February 2021 ~ Men's Fashion

Sunday 28 February 2021

‘Secret Sauce’ That Makes A Successful Entrepreneur In 2021 Revealed

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

We've discussed how people with online shopping addictions could have latent entrepreneur potential. We've covered the business-growing secret every luminary can learn from. We've even delved into why Australia isn't the best place to launch a business at this point in history (see, tall poppies; our attitude towards fast cars).

What we've never covered, are the common traits Australia's top entrepreneurs share. This, as well as the biggest lessons one might draw from their endeavours. To correct that, today we're bringing you the insights of Pru Chapman, founder at Owners Collective and host of the One Wild Ride podcast.

For starters, Pru, who has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and interviewed some of the foremost individuals in the 'values-led' brand space (think: Patagonia, Thankyou; Koala), told us, "Entrepreneurship is not for everyone."

This is because it takes a particular sort of person to "take the massive risks required to launch your own gig, and put it all on the line each day" – someone willing to ride the highs and lows (many lows) of the start-up years, "as they work tirelessly around the clock for no certain return."

"You could almost say that there’s a certain type of crazy that is reserved for entrepreneurs as they willingly venture to places that no businesses have been before."

Pru told us families are often forced to look on "as a once stable and quite often financially secure individual pour[s] their life savings and every waking moment into getting a new business idea off the ground. What were once joyful (well paid) holiday times are replaced by monotonous days of endless work for little return."

Such is the life of an early-stage entrepreneur.

It's not all doom and gloom though. The journey, Pru told us, is often full of ups and downs: "For the entrepreneur, they’ve never felt more alive than in their startup years. Working within their zone of genius, forging new industries, and bringing their whole heart and soul to the table is nothing short of intoxicating. Fuelled by a vision of a better future and buoyed on by the smell of opportunity, they’re playing big, and there’s nowhere else they’d rather be."

"They’re crazy, and they love it."

"Having worked with thousands of entrepreneurs, and interviewed some of the leading entrepreneurs in the ‘good business’ space there are certainly some commonalities this special breed share," Pru told us.

Courtesy of Pru, these are the common traits Australia's top entrepreneurs in 2021 share:

Resilience

"The ride of entrepreneurship is a wild one, typically peppered with setback after setback. Recently I interviewed Nik Robinson of Good Citizens who described ‘failing’ for 752 days & more than 2500 failed attempts to turn a plastic bottle into a pair of sunnies. Once they did though they were unstoppable, recently being invited to the United Nations and Tesla, among others, to speak about his startup journey."

Persistence

"This goes hand-in-hand with resilience. Entrepreneurship by its very nature is going where no business has gone before, which is typically met by roadblock after roadblock. It takes will power of steel to meet these challenges and continue on."

Adventurous

"It’s not all doom and gloom, and with the lows come incredible highs. The inner voyeur of the entrepreneur is fuelled along the path of creation, with a willingness to try new ways of doing things, experiment with product design, lead into new verticals, and even create their own."

Bravery

"Putting it all on the line day after day requires a bucket-load of courage. If product design and cashflow wasn’t enough to contend with entrepreneurs now have a global pandemic to deal with. More often than not the decisions purpose-led entrepreneurs make are not the cheapest or easiest, and it takes innate bravery to stay the course towards their True North."

Faith

"Not in a god or deity, but in a better future. Purpose-led entrepreneurs share a conviction that drives them forward every single day. It’s the beautiful combination of crazy that meets a higher ethical and moral standard."

Pru also shared with DMARGE the biggest lessons she has learned from interviewing some of Australia's top entrepreneurs. Read, weep and allow reality to smack you in the face, below. Then get inspired and realistic – a deadly combination.

Pru Chapman's biggest lessons from interviewing some of Australia's top entrepreneurs

"There’s nothing quite like learning from real-world experience, and now having interviewed over 50 of Australia’s leading purpose-led businesses on my One Wild Ride podcast I feel as though I’ve taken a ‘practical’ MBA. The lessons and learning’s have been countless, and have definitely impacted the way that approach business."

"The biggest lesson that I’ve personally learnt is that good things take time... In our society characterised by instant gratification it can be easy to see only the end result, and not the years of work to get there."

"If you’re truly pushing the boundaries (which is what defines entrepreneurship) it’s going to take time to get it right."

"In my interview with Patagonia, Australian CEO Dane O’Shanassy reminded me that Patagonia has a 50-year history, and hence why it has such depth and breadth in the sustainable business world."

