13th & Wolf

Domenico Spano and Manhattan's many "originals"

2012-02-03T11:36:00.004-05:00

photo borrowed from here.

I saw Mr. Spano crossing 5th avenue yesterday while running around between castings and fittings. I'm thankful for the brief moment of elegance in a week of "fashionable" chaos. While Spano is a true original, one of the best aspects of Manhattan is multitude of inspiring personalities with their own spirit and character. I'll be back to semi-regular posting with more on some of these individuals after I wrap up next week.

My New York: Meg Cohen Design Shop

2012-01-16T07:30:00.012-05:00

Tucked away on Thompson Street, one block west of that psuedo-bohemian clothing and home store your girlfriend loves so much is a tiny vintage and accessories shop with a whole lot of soul.

Meg Cohen Design is one of those places that's hard to take in the first time you go because you don't know where to look first. The store is an even mix of her own collection of knitted accessories and vintage finds, all ingeniously merchandised in a series of quirky, vignette-like displays that make you feel like you're walking around inside a work of art.

Meg is a designer's designer. Each color, quality and stitch is carefully considered but not fussed over, yielding product that is bright, thoughtful, fun and effortlessly wearable.

This wonderful sensibility also spills over into her selection of unique vintage and home decor. The level of humor, comfort and creativity is a reflection of the genuine passion Meg has for what she does. I suggest you come and experience it for yourself, you'll be happier for it. I promise.

A Week with Paolo - Day 4.

2012-01-13T13:05:00.004-05:00

Not your average blue blazer/gray flannel/brown shoe look. Everything is elevated by color, texture and hand craftsmanship. Paolo and his restaurant will always be on my inspiration board. Thank you Signore!

A Week with Paolo - Day 3.

2012-01-12T13:26:00.003-05:00

Cordovan and orange creamsicle.

SekretPolice's Picks - Alla Vecchia Bettola & Pontormo's Deposition

2012-01-12T07:30:00.004-05:00

Today's post comes from my big brother. I asked him if he'd like to contribute because he's a veteran of Florence and I trust his opinion on most things, especially food (although he has questionable taste in shirt collars).

Readers of EatDrinkSleepWell will know that I am a longtime fan and prior resident of Florence - in no small part because my parents met there, hence to the city I owe my existence. I've been eating there with significant frequency for over two decades and having tried literally dozens of its restaurants, I have now developed a standard routine of old reliables (two of which my brother has chronicled in the last couple of days). These are so standard in fact, that for short visits, the itinerary is invariable - Acqua al2, Cibreo, Quattri Leoni, and my old neighborhood place that I keep secret to hide from tourists.

That said, I surprised myself by actually trying something new when I was there for Fourth of July weekend in 2009. I had run across Alla Vecchia Bettola (loosely translated as "the old dump") numerous times and had driven past it on many occasions while looking for a gas station to refuel rental cars. This time I decided to break routine and check it out. I reserved for 9:15pm, thinking it would be quieter, and arrived promptly to a substantial line spilling out into the tiny piazza in front. After about 20 minutes we were seated at a long, marble topped communal table amongst a crowd that was overwhelmingly Italian (always a good sign).

We ordered an antipasto a la Bettola con funghi (afettati - prosciutto, salame, finochianna; crostini di fegato; and marinated porcini) but our primi came first. The waiter, who appeared to be handling the entire interior himself, had forgotten, so we decided to have it after our primi. I had paccheri a rottanculo (not a particularly appetizing name) - a meat sauce with beef, pork and chicken livers - that was delicious. My friend had penne a la Bettola - a spicy, incredibly rich penne a la vodka that was similarly fantastic. The antipasto arrived, without the funghi, and was fairly standard (I'd probably try something else next time). For secondi, I had braciole con caperi e acciughe - a breaded, thin veal cutlet sauced with a wonderful tomato sauce made with capers and anchovies - which was incredible. My friend had Coniglio Arrosto Morto - rabbit roasted to death - which was very moist and flavorful, but far too bony. Red wine della casa came in a large, straw-wrapped jug and cost 4 euro per person no matter how much you drank. It was remarkably potable. Desserts, particularly the fresh fruit, looked great but we were far too full. It was just far enough out of the town center to provide a proper passeggiata to aid digestion. The place is great, try not to tell too many people...

And while we're on the subject of secret Florentine treasures, one of my favorite works of art is hidden right under everyone's nose in Santa Felicita - the oldest church in the Oltrarno. It sits in a tiny eponymous piazza off of the Via de' Guicciardini, about a block up from the Ponte Vecchio. The church is concealed, in part, because much of the facade is obscured by the Vasari corridor, an elevated Renaissance tunnel that joins the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. If you know the right people, or pay enough, tours of the corridor are possible but it is otherwise closed to the public.

In any event, if you enter Santa Felicita under the corridor's portico you will find an unlit chapel immediately to the right with two paintings by Jacopo Pontormo. For a small fee, you can turn on timed lights to view his Annunciation and, more importantly, his Deposition. The latter is a treasure: a breathtaking composition of oil on wood that is nothing short of ethereal. Considered to be his master work completed in 1528, the composition, color and implied movement struck me speechless when I first saw it in situ during the last day of an art history class on a semester abroad In 1988. It leaves me similarly silent every time I go back, which is every trip I make to Florence.

The mannerist palette verges on pastels, and lends to the overall surreal quality of the painting. Christ is being taken down from an invisible cross by a group of mourners who appear engaged in a whirling ballet freed from the laws of gravity. What I love most about the painting is that it's astounding visceral impact is amplified by its surprise location. It is like a shrouded portal into the heavens. I delight in taking first time visitors to Florence to see it, without telling them what we're going to see - Exactly as my art history professor did to me. Go, and enjoy.

A Week with Paolo - Day 2.

2012-01-11T12:19:00.003-05:00

Orange and Eggplant.

Happy 69th Pop.

2012-01-11T11:17:00.002-05:00

A City of Substance: Quattro Leoni & the Museo Bargello

2012-01-10T23:54:00.019-05:00

Florence is a city teeming with substance. As you walk down the street, it’s impossible not to notice the turrets of its medieval fortress-like palazzos cutting into the sky, throwing shadows onto the rough-hewn cobblestone streets or the endless marble statues adorning fountains and piazzas. This can be explained by the city’s close proximity to some of Italy’s most renowned quarries as well as their need for defense throughout their tumultuous history feuding with their neighbors.

The Museo Bargello is a fantastic example of this. Originally built as a fortified palace, then converted to a jail, it now houses that largest collection of Renaissance sculpture in Italy. The Bargello’s real strength comes from is lucid demonstration of the evolution in Italian sculptural style from the quattrocento period of Lucca Della Robbia, Donatello and Verrochio, through the high Renaissance with seminal works of Michelangelo and concluding with Ammannati, Cellini and Giambologna’s mannerist masterpieces. The collection’s compositions move from a single vantage point to 360 degrees - from a secure contropposto to chaotic, surreal instability.

Donatello’s St. George epitomizes this earlier style: inset in a gothic niche, he stares forward with strength and determination towards the viewer, his weight shifted to his right.

This is in stark contrast to Giambologna’s cast bronze Mercury, who inexplicably balances on a single toe atop a small orb. His seemingly inevitable, imminent fall can be observed from all angles.

Michelangelo’s Bacchus bridges the gap between these two works. Bacchus appears to be anchored in his stance, but is beginning to teeter in his drunkenness. The inclusion of the small satyr at his left also demonstrates his increasing interest in working in the round.

I remember being the most drawn to Bartolomeo Ammannati’s funerary monument of Mario Nari. Depicted as a Roman legionnaire in slumber, every detail was so life-like that I half expected him to open his eyes, arise and walk out the massive, spiked wooden doors.

If Nari did wake up, he’d no doubt be hungry - chances are he’d be on the lookout for Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The colossal and mouth-watering Florentine porterhouse can be had at many places throughout the city but few are better than at Trattoria Quattro Leoni (Via de dé Vellutini 1R in the Piazza della Passera).

Situated in a small, off-the-grid piazza on the Otrarno, this fantastic eatery offers elevated renditions of staple Tuscan fare. I recall their bruschetta having the ideal balance of sweetness and acidic bite.

The homemade pasta stuffed with pear and taleggio cheese was equally divine, though nothing tops the Bistecca. Deceptively simple, it’s charred and seasoned to perfection. Fair warning though – its substantial, just like the city it comes from, so you might want to share it.

all images from flickr hive.

A week with Paolo - Day 1.

2012-01-09T12:47:00.008-05:00

For the New York residents that are longing for a trip to Florence but are stuck stateside this week, I suggest paying Paolo Alavian a visit at Savore. I eat at there about once a week and I do so for a few reasons:

The first is that its everything from their door girls to their Tuscan-focused menu reminds me of my time living in Italy.

Secondly, its hard to beat the food there. In a neighborhood that is full of touristy, bland Italian restaurants (Mezzogiorno, Il Corrallo, Barolo, Bella Dona), the fare here is rock solid. The fresh, brick-oven baked focaccia that they offer along with their white bean puree and regular crusty bread is the perfect start if you are interested in making your own white bean bruschetta. I'm always excited to hear the specials - particularly the pastas, which are all homemade. The flavors to be tasted here are intense - the sweet and spicy sausages with butternut squash, lentils and broccoli rabe starter is one of the most robust, interesting and hearty dishes I've had since I moved back to the U.S. and don't get me started on their mouth-waterng tiramisu.

Third, Its a great place to come for a drink. Their wine menu is diverse, deep and reasonable and they are the only place I've found in NYC that serves Forst, my favorite Italian beer.

Finally, Savore's service is really second to none. The waiters and waitresses are incredibly friendly, helpful and accommodating. The same can be said for Paolo, the restaurant's owner, who seems to spend time getting to know every single patron of his restaurant. With this in mind, I'd like to allow my readers some time to get to know Paolo. For the next week, he'll be featured on this site as a reminder that personal style doesn't reside solely in Italy. Enjoy.

