Odin

So I thought I would just make it Chai family week on The Sartorialist.

I didn't realize that ,designer, Richard Chai and Odin co-owner Eddy Chai were brothers until Richard mentioned it during our conversation. I guess it makes sense, both have a great but unpretentious aesthetic and both are becoming very important figures in their respective fields.
If you haven't yet checked out the new Odin store down at 199 Lafayette try to do it this weekend. The mix is great and they have a lot of great options for how to wear shorts and tees this summer and still look cool.

On The Street.....Grate Girl, NYC

I never get off the subway to shoot someone's photo but for this girl I did.

I love how polished this look is, the only thing that was slightly better when I first saw her was that her jacket was buttoned which gave slightly more shape at the waist - actually I first thought she was wearing a skirt -how the sturdy wool jacket balanced the fluid movement of the skirt was just brilliant.

As polished as this look is, the best part is that the dress is H&M and the jacket is vintage. As much as I love "designer quality" I don't think any amount of French seaming or high-twist wool or $30 per yard fabric could have made this look seem any more refined than it already is. Sure you could change a design detail (nip in the jacket, add a pocket or take away a pocket) but you wouldn't have to change the price point to do that.

Often magazines do "The Look for Less" stories which ,to me, has the effect of saying - if you can't afford Marni then settle for this H&M knockoff but I know a lot of women that would love to look this well put-together at any price.

On The Street.....American Classic, NYC

I'm always inspired (read - jealous) of how Michael Bastian can do that front-tuck without his shirts or sweaters getting too bloused out or it looking too studied. I've watched him do it and it takes him ,like, one second and it is always perfect.
I do take solace in my superior tie knots, though.

On The Street.....Summer Dress/Cover-up #3, NYC

If the last white dress/legging/white bra controversy got you -then this look is really going to send you over the edge.

Obviously she is wearing this (vintage?) dress as a cover-up, she was on her way into the park on a Sunday afternoon. What really throws this look into overdrive ,and not being just a typical sunbathing throw-on, is that the shoes match the onepiece(?) underneath.

Updating The Navy Blazer

On The Street.....Summer Dress #2, NYC

On The Street.....Midtown, NYC

Of course, I love the look but this photo is all about the crazy lighting in that spot, at that moment.

On The Street.....Summer Dress #1, NYC

Richard Chai - In Studio

I met Richard Chai the other day. He really pissed me off that he wasn't doing his own collection when I had my showroom. He is just the type of designer that I love to work with - smart, talented, and able (and willing) to talk about subjects other than fashion. Actually, one of the first things we talked about is why he has never really been grouped with the Behnaz/Som/Lam clique, even though they all started about the same time and would hang next to each other in stores. We agreed that it is his very refined aesthetic smashed up against a strong downtown attitude that gives him a unique position in the New York young designer hierarchy. I thought the bike in the corner that he rides to work each day was so representative of the lack of preciousness about his work.

I described him as smart earlier, why do I say smart? He knew that I was there to talk about is work with the new Onward Kashiyama store/brand Nave. Well ,of course, I kept getting off-subject as we compared notes on similar experiences working with Kashiyama (I was there in the 90's), the challenges of beginning a company, and growing up in New York but somehow he kept working Nave into his answers - smart.

Richard had to leave for Korea the morning after we met so I gave him an edited list of the questions that you ,the readers, emailed to me. As soon as he returns I will be posting his responses.

On The Street.....Brooklyn, NYC