Steven Alan is on a mission. The designer made a name for himself outfitting New York's downtown set in his namesake wears; he has since expanded nationwide as well as internationally through the likes of a recent collaboration with Uniqlo. And now Alan is teaming up with none other than Richard Branson. "Steven Alan is currently Down Under, working on a project with V Australia -- Richard Branson's new airline," says Valet. "Alan's traveling around the country getting the full treatment and gathering inspiration for his idea of the perfect travel bag, which will sell at his NYC and LA stores." In the meantime, Alan's project will be taking on an interactive bend; specifically prospective shoppers can offer feedback on Alan's choice of materials, shape, etc.

Back in the states, Band of Outsiders' Scott Sternberg just debuted a new collection exclusive to Barneys New York (it's currently stocked at six of the store's locations). Titled "No Bunk! No Junk!," Sternberg's collection is meant to "tap into Barney’s heritage," which melds both a classic sense of Wall Street power dressing as well as a more pared down version of European chic. The collection includes solely black and white pieces and centers around basics. Think staples that aren't too sleek: "a basic black suit in not-so-basic corduroy; a leather jacket that doesn’t take itself too seriously; and a plaid shirt that’s just ... a really great-fitting plaid shirt," says GQ. Altogether, it's a collection Sternberg sums up as " very American -- with the proportions that make fat guys hate me."