On The Street...Casual Friday

A pocket square can add that little bit of refinement to casual Friday

On The Street...Stripe Right, Soho

On The Street... Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler

On The Street...Outside Marni, Soho

The Sartorialist Profiled In Focus Magazine

So I'm excited, Focus (the Newsweek of Germany) ran a profile on The Sartorialist this weeks. Below I have translated and paraphrased a few of the questions and answers. It seems odd to translate something that was said in English to German and then from German back to English, if the interview sounds odd, I'm blaming it on that.


Focus: The Fashion Blog "The Sartorialist" has grown quickly in the past half year to 110,000 visitors per month. What is the secret to your success?

The Sartorialist: I made The Sartorialist because I kept seeing guys on the streets of New York or that worked in the fashion industry that I thought were just as fashionable as the models I would see in a GQ photo shoot


F: What is a Sartorialist?
S: A gentleman that has developed a style that helps express his personality.


F: How did you become one?
S: My style icon was Giorgio Armani growning up. In college I majored in Costume Construction and I did marketing for Valentino. I also owned a showroom that promoted young designers like Peter Som.


F: So what is personal style?
S: I like to mix modern and classic items, however I don't like items that are to precious.


F: What rules do you follow and which do you break?
S: i don't worry about the rules.


F: Which stores do you like?
S: 10 Corso Como in Milano, Bergdorf Goodman and the Apple Computer store in New York

On The Street...Love The Mix, Soho, New York

Meatpacking District, West Village, New York

This photo was taken at one of the last remaining meatpacking businesses in the Meatpacking District. What I like about the photo is that about two hundred yards to the right are the posh boutiques of Jeffrey, McQueen, and McCartney.

On The Street...Nolita, New York

People tell me I have an "open face", what ever that means. Maybe it is what I see in this young lady, her relaxed and confident style really seems to highlight what appears to be a very pleasant nature.

Duncan Quinn

I did a preview of Duncan Qunn's collection for Fall 2006. I wanted to take a few shots but he asked if I could wait - he didn't want anyone to knock-off his idea for shirts and ties. Usually when someone says that it is rarely an idea that anyone would want anyway but I give Duncan credit the idea is pretty cool.

Overall the collection is a nice step forward, especially in the color palette which is slightly darker and a little more sinister. It will probably give his established customer a reason to update their wardrobe and a reason for new customers to give him a closer look.

On The Street...Soho Couple, New York

On The Street........19th St., NYC

On The Street........39th St. Flea Market, NYC

It is all about the little details - suspenders, leg-warmers worn low, and old school sneakers.

On The Street........Spring Street, NYC

I love the hair and the nonchalant way she wears the fur. has there ever been an indie fur designer?

On The Street........At The Flea Market, Chelsea, NYC

The colorful scarves of Spring.

On The Street.........Role Model For The Young Sartorialist

This kid looks like he just stepped off the Marc Jacobs runway - but he did it all vintage and second-hand. Bravo!

Charvet's Jean-Claude Colban Personal Appearance At Bergdorf Goodman

Last Friday night I was lucky enough to attend an intimate dinner for Charvet's Jean-Claude Colban that was hosted by the super-fabulous Michael Bastian and the equal fab Margaret Spaniolo , Senior VP, GMM of Bergdorf Goodman. I had a chance to sit next to Jean-Claude and considering that his family has owned Charvet for years and he is full of great stories, we talked for hours and fashion never came up - that is really weird for me! We talked about the internet ( I'm humbled to say he is a big fan of The Sartorialist), food, travel, food, books, food, and kids, a lot about kids and food.

I always expect people from really old companies to be a little out of touch with modern culture but I think a reason Charvet stays relevant is because Jean-Claude is so interested in what is modern. He told me about using one of his kids amime sketches as an inspiration for a Charvet tie pattern -to me, that's pretty cool.


Jean-Claude Colban giving a seminar on how to fold a seven-fold tie.


Margaret Spaniolo of Bergdorf giving the seven-fold a try.

The art installation outside the Charvet shop at Bergdorf

The adorable labels of the adorable children's Charvet shirts.

