MR Magazine: January 2020

JANUARY 2020 | ISSUE NO. 1 | VOL. 31

JANUARY 2020

THE ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

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THE ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Celebrating 30 years of amazing leaders, lessons, challenges, and change!

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JANUARY 2020

CONTENTS

26 DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter 12 On looking back and looking ahead...

Guest Editorial 16 Stu Nifoussi on why you should stop complaining.

Ones to Watch 22

Fresh collections to brighten your mix.

70 94

New things to do in NYC.

Fashion 70

Modern reinterpretations of ួ90s sartorial trends.

Last Look 96 The case for brown.

FEATURES Meet the Team 18

30 Years of Ads 60

The New Prep 30

30 Years of Parties 66

30 Years of Covers 35

Clothing Comeback? 80

Reimagining Ivy style for a new customer.

See some of our best covers of all time.

30 Years of Change 36

Contemplating some of the world's most important milestones.

30 People Who Inspire 38 A look back at an eclectic group of menswear leaders.

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80

30 Years of Fashion 52 A stroll down style memory lane.

Because staying in business helps your business.

Some of our favorite schmoozing photos.

Change is coming for tailored clothing, but will it come soon enough?

Case Study 90

How Zanella reinvented its business.

Viewpoint 92

How companies can apologize without getting shunned. Or sued.

Photography 94

BOTTOM RIGHT: TALLIA

Get to know the people behind your favorite magazine.

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Scene 26

Quality, Performance, Value Shows Project New York | Chicago Collective | Charlotte Mens Market | Dallas Mens Show | West Coast Trend Show Contact: david@pbaristo.com • 909.218.8500 pbetenly.com

JANUARY 2020

THE MENSWEAR INDUSTRY’S MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN KAREN.ALBERG@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM FASHION DIRECTOR STEPHEN GARNER STEPHEN.GARNER@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM ASSISTANT EDITOR MEHR SINGH MEHR.SINGH@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM ART DIRECTOR VICTORIA BEALL VICTORIA.BEALL@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RITA GUARNA RITA.GUARNA@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM CREATIVE DIRECTOR STEPHEN M. VITARBO STEPHEN.VITARBO@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM

ADVERTISING GROUP PUBLISHER SHAE MARCUS SHAE.MARCUS@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM DIRECTOR OF SALES MONICA DELLI SANTI NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE KAREN AZZARELLO ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES KRISTIN DAUSS, JESSICA SALERNO

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION SUSAN WINDRUM DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING SERVICES JACQUELYNN FISCHER GRAPHIC DESIGNER, ADVERTISING SERVICES VIOLETA MULAJ ACCOUNTING AGNES ALVES, MEGAN FRANK

ADVISORY BOARD LIZETTE CHIN PRESIDENT, MEN’S, INFORMA BLAIR DELONGY VP OPERATIONS, JOHN CRAIG/CURRENT FRED DERRING FOUNDER, DLS OUTFITTERS LINDSAY MORTON GAISER VP/GMM, ANDRISEN MORTON DURAND GUION GROUP VP, FASHION OFFICE, MACY’S INC. DONNY HUBBARD OWNER, HUBBARD CLOTHING WILL LEVY PRESIDENT, OAK HALL SHARIFA MURDOCK CO-OWNER/SALES DIRECTOR, LIBERTY FAIRS, CAPSULE, CABANA JIM MURRAY PRESIDENT, A.K. RIKKS BRUCE PASK MEN’S FASHION DIRECTOR, BERGDORF GOODMAN/NEIMAN MARCUS BRUCE SCHEDLER VP, CHICAGO COLLECTIVE

WAINSCOT MEDIA CHAIRMAN CARROLL V. DOWDEN PRESIDENT & CEO MARK DOWDEN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS SHAE MARCUS, CARL OLSEN VICE PRESIDENTS NIGEL EDELSHAIN, TOM FLANNERY, RITA GUARNA

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR SUBSCRIPTION/CIRCULATION INQUIRIES, CALL: 201-573-5541.

OFFICES CORPORATE OFFICE ONE MAYNARD DRIVE, PARK RIDGE, NJ 07656 EDITORIAL OFFICE 1120 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10036

MR (ISSN 1049-6726, USPS 7885) IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR (JANUARY, FEBRUARY, JULY, AUGUST) MR MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY WAINSCOT MEDIA, 1 MAYNARD DRIVE, PARK RIDGE, NJ 07656. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT MAHWAH, NJ. AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO MR MAGAZINE, 1 MAYNARD DRIVE, PARK RIDGE, NJ 07656. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: TO CHANGE AN ADDRESS OR REQUEST A SUBSCRIPTION, WRITE TO SUBSCRIPTIONS, MR MAGAZINE, 1 MAYNARD DRIVE, PARK RIDGE, NJ 07656; TELEPHONE: 201-573-5541. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: CONTACT SHAE MARCUS AT 856.797.2227 OR SHAE.MARCUS@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM. COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY WAINSCOT MEDIA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 30, ISSUE 4.

