My dear fashionistas, welcome to another fashion adventure on the Mr.M blog! There is a moment, especially in the morning hours while having breakfast, when I ask myself – what message do I want to send to other people today with my outfit? Today I decided to tell a story about the French Riviera, the sun-kissed coast of the Mediterranean in early autumn with Façonnable, about a discreet minimalist style that leaves an impression that leaves no one indifferent. About refined elegance that accompanies you through a day full of obligations, without you having to think about it.

FAÇONNABLE: WHEN ELEGANCE SPEAKS MORE THAN WORDS

There are cities that change you. Nice is one of them. I remember my first visit to that city when I walked along the Promenade des Anglais in awe of the architecture, I realized why this part of France is so special in every way. Perhaps the same impression was had by the founder of the Façonnable brand, who in 1950 founded a brand that would redefine casual elegance in a completely different way.

Jean Goldberg was no ordinary tailor. He was a man who understood something fundamental, that elegance does not have to be at odds with comfort, that a person can make an enchanting impression without trying too hard, that true luxury comes from quality, not flashy brand logos.

Just imagine the situation in post-war Nice. A city waking up from a dark period. People are starting to dream again, to live, to enjoy themselves. And Jean sees it all, how people are moving again relaxed, but with style, but also with a new dose of dignity. He saw sailors wearing striped shirts and how it looked interesting and cool, not workmanlike as it was once thought. He saw how men in casual suits drink refreshing drinks and how they again look refined and elegant without a formal suit – a tuxedo.

This inspired him to start creating clothes that follow that rhythm. Not suits for Paris salons, but jackets for walking by the sea. Not formal suits for the opera, but shirts that you can wear on a yacht and later to dinner. He does not want to create a uniform, but a wardrobe for a life that is lived, without formal presentation.

What fascinates me most about this story is how Goldberg stayed true to that vision. While others chased Parisian trends, he remained focused on his inspiration for the French casualness that the Riviera brings with it. While others added more and more embellishments, he eliminated everything unnecessary. While others overemphasized the details, he whispered a new fashion direction with his quiet luxury. That whisper was heard by many and it has continued to this day!

During the 1960s, he brought recognizable nautical stripes. Not those flashy tourist tracks, but elegant, discreet lines that send the message “I know where I’m coming from.” Those stripes become a code, if you wear them, you’re not just a tourist trying to look like he belongs on the Riviera. YOU ARE THE RIVIERA!

When Cary Grant became a brand ambassador, it was no accident. Grant was the epitome of what Façonnable stands for, a man who looks perfect without much effort (or so it seems). Who wears a tuxedo with the same ease as a polo shirt. Who is elegant in every occasion, because he is comfortable in his own skin, not because he has to wear overly formal tight suits that are not always so practical.

The 1970s brought an innovation that would change the elegant yet durable clothing for demanding weather conditions (high-performance outerwear). The collaboration with the Loro Piana brand gives birth to “Façorain” – a material that was almost science fiction at the time. Water-repellent wool? Cashmere that is windproof? Without plastic membranes that pollute you? It sounded impossible. But together they made it.

And here is the key, Façonnable has never sacrificed elegance for functionality or vice versa. He was always looking for the right way to achieve both goals.

OUTFIT

Shearling Jacket: Façonnable

Sweater: Alpha Studio

Jeans: Façonnable

Watch: Nivada Grenchen

Sneakers: Carlos Santos

The Shearling Jacket I’m wearing today is a perfect example of that philosophy. When I first saw it in the catalog, I thought, it’s too pretty to be practical. When I tried it live for the first time, I realized that I was wrong.

The outer side is made of leather in a color that reminds me of the sea depths of the Mediterranean. It is the darkest color of blue, which exudes elegance, which has depth, warmth, a story. When you touch it, the skin is soft, not too smooth, but it has its own texture, it has character, it has something that makes it different, but I’m still searching for the right words to define it, I’m sure I’ll be able to do that one day.

But when I opened the jacket and saw the inside, that’s where the real magic begins. Real lamb fur. Not that synthetic “faux” imitation that warms you for the first hour, then makes you sweat and irritates your skin. This is natural shearling that regulates temperature, that breathes, that feels like… I don’t even know how to describe it. Maybe the lightest cloud that hugs you?

The design is a blouson cut, that classic pilot jacket length that ends at the waist. It has that edge with the ribbed hem, which really keeps the warmth in, it’s not just there for aesthetics. The zipper is so smooth that you forget to use it, it slides on its own without much effort and hassle.

