Better By Design AETHER was founded in 2009 in an effort to create something that didn’t previously exist in the market. Obsessed with all things design, founders Palmer West and Jonah Smith sought to merge outerwear technicality with an urban aesthetic. The goal was to create pieces with the amount of protection someone expects out of mountain wear but in silhouettes that felt at home in the city. Today, AETHER makes full lifestyle collections for both men and women. At every turn, great design has remained the guiding principle. Simply put, AETHER is Better By Design.
Morro Jacket, $195; Crew Tee, $45.
CITY
Photos by Sinuhe Xavier & Jonah Smith
On Location Spring/Summer 2018
On Location
(This page, top) Morro Jacket, $195; (this page, bottom) District Jacket, $185. (Opposite Page) Ideal Crew Tee, $75.
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Mexico City, MX
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For Spring/Summer 2018, we wanted to choose a place we had never been, somewhere both exotic and exciting, aesthetically stunning and yet still urban. We settled on Mexico City, Mexico, a place that has undergone a renaissance in the last several years, becoming a destination for both epicurean and cultural delights. Based out of the picturesque Downtown Mexico hotel—primely located in the middle of the city’s historic district—we ventured deep into the city to shoot our latest collections, as well as to destinations hours away in the countryside. Unsurprisingly, Mexico City is rich with spots to capture beautiful imagery. One of our first stops was the spectacular Biblioteca Vasconcelos, a library designed by architect Alberto Kalach, where the books are arranged in cantilevered, cage-like structures. Catwalks, bridges, and stairways lead visitors around the vast, picturesque space bordered by gardens on the outside. (c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 0 9 )
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The Alpine Shell in Graphite.
The view from Nevado de Toluca.
On Location
Scenes from Otomi Ceremonial Center, outside of Mexico City.
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Mexico City, MX
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We also explored Mexico City’s many neighborhoods, each with its own personality and distinct look. Roma, for one, is a lush, hip area with quaint hotels, delicious restaurants and cool shops. Roma borders the Condesa neighborhood, another section of the city rich in atmosphere and charm. There, we found the sleek and minimal Condesa DF hotel, which served as the perfect canvas against which to photograph AETHER’s clean designs. While the sun was setting on one of our final days in the city, we ventured to its most recognizable landmark, the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), a cultural center that plays frequent host to events ranging from concerts and plays to dance performances and art exhibitions. (c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 1 2 )
Scenes from Condesa DF hotel in Mexico City.
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The interior of the Condesa DF hotel.
The interior of the Downtown Mexico hotel.
On Location
Outside of the city, we made our way northeast to the ancient city of Teotihuacán, where we floated high above the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon during an early morning hot-air balloon ride. On another day, we made a long, arduous, off-road trek to hike the dormant volcano Nevado de Toluca, which also serves as Mexico’s fourth highest peak. Afterward, we traveled a couple hours north to the Otomi Ceremonial Center, a series of impressive structures celebrating the culture of the Otomi people, an indigenous tribe of Mexico. The several-day adventure allowed us to explore much of what Mexico City and its surrounding areas have to offer, all along the way capturing our new men’s and women’s spring styles against the dramatically different landscapes and backdrops. The following pages feature images of our Spring/Summer ’18 collections and our time in Mexico.
Hot-air balloons in Teotihuacán.
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Mexico City, MX
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(Right) The balcony of the Downtown Mexico hotel; (bottom, left) the Morro Jacket in Nevado de Toluca; (bottom, right) the Wright Jacket in Mexico City.
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MEN’S MOTORCYCLE PACKING LIST 01. Fairfax Pant, $150
03. B&O Beoplay H8i Headphone, $399
05. Mojave Motorcycle Jacket, $550
02. Surface Crew Sweatshirt, $115
04. Long-Sleeve Raglan Henley, $85
06. District Jacket, $185
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04. 05.
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07. Mojave Motorcycle Pant, $425
09. AETHER x SALT. Voyage Sunglass, $625
08. Moto Glove, $150
10. Coast Windbreaker, $145
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11. AETHER x Mystery Ranch Backpack, $235
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The Mojave Motorcycle Jacket, $550, shot at Vasquez Rocks in Southern California.
