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Think it’s too early to be planning your fall wardrobe? Think again! All of those sale racks in every store at your local mall mean they’re making room for new inventory—pretty soon the shorts, swimsuits and tank tops will be replaced by chunky sweaters, wool pants and down-filled coats. Every summer (on what always seems like the hottest day) in Rome, my boyfriend would buy a new fall suit (or two) at the Prada store as we made our way back to New York from our annual pilgrimage to Capri. Why buy a wool suit in July? Because they typically stock only one in his size per style—and if you find it, grab it! My mother actually just reminded me of a quote that I said several years ago to Kimora Lee Simmons on the non-defunct Life & Style television program—“See it. Love it. Buy it.” I still stand by that edict—especially when it comes to the following for the new fall season…
Loyal readers of this column already know about my major crush on Michael Bastian—he was the first designer that I interviewed for Style Guyde (back in November 2008). So, you can imagine my excitement when it was announced that he would be designing a new line for Gant (a brand that started in New Haven, Connecticut in 1949 and has been based in Sweden since 1999). For its debut, the Gant by Michael Bastian collection was inspired by “Spin Right and Shoot Left”—an article about lacrosse that Pulitzer Prize winning author John McPhee wrote for The New Yorker. “I see my version of the Gant guy as the younger brother to the Michael Bastian guy. He’s more casual and a little more athletic, but with a modern edge,” Michael states. Highlights from the collection include the lace-up rugby shirts, the washed moleskin peacoat, and (my personal favorite) the intarsia crewneck sweater (see above—and yes, that is Chad White in the stripes).
Gant by Michael Bastian will be available at the end of August at select Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue locations across the country (as well as several speciality stores including Ron Herman, Fred Segal, Scoop and Odin). Check out www.gant.com for more information.
Ever wonder what exactly the red exclamation point meant on the label of your favorite fitted Lacoste polo (the one between the logo and the crocodile—yes, it is a crocodile, not an alligator!)? It means that its part of the Lacoste Red! Collection—the younger, trendier, more urban counterpart to Lacoste’s main line. For fall/winter, Creative Director Christophe Lemaire divided the Lacoste Red! collection of basics with a contemporary twist into two distinctive themes—skate culture and Yale University. “We thought it was fun to treat stripes like they were hand-drawn,” said Christophe—and I totally agree, my name is already on the waiting list for this $165 black and white graphic sweater (see above), which hits Lacoste stores on August 1.
Check out www.lacoste.com for more information.
What do “Dandy Lawyers” and “Pentecostal Ministers” have in common? They both provided inspiration for Billy Reid’s Fall 2010 collection—along with “Horse Traders”, “Lower East Side Folk”, “Swamp Loggers”, and quite a few others. Billy’s presentation at Milk Studios in the Meatpacking District was one of the highlights of New York Fashion Week last February—partly because Billy oozes oodles of Southern charm (he grew up in Amite, Louisiana, just south of the Mississippi line) and also because he had just been named the Best New Designer in America by GQ and the Council of Fashion Directors of America on the first day of the shows. The award gave Billy the opportunity to collaborate with Levi’s (another Style Guyde favorite!) on a capsule collection to be sold at Bloomingdale’s this fall. I totally can’t wait to get my hands on those limited-edition denim pieces—plus I’m also eyeing that great chunky knit scarf (see above) which will retail for $165 (I’m starting to see a theme here…).
There are seven Billy Reid stores throughout the United States—including the flagship shop (and design studio) on Historic Court Street in Florence, Alabama. Check out www.billyreid.com for more information.
What would you do to mark your 100th anniversary? To commemorate Ermenegildo Zegna’s centennial year, the family (already well into its fourth generation) has reproduced the first fabric that founder Ermenegildo himself designed back in 1910 in Trivero (a small village in the Italian Alps). “Fabric Number 1” originally weighed 500 grams per meter—but today (thanks to 100 years of fabric innovation) the 2010 version has been recreated in superfine wool weighing only 270 grams per meter. Check out the army of male models (see above) that they sent out at the end of their runway show this past January in Milan—each one wore a custom-made suit cut from “Fabric Number 1” (it’s too hard for me to choose a favorite—they’re all so beautiful!). “Fabric Number 1” is available in Ermenegildo Zegna stores in 86 countries worldwide, for Made to Measure and Sartorial tailoring (start saving your pennies now, boys!).
Check out www.zegna.com for more information.
PRIZE PATROL!
Those of you who already knew that I was a big fan of Michael Bastian should also already know that I am a big fan of Molton Brown as well. For those who aren’t up to speed, Molton Brown was founded in 1973 on South Molton Street in London’s chic Mayfair District as a hair salon. In 1978, the first retail products were hand-mixed upstairs. Today, Molton Brown products are available in more than 70 countries worldwide!
If you haven’t experienced Molton Brown products before—you need to—and fast! One of their brand new products (which was just launched earlier this month) is Fresh Bushukan Citrus Bodywash—this invigorating blend of Bushukan fruit (a citrus fruit that is also known as “Buddha’s Hand” because of its unique finger-like shape) and bilberry juice is deep-cleansing and rich in antioxidants that remove impurities from the skin while protecting against environmental pollutants. It also contains essential oils of Bergamot lemon, patchouli and thyme.
E-mail us at
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with “Molton Brown” in the subject line and tell us in 100 words or less what item (or items!) you’re already obsessing about for fall. The first 10 entries (with a valid e-mail, home address and telephone number) will win a 10 oz. bottle of Molton Brown Fresh Bushukan Citrus Bodywash—which retails for $28. Only one entry/winner per household please.
Go to www.moltonbrown.com to learn more about their amazing products!
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