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AU G U S T 17-1 9 L A S V EGA S

SEPTEMBER 17-18 TO K YO

EDITORʼS LETTER

THREE DECADES! Looking back and looking ahead…

I was a dreamer, with a degree in education (French major, philosophy minor), some retail experience (Macys, Bloomingdales, May Company), some writing experience (Clothes magazine, Retail Week, Accessories), and lots of enthusiasm. I had great mentors—Mac Alberg, Lewis Kaplan, Clara Hancox—and with the unwavering support of Mac Brighton and Britton Jones at Business Journals, Stu Nifoussi and I jumped head first into the menswear business in 1990, launching a trade magazine to “inspire, educate and entertain” retailers and suppliers in the men’s schmata trade.

“What a 30-year ride it’s been!”

And what a 30-year ride it’s been! I know how lucky I’ve been to have travelled to wonderful places around the globe—attending trade shows, visiting factories and stores, meeting amazing people—from tailors to sellers to CEOs, continuing to learn and grow and dream, even after three decades!

Perusing past issues of MR for this anniversary tribute, I marvel at our first-ever cover (March 1990): the elegant sartorial clothing on the handsome model somehow still works 30 years later! I’m saddened by how many wonderful people I’ve interviewed are no longer around: Cliff Grodd, Bernard Lansky, Audrey Talbott, Mel Goldfeder, Larry Hymes, Mervyn Mandelbaum, Gene Hiller, Marvin Traub, Geoffrey Beene, John Malouf, Freddie Stollmack, Greg Eveloff, James Benton, Sid Shapiro, Stanley Marcus, Spencer Hays, Miller Harris, Derryl Osborn, Jimmy Edelman, Kevin Morrissey, Dick Braeger,

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to name just a few. I know I’ll continue to cherish all that I learned from them.

I smile at some of my favorite quotes from 30 years of interviews. Who else but Gary Kellman, then VP at Lord&Taylor, would say, “Matrix buying is terrific: it eliminates the need to think which opens up lots of time for other things…” From Geoffrey Beene: “The only thing worse than a designer trying to dictate what a woman should wear would be a woman deciding for herself.

And it’s even more disastrous for men!”

Marshall Lester, then with Diesel, declared with confidence, “There are three motivational factors when it comes to buying jeans: sex, sex and sex!” And from Spencer Hays, the ex-Bible salesman who founded Tom James, “If you want to make yourself really miserable, just think about the respect you deserve that you’re not getting!”

I marvel at how much has changed in 30 years (technology!), but how much hasn’t (the value of relationships). I remain eternally grateful for the talented colleagues I’ve worked with on MR over the years, many who still freelance for us. Most of all, I thank the wonderful companies that have supported this magazine over the decades, so many of whom have become true friends.

The tragedy of losing my daughter six years ago was greatly mitigated by the outpouring of

love I felt from so many of you. I will never forget it.

In this anniversary issue of MR, we try to capture some of the people, products and passion of the past 30 years. We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane, and hope we can continue to educate, entertain and inspire you for at least the next three decades, (at which point I’ll be 100 years old; I told you I was a dreamer!)

Celebrating 55 years of hand tailored clothing made in the USA www.adrianjulesltd.com

Private Label & Wholesale Services Available

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

TOASTING THE FUTURE

MR ’s consistent focus: bringing the industry together.

Much has changed in the field of menswear over the last 30 years, as chronicled in MR and recalled in this special anniversary issue. What hasn’t changed is MR’s commitment to bringing the industry together through relevant content, events and, not incidentally, lasting friendships.

Although I’m not new to the menswear industry, I only recently took on the role of publisher of MR. After years of helping retailers grow their businesses through customer marketing, I was new to the world of B2B. It has been such a great honor to serve retailers and vendors alike through MR’s live events, online community and the pages of this magazine, and I look forward to serving you for years to come.

As we put our 30th anniversary issue to bed, I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it. I look forward to seeing you soon in the field!

“It is a great honor to serve retailers and vendors alike through MR ’s live events, online community and the pages of this magazine.”