Florentine Legends: Cibreo e Davide

2012-01-09T02:17:00.008-05:00

Nearly ten years have passed since my last day trip to Florence. I’ve since returned for more extended visits, but when I lived in Rome I used to board the Saturday morning train northbound from Termini frequently. For a young man with a recently developed obsession in Renaissance art history and healthy appetite for great food , there was no better destination for a weekend afternoon. While each visit brought new and incredible discoveries, my first remains the most impactful. It was on that day that I met two of Florence’s most lengandary giants: Michelangelo’s David and Fabio Picchi’s Trattoria Cibreo.

When I was putting together my recommendations for Jon, Jeremy, Lawrence and Agyesh I knew where I had to begin. “If you see anything, other than Tie Your Tie, it must be the David and if you are going to eat in one place, make it Cibreo.” These suggestions aren’t unique. Cibreo is widely held by many as Florence’s finest eatery and Il Gigante has long been touted as one of the greatest pieces of sculpture of the last 500 years. I’ve often found that legends rarely live to their hype. Occasionally they meet it. The David and Cibreo both transcend it.

Photographs of Michelangelo’s masterpiece fail to do its magnitude and presence justice. Its difficult to believe that the 17 ft tall image of the ideal male form was cut from a block of marble so oddly proportioned that it was passed over by more than one great Florentine sculptor as unusable before the artist began work on it at age 26. When the work was completed four years later, the Florentine government thought it was such a powerful symbol of the strength and determination of their state that it was placed directly in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (The Florentine statehouse) pointing towards Rome, their then aggressor and “Goliath.”

In the late 19^th century it was moved to the Accademia where it still resides, along with many other of Michelangelo’s uncompleted marble sculptures created for the ill-fated tomb of Pope Julius II. The Accedemia is a little out of the way from the town’s center and lines can be long at times but, as Machiavelli so famously suggested, the ends certainly justify the means.

Not unlike the David, you’ll most likely find lines outside of Trattoria Cibreo (Via de' Macci 122r). Again, I ask that you listen to Machiavelli and wait. Chef Fabio Picchi has innovated traditional Tuscan cuisine to create a menu full of unfamiliar (no pastas) but mind-blowing dishes with bold, unforgettable flavors. When my brother first told me about the place he issued me specific instructions: Start with the pomodoro in gelatina – an unbelievable tomato jello-like spread with fiery hot pepper, raw garlic and fresh basil. Next move on to the sformato di ricotta e patate (a sort of quiche of sheeps ricotta and potato), calamari inzimino (a sublimely spicy squid and black cabbage) and a half bottle of chianti to wash it all down. I’ve never ordered anything else and I still dream of the pomodoro in gelatina to this day.

all images found through flickr hive.

Una Settimana in Firenze

2012-01-08T14:21:00.006-05:00

Florence is my favorite place on this earth. My obsession with the city of Michelangelo began well before street style photographers invaded the booths of Pitti Uomo and the tables at Acqua al Due. Over the past few days, as many of my friends have been planning Florentine itineraries and calculating how to fit their unstructured wardrobes into carry-ons, I’ve been reflecting on the city I grew to know intimately throughout my time living in Italy. Over the next week, I hope to share a vantage point of Firenze distinctly different from that of Tommy Ton and Scott Schuman. I sent the fellas off yesterday with a list of non-clothing related recommendations that highlight what I've found to be the best of Florence. Starting tomorrow, I plan on exploring aspects of that list here. So if you'd like a break from the overdose of spalla camicias and sprezzatura that the next five days are sure to provide, please check back. If not, come by anyway. I'll still have you covered with a week of Soho's most stylish restauranteur, Paolo Alavian.

Ci vediamo domani!

Influential Imagery - Guy Mariano

2011-12-24T10:09:00.006-05:00

The videos above are worth your time, even if you don't know what it feels like to push a skateboard down the street.

Never underestimate the resilience of the human spirit.

Stockholm - Color. Depth. Texture. part 3

2011-12-16T02:05:00.001-05:00

Marcus of Rose & Born.

Stockholm - Color. Depth. Texture. part 2

2011-12-14T08:06:00.002-05:00

Stone. Emerald. Terra cotta. All with a patina more elegant that these images can convey.

Stockholm - Color. Depth. Texture. part 1

2011-12-13T06:09:00.004-05:00

These words apply to the city of Stockholm and its people as much as they do to the beautiful things that I have acquired on this trip.

Questa Mattina.

2011-12-11T18:57:00.000-05:00

An Afternoon at Rose & Born.

2011-12-10T15:24:00.009-05:00

“Please excuse me for just one moment,” Marcus says apologetically as he moves to help a gentleman with a distinctly urgent constitution that enters through the teak door behind us. Marcus is intuitive. The man has a Christmas party in two hours and is unable to find anything suitable to wear in his closet. He has come to the right place. Marcus sets to work quickly, eyeballing the gentleman’s size without error and slipping him into a perfectly fitted indigo flannel double-breasted jacket (4 button/3 patch for those keeping score) and a just right shade of pale gray trousers. Within moments the customer is shown three tie options that perfectly compliment the ensemble. A choice is a made and the man is gone, happily, almost as quickly as he’s arrived. Marcus smiles as he comes to rejoin me. “I am sorry about that, it happens fairly regularly at this time of year.”

My visit is less goal-oriented. I’ve come to discover and absorb; to soak up the unexpected plays on color and texture, mixed flawlessly with elegance, sophistication and unrivaled creativity. Classic five-pocket denim is reimagined in a butter-soft wool/cashmere twill. The orange stitching is left intact, suggesting raw denim from a distance. A pale navy knit tie with small, printed ecru dots sits near a rustic English tweed sport jacket with hand-swelled elbow patches in cream suede. This kind of ingenious subtlety in design is one of the many reasons why I consider Rose & Born to be one of (if not singularly) the best men’s stores in the world.

My good friend John once told me that men buy two things – Solutions to problems and good feelings. What makes Rose & Born unique is their uncanny ability to provide both without compromise.

I hope you are half as inspired by the following photographs as I am. If you ever find your way to Stockholm I highly recommend stopping by #2 Grevgatan for a coffee, a chat and a look around. It may very well change your entire perspective on how you get dressed.

Katie's 3 favorite things.

2011-11-09T11:45:00.003-05:00

In no particular order:

1. apples

2. running in the grass

3. my wife

For her, life is good.

2011-11-06T13:57:00.001-05:00

13th & Wolf. Looking back to move forward.

Indefinite Hiatus

2010-01-22T10:38:00.002-05:00

A new gig, new responsibilities. Thanks for reading and I'll see you all in a few.

Respectfully,
Enzo

Its like Pete & Re-Pete - Roy Hobbs, J.Crew & Ebbets Field Flannels

2010-01-04T11:52:00.007-05:00

I've been thinking about The Natural a lot lately. With Redford, "wonderboy" and some epic one-liners, it may be the perfect baseball movie. My brother loved it so much that my mother actually hand-made him the Knights' jacket one Christmas.

When I saw this over at J.Crew I forwarded it to him immediately. I have to admit I was impressed. They've been doing a few decent collabs lately, but Hobbs' NY Knights? That is just too good. However, more research led to the fact that this isn't a collaboration at all. J. Crew is just buying hats from the Ebbets Field Flannels line and charging a premium for them. Buy it direct from EFF for $20 where the crew's one will run you $40. Heck, EFF can set you up with Roy's jersey and my brother's jacket too. I wonder what J. Crew's mark up would be for those...

On the List - Needlepoint Slippers

2010-01-03T17:12:00.008-05:00

Tintin's skiers have got me on the trail. These are pretty great but the price tag and lack of school/regiment affiliation are prohibitive. If I could find a pair in cardinal and gold around $100 clams I would be set. SC kids thought I belonged in an institution when I used to show up to football games in a button down and school repp tie. Can you imagine how they'd respond to these?

Listening to...

2009-12-30T11:50:00.002-05:00

You should too...

13&W Approved - Yoox's Italian Connection

2009-12-29T15:35:00.008-05:00

a. Piombo windowpane houndstooth blazer - $295

b. Italia Independent navy peacoat - $390

c. Brunello Cucinelli ivory gabs - $280

d. Finamore neapolitan spread collar shirt - $98

e. Cerbero chocolate suede captoes - $95

f. Holliday & Brown repp tie - $69

g. Tod's leather card case - $98

h. Trussardi cashmere scarf - $315

i. Y's for Men handkerchief - $79

j. Eugenia Kim alpaca cable knit cap - $290

k. Maison Martin Margiela fingerless mittens - $59

l. Magugliani 1954 brown calf belt - $69

13&W ebay discoveries - Grenson Dress Hikers

2009-12-29T07:24:00.005-05:00

These are kind of like a dress version of the Danner Mountain Light. Like Mort would say, wear these tucked under the pants of your grey flannel suit for the rest of the winter and you're ahead of the game (Although I still don't understand the denim/bean boot pet peeve he has. How could you think this doesn't look great?). The auction for these UK size 10s is currently listed at $208. Good morning and good luck.

Hong Kong Trip pt. 1 - Hackett does Rugby

2009-12-14T15:42:00.005-05:00

Our Kinkade Rugby from Fall 09

The Hackett version -release date TBD

I saw it immediately as we walked into the Chinese factory showroom. Our rugby shirt. My rugby shirt (my college colors that is). My first thought was that we don't make our rugby shirts in this factory, but Hackett does. I guess imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Hong Kong Hiatus

2009-12-04T09:36:00.003-05:00

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow for my first factory and sourcing trip. Won't be back until the 12th. The following video documentation should keep you occupied in the interim. Enjoy and I'll catch you all when I get back.

