For the man or woman looking for a fabulous pair of loafers, life is of course very easy: go to GUCCI. These, in pebble grain leather, are from the 1953 line and are embellished with a golden horse bit. (GUCCI make their loafers in rubber as well. Gorgeous! But more for Summer, of course.)

While waiting for MISSONI‘s Milan show this Sunday afternoon I photographed three pairs of the fabulous ‘Auckland Racer’ shoes that MISSONI has made with CONVERSE. The most colourful pair seen here is worn by editor and friend CARLO ANTONELLI. The dark ones are my own, while the blonde pair is worn by what was very likely a handsome member of the MISSONI family (he was also wearing a great jumper by the brand). The shoes are still available here and there and only cost 250€ but might even end up in the sales around this time.

The above photo is from American photographer RON JUDE’s series ‘Executive Model’. RON spent three years in the early ’90s chasing men from building to building in the financial district’s of Atlanta, Chicago, New York and San Francisco, taking quick, anonymous photos from a few feet away. An act that would hardly seem out of place today – we’ve all taken a snapshot of a stranger with our phones at one point or another. The series has recently be published as book from the Swedish imprint LIBRARYMAN and is available for the price of 640 SEK or approximately €74.

It’s a terrible thing to smoke – smoking kills, is bad for one’s skin, hurts unborn babies, etc. – but the admiration of an ashtray as a handsome design object can be such a pleasure. And in fact with most smokers smoking outside these days, the once-ubiquitous ashtray has been relegated to a purely aesthetic object, much like land-line telephones and pepper and salt shakers. Time for a heads up for the dodo-esque ashtray. This green glass sculpture, found at KRAMER KUNST & ANTIEK, an antiques store in Amsterdam’s Spiegelkwartier, is really nice and desirable (it’s only 35 euros and Christmas is coming) and serves as inspiration for some more ashtray action, later this week.

Here’s a tip from the department of self care: TOM FORD’s brand-new line of creams, concealer, lip balm and – pictured here – a mud mask, called TOM FORD FOR MEN.