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MR - Full Page Ad - January - Bleed.indd 1

12/9/19 3:22 PM

GUEST EDITORIAL

STOP COMPLAINING!!

The men’s business is alive and well.

The way most business is done today is certainly much different than when my dad was a specialty retailer and Karen Alberg was a department store exec. In those days, almost every dad on my block in Queens owned a store, worked in a garment factory or showroom, or was a multi-line rep.

By Stu Nifoussi

they create jobs and outlets that continue to expand consumer choices.

There’s no way to overestimate the impact of Amazon on, mostly, the moderate part of the business. But, rather than complain about it, larger vendors are finding ways to work with Amazon to

“Niche players have, through a combination of unique product, online selling, brick and mortar, retail partnerships and social media, found new and productive ways to build a sustainable brand, either as a vendor or a retailer.”

When I started working in retail publishing, the top 100 or so clothing retailers in the U.S. were pretty much all department stores or discount chains.

Every city had several. And there were thousands of successful “mom & pop” men’s specialty stores throughout the land. That’s all changed but one thing has not. Everyone still wears clothing and has to buy it somewhere.

It’s been tough to see the demise of so many great stores over a mere few decades, but that doesn’t mean retail is dying, just that it’s changing. Many of my successful retail friends who are still around have figured out ways to profit from the changes.

Most independent specialty merchants have gravitated to the luxury part of the business where high service breeds customer loyalty. Some have partnered with brands to open stores that may not require the buying skill they used to, but make money and friends just the same.

Malls are struggling as the number of big box tenants decline. But the upshot has been an exceptional number of spaces at attractive rents for young entrepreneurs to make an entry into the business. And, unlike my father who used to travel from his lower Manhattan store to the New York docks selling U.S.-made jeans to foreign sailors, today’s entrepreneurs are savvy in digital promotion, social media and online retailing as tools for generating sales and loyalty. However, they still buy great merchandise and sell it to fashion hungry consumers. Manufacturers have increasingly become retailers as well (with varying levels of success) but, in doing so,

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create more sales and happy customers.

In addition, niche players have, through a combination of unique product, online selling, brick and mortar, retail partnerships and social media, found new and

productive ways to build a sustainable brand, either as a vendor or a retailer.

These new business models and others will form the basis of trends that should drive the next 30 years of menswear.

The result is one that some of us old timers might not like, but bodes well for the future. Men’s retailing will survive, just as music and electronics businesses have, despite the demise of Crazy Eddie, Circuit City, Blockbuster and the local record store. But menswear has a couple of big advantages. No one needs video cassettes or records anymore, but clothing is a staple and always will be. As Barney Pressman so eloquently put it, “They’ll always need clothes.”

Shae Marcus, publisher

A mom of two amazing kids who keep her running in her “off ” time. She LOVES what she does so it never feels like work, and absolutely loves menswear and the people in it.

She has been with Wainscot 15 years where she spearheaded the luxury division. In an era of technology, she prefers real conversation talking to great people. She is a self-proclaimed early morning fitness addict.

She's obsessed with obstacle course races like Spartan or Tough Mudder. She loves to travel to new places. Animal lover. Wine drinker. “The beach is my sanctuary.”

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Karen Alberg Grossman, editor in chief

A Type A workaholic who drinks about 8 cups of coffee a day, she’s up at 4:30 a.m. and on her computer by 5:00.

She hates gyms and refuses to exercise. Her passion is meeting with interesting people in the industry and discovering what makes them tick. She would be a much better interviewer if she learned to keep her mouth shut and let the other person talk.

She doesn’t like change: she’s had the same husband for 45 years, the same house, the same job, the same hairstyle, the same color lipstick... She hates technology! She loves the ocean and swears she was a mermaid in a former life. She loves yoga (but not in a studio, only on the beach). Her favorite meal is a swiss cheeseburger and fries, accompanied by her favorite drink—Jack Daniels and ginger ale. She lived in Paris for two years right after college, where she learned to speak French, drink wine and savor life. She apologizes for all the facebook photos of Victoria, Max, JJ, Benjamin and Emma, her five beautiful and brilliant grandchildren… She loves hanging out with her 95-year-old mom and all the seniors at Sunrise Senior Living: with age comes wisdom!

Stephen Garner, fashion director

He originally started working with MR as a fashion intern and somehow managed to stick around for a while. He loves to travel but really hates flying.