Gino Iannucci in Trilogy

Peter Smolik in Fulfill the Dream

Fred Gall in Timecode

Guy Mariano in Video Days

Borrelli, De Corato & Attolini - A Tale in Neapolitan Tailoring

2009-12-03T15:40:00.011-05:00

I have always appreciated having a Borrelli store in the building where I work. Its easy to become completely immersed into the culture here and Borrelli's tailored Neapolitan aesthetic has continuously served as a reminder of my own identity and allowed me to keep my own design sensibility in check. On a recent visit I noticed that the sign above the door had changed. Upon entering, I realized that the name wasn't the only difference. David, the store's head buyer, explained that Fabio Borrelli's recent arrest just prior to the spring Pitti Uomo had forced the brand to cancel most of their orders. With the Borrelli company's future in limbo, the decision was made to take the boutique multi-brand. The newly named De Corato's current line-up now includes, among others, a made to measure shirt program by Finamore as well as tailored clothing by the unrivaled Neapolitan masters Cesare Attolini. The acquisition of Attolini is a true coup for De Corato as the move forward to encompass the entirety of the Neapolitan tailored lifestyle.

Enrico Libani of Cesare Attolini

Attolini's history in American menswear has been a brief one. Until recently, it was only available through Domenico Vacca, but the retailer and the suitmakers severed ties a little over a year ago, leaving the New York market wanting.

The boat shaped breast pocket

"We have a small but loyal following here. They understand that no one can match our quality," said Enrico Libani, the company's U.S. spokesman. Cesare Attolini, the company's namesake, developed and fine tuned his current manufacturing techniques with longs stays at Isaia and Kiton. Every single stitch is sewn by the hands of Neapolitan master tailors and their attention to detail is unparalleled. "Notice that the 'boat-shaped chest pocket' is curved. That is because your chest is curved. It takes an extra 45 minutes to baste this pocket so that it follows the curve of your body with more integrity. We have over 100 master tailors but we only produce 30 suits a day. Its our attention to detail that separates us from the others," said Libani.

The 2-button-tongue waist closure

Without knowing who I was, Enrico spent a similar 45 minutes with me, detailing the rest of the manufacturing process, fit and history of his company. This was done not as a sale or PR tactic, but because of the love and conviction he has about his product. "Its all about education," he told me as he guided me through a lesson on the interior construction of their tuxedo pant.

The shirt sleeve insert shoulder

Just like their tailoring process, Attolini educates their consumer the old fashioned way - the undertaking is longer and more tedious but the end result leaves a substantially more lasting impression. Congratulations again to David and the whole team at De Corato. You have made the best of an unfortunate situation and turned the excellent into the exceptional.

13&W Approved - Gino & Guy

2009-12-02T10:02:00.003-05:00

Gino Iannucci

Guy Mariano

For as long as I can remember, my family has chosen its favorite sports teams based on the vowel at the end of name of its star players. Despite being from Philadelphia, Dad's whole neighborhood rooted for the DiMaggio's Yankees. When I was growing up in Vermont everyone always found it odd that we were Miami Dolphin fans. When Marino retired Dad switched to Testaverde. Despite my marginal interest in team sports it carried over to me as well. I've been skating Girl & Chocolate boards for close to ten years now, mainly because of the two guys above. Like DiMaggio, Marino & Testaverde (in college at least) these fellas' skills transcend their ethnic background. The vowel doesn't hurt though.

Things Found - A J. Peter MAN

2009-12-01T10:47:00.002-05:00

All illustrations borrowed from J. Peterman

End of Summer Waxed Coat - $192

Irish Sweater - $250

Annapolis Shirt - $149

Moleskin Pants - $129

Hoof Pick Belt - $98

Dominican Bay Rum - $18

Handsome Thug Cap - $119

Leather Trolley Case - $2,600

I didn't even know J. Peterman still existed but, thanks to my good buddy Kip, I do now. All Seinfeld jokes aside, the writing and illustrations in Peterman's Owner's Manuals are top notch. I put myself on the mailing list ten minutes ago and you should too.

Influential Imagery - Know when to Think and when to Act

2009-11-30T10:06:00.005-05:00

Michelangelo's Lorenzo de'Medici, Duke of Urbino

image borrowed from here

Michelangelo's Giuliano de'Medici, Duke of Nemours

image borrowed from here

Fall Inspiration - Damn Near Perfect

2009-11-27T11:21:00.004-05:00

image courtesy of Milano&Co.

Ravioli - A Ciongoli Thanksgiving Tradition

2009-11-26T09:08:00.009-05:00

To most Americans, the fourth Thursday of November means turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. In my house it is a little bit different. Of course we have all these things but all anybody really cares about is ravioli. Its a celebration pasta, only eaten on holidays. My father looked forward to Thanksgiving for two reasons alone: the time with his family and the time with his grandmother's ravioli. The clip above is from another one of his appearences on Mary Ann Esposito's Ciao Italia cooking show. This time he shares the recipe for our family ravioli. Try it today to add a hint of Italian culture to one of America's best traditions. Happy Thanksgiving everybody. The recipe and video can also be found here.

Fleeing the Flea

2009-11-24T10:45:00.003-05:00

I stopped into the Pop Up Flea twice this past weekend. Was it to ogle the overpriced workwear both real and J.Crew? Nope. It was to try and score a business card from this guy. Sadly, I missed him but our overall conclusions about the event were the same. His response was so insightful that I won't sully it with a summary. You can read New England's best thrifter's detailed analysis here. Keep fighting the good fight Giuseppe.

Finding your "Style Sweet Spot"

2009-11-19T13:17:00.005-05:00

From the first day I launched 13&W I’ve been endorsing a style that is a balance between classic American and Italian. There’s a great pragmatism and utility in traditional American menswear that can’t be ignored. Similarly, Italian tailoring conveys a precision and sense of elegance that is unrivaled by anything made on this side of the pond. The mixing of the two is, to me, the perfect juxtaposition – my “style sweet spot.” The images above are two examples of this idea: taking the best ideas from both style lexicons and uniting them to create a truly enlightened garment. The first, a custom shirt I had made about six months back, is constructed in a sturdy, well-wearing blue oxford cloth with a barrel cuff but that is where it's similarities end with the boxy, Brooks Brothers icon. This one has a white poplin cutaway collar, French placket, no breast pocket and rear darts. The overall effect is something more crisp & polished (and honestly cooler) than its forebearer. The second, is a black pinstripe suit jacket by Boglioli. It is single breasted with a notch lapel, 3/2 roll and two button cuffs. While many of the details here would be familiar to a J. Press customer, the jacket’s cut, color & shoulder give it a decidedly Italian feel. First, the distinctly southern Italian cut is significantly more form fitting with front darts, a highly suppressed waist and rear vents. Second, the color is an urban, modern update to the navy pin. Finally, the shoulder is what I call a natural rope with no padding except for a small amount at the sleeve cap to create the subtle roping look. This type of shoulder is, in my opinion, the key to this look. The lack of padding on top of the shoulder denotes the sign of expert tailoring and the understated roping adds a great deal of strength and solidity to the overall impression. The point is to pick and choose the details you like from both style languages to create one of your own. It takes some practice to speak fluently, but when you do, it will show.

Fall Staples - A Vested Development

2009-11-16T14:16:00.001-05:00

It’s close to 60 with the sun shining and a slight breeze in the air. You can’t beat a fall day like today in NYC, not with a stick. Weather like this is by far my favorite because it allows for so much creativity in layering options. I have found that a basic, tailored vest in tweed or flannel is one of the most versatile pieces a gentleman can own for such weather because of how easily it can be mixed with outerwear, tailoring, knits and so forth. The opportunities are endless. Above are a few ideas I like to run with. I hope they inspire you to find some of your own.

Today's Kit - Spring Style/Fall Fabrics

2009-11-11T10:21:00.010-05:00

Swap the nantucket red chinos for wide wale cords, the navy twill blazer for a wool melton binded club jacket and a silk glen plain tie for a cashmere one

The last remnants of tanned ankles will be hidden by my grey heather wigwam socks soon, but not yet

Fall Inspiration - Sartoria Partenopea

2009-11-05T13:30:00.003-05:00

In Italy, its all about the jacket. Napoli's Sartoria Partenopea masterfully demonstrated that idea this fall by utilizing light grey flannel and khaki trousers as the perfect blank canvases for their beautifully cut and patterned blazers. I kick around the idea of elegance in my head a lot and the more I think about it, the more I move in this direction.

13&W Approved - Rugby's Thermal Rugbys

2009-10-30T11:31:00.006-04:00

With the majority of Rugby's first holiday delivery up on its website I am excited to finally share with you two of my favorite styles from the line. Simple and effortlessly cool, these thermal rugbys are the exact sensibility that initially drew me to the brand. The term "Preppy with a twist" gets thrown around a lot but I've found that the usual result of that idea is a fake, bastardization of the prep aesthetic. With these, we took the most classic rugby body, details and trim and ran them with an unexpected fabric. That's it. No cheesy logos, no tacky tie stripes. Just classic style. The result, I think, is an overwhelming success. I've got them both and they will be layered into my rotation all through the winter.

Family first, don't ever forget where you come from, do it now.

2009-10-28T09:27:00.007-04:00

We lost my Father one year ago today. Over that year I have tried to transcribe some of the most important lessons he taught me on this weblog. My hope is that they have inspired some of you the way he inspired me. Today's post is no different although today the words are not my own but my brother's. His speech at my Father's funeral was both eloquent & insightful. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for joining us here today on behalf of my family: my mother, my siblings, myself, and my dad. I had thought I would begin by describing my father, but as I look around the room, it is clear to me that virtually everyone in this room knew him. Nonetheless, my father, as you know, was a remarkable man. He was brilliant, he was dignified, he was elegant, he was selfless, generous, he had a great sense of humor, he was passionate. The assembly of such a personally and professionally remarkable group of family and friends -- and the condolences of hundreds more from across the world who wished they could be here to join us in paying respects to my father says more about my his accomplishments as a human being than I could hope to in words.

Indeed, as I thought about the daunting task of paying appropriate tribute to my father this morning, I was at times overwhelmed at where to begin. To chronicle and praise my father’s achievements would be impossible: he quite simply did everything and excelled at all of it. And he wouldn’t have liked that anyway, he would have viewed it as boastful. I also thought about my fondest memories of my father, but knew immediately that I had no hope of getting through those without sobbing incomprehensibly.