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WOMEN’S ACTIVE PACKING LIST 01. Everyday Pant, $125
03. Active Tank, $75
05. Wright Jacket, $195
02.SALT. Reiner Sunglass, $430
04. B&O Beoplay H5 Headphone, $249
06. Circuit Legging, $115
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07. Superior Legging, $90
09. Surface Sweatshirt Tee, $95
11. AETHER x Miir Vacuum-Insulated Bottle, $34
08. Welded Duffle Small, $175
10. Superior Capri, $85
12. W Fleece Hoodie, $135
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Active Tank, $75; Superior Legging $90.
Product Spotlight
WOMEN’S SAHARA JACKET Two pieces in one, the Sahara Jacket features removable sleeves, giving you multiple options in warm-weather st yle.
Sahara Jacket, $225; Ideal V-Neck Long-Sleeve Tee, $85.
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Design Spotlight:
Ferrari 365 GT4
Photos by Lionel Koretzky
(Both pages) Lamborghini Espadas.
Design Spotlight
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This past February, photographer Lionel Koretzky attended the Salon Rétromobile in Paris, a major international happening that takes place each winter, drawing carmakers, journalists, auction houses, and more together in 65,000 square feet of exhibition space. The event—which features hundreds of cars—showcases every aspect of the automobile world. Koretzky visited several vendors, capturing an array of spectacularly designed Italian-made vehicles in showstopping shades all along the way. Here, some of the works of car art he captured with his camera. AE THER JOURNAL
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Lamborghini Miura P400 S
De Tomaso Vallelunga Competizione
The Mojave Motorcyle Suit, complete with D30ÂŽ armor: Jacket, $550; Pant, $425.
Hopkins Jacket, $525.
Two-way center front zipper 100% heav y duty abrasion-resistant Halley StevensonsÂŽ cotton canvas
Exposed-zipper chest vents
Zippered under-arm vents
Dual-entry hand pockets
Removable D30ÂŽ armor at elbow, shoulder, and back
Product Spotlight
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MEN’S
MOJAVE SUIT The Mojave Motorcycle Suit is meant for warm days on the bike with both the jacket and pant being constructed from 100% heavy-duty cotton canvas from Halley Stevensons®. The jacket features zippered chest, arm, sleeve, and back vents to keep you cool, while the pant boasts a slim fit with built-in knee articulation for comfort while riding. It also has adjustable knee-pad pockets so you can move the placement to your liking. Both pieces feature the new, lighter, ventilated LP1 series D3O® armor (the jacket at the elbow and shoulder and the pant at the knee and hip). The jacket is also equipped with a D3O® pad at the back. All of the armor is CE-certified and completely removable.
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Soho Jacket, $265; Ideal Crew Tee, $75.
Product Spotlight
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WOMEN’S
SOHO JACKE T Finally, a great-looking everyday jacket that will hold up to whatever the weather throws your way. Ideal for days spent running around the city, the Soho Jacket is made from a lightweight, 3-layer polyester fabric that is seam sealed, making it waterproof and wind resistant. The pronounced A-line shape keeps it fashionable and fun. Design details include metal logo snaps at the cuff, a notch detail at the hood opening, and a contoured high-low hem.
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Interesting notch detail at hood opening Weatherproof center-front zipper hidden behind placket
Lightweight 3-layer polyester fabric with seamsealed construction
Weatherproof-zipper hand pockets Contoured high-low hem
Design Spotlight
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Over the last several years, Mexico City has become a cultural hub, largely due to its burgeoning art scene. A plethora of new galleries, iconic museums, independent spaces, and fairs offer a wide array of choices for the art enthusiast—from ancient relics to modern pieces and everything in between. We chose Mexico City as the site of our Spring/Summer ’18 shoot because of how dynamic of a destination it has become. With that in mind, we wanted to highlight a few of the not-to-miss museums that have helped build this city’s art scene into what it is today.
