Hi again and welcome back to Colbo blog.

The seasons are a-changin’, as they so often do. It sure feels like winter’s over - 70 degrees, here we come.

I’ve been barely surviving the humidity but most people are enjoying the weather because, frankly, it actually is pretty nice. It’s better sunny than rainy, though I’ll be complaining plenty come summer - no ty to 90 degree heat.

But, in the meantime, enjoy spring. Iced coffee, outdoor seating, books in the sun. Can’t beat it.

Here at Colbo, new deliveries (and said iced coffee) have been rolling in nearly every week.

We’ve got new goods from our in-house collection, including seasonal shirts and lightweight easy pants, some new bits from Irrational Element, Whim Golf, and Adish (including their Small Talk Studios collab!).

It’s not a competition - it’s all good stuff, folks - but if it were, Camiel Fortgens would definitely be high in the running; the first drop from his Spring/Summer 2022 collection just arrived in-store.

Camiel Fortgens is a Dutch designer who’s been making clothes since 2014 after spending time interning at Toogood and studying industrial design.

His clothing refutes gender norms without playing into trends - everything’s inspired by “ordinary” clothing, the kinda stuff that you see on @gramparents or @chinatownpretty but deliberately oversized, finished with top-shelf fabrication, and, occasionally, his signature raw hems.

Some of Camiel’s great shirts - including wild pieces from his Research line - outerwear, and accessories are all here and we shot some of our favorite pieces in mid-March during probably the last snow day of the year ‘til winter.

In the photos, I’ve got one of Irrational Element’s linen bucket hats on, which is cut nice ‘n big so it can even fit my giant dome but the rest (except for pants) is Camiel.

Up top is his perfectly oversized short cotton mackintosh jacket with a contrasting beige lining – matching the raw threads - horn buttons, and giant pockets. Big collar, sleeves, and nice length that just goes below the waist - perfect proportions, if I do say so myself.

This will be your best friend in spring showers - it’s a little water resistant - and dense enough to keep you dry without being too insulating.

Underneath is one of his classic shirts, one of the more accessible items in Camiel’s collection.

Unlike previous seasons that he’s done them, though, the hem is finished.

The stripes kinda give it that ordinary, unassuming feel, like you thrifted some old-school PRL shirt that fits big but in the right way.

Giant chest pocket and little slits on the sides of the hem for easy trouser pocket access - this thing isn’t just cut big for show, there’s real intent behind the design.

This is what Camiel specializes in: taking these kinda understated garments and quietly reconsidering their shape, upgrading the quality, and making them feel special.

As far as bags go, Camiel’s been killing it.

He used to only occasionally dip into bags and such but, in recent seasons, he’s established a sort of signature shape with this shopper-style bag, which features a detachable shoulder strap, clutch handles, and a surprisingly deep body with loads of hidden pockets.

Again, it’s sort of normal but not.

Like, I usually gravitate towards flat shoulder bags as a daily driver but this thing works great, too.

It’s made of sturdy, water-repelling cotton and lined in a rugged canvas, compact enough to be comfortable on the go but substantial enough to handle whatever you wanna toss in there. It has a little metal clasp to keep things secure, too.

And, of course, there’s a little Camiel-branded tag, which is just fun.

All together, it’s really satisfying to juxtapose Camiel’s stuff. Having the shirt under the jacket feels great - the length of each balancing the other, so good - and the bag is a natural complement to the rest.

His clothes feel utilitarian without being anonymous, purpose-driven without being too directional.

That’s really the magic of Camiel, is how everything flows together or even independently.

Come check it out, it’ll make sense. Plus, way more stuff’s en route throughout the season.