I thought about what my father would have wanted me to do today, and it quickly became clear. Life, for my dad, was always about lessons – lessons taught and learned. He looked for the lesson in everything he did, and he relished the opportunity to share them. Anyone who has eaten with him is familiar with what one of my friends aptly dubbed “lunch and lecture.”
And while he certainly could make any setting feel like a classroom – I suspect that is why the Socratic method of law school seemed so familiar to me – it was always clear that he did it out of an intense curiosity, a joy for human interaction and a belief in constantly trying to make the world a better place through mutual understanding.

So today, it seems most appropriate that, on my father’s behalf I share with you three essential lessons that he imparted to me over the last 40 years.

The first one is deceptively simple, but it was his overriding mantra:

Family First

My father was an incredibly busy man. He never had fewer than three full-time avocations: physician, writer, Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation, pundit, restauranteur, political advocate – and that leaves many out. As we reflected this week on all that he accomplished in only 65 years, my brother Greg wondered aloud whether there had been three of him. Indeed, each of you undoubtedly feels like my father spent a significant amount of his time speaking to you, and yet he had time for all the people in this room, and more. I have no idea how he did it.

And yet, no matter what my father was doing – from seeing patients to meeting with Presidents of the United States – he made unambiguous to everyone that he would drop anything for his family. For my dad, any success he achieved in his life was a direct result of the complete dedication and self-sacrifice of his parents, and he wanted his family to have no less advantage. And we didn’t.

His dedication to and love for my Mom is the stuff of fairy tales. We each can only hope to have that kind of true love in our lives. She was his inspiration and his rock, and he was hers.

For the five of us, his children, he was always there. He worked tirelessly to provide for us, and raise us to be strong, moral and self-sufficient people. He coached our baseball teams, edited (or in some cases wrote) our college admission essays, and advised and opened doors for us as we each pursued our careers. He gloried in our personal victories and assuaged our defeats.

And when his seven grandchildren came along, my father was a grandfather in the model of his father. And for those of you who knew my grandfather, you know there is no higher compliment.

And then there was his extended “family.” I remember when I was about 8 or 9 and it suddenly dawned on me that I had a lot of “aunts” and “uncles” given that my dad was an only child. But that’s because my father defined family broadly to include all of those that he loved. And for those who became his family, you know the same awesome sense of total security he provided. There is nothing like it.

The confidence that my father’s total selflessness to us provided was essential to that which we have acheived. I truly believe, as he did, that if each of us put our families first – before career, before personal fulfillment, certainly before politics -- each of us would be happier, and it would solve most of the world’s problems.

Second,

Don't Ever Forget Where You Came From

As an Italian kid from a modest beginning in this very neighborhood, my dad went on to do things that few people do. And yet he never forgot, and indeed trumpeted where he came from. As I’ve already said, he never received any honor or notice without using it as an opportunity to extol his parents and the tenets of their Italian-American culture.

He constantly said that life is not a single-generation race to collect the most toys or “tickle your hypothalamus” in the most ways. The key to life, for my father, was to remember that it is multi-generational. That you are where you are because of the sacrifices and lessons of those who came before you.

It is this approach that informed so much that was inspirational about my dad: his wisdom, his humility, his selflessness, and in particular his strength when facing adversity.

Each day I remember, and am thankful for where I came from because of him.

Third,

Do It Now

It is an understatement to say that my father's life was tragically short in time. I find solace, however, in the fact that my father did not waste any of it. He devoured life. He always had a project, a conference, an article, a trip, an idea. If there was a subject that interested him, he would study and master it, seeking out the experts in the field to hone his understanding. And I used to marvel at both his capacity for learning information, and the confidence and ease with which he would strike up friendships with highly talented people he didn’t know at all. Even more extraordinary was his ability to tell these experts that they were wrong about something on which they were the expert.

When he became interested in architecture, he sought out noted architect Robert Venturi. When he became interested in law, he befriended Justices Alito and Scalia. When he was interested in politics, it was Rudy Giuliani, Mario Cuomo, and Congressman Guarini. With literature it was Gay Talese and Jay Parini.

Getting sick didn’t change any of this. In the last year and a half, my father approached life the same way he always had – living every day to its fullest. He traveled to Italy for conferences, went to Alaska because he had always wanted to go, though exhausted from a 25 day cycle of radiation, he attended and spoke at my brother Tonio’s wedding. Indeed, just two weeks ago, though wheelchair bound and visibly affected by his sickness my father attended the annual gala of the National Italian American Foundation in Washington to be honored and celebrate the end of his four year term as its chairman.
Carpe Diem doesn’t do it justice. My father’s example always reminded me that each of us does not know when we will leave this earth, so if you want to do something, do it now.

***

Shortly after my father was first diagnosed last year, he sat down and wrote each of us – my mom and my brothers and sisters – letters for the time when he wouldn’t be with us anymore. It was his way of providing lessons he knew we would need for the future. In the letter to my mother, he noted that you achieve immortality through your children. What he meant by that was that if you do your job as a parent right, your children learn the lessons of how to live life, and they try to make the world the kind of place that you spent your life working towards. The best honor I can give to my dad is to live my life according to these lessons: Family First, Don't Forget Where You Came From, Do It Now. To teach them to my son, Nicholas, and to share them with you today, that you might help me make my father’s life continue in its most important ways. Thank you.

Influential Imagery - 10.22.09

2009-10-22T13:45:00.002-04:00

Fall Staples - Truly Timeless Bean Footwear

2009-10-21T10:50:00.003-04:00

All images were scanned from a recent ebay acquisition; the Fall 1959 L.L. Bean catalogue

RRL on GILT

2009-10-19T10:24:00.006-04:00

The rarely on sale RRL is on the new Gilt Man site starting at noon today. I have no clue what the prices are going to be like but I thought I'd throw it up anyway. If you need an invite to view the site you can get access here. Enjoy fellas.

Blazer Buttons - A Lesson in Self Expression

2009-10-16T10:03:00.004-04:00

image borrowed from the web gallery of art

One of the most profound lessons my Father taught me was just to be myself. This lesson is a general as it is simple but as with most things on this site I'll try to apply it to timeless style. Its been my experience that a man never looks better or more comfortable in his clothes than when they are a direct reflection of his own personality. My Father would have argued that a man is who he is largely because of where he came from. So how does your background effect your style?

A while back I got a great deal on a well cut blue blazer with hacking pockets. Its only major flaw was the set of cheap, faux horn buttons that adorned its center and cuffs. The tonal effect they lent the jacket was suggestive of my early Alzheimer's as clearly I was forgetting my suit pants. The sole remedy for this premature onset of dementia, short of scraping the blazer all together was to invest in a new set of buttons. After asking around, I decided to check out Tender Buttons on E. 62nd St. The shear amount of choice was staggering: Gold, silver, mother of pearl, leather, French, American, Spanish, antique, contemporary...its enough to make one's head explode. Thankfully, the vowel at the end of my name guided me straight past the waspy gold emblazoned options to the boxes of silver choices. My eyes raced up and down through the various buttons, quickly filtering out anything of French or English origin until a familiar, comforting image stopped them dead in their tracks. There on a shelf in upper Manhattan, cast in in silver, the brave Roman soldier St. George rode on horseback, his lance poised to mortally strike the dragon, his legendary adversary. As a Renaissance art history enthusiast (or a Mitch Hedberg would say, a guy who likes the Renaissance), this image holds special meaning to me. It was used as metaphor for the enlightenment overcoming the darkness of the middle ages by the Quattrocento sculptor Donatello. His rendition in rilievo stiacciato, which I visited frequently when I resided in Italy, also incorporated the first use of linear perspective in marble since antiquity. The buttons are not only a symbol a lifelong thirst for knowledge but a reminder of my roots and my own coming of age in Rome. I could not think of an insignia more personal, perfect, or inspiring.

And I also happen to think they look pretty damned cool.

A promise of good things coming

2009-10-14T13:28:00.003-04:00

image borrowed from thesartorialist

I know there has been a bit of infrequence and fluff here of late but I promise that should change by the end of the week. I've got something coming that you will hopefully find is as good as the above gent's pinstripe suit.

13&W ebay discoveries - C&J navy suede tassels

2009-10-08T10:54:00.002-04:00

These are the exact opposite of a fall staple. Navy suede shoes are an indulgence indeed. They are currently listed at $302.34 with 7 bids and more than two hours left. Somehow I feel like they are going to fetch a grip more than 3 bills...

Fall Staples - The Unexpected Bean

2009-10-06T16:55:00.003-04:00

Maine hunting shoe with woolrich plaid (a friend's ebay pick up)

Down jac-shirt - $99.00 - Perfect for walking the dog...

Flying tiger jacket - $359 - look familiar?

I know a lot of folks out in the interweb are getting tired of hearing about L.L. Bean. With that said, I have highlighted a few things above from their fall offerings, recent past and present, that haven’t gotten scores of press. They’ll make sturdy, unexpected additions to any gentleman’s fall wardrobe.

Someone at Brooks should lose their job over this...

2009-09-30T13:05:00.003-04:00

What the...?

First Anniversary in Bermuda

2009-09-23T11:27:00.008-04:00

My wife and I are headed to Bermuda this weekend to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. While she's a seasoned vet, I've never been.

We'll definitely be drinking these (image by ACL)

as well as stopping by here (image from Life). Any other recs?

The Extinguished Flame of Delta Psi

2009-09-21T16:13:00.010-04:00

In 1850, a University of Vermont classics major named John Ellsworth Goodrich came together with a group of his fellow classmates to found the Delta Psi fraternity; an organization devoted to the promotion of Greek and Latin literature and deep-seated friendship. As interest in Goodrich’s group grew, he found it necessary to obtain a headquarters that would inspire its members as equally as the texts they enjoyed reading together. They found a home in the Richardsonian Romanesque mansion at 61 Summit St. Over the next one hundred and fifty years, Delta Psi evolved into one of the leading fraternities on campus and its awe inspiring residence attracted some of Vermont’s best and brightest young men including world renowned author and philosopher John Dewey.

