Jenna Lyons of J. Crew Talks Trends to AmEx

I love catching glimpses of design studios. The collaged presentation boards and pockets of hodge-podge strewn around the space are so visually stimulating to me. As part of American Express' behind-the-scenes segments during the current and ongoing New York Fashion Week, Jenna Lyons, creative director at J. Crew, goes in front of the camera to talk upcoming trends. Nothing earth-shattering, she recommends the Ludlow suit to guys. She mentions the positive response this cut has received; I say it was a smart design move to offer slimmer-fitting tailored suits to the masses. In conversing with the camera, Jenna also offers a look into the J. Crew design space.

But most importantly, who is the handsome drink of water standing to Jenna's left?! I'm going to just take a stab in the dark here, but given he's cutting out a swatch of fabric, perhaps he's a part of the in-house design team? His plaid flannel is so covetable, as is his neatly coifed hair. Dear J. Crew: tell us more about him.

Catch the whole clip on Facebook, HERE.

A|X Valentine's Day Campaign

::image from Armani Exchange ::

If you go onto the Armani Exchange website, you'll find the above image pop up first thing, followed by the phrase, "SHARE THE LOVE" and a prompt to shop V-day gift ideas for both guys and girls. I never shop A|X, but I found out about this V-day campaign through The Cut, which today brought up the right-wing conservative group One Million Moms and its decided anti-A|X-stance due to this set of images.

Yes the sex is heavy and blatant, but I think the message itself -- that love (or lust) is not some cookie-cutter institution -- is beautiful especially in light of our upcoming holiday. And I appreciate their driving home the point even further by using the same set of guy and girl as we transition from left to right. I'm not familiar with the repeat dude (Clint Maurio), but I do appreciate that Marlon Teixeira -- Mr. Dior Homme S/S 2009 -- is a part of these images (far left).

In its plea for other like-minded hermits to take action, One Million Moms cites the hetero-bendable nature of the posed models as despicable, and the exposure of these images to mall-frequenting teen population as concerning. I think my favorite line from their rant is the following:

"Not every local mall has an Armani Exchange, but we need to take a stand since A|X is one of the fashion leaders and this is becoming a popular trend."

Fashion leader? Armani Exchange? I found this quite laughable. These mothers don't have a clue. And frankly, it's probably their own kids who must be the ones shopping A|X because for some reason, the brand is still in existence, and who else but the offspring of idiots would have the audacity to wear stuff from this line with any sense of pride?? And to add to the irony, I'm willing to bet these mothers are the same ones with kids who think Abercrombie (huh? what shirtless employees?) is couture.

These ladies really think they're making a difference. But when it comes to the world of advertising and marketing, I say these ladies are being treated with indifference. For example, they write:

"Moms, you may think this is a long shot, but remember, just last summer complaints to Calvin Klein concerning a foursome billboard was removed from New York City Soho District."

Silly women. Have they taken a peek at what's currently on the Houston Street CK billboard?

Perhaps these mothers are bitter. I couldn't have put it any better than one of the commenters (btw, I highly encourage you to take a stroll through the comments section of The Cut piece, it's highly entertaining), who believes these broads "are a group of menopausal women whose children despise them". For funny!

But more than anything, I'm willing to bet they're bored. Being bored can lead to a lot of damage. I wonder if there are any bored mothers here in MN. I'm guessing yes. Ew.

Pendleton Meets Opening Ceremony SS 2010

Over the past week, pieces from the Pendleton Meets Opening Ceremony Spring/Summer 2010 collection have begun to surface on the Opening Ceremony site. The second installment of this wonderful collaboration has been one that's been long in anticipation -- I remember seeing the lookbook images on racked.com at the end of this last year, and if you click through the O.C. blog, you'll find preview images from as early as this past summer (!).

In contrast to the Fall/Winter collection, which featured bright and bold tones in the Native American prints and shades of plaid I'd characterize as cabin-up-north-for-the-holidays appropriate, these spring pieces are a mix of beautiful primary and pastel madras plaids, and muted Navajo-inspired prints.

