My Favorite Brands At Project NYC14

Best Revised Collection

Haspel

Founded in New Orleans in 1909, Haspel is the originator of the Seersucker suit. Joseph Haspel discovered using a lightweight Indian fabric known as seersucker in the manufacturing of men's suits in 1909. His suit solution for Louisiana's blazing summer heat became the brand's signature item, propelling Haspel's popularity beyond its southern roots, while making an indelible mark on American menswear. Before long seersucker had shed its practical image in favor of an air of pa...nache, as celebrities and politicians embraced the style and young college men made it a staple of their preppy wardrobes. More than clothing, the seersucker suit emerged as a symbol of status, in the words of writer Damon Runyon "a badge of affluence."

In the following decades, Haspel continued to expand its offerings, attracting new enthusiasts with its bold colors and classic sensibilities. It also pushed the envelope of innovation, introducing stretch fabrics and working with fabric companies to create the "miracle fiber" used in wash-and-wear suits.

Still owned by the Haspel family, the brand today has built on it's iconic tradition in Summer Suits and expanded it's roots in menswear to accessories and new products.

www.haspel.com

Best New Brands

Grayers

BEFORE DENIM, BEFORE CHINOS, THERE WERE GRAYERS.

As a history buff I was inspired by the name Grayers. I was reading about the history of Britain in the 1950’s, and at that time, young men switched from wearing three-piece suits to gray flannel trousers, commonly known as grayers. And the casual menswear movement was born. Grayers was the must-have in every man’s wardrobe, from British society to... American prep schools.

I saw a gap in the men’s market for a casual men’s clothing collection with impressive quality, great fit and design integrity - all at an incredible value. I was instantly inspired to go back and rewrite the classics in a new way…one style at a time. A great trench in a tightly woven fabric that you can roll up and throw in a weekend bag. A smart, slimmed down version of the classic Aran Isle fisherman’s sweater. Knitted wool jackets that are the perfect alternative to structured blazers.

Kenny Thomas, Grayers designer, and I were colleagues during our Ralph Lauren days. I was on the sourcing side and Kenny on the design side - thus Grayers ability to provide such quality and a design aesthetic at incredibly reasonable prices. Kenny came to Grayers with a notable 15-years at Ralph Lauren overseeing concept design in his most recent role, as well as designing for brands such as Lucky Brand.

www.grayers.com


Freenote



Freenote Cloth is a high-quality men's apparel collection manufactured exclusively in the USA.
Freenote is committed to getting back to the basics and re-discovering the “American Dream.” With massive conglomerates saturating the American market, in the garment industry and otherwise, there’s a nostalgia for something genuine, something built to last, and on the foundation of a strong and honest work ethic. Design inspiration for the debut collection was derived primarily from this nostalgia...a and in turn, from the real American heroes of the past.

With Freenote’s line being manufactured exclusively in the United States, in the company’s backyard, Freenote is able to maintain creative control by minimizing the gap between original design and final product, effectively placing priority on the quality of the product. The company values not only the final product and its creation process, but each person that took part in making it. Clothing costs money for many reasons – the most important being that real people produce it. By housing all production domestically, Freenote ensures that proper safety measures are practiced and employees are treated fairly. We strive to practice social action while promoting the US Economy by offering a product that was truly made in the USA. Freenote strives to offer the best product possible, and to do so ethics first.

www.freenotecloth.com


Best Unexpected Find

Cockpit USA



Cockpit USA is a brand built on the firm foundations of an affinity for leather, aviation and an all American heritage. With a story that begins in the skies… It was in the early 70s when President and founder of Cockpit USA Jeff Clyman was taking flight in WWII aircrafts sporting his father’s Army Air Corps aviator jacket, when he was bombarded by crowds of people wanting to know where they could get their hands on one too.

Based in New York City and originally started in 1975 under the corporate name Avirex Ltd, Cockpit USA has a vibrant history. As a current contractor to the U.S. Government, Cockpit USA has supplied the USA government with various products including since 1990 the A-2 leather pilot jacket. Cockpit USA has also supplied various foreign governments with their own version of the A-2 pilots’ jackets as well as Navy jackets for certain USA submarine units and international Navies.

