Hubert White

Hu be rt Whi t e Forum/The Substance of Style/Fall 2011

INSPIRATION: IRELAND STYLE MATTERS CLOSET THERAPY

REFLECTING ON FALL

welcome

OUR

FAVORITE SEASON…

Fall, for many of us the favorite of the four seasons, is now upon us. Aside from the lower temperatures and dew points perhaps the most significant changes are in our wardrobes. Texture matters again. The richness and depth of fall fabrics is a great departure from the flat finish of summer clothing. When combined with the current trim silhouettes, these fall fabrics are reminiscent of the elegance of an earlier time. The only difference is that today’s fabrics are much more comfortable, luxurious and performance driven than their predecessors. I invite you to stop in and experience our fall collections for yourself.

In this issue of our Forum magazine, we’ve highlighted two of the newest members of our staff. Both are real professionals as well as wonderful and fun people. Emily Cochrane is our shoe manager, and Jim Quinn, the seller’s seller, returned to us after a 15-year break. Also, turn to page 6 to learn all about our promotion with BMW of Minnetonka. I’m still not quite sure how they got that car in our front door!

Hope to see you in the store this fall, Bob White

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Passion for Life 15MilMil15 Suit

Hubert White 747 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-1719 612-339-9200 www.hubertwhite.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Karen Alberg Grossman DESIGN DIRECTOR

Hans Gschliesser MANAGING EDITOR

Jillian Sprague PROJECT MANAGER

Lisa Montemorra DESIGNERS

Cynthia Lucero, Jean-Nicole Venditti CONCEPT DIRECTORS

Andrew Mitchell, Russ Mitchell MERCHANDISING DIRECTOR

Bob Mitchell DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Peg Eadie

FEATURES 2

Welcome Letter

6

Hubert White Introduces Red

8

Meet Jim Quinn

DIRECTOR OF PREPRESS

Hugh K. Stanton

BUSINESS JOURNALS FASHION GROUP PUBLISHER

34 Icons: Guitar Hero

Stuart Nifoussi PRESIDENT AND CEO

Britton Jones CHAIRMAN AND COO

Mac Brighton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

FASHION 12 Style: Trends for Men 14 Wardrobe: Men’s Fashion in Film 16 Profile: A Decade of Agave 18 Life Is But a Dream 24 Why Style Matters

DEPARTMENTS 10 Ask Forum 32 Travel: The Eyes Have It

Christine Sullivan

APPAREL FORUM Andrisen Morton DENVER, CO Garys NEWPORT BEACH, CA Hubert White MINNEAPOLIS, MN Kilgore Trout CLEVELAND, OH Larrimor’s PITTSBURGH, PA Malouf’s LUBBOCK/SOUTHLAKE, TX Mario’s PORTLAND, OR/SEATTLE, WA Mitchells/Marshs HUNTINGTON, NY Mitchells/Richards WESTPORT/GREENWICH, CT Oak Hall MEMPHIS, TN Rodes LOUISVILLE, KY Rubensteins NEW ORLEANS, LA Stanley Korshak DALLAS, TX Wilkes Bashford SAN FRAN/PALO ALTO, CA FASHION FORUM MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED IN 12 REGIONAL EDITIONS FOR MEMBER STORES OF THE APPAREL FORUM COPYRIGHT 2011. PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS

38 Food: Cooking With the Stars

JOURNALS, INC, P.O. BOX 5550, NORWALK, CT 06856, 203-853-6015 • FAX: 203-852-8175; ADVERTISING OFFICE: 1384 BROADWAY, NY, NY 10018-6108, 212-686-4412 • FAX: 212-686-

40 Spirits: Cutting-Edge Cocktails 44 End Page: Closet Therapy

6821; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE PUBLISHERS ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ADVERTISERS CLAIMS, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, TRANSPARENCIES OR OTHER MATERIALS. NO PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHERS. VOLUME 14, ISSUE 2. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

Hubert White Introduces a Little Red to its Decor Last April we added a little color to the sales floor, a bright red BMW Z4 compliments of BMW of Minnetonka. We even had a drawing for a weekend use of the car during our Canali and Eton trunk shows. Our friend Brad Olson was the lucky winner.

