January 12th, 2012
It’s officially 2012 and while nostalgia is apparently still alive and well in fashion, we’re ready to move on from the “heritage” wear and “native” trends of the past few years in favor of a different type of nostalgia, one that harks back to classic designs, quality craftsmanship and just simple, well-made clothes.
When we were young, Calvin Klein was the pre-eminent brand for mens and womenswear. With its clean lines and sleek minimalism, the brand managed to appeal to everyone and yet seem fashionably exclusive at the same time. And while the label dropped off — partly due to overexposure perhaps, or misguided attempts to branch off into too many different projects — Calvin Klein has quietly returned to the top of ready-to-wear scene in the recent years, showing a newfound maturity and subtlety that harks back to the days where clothing wasn’t about fads or fame or flightiness – it was about wanting to wear something that made you feel and look damn good.
During the pre-fall 2012 showings in New York last month, one of the most memorable offerings came courtesy of Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection. There was an obvious emphasis on the waist this season, with each garment tightly cinched to emphasize the models’ miniscule midriffs. And while the sturdy and structured wool dresses, re-imagined sportswear staples, and leather trench coats were all obvious must-haves for this coming fall, our eyes have been fixated on Costa and the brand for the past few seasons.
Costa’s creative direction has largely remained consistent with the minimal all-American sportswear aesthetic so characteristic of the company’s history. But we love that the designer has also infused a distinct sense of softness and sophistication into the brand. This new direction has assisted the brand in staying relevant among the countless labels which seem to constantly be coming out of the woodwork.
From the wildly successful revamp of the ckone fragrance line, to the brand’s prominent association with it-girl and supermodel Lara Stone, Calvin Klein has slowly but surely managed to regain that intangible sexy cool, which was the root of the brands success in the 90s. And it’s nice to reminisce about the past, Costa’s contemporary conception of sexiness certainly transcends memories of Marky Mark clad in a pair of tighty whities.
- James Lavapie
Tags: Calvin Klein, James Lavapie
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December 19th, 2011
As the holiday shopping season winds down, we have to point out a great stocking stuffer from New York-based label, Shipley & Halmos. An exclusive item to their online Things! by S&H Holiday Superstore, the “Startup Brand Label Kit” is a great item for that special person with a future in fashion. Mapping out the necessary components of distinctive brand identity on woven labels, each label, in a series of three, comes included with fill in the blank templates to demonstrate proper branding. Designers Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos have provided a tongue-in-cheek take on designer labels, showing that at its very core, fashion – and all the hard work – can still be fun!
The labels are available in a set of three sizes (3¾ x 2″ / Basic: 3 x ½” / Size: 1½ x 3″) and retail for $5. Get shopping HERE.
Tags: Shipley & Halmos
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December 13th, 2011
I’ve been wearing my tortoiseshell Alain Mikli glasses now for almost two years and they’ve sort of become an unofficial and somewhat reluctant trademark for me (in other words, I’m the “guy with the glasses,” at least to those who don’t know me by name). Still, I love wearing them, not only because of the way they look, but because of the outstanding craftsmanship and quality put into each pair of specs made by Mikli’s team in France. So imagine my thrill when I received an invitation to have dinner with Mr. Mikli himself during his recent visit to Toronto. My answer, of course, was a resounding YES.
Mikli was in town to launch his latest collection – a line of limited edition eyewear with French clothing designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Friends for decades but never collaborators until now, Mikli and Gaultier have aligned their creative pursuits and flair for design into a collection of 20 frames (12 eyeglasses and 8 sunglasses) in a handful of bold and dramatic styles and colorways. Made from sturdy acetate and metal, and featuring unique “winged” arms on the side (meant to resemble corset ties), these are, as Mikli puts it, “frames to see as well as to be seen.”
Mikli’s years of workmanship and technical expertise guided the frames, while Gaultier added his characteristic irreverence and playful style. During our dinner in Toronto (at the lovely Maléna Restaurant in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood), Mikli explained that both designers wanted to push their ideas out of the box, while retaining a classic elegance and timelessness to each piece. While I appreciate the inventive designs and unique combination of colors, I was most struck by how there was no outer logo on the frames. Instead, the designers chose to let the frames (and each individual wearer) speak for themselves.
While Gaultier has collaborated with everyone from La Perla to Target, and Mikli continues to collaborate on an eyewear line with good friend and designer Philippe Starck, the “Jean Paul Gaultier by MIKLI” collection speaks to a new and different audience: one that appreciates good quality design and an imaginative spirit, paired with a youthful exuberance and sense of humor. If my Alain Mikli glasses can be counted on to capture a look or two at a party, you can be sure this new collection will have people staring all night long.
The “Jean Paul Gaultier by MIKLI” collection is available at the Alain Mikli boutique on Madison Avenue in New York and exclusively in Toronto at Karir Eyewear (Mikli and owner Bob Karir have been friends for more than 20 years and it was Karir that first launched Mikli’s line in Canada). Prices for the collection range from $325 to $460.
- TC
Tags: Alain Mikli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Tim Chan, Toronto
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December 2nd, 2011
Founded in 1992 by Scott Irvine, leather accessories company Brave Leather is committed to creating quality leather goods the fair, honest and ethical way. Beginning simply enough with Irvine’s desire to recreate the “cool” belt worn by Brad Pitt in the film Thelma and Louise, Brave Leather is now carried across 1100 stores in 27 countries. With the brand’s 20-year anniversary fast approaching, the company continues to expand with their “Make Your Own Belt” service launching in January 2012. In anticipation of the launch, we had the opportunity to visit the Brave Leather Factory in Toronto, where we got to make our own belt, and sit down with Irvine. to chat about his early years growing the business, the ethics behind the label, and the true meaning of the word “Brave” in the company name.
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Tags: Brave Leather, James Lavapie
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November 28th, 2011
“Hollywood and the Ivy Look” is the latest coffee table release from publisher Reel Art Press. Specializing in the production of exclusive publications focusing on the entertainment industry and its output during the late 20th century, Reel Art Press uses largely unpublished and high impact images. The publisher’s latest offering explores the appropriation of the Ivy League style indicative of East coast high society by actors in Hollywood between 1955 and 1965. While the aesthetic was originally characteristic of noble academic institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton, these actors really infused a sense of cool into the – until then – standard collegiate apparel. The “Ivy Look” is now a fixture of American iconography, due in large part to the style’s immortalization on the silver screen.
Appropriations of the style have varied from the casual button-downs donned by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, to the more preppy inclinations of Woody Allen and Dustin Hoffman. Regardless of individual interpretations, the look continues to epitomize a kind of understated and laid-back confidence; something that seems to remain especially relevant today, with everyone and everything from Don Draper to Drake adding new layers of relevance and reinterpretation to this iconic aesthetic. The book is now available for about $66 in stores and online.
- James Lavapie
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