Of the available array to chose from currently, my picks are as follows:

These shorts are interesting in that the upturned cuffs are an element of flair I can't really say I've seen in my neck of the woods. Not for guys at least. On flannel-lined chino's, yes. But on a pair of warm-weather shorts, no. On top of that, the velcro belt adds a thoughtful element of utilitarian styling.

What I appreciated the most from the winter collection was O.C.'s use of the Native American prints, which to me is such a part of Pendleton's heritage. But the silhouettes and drape Opening Ceremony added into the outerwear pieces this past winter made for a very updated and progressive aesthetic. I like that O.C. has continued with the signature graphic prints and incorporated them into on-trend pieces, like this varsity jacket:

Lastly, this reversible sailing jacket carries elements of clean cut prep with urban undertones. And because of that, it strikes me as being a very versatile piece to have this coming season.

Alas, I'm too poor. But dream is what I do best.

image source

GQ China, October 2009

The great thing about a post-college existence is that your friends eventually disperse to the far corners of the earth. Case in point: my dear friend, Jenny who transplanted herself to China. This past fall, I was vaguely aware that GQ had decided to set up shop in China, but it took a while for my interest in the subject to grow. Upon seeing Daniel Liu's editorial in the November issue of GQ China, I asked Jenny to source a copy of the publication for me. Fearing that the circulation schedule for magazines was similar to how it's done here in the States, I was doubtful there might even be a November issue left on the stands, but I asked nonetheless, hopeful for everything, pragmatically expecting nothing. My girl did even better: over the weekend, as I tore open her package to me, I learned she had sourced a copy of the premier issue (October 2009)! Now I can say I own a copy from when it all began :)

In keeping with my experience of thumbing through foreign magazines when abroad, this publication isn't some two-bit slipshod assembly on thin paper meant to be tossed out when the next one arrives. The cover is remarkably thick and durable, and the individual pages have a heft to them. A great addition to my library.

As I've often seen with foreign offshoots of established American magazines, there's a whole backlog of previous editorial work that is fair game to print for a whole new audience -- a previous Details piece on red leather shoes, bags, and accessories makes it into the fold with this issue. And as suggested by the cover, the editorial work is more focussed on profiling specific individuals who have made a mark in the Oriental cultural landscape, and so the issue isn't very Asian model involved. But it makes for a great platform from which to create a voice that conveys a standard for class and style.

Check out scans from this issue on tFS.

Nicholas Hoult and Carolyn Murphy for Tom Ford SS 2010

I'm VERY late to the game here, I realize that. These images started flooding the internet about 2 weeks ago...guess that's what happens when you bury your head in the sand...

But I must say, I'm loving these ads. It's no surprise that Tom Ford's current golden boy would also be the subject of his latest ad campaign, and why not? Nicholas Hoult is a very attractive young man. Oh those piercing blue eyes. And in traditional Tom Ford style, he's all primped, fine-tuned, and glossed up for these pictures, quite a stark contrast to his youthful look (still impeccable!) in A Single Man. There's something slightly immature, but all-knowing in his expressions here. Love it.

In this second image, he's sporting a pair of frames I just gotta have. I wonder how similar they are to Colin Firth's pair (that I've previously gushed over) in A Single Man.

And I think it's great Carolyn Murphy is cast as the metaphorical cougar in these images. How befitting as in real life, she's older with a family of her own, and a seasoned tried and true model within the industry. Wearing only her tan lines in these pictures, she definitely comes across as that mature woman who's still fully conscious and in control of her own sex appeal. What a stark contrast to her white collar stepford-esque campaign images for Estee Lauder...sophistication on two totally different spectrums. I applaud her versatility.

What's more, there's a nipple-visible version of the second image that'll be circulating in higher-taste magazines...like VMan...you can view that image online here.

image source: tFS

Marc St. James -- Ugly Betty, Season 4, Episode 13, 02/03/10

::image source::

Who watched Ugly Betty last night? I absolutely must find out where Marc's military coat is from. Is it repurposed? I just love the silk rep detailing...in the epaulettes, sleeve cuff, chest pockets, and one (but not both!) of the pocket flaps. Any ideas? Patricia Field is the best. And I think Marc (Michael Urie) is so attractive. Smartly cast indeed.