It was fun to see so many people stop in their tracks upon seeing this beautiful vehicle in our shop and then pause to wonder how we got the car through our front door. Well, it wasn’t easy! It fit only by the smallest of margins and required the pros at BMW to very carefully ease it through only after removing our doors. It will be hard to top this very special event.

Bob White

www.BMWofMinnetonka.com

T

his past year we have had the good fortune to add two new faces to our Hubert White team.

One of those individuals is back at Hubert White after a hiatus of almost 15 years.

Jim Quinn brings his great work ethic back to Hubert White, along with his trademark suspenders and the desire to be “absolutely fantastic” every single day.

Emily Cochran, our footwear manager, uses her keen eye for fashion (she is a graduate of Art and Design at the University of Minnesota) to suggest the correct footwear for our clients as well as keeping them well dressed on the sportswear side of the store.

We sat down with Jim and Emily and asked them some straight questions to get their “off the cuff” answers.

Jim Quinn Favorite Movie – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Best Shirt – Nothing comes close to my Eton shirts!

The most important thing in my life – My family and being a dad Favorite Book – Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follet I’m currently reading –The Confession by John Grisham Most influential person(s) in my life – My parents have always been my heroes I love to – Drive around the city lakes while listening to a good book I can’t stand – Whiners My next piece of clothing is going to be – Navy three-piece chalk stripe suit Best pair of shoes – My new custom made, two-tone, black and brown Gravati wingtips I can’t get enough of – The Lake Harriet Pavilion popcorn: It’s the best!

Favorite restaurant – Oceanaire Best Necktie – RVR: they tie a great knot

Emily Cochran When I’m bored I love to – Paint, draw or sew I hate it when – The weather is terrible I like to spend my free time – Doing hot yoga Best men’s shoe – It’s a tie, Gravati or Alden The most influential people in my life are – Definitely my family Favorite Food – Thai Guys need to work on – Eating organic!

My favorite movie – Double Indemnity starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck My favorite book – The Color Purple by Alice Walker My next piece of clothing is going to be – A Filson women’s wool Timber jacket I’m passionate about – Art My favorite pair of shoes – My Frye engineer boots Working in a men’s store – Has its ”testosterone moments”

go to facebook.com/etonofsweden tell us your favorite thing about Hubert White and be automatically entered into a drawing for a $500 eton shopping spree.

fine shirt maker since 1928

ASKFORUM Q:

My girlfriend has been buying me scarves but I have no idea how to wear them. Are they in style?

Yes, more than ever! Whether cashmere or wool, bulky hand knits or fine gauge with fringe, bright solids or patterned alpine designs, a scarf is the easiest way to add personality to your look. The trick to wearing them: don’t overthink it! Just wrap your favorite scarf around your neck a few times, or try the European way: fold a long scarf in half, drape it around your neck, and pull the ends through the loop. Voila! Instant panache.

And don’t wait for the snowstorms: a beautiful scarf is a great fashion accent, whatever the weather.

Q:

Magazines show bright color pants, yet on the streets, most guys wear jeans or khakis. What’s up with the color?

Bright colors (best in slim five-pocket models) are definitely a new direction for men’s trousers, most popular with contemporary customers and guys with self-confidence. If you dare, give them a try: color is fun, mood-elevating and not all that hard to wear. (Nantucket red has been a staple in New England for decades...) If you’re not so bold, try the new five-pocket models in neutral shades, in non-denim fabrics like brushed twill and corduroy. With more options than ever in casual trousers, there’s no need to be boring—or bored.

While shopping online can be tempting, there are many caveats.

First of all, not all designers produce the same quality goods for all accounts. So a designer polo from a flash sale or discount site or outlet store might be a different weight or color than the “same” designer polo in an upscale store. Second, at independent specialty stores like ours, you work with store owners and trained tailors and wardrobe consultants whose reputation depends on making you look terrific. Most also offer free closet makeovers: they’ll come to your home, sort through your closet and update your wardrobe with a new piece or two to bring it all together. In addition, store owners stand behind their product, so you’ll never get stuck with an impulse-purchase-gone-wrong.

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IMAGE COURTESY OF LUCIANO BARBERA

Q:

Why buy clothing in a specialty store when so much is available online?

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The only locally owned BMW dealership.

