The Tents at Project: My Favorite Brands to Watch

Wishing I was in Vegas this week for the Project trade show, and specifically to check out The Tents. Billed as a new show that offers a highly curated selection of brands, The Tents also happen to include some of my favorite men's brands... so I thought I'd share a few that I wish I was there to see!

Michael Bastian: his ability to weave together a story in one collection is inspiring, moving from beautiful suiting (below) to leather pants and fur lined coats.

Billy Reid: continues to bring the Southern gentleman to points North and West, and does so with increasing success. A favorite look from his recent show, I loved the color and texture of these pants for Fall.

Ian Velardi: Bringing together luxury + comfort with his smoking jackets, sweatpants, and tailored pieces. 

Todd Snyder: I left his presentation totally blown away -- he definitely took the collection to a darker place, but it remained refined and beautifully executed. This coat with shearling collar was by far my favorite piece from Fall. 

Public School: I've been a fan of these guys since they launched, and the accolades keep coming. There is always a dark palette and a street wear eye that they stay true and consistent to. 

Grayers: A recent discovery, I'm so intrigued by another Southern based brand, Grayers. Bringing a casual look with a great attention to detail, at an accessible price these guys have gone after an interesting part of the men's market. Cannot wait to see what they deliver for Fall '13!

Stay tuned for how my favorite brands fare this week in Vegas, and check out the Project site for more information on the show. 

Billy Reid Fall 2013: NYFW Review

Billy Reid's knack at delivering classic silhouettes with an infusion of Southern tradition was on full display again for Fall '13. Included were rugged leathers, layers in a range of browns and oranges, and more of the outerwear that Reid did so well in Fall '12.

A standout look for me was this gorgeous overcoat and the amazing red/rust colored pants. Must have those pants! The slim leg with a slightly larger ankle opening is perfect for the boots Reid puts out regularly... but the color has a subtle wear to it, toning it down but still catching your eye.

If you now me, you know I can't resist a shawl collar. So this was a no-brainer -- plus the toned pattern and sheen make this a perfect black tie jacket. Although even here, where it's paired more casually, it totally works for a less formal night out.

Another shawl collar -- this one all black, and styled with black pants (again with a slightly wider ankle opening) and a black knit. I appreciated the simplicity of these pieces all together, and how they conveyed such confidence... helped of course when worn by Clement Chabernaud.

I definitely steered more towards the tailored looks in Reid's collection -- but get over to GQ to see the full lineup and his breadth of Southern goodness.

Raleigh Denim Fall 2013: Just One Look

Yesterday brought my first show for NYFW Fall 2013... I happily hit Raleigh Denim, a line that I've seen mature season after season. As they continue to produce great jeans (and have a rockin' store in Nolita to showcase them), the full collection has evolved.

Keeping a toehold in the Southern roots, there was definitely a nod to workwear. Raleigh also rolled out some great tailoring pieces that started to remind me of Billy Reid meets Steven Alan... but with their own locally produced point of view.

My favorite look was this pocketed vest -- a superb layering piece, and I loved the crop that kept it nice and clean. Styled with a long sleeved knit, denim, and a huge scarf to round out what you'll need for a perfect Fall day.

GQ has the rest of the men's looks, and they're definitely worth a peek. And if you're in NYC check out the Raleigh Denim store!

Just One Look: Billy Reid Spring 2013

I couldn't make it to the Billy Reid Spring '13 show last Friday evening, but I did have intrepid reporters there, texting updates and pictures. It was nice to see the double-breasted suiting Reid showed, some of it in a wider silhouette.

The drapy nature of some of the pieces was on trend from what I've seen for Spring, nice and loose and light. 

But my favorite look was this one... this paneled knit sweater that is almost sheer on top, with a dark copper colored pant that has a fantastic shine and polish. Finished up with the jacket the whole thing reminds me more of Cary Grant than southern gentleman, but it's a nice move forward for Billy Reid.

Check out the rest of the show images at Fashionisto!

Loafers from Billy Reid: Things I Have

I am always on the lookout for new shoes... and in the back of mind know that someday my beloved Gucci loafers will have their final days.

So when Billy Reid tweeted that there was a huge sale on their website, I quickly went over and took a look.

Found these loafers, which I thought were great for the dual texture -- a suede-like tongue, and the wingtip toe. While I think they're better suited to Spring, I want to get some use of them as we leave Summer and go into Fall.

Great addition to my closet and excited to wear 'em out!

Get over to the Billy Reid site and see what is on offer from his Fall collection...

Billy Reid Seersucker Shorts: Things I Want

I always feel like I never have enough shorts... so I am currently on the hunt for a pair of seersucker and some brown khaki shorts.

Yesterday I did some shopping at Bloomingdale's (who has, IMHO, one of the best men's departments right now) and tried on these seersucker shorts from Billy Reid.

They are fantastic! Great fit, and a very wide waist/beltline, which I really liked. They also are very lightweight (as seersucker should be) and I know they'll be cool for summer.

Since the focus of yesterday's shopping was for my friend, and not me, I left these shorts behind... but want to go back and snatch 'em up!

Tweed Coat by Billy Reid: Things I Want

I guess I'm going to be on a Billy Reid kick this week. It is all because of the shop Bloomingdale's created for his wares... everything appealed to me!

I've already written about the Levi's x Billy Reid wool coat I bought. What I didn't tell you was that I was equally tempted by this awesome tweed sports coat.

I tried it on over and over, finally putting it on hold. But alas, I did not go back to make it mine. Yet.

The coat had great construction, fit me perfectly through the shoulders and wasn't too boxy (a dilemma I often face). I loved the warmth and roughness of the tweed. And for an added bonus, I loved the colorful striped lining. This is a piece I could easily put into frequent rotation!

You can also check it out on the Billy Reid website, along with the rest of his F/W collection. Oh and I wouldn't say no to some of his bowties either!

Levi's x Billy Reid Coat: Things I Have

There has been a lot of talk lately about Billy Reid. He won GQ Designer of the Year and then just recently was named the winner of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Those are some pretty big nods!

Coming out of his GQ win, Reid did a collaboration with Levi's. I hadn't actually seen any of it in store yet (I pretty much shop for a living, how did this escape me?), until I was at Bloomingdale's this week (more on that later -- I was impressed with the array of labels they offered).

Today I went back and tried on a piece from the Levi's x Billy Reid collection that had caught my eye, a thick black wool coat. It was amazing.

It's a short coat, hitting at the waist, and has great structure around the shoulders so fits perfectly. I tried it on with just my t-shirt, with a hoodie, and with a sweater and it looked great with each.

Needless to say I grabbed it and ran, and am now super excited to wear it as the weather gets colder. All in all, there were some really great pieces from both the Levi's collab and Reid's signature line. And I will now keep checking into Bloomingdale's to make sure I see the next arrival!

Go to Reid's website and see this and the rest of his great work. And congrats Billy on all of the recent accolades!

Things I Want: Anchor Sweater from Billy Reid

I am on a business trip to Asia and haven't been able to post. Started in Shanghai, then to Tokyo, now Seoul... and tomorrow Hong Kong. Whew.

But I have been trying to catch up on my fashion reading and came across this ANCHOR sweater, posted by the rockin' site We Are the Market.

Of course I am totally in love with anchors right now and this sweater would be perfect for fall/winter. It is from Billy Reid, who I am not too familiar with.

You can see more of the collection here: http://www.wearethemarket.com/2009/08/a-dose-of-capsule-vegas-talking-with-billy-reid.php