He worked in retailing for six years before moving to NYC. He moved back to Manhattan last year after a five-year stint in Brooklyn. He actually doesn’t mind going to Vegas. He has a weird affinity for palm trees and finds them both calming and inspiring. It may be his somewhat “southern roots”, but he loves a cup of sweet tea. Oh, and also a glass of wine or a great cocktail. His favorite part of the job is getting to know all of the different characters in this industry, from iconic designers to brand sales reps, (mostly) everyone has a great story. He will always provide his unsolicited opinion when it comes to style choices. He also maintains that Millennials are not ruining the world.

Monica Delli Santi, director of sales

Lover of all things pop culture and true crime documentaries.

Her favorite vacation spots are Aruba and the Amalfi Coast. She is a huge fan of music from the Mamas and Papas, Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Lizzo. Loves to travel, especially to Italy where she met her husband almost 10 years ago and fell in love...first with Aperol Spritz and then with her husband.

Studied abroad for a summer in Italy and then lived in Milan as an au pair for a year after college… picked up the Italian language along the way. She took a job with Wainscot Media on a whim after living in Italy for a year, and 9 years later she's still going strong!

She never wanted to work in sales but it’s in her blood: she’s sold everything from bagels, jewelry and handbags to advertising! She and her husband adopted their nephew Dominic this past summer so when she’s not working, you can find her being the loudest soccer mom on the field! Her favorite time of day is Apertivo time! If she wasn’t working in sales, she’d be doing something in the music/ PR industry or working on her childhood dream of becoming famous…maybe a Real Housewife of N.J. She’s most grateful for her large & loud Italian/Russian family, 7 nephews, 1 niece and many lifelong friends.

PHOTOS BY ZACH ALSTON, MAKE-UP AND HAIR BY NATASHA LEIBEL

MR

MEET THE MR TEAM!

She’s been married most of her life, and has had five beautiful children and two grandsons (so far…) She lives for her family and works for her soul.

In the jewelry business for over 40 years, she learned that the customer is always right and that service is the key to any relationship, along with good listening skills and a great memory for the details and highlights. She was getting ready to relax and retire when Shae asked if she might want to try advertising sales for a bit. Almost four years later, she’s found a renewed fervor for selling and loves her work.

Some might call her a persistent, aggressive, dog-with-a-bone type of seller; she calls it passion.

“It's been a delight to work with the Dowden/Wainscot family but most of all to work with my daughter and my niece. I think I trained them well.”

Kristin Dauss, account executive

Michigan native Kristin slowly migrated and landed herself in sunny South Florida ten years ago, making a stop for college along the way in Charlotte, NC where she became an avid Carolina Panthers fan. She can’t live without tacos, Reese’s cups, and ranch dressing. When she’s not traveling for work or fun, she spends most of her free time with her family and is an amazing aunt to her two beautiful nieces and one puppy niece.

Her adult beverage of choice is Sauvignon blanc but she doesn’t discriminate against any varietal (or more adventurous choices).

Seeking a career change, Kristin joined Wainscot Media in early 2018 after an adventurous ride with her family, owning their own restaurant in Delray Beach, FL. Don’t let her initial shyness fool you: with over a decade of hospitality and guest services experience, she can chat it up with the best of them…

Jessica Salerno, account executive

Born and raised in Bergen County New Jersey, Jessica grew up as a competitive dancer. She worked with the Radio City Rockettes, danced in the World Cup half time show in 2000, started teaching dance after graduating from high school, and still teaches competitive jazz once a week to girls ages 10-13. Growing up, she accompanied her dad to his job as a producer in NYC, attending Broadway shows, always wanting to be a “Star.” She worked on a few small projects, including a short film that played on a Disney ride in the '90s. She earned a full-page feature in the national magazine, Teen People, when she was chosen out of thousands of girls at an open call. She loves the color pink and is super girly. She loves clothing, (and won best dressed in both 8th and 12th grades).

She has a degree in fashion marketing. She’s afraid to fly but her dream is to travel the world.

“I’m a free spirit, as free as they come, a dreamer, a lover, and always smiling.”

Mehr Singh, assistant editor

She thought she’d be a clinical psychologist–she’s always loved science and questions everything. She considers moving to NYC and pursuing fashion the scariest yet best decision she ever made. The daughter of an art collector, Mehr has always had an eye for art and fashion: as a child, she loved the works of Monet and Degas and custom-made outfits for her dolls. She apologizes for apologizing too much. She stops on the street to pet dogs and reads every issue of Vogue from cover to cover. She hopes to be Audrey Hepburn when she grows up. On a Saturday night, she’s most likely at home watching Jean-Luc Godard films, trying a new face mask, or perfecting her father’s korma recipe. Her most prized possessions are her label maker, her collection of high-heels, and a signed copy of Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth. Her style icons are David Bowie, Jacqueline Kennedy, and her mom.