Every department needs a character

On The Street.........Greene Street, NYC

David at Duncan Quinn

David works at Duncan Quinn, which makes Duncan pretty lucky.

David is really passionate about clothes and style. When I stop by the shop he always takes such pride in pointing out the new stock, not so much as a sales thing but just to talk about what they are doing and what is coming up. Enthusiasm is such an important part of being a salesman, actually the title "salesman" doesn't seem to fit David. He is more like a guy that would be great fun to go shopping with but he can only do it at Duncan Quinn.

David's new fascination is eveningwear during the day. It might not work for everyone (or anyone else) but he is a young guy in the City, works in the shop all day and then goes out all night. Nice life if you can get it.

On The Street.........So Refined

A Conversation With Alan Flusser

I'm always very interested in how people with great style first developed their style. I knew that Alan Flusser, author, designer, Sartorialist, had dedicated his first book to his father so when I met him the other day the first thing we talked about was what type of sartorial influence his father had on him.

"He was very interested in clothes and had very good taste, very good, I didn’t really realize how good until I got involved in the industry."

"He would wear a black cashmere sport jacket, grey flannel pants, white Brooks Brothers button-down shirt, grey lile socks with garters, black tassel alligator loafers, white handkerchief, club tie - black and white and yellow with a club figure, and a white ground with gold and black tattersall vest – if you can imagine all that, very classy but if I ever saw someone wearing that today I would fall over."

"From my background he was clearly the best-dressed man around and he thought Fred Astaire was the be all and end all. He was a Brooks Brothers aficionado and a Fred Astaire fan, so to have Brooks Brothers and Fred Astaire as your references, at least initially to look at, they were the right references."

On The Street..Grey Jeans

So I can't decide what is more adorable, the grey jeans with matching pale grey short boots or the dog peeking out of her black bag.

On The Street..Hard-Ass Pink

Isn't it funny how something as innocent as miss buttoning a jacket can make a look with so much pink seem so jarring and almost aggressive. I don't think he meant to miss button but I don't think he really cared if he did. Bravo!

On The Street..Back Interest

From the front the look is nice but all the real fashion detailing is in the back.
-the stitched down pleating on the the skirt of the coat
-red soled shoes, which can really only be seen from the back

How Much Cuff?

I think we are all pretty much in agreement on how much shirt cuff to show under a jacket but ,as seen on this blog, the amount of jean cuff to show is still widely variable.

The amount shown here seems to work for me.

On The Street... High Collar Coat

Home-made Beauty - I Mean The Scarf

A Coat That Frames The Face

If you don't want to wear a scarf (personally, I can't imagine it) then a coat that frames the face is a great alternative.

On The Street... 9th Ave. , NYC

Jim Smiley Vintage Clothing Boutique

The first time I went into Jim Smiley's Vintage Boutique I started flipping through a rack of beautiful 50's ball gowns. From a nearby desk I heard a polite voice say "please handle the dresses by the hanger". I guess I heard what he said but it didn't really sink in so I kept flipping. A moment later a gentleman (Jim Smiley) came over and explained that the dresses were very fragile and he would appreciate if I handled the dresses by the hanger. Of course I was completely embarrassed and a little put-off but I quickly realized that he wasn't saying this to be pretentious or precious but because he truly respected and cared for his vintage collection.

The more I thought about this later the more I realized what a breathe of fresh air Jim brings to retail. When was the last time you were in Saks and you got the feeling the salesperson really respected the work that went into making the piece and its ultimate historical importance. It sounds weird, but tomorrows fashion history books will be filled with the work of todays Prada and Armani.

Though Jim's work must be difficult, I think it must also be a bit romantic - hunting through musty old attics for forgotten couture, hearing the stories about the people that owned the items originally and then ( hopefully) selling them to people that will care for them into the future.

Jim specializes in women's but is growing his mens offering (the cufflinks are a sight). Of course not all the items are hands off, so If you are in or plan to visit New York and love high-quality vintage I recommend a visit.