Cockpit USA is a name synonymous with authenticity and a sense of strong American legacy. A lifestyle that has been adopted by iconic celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, (Rocky III wearing the company’s B-3 shearling jacket), Governor Arnold Schwartznegger, Bruce Willis, Nicholas Cage, Steven Spielberg, Steve McQueen, Tom Selleck, Jerry Seinfeld, Lenard Nemoy, Dan Akroyd, PDiddy, Hugh Jackman, Richard Simmons, Sharon Stone, Christina Aguilera, President Bush and President  Obama and just recently Beyonce!

The contemporary collection, Civilian Pilot Training, is a capsule under Cockpit USA specializing in leather and textile outerwear, knitwear and shirting. With each piece being a translation of the company's vast treasure trove archive of genuine historic military finds, styles are recreated with expert craftsmanship and commitment to quality. A true salute to garments of times past and the heroes who have worn them, Cockpit USA maintains a signature standard of execution; manufacturing 80% of products at home in the U.S. using only leathers of the highest grade, heavy duty hard wear with inspiration drawn from military design.






Pictures and content courtesy of :

Haspel.com
Freenotecloth.com
Grayers.com
CockpitUSA.com

The Anatomy of a Suit - Presented By The Museum of London

Six Things Every Man Should Know About Purchasing a Suit



Polo Ralph Lauren

Introduction:

 

Men have worn suits of some variation for hundreds of years; however, the modern suit did not become a staple of formal and professional men's wear until the mid-nineteenth century. The modern suit as we know it today (Modern in the sense, that men's suits have had the same basic shape, components  and style since the 1930's) has its origin in London England. Although, wearing a jacket, vest and pair of trousers was not new before mid-nineteenth century it became modern when tailors cut the three from one fabric and pattern.

 

There are three basic styles of the modern suit and even if fashion trends may dictate subtle variations in these styles the three fundamental shapes continue to be the same - single breasted, double-breasted and three piece. With regard to fabrics, colors, patterns, buttons, and vents the options are endless; however the traditional choices have continued as I have listed them below.




Colors:

Blue (navy, royal or indigo), black, grey (heather, charcoal), tan (British or beige)

Fabrics:

Cottons - corduroy, twill, poplin, madras, and seersucker

 

Wools - tropical, tweed, cashmere, flannel and gabardine

 

Synthetics - polyester and rayon

Patterns:

Stripes - pin, raindrop, chalk and shadow

 

Geometrics - windowpane, needle head, herringbone, donegal, Harris, tartans, and houndstooth

The Things Every Man Should Know

 

I - The Best Time to Buy a Suit is at the end of a season. The retail industry divides its business calendar into four inventorying and selling seasons - fall, winter, spring and summer. At the conclusion of each season, it’s vitally important for retailors to clear out the previous season's unsold merchandise in order to make room for the coming season's wears. The demand for space on the floor and in storage rooms along with the consumer demand for new merchandise pushes retailers to offer deep, deep discounts to move old stock. The best months in the year to buy suits are September and February, because they are the last months of their perspective seasons. 

 

II - The Relationship between Seasons, Fabrics and Colors is the second most important thing a man needs to know when purchasing a new suit. First of all, he should know that certain suit fabrics and colors are meant to be worn in the summer oppose to winter and early in the day oppose to later in the evening. For instance, because of their thickness and heaviness suits made of flannel, corduroy, and tweed are best worn in late fall and during the winter. While, in contrast, suits made of madras, seersucker, and poplin are best worn in warm weather or in tropical climates because of their lightness and breathable materials. Because of dark gloomy winter days, dark suits such a navy, black, and grey better suit the frigged climate and weaning sunshine.

 III - How To Select the Right Suit for The Right Occasion begins with determining the kind of impression you want to give at an interview, formal occasion or casual event. Dark conservative patterns and colors are best for interviews, funerals, indoor weddings, award ceremonies and evening events. While, bright colored light fabric suits such as poplin and seersucker are perfect for warm climate outdoor day events such as outdoor graduations, beach weddings, late morning brunches, early morning religious services etc.

