealer by Vapour Organic Beauty to the circles under his eyes.

Fifteen per cent of Vapour Organic Beauty’s customers who order the make-up online have been men, “which is really kind of shocking”, said founder Eric Sakas.

But Sakas, who lives in Los Angeles and is hired to do women’s make-up in their homes for special occasions, said that something has been happening in the last couple of years that might have prepared him for this trend.

“I’ll be doing her make-up, and the husband will poke his head in and say, ‘Can you do anything for these dark circles under my eyes?’ or ‘Can you do anything for this redness?’”Sakas said. “That never used to happen before, and I would say it happens 60 per cent of the time now.”

A very good song, very sexy and appealing:

Hey baby, Mrs. Cold
Acting so tough
Didn’t know you had it in you so be hurt at all
You waited too long
You should’ve hook me
before I put my raincoat on

Okay, I get it
Okay, I see
You were fronting because you knew you’d find yourself vulnerable around me
Okay, I get it
Okay, I see
You feel vulnerable around me

Hey, baby, what’s going on?
You lost control and you lost your tongue
You lost me, deaf in my ear
Nothing you can say is gonna change the way I feel

Okay, I get it
Okay, I see
You were fronting because you knew you’d find yourself vulnerable around me
Okay, I get it
Okay, I see
I step too close to your boundaries

You wanted nobody around to see
You feel vulnerable around me

Hey baby
What is love?
It was just a game
We’re both playing and we can’t get enough of
We’re both playing and we can’t get enough of
We’re both playing and we can’t get enough of

Existing fashion trends in Asian countries:

Fashion has become one of the mandatory things for every person in this world. People are trying to groom themselves in an attractive and new trendy way. The fashion industry is growing at a rapid speed Demand for fashion wholesale and clothing supplies are very high in Asian as it consists of the world’s top two highly populated countries of China and India. Apart from these two countries, the Japanese and Korean are now developing new asian clothing styles and trends in their fashion industry.

New developments in Korean fashion industry:

One of the concepts in the world history that will never change its dimension is fashion trends. Many countries are now moving towards western culture fashion trends, while keep small portion of traditional design. If you look at Korean or Japanese design, it’s a mix of western and oriental style. Korean and Japanese designs are absolutely new concepts of fashion style to our knowledge.

Existing Culture in Korean fashion industry:

Traditional Korean designers restrict themselves in taking part in any of the international fashion festivals. Even if they find something new or unique, they will not come forward to show the world about their invention. The designs of Korean clothes are excellent and this comes from their big fashion history. Korean fabrics are unique and can be clearly distinguished from a set of fabrics. The main reason behind this is the technique of making fabric and clothes.

Japanese fashion trends and online fashion shops:

It was during the middle of the nineteenth century when Japanese started to adopt the western culture fashion trends. Before that, Japanese people used to wear their traditional costumes in any kind of functions. They felt very comfortable and more satisfied after using dresses of western trends. Later they themselves involved in developing new homemade fashion trends, which turned out to be more attractive. Aggressively, they merged western culture and their own traditional culture dresses and started wearing new and unique models. This they called as the Street Fashion.

Present street fashion in Japan:

In the recent decades Japanese people showed much interest and involvement in developing their street fashion trends. Along with the development of internet, people are now able to design or buy whatever clothes they desire right from their homes. Now the online shopping malls are getting more popular and Japanese fashion can spread out over the world by the internet.

Homemade Japanese fashion dresses:

Homemade Japanese fashion clothing is becoming popular in Japan nowadays. Reason? Because traditional clothing like kimono are also tailor-made. Japanese tends to dress up during their important festival, like New Year. You can find out the unique, trendy and stylish clothing which is inspired by Japanese beautifulness and traditional culture.

Fashion dresses for kids:

Another area where the fashion industry is in is the kid’s sector. It is possible to wear all kinds of dresses irrespective of style and have a head start of learning fashion from their childhood. Therefore, in Japan there are thousands of shops or online shopping malls offering cute junior dresses. The Japanese parents are also showing keen interest in the involvement of their children in new and upcoming fashion trends.

Taking afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong is one of the few traditions left in the city from its colonial period. Once the hottest ticket in town for Governors, Generals and visiting royalty, the Peninsula Hotel remains the height of luxury in Hong Kong and Asia and the imperious Peninsula Tea Set has changed little in the last eighty years.

Set in the colonial styled Peninsula Hotel, all marble floors, gilded columns and expensive looking paintings, afternoon tea takes place in the palatial Lobby.

The high tea set itself is straight out of Alice in Wonderland and features Earl Grey, or your choice of tea, a selection of belt busting cakes, English scones and finger sandwiches all served on silver platters. It’ best shared by two. While you work your way through the goodies, you’ll be serenaded by a string quartet and fussed over by bow tied waiters.

Afternoon tea is offered at the Peninsula everyday from 2p.m. – 7p.m. The Lobby does not accept reservations and at weekends you may need to queue before getting a seat.

The Peninsula Hotel is one of the few places left in Hong Kong that enforces a dress code and you’ll be turned back at the door, if you’re wearing flip flops or, for men, sleeveless shirts.