"Following on from that," Pru added, "a big learning has been around the brave decisions that we need to take as entrepreneurs."

"Particularly for purpose-led businesses, whose products and services are not the cheapest and sometimes don’t even make sense to our potential customers – but when you know something to be true to your being you need to hold the course through adversity and those decisions will pay off."

IWC Schaffhausen Revives Famous 90s ‘Black Flieger’ Pilot’s Chronograph

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

The 90s was a particularly inspired period in watch history.

After a tough few decades dealing with the quartz crisis, ballooning gold prices and global recessions, the luxury watch brands had found their feet again by the 90s, with a sense of optimism and innovation characterising the entire industry. The 90s saw the rebirth of two incredibly influential brands – A. Lange & Söhne and Panerai – and any of the watch world's most iconic models first appeared in this blessed decade, too: the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut and the Rolex Yacht-Master just to name a few.

Another model that first appeared in the 90s – but took a few years before it was recognised as a classic – was IWC Schaffhausen's Ceramic Fliegerchronograph (ref. 3705), better known as the 'Black Flieger'. First introduced in 1994, it was IWC’s first pilot’s watch with a case made of black zirconium oxide ceramic: a huge technical achievement for the Swiss brand. But it flew under the radar (pun intended), and was quickly discontinued after a production run of around 1,000 pieces.

In the intervening years, the 'Black Flieger' became a cult classic; a bona fide 90s icon and particularly hot property among watch collectors. Still, its relative obscurity and short production run have meant that the vast majority of watch fans have never been able to get their hands on one... Until now, that is.

Enter the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition 'Tribute to 3705' (ref. 387905): a stunning timepiece that's more than just a recreation of the 'Black Flieger' and easily one of the most handsome watches that's come across our desk in 2021 thus far.

[caption id="attachment_283712" align="alignnone" width="765"] Even more legible, even more lovely.[/caption]

While the 'Tribute to 3705' is a largely faithful recreation of the 'Black Flieger', the two models share some key differences. Appearance-wise, our new beauty features more pronounced hour markers – similar to those used in IWC's perennially popular Big Pilot line of watches – and rearranged subdials. Unlike the original, the tribute's crown and chronograph pushers are made out of ceramic instead of steel, making the new watch aesthetically sleeker. But the differences between the two are more than just skin-deep.

IWC's ceramic technology has come a long way since the 90s, and the 'Tribute to 3705' takes full advantage of that: it's made out of Ceratanium, an IWC-developed material that is light and robust like titanium, but also similarly hard and scratch-resistant like ceramic. It's just as beautiful while being much tougher than the original's ceramic construction.

Additionally, while the original was powered by the now-legendary Valjoux calibre 7750, the tribute uses IWC's in-house 69380 calibre, which is more robust and features a 46-hour power reserve. It's a big change but one that's sure to appeal to modern collectors – in-house calibres are like catnip to watch fans.

In essence, the 'Tribute to 3705' takes everything that was great about the 'Black Flieger' while bringing the watch into the 21st century. More importantly, it gives another generation of watch lovers the chance to get their hands on a truly special watch. Whether you're a fan of the original or like the new model on its own terms, this is one pretty-looking watch.

Perhaps in homage to the original's short production run, the 'Tribute to 3705' is a limited edition of only 1,000. Uniquely, it's also an online exclusive. Hopefully you haven't kept your dial-up modem... There are some things that really weren't better in the 90s.

Check out the 'Tribute to 3705' here.

The Business Class ‘Networking’ Myth Frequent Flyers Wish You Would Stop Spouting

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

In a world of alcohol-free cocktails, half strength wine, crossfit crazies and milky flat whites, business class is the hedonist's last refuge.

How else fo you explain the growing trend of devil may care pointy end bloggers? The slammertime rituals? The endless chase for points?

For that matter... how else do you explain the voracious consumption of million-dollar views and winning smiles, by office workers scrolling furtively at their desks, unlikely to go further away from their house than the supermarket for the next six months?

Masochism or something more?

Anyway, given the state of our economy (and new health horizons), gyms are the new nightclubs and frugality is the new normal, for many.

Speaking of looking at the world with a less-hungover set of eyes, we would today like to dispel a business class myth that has been kicking around since time immemorial.

The idea that flying business class gives one access to certain networking priveledges.

We've been guilty of this ourselves, even, previously comparing the pointy end to cattle class as follows:

"If flying economy is like spending the night in a dingy dive bar (armrest tussles and all) then flying business-class is like ~vibing~ at an exclusive VIP lounge (purple disco lights included)."