I grew up passing this house every day on my walk home from middle school. I can clearly recall its members clad in brightly colored Patagonia syncillas, heavy norwegian sweaters & two tone CB down vests playing football on the front lawn and drinking cheap beer on the porch, the late fall sun reflecting off of their oakley frogskins. At the beginning of each semester, stop signs, street cones and other random neighborhood objects would start to disappear, the casualties of a semi-annual plegdship period. Dad never really paid the disappearances much mind. He was a fraternity man himself and could relate position the pledges were put in. He’d been through it in spades. One morning we awoke to find the marble bench that Dad placed under the maple tree that shaded our driveway gone. He marched straight over to 61 Summit St. and wrapped the bronze knocker on the front door until it dented the wood. “I would like my bench back please.” ”I’m sorry sir but I have no idea what you are talking about.” Dad strode by him and examined every room on the ground floor and saw no sign of the intricately carved bench. “The apple has certainly fallen far from the tree here,” he said as he walked out the door and back to our house without his stolen property. A week later Dad got another one, this time cementing it into place.

In 2003, the girlfriend of a Delta Psi brother called the police. Her boyfriend had been kidnapped she said. They found him hogtied, donning Oakley frogskins and drinking cheap beer in the custody of his own pledges (just kidding about the frogskins). This prank was the last straw for the University that agreed with my Father - The apple had fallen and the tree needed to be chopped down and burned. After a century and a half at UVM, the Delta Psi fraternity was indefinitely suspended. To make matters worse, their house, once the physical embodiment of the classicism and tradition their organization was created to promote, had fallen into disrepair and needed roughly two million dollars for restoration. The brothers and alumni scrambled to save their house but their efforts were too little too late and they were forced to sell 61 Summit St. to the university in 2007. The house has since been emptied and the current plans are to gut the inside and turn it into an admissions building.

A few weeks back, while home to visit my mother, I decided to take a walk over to the deserted house and poke around. I don’t know whether it was the thought of Goodwill’s dying legacy or the unfinished quest for my father’s bench that spurred my interest. I didn’t care. I found an open window and, after climbing through, took my time examining every room of the four story fraternity capturing images with my camera and my mind. On each floor was an eerie, empty sea of mahogany, coffers and bronze gilt light fixtures. Beautifully carved tables were stacked in piles in the center of the main hall. The library’s bookshelves were still filled with dust covered books on philosophy and antiquity. I found myself wondering if Dewey ever had a glance at any of them as I moved toward one of the many ornate, grotesquely decorated fireplaces. They seemed to be in every room, each one as distinct and different as the snowflakes so frequently collected on the house’s windowsills throughout those notoriously long, brutal Vermont winters. The fireplaces, like the house itself, were designed to motivate, to feed the fire of inspiration in its dwellers both figuratively and literally. Unfortunately, the light of Delta Psi has gone out and my father’s stone bench is nowhere to be found.

A Lesson in Fall Layering from the First AKC

2009-09-17T11:11:00.005-04:00

Who needs the fashion rags for inspiration tears when I keep finding photos like these? A leather bomber over a fairisle and brown wide wales…this look could be on our fall rig right now.

The Last Shots of Color in Spring/Summer

2009-09-16T10:34:00.003-04:00

The seersucker and madras are headed into storage this weekend. My head is ready for fall and 13th & Wolf will reflect that starting tomorrow.

The Council of Italian Taste Makers at Barneys

2009-09-16T09:50:00.008-04:00

the council

the chairman of the board

the double monk

I hate to reblog but what is going on at Barneys is just too good to keep quiet about. Scott Schuman's pop up shop The SartoriaLUST is officially up and running. Last night, Schuman and Barney's held a book signing/party to kick off the collaboration. Lino Ieluzzi of Milan's Al Bazar & Valentino Ricci, the Pugliese purveyor of the soft but strong shouldered suit were both there to show their support. Schuman did an excellent job of filling the small space with a diverse selection of garments from brands like Woolrich John Rich & Bros, Duckie Brown & Roda. The true standouts to me are the selection of double monks from Al Bazar (particularly the navy suede pictured above) as well as Schuman's DB blazer collaboration with Boglioli. The jacket is completely unconstructed and each size has different colored buttons. Valentino Ricci will be back over at Barneys today to host a trunk show. His jackets, which take 72 hours to construct by hand, are nothing short of spectacular and definitely worth a look. His tailoring sensibility can be summed up by one phase he uttered during a conversation with Jeremy Hackett: "If you hide your shoulders you are hiding who you really are..."

Michael Bastian S/S09 - Bet on a Black Market

2009-09-15T14:38:00.010-04:00

For fall 09, New York menswear designer Michael Bastian took us backpacking across the country with his heart on his sleeve (and scarf). Yesterday, he journeyed further south into Latin America for his SS 10 collection. One of the things I have always appreciated about Michael is his understanding of the need for consistency. His collection has evolved every season but many aspects of it that garnered fans initially are still present time after time. His fits have changed little since Fall 06 (He is still really the only choice for someone looking for a long and lean updated prep aesthetic). His models, like the one button peak lapel jacket, boxer-lined cutoffs and buttonless placket rugbys, see the light of day in every runway show. This was no different in yesterday’s showing at the EXIT ART space on 10th Ave. & W 35th St. Where he departed from the norm was his strong use of black; a real first for him. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of black for spring when he first mentioned it to me a couple months back. It certainly wasn’t the safest choice and in an economic climate where companies are going belly up seemingly every day, most designers just aren’t taking the risk. Thankfully for American menswear, Michael Bastian isn’t most designers. In sportswear, washed out blacks were complimented with shots of spring color like teal, yellow and bright greens. In tailored clothing, Michael’s use of Mother of Pearl buttons on a black blazer made his look feel less John Varvatos and more Battistoni. The result is a black story without the obvious, stereotypical color connotations. It wasn’t punk rock, it wasn’t weekend yuppie, it was only Michael Bastian. To me that’s a great thing.

Cleaning the sauce from suede shoes - An Epic

2009-09-09T22:47:00.013-04:00

image by foster huntington

(click to zoom for damage shot)

A while back, Foster Huntington and I set out to document Rugby tie designer Sean Crowley’s apartment and The Jazz Age Lawn Party for our respective weblogs. In a day filled with amazing photos, Fort Greene barbeque, and St. Germain cocktails, the only casualties were my favorite suede cap toes, mortally wounded by a massive glob of bbq sauce from Foster's sandwich. With no more than a chuckle and a shoulder shrug, the Restless Transplant transplanted himself to the bar with the greatest facility and left me to find my own solution. So how do I clean them? I’d been attempting, to no avail, to answer that question ever since. I tried everything. A friend recommended rubbing the stain with salt and then brushing it out but that didn't work. Jim’s Shoe Repair said that they couldn’t do anything for me but advised to put baby powder on the stain for a week and then give it a brush...nope, try again. An extensive google search yielded unhelpful results. Was there really no solution? Just as I was about to concede defeat and bury my captoes in the back of the closet I hit pay dirt. Yesterday, I found an old suede cleaning spray that included instructions suggesting the use of an emery board.

After three months of failure involving the harebrained use of kitchen and bathroom products, all it took was five minutes with my wife's toiletry and my shoe looked like new. So there you have it, a long-winded, roundabout answer to a simple question. An emery board does wonders to combat any sort of damage a shaggy-haired, beer-guzzling, shoe-throwing, west coaster at a northeastern liberal arts college blogger/photographer could inflict on a pair of suede shoes.

back in working order...

I'm headed here this weekend...

2009-09-04T11:48:00.006-04:00

If you're in town you can probably catch me here:

or here:

drinking this:

and behaving like this:

Enjoy that last bit of summer and I'll catch you all next week...

Summer '09 Wears at Summer '29 Prices

2009-09-04T10:04:00.005-04:00

vintage corbin indian madras blazer - $11 @ eleven vintage on prince st.

phineas cole cutaway dress shirt - $12 @ housing works soho

vintage brooks brothers indian madras tie - $7 @ the pop up flea

Maybe I've been reading too much Giuseppe or maybe I'm just tired of spending a truckload for my wears. One way or another I've caught the thrift bug. Above some of the summer's best pick ups. Whoever said thrift/vintage shopping in NYC was too expensive isn't digging hard enough!

Italian Ingenuity - Michelangelo's San Lorenzo

2009-09-03T11:50:00.005-04:00

It was my freshman year of college. I had just moved back from Italy and the influence of the country's art still captivated my every interest. My creative writing teacher asked me to write an essay about where I saw myself in ten years. Needless to say, it began back in Florence in the Piazza San Lorenzo. I envisioned myself on the steps flanking the Medici family church, with a podium in front of me and Michelangelo's newly completed facade to my rear. As a Renaissance fanatic, my dream was to get that facade built as Michelangelo had planned it. I had succeeded and was about to commence with the opening ceremony.

While my interests have broadened in the past few years, I still think of that church, the Medici family who continually patronized it and the legacy that they left the world through art and architecture daily. That is why I was happy to discover yesterday that the Commune of Florence has been entertaining the idea of completing Michelangelo’s long abandoned plan. Some of the details can be seen here.

Now that we have successfully seen the revival of the classics in menswear I find myself wondering if and when a similar shift will occur in architecture. I liken contemporary architecture to a strong-shouldered, five button Armani suit: It may seem ground breaking at the time of its conception but centuries later it's just another preposterous monstrosity. Unfortunately, a retroactive shift in contemporary architecture is not as easy to effect as the ever moving tide of men’s fashion. A change in architecture would need to commence at the academic level and this would be no small feat. I know that at my alma mater’s school of Architecture the history books BEGIN with the Bauhaus movement. The only way an architecture student at USC can study Michaelangelo’s Porta Pia and Palladio’s Villa Rotunda is in an art history class. Vitruvius’s ten books on architecture were chucked into the furnace along with the coat and tie a long time ago. Now that the wardrobe is back I would love to see a push in new building as well. Maybe we should start with San Lorenzo and go from there.

