Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Utility Chic



Eyewear lanyards are no longer an optical illusion in the fashion world.
Once an accessory just for geeks and grannies, the eyewear lanyard/cord/chain (whatever you wish to call it) adds some practicality to the lineup of spring trends.

Shown by designers such as Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Lanvin on the runways, the eyewear lanyard is a practical way to deal with your sunglasses when you pop into a store or for a quick espresso.

Whether you choose to pick one up at your local drug store for a couple bucks or a designer version for a couple hundred, there's no better way to breath some new life into those Wayfarers that you just had to have last summer.

Labels: , , , ,

Friday, March 14, 2008

We love a bowtie


If you know me, then you've probably seen me in a bowtie a time or two.
Check out this article with a quote from yours truly published in the New York Times ThursdayStyles section. According to the NYT, the bow tie is back, redeemed from nerdiness.


If You’re Young and Not Fainthearted
By DAVID COLMAN
Published: March 13, 2008

...and just in case you don't know how to tie your own, check out this great video from Rugby.

Labels: , , , ,

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Don't miss the boat

The crew has a new shipmate. From the runways all the way to American Apparel, menswear is embracing a new neckline. The boatneck is more fun than the usual crew, and a way to take the plunge while leaving the V behind.
Designers from Bottega Veneta to Marni to Maison Martin Margiela have shown looks with the with the relaxed neckline.
Layer it up or wear it on its own as a sure way to get cruised.






Labels: , ,

Friday, September 7, 2007

Short story

New York fashion week is well underway and it looks like one menswear trend is emerging on the runways; short sleeves. Now I'm not talking about t's and oxfords, I'm talking about jackets and cardigans. This week designers such as Thom Browne and ADAM have shown us a cool way to dress up next spring.
We've watched jackets and trousers head north over the past several seasons. No doubt, sleeves were the next part of a suit to make the cut.
Or perhaps this is just an conservative solution to global warming.



Labels: , , , , ,

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Read at your luxury



Over the long Labor Day weekend I finished reading the book Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas. From the moment I started reading the book over a week ago, it has piqued my interest; a must-read for anyone in the fashion or luxury goods business.
It helped me understand the roots of luxury and how it has become the multi-billion dollar industry that it is today.

It brought to my attention to the fact that there are few true luxury items in the market today. Luxury use to mean an item was crafted by a well-trained artisan who used only the finest materials available. Most of these items were special ordered and hand-made in very limited quantities. Fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel and Dior were at the brink of luxury branding.

Today, seeing an "LV" or "GG" covered handbag is almost as common as seeing a Gap sweatshirt.

Most small luxury companies have been purchased and collected by huge multi-billion dollar conglomerates such as LVMH and Gucci Group, shifting the focus from craftsmanship and top-notch materials to bottom-line and expansion. Luxury goods have shifted from what they are to what they represent. Consumers no longer purchase a beautifully handcrafted item but rather are trying to buy into a dream.
Some consumers even fulfill their "dreams" by purchasing knock-offs and fake goods on Canal Street or at a neighbor's purse party not knowing that underage children in Asia are suffering in horrible working conditions, often for less than a dollar a day to produce these tacky and inconsiderate goods.

This book is very eye opening, but at the same time provokes me to think about how the luxury goods industry will develop in the future. It's inspiring to know there are still some luxury goods companies who maintain a sense of what true luxury is; such as Christian Louboutin who has resisted being purchased by a conglomerate, Hermès and Bottega Veneta who still use the finest materials and artisans, Louis Vuitton who still makes special-order trunks in an original workshop, and Tom Ford who's reinvigorating personal fittings and private shopping experiences.

Labels: , ,