 
 

IV - His Size and Suit Measurements are the most essential things a man ought to know before ever buying a suit. The perfect silhouette of a suit should be modestly stacked across the top, tapered in the middle and slightly spread at the bottom. A gentlemen's suit like most women's garments is supposed to enhance and flatter his existing shape and size. When a man's suit doesn't flatter his proportions he looks ill and out of sorts, it unintentionally exposes every unflattering and unattractive aspect of his appearance. The right suit measurements on a slender gentleman should make him appear fuller, a large fellow should look leaner, and a short man will look just a little bit taller. Therefore, have someone take your measurements before or during your shopping excursion. Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when shopping:

•  Ready-to-wear or off-the-rack suits are all premeasured and cut within a six inch difference between the jacket size and the trousers waist size. For example, the waist size of a size 40 suit jacket is 34 inches and for a 38 jacket it would be 32.

• To figure out the difference between the European measured size and the United States measured size, you subtract ten from the jacket size to the get the America jacket measurement and sixteen from the trousers waist size to get the American size.

• For general size descriptions such as small, medium, large and extra-large, the more specific range of measurements within each size are as follow: Small (38 - 40) Medium (40 - 42) Large (42 - 44) and Extra-Large (44 - 48). Furthermore depending upon a man's height the length of his suit will fall within one of these basic off the rack categories - if he is less than 5'9" (Short), between 5'9"- 5'11"(Regular) and taller than 5'11(Long).

  V - Which Prints, Patterns and Colors a Man Selects can seriously make or break how handsome he appears in a new suit. There are some basic guidelines you should take into consideration when selecting your suit patterns and colors, some were discussed previously; however, that was in relationship to seasons and events, now I want talk about size, height and complexion. For instance, heavy men should avoid wearing suits with large windowpanes, broad stripes and loud plaids. Men with very light skin complexion should stay away from light colored suits such as tan, white and light grey (the same goes for very dark complexion men as well). Tall slender men may want to limit the number of vertically striped suits they have to a minimum, the suits cause the effect of making look skinner than they are.
 

 
 

 

VI - The Sales Person a Man Buys His Suits From can really make a difference as to how comfortable and confident he feels after he has made his purchase. Because I work in retail, I can say with certain amount of authority that most men no nothing about purchasing a suit. They come in most cases to buy a suit because some occasion has come up for which they are  required to wear a suit to in order to attend. Many times, they don't know their size, they're not sure what kind or color suit they should be wearing for the event and they have no idea as to how much a suit cost. Because of their lack of knowledge they can be easily preyed upon by some scruples salesman just trying to make a huge sale. However, a good salesmen isn't just looking to make a sale, to the contrary he's looking to establish a long-term friendship. Here are the five characteristics of a good salesmen:

 

• Attentive and considerate
• Patient
• Knowledgeable of the product and fashion
• Anticipates other needs you may have
• Make themselves available to every time you come in (he's your guy or gal)

 

 

Pictures Courtesy of: Polo Ralph Lauren ands Indochino

 

 

TOMMY HILFIGER ANNOUNCES GLOBAL SPRING 2014 ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

NEW YORK AND AMSTERDAM (January 21, 2014) – The Tommy Hilfiger Group, which is wholly owned by PVH Corp. [NYSE: PVH], announces its Spring 2014 global advertising campaign west coasts. Featuring The Hilfiger – the beloved all-American family at the heart of the brand’s marketing strategy – the new campaign takes the irreverent group of eclectic characters to the beaches of Malibu as The Hilfiger establish a preppy outpost on the Pacific. And what’s prep on a California beach is a whole new story. Wave-washed shorts, chambray-soft shirts, easy blazers, all in wet sea glass colors. Scuba chic takes a dive with neoprene bonded leather. So jump in the dune buggy, prepare for sand in your chinos, color blocks and sunblock, groggily sunglasses and Sea Breezes at sunset.