What I love is that this jacket doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. It doesn’t have too many details on it like a thousand pockets and zippers. It’s not covered by a fist-sized logo. It is not even painfully minimalist where basic functionality is lacking. It is simply the right measure, just the right amount, no less, no more.

I almost started wearing it on the cold streets of Berlin, because here autumn has long come, already in early September we became inseparable friends. And every time I wear it, I remember Nice. Remind me of the sea. In that way of life where elegance is not the goal but a natural consequence of a life that is lived properly.

Regular Fit Rinse Wash Jeans: When Denim Gets Stylish

Jeans. Work pants that have become a global phenomenon over time. And Façonnable had a vision, why can’t this piece of clothing just be elegant from the start, why must they be seen as something else and become real fashion?

These jeans I’m wearing are proof that their concept works. Regular fit means they don’t try to be a super-skinny model that squeezes you to the point of pain. But they are not as casual as if you took three sizes bigger. They are, how should I say… decent? They show the line of the legs exactly as it should be.

The rinse wash treatment gives them that deep indigo color that’s almost black, but when you sit down and see the folds, you see that blue soul of the denim. There are no fashion accessories like tears, there is no “distressed” look where someone pretended to do some physical work that you have never done. They are simply clean cut, classic and dignified.

The denim they use is that traditional, heavy, quality material. Not the thin-elastic ones that stretch after two wears so you look like you borrowed pants from someone bigger than you. This one will hold its shape for years. I know because I have other jeans of theirs that I’ve worn for years and they still look like they were almost bought. That’s why this collaboration with Façonnable is special to me because I wear their stuff every day.

Remember, this combination of montone and jeans from the same brand is not a coincidence. It is the foundation of the outfit. When you have a solid foundation, everything else falls into place easily over time.

ALPHA STUDIO: WHEN THE TUSCAN SUN BREATHES THROUGH THE WOOL

Underneath that Mediterranean leather monton, directly on my skin, I wear an Alpha Studio merino sweater that comes from another part of Italy with an equally strong fashion tradition – Florence.

Franco Rossi had an idea that was almost revolutionary for his time, that luxury should not be an exclusive club for the richest, but available to anyone who understands quality and is willing to pay a fair price for value. Not to be something cheap, but to be a fair price for the quality obtained, which is a huge difference.

His philosophy of essential elegance was not a marketing slogan. It was a way of life. Simple and direct meaning – take the best materials. Uses traditional techniques. Eliminate everything that is not necessary. Focus on the cut, on the construction, on the durability of the product. Don’t add details just to justify the price. Let the quality speak for itself.

Do you know the definition of courage and perseverance in the fashion world? At a time when almost every brand with tradition ends up as part of a large fashion conglomerate, Alpha Studio remains a family business, with the Rossi family still in control. They are still making decisions. They still choose slower growth over quality compromises.

When you produce in Florence, and not in some cheap factory somewhere far away but in a city with centuries of textile tradition, you are automatically under extra pressure to justify the strength of the “Made in Italy” label. It is more than a label, it is a chain complex concept that simply must be understood, loved and respected. Here we work with people whose grandfathers did the same job, who will immediately recognize if you save on materials or do some things with shortcuts.

The sweater I’m wearing today seems like a simple concept at first glance, doesn’t it? But then you take it in your hand and touch it and realize the true difference between an ordinary “sweater” and “ALPHA STUDIO SWEATER.”

This Urban Grandad Neck model has that interesting cool detail that separates it from the basic sweater with a classic round collar, V-neck or roll collar with a couple of buttons, but without full construction. This means you can wear it without anything underneath (a shirt) and it looks complete, not unfinished. But you can also put a shirt underneath and have the collar sticking out and then you have that casual layered look. It is this flexibility that Alpha Studio constantly strives for.

Merino wool… we have to thank the person who decided that ordinary sheep’s wool is not enough and that we need a special subspecies of sheep that produces fibers that are finer than human hair? Kudos to that man, whoever he was. Merino is a material that should be science fiction, it’s that material when it’s warm, it cools you, and when it’s cold, it warms you. This material can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling wet. It naturally repels odor-causing bacteria.

And the most important thing, while ordinary wool irritates the skin of most people (I believe that all of us have felt that unpleasant itching and burning sensation on our skin when ordinary wool touches our body, I have because my skin is very sensitive), merino wool is so soft, that people often cannot believe that it is wool.

The color of the sweater is in that neutral palette that suits me, not white that gets dirty from sight, not black that absorbs every hair and crumb, but a neutral light shade of beige that fits perfectly with practically everything in the wardrobe.

