Online Shopping Is the Way of the Future

Crains New York Business has an article this week throwing a spotlight on the success of on-line retailing commonly referred to as e-commerce. The fashion retail world has been notoriously slow to embrace the web preferring to believe that customers won’t buy clothing purchases on-line. The opposite has  proved true by the success of e-tailers like Zappos.com and shopbop.com. With the hectic pace of life today, I think shopping on-line makes perfect sense for some consumers.

The article discusses the push of Federated Department Stores, the parent company of Macy’s, to make it’s e-commerce site the “biggest moneymaker” for the company.

Other companies such as Kenneth Cole Productions and Polo Ralph Lauren are quickly following suit as many retailers now must play a game of catch-up.

Betting on Web Stores-Crain’s New York Business [subscription required]

How to get a Bohemian look

“Bohemian” can describe anyone who lives an artistic life different from the norm. One where self-expression carries a high value acts as an integral part of one’s life and image. Artistic can imply involvement in any of the following areas:

• acting
• music
• poetry
• writing
• painting
• dancing
• singing

Artistic craft may be the passion and drive of their life affecting even their image or how they choose to portray themselves through dress.

Look to Pete Doherty on the cover on Vogue Hommes International for a contemporary bohemian look for men. He is decked out in Dior Homme, which may appear to some as a bohemian contradiction. But, nonetheless the look can still be achieved with more modest means…if need be.

The key to remember is to look effortless but not like a disheveled mess. This last part cannot be stressed enough.

Go for flat-front trousers in a dark color. For the shirt go for a basic knit polo, perhaps with horizontal stripes.

The key to the look is accessories. On the cover Doherty uses his own necklaces. A good pair of kicks, something a basic as Chuck Taylors. And a hat is a must to top off the Bohemian look. Try to find a boller hat, or at least a good fedora if you prefer.

The self-expression one can show through their dress is essential to pulling off a bohemian look.

Trend Spotlight: Spring 2007 Jacket and Shorts Trend

The major, must have, trend in menswear for the Spring/Summer 2007 season is pairing jackets with shorts. Shorts have come to the runway in a major way this season, and many designers have chosen to make this combination which we personally love. It is a fresh look that will be great for summer days. Another key plus is that it is so easy to do and basically impossible to mess up. This makes it an easy look for any man to pull off. There’s a variety of possibilities as you’ll see below.

Vivienne Westwood

More pics after the jump… Read more

What to wear in Underwear

It seems as if Calvin Klein is no longer the first name in the underwear game. The New York Times has an article about the recent explosion of novelty and specialty underwear. A far cry from basic boxers and white briefs the new trend is graphic prints, cartoonish animations, and in-you-face color combinations all allowing men too express themselves another way that many on-lookers on the street won’t even notice.

This matters not apparently as sales continue to rise briskly. Not just men are the ones buying as women buy the bulk of underwear for the men in their lives.

The trend has gained momentum the past few years.

“From 2004 to 2006, sales of men’s knit underwear rose 5.3 percent, to 397 million pairs …In 2006, white’s share of the market dipped below 50 percent for the first time in decades, if not ever.”

Specialty boutiques are doing well online and in the real world. One in particular is International Jock. Department stores have also heard the call and stocked up on designer underwear. And as Michael Macko, men’s fashion director for Saks Fifth Avenue says, “It’s absolutely not a gay thing…Straight guys want to be sexy, too.”

But What if You Get Hit by a Taxi? [NYT]

 

 

Bespoke Couture

Bespoke (pronounced bee-SPOHK) is a term all fashion-forward, stylish men should be familiar with. In fashion terms, it can be considered the male counterpart to haute couture, or high fashion, for women.

