Fall/Winter '11 Photo Shoot - Day Two

After an amazing first day with Jacob and Ash of Jacob B. Murphy Photography, we were at it again this morning for day two of our shoot. Today was all about capturing our products in action, and to accomplish this, we grabbed a good friend of hook + ALBERT, Rob.

Rob did an incredible job bringing each look to life and we were so thankful for his passion and energy throughout the day. Standing still for 8 hours is never easy, but Rob made it look effortless. While Rob has spent the better half of 10 years as a wine importer, perhaps he will now hit the runway?

Here is a look at some behind-the-scenes shots from today's shoot.

Ash fine tuning the look

Clean that dust

Jacob grabbing the perfect shot

Rob with an h+A wool tie

h+A lapel flower popping off the blue blazer

The perfect collar

h+A cloud solid sock with orange toe

The cat finally woke up!

h+A socks go great with jeans or a suit

The perfect fall look

Jacob focusing

Ash looking over the shoot

"A little to the right...perfect"

The cat is back asleep

Gray slacks, purple socks.

For those getting married this fall/winter, our gray wool tie goes great with a tux!

Our lead designer Janelle stopped by the shoot.

Rob getting comfortable in front of the camera

Just a natural

The perfect look

And that's a wrap!

Fall/Winter '11 Photo Shoot - Day One

With the official launch of hook + ALBERT staring us in the face, our team has been on an absolute grind over the past few weeks trying to make sure everything is in order for the big event.

A crucial step in the process is having our products photographed. With that said, we set out early this morning for Brooklyn, New York, to connect with Jacob Murphy and Ashley Orzol of Jacob B. Murphy Photography. 

On day one (of our three day shoot), it was all about capturing beautiful product shots that will be displayed on hookandalbert.com and across the pages of our lookbook. Jacob and Ashley did an absolutely incredible job on the product shots and we can't wait for you to see them when our site goes live.

After a nine hour shoot, we had one tired cat and some incredible shots! Here is a look behind-the-scenes....enjoy!

Jacob working his magic

One tired cat

h+A gray hopsack wool tie

Art direction by Ashley

h+A blue hopsack wool tie

h+A rugby stripe sock

Who is working the camera?

Ashley perfecting the shot

And the third sock up is....

...Purple.

As we head into the winter months, nothing is better than smacking the dark gloomy days in the face with some color.....We love purple and this purple with pink toe beauty is one of our personal favorites. Let us know what you think!

Time with Timmy

Today, I sat down with my dear friend Tim, to catch up on life and fill him in on hook + ALBERT. The second Tim sat on my couch and crossed his legs, I just smiled. There it was, a beautiful pair of orange laces and vibrant socks. I had to run and grab my camera to capture the "noise" on his feet. While Tim kept things simple with his slim blue cargo pants and a white button down, he opted for some great details below the cuff (which the team here at h+A fully supports).

Tim grew up in Italy and was one of the first people who opened my eyes to Italian fashion. In fact, I bought my very first pair of handmade leather shoes because of him (pic on right). I vividly remember saying, "I can't spend this much money on shoes" and Tim replied, "trust me." I did in fact trust him and still wear the crap out of those shoes nearly 7 years later.

Tim, thank you for being a supporter of hook + ALBERT and a great friend.

And the second sock up is......

....Black Argyle.

For the Fall/Winter months, many of us here at h+A love a nice heavy gray fabric. Whether in a suit, slacks or cords, we wanted to create a sock that popped against the color and fabric and could complete such a strong winter look.

The STYLE:

Start with a form fitting gray wool suit and black leather lace-ups paired with a slim-fit white shirt. Perhaps you knot up a wool tie (tucking the blades into your tie bar) to complete the top half. Now, for the all important finishing touch - h+A black argyle socks. Such a simple, yet important detail.

Wedding Season

This morning, while sipping a coffee in a local cafe, I overheard a couple debating when wedding season was. While I think they finally agreed on mid-April through mid-October, we all really know wedding season as the time when your checkbook deflates like a balloon and dressing for the occasion(s) starts to become more of a chore than a pleasure.

Regardless of age, we all experience that wedding season marathon, when every weekend is dedicated to someone else's union. So, how do you keep things fresh as the groom,  guest or groomsman? The details.

As a guest, we firmly believe that you need to respect the dress code and day of the affair. For example, if you have a black tie affair on a Saturday night, you had better throw on a tux. So, how do you make yourself stand out from everyone else in a sophisticated, yet tasteful way and have fun with your attire? The details. Perhaps a colorful pocketsquare, or maybe a hook + ALBERT lapel flower.

Now, as the groom, and the captain of your groomsmen, this is your day. You finally get to decide your attire and the attire of the guys standing next to you (as long as you have the support of your fiancée, of course). While there are some mainstream tux vendors out there, we recommend staying away (read: running!) from the normal recommendations many of them throw at you (a shimmering "stock" vest is just not a good look in 2011).

As the groom, you should definitely find a way to stand out from your groomsmen. Don't be afraid to explore fun ways of doing it, either. For instance, if you decide that a tux is the way to go, you can put your groomsmen in the same color socks while you wear a different pair (we would of course recommend h+A's!). Another subtle suggestion is to wear a different color boutonniere or h+A lapel flower than your groomsmen. Believe us, your wedding album will thank you for paying attention to the details. But remember, the details speak volumes, so you only need one to achieve the perfect look.

Whatever your decision, enjoy it. This is your day. You should feel confident in whatever you and your wedding party ultimately decide to wear.

And the first sock up is......

....Rust Orange.

Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting socks from our upcoming Fall/Winter 2011 collection. While we will talk about various design details and our inspiration for each sock, we also want you to know that the h+A sock is a first. Never has a sock like ours been introduced into the market. If you have been one of our lucky sock testers, you already know it's unlike all others and are convinced that the h+A dress sock is the most comfortable and stylish sock in your collection.  If you haven't been able to test the socks yet, don't worry. All will be available this September at hookandalbert.com. Test away!

hook + ALBERT is the first sock company to offer a unique arch support and form-fitting heel standard across our full line. For extreme comfort, we also offer a terry sole on select styles. Every sock in our collection is made from Peruvian Pima cotton (the best cotton in the world).

Heading into the winter, we wanted to offer a solid color that reminded us of the back country in Vermont and Colorado. Who would have thought rusting doors on a pickup truck parked on the mountainside or frozen tree bark could be so inspiring. And as each pair of h+A socks has matching toe and calf bands, why not add a little "sky" blue to complete the picture.

We love wearing this sock with a brown or navy suit on work days or dress it down a bit with cords on the off days. Suede wingtips or your favorite boot add a nice finish to the look.

Mid-calf sock available in September with or without our padded sole.