DESIGN SPOTLIGHT:
MEXICO CITY MUSEUMS
MUSEO SOUMAYA Opened in 1994, Museo Soumaya was named for the late wife of its billionaire owner Carlos Slim and is perhaps as well-known for its stunning architecture as it is its collection. The main collection is housed in Plaza Carso, designed by renowned architect Fernando Romero. At six stories, it’s a stunning structure featuring 16,000 aluminum hexagons. The museum’s interior is more minimal, with floors imported from Greece and a spiral staircase that leads visitors though a huge private collection of more than 66,000 pieces (valued at more than $700 million). Soumaya primarily features European works from the 15th-20th centuries (Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dali among them), as well as an array of Mexican works and the world’s largest collection of pre-Hispanic and Colonial coins. The light-filled top floor features a sculpture garden. AE THER JOURNAL
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(Opposite page) The spiral staircase at Museo Soumaya. (This page) The museum’s exterior, constructed of 16,000 hexagons.
The Museo Frida Kahlo was once the iconic artist’s home.
MUSEO FRIDA KAHLO One of the most popular places to visit in Mexico City, The Frida Kahlo Museum is easily recognizable for its cobalt blue exterior. The space—both the site of the iconic Mexican artist’s birth and death—is a celebration of her life’s work. It features Kahlo’s paintings, sketches, and drawings, as well as that of her husband, Diego Rivera, and personal artifacts that belonged to the couple. All are displayed in the rooms of the home, pristinely preserved from the 1950s. Kahlo was best known for her self-portraits that depicted the pain she had endured, both physically from having polio and nearly dying in a bus accident when she was young, to the emotional pain she suffered as a result from her tumultuous relationship with her husband. AE THER JOURNAL
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A waterfall greets visitors at the entrance of Museo Nacional de Antropologica.
MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGICA The largest museum in Mexico (and one of its most visited, if not the most visited), the Museo Nacional de Antropologica (National Museum of Anthropology) houses one of the world’s largest collections of archeological and anthropological artifacts from the country’s pre- Columbian era, dating back to approximately 100 B.C. Two of the best known relics include the Stone of the Sun (the Aztec calendar stone) and a statue of the Aztec God Xochipilli. Designed in the mid 1960s, the gigantic building features 23 exhibit rooms and covers nearly 20 acres. The experience continues outside the museum where there are several gardens that often feature outdoor exhibits. AE THER JOURNAL
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Pique Button Crew, $75.
Product Spotlight
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THE MEN’S PIQUE BUTTON CREW C ons t ruc ted from 1 0 0% cot ton - slub pique and featuring a ches t wel t p ocket w i t h a bu t ton closure, t his is not your average tee.
Total Eclipse
Jet Black
White
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THE MEN’S SUPIMA® COLLECTION Our incredibly sof t Supima® cot ton tees make warm -weather dressing a breeze.
(From left) Crew Tee, $45; LongSleeve Raglan Henley, $85; V-Neck Tee, $45; Short-Sleeve Henley, $75.
Product Spotlight
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THE WOMEN’S EVERYDAY PANT O u r b e l ove d E ve r yd ay P a n t i s n o w co n s t r u c te d f ro m a k n i t t w i l l w i t h s p a n d ex , m e a n i n g i t w i l l m a i n t a i n i t s f l a t te r i n g s h a p e. I t ’s t h e j o g g e r yo u’l l w a n t f o r e r r a n d s , a i r p l a n e s , e a s y we e ke n d s , a n d eve r y t h i n g i n b e t we e n .
Total Eclipse
Jet Black
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Everyday Pant, $125.
WOMEN’S IDEAL TEE COLLECTION There is a reason we call them “ideal.” Made from a super-sof t and luxe lyocell cotton jersey, the Ideal tees are what your closet has been missing.
(From left) Ideal Tank, $65; Ideal V-Neck Long-Sleeve Tee, $85; Ideal Relaxed V-Neck Tee, $75; Ideal V-Neck Tee, $75; Ideal Crew Tee, $75.
N e w Yo r k
Aspen
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San Francisco
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Los Angeles
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