It's cold and rainy, Fall is around the corner...

2009-08-28T11:14:00.007-04:00

So why not check out a Fall 09 preview of Paul Stuart/Phineas Cole?

Remembering E. Digby Baltzell - A Gentleman and Scholar

2009-08-26T14:09:00.006-04:00

This article is a great read. It was discovered this past weekend when my brother and I headed up to Vermont to do some much needed cleaning at my parents’ house. He got there before I did and when I arrived I saw that he’d set it aside for me. Apparently, he’d found it mixed in with my father’s writing materials. Digby, like my father, embodied so much of what I love about menswear. Clothes were just one aspect of being a gentleman. The tweed and wool challis bowties were there but the key was to be well rounded. Dad and Digby had as much of an understanding of Plato and Cicero as they did of mixing a martini and running play action in the red zone. Everything was done well, but not too perfect. The gentleman’s c: To me that’s what its all about.

Influential Imagery - Dark Water & David Lees Photography

2009-08-24T15:07:00.008-04:00

all flood images borrowed from the LIFE archive

David Lees, the Florence-born LIFE Magazine photographer, was just one of the many amazing people highlighted in Robert Clark's fascinating book Dark Water: Flood and Redemption in the City of Masterpieces about the devastating 1966 flood of the Arno river. The book is required reading for anyone with an interest in Florence or Renaissance art history. As a one time AH major, I can say that it has thoroughly rekindled the flame of curiosity in me. Lees' photographs of the tragedy brilliantly capture the sense of dutiful melancholy that was felt throughout the region by Florence's own people and the rest of the world. They can bee seen in their entirety here.

Grahame G. Fowler - 13&W Approved

2009-08-20T15:02:00.005-04:00

Last Wednesday I stopped by W 10^th St. to talk shop with Grahame of Grahame G. Fowler. 45 minutes later, I left his store feeling enthusiastic about the brand and the man behind it. Grahame is a menswear verteran and jack of all trades. He has worked with Yohji Yamamoto, designed textiles for Ralph Lauren and had his own stores in the UK and Japan. Currently, he is operating a painting studio in Long Island City, a scooter restoration business and the shop on W 10th. This diverse experience, and the travel that has come with it, plays a vital role in the feel of Grahame G. Fowler. It takes just one look at the garments to see the parallels between the man and the line. Where he is passionate and extroverted his woven shirts, displayed on the rotating laundry rack salvaged from the dry cleaner that previously occupied the space, are a mélange of pastels. His summer suits and odd cotton jackets are cut in vivacious tartans and plaids. “Its for the neighborhood guy on the go,” say Grahame as he sips his espresso. “He lives here because he loves life and that thirst for life takes him all over the world; Japan, India...He’s traveling so much that he basically lives in his suit. That why our clothes are made to be low maintenance. Everything is unconstructed, comfortable and machine washable." I got the feeling that it’s more than a clothing line for Grahame as he pointed to a vintage jacket hanging on the wall during my tour around the small, well-curated space. “It’s the Fowler men’s club. A group of us meet up and ride scooters ever week.” Grahame’s goal of creating a neighborhood hangout has yet to be proven a success but all of the elements are there: A great spot, cool people to talk to and interesting things to talk about (not to mention some seriously well made product to leave with). Made in New York and 13&W approved.

Shooting Sixes with AC Passarella

2009-08-17T16:31:00.007-04:00

As promised, my Collective recap with AC Passarella of A Fresh Take/Adam Christopher NY/The Moods of a Man. Enjoy!

What’s your current role over at ENK?

I coordinate and handle all sales for ENK's three men’s shows: The Collective in New York City, which has been around since the early 1980’s, BLUE, which is our other show primarily driven by top-tier sportswear and denim collections, and ENKVegas, our latest show which will have it’s one year anniversary this season in Las Vegas. My daily routine varies: I can be on the phone with retailers one moment, coordinating marketing another or simply devising a sales strategy based on potential brands for a given season. There’s a lot involved from making sure retailers see who they need to see, finding new brands and assuring these brands as vendors are properly taken care of. Aside from that, I also work with the Coterie, Intermezzo (two of our women’s shows) and WSA which was newly acquired and re-branded so there’s a lot going on in my world.

What was your general feeling about the collective this year and what do you think it says about the current state of menswear? Who were your favorites?

Overall, I think the Collective was great. There's obviously been a slimming down within the industry due to the recent dip in the economy but I was relieved to find that buyers are still out there writing orders. While consumer spending habits are shifting, there are a great deal of excellent brands out there who are maintaining what they have always done and will continue to do so. One reason for the Collective's success this year was having Blue take place in the same venue. It was great because you had more classic, tailored driven retailers walking the Blue show and picking up a hipper, more youthful collection like Harvard Yard, who debuted with us this season. Conversely, you had a more contemporary store walking the Collective saying "Hey, what’s Alden doing?" Vendors at Blue were getting exposure to stores that they normally wouldn’t have access to and vice versa. In the end, it allowed for retailers to find new and different brands that makes sense for them and their customer.

As for my favorites, I’m a sucker for the new and old. I have always loved Alden, Edward Green and Drake's. At Blue, Gant was definitely a standout. The Rugger collection is a direct reflection of the brand's quintessential heritage and style and seemed on point for today’s market. Also notable were Steve McQueen, Tailor Vintage, Harvard Yard and What Goes Around Comes Around.

We all know you’re doing A Fresh Take, Adam Christopher NY & The Moods of a Man. What drove you to take the leap into the bloggeshere with three different mediums?

I started all three blogs out of boredom and creative frustration. I thought why not throw in my two cents. There are a great deal of people out there who are interested in menswear and the lifestyle that comes with it so why not satisfy that need from my own personal take, especially if it’s something I enjoy doing. Each one is my perspective from a different angle.

“A Fresh Take” was simply a passion project that has morphed over time - I wanted to show certain relevant brands and paint a picture, be it from an era or by creating an image. I try to mix it by showing a wide range of looks.

The Moods of a Man is an organic blog in that I have on-going images that inspire me woven and grown into a continuous mood board.

A Fresh Take is really concept driven. Its easy to see how any one of your looks could grown organically into an entire collection. Is design something you would be interested in pursuing in the future?

Designing and working on full collections from the initial idea to the finished marketed look is a passion of mine. Whether its a new retail concept or a look for A Fresh Take, I'm constantly writing in my black book of inspirations and adding to my blackberry notes that are a steady stream of fresh ideas. It all stems from the love I have for fashion, music, art, culture, politics, history, etcetera. I continually inspired by one thing or another and jotting it down. I have designed lines based off of everything from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958 to Edward the VIII complete with color stories and fabrics. Perhaps someday I'll be able to put it all into work when the timing is right and things make sense. For now it's just something i enjoy.

How do you incorporate this designer's perspective into your current job?

I don’t necessarily need to have the mindset of a designer for what I do. Its more important to be someone who understands and can forecast trends on a grand scale consisting of different markets; knowing what retailers are buying and what's actually selling. A good tradeshow is comparable to a good retail store; it has to have the right direction, the right mix of brands and be merchandised in the right atmosphere. I consider it a store selling to stores as well as a place to get a sense of where the market is and where it’s heading. This affects my blogs more than the other way around.

Where do you see our industry headed and how will that be reflected in future ENK shows?

I think our industry is cleaning shop. That’s been said a million times lately but it is true. I see a return to quality and finely made goods as well as a rise in moderate pricepoints. I don't think that consumers will ever be the same as they were pre-recession. Mid-Level retailers and mass merchants make all the money. The smaller specialty stores have taken a beating and so have the bigger luxury retailers. I would compare the fashion industry to what has happened with the real estate and dot com bubbles. Too many brands, stores and people that essentially did not belong. When you have someone saying "People always tell me I dress well so I’ll start a tee-shirt line" or a store that’s when you have a problem. There were too many people involved who didn’t understand the business of fashion on borrowed credit creating a turn for the worst. I feel like we've bottomed out and we are headed for an upswing. People in the know always return to what works best and that's why I think ENK is positioned well for the future. Brands and retailers will always need a place to see what's going on and know what’s what within the market. We can fulfill that need because we’ve been around a long time, we know what works and have the fresh ideas to keep tradeshows relavent.

Joseph Leonard - Champagne on a Beer's Budget

2009-08-13T16:07:00.009-04:00

rendering borrowed from style.com

image borrowed from eater.com

I love raw bar. I would probably eat oysters, clams & lobster (preferably on a hotdog bun with drawn butter) for lunch every single day if I could. Unfortunately, the cost of such a meal has always been prohibitive…until now. Joseph Leonard, Gabriel Stulman’s newest west village venture has made my dream of a raw bar meal under 30 bucks a reality. The place offers $1.50 oysters and a $10 lobster tail. “It’s like drinking champagne on a beer’s budget,” Gabriel remarked as he poured me a pint of Molson Canadian, one of my hometown favs and one of only three beers they serve.

“I’m freaking out on the inside, I haven’t bartended in four years.” he laments to my wife and I, though it doesn't show as he seamlessly weaves his way into and out of every conversation at the lively 13 seat zinc bar. He is as modest as his menu is eclectic...with braised pork hock, duck rillette, & shrimp and grits with andouille, I can honestly say that this is a place I could eat at five nights a week.