“This season we took The Hilfiger back to one of my earliest inspirations: the West Coast,” said

Tommy Hilfiger. “In the Spring 2014 Collection, we looked at the preppy classics that we have loved throughout the years, and reinvented them with a modern, ‘West Coast’ spirit in mind. This campaign takes me back to summers I spent in California early in my career – in a uniquely Hilfiger way. I love taking the Hilfiger to different iconic location each season.”


The Hilfiger campaign is the ultimate personification of the preppy heritage and irreverent spirit of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. The campaign is photographed by Craig McDean, styled by Karl Templer and creatively directed by Trey Laird of Laird & Partners.


For Spring 2014, the Tommy Hilfiger advertising campaign includes more video content than any previous season. Short videos of individual family members that capture The Hilfiger lively spirit and each character’s quirky take on iconic American tradition will be featured on the brand’s social media channels and on tommy.com. Product focused videos featuring The Hilfiger in pieces from the Spring 2014 collections will be integrated into in-store displays at select retail locations, and the campaign video will play in Tommy Hilfiger stores globally, fully immersing consumers in an engaging and elevated brand experience. Tommy.com and the brand’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram channels will feature the behind-the-scenes campaign video and images.


“With The Hilfiger campaign, we continue to engage our audience across a wide range of media platforms,” said Avery Baker, Chief Marketing Officer of the Tommy Hilfiger Group. “The global print and outdoor campaign is complemented by a digital strategy that brings the unique spirit of The Hilfiger to life in a multi-dimensional way. In Spring 2014, shoppable videos capture the individuality of various family members’ personal attitude and style, and illustrate the youthful irreverence that has long been at the heart of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. The Hilfiger campaign continues to celebrate the international outlook of preppy style in a way only Tommy Hilfiger has achieved.”


"Seeing the entire Hilfiger gang spilling out of vintage dune buggies was truly a sight to behold!” said Trey Laird, Laird + Partners Chief Executive and Creative Officer. “With dozens of surfboards, everyone in shades, a wetsuit-clad 11 year old, with zinc, and a loose attitude. The pure simplicity of the ultimate Malibu beach was the perfect backdrop for the family's Spring Break in the sun."


Photographed in Paradise Cove, Malibu with hair by Eugene Souleiman, and makeup by Francelle Daly-Poiblanc, the campaign features a similar cast of eclectic characters from past campaigns: Arthur Kulkov, Tidou M'Baye, Max Rogers, RJ King, Marlon Texeira, Viggo Jonassen, Miles McMillan, Bernard Fouquet, Toni Garrn, Julia Hafstrom, Tian Yi, Cora Emmanuel, Lea Sorenson, Chloe Blackshire and two basset hounds named Morgan IV and V. The youthful spirit of the Spring 2014 collections comes through with a group of new characters that embody the preppy heritage and irreverent attitude of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. New additions to the family this season include Luke Willet, Jac Jagaciak and Janis Ancens.


west coasts will break worldwide in January 2014 as a multi-media program, with an online, print, outdoor and social media presence. The advertising campaign will appear in January 2014 issues, with full print ads running globally in key fashion publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, InStyle, ELLE, Glamour, GQ, Details and Esquire; multi-page inserts will be featured in select issues. New York City; key European cities such as London, Paris and Milan; and top districts in Hong Kong will have outdoor campaigns.


About The Tommy Hilfiger Group

With a premium lifestyle brand portfolio that includes Tommy Hilfiger, Hilfiger Denim and Tommy Girl, the Tommy Hilfiger Group is one of the world’s most recognized designer apparel groups. Its focus is designing and marketing high-quality menswear, women swear, children’s apparel and denim collections. Through select licensees, the Group offers complementary lifestyle products such as sportswear for men, women, juniors and children; footwear; athletic apparel (golf, swim and sailing); body wear (underwear, robes and sleepwear); eyewear; sun wear; watches; handbags; men’s tailored clothing; men’s dress furnishings; socks; small leather goods; fragrances; home and bedding products; bathroom accessories; and luggage. The Hilfiger Denim product line consists of jeans wear and footwear for men, women and children; bags; accessories; eyewear and fragrance. Merchandise under the Tommy Hilfiger brands is available to consumers worldwide through an extensive network of Tommy Hilfiger retail stores, leading specialty and department stores and other select retailers and retail channels.