...and who's the smartly put together extra w/ the thick frames?...

J. Crew Mens Spring 2010

I first got excited about Spring 2010 at J. Crew when I saw Matthew Goode sporting this sweatshirt way back when the January issue of GQ first came out.

::image source: tFS::

Thread-bare knicked cuffs! Crusted splotches of acrylic! Of course, processed and paint-splattered is nothing new (hello Ralph Lauren circa Spring 2005).

Enter the promotional video J. Crew has carefully placed on the front men's page of their website. I must say, getting a look at their spring presentation and hearing their creative director, Frank Muytjens speak of the inspiration behind the spring looks gives much cred and substance to what has begun popping into stores. There's mention of military, nautical, workwear, and suiting -- all mixed in together in an attempt to create a unique look within itself. Umm, not necessarily the most original in ideas, but okay, we'll go with it...just because the individual pieces themselves do look good.

::all video stills from jcrew.com::

There's specific reference to Japan and deriving influence from the nation's steadfast dedication to workwear (which, ironically, as most people know by now, is also a reflection of the country's obsession with quality Americana of yore).

And of course, Matthew's sweatshirt gets front row purview.

A couple other pics of my picks based on the vid:

I guess these shorts come as no surprise as another item on my list given the caked on layers of color. Despite the DIY-rich context paint-splattered articles of clothing embody, who has the time and the effort? Certainly not me these days. On top of that, I do like the cutoff quality of these shorts (okay, I admit, once again DIY-able).

Mr. Muytjens mentions sunbleached tones as being a theme in the collection, and nothing speaks nautical to me more than different gradations of faded blue on chino fabric.

And in keeping with J. Crew's growing presence in the world of collabs, this top (underneath the blazer) is of interest to me. A "collaboration on top of a collaboration" as Muytjens refers to it, the boatneck (wait, haven't I mentioned my interest in trying out boatnecks lately? ;) tops are done by Saint James and then sent over to be worked on some more by Mr. Freedom.

I read a little bit about the Mister Freedom partnership in this past fall/winter's premier edition of Inventory, a Canadian publication. Formerly h(y)r collective, which I remember as a simple and well-organized online magazine with the best features (anybody remember their profiling the Band of Outsiders Fall 2008 collection?), I was thrilled to learn they'd grown to a point where a print magazine was possible. This first issue is a great collection of interviews and stories with names and labels that cater to individuals with taste and discernment that go far and beyond what J. Crew can offer. I highly recommend, and I'm glad to have it in my collection of readables. Of the selected few, Mr. Freedom is one of the labels to be featured.

I purchased my copy direct from Inventory Magazine, but I do recall seeing that J. Crew had begun offering this first edition on its site as well... If you don't have a copy, here's an excerpt from the interview with Christophe Loiron, the man behind Mr. Freedom.

<< Lately you've been wholesaling to J. Crew. How did that come up? Has it been helpful in terms of raising awareness for Mr. Freedom?

When I first started selling vintage stuff back in late '90's I used to sell vintage pieces to Todd Snyder and Frank Muytjens, the heads of men's design there. Then they saw what I was making and started ordering custom-made stuff from me: t-shirts, bags and things. Then one day Mickey Drexler, the mastermind behind today's J. Crew, was in town and honored me with a visit. He made it all happen.

It was the first time a well-established American company would buy MF and put it as-is in their store with no re-design or re-labeling. It was a great honor for me to be allowed to play in the major leagues. J. Crew understands that MF is standing solely on its integrity. I don't have money to fool people with fake advertising campaigns or endorsements from big stars. I just design and make stuff, then let it do its thing on the market. My niche is definitely not a big money making venture but J. Crew gave us some recognition as well as energy, motivation and the fuel to go on. The folks at J. Crew have been a blessing and are allowing us to not have to change or sell out but keep roaming freely.>>

- Mr. Freedom: the Diligent Raconteur, by Owen Parrott for Inventory, Vol. 01 No. o1, Fall-Winter 2009.

Pretty interesting.