Rake Commends
... Fortunately, when you’re in Los Angeles, you don’t have to search very hard. As the city says of itself, it brings it all together — not least when it comes to all-American style.
Co-founded by Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger in 2011, Arch Motorcycle have redefined what’s possible with hand-built production bikes. The Method 143 is the brand’s wildest creation yet. It is a production concept, and is assembled in Arch’s Los Angeles workshop. With just 23 examples available, it’s an exceptionally rare machine. A rolling piece of art with a thunderous 2,343cc V-twin, its sculpted carbon fibre and aluminium body ensures it looks as good as it rides.
Nick Fouquet has built something of a cult following for his unconventional yet fastidious millinery skills. Every hat is handmade from scratch in time-honoured tradition, but Fouquet adds his own twists by sanding and setting his designs on fire, which achieve his signature lived-in patina straight off the bat. ‘American Spirit’ is a tobacco beaver felt design and comes with a herringbone band, hand-braided twine, and Fouquet’s matchstick calling card.
For frequent flyers, a world timer watch is a particularly handy tool. This Patek Philippe combines a world time function with a flyback chronograph, so you can measure 24 time zones across the world and time your journey simultaneously. Finished with a stainless steel case and an opaline-rose-gilt, carbon-patterned dial, it is an eminently special piece.
Ralph Lauren RRL suede Chelsea boots
Trust Ralph Lauren to make the perfect pair of roughout suede Chelsea boots. That oiled hide comes from a Chicago-based tannery, while the boots themselves are handmade in a Texas workshop that’s been doing its thing for 160 years. Despite this, the classic shape and burnished look is ideal for injecting a dose of California cool into any casual look.
Filson Tin Cloth Short Lined Cruiser jacket
Filson have been producing all-American staples since 1897, with their tin cloth workwear jackets serving the country’s foresters, labourers and woodsmen for most of that time. The Short Lined Cruiser is made from the brand’s signature fabric but has a shorter cut more akin to classic trucker jackets. This makes it more practical for daily wear, whether in the countryside or on the city streets.
James Perse cotton-linen pocket T-shirt
James Perse have long been one of L.A.’s finest casualwear merchants. This white T-shirt demonstrates why, with its blend of Japanese cotton and linen, its subtle chest pocket, and a flattering classic fit. Dress it up by tucking into tailored trousers, or wear it over jeans and boots.
Jeans originated on the west coast of the U.S. in the late 19th century. Los Angeles-based Freenote Cloth are keeping the American-made tradition alive, with these jeans made entirely by hand in the city. Using 17-ounce Japanese selvedge denim, they are cut with a classic straight fit and come with traditional detailing including double needle stitching throughout, a button fly, and copper riveting.
Thom Sweeney woven leather belt
While Thom Sweeney started in London, they broke America with the opening of their Los Angeles boutique in 2024. Located on Melrose Place, it’s become a fixture of the L.A. tailoring scene, offering the full breadth of the brand’s bespoke offering as well as its made-to-measure and ready-to-wear collection. This belt, made with luxurious brown woven leather, works perfectly with tailored trousers, chinos or denim jeans.
For throwback shots of the L.A. skyline, few cameras will do it better than Fujifilm’s new X Half. A digital half-frame camera, it references old-school point-and-shoots from the past, with an analogue design and integrated vintage-style filters that simulate the look and feel of classic film stocks.
Icon are one of L.A.’s premier restomod builders, specialising in trucks and 4x4s. Each bespoke order pays homage to the car it’s based on, but everything from the engine to the suspension and interior is completely overhauled. The Thriftmaster is based on the classic Chevrolet half-ton short-bed pick-up from the late 1940s and early fifties, yet its fuel- injected 430hp V8, four-wheel disc brakes and five-speed manual transmission give it a thoroughly modern performance.