We've also written, in regards to the proverbial pointy end, "even if your flight is indefinitely delayed, you’ll be too busy networking with industry big wigs and being shouted tax-payer-funded drinks by corrupt politicians to have an existential chicken edamame crisis."

A classic 2006 Flyertalk thread, entitled, "Business/First Class passengers' personalities, characteristics & networking," however, proves us wrong.

Started by a user called zanzibar, the discussion begins as follows:

"I am considering travelling via one of the upper classes for the first time in my life in the next 6 months. I might go on a world trip or to several continents."

"I am curious if people in first and business class are in general more talkative than people in economy class? Or can you not make such a stereotype?"

"I am hoping to meet people... while travelling and in the process further my learning of this 'underground' world of freelancers, bloggers, FF geeks, and of course, the rich who just buy the tickets with cash."

"Does anyone have any experiences of interesting people they met travelling in the upper classes, any knowledge they garnered from passengers that they would probably never have garnered in the lower classes, any networking success, any globetrotting miles-accumulating friends they made etc."

"I met Aubrey de Grey once at the airport and he was quite friendly (surprisingly, I was the only one in that flight to recognize him despite his resemblance to Rasputin)! Unfortunately Mr. de Grey was in the front rows travelling in style, while I was in the back and we had to cut short our conversation once he boarded the plane."

Comments seen below zanzibar's post appear to dispel this myth that business class is a great place to network.

"I've never talked to anyone or seen anyone talking in C/F unless they were family," one wrote.

"Most of the time when I fly I am trying to catch up on sleep. I don't enjoy conversation with my seatmate when I am trying to relax or to sleep," wrote another.

"And on many aircraft, such as the pod configuration on AC, there is almost no opportunity to engage in conversation with others."

Another user pointed out that the people who fly business class are not automatically more useful people to network with: "Are you suggesting that the passengers of the 'lower classes' are not as intelligent as those flying in F/C?! One of the most well-travelled FTers is a young Canadian who I believe has never sat in F/C during any of his visits to 100+ countries, but who contributes to many conversations here. I don't consider him to be less intelligent because of the way he chooses to use his miles."

"F/C passengers are just like the Y passengers, some are nice, some are a-holes."

Another commenter broke the situation down into two ideas: "In my experience, people in the 'comfortable' classes on aeroplanes are less inclined to be talkative, not more. I'm not sure why that is, but two reasons come to mind."

"One is simply that everyone is less close together so there's less need to be 'co-operative' in ways that are required in Economy – you don't have to disturb people so much when you get out of your seat, you're less likely to knock people accidentally, you don't have to help with things like passing a food tray back to the cabin crew, and so on and so on."

"Another reason, I think, is that a higher proportion of people travelling in Economy are going on holidays whereas many people who travel in First or Business are travelling for business and, as such, are less likely to be chatty with strangers."

Finally, one user wrote: "Not to sound like a snob – because I am a very nice guy. I spend most of my waking time on a phone, in meetings, and on the computer (like right now, this is my transition to sleep period)...My day begins at 6am taking care of e-mails I missed in Asia and I have to finalize the Europe ones before they close and begin business in the US. There's the day-to-day flying around, meetings, approvals, etc. In the evening, Asia opens and the 101 questions arrive in e-mails, I don't get to bed until 2am/3am and it all begins again...it's non-stop."

"Some of airlines have a bar/lounge area - THAT'S where you can go talk. I just think people don't want to chat, maybe it's me. You now make me wonder, I haven't met those eager to chat unless it was a destination like from Paris to Papetee (via LAX), where you will find honeymooners, then they will start to talk ...this was a good question."

"Come to think about it, most of my discussions happen in the lounge before take-off, usually the 'where you headed, where did you stay, etc.'

Frequent flyer and founder of Flight Hacks Immanuel Debeer also weighed in on this topic, telling DMARGE those who fly business typically do so for the retreat-like feels – not to network: “Most people in the lounge want to keep to themselves and in business class, the reality is that most people are company men and women who’s employer paid for them to fly in business.”

“It’s not like every seat is taken up by some hot entrepreneur, well on their way to becoming the next Google or Facebook.”

“That said, of course, it’s fine to strike up conversations with other people (and there are plenty of nice and interesting people travelling in any class) as long as you can read social clues and know when your small talk isn’t appreciated."

David Beckham & Son Show Off The Coolest Football Kit To Own In 2021

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

When it came time for Inter Miami to unveil their latest kit, they probably didn't have to think twice about who'd they'd get to model it: David Beckham.