On the Radar - Grahame G. Fowler

2009-08-10T14:49:00.002-04:00

image borrowed from jc/report

My lack of recent posts can be largely explained by a three week, head first dive into the west village rental market. While all my hard work has yielded zero results on a new dwelling, it did lead me to Grahame G. Fowler. I stumbled upon their week-old store this past Saturday in between apartment viewings on West 10th. Colorful woven-clad bust forms surrounded by anchors and vintage vespa models practically begged my entry from their residence in the well-rigged storefront window. The first thing I noticed when I entered the store was a half-lined blackwatch cotton suit. The second: its label read “Made in New York.” The third: it’s price tag read $600. That’s one heck of an opening price point for a half lined suit that’s made in the US of A. After speaking with Mr. Fowler briefly I learned that he’s in his fourth season and while it has been sold mostly overseas until now, his entire collection is made on this side of the pond. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera on hand but Mr. Fowler was gracious enough to invite me back for a few more words about the brand and some photos of the new store. I hope to have it for you all later this week so look out for it.

This lobster is left handed...

2009-08-06T16:11:00.005-04:00

The spring ’05 issue of VITALS MAN is my favorite magazine of all time. I still have it in the WC magazine rack at my apartment. It has dynamite recommendations on a Ravello getaway itinerary and insightful spotlights on then-emerging brands like Band of Outsiders and Adam Kimmel. A short piece in the back was entirely devoted to “The Updated Preppy Handbook.” It was in this section that I first saw the belt buckle above. It was labeled as a product of Craftmasters of Nantucket and after I did some research I realized it was only available on island. I’ve spent the past four years trying to acquire it. When I couldn’t find another vendor who manufactured something similar I tried to put it into the spring ‘09 vineyard vines line. Needless to say it was dropped like most of the other things I proposed…J. Crew ended up running a version about a year ago but the claw didn’t have the heft or sculptural quality I was hoping for so I passed.

Thankfully, This past February The Trad began his weekly column The Friday Belt. His first edition featured a Springfield Rifle Sling he picked up from Narragansett Leathers, a small handcrafted leather goods store in Damariscotta, Maine. When I decided to investigate the store further I found that they sell a whole slew of sculptural sterling and brass buckles, including my coveted lobster claw. I procrastinated with the purchase until last week but it’s finally here and I am happy. Thanks to The Trad for the tip and Ann Marie from Narragansett Leathers for being so helpful!

Talese's grant to tailoring

2009-08-04T16:37:00.002-04:00

A closer look at the father of new journalism's semi-charitable contribution to the bespoke tailoring trade.

The only band of outsiders I enjoy

2009-07-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

Coiled Pleasures returns...

2009-07-25T09:28:00.003-04:00

...and is certainly worth a lick. Now if we can only get Ethan Desu back on the horse my 9-9:30AM will be entertaining again.

English haberdashery stands strong at The Collective

2009-07-23T17:49:00.005-04:00

Drake's shantung regimentals

Drake's indian silk madras

Cufflinks should always be double faced

Inspiration found me in the form of English accessories at this year's Collective menswear show. They say that God is in the details and if that's true then Michael Drake is certainly a pious man. His 30 years young Drake's London epitomizes subtle elegance. The only gimmicks he utilizes in his tightly curated line are painstaking quality of make and unparalleled creativity in material usage. The silk madras and raw shantung give his Spring '10 collection a distinctly Indian feel. I can hardly wait a year to get my hands on that burgundy repp pictured above.

The other English show stopper was Smart Turnout. Their product runs the gamut from cricket sweaters to UPENN needlepoint pillows but their smartest turnout has to be their scarves, watchbands & hosiery. They've obtained the licensing for all the Ivy league colors (we all know I'm a sucker for this stuff) as well as a slew of Great Britain's regiments. This gives their offering the authenticity that their competitors lack. You know that Harvard letter sweater you went looking for at the COOP only to find that they stopped selling it some 30 years ago? Smart Turnout has you covered.

I want to say thanks to AC (A Fresh Take/Adam Christopher) for granting me access to some great product and even greater people. I'm going to be sitting down with him next week to get a wrap up on The Collective and his take on where he sees the men's industry in the future. Until then, enjoy the weekend.

Gant's right foot forward

2009-07-23T11:32:00.003-04:00

The following press release was waiting for me in my inbox when I arrived at work today. This is a great step for Gant. I was just admiring the revival of some of their heritage pieces at The Collective the other day. With Michael at the helm "The Hugger" will really be the hugger and probably the best RTW woven shirt on the market.

"NEW YORK, JULY 22, 2009 – GANT announces today that Michael Bastian, the menswear designer who has lead the return to a new era of all-American style, will design a Fall 2010 men’s capsule collection for GANT, the originator of American sportswear since 1949. This exciting collaboration will be unveiled this winter in New York and other key international markets.

Michael Bastian commented, “I see my version of the GANT guy as the younger brother to the MICHAEL BASTIAN guy. He’s tailored, a bit sporty, and a little more athletic, with a modern edge that feels both approachable and sophisticated. Working with GANT will allow me to reach a larger audience, and together we will provide a modern and workable proposal for the perfect American guy’s wardrobe.”

The 50 piece collection will stand on its own as a symbol of American design ingenuity, a colorful and focused collection of wardrobe essentials that provide polished style at more accessible prices.

The line will encapsulate all classifications, including tailored clothing, outerwear, wovens, knits, jersey, pants, denim, and accessories. Inspiration will draw from GANT’s extensive archives and rich authentic history, fused with Mr. Bastian’s trademark modern take on the true essence of American sportswear. Clothing and accessories prices will be approximately 20% more than GANT’s existing labels.

Ari Hoffman, GANT’s US President and CEO stated, “We can think of no other designer that speaks the GANT language as closely as Michael Bastian does. His interpretation of American sportswear is quintessential. As GANT has grown into an international brand with a global focus, Michael Bastian will complete our journey back to the American sensibility of today’s GANT.”

A Jacob Reed man...

2009-07-21T21:06:00.004-04:00

My parents came of age on the heels of the previous generation's save everything - waste nothing mentality. Their house, full of endlessly crammed closets & storage spaces, is a true reflection of this. Since my Father passed away, I have taken to trying to sift through one each time I return home. This past weekend I headed north up I-87 on the hunt for Vermont's best micro brew and for Dad's best college digs. I found my fair share of both. Pop's college shop was Jacob Reed's Sons, established in 1824. The building still stands on Chestnut St. in Center City but unfortunately the Clothier is long gone. As the story goes, my Grandmother set up a charge account there without Grandpop's knowledge so that Dad would look his best while he escorted "Candy" Bergen (and later my mother) to date functions at the Beta house...

Jacob Reed carried just what one might expect from an early 60's Ivy League outfitter: private label Gant "Hugger" oxfords, authentic bleeder sack jackets & grey chalkstripe flannel suits with a natural shoulder & a 3/2 roll. Above is a sampling of my father's JRS collection as well as my personal favorite find: His Sox Miller Co. half lined madras blazer. What I love the most about it is that its clear that Pop wore it religiously. Check that fraying around the collar. That's something a man must earn.

13&W ebay discoveries - vintage Woolrich hunting jacket

2009-07-16T13:40:00.004-04:00

I'm taking a cue from my fellow countryman Giuseppe over at An Affordable Wardrobe by posting this vintage 38R Woolrich mackinaw hunting jacket I found on ebay in the heat of summer. Sometimes the off-season is the perfect time to scoop up what you'll want to be wearing in a few months. This guy's a steal at $39.95, made in the USofA. Gonegitit boys!

Strummer Sundays - Tom Snyder and the english civil war

2009-07-12T09:50:00.003-04:00

They offered their records at discount prices and played until every last ticket holding fan got to see them. These are just a couple reasons why they are deservingly referred to as the only band that mattered.

On the List - English rowing memorabilia

2009-07-09T17:25:00.005-04:00

My recent interest in English rowing memorabilia has lead to the acquisition of the vintage crew seat pictured above from ebay uk as well as a whole host of inspiring images for apparel and home design. The balance of the photos above were pulled from the “Still Waters Run Deep” antiques exhibition at Manfred Schotten Antiques. Check out the link if this stuff excites you because its just the tip of the iceberg.

A decent way to spend your fourth...

2009-07-07T22:45:00.004-04:00

Dickie & Freddie would do it on a boat off the coast of Mongi, I did it on the shores of the Navesink. I may be doing a whole lot more there soon but we'll just have to wait and see about that. I hope you all had a great weekend celebrating the day the brave founders of this country decided they were fed up with their absentee oppressive government. We could learn a thing or two from them as well.

ISAIA on gilt

2009-06-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

Anybody that reads this weblog with some frequency will tell you that I am fond of Neapolitan tailoring. With that said, I'm excited to tell you all that the folks over at gilt group are having an ISAIA sale in about twenty minutes. Should be good. If you aren't yet a member you can sign up here. Enjoy!

Closet Collections - Sean Crowley

2009-06-26T12:11:00.005-04:00

Today I'm happy to premier Closet Collections: an intimate look into some of my favorite menswear designers' personal closets. I'm proud to kick it off with Sean Crowley, Rugby's own tie designer and man-about-town. As you can see from the images above, Sean's collection extends way past his closet. He couldn't have been nicer about showing me around his amazing Brooklyn brownstone. The hallmark of it all was his unbelievable tie rack. It's easy to see where he gets inspiration for some of our own ties. A particularly good selection of them are on sale now at Rugby so do yourself a favor and check out Sean's amazing handywork.

Jack Wills' answer to summer outerwear

2009-06-26T10:54:00.006-04:00

The weather this summer has been less than ideal. The rain just won't seem to go away and I find myself reaching into my closet for a jacket that I don't have. The solution was to design it for Rugby Summer '10 but in the mean time, this hooded anorak from Jack Wills should fulfill your needs. The waxed cotton will keep you dry and the light lining makes it easier to wear in the summer than your Barbour. What I find most appealing about it is the designer's good sense not to logo the darn thing and let the vintage styling speak for itself.

Italian Ingenuity - 16th century ceilings & 20th century speedboats

2009-06-25T16:57:00.005-04:00

Lapo courtesy of Vanity Fair

The Bernini-designed (not painted) ceiling of Chiesa del Gesù in Rome

A time for cufflinks

2009-06-24T21:21:00.004-04:00

I love Clemente's DB vest but the real reason I took the shot was his cufflinks. Who needs a watch when you've got these?