394 West of 494 A Proud Member of Twin Cities Automotive

15802 Wayzata Boulevard

Minnetonka

phone: 952-303-7500

bmwofminnetonka.com

style

A patterned sportcoat can be dressed up or down, and a double-breasted camel peacoat satisfies three trends in one.

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The runways of Milan, New York and Paris showcase fashion at its most extravagant. Limited edition wool suits and belts made from the most exotic skins were paraded out to cause a stir—and it worked.

Thankfully there’s more to menswear than one-off pieces singularly designed with connoisseurs in mind. This fall, men’s clothing and accessory makers have created some of their most varied and versatile collections to meet the everyday needs of the stylish modern man. Sharp suits and sportcoats in a rich array of autumnal colors and tweedy textures, sporty jackets made of weatherproof materials, big bold knits in solids and multi-hued variations, and even a resurgence of cashmere, corduroy and camel hair are wearable and on-trend. So whether you’re lounging around the house, dashing to the office, going for a weekend road trip, or prepar-

IMAGES COURTESY OF Z ZEGNA AND BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

TRENDS FOR MEN

FALL AND WINTER ARE JUST HEATING UP. BY WILLIAM KISSEL

ing for that big formal affair, this fall’s offerings have you covered.

DUAL-PURPOSE Perfect for the office

Technically speaking... This wool and down jacket offers Thermore insulation and taped seams for waterproof performance.

in classic pinstripes or subtle windowpane patterns, these same jackets come alive at night when paired with casual slacks and jeans, coincidentally the way most real men now define weekend wear. If you want to try something new, check out this year’s crop of double-breasted jackets, or DBs, as they’re known. Nearly every designer from Armani to Zegna is banking on double-breasted suits playing a starring role in men’s wardrobes, this fall and beyond. To that end, double-breasted jackets

SWEET PEAS The pea coat originated in the 18th century, when the durable jackets were used to clothe sailors and other military personnel who found the “pij” material (from the Dutch word pijjekker meaning twilled cloth) used to make them incredibly warm.

Modern menswear makers could not have foreseen record cold temperatures across the globe when they developed their own versions of these hearty coats, but rest

employed the time-honored ribbed cloth in everything from jeans, jackets and sport shirts to outerwear, blazers, and even tailored clothing. Pinwale corduroy in a cotton/cashmere blend is Hugo Boss’s top dog this season, while cashmere kingpin Brunello Cucinelli prefers brushed corduroy for his collection of quilted coats.

OUT OF THE DESERT Few items in a man’s wardrobe have ever been more luxurious than a camel top coat. Now that familiar topper—a staple of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood royalty—has been reinterpreted in everything from car coats and high-waisted trousers to sportcoats and even full camel hair (or colored) suits. Designers as diverse as Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford and Ermenegildo Zegna offered just a preview of the full camel stampede to come this winter.

TECHNO? TECH YES! Remember

IIMAGES COURTESY OF ZEGNA SPORT

>>

THIS SEASON, IT’S HIGH STYLE TO WEAR SOMETHING HIGH TECH. come in many variations, from low four-button models with soft shoulders and very straight lapels to serious, military-inspired high six- and even eight-button, peak lapel jackets with strong shoulders and streamlined waists. Many of these shapes also carry over into outerwear and sportcoats.

assured that the double-breasted toppers are ready to work double duty when necessary.

STRIKE A CORD Corduroy comes in many sizes—from pinwale to extra wide wale—and this season top brands like Belvest, Kiton, Zegna, Loro Piana and Canali have

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Zegna’s imaginative I Jacket with its built-in touch control panel at the cuff, allowing one to interface with his iPod without touching it?

Or how about Loro Piana’s innovative Storm System technology, which renders even the most opulent fabrics like superfine wool and cashmere water repellent? Those brilliant ideas have come full circle and spawned a whole generation of high tech, high style garments.

Whether it’s a polyester and nylon jacket that actually breathes as the temperature rises, or a top coat designed with touch technology that lets you hide your electronics and control them remotely, this season, it’s high style to wear something high tech.

wardrobe

1962

1941

Sean Connery in Dr. No A rare casual moment for 007, who dons a tuxedo more often than not. Whatever the occasion, his firearm (in this case, a Smith & Wesson Centennial Airweight) is never far from sight.

Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon Detective Sam Spade: cunning sleuth, dapper dresser

1974

Robert Redford in The Great Gatsby Ralph Lauren outfitted the entire cast for the movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel.

1959

Cary Grant in North by Northwest Proof positive that you can still look put together and polished while running from the bad guys.

70 YEARS OF CINEMATIC STYLE BY JILLIAN SPRAGUE 14

1992

The cast of Reservoir Dogs These guys were ahead of the trend in slim suits and ties.

2011

The cast of The Adjustment Bureau While overcoats and fedoras are classics, the style in multiples is downright intimidating. These men mean business!

2001

George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Ocean’s Eleven Unbuttoned elegance as the big screen’s most charismatic criminals

1987 1980

Richard Gere in American Gigolo Armani became a household name after outfitting gigolo Julian in his signature suits.

Michael Douglas in Wall Street Fat ties—and fat wallets—epitomized the 1980s. The pleated pants popular then are just starting to reappear on runways, but haven’t yet made it mainstream.

SUITS CAN’T SAVE YOU NOW

THESE MEMORABLE MOVIE GOOFBALLS PROVE THAT YOU CAN DRESS THEM UP, BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE THEM OUT. 15

1980

John Belushi and Dan Akroyd in The Blues Brothers

1994

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in Dumb and Dumber

2007

Rowan Atkinson in Mr. Bean’s Holiday

profile

AUGUST 2012 WILL MARK THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S COOLEST DENIM. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

y mission 10 years ago was to make the best jeans in the world; that’s still our mission today,” asserts Agave founder Jeff Shafer. “We started with eight jeans; last year we did $11 million in sales, a record for us, just in men’s. My wife Lauren (who retired from the business 16 years ago to raise our son Jacob) is back as designer of women’s. We’ve become a true luxury label focused on USA-made quality product.”

How do you compete with bigger brands?

I knew the secret of making the best jeans was in the denim. I found the best denims from boutique mills in Japan. I focused on fabric and fit, partnering with a Japanese jeans manufacturer with production and laundry in L.A. that made jeans for Levi’s. They knew how to make a jean authentically and accurately. Agave stands for the highest quality jeans, made authentically in the USA. Our customers know this and appreciate our commitment.

How tough is it to work with your spouse?

I wouldn’t be a designer today if it weren’t for Lauren. Two companies ago we started working together: I was the owner and she was doing production. We hit tough times and had to let our designer go, and Lauren encouraged me to do the design myself; she actually taught me how. I found my passion thanks to Lauren and I’ve been trying to get her back to work with me for a long time. Last September, our son Eli started high school and she finally agreed.

Here’s why it works: We are equals; we trust each other and don’t compete with one another. We try not to discuss work at home.

A DECADE OF AGAVE We have the same taste level but complementary skills. We share values, integrity and the same commitment to quality.

What’s the next big thing in denim for fall 2011?

The news is COLOR in bottoms, not just shades of indigo, black and gray, but brown, olive and camel. The other excitement is alternative weaves (twills, cords, etc.) in five-pocket models, washed down to a beautiful patina.

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Above: Jeff and Lauren Shafer Left: Items from Agave’s men’s and women’s fall collections

life is but a

Fall 2011 has us dreaming about texture... lush knits, comfy cashmeres, velvety cords. So many soft ways to stay warm this fall...

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sergio

Kurhajek |

STYLING:

Wendy McNett |

HAIR & MAKEUP:

Claire Bailey

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF...

STYLE MATTERS WHY

Making a good impression has never been more important.

Nor has it ever been easier!

Studies show that well-dressed men get higher paying jobs, enjoy better social status and are more attractive to the opposite sex.

Here are some simple tips on how to spruce up your look, because yes, style matters!

simple updates for all your modes...

1. Dressy Casual

2. Sartorial

BUILDING A GREAT WARDROBE IS SIMPLER THAN YOU THINK.

3. Sporty Casual

WITH A FEW NEW BASICS, A WONDERFUL FOUNDATION (AND BETTER FIRST IMPRESSIONS) CAN BE BUILT.

Dressy Casual

THE ESSENTIAL

SPORTCOAT THE MVP OF DRESSY CASUAL

No single item is more effective in transforming a man’s wardrobe than the sportcoat. It makes a man look “dressed,” while enhancing and concealing all the right body parts...