The 45-year-old football legend, who partially owns the club, has proven to be quite a hands-on owner, investing a huge amount of not only his money but his time, celebrity and energy into making the fledgling MLS team a success.

Enlisting Beckham as a model must have been a no-brainer – and he's turned out to be a package deal. He brought his second-eldest son, 18-year-old Romeo, along for the ride. Father and son looked crisp and at ease in Inter Miami's dapper-looking kit, with Romeo getting the honour of debuting the team's 2021/2022 jersey: a subtly patterned black number that might just be the coolest colours not only in the MLS but in the entire football world. Big call, we know.

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The 2021/2022 "La Palma" jersey is a stark, bold black: a negative of the team's inaugural white kit. Unlike that kit, which was purely monochromatic, the "La Palma" jersey's black is complemented by pink highlights: a playful twist. But it's not just blocked colour: the jersey features a subtle palm pattern throughout, which the club describes as "a symbol of unity, triumph, longevity, victory, royalty and honour."

It's a unique design choice that sets Inter Miami's kit apart from the rest of the MLS, whose teams have long been criticised by football fans as having uninspired, corporate designs. That said, not all MLS teams' 2021/2022 kits are snorefests: league champions Philadelphia Union's new look – which features a lightning-bolt graphic plus a unique sky blue and yellow colour scheme – is pretty wild.

Things haven't been easy for Inter Miami, perhaps unsurprisingly. Having your inaugural season in 2020, a year marred by the COVID-19 crisis, economic woes and political tension, would be tough for any club. As it stands, Inter Miami ended the 2020 MLS season 19th out of 26th on the ladder. Still, if you can survive that baptism of fire, you can survive anything.

Especially when you look that cool.

‘Risqué’ Reason This Tuscan Retreat Has Been Named One Of 2021’s Best

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

The likes of Australia and New Zealand may look tricky to get to (if not off-limits completely) for European residents for the rest of 2021, but there's still plenty to do closer to home, for Those In That Latitude.

EasyJet Traveller Magazine has just released its list of the 10 most incredible travel experiences for 2021. There were a few cool canaries among them (from cow cuddling in the Netherlands to a wild swimming experience in Slovenia).

The most iconic summer pick of the lot, however, was an Italian hideaway slated to be a big hit in 2021: Naked the Retreat. According to Woman & Home the place's burgeoning success comes amid a greater trend.

"Not only are nudist beaches and nudist holidays more popular than ever, but this retreat offers a way to get in touch with your emotions and feel liberated while ditching the constraints of clothing."

Brainchild of Simon and Dara Stara, the Tuscan retreat aims to foster body positivity and self-liberation, promising to "reboot... your greatness" via "a dance with darkness, anger, and dirt."

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A post shared by Exploring Italy (@exploring.italy)

"Dive into the depth of you. Strip yourself bare, take off what you don’t need. Let go and liberate."

Whether that sentiment has you running for the Tuscan (or figurative) Hills is up to you.

The retreat will take place from the 14th to the 23rd of September 2021, in a "charming and exclusive villa that has hosted our last magnificent experience so we decided to return."

"The 10 days are fully packed with transformative practices, liberating movement, communication exercises and exploration of touch and connection. Be prepared to deeply immerse yourself, be challenged and liberated in a safe space."

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At the time of writing, applications are still open for men. Women's places are closed though, with a message on the website reading: "Women's spaces closed, however, please apply for waiting list if you are flexible and spontaneous."

EasyJet Traveller Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Jonny Ensall, TravMedia reports, said of the list, “easyJet Traveller's Best-Of is all about celebrating the travel experiences that matter – things that are unusual, delicious, funny, moving and, most importantly, real."

As reported by TravMedia, eastJet Traveller Magazine's full list of top travel experiences for 2021 is as follows:

Best room with a view

Zero Real Estate, near Zurich

Best dry ski slope

Copenhill, Copenhagen

Best bridge

Footbridge over Vøringsfossen Waterfall, near Oslo

Best underwater museum

Peristera, near Volos

Best biking trail

Cycling Through the Trees, near Brussels

Best non-alcoholic cocktail

Let's Talk About Sekt, Baby, Berlin

Best avocado restaurant

Avobar, London

Best wild swimming school

Strel Swimming Adventures, near Ljubljana

Best rooftop farm

Nature Urbaine, Paris

Best garment-free getaway

NAKED The Retreat, near Pisa

Best animal therapy

Kastanje Hoeve cow cuddling, near Amsterdam

Best sleepover

Sleeping with Sharks at Oceanogràfic Valencia, Valencia

Kevin Hart Casually Rocks $260,000 Audemars Piguet Watch With Trackpants & Hoodie

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

Kevin Hart is walking proof that consistency is key to success.