The fit is perfect, exactly my size. It’s not tight like I’m trying to show off every muscle in my body (or lack thereof), it’s not oversize like I took it from an older member of my family. Simple, it follows the body, but very discreetly, almost imperceptibly. The length covers right up to the waist, no more and no less. The cuffs keep their shape, the ribbed hem does not shrink after the first wash.

I decided to wear this sweater as a layer under the Façonnable jacket and I got that perfect layering combination, where I feel comfortable and warm, but my body silhouette is not distorted by an oversized look as it can be. Without that “Michelin Man” effect where you look twice as wide because you put on more layers.

NIVADA GRENCHEN ANTARCTIC GMT: TIME THAT TELLS A POLAR STORY

You know those people who always talk about how they were on the moon with their watches or how so-and-so wore them when they went scuba diving or climbed Everest? It usually annoys you because that person has never been, never dived, never climbed. They are just beautiful fairy tales that some people believe.

But this watch I’m wearing on my wrist today, the Antarctic GMT Tropical by Nivada Grenchen – really DID go to Antarctica. Not exactly my watch, because it’s not vintage, but this model, this line, these watches – they were worn by people on one of the most extreme expeditions ever. And it’s not a marketing story. That is a historical fact.

That historic feat took place in 1955-1956. during the operation “Operation Deep Freeze”. The Americans are sending people to prepare bases for the International Geophysical Year. Admiral Richard Byrd, a man who lived for polar expeditions, leads the team. Temperatures -50°C and below. The wind that literally blows. Conditions where most mechanical things simply stop working.

And Nivada Grenchen Antarctic watches were there. On the wrists. Functioning. Precise. Reliable. It was not a sponsored marketing project, it was testing under the most difficult circumstances possible.

Nivada Grenchen as a brand from the small Swiss town of Grenchen (read: Grenchen, not Greenchen) were founded in 1926 and focused on watches as tools, gauges, not as jewelry. Functional, reliable, precise. While some made watches to impress at cocktail parties, they made watches to survive real adventures.

And then comes the 70s and the famous Quartz watch crisis. The Japanese ship accurate, inexpensive, durable quartz watches. The Swiss mechanical industry suffers. Nevada can’t compete on price and closes production in the late 70’s. The brand disappears, becoming only a memory for vintage watch collectors.

But good design never really dies. The turning point for this brand was the year 2018, when the tandem duo Guillaume Laidet (French entrepreneur) and Rémi Chabrat (CEO of the manufacturing company) saw an opportunity for a grandiose return of this brand through the big doors. They managed to secure the rights to the name and design archive of this brand and decided to bring back those timeless models, but with modern technology and production.

Antarctic GMT Tropical: 36mm Authenticity

The watch on my wrist is the reincarnation of that history. Antarctic GMT, part of the polar watch lineage. A GMT complication, it allows you to track two time zones simultaneously, which was essential for pilots and international travelers in the 60s, and still today for those of us who regularly cross continents (or at least zones).

The “Tropical” part of the name comes from the dial, that specific patinated color that develops on old watches that have been exposed to the sun and moisture. Here it’s a design choice, not a defect, but an homage to authentic vintage examples.

You know what’s pretty bold about this model? Size – 36mm. In an era when the average men’s watch is 42-44mm, this 36mm seems almost feminine in theory. But on the arm? Perfect. It doesn’t dominate. It doesn’t bother. It slips under the cuff of the jacket without any problems. You just feel like it belongs there.

Its slim 11.1mm profile means it’s not as thin as a formal dress watch, but it’s not as thick as a dive watch either. He is the golden mean, placed in a group somewhere between those two worlds.

Plexiglass crystal instead of modern sapphire? Yes. Why? Because it is more authentic to the original, because it gives that vintage aesthetic and because thick sapphire often creates distortions that plexiglass does not.

Inside, Swiss SOPROD mechanism, not some cheap Chinese, not some “Swiss-made” with 51% Swiss components on paper. A real Swiss automatic that will work for years with basic servicing.

Red and black GMT hand showing the second time zone on the inner 24h bezel. Amber tinted bezel that gives that warm, vintage vibe. A dial that looks like it has already survived several decades, even though it is new.

When I look at the time on it, I don’t just see hours and minutes. I see Antarctica. I see Byrd. I see Swiss craftsmanship. I see the story of a brand that died and was resurrected. And every time I remember, some clocks just tell the time. Some watches tell stories.

SANTOS SHOES LONNIE 1987: PORTUGUESE FOOTWORK

You know what people usually say, your whole outfit can be perfect, but if the shoes aren’t right, everything falls apart. Carlos Santos Shoes Lonnie 1987 in Stone color are that final touch that keeps everything in place.