Plaid Classic A great neutral plaid adds instant style to jeans and moves gracefully from office to dinner.

Color Statement A bolder plaid in rich fall colors adds excitement to solid basics and layers well with sweaters.

Unconstructed A soft, unlined jacket is an indispensible basic this season.

It looks casually elegant and fits like a second skin!

Collegiate Corduroy Toasty warm and versatile, corduroy has come back with a vengeance.

Soft Cashmere Unconstructed and elegant, it works with dress pants, jeans and everything in between.

Sartorial

(NEW)

FIT

The New Slimmer Silhouette is here to stay

From a first interview to the corner office,

one properly fitting neutral suit in a transitional fabric is an essential basic for the welldressed man.

The Intellectual Add a sweater to a windowpane wool suit for a super smart look.

The Young Turk A well-cut dark suit can take you everywhere... and a great wool tie is an easy way to add some personality.

The Player A fun shirt (without a tie) with an open suit jacket is a refreshing upgrade to jeans.

which SUITS you?

The Statesman Herringbone in warm fall tones plus a buttoned vest spells confidence.

The Mogul Navy pinstripe suit, blue shirt, red tie, slim cut... need we say more?

Sporting Event With Client A quilted, fitted, double-breasted jacket is as warm as it is flattering.

Weekend Outing Cold, blustery days can be faced in style with an elegant update to the classic parka.

Sporty Casual

RELAXED

STYLE Soccer Sidelines Throw a great scarf over a versatile pullover and be the best looking dad on the field.

Whether it’s the weekend, or you just want it to feel that way.

Country Drive Go antiquing and lunching in style in a chocolate suede driving jacket, also perfect for everyday.

travel

When filmmakers want to evoke the formal lush countryside of Georgian Ireland or the mythical Celtic landscape of dappled glades, they train their cameras on Powerscourt Estate, one of the greenest corners of the Emerald Isle. Set on Dublin’s doorstep in County Wicklow, the gated lands originally surrounded a 13th-century castle that helped guard the city. In 1731, the lord of Powerscourt upgraded to the iconic Georgian manor that still occupies the high ground, gazing across a rich array of gardens and over a small lake to the hunched backs of the Wicklow Mountains.

Green visions abound in the gardenscapes of the Dublin countryside. By David Lyon

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IMAGES BY DAVID LYON; SUITE IMAGE BY VISION PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF RITZ-CARLTON POWERSCOURT

YOU COULD SPEND DAYS AT POWERSCOURT SAVORING THE IRISH GENIUS FOR LANDSCAPE GARDENING OR WANDERING LIKE MYTHIC KING FERGUS IN THE GENTLE WILDS OF THE WOODLANDS AND MEADOWS OF THE 1,000 ACRE ESTATE.

Opposite page: The 19th-century Pepperpot Tower was modeled on a peppermill belonging to the seventh Viscount Powerscourt, Mervyn Wingfield.

This page, top: A fountain in Walled Garden at Powerscourt Gardens Center: Gordon Ramsay’s County Wicklow lamb with potato galette Bottom: The Mountain View Suite at RitzCarlton Powerscourt

For full immersion in the lifestyle of latter-day Irish gentry, retire to the Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, where you can nurse a tumbler of Tyrconnell single-malt Irish whiskey on the terrace. The 200room resort opened in 2007 and is just a five-minute saunter from the Powerscourt manor. Its stately Palladian architecture and Georgian-inspired décor are complemented by the sybaritic ESPA spa and invisible (but indispensable) contemporary technology.

Concierges can advise guests on the best woodland hikes and runs and provide maps and electronic keys to the hidden, gated parts of the estate. They can also arrange horseback riding through the countryside, golf on either of Powerscourt’s two 18-hole courses, or fly fishing for sea-run trout on the River Dargle.

Dublin is only a half hour away, making it possible to combine the rustic pleasures of the Irish countryside with the urban rush of the Irish capital. It’s worth making a pilgrimage to the august neoGothic grounds of Trinity College to see the Book of Kells displayed in the library. Created in the 9th century, this stunning volume of the Gospels is one of the earliest surviving illuminated manuscripts and an Irish national treasure.

The Irish also treasure the outsized personalities of their artists.