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

PHOTOS BY ZACH ALSTON, MAKE-UP AND HAIR BY NATASHA LEIBEL

Karen Azzarello, national account executive

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FEBRUARY 16-18, 2020 theMART, Chicago

We have always focused on quality over quantity.

With grassroots support from our buyers and manufacturers, the Chicago Collective has evolved into what it is today: Your favorite show.

Peerless Clothing Opening Night Party Sunday: 6:00pm – 8:00pm Marshall’s Landing 2nd floor – The Mart

When your colleagues feel like family, there’s no reason not to keep the camaraderie going at our renowned opening night party. Enjoy local brews, wine and specialty appetizers while you mingle.

chicagocollective.com

ONES TO WATCH

NEW THREADS These four rising brands are serving up creatively-designed product you should add to your mix.

By Stephen Garner CARTER YOUNG

Drawing a loyal following to its mix of classical menswear fabrics and detailing on more casual, unisex styles, Carter Young is a brand on the rise. Having most recently showed during New York Fashion Week in September, the brand received praise for its non-traditional take on menswear staples.

Carter Altman, the creative director behind the brand, starting working in fashion when he was just 15 years-old. “I started working in bespoke menswear to learn the principles of classic design, and moved on to Kith, Helmut Lang, and, in 2017, I did a short stint in Italy working under Matthew Williams at his label 1017 Alyx 9SM,” Altman tells MR. “When I moved back to New York for school, I felt like I was ready to launch my own project. I didn’t have any institutional backing or industry connections, but I found a community of other young creatives and from there, things found their own momentum.”

Now, as Altman finds his stride, consumers are taking notice of his key items, like the high-waisted ‘Tailored Pant’, ‘Cropped Blazer’, and the ‘Utility Jacket’ he makes seasonally in different suiting fabrics. Average retail prices range from $145 to $225 for cut-and-sew pieces, denim ranges between $325 and $385, and tailoring is priced between $325 and $725.

So, what’s next for the brand? “For fall/winter ’20, we’re moving all of the tailoring production to New York, and will be using deadstock military fabrics for a significant portion of the line,” says Altman. “There will be more emphasis on tailoring and American sourcing and manufacturing.”

EQUIPMENT

If your store carries women’s, you may have already heard of Equipment. The fashion brand is nearly 45 years old with origins truly rooted in androgyny. But now, the brand is leaning even more in its androgynous roots to develop its first unisex collection for 2020.

“We wanted to explore the concept of a non-binary collection considering the brand had an extraordinary head start with a similar conversation but in a different era,” says James R. Miller, CEO of The Collected Group, the parent company of Equipment as well as denim brand Current Elliott and luxury women’s brand Joie. “My team and I are passionate about making a difference in our industry and for an audience that needs to continue to have a voice in a larger way.”

To make sure this launch went without a hitch, Equipment partnered with New York City-based gender fluid retailer The Phluid Project.

“We’ve partnered with this remarkable organization to make sure that every representation of this collection speaks with purpose,” Miller says.

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ONES TO WATCH

“The fluid fabrications, the campaigns and the people we collaborate with will hopefully make an impact in a positive way.”

As of right now, the brand is focusing on its best-sellers for the unisex collection, its signature shirts (cottons retail for $275 and silks retail for $395). Miller expects to add more items to the collection later in the year. “We’ll see how the reaction goes for spring, but for fall, we’ve grown the categories and fabrications that are fun and playful,” he tells MR. “One-pieces, blazers, tunics are all imagined in unusual but beautiful forms.”

Along with The Phluid Project in New York, Mr Porter, La Rinascente, and Beymen have also signed on to carry the new collection. Miller says more are expected to be added, “especially those retailers who are keen to explore and have a part to play in the gender fluid conversation.”

ONYRMRK

Founded in Los Angeles in 2018 by Mark Kim, ONYRMRK (pronounced On Your Mark) is an emerging men’s ready-to-wear, collection-based brand that stands for diversity and self-expression.

After almost a decade of menswear experience, Kim formed his brand with the help of Rwang Pam to represent the modern-day customer who may want to wear something traditional one day, more trend-focused or rebellious the next.

MR first discovered this brand at Project Las Vegas back in August and were most impressed with the amount of on-trend and wearable design the brand is offering at very approachable prices.

