Pitti Uomo: Quote of the Week

I was fascinated with this statement today from Tom Kalenderian at Barney's, in reaction to some of the luxury offerings at this week's Pitti Uomo: 

“Without question, the taste level of the luxury exhibitors is exceptional; however, it is geared for the local market more than international,” said Tom Kalenderian, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s wear at Barneys New York. 

“The sportswear is the biggest issue. We would be able to buy more if it was styled in a more contemporary way. There is tremendous opportunity as there is a great audience for luxury and good taste, but while the product is beautiful, with exquisite materials and details, they haven’t been able to translate it into a modern lifestyle. 

When you think about what Brunello Cucinelli, Massimo Piombo and Zegna, who is not showing here, have been able to do…it’s about filling this void; the younger guys really do appreciate luxury, but they still want it to fit in a modern way.”

... via WWD

Carven Spring 2013: Things I Love

Both here and on Twitter I've been extolling the virtues of Guillaume Henryand his work on the Carven menswear line. I really love the subtle French influence, the boxier cut on a lot of the pieces, the fun patterns + colors he's used. 


And I found it totally understandable that he was invited to be showcased at Pitti Uomo this year. 


For Spring '13 he continued the success with suit/shorts, great prints, and the same cropped/French influence he's used thus far. Here are a few of my favs...


Never one to shy from prints, i loved this shirt, jacket, short combo.

 

This peacoat in a light green has a nice length and the color works well for warmer weather.

I really enjoyed this contrasting shirt, paired with the light blue pants and red loafers -- perfect Spring look!

Always a fan of the crop, and I love the check on these pants. Also the jacket seems similar to the Carven one I bought this Spring, which means I'll love the fit.

You can find the rest of the (incredible) collection at Style.com.

Jacket from W-D: Things I Want

I'm still getting caught up from reviewing all of the great coverage the past two weeks, through Florence, Milan, and Paris shows. There was a standout post from We Are The Market on an Italian brand I hadn't heard of before... W-D (or Well Dressed Man).

Created by Salvatore Battello as "a capsule collection of men's jackets borrowed directly from British sartorial tradition" the line uses mostly British fabrics but with a "Made in Italy design" principles.

I was really taken with most of the pieces (there are only six for Fall 2012) -- mostly around the color palette and the patterns, which made the jackets distinctive from what else is available.

The first one below is my absolute favorite...

Now I need to find out where these beauties will be distributed come Fall! Until then check out the website for the full collection...

Double Breasted Blazer from Isaia: Things I Want

Sadly, I'm not able to be in Florence this week for Pitti Uomo... one year I'll get there though! So instead I've been living vicariously through the various editors, bloggers, photographers who are there.

A lot of posts, tweets, and instagrams to wade through -- it's honestly a lot to digest, even from 3000 miles away! But from everything I've seen so far, there is one piece that knocked me off my chair and is a MUST HAVE for next Fall.

The ever dapper (and unerring eye) Nick Wooster posted this photo from the Isaia booth. It's not just that I keep collecting double breasted blazers... I also love this color, such a great transition from Summer into early Fall. And the texture is what really sold me -- the chunky nubbiness is incredible.

Again, this is all courtesy of Mr. Wooster... so head to his Tumblr for more fantastic pics from Pitti and of what generally inspires him.

And stay tuned for more good things coming from Isaia!

Michael Bastian for Gant Varsity Jacket: Things I Want

While sadly I am not at Pitti this year, I have been tracking all of the great pics being posted from those who are there. And it is definitely getting me excited for F/W 2011!

Yesterday Sartorially Inclined posted a short video done by GQ which focused on one of my favorite lines right now... Michael Bastian for Gant.

The video did a great job of showing the mood and inspiration for next Fall's collection and even included a short interview with Mr. Bastian himself!

While there were a lot of great pieces shown, and while I don't know what is in the collection that didn't make the video, this varsity jacket was a standout to me.

Love the burnt orange color, with the cream colored leather sleeves. Would be so perfect for Fall, I can't wait to try it on! Oh and that yellow cardy underneath of course caught my eye (why am I so obsessed with yellow!)...

Stay tuned for more Pitti related updates and of course any new news from the Bastian camp!

Thom Browne S/S 2011: Things I Love

Where do I begin... I think I've written after every single Thom Browne show to say that I wish I could have been there. It is so much more than just seeing a collection -- it is an experience. From his Pitti show with 40 models sitting at desks, to showcasing a S/S collection at an indoor swimming pool, to models sleeping on cots to open the show... Thom does it all!

This season he moved the show for his own line (versus the collection he does for Moncler) to Paris. And he put the models in spacesuits. And they had yellow glitter lips (an evolution from his last NY show where they all had a black striped down their lips). And it all looked amazing!

Really liked the variation on the jacket and shorts -- a lot of stripes, use of Thom's core palette (white, blue, red, gray) and a very playful streak.

I've included photos from two of my favorite looks... sharks and some fun yellow madras. And while I want both, I know Thom's price points and firmly believe these will remain in my dream closet, and not my real one.

You can check out all of the looks at Style.com: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2011MEN-TBROWNE. You can also see a video of the show from the T Magazine blog: http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/now-screening-thom-browne-2/.

Enjoy!

Jil Sander S/S 2011 at Pitti: Things I Want

This year at Pitti Uomo, Jil Sander was invited to do the special presentation (an honor Thom Browne had last year... I'm still salivating over it!).

And after seeing photos and video today of the show, let me just say that Raf Simons turned it out! What an amazing collection for Spring 2011! While the label's namesake has been rockin' and rollin' over at Uniqlo (with her J+ collab), I think Raf has been doing a great job at invigorating both the men's and women's lines (plus the new Navy line).

I love the solid bright colors, the layering of colors, the striped knits, and the floral motif. I am seriously pining for purple shirt and green pants below. And the light pink jacket. And the purple shorts. And...

I shared a few of my favs here, but please do check out the rest of the show: http://blog.wearethemarketblog.com/?p=6647. And a great review from Esquire: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/jil-sander-pitti-061710.