Nana Boateng

I try to make this blog more about style than fashion. Nana Boateng is a fashion designer with a very well developed style. I cannot really speak about his designs because I haven't seen any but when I met him the other day he just struck me as a guy that loved life and used his clothing as a way of expressing that joy. The clothes he is wearing in the picture above real capture the bold, vibrancy of his personality.

Nana spent his early years in Ghana but grew up all around the world (Rome, London, New York) and has such an honesty and refreshing enthusiasms for being in America and beginning his career in fashion. I asked him if his cousin ,Oswald Boateng, had been a big influence on him growing up. Surprisingly, Nana said his biggest sartorial influence was his uncle. He remembers his uncle's collection of exotic fragrances, how he had his shoes all made in Germany, and when it rained his uncle would wrap his shoes and walk barefoot through the streets of North London.

Isn't funny the little things we remember from childhood that end up having a huge influence on our lives?

In Store....Brunello Cucinelli, NYC, Spring 2006 -2

On The Step.......Great Coat

In Store....Brunello Cucinelli, NYC, Spring 2006

On The Street...Meatpacking District

So I cannot decide about the bag - it is what caught my eye but....

On The Street...Mr. Wilcox of Lord Willy's, Nolita

One of the smartest strategies that Mr. Wilcox ,owner of Lord Willy's, has implemented since opening his Nolita shop is using "vintage" fabrics for their tailored jackets.

The "vintage" fabrics ,like the hopsack jacket Mr. Wilcox is wearing, usually only allows for a limited production run (sometimes less than 10 jackets are made).

This really only works for a company with their own retail outlets but it does offer the potential for a whimsical variety of color, patterns and fabrications which seems to be the whole idea behind Lord Willy's anyway.

Sweet

On The Street....Ralph Lauren Fashion Show

I keep going back to this photo.
I didn't post it before because his eyes are shut but I still love the look.

Summer On Coney Island Boardwalk

Cute, Just That Simple

Goddbye Scarf Season

As most of you have pointed out - I have a fondness for scarves. As it slowly begins to warm up here in New York, I sadly recognize that my winter fling with with scarf is almost over for another 6 months.

With that said, I think this gentleman does a great job transitioning into the colors of Spring while still protecting against the chill of Mid-March.

Helmut Lang Sold To Link-Theory

Helmut Land has been sold to Link Theory which "has ambitious plans to revive the label on the contemporary level" WWD reports today. A designer for the label has not been named.

Helmut Lang at contemporary price points? That is exactly what we don't need.

Apparently, Link Theory, which owns the Theory business in Japan, bought the trademark from Prada and plans to use the " incredible heritage" of the brand to reshape the collection for the contemporary market. Rumor has it that Alexandre Plokhov, of Cloak, could be the new designer.

Sorry, but this sounds like such a bait and switch to me. Like Helmut Lang Lite

A big part of Helmut's genius was mixing incredible luxurious fabrics like cashmere with utilitarian fabrics like denim, moleskin, or corduroy. This simple cannot be done ,in a real way( if for no other reason than price points), in contemporary departments of department stores or in stores that specialize in contemporary collections.

Recent revivals like Rochas, Lanvin, or even Jil Sander ,at least, kept the label at a designer price point. If the Theory guys see an opportunity at contemporary with a designer like Plokhov then just let him do his thing, don't try to pass it off as Helmut-inspired.

If Helmut ,himself, comes back, can I ever look at the new collection without wondering what could have been included if he were allowed to work at a higher price point?

The only Helmut-ish items that can be reshaped at that price point are very basic, isn't APC already doing it anyway?

On The Street....Great Bag, New York

The New York Eccentrics

On The Street....Short Sleeve Coat, Westside, NYC

Trouble Loading Photos

Sorry, but for some reason I am having trouble loading photos right now.

I will try again around 1pm New York time and again at 6pm New York time.

If you haven't checked the archives (righthand column) it might be a great time to check out The Sartorialist from day one.


Thanks again to everyone who has supported The Sartorialist

Breaking The Rules

A lot of guys I know say they don't pay attention to "the rules" of mens fashion.

Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is not.

When I ran into Giuseppe de Corato of Luigi Borrelli the other day I asked to take his photo and he kindly accepted. After a few shots I realized his navy blazer wasn't buttoned. Knowing that one of the "rules" of menswear is to always have your jacket buttoned while standing, I mentioned he might want to button-up. He buttoned the jacket and I took a few more shots.

When I reviewed the shots, the ones with his jacket unbuttoned looked so much more natural and so much more like him and his style. The ones with the jacket buttoned felt forced, like a kid going to Sunday School.

I think this is a great example of how a healthy disrespect for "the rules" really works.

Brutal Beauty

Old Man Style....60th St. , NYC

Vogue Italia

Why is Vogue Italia so good?

The mix, the mix, the mix!

I just picked up the March issue and I can't get over the quality and diversity of the photography and styling. In a very natural and organic way there is something for everyone, it doesn't feel like any story is forced or done to appease a certain advertiser or audience segment.

Steven Meisel, Bruce Weber, Paolo Roversi, Glen Luchford (just to name a few) -each has a highly evolved style and a certain style of fashion that is best captured by that style -when you mix their work with the incredible archival and vintage photographs used to evoke a mood or source of inspiration, Vogue Italia has become the only magazine I can never bring myself to throw out.

So many "advanced" fashion magazine shoot almost exclusively in a hard-edged, aggressive manner and the mainstream magazines are often so sappy. Vogue Italia ,and for that matter L'Uomo Vogue, have struck a perfect balance of artistry and true fashion direction and inspiration. As a result, Franca Sozzani has built a level of respect for Vogue Italia ,within the industry, that I haven't seen since Harpers Bazaar of the mid 90's.

So who gives Vogue Italia the biggest challenge?

Paris Vogue? W? Self Service? i-D? 10? V?

In Store....Kiton, NYC, Spring 2006 - 3

On The Street....Winter Ice White

There is something about her pale, pale skin and the ice white dress in the dead of winter - the last fashion taboo - now, more visually shocking than Goth but visually just as morbidly beautiful.

On The Street...Madison Ave., NYC

In Store....Kiton, NYC, Spring 2006 - 2

On The Street.... Eighth Avenue, New York

New Yorkers like to blend into the scenery.

On The Street... Nana Boateng And Mory Kaba

The thing that this photo doesn't capture is just how cool the shoes were that Nana was wearing.

They had the shape and detail of a proper wingtip crossed with a white leather trainer with velcro closure. Very cool, very trad/punk.

On The Street...Bleeker St. In Full Bloom, NYC

In Store....Kiton, NYC, Spring 2006

On The Street...Slim Trench, NYC

On The Street...Spring On Prince, NYC

On The Street...The Downtown Proportion , NYC

Oliver Gerona - Domenico Vacca, Fifth Ave., New York

I think the color of the pale pink shirt with the navy tie and grey suit is just perfect.

The State Of The Amercian Men's Fashion Magazine

For the second straight season, the most beautiful, well styled, and inspiring men's fashion editorial has come from the Bergdorf Goodman Magazine/Catalog. The "Viet Sojourn" story is stunning,
What the magazine does very well is mix very refined casualwear and the highest level of OTR clothing in the same story and treat both with an equal level of respect and sophistication. Best pages 13, 37, 56

What does it say about American men's fashion coverage when the second (and much anticipated) issue of Men's Vogue completely tanks and the big April issue of GQ (save Adriana Lima) treats us to an absolutely yawn-filled overview of khakis and grey suits. (wasn't the grey suit the big message in Men's Vogue also?).

The men's stores in New York are brimming with color - there is such as disconnect between what is available for men to buy and what the magazines are promoting.

For the first time I can remember, the stores are more exciting and inspirational than the magazines.

On The Street...Sleeveless Trench, NYC

In Store....Domenico Vacca, NYC, Spring 2006 -II

On The Street...Fifth Ave. , NYC

In Store....Domenico Vacca, NYC, Spring 2006

On The Street...58th Street, NYC