Shirts retail between $69 and $99, pants between $99 and $109, and outerwear between $109 and $179.

Moving into 2020, Kim has three goals. “I’d like to have more brand exposure, to be better connected to our customers while allowing them to reach our product more easily, and to have made efforts for more sustainable and eco-conscious decisions within our business.”

Don’t miss this collection at the next Project Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay in February.

REDVANLY

Andrew Redvanly decided to start his brand back in 2012 because, like a lot of Millennials, his corporate job just wasn’t making him happy. He left his stable job at a sports talent agency and took a position as a caddy at a local golf club in his spare time for extra cash while he worked to develop his first collection. In spring 2014, Andrew’s first main collection was born with four men’s tops and six ladies’ tops.

Andrew’s first employee was his cousin, Dave Pagana. “When our second collection launched in Equinox and 75 accounts across the U.S., Dave saw the potential for my brand,” Andrew says. “While Dave maintained his full-time job as a road salesman for pharmaceutical drugs he was showing Redvanly samples at country clubs.”

Eventually, Dave quit his day job too after the launch of the brand’s third collection. And the family affair doesn’t stop there.

Andrew’s brother Eric left working for restauranteur Bobby Flay in 2017 and joined the family business to handle all operations.

Simultaneously, Sean Forman, a close personal friend of Andrew’s, came on board to handle finances.

Now, present in over 400 stores worldwide, Redvanly is hungry for more. The brand’s bread and butter is its performance tops and outerwear designed for not only the golf and tennis crowd, but also people on the move. And, for this season, the brand is introducing pull-on golf shorts and pants that looks like regular chinos but function and wear like active pants.

Keep an eye on this one.

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C O N G RAT U LAT I O N S M R O N Y O U R 3 0 Y E A R A N N I V E R S A RY

SCENE

DOWN TIME! Warm ways to spend cold January nights in NYC

By Brian Scott Lipton

Thanks to climate change, it’s impossible to be sure whether the weather will be frightful or delightful in January. Still, the odds are if you’re in town this month, whether you live here or visiting for market week, you’ll be seeking a haven of comfort during our winter nights. Here, some up-to-the-second suggestions for places to chill out even if the mercury surprisingly soars.

MOOD INDIGO

A TOUCH OF CLASSIC

New York isn’t exactly lacking of fine French restaurants, but the recently opened Brasserie St. Marc strives for a special level of authenticity, both in its design and its cuisine. The vast space features such truly Gallic touches as vintage Babar murals on the walls, but you’ll probably be looking down at the Escoffier-inspired dishes on your plate, which range from choucroute garni and trout amandine to cassoulet and coq au vin. And naturally, there’s a vast list of French champagnes to choose from, along with an extensive wine list that even includes some local vintages. Bon appetit! (136 Second Avenue. 917-941-7312)

Here’s a simple rule to live by: Skiing can be dangerous; après-ski is not. So, ditch the slopes and head straight to The Clicquot Chalet at Mr. Purple, the funky bar atop the Hotel Indigo Lower East Side. Here, the bar’s outdoor terrace has been transformed into a larger-than-life snow globe dome decked-out in Veuve Clicquot-themed ski lodge décor, while visitors can head inside to indulge in an exclusive array of champagne cocktails, among other luscious libations, along with plenty of chocolate and cheese fondue to warm your soul. One danger, though: walking in without a reservation is not recommended. (180 Orchard Street. 212-237-1790)

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Perhaps the next best thing (or maybe even better) than getting onto an airplane is heading down to Spring Studios, where its International Culinary Collective Collaboration with Mastercard Priceless continues through January 23. They are offering up three immersive, multi-sensory environments from around the world: The Rock, Terazushi, and Lyaness. Better yet, at each unusual space the restaurant’s nuances were replicated down to the tiniest detail: in interior design, menu items, exotic scents and even table settings. Who could ask for anything more? (6 St. John’s Lane. 212-257-5600)

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LETTER PERFECT

At the newest in the ever-growing chain of Marriott’s Moxy hotels, the Moxy East Village, the Rockwell Group has outdone itself again with the gorgeous Alphabet Bar & Café. This stunning multi-use space features an outdoor terrace, co-working lounge, and meeting studios that seamlessly transition from day to night. For extra fun, there’s a Skee-Ball game that provides a hit of nostalgia for the arcade era as well as an interactive real-time graffiti installation lets guests use a tablet to draw their own tag or sketch a bit of street art and see it projected on the wall. And yes, there are plenty of delicious drinks and nibbles on hand, including custom artisanal brews by Intelligentsia Coffee, freshly baked goods, composed salads, seasonal paninis, and tartines. Talk about an A for effort–and execution! (112 East 11th Street. 212-288-6699)

WORTH THE CLIMB

Believe it or not, adventurous food can be found on NYC’s staid Upper East Side.

