The Rake launches its online atelier with stunning limited edition boots from Gaziano & Girling (and much more)

The Rake, my favourite magazine (and I hope yours too) launched its new website some weeks ago and today, as London Collections:Men starts in London, it opens its online atelier at which they will offer many mouthwatering goodies for gentlemen.

And what a start they've got off to with these absolutely stunning 'Urban Commando' boots which are the product of a collaboration between The Rake and Gaziano & Girling. English-made, of course, they must be the most elegant and sexy boots I've ever seen (well, maybe some women's boots are sexier) and I badly want a pair.

In addition (don't read on if you are of a weak disposition), the atelier will offer exclusive Drake's ties in archive fabrics, Parisian patinaed sneakers by a patina artist called Paulus Bolten, an exclusive unstructured Rubinacci hi-twist basketweave Rubinacci travel jacket, signature Rubinacci silk-linen printed scarves, elasticated vintage-inspired Albert Thurston braces and Ludwig Reiter Austrian calf-length boots. Visit The Rake Online for more information and to browse the atelier.

To find out more about Gaziano & Girling click here or visit their shop in Savile Row, London.

The Rake - a magazine for older men of style

The only print men's style magazine that I subscribe to is The Rake. Once only available from Asia at great expense, The Rake is now more readily found in the UK, and at a  lower price than before.

The most obvious attraction is the superb images, often of older men of style. The focus is international with an Asian emphasis, but this is diluted (from a European or US perspective) by the magazine's recognition that menswear is mainly influenced by classic Italian and British styles with their US variations.

At first glance, some of the writing can appear pretentious, but this should be taken as a subtle form of humour and not taken too seriously. The excellence of the information makes it a worthwhile buy; you'll learn a lot about classic and newer menswear labels. These tend to focus on luxury brands and, inevitably, there's a degree of advertorial, but less so than in many men's periodicals.

The Rake is available either in good shops or by subscription from Exquisite Trimmings here - from whom I obtain mine. [Edit January 2015 - please note that I can no longer recommend Exquisite Trimmings as a reliable source of the magazine and I suggest that readers go direct to The Rake for a subscription, click here].