The 41-year-old comedian has parlayed his signature brand of high-strung, neurotic comedy into a multi-million dollar Hollywood career, becoming one of America's most popular comics. In recent years he's also become a producer, a podcast host... And a rather convincing style icon.

From pattern-heavy summer looks to proving that short men can look good in a suit, Hart has a keen eye for style. But there's one combination the man consistently gravitates back towards, as well as one watch in particular: Hart loves wearing matching casualwear, he loves retro Nike sneakers, and he loves the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Don't believe us? All you need to do is take a quick look at his Instagram.

A few hours ago, Hart shared this photo of him looking staunch in an all-grey John Elliott hoodie and trackpants combo; pink Nike Daybreak sneakers on his feet; and his much-loved Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked (ref. 15407OR.OO.1220OR.01) on his wrist. It's a great outfit: the pink sneakers and pink gold watch (which is worth a hefty 260,000 AUD) offset his clothes perfectly.

Ironically, just a day before he shared a photo of a virtually identical outfit – if not in colour then in composition. That outfit consisted of a brown hoodie and trackpants; mustard yellow Nike Daybreaks; but this time, his Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph (ref. 26331OR.OO.D821CR.01): a slightly less expensive example of the coveted sports watch that'll only set you back around 70,000 AUD. 'Only'.

Two similar outfits on subsequent days? If it works, it works, we guess... Must be nice having so many APs, too.

These two outfits are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Hart's love affair with comfy fits, Nike kicks and of course, the AP Royal Oak. He also shared a video of himself this week where he's wearing a Dior track top, Nike Dunk sneakers and yet another Royal Oak, a stainless steel model on a red rubber strap.

And that's not all: last year on his 41st birthday the funnyman was spotted wearing a white ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (ref. 26579CB.OO.1225CB.01), a white Thom Browne hoodie and a triple-white pair of Sacai x Nike LDV Waffle sneakers. The man's nothing if not consistent.

In other Kevin Hart news, the multi-disciplinarian has announced that he's teaming up with director John Hamburg (of Meet the Parents fame) for a new Netflix comedy film titled Me Time. He's also set to star in the upcoming comedy film The Man From Toronto this year, as well as in the upcoming drama Fatherhood.

‘Crazy’ Business Class Gamble Gives Stranded Australians A Rare Shot At Getting Home

February 28, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

Thousands of words have been spilt over the plight of Australians stranded overseas. One expert 'points hacker' may have the answer. For those brave enough, that is...

Immanuel Debeer, founder (and chief points nerd) at Flight Hacks recently took to Instagram with a radical 'proposed route' of getting to Australia, if you are currently languishing abroad.

"If you’re stuck overseas and are game to travel hack your way back to Australia in style... this one’s for you. Here’s what you need to do," Debeer wrote on Instagram.

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A post shared by Immanuel Debeer (@flighthacks)

Head over to Expedia.it (yes the Italian site, more on that later).
Run a multi city search: KRT-DXB-(your Australian city of choice) in business.
Buy a ticket to Dubai from wherever you live (no need to use Expedia.it, whatever is cheapest). This is your “positioning flight”. Could use points for this as it offers extra flexibility.

"Total cost will be around €1500, depending on how much it costs to fly to Dubai. (Dubai to Sydney is €722 with this hack!)"

"Here’s the cool part. Naturally, you don’t want to go to Sudan to start the itinerary. Good thing is that our Italian bureaucrats are batting for your team! As long as your ticket is sold in Italy you can skip legs of your flight without the whole flight being cancelled!"

"This means you can no-show for KRT-DXB, call the airline and explain you missed the flight but will catch the Dubai-Australia one instead. Boom [you're] now you’re on your way to enjoy 2 weeks prison camp in Australia."

Debeer admits there are "potential risks" to his plan ("my theory might be completely wrong") and says, "Emirates might cancel your flight last minute meaning you spend money to get to Dubai for nothing. Etc etc."

"Any way, who knows. This might help some crazy person. Bookings available starting at the end of April from what I can see."

Some Instagram commenters on Debeer's page loved it, others remained unconvinced.

"Looks good," one wrote, "but I think it will be very difficult to get the itinerary restored after you miss the first leg."

"That’s why you need to book with Expedia Italy and preferably on Emirates because they specifically acknowledge the Italian law which allows you to skip legs," Debeer responded.

