King of the Jungle: Kenzo Menswear AW13

18-06-13 / no comments

Here at START, we champion gender equality. And to prove it, we’ve extended Kenzo’s infectious centre of cool. It’s no longer just the preserve of style-savvy women; men, Kenzo jungle fever is coming for you too. You have been warned.

For Autumn/Winter 2013, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim reflect the way in which their fun, youthful designs have rocketed to sartorial fame: Kenzo takes its urban modernized world on the ground skywards with a seriously covetable collection entitled ‘Jungle in the Sky’. A celestial theme wanders (lonely as a cloud…) across precision-tailored trousers, directional coats and those cult sweaters. The prints feature clouds, stars and lightning bolts; the voluminous structures evoke the imagined touch of cumulonimbi. This atmospheric vibe surrounds our favourite fashion beast, the Kenzo Tiger. The King of the Jungle is reincarnated as a double-headed flying creature, sharing his airspace with dragons and serpents. So, with a sense of foreboding as thunderous as some of the prints, we forecast a serious fashion craze.

Right now, our edit includes tailored shirts with lightning print collars, cloud patterns and, of course, the tiger.

Kenzo is available to buy in store or over the phone. Call our Customer Services Team on 0207 033 3951.

New Brand Alert: Toga Pulla

15-06-13 / no comments

We make no bones about the fact that we love boots, especially if they come with a hefty dose of rock n’ roll attitude. So, imagine our excitement at the arrival of Toga Pulla. These black leather beauties take the boot style of choice, the cowboy, and embellish it with some seriously tough-looking silver buckles. The result? Our new footwear obsession.

We can’t thank Yasuko Furuta enough for imbuing our favourite boot with some directional glamour. Furata attended Esmode Japan for a year before transferring to Esmode Paris. A self-taught designer, she worked as a freelance costume and fashion stylist before she presented her first collection in 1997. And TOGA’s avant-garde sensibility has been consistently wowing the fashion crowd ever since. TOGA re-defines classicism, bringing together seemingly incompatible elements to create experimentally elegant pieces. The diffusion line, Toga Pulla, takes simplicity to the extreme, injecting our wardrobe staples with conceptual glamour.

True to TOGA form, we’ll be harnessing the power of contradictions, wearing these boots right now with our softer, feminine summer dresses. Too perfect for the festival season.

Toga Pulla’s Black Leather Buckle Boots are available in store now and online very soon. If you can’t make it into the store and can’t wait to get your feet in a pair, then call our Customer Service team on 0207 033 3951.

Who Disturbs my Slumber? /

14-06-13 / no comments

The Kenzo fever is still strong at START HQ, and the arrival of the new season AW13 sweaters has added fuel to the fire. Affordable, comfortable and just so cool, the iconic Kenzo sweaters are sure to feature in our festival wardrobes this summer!

Kenzo Charcoal Metallic Tiger Sweater, £169.50 S – XL
Kenzo Acid Yellow Metallic Tiger Sweater, £169.50 S – XL
Kenzo Black Paris Sweater, £150 S – L
Kenzo Grey Eiffel Tower Sweater, £155 S – L

The sweaters are available to buy in store or over the phone, along with other pieces from the AW13 collection including the cloud print shirts. Call our Customer Service Team on 0207 033 3951 for more information.

Don’t Forget Dad /

05-06-13 / no comments

Mulberry Leather iPad Sleeve // Triwa Midnight Niben Watch // Mr. Start Orange Silk Bee Tie // Mismo Canvas and Leather Weekend Bag // Mr. Start Navy Polka Dot Silk Pocket Sqaure // Comme des Garçons 3 Side Zip Leather Wallet // Church’s Burstock Burgundy Oxford Shoes // Mr. Start Striped Cotton Shirt

Treat your Dad to something special from our Bestselling Gifts for Him Edit this, and for guaranteed delivery before Sunday 17th place your order by 4pm Thursday 14th (mainland UK). We also have a same day delivery service within Central London, so there will still be time for all you last minute fiends out there (don’t worry, we’ve known to do the same every now and again!) to get the perfect gift online this Friday!

Shop Bestsellers for Him

Pretty in Punk: Mawi SS13 /

03-06-13 / no comments

Punk ain’t quite what it used to be. At fashion’s most fashionable party, the Met Ball, the theme this year was punk, or, rather, ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’. The elegance and sophistication of couture may not be what you typically associate with the rebellious energy of punk, but it seems that femininity, glitz and glamour are fast becoming synonymous with this most unruly of cultural movements.

And leading the way in this softer sensibility is Mawi with its Spring/Summer collection, ‘Pretty in Punk’. Here, Mawi’s keen eye for vintage and antique collectibles unites with a fearsome punk rock attitude. Think opulent, sophisticated costume jewels in adorable heart and girlish floral shapes with tough spike detailing. It’s statement femininity at its punk best.

With ‘Pretty in Punk’, Mawi’s characteristic more-is-more mentality is infinitely wearable.  The exquisite pearls strung alongside gleaming Swarovski crystals in pink, blue and yellow integrate so beautifully not just with our cocktail hour ensembles, but our everyday looks, too. We’ll be wearing the Pearl Necklace with Ornate Leaf over a high-neck sweater to instantly transform our weekend wardrobe. With our favourite vest tops, the Pink Oval Gemstone Bracelet with Spikes is the perfect way to show off our tanned summer arms, while the Small Yellow Crystal Heart Earrings with Leaf and Spike are the perfect companion to bare-shouldered day dresses for a hint of eveningwear by day that is oh-so pretty and oh-so punk.

Shop Mawi