Ape’s Top 10 Of The Month: October 2026

Welcome to Ape to Gentleman’s Top 10 of the Month feature, where we curate the standout trends, insights and recommendations to help you live well and stay ahead of the curve.

In this instalment, we’ve handpicked 10 essential talking points covering everything from new-season menswear and notable collaborations to drinks, books and entertainment worth knowing about. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your autumn wardrobe, discover something new or simply keep pace with the month’s best releases, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s explore how to make October your most stylish, successful and satisfying month yet.

Planteray Extreme Series VI “Legends of Rum”

Every two or three years, Planteray releases an ‘Extreme Series’ of limited-edition rums. It’s best to think of them as mythical expressions of the spirit, rare barrels sourced from across the rum universe that showcase tradition, expertise and some of Planteray’s most uncompromising liquid.

The latest instalment, Extreme Series VI “Legends of Rum”, brings together six extraordinary releases from Haiti, Barbados, Fiji, Jamaica, Belize and Saint Lucia. Selected from what the brand calls its ‘unicorn barrels’, each offers a snapshot of its origin, from differences in raw materials and fermentation to distillation methods and years spent ageing in tropical climates. Some stretch back decades, including a Jamaican Clarendon rum distilled in 1998. Serious rum-nerd territory, in the best possible way.

The collection is available in extremely limited quantities through specialist retailers across Europe, the United States and Barbados.

See more at Planteray

The Weight

It feels like Ethan Hawke is having a moment. His latest starring role comes in The Weight, a Depression-era thriller following a group of prisoners tasked with smuggling a fortune in gold across the unforgiving Oregon wilderness in exchange for their freedom.

Hawke plays Samuel Murphy, a widower desperate to get back to his daughter, while Russell Crowe takes on the role of Warden Clancy, the man offering him a potentially deadly route out. It marks the feature directorial debut of longtime editor Padraic McKinley and arrives having already premiered at Sundance and Berlin. A trailer endorsement declaring that ‘we don’t get movies like The Weight much anymore’ rather sums up why we’re booking in for opening weekend. Rugged wilderness, desperate men and a morally dubious pile of gold? Sold.

In cinemas 2 October

Simple Too by Yotam Ottolenghi and Verena Lochmuller

The original Simple cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi is a wonderful collection of recipes. The sort of book that, when spotted on the shelf at a dinner party, immediately puts you at ease. Bright, quick and nourishing, it helped dispel the myth that every Ottolenghi recipe demands three specialist ingredients ordered from somewhere you’ve never heard of.

News of a follow-up is therefore music to our ears. Co-written with longtime Ottolenghi recipe developer Verena Lochmuller, Simple Too adds another 135 recipes spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Every dish follows at least one of the book’s core principles: it can be made in under 30 minutes, cooked in one pot or prepared ahead. In other words, it should prove equally useful for entertaining as it is for a last-minute, considerably enhanced boy dinner.

Buy now at Penguin

Aimé Leon Dore x The North Face

Aimé Leon Dore is back in cahoots with The North Face for the second instalment of its partnership, and it really does make you wonder when alpine surroundings last looked this slick. Launched with another beautifully atmospheric lookbook, the sort of thing ALD has turned into an art form, the collection combines the New York brand’s eye for colour and styling with some serious outdoor credentials.

The capsule plays out across a full head-to-toe rig of puffer jackets, fleeces, hats, tees and technical trousers, balancing proper performance pieces with the sort of clothing you’re far more likely to see in Soho than halfway up a mountain. Special props go to the contrast-panel Baltoro jacket, Base Camp mules and that GORE-TEX trench. Expedition-grade clothing has rarely looked quite this good over a flat white.

See the collection at Aimé Leon Dore

A.P.C. x Clarks Originals

A.P.C. and Clarks Originals have joined forces ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Weaver, taking two of Clarks’ most recognisable silhouettes and giving them a suitably understated French makeover.

The Weaver, which turns 50 in 2027, retains its distinctive box stitching and crepe sole but arrives in denim-inspired ribbed suede in camel and navy, alongside a glossy dark-brown leather version. The timeless Desert Boot gets similar treatment, offered in smooth full-grain leather or ribbed split leather, with removable A.P.C. charms providing the only obvious bit of branding. Refined, quietly distinctive and perfect for wannabe beatniks who would rather leave the beret at home.

Shop the collection at A.P.C.