"However you’re right. If they cancel your flight there might be no tickets with the same pricing available."

In other words: risky but possible.

As for the amount of interest from actual stuck-abroad expats, Debeer told DMARGE he has "had a few messages" but he's "not sure they will actually try it."

[caption id="attachment_283636" align="alignnone" width="920"] Image: DMARGE screenshot.[/caption]

When DMARGE attempted to follow the steps outlined above on Friday the 26th of February, just days after Debeer's post, every date we tried (we gave it a good 10 shots before returning to our Espresso Martinis) we tried from the end of April onwards pinged us with a "scusa" message.

"We searched for flights operated by the over 400 airlines we work with, but we couldn't find any Business flights matching the criteria set."

There were one way Dubai to Sydney tickets still available in business class (at the time of writing), but the cheapest of these we could see cost 1,672 euros.

So: it appears either Debeer's deal is no longer valid (these loopholes are often short-lived) or hundreds of expats got in before us and jumped on the offer (unlikely, but who knows...).

With thousands of Australians abroad having been inexplicably shafted by airlines and forced to book business class anyway (to have a hope at getting home), maybe Debeer's strategy isn't as mad as it seems?

The wait for the next 'hack' continues.

Watch Expert’s Radical Proposal To Solve The ‘Rolex Drought’

February 27, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

Everyone's heard of Rolex – it's the world's most well-known watchmaker and luxury brand. What you might not have heard is that Rolex dealers worldwide are experiencing one of the biggest stock shortages in recent memories, which has been dubbed by many as the 'Rolex drought'.

Rolex has always been popular but the explosion of interest in luxury watches in recent years means that the divide between supply and demand has never been greater. Rolex can't make enough to meet demand... Or at least that's what they say.

The end result is that authorised dealers (ADs) absolutely trickle out stock, meaning that unless you've built up a 'relationship' with them (i.e. have been a high-spending, return customer) your chances of getting your hands on any Rolex other than the absolutely least popular models at retail is close to nil. Either that or sit on a waiting list for years, with no guarantee of being able to buy a watch at the end.

The only other option is to go to the aftermarket – where the prices are extortionate – or try travelling around the globe to countries where the demand for popular models isn't quite as intense. In any case, the current situation prices a lot of Rolex fans out of the market, something that's hard to swallow considering Rolexes are hardly cheap in the first place.

Some experts, such as WatchPro’s Rob Corder, reckon the current 'Rolex drought' will ease within the next two years. Others aren't quite so optimistic. Luxury has always been tied to exclusivity and many watch fans argue Rolex arguably benefits from the drought. But this uneasy, unfair reality can only last so long – as The Truth About Watches' Joseph Adams puts it, "unhappy dealers and frustrated customers do not a long term future make."

But Adams has a radical proposal to solve this current dilemma. His suggestion? Rolex should stop controlling their prices and let ADs markup watches however they like.

[caption id="attachment_283576" align="alignnone" width="920"] Image: John Keeble/Getty[/caption]

"Watch manufacturers should take a page from the car industry and encourage their dealers to mark up desirable watches to the moon," he argues.

"If manufacturers allow dealers to mark up watches to what the market will bear it would solve the current shortage in one fell swoop. Suddenly, instead of buying a new-in-box gray market Rolex Daytona on Chrono24, you could walk into your local watch store and buy it yourself. As a buyer, you’d get all the benefits of purchasing an authorized watch, with full manufacturer support and known provenance."

Adams puts it this way: waiting lists are a fool's game, developing a 'relationship' with an AD is "an authorized watch dealer markup by another name... [just] no price transparency", and suggests that there's no real difference between getting screwed by an AD or a third party seller when it comes to price markups. Indeed, paying these aftermarket prices just encourages this toxic system we already find ourselves in. He concludes dramatically:

"Dealer markups create an equitable system. They reduce access to a simple metric that everybody can understand. Every other way of selling sought-after watches is cronyism of the worst sort... All of us – from the manufacturer to the consumer – should embrace it."

[caption id="attachment_283646" align="alignnone" width="920"] The first page of results for the Rolex Daytona 40mm in Oystersteel (ref. 116500LN) on Chrono24. Prices on the platform for this watch average around 40,000 AUD; Rolex retails the watch for 18,500 AUD.[/caption]

While I'm loathe to trust a publication who once suggested I finance terrorism (a spectacular example of missing the point, but a good laugh nonetheless), Adams does have a point.

