Father's Day, which falls in mid-June, coincides with an increase in outdoor activities. If your dad enjoys backpacking, fishing, forest bathing, etc., maybe he could use a little upgrade to his campfire cooking. Swap out that worn-out plastic cooler for one from Oyster, a Norwegian company that launched a shiny aluminum vacuum-insulated version last year. Japanese gear manufacturer Snow Peak sells a titanium cup and pot set that's made with attention to detail. The two items fit together so they don't take up much space in your backpack. The pot's lid has a silicone tab that keeps it from getting hot, so you won't even need oven mitts. (When you're carrying your kitchen to the mountains, every ounce counts.) To ease your dad's mind with meal planning, gift him vegan camping meals from Poe & Co. Folk Foods, founded last year by California-based chef-couple Jamie and Jason Poe. (She cooked at New York's Gramercy Tavern, and he at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara.) Their dishes include black garlic ramen and coconut chickpea stew, which can be eaten with just a little boiling water.
Western items
Music, Books, and More for the Cowboy at Heart
Even if your dad isn't a Beyoncé fan, he may be happy to note that interest in the American West is rekindling across the country. Fuel his enthusiasm with a gift fit for a modern cowboy. Photojournalist Ivan McClellan spent 10 years traveling to places like the nation's oldest black rodeo in Oklahoma and the Los Angeles ranch of the Compton Cowboys for his book, “Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture.” The resulting work, published by Damiani Books, offers a nuanced look at classic American archetypes. Music fans will enjoy the new album from Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers Hermanos Gutierrez. Their guitar soundscapes are like a psychedelic spaghetti western. “Sonido Cosmico” is available for preorder and will ship the week of June 14. For an authentic game of Texas Hold'em, check out artist Matt McCormick's deck of cards featuring a lasso-wielding cowpuncher. And whether your dad's style is city or country, vintage Levis are always a reliable option. Meg Young of online retailer Jean Genie Vintage sources denim that's more than 20 years old and lists detailed measurements for each pair of jeans to ensure the perfect fit.
My husband's dream of learning the piano will probably remain a dream for as long as we have small children, but in the meantime, I bought him a pocket synthesizer to play with. First released in 1968, the Stylophone is an electronic instrument played with small metal keys and an attached stylus. It was the first mass-produced synthesizer and has been used by musicians and bands such as David Bowie (who plays it briefly on 1969's “Space Oddity”) and Kraftwerk (1981's “Pocket Calculator” ends with a Stylophone solo). Like everything in our apartment, the synth now belongs to my son, but for a kid's toy, it's surprisingly well-made: it's sturdy (musicians, like toddlers, are not known for being gentle with their objects) and the sound is strangely pleasant, with a richness and undulation that belies its compact size.
Decoration Tour
Inside the British film director's famous seaside cottage
British artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman's garden on the coast of Kent, England, is the picture of abundance. Tented from 1986, when Jarman was diagnosed with AIDS, until his death in 1994, its unfenced shrubs and wildflowers have been documented by photographers both professional and amateur. But the interior of Prospect Cottage, a black-tarred former fishing hut that was Jarman's second home and the centrepiece of his garden, was closed to the public after his death by a screen hung by his housemate Keith Collins, who cherished the property until his sudden death in 2018. That year, photographer Gilbert McCargher, Collins' longtime neighbour in Kent, set out to visually document what the property looked like when the two lived there together. The results are collected in Prospect Cottage: The Home of Derek Jarman, a new book showcasing more than 160 of McCargher's private photographs, as well as his insights and musings. Fans of the filmmaker now have their first chance to explore Jarman's distinctive interior décor, much of which reflects his cottage setting along the English Channel coast, with sea glass sculptures, driftwood carvings and wreaths made from beach pebbles. While there's plenty for film buffs to get excited about (one image includes clapboards from Jarman's 1979 film adaptation of Shakespeare's “The Tempest,” while another shows a prop helmet from Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1982 film “Keller”), you don't need your dad to be a film buff to appreciate the home Jarman created by the windswept seaside.
Retrofit
TAG Heuer and Kiss' Revived Watch
Ronnie Fieg, founder of American fashion brand Kiss, is an avid watch collector. The watch that sparked his interest was a 28mm TAG Heuer Formula One, given to him at the age of 12 by his mother, who worked as a salesperson at the Tourneau boutique in New York. Introduced in 1986, it was the first timepiece to bear the TAG Heuer name, a year after Luxembourg holding company Technique d'Avant-Garde acquired the Swiss watchmaker Heuer. Both companies sponsored auto racing teams (Ferrari and Williams, respectively), from which the Formula One name was inspired. The dials feature quartz movements and fiberglass cases, while the plastic straps come in a variety of vibrant contrasting colors, making them an appealing and relatively inexpensive option for young watch enthusiasts. Now, Fieg has come full circle, with Kiss partnering with TAG Heuer to relaunch the Formula One series. Like the originals, the 10 new styles come in a vibrant, Piet Mondrian-esque palette of primary colors (and black and white). To maintain the character of the watches, TAG Heuer retained the original case maker for the 1986 edition and used the same molds; however, the 2024 edition features some updates: the original's plastic crystal has been upgraded to sapphire, and the plastic strap has been replaced with rubber (a stainless steel bracelet is also offered). Most noticeable is the first edit of TAG Heuer's pentagonal logo; each watch's pinstripe dial now reads “Kith Heuer.”
Brooches have made a comeback in a way that never feels out of date. Actor Simu Liu wore a De Beers diamond brooch at the Oscars, and actor and musician Donald Glover wore a Cartier panther pin at the Met Gala, showcasing the accessory's potential to complement a suit. But these pieces also work happily with winter coats and, on the smaller side, baseball caps. Jil Sander's Alexander Calder-inspired enamel pins make a statement with their size, but their flat shape and neutral color mean they won't stand out too much when pinned to a knit. British designer Grace Wales Bonner's colorful compass brooch features hand-painted recycled beads from Ghana and looks pretty cool hanging near a suit pocket. Dolce & Gabbana's crystal-embellished daisies work well with a tuxedo, and Thom Browne's preppy lobster tie bar could easily be pinned to a hat or lapel. To find vintage items and pieces that suit your dad's tastes, like an Edwardian wishbone or a Victorian tennis brooch, we recommend checking out 1stDibs or eBay.
Quick Fix
Addictive Multi-Tools and Japanese Toolboxes
For dads who appreciate a tidy home, the Hoto Compressed Air Capsule falls into the “I didn't know I needed it, but now I have it” category. It can vacuum, blow, inflate, and vacuum, making it a handy tool for car interiors, dusting laptop keyboards, and conserving space with enclosed storage. At about 6.5 inches long, it fits easily into a toolbox. But which toolbox should it fit in? Gift him the Toyo Steel Toolbox, made from a single sheet of steel sourced in Osaka, Japan. Available in a variety of colors and sizes, from light coral to deep moss green to classic titanium. The petite mountain-shaped Toolbox Y-350 doubles as an art supplies case or lunch box for dad who's always on the go. Meanwhile, the sturdy Toyo Cantilever Toolbox ST-350 will make a durable token of appreciation for the personal handyman in your life.