Driven by a strong American work ethic and an eye for perfectly minimalist machinery, Hammarhead Industries first drew attention for their vintage-inspired custom motorcycles soon after their 2010 launch. Now hot on the heels of the recently released Day Pack, the new collaboration with Dunderdon takes the Philidelphia-based grease monkeys further into the world of fashion without taking them away from their roots. At the center of the collection is the Swedish-made Welder's Jacket, a heavy-duty waxed suede jacket sturdy enough for the garage and the street.

The Welder's Jacket marks a slight departure for both companies, as one of Dunderdon's first forays into suede and the most substantial utilitarian garment by HHI yet. However experimental the product may be, the collaboration came naturally through a mutually shared attitude towards minimalist design and real functionality. Dunderdon founder Per-Ivan Hagberg took on the position of lead designer on this piece, with help from HHI creative director Matt Trigaux, who also helped hand-wax the garments. After trading patterns and preferences across continents, the two settled on a slimmer-fit jacket constructed of sturdy, Swedish-made 1.3 mm suede and hardware.

The heavyweight jacket harkens back to the welding jackets worn by HHI founder James Hammarhead in the 1970s, updated only with Kevlar threading and a more contemporary fit. As a proper welding jacket—not one just made to look like it—all pockets are internal to prevent rogue sparks from finding unwelcome homes. The collar features a double clasp so it can be worn folded up to protect the neck, and another set of double clasps at the wrists allow the sleeve to fit over thick work gloves. Plus, all stress-prone seams are secured with Swedish-made metal rivets. For those interested in the clean look of raw suede, the jacket is also available unwaxed.

In addition to the Welder's Jacket, the Dunderdon collaboration collection includes a work shirt, a pair of heavy-duty trousers—each in a black and custom HHI pewter blue colorway—leather riding gloves and a few smaller accessory items. The Welder's Jacket was created in an initial edition of 24 pieces, which are available directly from HHI online and exclusively at NYC's Dunderdon Workshop along with the rest of the collection. The waxed version sells for $499 while the unwaxed version goes for $399. For a closer look see the slideshow.

Images by Graham Hiemstra

A member of the niche bespoke community in NYC, men's store Lord Willy's recently upgraded to larger digs from their humble storefront in New York's NoLita neighborhood. As the shop shuffled next door to a 2,500 square foot space, proprietors Alex and Betty Wilcox decided to turn the old space into Little Willy's, a boys'-only retailer full of ready-to-wear options for stylish young lads. While it may sound odd to think of custom-quality childrenswear, the new boys' line bypasses pretension with playful detailing and smart looks.

Little Willy's aims for playtime sophistication in their line, which is targeted at boys between two and ten. Emblazoned on polos and knits is the Little Willy's logo, a cartoon figure in a bowler hat and glasses, the lens of one eye replaced by a colorful star. While the tailors at Lord Willy's keep their embellishments limited to off-color thread and zany lining, the children's line was a chance to get a bit more creative. The experience is meant to appeal to kids and parents alike, and you won't find any Saville Row snobbery in this fun-loving boutique.

Operating the storefront is Will Rojas, who is cleverly referred to as "Mr. Rojas" to avoid confusion with the store's mythic persona. Rojas' tattooed, urban look is in keeping with the store, which is all about promoting individual expression. A gold leaf emblem on the front door reads "Boys Only!", setting a tone for a place of pint-sized masculinity. While little girls have plenty of options when it comes to this kind of high end, specialty shopping, Little Willy's is one of the few boys-only spaces around.

Owners Alex and Betty Wilcox are a husband-and-wife team who—despite not having children themselves—share an affinity for boys clothing. While there is certainly a spirit of refinement in the line, it remains logo-driven. Alex, a trained graphic designer, created the mustachioed icon for the store, which he admits is in the same spirit as A Clockwork Orange, Gangs of New York and the Monopoly Man. Another thoughtful detail, portraits of famous men that decorate the store have been defaced with the Little Willy's star-shaped glasses. To ensure that the experience doesn't stop at the register, each purchase comes along with a sticker sheet and a pair of the signature shades.

"We really want the store to be fun and full of wearable clothing," says Alex of Little Willy's. "Grown men are only little boys with jobs." A bust of Tin Tin decorates the interior, a gift to Alex from his own father, harkening back to the theme of childhood. The statue is appropriate for the space as well, denoting a clientele of well-off, adventure-seeking boys. The "eccentric study" that is Little Willy's promises to pacify kids who dread the shopping experience, catering to the well-heeled gents of tomorrow.

Little Willy's
223 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012

Images by Josh Rubin

Since we discovered Sweet Marcel's over-the-knee socks in 2010, the Texas-based designer has expanded into knee-highs, anklets and Wee Marcel for toddlers." Anklet socks are the hottest thing in Japan now and selling like crazy," Sweet Marcel's founder and designer Amy Anderson told Cool Hunting.

Sweet Marcel's knee-highs are produced in the traditional textile heartland of North Carolina with yarn from locally milled cotton. The over-the-knee socks and children's line come from a family-owned textile mill in central Turkey where Anderson travels frequently to oversee production. Each hand-drawn design is named after an influential figure, like Wee Lucienne, which takes its name from Lucienne Day, the 20th-century British fabric designer.

Sweet Marcel's expanded product line is available in about a selection of U.S. boutiques and online from the site; each pair comes packaged with a vintage safety pin "too cool to not keep". Prices range from $10-$20.