Bespoke is a term for tailored clothing made at a customer’s request and exactly to that person’s specification. Bespoke is custom made clothing at it’s finest, the ultimate in luxury. It pays the utmost attention to the all-important style aspects of:

• fit
• silhouette
• construction

Bespoke clothing is created without a pre-existing pattern, as opposed to made to measure, which alters a standard issue pattern to the customer, or ready-to-wear, which is off-the-rack.”Bespoke” comes from the word bespeak, meaning to order or request. The history of bespoke is rooted in Savile Row, where a customer would chose a length of material, that was then said to have “been spoken for”. The material chosen would be for that customer specifically. So when a tailor makes clothes from scratch according to an individuals personal requirements, it is called “bespoke”. “Couture” (pronounced koo-TOOR) simply refers to fashion or clothing.

The best that there is in menswear, bespoke is also the most expensive and most sought after. It represents service, craftsmanship, and fit using the finest fabrics available.

Tom Ford opens boutique store in Manhattan, New York

Tom Ford, former creative director at Gucci, has opened his own boutique in Manhattan. According to The New York Times, the boutique, “at 845 Madison Avenue at 70th Street, custom suits can be made in the tradition of Savile Row, albeit in a much sexier environment, beginning at $5,000″.

Tom Ford wanted the boutique to have a residential feel to relax customers. The townhouse boutique is, “staffed with uniformed butlers and maids and a receptionist at the front door”.

Money Does Buy Looks-NYT-[Free, reg. req]

Designers vs. Tailors

The Wall Street Journal ran an article detailing the rift between Savile Row tailors and the high fashion designers over labels used to describe suits. At the heart of the issue is the differences between the labels used. The three labels for suits are:

• Off-the-rack
• Made-to-measure
• Bespoke, or custom

Off-the-rack, refers to suits made in standard sizes that can be slightly altered. They reflect the lowest price point. On the other hand, both made-to-measure and bespoke fall under the title made-to-order, since they are both made in accordance with particular instructions and requirements. The difference between made-to-measure and bespoke is that made-to-measure uses pre-existing patterns, whereas bespoke is completely original and unique to each customer.

The conflict becomes present because there are no set rules and regulations governing the industry. Read more

Savile Row is always in style

While surfing around this past article in BusinessWeek came to our attention. It discusses the tradition of Savile Row and bespoke clothing, which many advocates say nothing compares to. Most significant is that, “bespoke tailoring is now being embraced by a new generation of men and women.”

For from being dated and antiquated bespoke tailoring is experiencing a rebirth as this new generation comes to realize it’s advantages and benefits.

[source]

Savile Row

Savile Row occupies a quiet corner of Mayfair in central London, England and is known globally as the home of men’s bespoke tailoring.

Savile Row was created with the development of the Burlington Estate in 1695 and, as with other area roads such as Cork St, the name has connections to Lord Burlington himself, in this case, that of Lady Dorothy Savile, his wife.

Initially, The Row was occupied Read more

Hedi Slimane comments on his departure from Dior Homme

Hedi Slimane, the former designer of Dior Homme has posted a letter on his website explaining his departure.  Slimane was the initial designer at the helm of Dior Homme when it was newly created 7 years ago.  He acknowledges the partnership as a “fruitful collaboration”.

Slimane goes on to say he felt ready for a change at the end of his contract last July.  In the letter he states:

“AS FOR MY OWN STYLE AND AESTHETIC, I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SEPARATE THE 2.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A PROPOSAL CAME TO ME TO START A NEW HOUSE UNDER MY NAME IF I STAYED WITH DIOR HOMME.

I TRIED TO MAKE THINGS WORK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. HOWEVER, I HAD THE FEELING IT WAS NOT THE  RIGHT PROJECT FOR ME. THERE ARE  AREAS  I WILL NOT COMPROMISE WITH AT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO MY WORK, AND SETTING UP A LABEL UNDER MY OWN NAME. I ALWAYS KEPT IN MIND THE PRECEDENCE OF SOME DESIGNERS I ADMIRE WHO WERE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, AND CHOSE THE OTHER PATH.  PERHAPS IN ANOTHER TIME IN MY LIFE, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, MY NAME, AND THE MANAGEMENT OF A COMPANY UNDER MY OWN LABEL WOULD BE CONSIDERED DIFFERENTLY. RIGHT NOW I FEEL IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO STAY TRUE TO MY PRINCIPLES, AND THE IDEA I HAVE OF FASHION.