At the National Gallery of Ireland, one section is dedicated to the Yeats clan: portraitist John Butler Yeats and his sons, poet and sometimes painter William Butler Yeats and modern Expressionist master

Jack Yeats. The gallery backs onto Merrion Square, one of Dublin’s finest Georgian squares, where rows of elegant townhouses are distinguished by differently colored doors and hand-burnished

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brass fixtures. Oscar Wilde lived at 1 Merrion Square from 1855 to 1876, and should you wonder where he wet his whistle, a good bet might be O’Donoghue’s, a pub established in 1792 only a block away. The barkeeps still pull a fine pint of Guinness, and the room is famous for its nightly live music.

The Ritz-Carlton has its own pub, McGills, where the Albaquirky Turkeys play a driving version of traditional Irish music. The resort’s gastronomic jewel, though, is its casual fine-dining restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt, the London-based chef’s first Irish venture. Conceived as a farm-tofork venue relying intensely on Irish products, the restaurant provides a literal taste of the countryside in a country about the size of West Virginia. The lamb is raised less than 20 minutes away, the vegetables come from an organic farm a mile down the road. As for the mushrooms, the kitchen staff forages them in the woods and meadows of Powerscourt.

icons

“I’M NOT KNOWN FOR FOLLOWING RULES; I PREFER TO EXPERIMENT WITH NEW IDEAS.”

GUITAR HERO LIKE FINE CUSTOM CLOTHING, A GUITAR BY JENS RITTER IS ONEOF-A-KIND, HANDCRAFTED, STEEPED IN TRADITION. BY BILL WEISS

arlier this year, an exhibit called Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Featured were the handcrafted guitars of three 20th-century Italian-American master craftsmen: John D’Angelico, James D’Aquisto and John Monteleone, who from workshops in NYC sought to carry on the traditions of centuries-old European masters.

In preserving these age-old techniques, these craftsmen have inspired a new generation. Among the best, Jens Ritter is a young German luthier from the quiet village of Deidesheim, near the Rhine River in the heart of Germany’s wine country.

Ritter, who produces 50 to 60 instruments a year with the help of a single skilled assistant, introduced his first bass guitars in 1995. They caused an immediate sensation based on their sheer beauty, innovative designs and remarkable sound. The exquisite lines and symmetry of his instruments are simply breathtaking; his fertile imagination has yielded designs from medieval to futuristic. Add in the warmth and beauty of exotic hardwoods and other natural materials (sometimes even precious gemstones!) or the stark high-tech sleekness of mixed synthetics, and it’s clear why Ritter’s guitars are coveted by top players (George Benson, Phil Lesh, Josh Dunham) around the world.

We recently caught up with Ritter, who was in New York City to to see the Guitar Heroes exhibit at the Met and for this exclusive interview with Forum magazine.

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Known as the German Stradivari, Jens Ritter pushes the limits of his craft.

I’M VERY GRATIFIED THAT MY DESIGNS ARE PERCEIVED AS ART AT THE SAME TIME THEY’RE PLAYED ON STAGES ALL OVER THE WORLD.”

Above: A colorful example of Ritter’s more outrageous side Below: Mary J. Blige is one of many celebrity clients.

How did you get started?

Are your instruments art?

I played bass in a band as a teenager and was never happy with the instruments. I didn’t have the money to buy an expensive bass guitar so I tried to modify parts of my instrument to make it better, like changing the electronics and eventually cutting and sawing the body to change the shape and weight and maybe improve the ergonomics. Eventually I was able to buy some high quality wood and spent lots of time designing and building my own bass. It helped that my grandfather was a woodworker who taught me how to handle wood and treat wood surfaces.

Once considered a functional tool, the guitar is now a huge cultural symbol, a valued entity in itself.

Years back, the guitar heroes were the musicians who played the instruments, not the craftsmen who designed and built them. Think of Jimi Hendrix: He’d pour lighter fluid on his guitar and burn it on stage, like he did in 1967 at the famous Monterey Pop Festival.

Today those guitars are famous on their own; even burned ones have sold for hundreds of thousands of

What makes your instruments so special?

They’re super custom-made but within aesthetic limits, kind of like a custom suit. I’m not known for following traditional rules and I love to pursue new designs, try new woods, experiment with new surfaces. Sometimes I’ll try developing a new instrument for myself or to demonstrate at a trade show, and the response might lead to new ideas.

dollars, just so someone can hang them on their wall as a holy relic.