The terrifying moments on board the Louis Majesty, a cruise ship hit by 26-foot waves off northeast Spain, may be prompting second thoughts among travelers considering a vacation at sea.

Two passengers were killed and 14 people were injured when water violently crashed through the windows of some of the ship’s public areas this week.

The incident brought to mind scenes from “The Poseidon Adventure,” a movie in which a wall of water completely flips a cruise ship.

But could that actually happen away from a Hollywood movie screen? And how well are cruise ships equipped for extreme weather?

Experts said waves like those that struck the Louis Majesty are extremely rare and should be of little concern to the average cruise ship passenger.

“Cruise lines are operating on a weekly basis, they’re always at sea and there’s a very, very, very low frequency of these incidents happening,” said Cmdr. Buddy Reams, the chief of the Coast Guard’s Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise.

“We have a really rigorous safety protocol that we go through for each of the cruise ships that operate [in the U.S.] and it’s primarily because they’re carrying so many passengers.”

Several industry insiders weighed in on common questions travelers may be asking about the safety of cruising after this week’s incident.

How likely would it be for a cruise ship to encounter a wave that might tip it over?

Not very likely. In fact, Richard Burke, professor and chairman of engineering at the Maritime College of the State University of New York, said he would be as worried about it as an asteroid hitting the Earth.

“Encountering a storm at sea and having the ship moving around and possibly getting seasick, those things happen. But we’re talking about waves of extraordinary magnitude that are very, very rare,” Burke said.

The chances of a “Poseidon Adventure” disaster happening on a modern ship are virtually nonexistent, said Harry Bolton, captain of the training ship “Golden Bear” at the California Maritime Academy.

The only way that it could happen is if the ship were in extreme weather and positioned sideways to a 70- to 100-foot wave that would have the potential of rolling it over, Bolton said.

“I guarantee you’re never going to be in those kinds of waves anyway,” he said. “[Cruise ships] avoid bad weather like the plague. They don’t want the passengers in peril, they don’t want to risk any injury or accidents.”

How far can a cruise ship lean over to one side and still recover?

Pretty far, though most passengers will likely never experience the extreme.

Cruise ships can list a lot so they can withstand heavy waves, said Teijo Niemela, editor and publisher of the “Cruise Business Review,” which follows cruise ship design.

In extreme cases, a ship can actually list 60 degrees and recover, Burke said. (An angle of 90 degrees would be the ship lying on its side.)

“If you’ve ever been on a ship that’s listing 20 degrees, you almost can’t walk on the ship. Walking up a 20 degree slope is like mountain climbing,” Burke said.

“So if a ship heels more than that, your real problem is that you’re going to get thrown off your feet and a lot of equipment and furniture is going to break loose and go flying around. So the possibility of injury is very high when that happens. But the ship should right itself without any problem.”

The biggest roll Burke has ever experienced during his time at sea was 45 degrees, he said. “I really don’t want to go through that again.”

Cruise ships seem to be getting bigger and taller. Does that affect their stability?

It may appear that cruise ships are top heavy visually, but naval architects design them in such a way that all of the heavy liquids, machinery and the main engine are positioned very low, Burke said. So the ship’s center of gravity is also low even though it looks like the structure goes up high.

Modern cruise ships also have very intricate anti-heeling systems, Bolton said.

“It literally blasts water from one side of the ship to the other side so that you can take a ship that might be rolling 20 degrees and you turn on the anti-heeling system and it’ll knock that thing right down to a 5 degree roll. It’s incredible,” Bolton said.

Niemela, who has sailed on the huge new cruise ship Oasis of the Seas a couple of times, said it’s very difficult to feel any kind of movement on board.

If there is a tsunami warning, like the one last week around Hawaii, is a cruise ship in danger?

Not unless the ship is still docked in port. A tsunami would go by entirely unnoticed on the open sea, Burke said. But if the ship were still at port, an arriving tsunami would be devastating.

How are passengers notified if there’s an emergency at sea?

Before a ship leaves port, the crew holds a fire and boat drill for the passengers. They sound the signals that would call people to their lifeboat stations if there is an emergency so everybody gets to hear the sirens before the ship leaves, Burke said. They’re very loud and they’re located throughout the ship.

“It’s really important if you take a cruise that you participate in the drill and you do see where your lifeboat station is and you know how to get there,” Burke said.

The inevitability of progress stimulates, as when entering into the eclectic house of an artist. Never subject to rules, new aesthetics flow throughout the collection, conveying a feeling of unsentimental refined street dandyism.

SINGULARITY. An independent spirit and visible good taste epitomises the portrait of the cultured street dandy. A touch of irony and personal eccentricity is a visual device, not a way of life.

DESIGN. Sophisticated sharpness penetrates through the solid tailoring background. Street art prints harmoniously synthesise the aesthetic to create a refined urban backdrop. The ‘Giacca Doppia’ debuts for summer, reinventing tailoring with a deconstructed double layer.

SHAPE. Tall, lean and slender proportions are shaped to be graphically masculine. Raw edge tailcoats and sleeveless jackets with clean yet soft necklines are paired with narrow trousers elongating the silhouette. Jackets with multiple layered pockets and trench suits emphasise the waist and enhance the shoulder proportion.

