In 2020, the cachet of a brand is no longer measured by wannabe influencers who may live in Australia but curiously have tens of thousands of Russian followers. Nor is it necessarily what’s making its way down (virtual) runways.

Anyone who’s anyone these days is looking at collaborations. Labels are eyeing one another off like hormonal adolescents at a middle school prom and asking whether their potential hook up partner makes them cooler than they already are. Or not.

Rimowa luggage and Supreme teamed up brilliantly. As did Dior and Nike with the recent Jordans. Another duo that recently caught the eye was Mr Porter (online boutique to those in the know) and Saturdays In New York (the clothing brand that mushroomed from a single Manhattan store to a lifestyle niche now just as at home in Perth and Penrith).

Now we don’t know how your bank balance is looking mid-Covid but we don’t have close to $200 to drop on a pair of Mr Porter x Saturdays swim shorts at the moment. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the latter brand’s grooming offerings are as covetable as they are affordable.

It’s particularly strong in hair products with a trio of matte black 50ml casings.

First up the Grooming Cream - notice they have enough faith in the product without having to Frenchify it a la “Creme”. This is the pick of the packs for those who like a bit of control without it actually looking they’re wearing product. The hold is just light enough to maintain an artfully disheveled vibe and the finish is natural. Which means zero shine. Bonus points - like all in the range - for not being tested on animals and being water based. Which means they rinse out easily. So there’s no build up which can exacerbate conditions like dandruff or even premature hair loss. A dab on the fingertips, rubbed well between the palms and raked back with wide fingers will do you.

Freewheelin’ is not for everyone though and old-school cool calls for a touch of shine and hair that stays where it’s bloody well supposed to. Say hello to the Saturdays Wet Wax. There’s some serious ingenuity at play here because along with the hint of sheen and hold that’s firmer than Zac Efron’s abs there’s zero greasy hair feel - a common side effect of many in the genre. And again it’s water based so you can easily wash it out. Less is more here so just a splodge the size of a 10c coin will suffice and comb it in from root to tip.

For something in the middle, try the Clay Pomade - which is also a brilliant name for a 1940s film noir detective. The magic ingredient here is beeswax which is brilliantly pliable but never goes brittle or crusty. The hold is medium so just a flick of water can reactivate it before heading out after a day at the desk.