What was once a simple tool of the musician has evolved into functional art, achieving its own identity as a cultural symbol.

I’m very gratified that my designs are perceived as art at the same time they’re played on stages all over the world. On occasion, I’ve sold instruments to art collectors and museums for display only.

What are you working on these days?

I’m mostly filling orders from the trade shows in L.A. and Frankfurt, but I’m also developing a new guitar model scheduled for release in January 2012, and creating a new signature six-string bass guitar for The Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh.

What’s the best part of your work?

To be immersed in inter-

national culture is an incredible blessing. To possibly influence it—now that’s intense!

T H E

U L T I M A T E

T R O U S E R

food

WINE RECEPTIONS AND TASTINGS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH CULINARY HEROES.

COOKING WITH THE STARS

PURE HEAVEN FOR A FASHION FOODIE. BY SUSAN F. SIDOR t’s a crisp fall day, perfect for a bike ride in the park or brunch with friends at an outdoor cafe. But thanks to the French Culinary Institute, I am instead joining 200 other food enthusiasts at the third annual New York Culinary Experience. The event raises money for the The Future Chefs Scholarship Fund, enabling aspiring chefs to attend culinary institutes. It’s also a unique opportu-

nity to spend two days with the world’s most renowned chefs.

For foodies, tasting a truly great dish is pure bliss. But cooking side by side with illustrious chefs like Todd English, Morimoto, Marcus Samuelsson and Jacques Torres, among many others, is ecstacy.

Participants attend two classes each day. Between morning and afternoon sessions, lunch seminars feature conversations with

key experts. In the evening, wine receptions and tastings provide yet another opportunity to get up-close and personal with culinary heroes.

Unlike other “fantasy food camps” I’ve attended, these classes were truly interactive. For starters, a pastry class with Gina di Palma, who insists that baking need not be an exact science: even if results vary, it will likely still be

PUMPKIN LASAGNA Recipe by Todd English

OPPOSITE PAGE BY SUSAN F. SIDOR; THIS PAGE BY LARRY BUSACCA/GETTY IMAGES

Serves 2

Previous page, left: David Bouley with his students Right: Pan roasted duck This page, left: Todd English slices stuffed turkey breast.

Right: English tops off his pumpkin lasagna.

The next New York Culinary Experience will be held on April 28th and 29th, 2012. Email nyce@nymag.com to request more information.

Ingredients: 1 sugar pumpkin 7 sheets blanched rosemary pasta (substitute 7 sheets fresh pasta) 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 1/4 cup ground amaretti cookie 1/4 cup ground almonds 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated butternut squash sauce watercress, for garnish For the Butternut Squash Sauce: (Yields 1 quart) 1 butternut squash 1 sprig rosemary, chopped salt and pepper, to taste 2 cups half and half 2 cups heavy cream 2 oz. butter 1/4 cup maple syrup Directions: Peel the squash and dice into large

pieces. Place the squash in sauce pot and add the liquids and rosemary. Slowly cook until the squash becomes soft. Drain off the liquid and reserve. Place the squash into blender. Add just enough liquid to cover, then blend and add butter.

Adjust seasoning and consistency.

Next, slice top off pumpkin, scoop out seeds and any membrane.

Clean seeds and toast separately.

Roast pumpkin at 400°F for 40 minutes, or until inside meat is cooked. Turn oven down to 350°F. Toss pasta in butternut squash sauce. Lay one sheet of pasta in the bottom of the pumpkin. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese on top, then sprinkle a layer of cookie, almond and parmesan. Continue layering until pumpkin is filled. Top with parmesan cheese and bake 30 minutes.

Garnish with watercress and serve.

delicious! Next, bouillabaisse with Alain Sahlac, Dean of the French Culinary Institute, a warm, gentle Frenchman who instructed us in the fine art of putting lobsters to sleep. Then we prepared pan roasted duck and asparagus with Comté cheese foam with David Bouley, a fan of healthful artisanal cooking.

My final class was Thanksgivingthemed, led by superstar chef Todd English, whose demonstrations were entertaining and informative with a side order of dry humor. To break with the whole-bird tradition, we made a cornbread stuffed boneless roast turkey breast (and even took home ingredients for our own Thanksgiving feasts).