At Ivy Lane, Korean-born chef Sung Park adventurously mixes and layers quality ingredients to create some of the most inventive food anywhere in the city, all served in a beautiful, tri-level setting. Consider chowing down on truffle squid ink gnocchi with a mornay sauce; an octopus terrine with caper berry, sweet and sour chili sauce, saffron aioli and olive purée; fluke meuniere with crab brandade and wilted kale; or lamb papardelle with ginger, chili and almond pesto. You’ll be glad you took a walk (or subway or cab) to this Lane. (116 East 60th Street.

212-641-0577)

FEELING ELECTRIC

ALL THAT JAZZ, BABY!

Even if you’ve only been to New York once, you’ve hopefully experienced the splendor of the Campbell Bar at Grand Central Station, a gorgeously restored space that pays homage to its 1930s heritage with bold brass finishes, customized wood-and-leather furnishings and hand-painted ceilings. But you’ve probably not had the chance yet to spend your Sunday evenings there listening to live jazz performances. And while there’s a wonderful new artist to hear each week, the Campbell’s sublime cocktail list remains the same, so you count on having a GG Manhattan or a John Campbell’s Martini to sip on while savoring the sweet sounds of this iconic musical art form. (15 Vanderbilt Avenue. 212-297-1781)

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

Hotel dining has definitely evolved from so-so steaks and notso-fresh fish. Take the STARR group’s Electric Lemon, which is serving exciting American fare and creative cocktails in a spectacular space (designed by the brilliant David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group) on the 24th floor of the new Equinox Hotel. Executive Chef Kyle Knall’s mouthwatering menu includes marinated razor clams with pickled carrot and cilantro broth; soft egg crepes with beef tartare, sorrel and smoked oyster sauce; chickpea pasta with sungold tomatoes, blistered shishito peppers and basil; and Contramar-inspired black bass with poblano, salsa verde and warm fresh tortillas. You’ll definitely be flying high after this meal–no drugs required. (33 Hudson Yards. 212-822-9202)

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SCENE

ROE ROE YOUR BOAT

Is there any better way to get rid of the winter blues than indulging the ultimate luxury food? Yes, we mean caviar – and there’s plenty of it to be had at the beautiful gourmet shop Marky’s and its adjacent eatery Huso’s. Both spaces offer Marky’s own signature caviar, delivered to the shop within days of being harvested directly from its own U.S. aquafarm, along with a variety of sustainable and high-quality caviar from around the world. You can shop ‘til you drop, or if you really want to go all in, try Huso’s rotating 7-course tasting menu (priced at $200), which highlights caviar in nearly each dish, including dessert. What an eggs-cellent idea! (1067 Madison Avenue. 212-288-0850)

ON THE BUN

DELICIOUS DISHING

As a fashion designer, Isaac Mizrahi has always been consistently on point, but he’s proven to be just as successful as a cabaret performer. No wonder the ultra-elegant Café Carlyle has invited him back to debut his new show “Movie Stars and Supermodels,” from January 21-February 8. The irrepressible Mizrahi will perform songs by John Denver, Bill Withers, Cy Coleman and Stephen Sondheim, dish on model fittings, intimate dinners and exclusive parties with Hollywood's elite, and share his hilarious musings on everything from politics to dieting to his latest Instagram obsessions. It’s the sort of don’t-miss show that should be on everyone’s hit list! (35 East 76th Street. 1-800-405-2027)

MUSE TO MY EARS

If you’re looking for a place to warm your body – and soul – while in Midtown, head straight to the enchanting Kimpton Muse Bar. Recently added cocktail highlights include War of the Roses (Tanqueray gin, pimm’s, St Germain, lime, mint, peychaud’s), the Knickerbocker cocktail (Banks 5 rum, curaçao, raspberry, lime) and the Pornstar martini (Absolut vodka, passionfruit, vanilla, lime, shot of sparkling wine), while winter menu favorites include Chicken Pot Pie and even an Irish Coffee Caramel Sundae. Talk about the best of both worlds. (130 West 46th Street. 212-485-2400)

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We all crave a good old burger now and then (even if it’s made from turkey, lamb or veggies) and suddenly feel slightly guilty as soon as we swallow the last bite. Those days are over thanks to the arrival of Belcampo at Hudson Yards, where all the company’s meats are sourced directly from its 20,000-acre farm at in Northern California where the animals have been primarily grass-fed, grass-finished, and pasture-raised. You don’t even have to feel bad about the “bread” now that all the burgers can be placed on the health-friendly (and grain-free) Keto Bun by Unbun, low in carbs but high in protein and fiber. This is the kind of news that’s really easy to swallow!

