If the literary counsel “write what you know” is sage advice, then its fashion counterpart, “design what you know,” must be too.  The latter worked for Michael Saiger, 29, founder of American accessories label Miansai, who is adding a new group of weekenders, backpacks, portfolios, totes and dopp kits to his line of casual leather and cord jewelry and small leather goods. “I’m always on the road,” said Mr. Saiger. “I have a feel for what’s functional.”  The sense of adventure inherent in the label’s often nautical-inspired jewelry is echoed in the new bags. The coated canvas was inspired by waterproof rafting bags. The hardware takes cues from rock-climbing’s fixed pins. Marine-grade rope, a Miansai signature, holds straps in place. Mr. Saiger’s aim was to combine fashionable with utilitarian: “It wouldn’t be weird to see these in Yosemite or on a yacht.” The bags, between $205 and $795, available starting May 15, are now on pre-sale at Miansai’s website and New York store.  Mister French, founded by two globe-trotting brothers, Mike and Matt French, respectively 26 and 31 years old, is built around the perfect linen shirt to wear on holiday. “About two years ago, we were planning a trip to Greece and neither of us could find a great-fitting linen shirt,” said Mike. “We decided to create the exact ones we wanted ourselves.”  The result is a collection of linen button-ups that, Mike said, possess a fit that is “trim but not super tight, relaxed but not too loose.”  They are also neither too long, nor too short. So while they’re made to be sported breezily untucked—who in his right mind wants to tuck in a shirt on vacation?—without any schlubby billowing, they can also be securely tucked sans excess waistband bulk.  The Frenches offer the shirts in five colors including white, bright red and an azure blue inspired by the Aegean Sea, both long-sleeved ($148) and short ($133). Each also comes with what the brothers call a “sunset loop,” a loop of fabric inside the placket at the chest, where a guy can hang his sunglasses.  Don’t expect to be seeing office-appropriate Mister French shirts anytime soon. For now, the company is focused on garments meant for any relaxed but chic locale, from Anguilla to Ibiza to Phuket. ”We believe in this idea of the artful vacation,” said Mike. ”We’d love to be the constant source for linen shirts.”
Casual jewelry brand Miansai expands into adventure-inspired weekenders and totes; and new label Mister French aims to offer the ideal vacation-ready casual linen shirt.