Portugal. Seriously, how many times have you heard someone say “I’m going to Portugal to buy shoes”? Probably never. Because people don’t know. They know about Italian shoes (Santoni, Berluti, Ferragamo), possibly some French brands. Perhaps some of them have heard of some British brands (Church’s, Tricker’s, Crockett & Jones). But Portuguese brands? Somehow this market has been unfairly neglected and left in the shadows.

And I will tell you a secret, but let it remain between us. Can you? Many of those Italian, French and British shoes you adore? They are produced precisely in Portugal. In the region of São João da Madeira, to be precise. The Portuguese have been a secret weapon or “ghost factory” for big brands for decades. The design comes from Milan or Paris, the production goes to Portugal, and at the end it says Made in Italy because that’s where the final stage is.

Carlos Santos Shoes said let’s change that fact. We make great shoes. We have knowledge, skill, tradition. Why not create our own brand?

And they did. Not trying to copy Italian elegance or British ruggedness. Already developing its Portuguese identity, which is somewhere in between, with that Atlantic casual-luxury vibe.

Lonnie 1987 Stone: Neutral Game Strong

“Stone” color, stone color. That perfect warm neutral between beige, gray and taupe that goes with literally everything. With a Façonnable navy jacket? Ideal! With an Alpha Studio sweater? Fantastic! With indigo jeans? Perfection without a flaw! With anything in your closet? Be sure that they will be a perfect couple.

But color is just the beginning. The real story is in the construction. The leather is premium, you can see it immediately at the first touch. Not that thin, cheap leather that looks like it’s going to crack after three steps. This is a thicker, higher quality leather with a natural texture and shine that develops with wear, doesn’t fade. The sole is sewn by hand, a process that requires special expertise, dedication and a lot of time, but results in a sneaker that bends with your movement instead of forcing you to fit into its shape. Carlos Santos formula for success: Flexibility + Support = Comfort.

Inside these sneakers there are special anatomical insoles that not only provide ideal cushions for comfort, but also provide support where it is needed – the arch of the foot, the heel, the tip of the toes. Carlos Santos understands that no one looks beautiful, fashionable and cool when their legs hurt and they can’t wait to sit down somewhere.

The design is clean minimalist lines without unnecessary details. No giant logo, no flashy details, no color that doesn’t match. Only quality materials, flawless workmanship and unobtrusive elegance are enough.

My conclusion is that Carlos Santos Shoes isn’t trying to be over the top, it’s just trying to be the best at what it does, and I have to admit that in that goal, it succeeds.

PHILOSOPHY: WHEN OUTFIT BECOME A MANIFESTO

Now that I’ve gone through every piece of today’s outfit, let’s sum up the impressions together for the end of today’s fashion story. This isn’t the first outfit I’ve accidentally found in my closet this morning. This is a carefully selected selection of pieces that share the values ​​of commitment to craftsmanship, quality, sustainability and classic, timeless style.

Façonnable brings that Mediterranean lightness of unobtrusive elegance that at first glance seems to be achieved without much effort. Alpha Studio brings Italian precision and comfort. Nivada Grenchen brings Swiss reliability, while Carlos Santos Shoes brings Portuguese commitment to true craftsmanship. Four countries, four approaches, one common philosophy – better less, but with quality.

Remember, at the end of the day, what we wear is not a uniform, it’s not a costume, it’s not a sign of wealth, it’s a reflection of our personality. An outfit is a story you tell about yourself – who you are, what you value, how you move through the world. My story today is I value quality over quantity. I understand the tradition. I respect the dedication to craftsmanship. I choose thoughtfully, I don’t blindly chase trends. I love elegance that speaks louder than words. And every time someone asks, “Where did you _______?”, I have a story. Not just a brand name. This is my story about the Riviera, about Florence, about Antarctica, about Portugal. Stories about people who believed in something more than profit. That’s what this outfit you see today represents. These are not just clothes, watches or shoes, these are values, my way of moving through the world. And that, my dears, cannot be bought. It can only be built up, patiently one quality piece at a time to the goal.

Today I tried to convey to you the beauty of autumn elegance and refinement, that’s why I prepared this outfit for you with a lot of love, I believe you will like it. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or any message for me, you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via email or social media channels, which you can find on the CONTACT page. See you soon!

With Love from Berlin,
Mr.M

This post is sponsored by Façonnable, Alpha Studio, Nivada Grenchen, Carlos Santos brands. This post is my personal and honest review of their products.