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Need it: WANT Les Essentiels De La Vie iPad case

Now that an admirer has spoiled us rotten for our birthday with an iPad 2, it's time we prioritized. First things first, a suitably stylish case for the popular tablet is in order.

Unlike many of the exorbitantly priced sleeves available from the larger luxury brands, we opt for this simple, yet sleek pebble-leather version from Montreal-based WANT Les Essentiels De La Vie because it functions as more than just a second skin.

Not only do subtle gold-embossed logo details and neutral gold and silver hardware keep it both minimal yet refined, but its stationery slots allow it to do double duty as an on-the-go portfolio for when all you need is a business card to show you mean business.

Available now for $325 from SSENSE.

Need it: Victor & Rolf Checkered Blazer

Hmmm . . . look familiar?

We'd like to pretend that the Amsterdam-based design duo Viktor and Rolf took inspiration from our monochromatic background for this stunning wool-blend blazer.  But who are we kidding? We'll extol its virtues anyway.

Wide peak lapels and a sharkskin-like sheen combined with an oversize checkered print makes this jacket playfully formal, ideal with either tuxedo pants and patent lace-ups or black denim and matching velvet or spiked-leather Louboutin loafers.

Either way, this is definitely a serious piece for evening, be it for an elegant gala or an exclusive nightspot where dress code is always in effect —just how we like it.

Available now for $1,985 from Los Angeles' Traffic via Far Fetch. But hurry. Sizes are going fast.

Images: Far Fetch

Want it: Valentino leather trench coat

The trench may be a classic and a men's staple, but let's face it: the standard cotton canvas versions that appear season after season — many with a now-far-too-familiar beige checkered pattern, are becoming so ubiquitous and boring that designers themselves are struggling to make them fresh.


We wrote earlier this summer about Burberry's attempt at reinventing the coated cotton black trench by constructing the sleeves in rugged black leather.

The experiment looked promising in promotional imagery and on the brand's e-tail site, but proved disastrous in person since, unlike the slim-fitting Prorsum line, it was far too frumpy and roomy.

Also disappointing was the dramatic difference in black tones between the fabric and hide. We weren't hoping an exact match, but for more than $2,000, we expected better.

But Valentino does away with that problem altogether by delivering this all-leather knock-out in a colour so creamy it might as well be butterscotch. And we're more than ready to have a taste — even at $8,460.

And, yes, we know what you're thinking.

Sure, trench coats technically are supposed to shield you from the rain. But true luxury is not about storing such a pricey piece in the closet and waiting for the perfect partly cloudy day. It's about fearlessly braving the elements and looking, dare we say it, fabulous doing so.

Besides, if you can afford a trench like this, we don't think you'll need to be walking home in the rain.

Available now at Far Fetch.

Image: Far Fetch

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The incomparable Nick Wooster does. So should you.

Want it: Alexander McQueen Passport Holder

We like the concept of a passport holder, but in practice they can be more hassle than their worth — especially if you're shelling out a minor chunk of change for one from a luxury brand.

That's because most international checkpoints require you to remove the passport from its designer sleeve before handing it to the customs and immigration agent for inspection.

Every passport holder we've tried has fit a little too snugly, making it quite a chore to remove the essential travel document in a hurry.

And when line-ups are long and we need to make a connecting flight, the last thing we want is to waste time or endure the sighs and groans of travellers in the line behind us.

But we're willing to give this black leather one from Alexander McQueen a chance — not only because its gold-embossed logo feeds our obsession with skulls, but because the price point is much lower than those not even made from an animal skin.

Yeah, Louis Vuitton, we're talking smack about you and your coated canvas.

Available now for $220 CDN from SSENSE.

Images: SSENSE

Daily Want: Givenchy Bib-Front Wool Blazer

We only just invested in our first tuxedo, but for years we continuously searched for a more affordable alternative to the formal wear staple — anything to avoid rentals.

Alas, we never found it until now, just two months too late.

Nevertheless, the bib detail on the front of this Givenchy wool blazer does double duty as both tuxedo shirt and jacket.

The lack of silk-satin detailing is actually an advantage because it offers the opportunity to make a statement with a stand-out neckwear piece, say, for example, a ceramic bowtie by Italian brand Cor Sine Lab Doli. Just keep the rest simple with a PWS — perfect white shirt.

Available now at Mr. Porter for $875, a steal and a far cry from the $3,000+ it will cost you for the full two-piece production.

Image: Mr.Porter