The Impossible Job by William Ralston

Spare a thought for the humble referee. Universally unpopular in an increasingly scrutinised game awash with pressure, money and slow-motion replays from 14 different angles. Vilified, misunderstood and often largely ignored until something goes wrong, at which point absolutely everything is their fault. Who on earth would willingly sign up for that?

William Ralston considers exactly that question in The Impossible Job, a deeply reported look at football’s most thankless but essential role. With rare access to UEFA, FIFA and PGMO, Ralston follows officials from Sunday league pitches all the way to Europe’s biggest competitions, sitting in on training camps, assessments and matchdays while also learning to referee himself. Along the way he explores VAR, split-second decision-making, abuse from players and supporters and the extraordinary pressure created by knowing one call can dominate the conversation for days. You may still shout at the referee afterwards, but at least you’ll understand what you’re shouting about.

Buy now at Penguin

Oliver Spencer Autumn 2026

Bob Dylan is the inspiration behind Oliver Spencer’s Autumn 2026 offering, titled The Man on the Street. Not literal 1960s folk-singer cosplay, thankfully, but rather a modern ‘Dylan-esque character moving through the city with purpose’, borrowing the era’s knack for mixing workwear, tailoring and clothes that look better once they’ve been lived in.

The resulting collection blends soft tailoring with workwear references, relaxed silhouettes, transitional shirting and plenty of indigo denim. Earthy browns run through checks and knitwear, while high-waisted pleated trousers sit alongside subtle stripes, corduroy and tactile alpaca wool. The overall effect is slightly rumpled, highly wearable and pleasingly difficult to pin down as either smart or casual. Exactly the point.

See the collection at Oliver Spencer

Escapism

Much has been made of the rise of the sober rave and daytime clubbing, aimed at people who still want to lose themselves in front of a DJ without sacrificing the following 36 hours. While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, we get it. Nobody wants to be congratulated by teenagers for still going out at your age. It’s a vibe killer. As, increasingly, is staring at a sea of camera phones.

Escapism is navigating this territory from a slightly different angle. Created by Renaissance founder Geoff Oakes, the new 25+ event series launches at Manchester’s magnificent Victoria Baths with Deep Dish, Smokin Jo and Pattn, running from mid-afternoon until 11pm. Alongside the music there’s immersive production, street food and specialist coffee, with the emphasis firmly on grown-up clubbing in interesting spaces rather than simply moving the traditional nightclub experience into daylight hours. We could get used to this.

Victoria Baths, Manchester, 10 October 2026

See more from Escapism

TAION x Universal Works

Universal Works is teaming up with Japanese down specialist TAION again and, quelle surprise, we want pretty much everything associated with it. The second instalment of the brands’ Future Friendship Project once again combines UW’s knack for relaxed British workwear with TAION’s specialist understanding of lightweight down.

This time around, familiar Universal Works silhouettes including the Cardigan and Rams Jacket have been reworked in TAION down, while the Down Mod Parka returns in new colourways. There’s also a new RAF-inspired jacket with a water-resistant shell and removable down liner, allowing the two pieces to be worn independently or together. Add removable military-style badges, Cloud Camo, brighter seasonal shades and a reversible down trapper hat and you have exactly the sort of cold-weather layering system we’re powerless to resist. Practical, slightly eccentric and very good-looking.

Shop the collaboration at Universal Works

Maison Francis Kurkdjian OUD Velvet Mood Extrait de Parfum

Francis Kurkdjian has been quietly dressing oud in fabric for years. First came the raw silk of OUD silk mood, then the fluid satin of OUD satin mood, and now the trilogy lands on velvet, inspired by a night among the dunes outside Dubai and the way warm sand can feel almost like cloth underfoot.

It’s a softer, friendlier take on a notoriously heavy ingredient. The oud’s rough, faintly animalic edge is still there, but it’s rounded out by a juicy peach note, while osmanthus brings a leathery, apricot-tinged warmth and a suede accord gives everything a close-to-the-skin finish. Kurkdjian himself describes it as a relatively simple composition, and that restraint is exactly what makes it work.

Having enjoyed a Harrods exclusive over the summer, OUD Velvet Mood is now on wider release and, as the nights draw in, it feels perfectly timed. This is the sort of fragrance that makes a convincing case for a heavier coat, a dimly lit bar and staying out for one more drink. Oud for people who think they don’t like oud.

Buy now at Maison Francis Kurkdjian

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