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TGIF Shopping: Distil Union

With the New Year upon us, we are plagued with empty promises to go to the gym and change our habits. But why not start small? For example lose that bulky wallet and simplify what’s in your pocket. Distil Union’s Wally line does just this by carrying all your cash in half the wallet. Wally is available as a super-slim wallet (Wally Bifold) or as a wallet compatible with an iPhone (Wally Case).

Founded in 2011 by Lindsay Windham and Nate Justiss, Distil Union has been creating solutions to everyday issues (Their Snooze iPhone dock is genius). One founder worked at Philips Electronics, the other at Digital Lifestyle Outfitters, and both have spent many hours fidgeting with products. Because of this their product line is a great mix of functionality and great materials, and each one has a story behind it.

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Justiss said they weren’t completely happy with the solutions out there for minimalist wallets and set out to craft something that revisited the architecture of the wallet.

“We rethought that form by throwing out assumptions and came up a solution we love because these wallets are thinner and even more useful. By starting from scratch we were able to take away material and add functionality,” Justiss said.  “We use Argentinian full-grain leather that is tanned to be especially strong and supple. This allows your wallet to conform easily to your particular card and bill assortment.”

As for the Wally:

Wally Case – For those of you looking to really simplify with an all-in-one approach, the Wally Case combines your iPhone with a minimal leather pocket. The case secures up to 4 cards and cash on the back of your iPhone. And the only downside to this is if you lose it you lose everything. But we’ll hope that doesn’t happen. These will run you about $50 in multiple case/leather color combinations for iPhone 5/5S and iPhone 6.

Wally Bifold – The Bifold cuts your carry size up to half and it fits about 12 cards and cash inside. Pull-tabs and slick pockets on each side give you access to your cards without opening to reveal any cheese. Inside the Bifold interior money clips holds your cash. They are available in black and brown for $59.99.

Distil Union also carries some other creative iPhone/wallet combos, so be sure to keep up with these designers. They are going places.

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TGIF Shopping: Haze Collection Unveils SS15 Sunglasses
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Since its inception into the world of optics last year​, Haze Collection has had been shrouded in a tint of secrecy largely because its chief designer remains an anonymous mystery man (à la Bansky). Why? According to him, his position as a sunglasses designer for a slew of other noteworthy brands necessitates this decision.
This is paralleled in certain design elements such as the phrase "To Be Revealed," embossed on the back of each glasses case.
Establishing a brand without a face can be tricky. Just look at Maison Martin Margiela, an eponymous faceless brand, who made headlines when they brought in John Galliano to rejuvenate sales earlier this year. Or take Alexander Wang's H&M collaboration with his name splashed prominently throughout the collection.
"Customers nowadays tend to associate the brand a lot with the creative director or founder," according to the anonymous designer over the phone.​ "They want to know their social life, who they hang out with, are they handsome or beautiful, do they have a six pack or not etc. All this info generates stories/press." For Haze Collection however, they have to rely solely on the product.
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Thankfully, the shades make a bold enough statement. The recently-launched SS15 collection has helped this largely incognito brand establish its footprint in the increasingly competitive field of innovative eyewear.
Each Haze frame is cut from slabs of pure acetate, sourced directly from Italy. Because of this, no two frames are identical, with nuances of marble present throughout. The luxury factor is upped with the inclusion of titanium nose pieces and their signature hardware known as the SWIV3L hinge – a three-pronged hinge that uniquely reveals itself each time the frame is folded down.
The collection can be purchased online, at boutiques internationally, or at Selima Optique in NYC.

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TGIF Shopping: MTailor
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Until recently you had to leave your house to have the experience of a tailored suit or shirt. But as the tech world has started a heavy descent into fashion you now can have shirt made from the comfort of your home with your iPhone or iPad. MTailor a new startup founded by Stanford graduates, Miles Penn and Rafi Witten, uses image-processing technology to bring this service to the palm of your hand. While it won’t take away the quality of a good tailor it offers a pretty neat option for a fraction of the cost. They have more than 50 fabric options and the shirts start at $69 a very nice price point for a custom shirt. They also guarantee that if you don’t like it they will remake it for free or provide a full refund.

Here’s how it works:

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TGIF Shopping: Ride the Rails with Mondaine
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The Swiss are known for producing seamless banking, fine jewelry, iconic fonts and one-of-kind timepieces. But fine craftsmanship usually comes at a price. It is no surprise that a well-made timepiece may run upwards of $10k. But hip Mondaine sent us brotherly love with their Swiss craftsmanship for a more attainable price point. Try around $400 for a quality well-crafted Swiss watch (Wahoo!)

“Mondaine watches, with their combination of Swiss design and ties to iconic Swiss imagery…represent a combination of precision and aesthetics,” Mondaine’s CEO Andre Bernheim said. “We have spent six decades combining form and function, without exceeding the $1,000 price point.”

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