Part of the reason Rolex's watches are so unbelievably popular is because of the difficulty of obtaining them, beyond simply the dollars spent. It's the allure of being theoretically accessible, but in practice being incredibly inaccessible.

We've used the comparison before, but it's like how Supreme operates. The cult clothing label's deliberately arcane system of unannounced product releases, intentionally low stock levels, minimal retail presence, actively unhelpful customer support and willingness to turn a blind eye to the aftermarket have inarguably been crucial to the brand's notoriety.

If Rolex ADs were allowed to mark up their watches, not only would it make the entire process of buying a Rolex more transparent (and far less glamorous), but it might let the free hand of the market force an equilibrium.

Or it could make things worse. Rolexes are what economists call a 'Veblen good': a type of luxury good for which the demand for it increases as the price increases in a contradiction of the fundamental law of demand. If ADs just raise their prices, it might just make the aftermarket go even higher. It's a zero-sum game where Rolex fans are the loser.

Of course, the easiest solution to the 'drought' would be for Rolex to make more watches. They've certainly got the funds in order to scale up, but so far it seems they've been reluctant to do so. The current situation might be less than ideal, but any change to the status quo could be disastrous for Rolex. They're quite happy to sit pretty.

Maybe the real solution is for watch fans to just seek out different brands. Rolex doesn't have a monopoly on making luxurious, fashionable sports watches...

Man Risks Cholesterol Poisoning To Taste 255 Restaurants, 37 Michelin Stars, In One Year

February 26, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

We all want to forget 2020. Financial hardships, a ban on international travel and being made to feel inadequate compared to one particularly confident New York Casanova, we can all recall several negatives from the turn of the new decade.

But for some, 2020 provided the perfect opportunity to actually experience their hometown, country or wherever they happened to find themselves before international borders came thundering down. For years we've neglected our own backyards in favour of exploring new cultures further afield, yet the pandemic has proven that should no longer be the case.

Somewhere that is especially true is the innercity food scene. The culinary metropolises are home to hundreds and thousands of restaurants, many of which become long-time favourites of regular diners. Yet, with so much competition, some can go unnoticed.

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One man who decided to truly explore the food scene during lockdown was Jon Lu. According to CNN Travel, Jon Lu, a 25-year-old American software engineer, found himself in Singapore when international travel came to a standstill. Arriving the previous August in 2019, Lu says he "didn't start truly living in Singapore until March 2020" – the same time the COVID-19 virus was declared a pandemic.

CNN Travel reports Lu has since "visited a total of 255 food and beverage establishments including cafes and hawker stalls, covering 30 Michelin-rated restaurants with 37 Michelin stars collectively."

When Singapore went into a partial lockdown, forcing businesses to close and for in-house dining to become obsolete, Jon Lu jumped at the chance to experience some of the city's most decadent offerings, choosing to order takeaway from highly-rated restaurants that would normally command a months-long waiting list.

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However, keen to remain grounded, Lu has also visited plenty of venues without Michelin stars and found them to be seriously impressive. In fact, his most-visited venue in Singapore, a two-year-old avant-garde restaurant called Preludio, has precisely zero stars.

In case you were wondering, Jon Lu has visited Preludio nine times.

Such culinary fun doesn't come without responsibility, however. In early May, Lu, told CNN Travel, he started having issues with his vision.

"Doctors diagnosed him with retinal vein occlusion, caused by extremely elevated LDL cholesterol levels – presumably a result of the foodie's dining habits over the preceding seven-month period of intensive traveling and eating before the lockdown."

Fortunately Lu, with the help of local specialists, got himself healthy again. He treated the vision symptoms and started running every day as well as going on a low cholesterol diet for two months.

Lu's health issues were eventually resolved... "just a few weeks after dining in was allowed [again] under the city's second reopening phase" (CNN Travel). Naturally, "he started populating his calendar with reservations again."

Duty calls, we suppose.

Keen to find out how the food scenes of other global cities have been affected by the pandemic, DMARGE reached out to some influential critics to get the inside scoop.

Haley Paez, owner of Mile High & Hungry, an account dedicated to discovering the best eats on offer in Denver, Colorado, says her city has been significantly affected by the pandemic, with over 100 restaurants and food outlets being forced to permanently close.

"One of our favourites that closed was a Mediterranean spot, Gozo. It had a lovely aesthetic with huge windows and a fresh farm to table offering," she told DMARGE.

"I would say we are devastated to see such places leave, but others have stepped up and continued to diversify our scene with pop ups. People still want to cook and create community through food."

