What Caught Their Eye: Wes Robinson, Illustrator and Print Designer
Over the last few months on this newsletter, you have seen me share a variety of things I love, what I’m buying, and more. Well, I’m happy to be handing the reins over to someone else from time to time!
This is “What Caught Their Eye”, a guest edit section of my Substack to introduce my readers to executives, artists, creatives, and everyone in between.
Keep reading to find out more about my next guest, Wes Robinson.
Introducing Wes Robinson, Illustrator and Print Designer
Wes has worked many jobs in the world of luxury lifestyle brands and mens fashion, from making Ralph Lauren furniture on the factory floor, creating marketing campaign images and designing products for the likes of Drake’s, New & Lingwood and Sperry , to a farcical stretch managing formal hire for Royal Ascot.
He has always approached his work with an unrelenting degree of enthusiasm and love for menswear, fine art and a deep held appreciation for colour and aesthetics, from the most elegant of Art Deco to the loudest of Pop Art he soaks it all up and spurts it back out in his work as an illustrator and print designer.
Follow Wes: Here
What Caught Wes’ Eye
jazz is for ordinary people, Berlioz
People of a certain age might remember a time in the early 00’s where chic jazz-infused House music of French origin was king (or indeed emperor). Well, I’m not sure whether Berlioz is French, but he certain is the new crowned king/emperor of this style. He aptly describes his work as “If Matisse made House music.” and the artwork for his most recent release “Jazz is for Ordinary People” very much supports this aesthetic idea with its abstract figures entwined in the rhythms and melodies. All this music asks of you is to find the correct setting to help lift your summer to maximum levels of pleasure and enjoyment, whether by the pool on a sun-drenched terrace, driving in an open-top to the beach, or sat at a bar overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Hopefully you’ll find this collection of tracks do for you what they do for me at this time of year.
Buy: Here
Henry Pajama Set by Sleepy Jones
For some reason I completely missed the cultural bookmark that was Tumblr and specifically the short king Colossus of menswear for that time, Andy Spade. He showed a generation of men how to wear east coast prep in the most liberal arts college, culturally informed way that still stands to this day. In 2013 he founded the lounge wear company “Sleepy Jones” which he said was largely inspired by the lifestyles of artists such as Picasso, Seberg and Hockney. Well if there’s two things I like it’s 20th Century art and sleeping, oh and the third now I think about it is a good striped pyjama set which Andy delivers here.
Learn More: Here
Boules Edwardian Deckchair by The Stripes Company
More stripes, and this time it’s all about living out a Merchant Ivory-esque, Edwardian dream with this fine 1900’s style deck chair, featuring a fringed canopy and footstool, all that’s missing are the frock coats . Also be sure to check out The Stripes Company for their Edwardian sun shelters as well as their swimmers’ bell tent that allows for a discreet and respectable change into one’s swimsuit whether you’re at the beach or by the pool.
Buy: Here
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella’s Jojoba Oil
I’d like to think we’re past the assumption heterosexual males shouldn’t care for toiletries but if you like me you were completely uninitiated in that bathroom my advice is ask your gay friend (who typically smells amazing) what they use. Better still after your enquiries they may also buy you some of their favourite product for your Birthday or Christmas, as they look on with the joy of knowing they just single handily scraped you out the gutter of the unkept. It’s because of these actions I’m now aware of how incredible S.M Novella are and specifically their discontinued Jojoba oil is, knowing that most of Europe’s stock now resides in my friend Michael’s bathroom I can only hope he continues to gift it to me over the foreseeable future, or until I can find an alternative in the SMN range.
Buy: Here
AWMS x Wes Riviera Tee
What idiot would avoid such an opportunity for self-promotion given half the chance? Well not this one! My final pick is my “Riviera” t-shirt, a collaboration with Tony Sylvester and his clothing label AWMS.
Tony and I both hold a love for interwar art and specifically here we looked to celebrate it’s expression on the French Riviera of the 1920s and 30s with a design reminiscent of the spontaneous and improvised line of Cocteau and Picasso. The image focuses on three staples of life on the Côte d’Azur, ribbon-tie espadrilles, palm trees and sprigs of Rosemary aka “Dew of the Sea” which hangs defiantly over the rocky cliffs of the Mediterranean.
Limited to 40 pieces the tee is set to sell out quickly so grab one whilst you can, this is a limited run and when they’re gone they’re gone!
Find Out More: Here