About PVH Corp.

PVH Corp., one of the world’s largest apparel companies, owns and markets the iconic Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands worldwide. It is the world’s largest shirt and neckwear company and markets a variety of goods under its own brands, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, IZOD, ARROW, Warner’s and Olga, and its licensed brands, including Speedo, Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, MICHAEL Michael Kors, Sean John, Chaps, Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, JOE Joseph Abboud, DKNY, Ike Behar and John Varvatos.



Pictures and content courtesy of:

Evan Tye Evantye@tommy.com

Susan Magrino Agency Announces its Representa​tion of Geoffrey Beene, LLC

January 17, 2014 (NYC) - Susan Magrino Agency will now be representing Geoffrey Beene LLC (www.geoffreybeene.com), the leading men’s apparel and accessories company whose net profits fund cancer research and offers head-to-toe dressing options that combine intelligent design, quality, style and value. Retailing in categories including dress and casual shirts, suits, neckwear, knitwear, loungewear, dress trousers and sports pants, accessories and eyewear, products are available nationwide at Macy’s, Belk, Bonton, Boscov’s and Men’s Wearhouse.

Unique to the brand, 100% of net profits from Geoffrey Beene, LLC fund philanthropic causes that support revolutionary cancer research and a host of medical, educational and societal issues (to date $170 million in value from net profits together with donations from the Geoffrey Beene Foundation). Since 2006, $132 million of that has gone to the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Other causes include: Alzheimer’s, Heart Disease, Scholarships, Veterans, Protection of Women and Children and the Protection of Animals.





Pictures and content courtesy of:

Alexandra DeAngelo
Susan Magrino Agency
212-822-8178
alexandra.deangelo@smapr.com

SEAN JOHN INTRODUCES NEW AD CAMPAIGN FOR SPRING 2014

January 17th, 2014 (New York, NY) – Sean John announced today the debut of its new Spring 2014 ad campaign, entitled Dream Big. The campaign features actors, musicians, and a renowned chef who are living out their dreams in their professional endeavors. For the campaign, Sean John inked Mack Wilds, Roble Ali, Rob Beitzel, Pheo and Cashius Green.

“Diddy often uses: DREAM IT, WAKE UP, DO IT. When he created the Sean John line, it was with this mantra in mind. This is a brand for those who not only dream but DREAM BIG” explains Jeff Tweedy, President of Sean John. “Our Dream Big campaign concept is meant to celebrate those men who make their dreams a reality. We worked with the next generation of dream makers; men of creativity, vision, and drive…men who can follow in the footsteps of a visionary like Mr. Combs”

Wilds is best known for his acting roles as Michael Lee and Dixon Wilson on HBO’s “The Wire” and CW’s “90210” respectively, but before he hit Hollywood, Wilds dreamed of a career in music. In 2012, Wilds hooked up with Grammy Award-winning music producer Salaam Remi and signed with his Sony-distributed Remi Fa record label. Together the two recorded Wilds’ 2013 debut album New York: A Love Story, a 1990s hip-hop-centered, R&B-laced tale of love and loss.

Ali, Star of Bravo’s Chef Roble & Co. Roblé Ali has provided his culi­nary services for notable individ­uals including President Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Legend, Jack Nicholson, and Michael Jackson to name a few. With his unique team of tal­ented chefs and event produc­ers, Roblé creates captivating, one-of-a-kind dining experiences for high-end clientele across the country. His show is currently set to begin it’s 3rd season on Bravo this summer.