I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO REFUSE THE KIND PROPOSITION THAT WAS MADE
AND TO DECLINE A NEW DIOR HOMME CONTRACT. I MADE THIS CLEAR JUST AFTER
MY LAST SHOW, THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY, AND LEFT FOR LOS ANGELES.

I DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM DIOR, AND MOVE ENTIRELY FORWARD.”

[Hedi Slimane]

[earlier]

 

 

Sean John Signs Eyewear License

Sean John, the sportswear line created by Sean “Diddy” Combs, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with one of the leading eyewear companies, Marchon Eyewear. Combs noted the move as a “logical step” for his company, adding that, “Eyewear is an essential accessory and completes any look.”

We are in complete agreement with that last statement. Sunglasses are an essential accessory that can be used year-round to easily add a touch of style to any outfit, while providing health benefits against UV rays. All men should have, at minimum, one good pair of sunglasses in their accessory department.

Full press release after the jump. Read more

Nike Reinvents the Basic T-Shirt

The Wall Street Journal recently ran this article detailing Nike efforts to reinvent the T-Shirt, a staple for many men. Nike, who have a collection of shirt designs often with only tiny differences. The company is seeking:

“a garment that will be a template for it’s T-shirts, no matter what color or fabric. In the new design, each shirt will have sleeves that his the bicep in the same place, a neckline that resists stretching over time, and a fit that is consistent even after multiple washings.”

We like this idea of a template which to work from and the fit and design of the proposed shirt gives a very modern clean appeal. Nike wants the shirts to be the introduction of a collection called “Sports Essentials” that will later include other sports basics like fleece hoodies and apparel for women. The price for T-shirts will be $25.

Nike Gets Back to Basics, Reinventing the T-Shirt-The Wall Street Journal-April 2,2007

 

The Transformation of the Sleepy Menswear Industry

We came across this article from the July 10, 2006 Washington Post written by Robin Givhan. It is an interesting read detailing the transformation of the American menswear industry. Hartmarx, a large umbrella clothing corporation with many brands under its name that has annual sales of over half a billion dollars. Known for speaking to the average American male, this corporation is seeking a rebirth of menswear and appealing to a new customer. At it’s luxury label Hickey-Freeman, designers are introducing a “hickey” line that seeks to bridge adolescents and adulthood. The line has an updated edgy appeal with slim blazers, lean pants, shortened jackets and, “ties printed with tiny marijuana leaves and an intarsia sweater that reads, ‘Wanna hickey?’.”

The change is occurring throughout the landscape of menswear as men become aware of the power of their image to separate and individualize themselves. Young designers have come forth that are, “enamored of style rather than trends”.

[source]

The Gray Days of Spring

The Style section of today’s The New York Times points to a unusual trend for Spring. The color gray in all its many shades is the must have color to incorporate. It’s has been seen all over the runways, domestic and international. The Times’ points out, “it is less of a statement than a black suit, which for all of its allure to creative types, is not suitable business attire for a lot of men”. Gray is extremly versatile, lending itself to be paired with a multitude of colors and accents to create a clean, professional contrast. It is important to note that the gray’s are being used as a staple color (suits, jackets, sweaters) and also for accessories, such as ties and scarves.

For Neutral Grays, The Mood is Positive (link to TNYT)

For Neutral Grays, The Mood Is Positive (pdf)

Photo credit: Chris Shipman for The New York Times

High End Accessories Are Being Bought Online

Crain’s New York Business reports on the inevitable direction of consumers purchasing high end, luxury accessories online. Increasingly, more time-strapped young professionals are going online to make expensive, luxury jewelry purchases. Smart, web-savvy online retailers are noticing and moving into this sector and the traditional brick and mortar retailers are slow to warm up to the idea. Generally, people thought consumers would only make high end purchases in a store, where they could engage with the product. The success of online apparel, tells us that there is no question, accessories would follow.
Online jewelers aim at high end-Crain’s New York Business-April 2-8, 2007

Photo credit: David Neff for Crain’s