AGCGD – A Summer Wedding in Pollica

2009-06-23T14:34:00.007-04:00

This is how the Italian in me would dress to go to a wedding in my native town of Pollica, Italy. All the items are natives of the boot except the tie because there is an exception to any rule. Later in the week I'll do the Americanized version for New England nuptials.

Tortoise Aviators – Ottica Urbani

Linen Pinstripe Blazer and Pocketsquare – Borrelli Luxury Vintage

Striped Cutaway – Guy Rover for Al Bazaar Milano

Embroidered Knit Tie – Drake’s of London (the exception to the rule)

Timepiece – Panerai

Reversible Woven Leather Belt – Brooks Brothers (Made in Italy)

Denim-cut Trousers – Italia Independent

Linen/Calf Double Monks – Sutor Mantellassi

Father's Day - Remembering Pop in the kitchen

2009-06-21T09:57:00.005-04:00

This is my first Father's Day without Pop. I ran a google search of his name this morning and came across a video from one of his appearences on Mary Ann Esposito's Ciao Italia! cooking show. This piece above demonstrates the very essence of my father: Effortlessly charismatic, funny and just plain cool. Like most Italians, Dad had a passion for food. I remember I would always be so excited for the rare opportunites when my mother wasn't home to make dinner because that meant that Dad was going to throw together some spontaneous Italian culinary masterwork. He never had a recipe (as you can tell from the video above), he just created. The kicker was that no matter what he made, it always turned out to be red, white and green. I hope you all enjoy the clip above as much as I have and that you take the time to enjoy today with your Father if possible. Its a blessing.

Clearly not seasonally appropriate but inspiring none the less

2009-06-19T12:14:00.004-04:00

images by aleksandra samulenkova

A look at Boglioli's Ja Sprezzatura

2009-06-17T10:48:00.006-04:00

all images borrowed from Boglioli

My first exposure to Boglioli was from the once distinct and now extinct VITALS MAN magazine. The Summer ’05 issue featured an editorial about the best options for summer suiting. Then Bergdorf men’s fashion director and Triple Crown CFDA robbery victim Michael Bastian said that a suntan and an “extremely well-made” khaki cotton suit from Boglioli were essential for the warmer months. More recently, I noticed the Italian suit maker’s name on the vendor’s list over at Sid Mashburn. Those are two heavyweight endorsements in my book so I decided to dig a little deeper. The images above are the results of that inquiry. Boglioli’s SP/SU collection feels remarkably fresh to me considering I spend most of my free time looking at their competitor’s equivalents. Rules are made to be broken and that is certainly what is taking place in these photos. Color on color, plaid on plaid, scarf-size hankerchiefs and collars exploding over lapels –These are all things I would never think to try myself (and probably still won’t) but these images translate to such a unique and unagnellian version of sprezzatura that I cannot help but take note of them – kind of like an Engineered Garments/Kiton mash up. One thing is certain: I’m on the hunt for those white espadrilles.

Thanks for the ride Sam

2009-06-05T09:51:00.004-04:00

Louis Prima (left) and Sam Butera (right) doing what they did best

photo borrowed from the las vegas sun

Today I was truly saddened to learn that legendary showman and sax player Sam Butera passed away this past Wednesday morning. It seems like yesterday that I was belting out Sam’s part from “Next Time” in the passenger’s seat of my father’s Dodge on my way to elementary school while my Pop took the role of Louis Prima. We did that duet more weekday school mornings than not for close to four years. It is easily one of my best memories of time shared with my father and I have Sam Butera and Louis Prima's outlandishly fun take on jazz to thank for it. I’ll be listening to them all day today and I suggest that those of you who’ve never heard them find some of their music today and check it out. I promise it will make you smile. Rest in peace Sam and thanks again.

Check back next week...

2009-05-22T11:17:00.006-04:00

I'm headed here for a while. Be back next week.

Spring Inspiration - A Shot of Color

2009-05-20T17:39:00.005-04:00

Some great examples of how to inject color into your wardrobe as the weather turns. The rig shots are from the thesartorialist's bergdorf archive and the live ones are courtesy of Gai's Milano & Co. I think its brilliant that Gai chose to take his summer blazers back to a grey trouser. This is an ideal illustration of my previous point about the Italian's ability to make something that is traditionally associated with one season feel perfect in another.

A weekend with Old Nassau

2009-05-19T19:08:00.006-04:00

This past Friday night my wife and I attended a wedding in Princeton, NJ. I hadn’t been back to Princeton’s campus since my brother’s graduation in ’97. My clearest memory of that occasion was a debate I had with my father over the merits of the school and the beauty of the campus’ collegiate gothic architecture. It went something like this:

Dad: “Tonio, look at this place. There’s such an amazing history here. This architectural style is called collegiate gothic and many of the buildings on this campus were modeled after buildings from Oxford and Cambridge. Simply walking in their shadows inspires excellence.”

Me: “Sure its okay and all Pop but its nothing compared to Penn.”

Dad: “Penn is a great school, I should know, but its no Princeton. Trust me on this, one day you’ll look back and wish you studied a little more and skateboarded a little less.”

Me: “Sure Pop…”

Like usual, Pop was correct. I had all day Friday to explore this great little town and I must say that there’s no college campus quite like it. The images above are a few things that I found inspiring as I investigated Princeton’s eating clubs, libraries and quadrangles. Enjoy them.

Speaking of Mr. Miller...

2009-05-18T12:43:00.005-04:00

His skullandbones clad shoe line Barker Black will be available at heavily discounted prices as of noon tomorrow on Gilt Group. You will need to be a member to participate in the sale so if you aren't you can join here.

Mr. Miller shows us how to balance khaki and grey

2009-05-17T16:45:00.002-04:00

image borrowed from mens.style.com

Adding Sprezzatura to your Neckwear

2009-05-15T09:14:00.003-04:00

Here's a great clip from the guys at GQ and Lugo on how to tie your tie like an Italian. It's all about the double fourinhand. Just ask David over at Borrelli. Lugo was a great shop, does anyone know what happened to them?

You can watch the rest of GQ's style rules here.

Spring Inspiration - Guy Rover Shirtings

2009-05-13T16:40:00.004-04:00

Thanks goes out to the sales guy at Barney's that knowingly turned a blind eye to my guerrilla photography after warning me to keep my head on a swivel for security. Guy Rover has one of the best summer shirting palettes this year and they are sold exclusively at Barney's in the US. Do yourself a favor and punch up your wardrobe with one of these guys.

La Bella Figura on 60th St.

2009-05-13T11:46:00.008-04:00

The Italian sartorial aesthetic is not easy to find on this side of the pond. The media usually portrays us as sloppy, overweight mobster heathens with a penchant for black shirts with long, pointed collars and sharkskin suits. Tony Soprano and the image below from Analyze That are two fairly solid examples of this.

While this caricature is obviously ridiculous, it is still a challenge to get an accurate portrayal of stile d’Italiano in America. Most of the men’s stores in the US that carry world-renowned Italian brands like Kiton, Isaia, and Borrelli sell a much different product than what is available overseas. While the fabric and impeccable make are always constant, the cut varies dramatically. Fortunately, Luigi Borrelli’s small UES boutique is the exception to the rule. Their fit is distinctly different from the brand’s other offerings throughout the city. This is always perfectly demonstrated by their knowledgeable and helpful staff. Yesterday, as I was walking to catch the subway I noticed David, pictured above and one of the aforementioned members of the LB team, standing in the shop’s entryway with a contrapposto that was as reminiscent to a 15th century Florentine marble sculpture as it was to the Italian shopkeepers that are standing in front of their store’s lining the stradas of Rome, Milan and Naples as I type this. David nails it all with this look. The color palate is perfect for the climate – it was sunny but windy with the temperature floating somewhere around 60. The tie and pants are short enough to whisper a statement but not so short to punch you in the face with it. The tie knot compliments the spread of the collar and width of the lapel flawlessly. Then there’s that cuff. It looks to be about 1 ¾.” I’ll never forget my father telling me that a 1 ¾” cuff and a four point handkerchief were two of the defining hallmarks of a Ciongoli man. He, like David and all those Italian shopkeepers I previously mentioned, knew the value of la bella figura. It’s high time the American men began to embrace it as well.

Lifeguard on Duty release party at BG with MB & Co.

2009-05-08T10:09:00.005-04:00

Tommy Fazio, Michael Bastian & Marlon Gobel

Ben Clawson, Marlon Gobel & Eugenia Gonzalez hiding in the back to the left

Yesterday evening Michael Bastian and Tommy Fazio of Bergdorf Goodman hosted the east coast release party of Lifeguard on Duty, a collection of photographs by Matt Albiani, on BG’s third floor. It was great to see some familiar faces like Rafe of Can I Tell You as well meet the rest of Michael’s team. By the looks of it, he has a rock solid support system of some very capable people. It was really refreshing to see just how modest and simultaneously enthusiastic they all are about the product they work on. It is easy to imagine that Michael and his associate Marlon would have big heads by now as they’ve been nominated for the CFDA three years running and they get a multitude of great press every month but this could not be further from the truth. They are both just excited to be doing what they do day in and day out. Its no wonder the collection looks fresh every season. Above are a couple photos of the aforementioned people behind MB. Thanks for the invite!

"Dorm Life" - a WASP utopia in 8 square feet

2009-05-07T17:11:00.005-04:00

photos borrowed from new york magazine

This is Maximilian Sinsteden's senior dorm room at Drew University. New York Magazine has done a great piece about this up and coming interior designer that you can check out here. Thanks goes out to my friend Jamie for the tip!

A Day at the Office with JP & Foster

2009-05-01T16:15:00.003-04:00

two of the best morning reads

Today JP swung by the office to sit down with our fearless leader Lee Norwood and brought Foster along for visual proof. You should be able to check that out tomorrow over at The Selvedge Yard. I was happy to find out that the man behind A Restless Transplant is going to be lending his sharp eye to Blue label’s concept team this summer. Welcome aboard Foster!