Ape’s Top 10 Of The Month: July 2025
Welcome to Ape to Gentleman’s Top 10 of the Month feature. We have curated the top trends, insights and advice to help you live your best life.
In this instalment, we’ve handpicked 10 essential topics covering everything from the latest fashion drops to boost your wardrobe to exciting new book and wine releases. Whether you’re seeking inspiration for a wardrobe overhaul, eager to enhance your grooming routine, or simply looking for the best and latest releases, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s explore how to make July your most stylish, successful and satisfying month yet.
Drake’s x New Balance Allerdale
Does Drake’s ever miss? The latest in their long line of excellent collaborative endeavours is a Made in England shoe with New Balance.
The collaboration sees the boundary-transcending Allerdale receive a contrast panel upgrade, featuring a tumbled brown leather and pigskin construction, a FuelCell-equipped cup sole, and an Ortholite insole.
Much was made of the Throwing Fits-launched Allerdale a few months ago and, dare we say it, we much prefer the Drake’s version. A limited edition collection launches the shoe with the help of This Country’s Charlie Cooper.
Ukrainian Modernism by Dmytro Soloviov
A timely and culturally significant book for two reasons. Firstly, the very real threat these remarkable buildings face on a daily basis in light of the Russian invasion. Secondly, despite their significance, as a ‘blend of function, avant-garde aesthetics and ingenious design’, they remain largely unrecognised and occupy a difficult place in society due to their soviet origins.
Photographer Dmytro Soloviov has travelled the width and breadth of his native Ukraine, capturing this unique architecture, and the resulting book is fascinating.
De Petrillo
It’s not too late to buy your summer wedding suit. Don’t panic. If you’ve got a bit of cash on you, consider Naples’ finest, De Petrillo.
The namesake brand of Benedetto De Petrillo, who launched his family-run tailoring business in 2006, is firmly rooted in classic Italian tailoring, with a proud emphasis on quality and craftsmanship.
The brand’s SS25 lookbook is a gorgeous mix of colour, subtle patterns, contemporary silhouettes and dashing separates. Even if you can’t land a piece, bookmark it for inspiration.
Manchester International Festival
Running from 3 – 20 July, Factory International (Aviva Studios, if you prefer) and a host of venues across the city will host the 2025 Manchester International Festival.
This year’s event includes an array of arty events, interactive exhibitions and performances, but what’s especially notable about this year’s line-up is the exploration of football and art. Footballing royalty including Eric Cantona, Edgar Davids, Juan Mata and Ella Toone are all involved in genre-transcending collaborations with artists including Ryan Ganger and Hans Ulrich Obrist.
A welcome alternative to the Club World Cup.
See what’s on at factoryinternational.org
OAS SS25
Let Scandi brand OAS pick you out some patterns for the month ahead. Inspired by family summers in Barcelona and initially producing lesser-known espadrilles for friends, Oliver Adam Sebastian’s resort brand has since grown into a year-round affair, catering to swimwear, shirting and various other poolside sartorial needs.
Most importantly, though, the garments are fun. We like the Atlas swim shorts. The shorter the better this year.
Henners British Sparkling Wine
It was English Wine Week last month, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a few bottles courtesy of the award-winning East Sussex winery, Henners. Bottles we’d recommend taking into the month ahead.
Based in Herstmonceux, five miles from the south coast, Henners is a sustainability-forward winery led by an all-female winemaking team that excels in the sparkling stuff. While the winery’s Brut NV is a solid go-to, we were pleasantly taken aback by the Blanc de Blancs (2018).
Buttery and smooth, with a citrus note that cuts through, it’s a bottle worth saving for special occasions.
Secret Trips by Oliver Spencer
It’s hard not to be enticed by an Oliver Spencer-helmed travel magazine that yearns for the old days of Lonely Planet and adventuring without the algorithmic influence of TikTok. We heard Oli discussing the magazine on the latest episode of Monocle’s The Stack podcast, and we very much want in.
Issue two has just launched and features the hotspots of Tokyo, New Orleans’ bar culture, and the world’s best treehouse stays. A celebration of travel by people who’ve been to places.
S.S DALEY at John Lewis
Just in case you didn’t get the memo, S.S DALEY is at John Lewis. That’s right, who said the high street was dead? The Harry Styles-approved brand is now available at Daley’s hometown John Lewis in Liverpool (a welcome excuse to visit, excellent city) and online.
As part of a move to boost the department store’s fashion credentials, we think it’s a valiant effort. We’ve got our eye on the picnic print and striped Turing shirts.
Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser SPF 30
Even when the sun’s behind the clouds, it’s a threat to your skin looking its best. Don’t let overcast skies fool you. Get yourself a solid SPF moisturiser and apply it daily.
We’ve tried a few over recent years and found that Horace’s mattifying face moisturiser provides the all-important protection whilst not being overly thick and heavy.
It’s free of all the bad stuff, vegan-friendly and smells great.
John Smedley Sea Island Cotton Noah Polo Shirt
Despite them having never left, word on Pitti Street is that polo shirts are back. Good news for us as we enjoy pairing them with soft tailoring around this time of the year. Very old-age-pensioner sat around the piazza in Italy vibes.
Moodboards aside, there’s a fine line with a polo: too sporty and you’ll look like someone’s caddy, so opt for something less athletic. John Smedley is an obvious choice in this regard; the British heritage brand’s Noah polo is buttonless and made from luxurious sea island cotton for a timeless, long-lasting fit.
