On The Street.... Chinatown, New York

Straw hat, Playboy belt buckle, Dior women's sunglasses, gold teeth -Priceless

A Favorite Store...Gallagher's

When I was younger and actually had "me time" ( called BC, before chidren) I spent hours on cold winter afternoons at Gallagher’s. Any magazine or book that could remotely be used to inspire designers, artists, and photographers can be found here. For me it is the thrill of the hunt. Fashion magazines ,especially foreign fashion magazines, have never been cataloged so every turn of the page is a potenailly discovery,

It Is A Black, Black Day For American Menswear.....Robert Burke To Exit Bergdorf Goodman

Some things are just too good to last. On January 15th Robert Burke will leave Bergdorf Goodman to start his own luxury consulting company. Good for Robert! BAD FOR ME! Jim Gold was quoted in WWD saying that "Robert's primary focus was helping to position the store from a fashion standpoint, in terms of vendor assortment, fashion in the windows, the advertising, the Bergdorf Goodman Magazine and on the mannequins." THAT WAS ALL THE BEST STUFF!!!
I hope I'm wrong but it will be tough enough to replace Michael Bastian ,the recently departed BG Mens Fashion Director, but to also replace both Michael and Robert will be nearly impossible. I know it seems like I'm over exaggerating but I've lived in New York for 16 years and Bergdorf has only been truly relevant since Robert overhauled the fashion direction of the store.
Even The BG Magazine often had better editorial than most "true" fashion magazines.
Bergdorf will be Roberts first client but isn't that like Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards, it is close but not the same.

What do you think?

Will this make a difference at Bergdorf?

Coffee with Gabor Halmos of Vass Shoes

Telling me that Vass shoes are exquisitely well made is like telling me that Natalie Portman went to Harvard because she is really smart. That's great, and I'm sure that helps in some way, but I just can't get past how beautiful they both are.
The great thing about meeting with Gabor Halmos to preview the Vass collection is that he doesn't have an office in the city. Instead we have to meet at incredibly chic places like Pastis to discuss toe boxes, hidden welts, and the complicated matter of harvesting cordovan from a horse's ass. Almost every waitress at Pastis came over to our table to advise us on which styles they thought would be good for me. Is it true that the way to a woman's heart is through your feet?
All kidding aside, it is very interesting to listen to Gabor discuss the challenges of growing a luxury shoe business (on the level of Lobb or a Lattanzi) in the US. I was surprised Gabor said that the perception of a luxury product "Made in Hungary" was the biggest obstacles for some retailers. When you hold the shoe it is so easy to feel and see the quality. Unfortunately I'm shallow, so what makes the Vass shoes on par, if not surpass, Lobb and especially Berluti is the design.
Of course my favorite store, Bergdorf Goodman spotted the potential of Vass and secured exclusive rights for New York City. Vass can also be ordered through another favorite store of mine, Louis Boston
Luckily, as Gabor spreads the gospel of Vass to stores around the U.S., one of the best tools available to him is the incredible book written by Laszlo Vass called Handmade Shoes For Men. It reminds me of the Borrelli booklet on how their shirts are made. Each page of the Vass book makes you appreciate the craft of shoe making, but it also make you want the SHOES more.

Window Shopping.......Luigi Borrelli

Style Profile...Duckie Brown

I love it when I meet a designer (or in this case, two) and they are as funny, relaxed and as full of personality as the clothes they design. Steven (left) and Daniel's (right) views on personal style are as quirky as the Duckie Brown collection they design.

Best Sartorial advice from your Dad?
Steven: "sometimes it's ok not to bother”
Daniel: "be yourself"

I build my daily look around.
S: The mood I’m in
D: My jeans

The first thing I look at in another Sartorialist’s outfit.
S: Face and Jacket
D: Shoes

I splurge when buying.
S: Bags and shoes
D: Shoes

I only buy __________ in Europe
S: underwear
D: Vivienne Westwood

Favorite store
S: Zucca
D: Church Mouse - a second hand shop in Palm Beach

Most stylish city.
S: London
D: London

When I was high school I wore.
S: A Scholl uniform
D: A smiley face t-shirt

Shine your own shoes?
S: Yes
D: Yes

I always dress my best for….?
S: Nan (Grandma)
D: My Mother and Father

Window Shopping.....Bergdorf Goodman Men 11/12

I love the "Bergdorf Look". They are the only multi-line store in New York that mixes designers in the display windows in a great way. Bergdorfs shows customers how they feel menswear should be worn as opposed to just displaying the latest from the big name designer's. Bravo!!

Mutants New York....6th Ave. New York

I love the Burberry hat with the jacket

Giorgio Armani - L'Uomo Vogue 1974

Is Diego Della Valle The New Agnelli

The late Gianni Angelli was an Italian style icon. Sartorialists around the world have copied his carefully studied "nonchalant" quirks of dressing. Recently I've seen photos of Diego Della Valle ,the Sartorialistic owner of Tod's, sporting the Agnelli patented no-buttoning-the-button-down-collar look and the suit with sport shoes look. In the photo above he even dares to reproduce one of my favorites, the rarely copied tie-outside-the-sweater look.

To his credit, Della Valle is trying to create a few memorable "items of flare" for himself. At Italian football games Della Valle has taken to wearing his sweater over a color-coordinated cashmere scarf.



Should we name this look? What have you got?