"Pandemic Doughnuts is now a beloved doughnut shop of Denver that came from two line cooks that lost their job."

While Haley and her team focus their efforts on discovering new places to eat in just Denver, she adds that with restaurants having to close, "it has allowed us to diversify the business we showcase."

"We have worked with creating recipes using local ingredients like bread, spreads, cookies and other individually sold products or home products."

Just as Jon Lu used his time in Singapore to seek out new establishments, DMARGE asked Mile High & Hungry what their favourite new places were. Overseas (or at least, overseas from Canada) cuisines are certainly in.

"Some of the best came from us trying to find Birria tacos in Denver, we have seen hype about these tacos all over the Internet so it was our quest to find them here," Haley begins.

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"Kike's Red Tacos is a food truck that stays at a non-active gas station in the northern neighbourhood of the city, LoHi. They are fishing out tacos, burritos, nachos and even ramen with their Birria."

"Another spot is a pop up within an established spot, BurroRito is the day spot to Taco Tequila Whiskey. Their mushroom burrito has a layer of toasted cheese that makes this vegetarian taco a hefty, delicious burrito for any meat-eater." Salivating yet? Just us?

Other favourites include a mother and daughter-run catering company slinging Syrian and Iraqi-inspired dishes, and a breakfast diner run by a husband and wife team that sells "flapjacks that taste like a pancake and gooey cinnamon roll all in one."

What Haley and her team have found really beneficial from their time focusing on their own backyard is being able to speak to the chefs behind the dishes.

"We actually love speaking with the masterminds behind each dish, probably the most out of all that goes into being a food influencer," Haley relates.

"We have heard from chefs trying to push Denver into the upper echelon of the food capitals in the US. Denver and Boulder have a couple of tasting menu and exclusive dining experiences, with chefs bringing Michelin star dining experiences to the mountains."

"Konro doesn't tell guests where the restaurant is until 24 hours or less before dining. It's located in an apartment. Guest is another tasting menu experience in an unexpecting house."

"It's these hidden kitchens that are very exciting. They want to show people that food is vastly different than just what we know it to look like. But they want to keep those familiar and comforting flavours while showcasing them in novel ways."

Speaking of the future for Denver's food scene, Haley finishes by saying, "Overall, my team and I are super excited about the future of Denver and proud of the resilience that we have seen from the food industry in the city."

"Even during this difficult time, restaurants are still supporting front line workers with fresh meals and being allies for those that have lost their job in the industry."

We'll eat to that.

South Korean Hotel Apologises To Honeymooners For Embarrassing Sauna Mistake

February 26, 2021DMARGE, fashion, mens fasionNo comments

Newlyweds tend to look for somewhere private for their honeymoon. One couple, who recently stayed at a new five-star hotel on Korea's Jeju Island, recently found out the hard way you don't always get what you pay for.

The hotel has come under fire (and since apologised) for saying its sauna windows were mirror coated when they weren't.

"Naked guests in the shower booths and bathrooms in the sauna on the second floor could be seen from the first floor at [the hotel], which opened last month in Seogwipo," The Korea Herald reports.

"According to a complaint posted on a portal site Tuesday, a man who stayed at the hotel on his honeymoon said his wife had used the sauna several times because she was told the windows were mirror coated."

The couple discovered the windows were see-through on the last day of their two-night stay, while walking around the hotel and looking into the sauna from the outside.

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"My wife and I were shocked to find this out. The thought that we might have used bathrooms and showers in front of many people gives me chills and we're getting therapy treatment," the man wrote.

“You could even see the writing on the thermometer inside the sauna."

The hotel expressed condolences on its website later that day, writing it had closed the sauna and begun fixing the problem.

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"We're deeply sorry for causing any inconveniences to our customers in using some facilities at the women's sauna... suite for missing mirror coating for some windows and [problems in] operating the blinds," read the statement on the hotel's website, posted on February the 18th.

"The sauna's operation has been suspended and we're closely checking deficiencies and taking immediate action to correct them."

The hotel also apologised on Instagram.

CNN Travel reports that police are now going through CCTV footage, "to determine if anyone was exposed while using the facilities or if anyone was taking illicit pictures or video from outside."

[caption id="attachment_283603" align="alignnone" width="920"] Image: DMARGE screenshot.[/caption]

Being new, the hotel doesn't have many Google reviews. The three that currently exist though are all, perhaps unsurprisingly, negative.

Booking.com still rates it 5-stars. So who knows, maybe all publicity is good publicity? Only time (and room booking rates) will tell.

Sunday 28 February 2021

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