Beitzel began his career with guest spots on LAW AND ORDER and ER and quickly became firmly rooted in the New York theater world working closely with playwrights like Adam Rapp, later starring in Mr. Rapp’s directorial debut film, WINTER PASSING, opposite Zooey Deschanel. In 2014 Beitzel can be seen in the HBO series TRUE DETECTIVE opposite Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

Pheo represents the UTB Life$tyle creative collective, along with his frequent collaborator Cashius Green. PHEO and Cashius Green met in high school and instantly bonded over their shared love of hip-hop, art and fashion. The 26-years-old lyricist released his first mixtape, Word to Your Blogger, in 2009 showcasing his superb writing talent and wordplay.

Cashius Green is a rising star among the leaders of the new school of West Coast hip-hop. As a partner in the popular UTB Life$style streetwear brand—best known for its collaborations with Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang—his work is inspired by his passion for music, fashion and art.

“As a brand, we look to the future of fashion. The Dream Big concept best communicates our brand positioning by examining those who, like Mr. Combs, had a dream, woke up and did it!,” Tweedy added. “This next generation of talent exemplifies the Sean John man of today; talented, smart, hard-working, and fashionable. The Sean John man strives for nothing but the best and these men exemplify that ideal.”

Sean John’s Spring 2014 collection will be available at Macy’s store across the country and online at macys.com beginning in February 2014.

ABOUT SEAN JOHN

Sean John, a privately held company, was created by music icon Sean "Diddy" Combs and made its fashion debut with a men's sportswear collection for the spring 1999 season. In 2004, Sean "Diddy" Combs for Sean John was honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as Men's Wear Designer of the Year. With annual retail sales in the United States of over $525 million, Sean John remains one of the most impressive full lifestyle brands in the US and around the world. In May 2010, Sean John signed a deal with Macy’s to be the exclusive U.S. department store retailer for the Sean John men’s sportswear collection beginning in Holiday 2010. The Sean John product is available online at macys.com and in over 400 Macy’s stores across the country, with additional doors to be added in the years ahead. Learn more at www.seanjohn.com

Pictures and content courtesy of:

 

 Heather Skolnik

PaulWilmotCommunications

Tel. 212.206.7447

hskolnik@greatpress.com

www.paulwilmot.com        

FREENOTE TO DEBUT ITS PREMIER COLLECTION AT WINTER 2014 TRADESHOWS

JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. - January 3, 2014 – Freenote, a menswear apparel brand produced exclusively in the United States, is pleased to announce the launch of its debut collection this winter. It will be available beginning March 2013 and includes denim, wovens, knits, bottoms and jackets. “Our line was inspired primarily by timeless American icons. The foundation of the collection is based on the durability and simplicity found in early work wear. Pioneers, rebels, the Wild West, the first rock and rollers, traditional “Southern Hospitality” culture, rail road workers and cowboys, all inspire the distinguishing design elements that recur throughout the line,” says Matt Brodrick, co-founder of Freenote. “The result is a set of classic, high-quality staples that will outlast trends.” Andrew Brodrick, co-founder of Freenote, adds, “We place utmost importance on the quality and craftsmanship of our product, but also on those who help to create it. By housing all manufacturing domestically we ensure product is made responsibly. At the same time, we maintain complete creative control from original design to final product.” Brothers Matt and Andrew Brodrick founded Freenote in 2013. Combined they have 20 years of experience in the garment industry and their experience ranges from design and production, to sales, operations and finance. Freenote will host its first line previews at Agenda Long Beach in January 2014, Project New York in January 2014 and Liberty Las Vegas in February 2014. For more information, please visit the website www.freenotecloth.com or on social media: www.facebook/freenotecloth, Instagram and Twitter @freenotecloth

 

ABOUT FREENOTE: Freenote is a classic menswear apparel brand that is committed to providing a high-quality and effortlessly stylish collection to its consumers. By combining premium materials sourced from the United States and Japan with impeccable craftsmanship throughout its production based solely in the US, the company ultimately offers a durable set of staples that will outlast trends. Freenote was launched in 2013 by brothers Matthew and Andrew Brodrick and is headquartered in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Content and Pictures Courtesy of:

 

Stephanie Weber, Director of MarketingStephanie@freenotecloth.com Phone: (949) 481-5460