After spending my entire career around fashion’s who’s who, these wonderful food masters have become my new rockstars. I remain their ever-devoted groupie.

You’ll get a compliment every time you wear one!

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KAPSALIANA VILLAGE

world scene GREEK REVIVAL

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few steps behind the Kapsaliana Village there’s an ancient olive tree. It stands alone, determinedly rooted into a slight rise. From here, the view stretches across the largest olive grove on Crete, over a lush valley, to the sea. The scene is quiet and stunningly beautiful. Originally home to a thriving olive press worked by monks (the historic Arkadi monastery is nearby), the settlement was gradually abandoned after the press was closed in 1955. Today, under the brilliant tuteledge of architect Myron Toypoyannis, Kapsaliana Village has been rebuilt and restored and named a member of Historic Hotels of Greece. The age-old architecture is combined with modern comforts. Twelve guest houses, hewn from the original dwellings, are set on cobblestone alleys. The olive press is now a museum. The restaurant offers superb traditional Cretan food, and there’s a luxurious swimming pool. But most of all, there’s an atmosphere of tranquility and seclusion, as if time had paused to offer visitors a few moments of complete serenity.

Experience life’s little luxuries. BY DONALD CHARLES RICHARDSON

COLD COMFORT

LAKE PLACID LODGE

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s cold weather approaches, ‘tis time for winter sports, a cozy new coat and a heart-warming cocktail. After ice skating, cross country skiing or snowshoeing at the Lake Placid Lodge in New York’s Adirondack mountains, guests keep out the chill with the hotel’s winter drink, the Barkeater. Bartender Lori Kudelski, who created the Barkeater, shares the recipe for this snug concoction.

Ingredients: 1 oz. vanilla vodka, 1 oz.

Frangelico, 1 oz. Amaretto, a splash of New York State maple syrup, and 4 oz. cream. Mix vodka, Amaretto, Frangelico and maple syrup in a shaker, then pour over ice in an old fashioned glass. Top with cream and garnish with a mint leaf. Cheers!

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SOMETIMES, THE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS AREN’T IN YOUR BRAIN. THEY’RE IN YOUR CLOSET.

BY JAMES RARUS

CLOSET THERAPY A former boss, the president of a luxury apparel firm, used to scream at me: “You know what your problem is?

You think too much! Just sell!” Today, I work for myself. I play menswear psychologist and at a psychologist’s rate, though I’m not a doctor.

Analyze this: Twice yearly, menswear merchants fill their shops with thoughtfully selected apparel, transforming their stores into virtual treasure troves of luxury. A man’s closet should be a similar treasure trove, the clothes he pulls out each morning helping to determine if people will buy into his personality, business acumen, credibility, or whatever he’s selling.

I recently worked with a client in his cedar paneled closet. His trousers, dress shirts and blazers hung evenly spaced on cedar hangers. His shoes rested in perfect rows, his belts and ties were arranged meticulously.

I thought about this client, a bachelor with a high finance job: trim physique, handsome features, great hair, beautiful clothes. But then a flash: he owned no sweaters!

Mother Nature took the time to create this perfect specimen, almost begging to be wrapped in luxurious fabrics, and not one cashmere knit!

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I looked around his spectacular apartment with its expansive views of Central Park and envisioned the women he’d soon date thanks to this newly conceived wardrobe. A breakthrough moment, said my inner Freud.

Want your own breakthrough? Think of your favorite store as your closet; then think of your wardrobe as a jazz song with layered textures, colors, tones and dimensions to help showcase your own unique qualities.

Soon after shrinking my client’s head with this music metaphor, he became the proud owner of a dozen twoand four-ply cashmere knits and a few merinos in masculine shades both deep and pale. His wardrobe is now balanced with casually elegant cardigans, turtlenecks, V-necks and crews; his tailored clothing pieces now double as sportswear. His love life has improved, too: wearing an outfit of his own creation featuring a knit cardigan, he recently met the woman of his dreams.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I often say, “I alter men’s perceptions of their closets so that when they get dressed each day, they’re energized and inspired.” To which they usually respond, “You think too much! But let me ask you a question. Can I wear…?”

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