MATERIALS. An invigorating thrill resonates through all the fabrics and materials, miraculously light and compact. Fresh touch cottons, tussah, translucent silks and oversize striped suitings portray a effortlessly breezy air. Kangaroo leathers, ultra-light suedes and linen satins are all strikingly weightless while conveying a sense of inner strength and fortitude.

COLORS. From modern painters to graffiti artists without yielding to any nostalgia. The palette playfully juxtaposes a mix of stripes and contrasting colors, with opaque and shiny finishes. Shades of blue reign supreme, from navy to ink to royal. Discrete tones of natural whites and concretes compact and blur into lilacs.

ACCESSORIES. Distressed raffia top hats give a mercurial twist to the aesthetic. Soft and romantic leather highlights uplift travel bags, belts and bi-color boots. Eccentric coin chains and revolutionary rever scarves confirm the intellectual and fun character of the collection.

“Derived from diverse street dandy sources, Z Zegna is an independent projection of style and look. A touch of personal eccentricity and refinement define the spirit of the Summer collection.”  Alessandro Sartori, Z Zegna Creative Director.

Alexander McQueen, the fashion world’s reigning provocateur who helped elevate British fashion to the international stage with his unconventional and sometimes macabre designs, was found dead Thursday at his home in London. He was 40.

The police have not released an official report on the cause of death, but his press representatives at KCD Worldwide said it appeared to be a suicide.

As a designer, McQueen was not only a technical genius but a creative genius as well. His theatrical runway productions were often controversial, casting models as witches, rape victims and mental patients, challenging the notions of what is beautiful and what is grotesque.

He was known for rigorously tailored jackets, second-skin repeating-pattern leggings and dresses, gravity-defying lobster-claw shoes — which Lady Gaga daringly donned in her “Bad Romance” video — and a fascination with the macabre that lent itself to suitcases with rib-cage motifs and sweaters with cable-knit skulls and crossbones.

“A gifted iconoclast, who could just as easily be creating art as fashion,” was how former Times fashion editor Mimi Avins described McQueen upon seeing his clothes for the first time in 1996.

Eric Jennings, vice president and men’s fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue who was among the buyers and media members attending McQueen’s Milan menswear show last month, described the designer Thursday as an icon.

“It’s a tragedy; Alexander McQueen has been a tremendous resource for us,” Jennings said.

Death seemed never to be far from McQueen’s mind both on the runway and off. In a 2008 interview with The Times the day before his 39th birthday, he said the suicide of his longtime friend and mentor, the eccentric stylist Isabella Blow, had a profound effect on him.

And at what turned out to be his final runway show, the presentation of his fall menswear collection last month in Milan, the macabre was manifested as a repeating photo-realistic print pattern that evoked the neatly stacked piles of bones found in catacombs.

McQueen’s death comes days after his mother Joyce’s death Feb. 2, and weeks before he was due to present his fall women’s collection in Paris. He is survived by his father, Ron, and five siblings, Janet McQueen, Tracey Chapman, Jacqui McQueen, Tony McQueen and Michael McQueen.

Let’s see some of his fashion:

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Show:

Some people view shoes as practical necessities, while others have a shoe obsession. Most people probably land somewhere in between. This article provides some basic but useful rules for men to choose shoes.

General rules:

1. Try to pick a shoe that matches, or is darker than your pants.
2. Although it is a safe bet, socks do not need to match your shoes. Instead, think of your socks as you would a tie – an item that can bring bring the whole outfit together.
3. If wearing a belt, try to match your shoes to it, unless of course, your belt is some multi-colored striped thing.

Men’s Shoes for Jeans
You can wear almost any color or style of shoe with jeans, but avoid very shiny shoes that were obviously intended for more dressier outfits.  Boots, lug soles, sneakers, loafers and sandals all work great with jeans, so you may find it helpful to let the style of your shirt guide you.  For example, a sporty, polo shirt might work with a loafer; t-shirts go well with sneakers or retro-style shoes; long, artsy button-downs work well with sandals or contemporary styles.

Men’s Shoes for Casual Pants
Whether you call them Dockers, chinos, or khakis, there are a variety of loafers, oxford and other men’s shoes that work well with casual pants.  Let the ornamentation and style of the shoe guide you towards the look you’re trying to achieve.  For example, a tassle or a buckle is a little more on the dressy side, while a woven pattern or heavy stitching is a little more on the casual side.

Men’s Shoes for Dress Pants
With dress pants, shoot for the same type of shoe that you might wear with a suit. Shinier materials usually indicate a dressier shoe, as do less bulky heels and soles. Choose a shoe that is the same color or darker than your pants, and if wearing a belt, match your shoes to it.

Color Matching for Men’s Shoes

1. Black shoes work well with navy, grey or black pants.
2. Brown shoes are best suited to tan, brown, beige, greens, other darker earth tones.
3. Burgundy shoes work well with khaki, lighter browns, blue and grey.
4. Tan shoes look great with lighter earth tones, blue, beige, lighter tan or white.