(500 West 33rd Street. 212-244-7444)

THE MEN’S SHOW JANUARY 25 - 27, 2020 A curated selection of the most sought-after traditional and contemporary men’s apparel, accessories and footwear lines.

TRENDS

WHAT GOES AROUND… 30

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

Clothing provided by ROWING BLAZERS, PAUL STUART, SPERRY, and SEBAGO.

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TRENDS

While menswear has seen many iterations of “preppy” fashion, designers are reimagining the trend for a new customer.

By Stephen Garner Photography by Zach Alston Grooming by Deepti Sadhwani

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Maybe it’s the release of the Ralph Lauren documentary, Very Ralph, on HBO late last year, or perhaps it was the panel discussion Thomas Mason held in New York in October centered around this very subject, but the reemergence of “preppy” style is upon us.

It was on that very panel that American author Alan Flusser bestowed his fashion history upon the crowd, starting with the roots of the Ivy style/prep movement in the 1920s at Yale University. The look was a uniquely American fashion aesthetic based on WASP culture; although it was decidedly casual (as much in the mix and the attitude as the actual pieces), it suggested affluence as these were kids who could afford private education and expensive tailors.

But while prep started in the 1920s, it didn’t take hold until the ’30s (primarily on the East Coast), with a major resurgence in the 1950s. Ralph Lauren then virtually resurrected what we know as Ivy Style in the ’70s and ’80s, this time tweaking it to be more upper class and sexy. We had a more recent go at prep style during the #menswear movement in the early 2010s that saw our very first influencers take hold of the trend online for the coming-of-age Millennials browsing Tumblr.

Moving into today, a few emerging menswear brands like Rowing Blazers, Noah, and Aimé Leon Dore have taken the essential elements of what makes Ivy style, and infused it with strains of skate, punk, hip-hop, and downtown grunge to create something far cooler, and far more inclusive, for the next generation. This go around with prep is a full-scale re-imagining of what the trend means. It’s prep for the people—all people. “‘Preppy’ is such a divisive word,” says Michael Fisher, vice president and creative director of menswear at trend forecasting agency Fashion Snoops. “It always has been.

It means many things to many people.

The re-emergence we're currently seeing is anything but the blue-blooded classics of the past 30 years. It has nothing to do with the good ol' boys or the upper echelon of society.

The new wave of prep is super irreverent at its core. It's not at all about following the rules from previous generations. Instead, it's about rewriting modern tradition and incorporating all kinds of influences into the look.”

On the same panel as Flusser, American designer Todd Snyder lamented how today’s reinterpretation of prep style is a much-needed infusion for menswear. “I think streetwear is looking a bit stale now that everyone’s wearing it,” Snyder said at the time. “I see preppy, sartorial, and tailored looks starting to come back but in a new way. I believe pants will be the new focal point but with a slightly dropped crotch, a cropped leg may be worn with white socks. It’s important to come up with new juxtapositions to disrupt the norm or else it gets very boring.”

And brands that are successful with this new look share one common quality: authenticity. This attribute is exactly why Fisher believes the prep brand of the moment, Rowing Blazers, is finding its stride among today’s consumers hungry for something different. “Rowing Blazers is hitting it out of the park simply because it's authentic and doesn't try too hard,” Fisher mentions.

“The brand’s founder Jack Carlson is this guy who grew up around the lifestyle, and he's not pretentious about it in the least. And he’s doing it all while building a community with some great events and even a brick-andmortar ‘clubhouse’ that makes shopping fun again.”

And, if this new wave of prep-meetsstreet is a way to drum up business, then count us in!

Clockwise from Top Right: TODD SNYDER; CASABLANCA, PAUL STUART, TOOD SNYDER; PERRY ELLIS AMERICA, K-WAY, BARACUTA, LEVI'S MADE & CRAFTED, CLARKS; RALPH LAUREN PURPLE LABEL

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

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Congratulations on 30 years as the quintessential media resource for schmoozing and reporting on the menswear industry.

Here’s to our continued partnership!

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30 Years...

S N R U T D L R O W

e. m i t er ange v o ed of ch v l o ev ades es s ’ t ha e dec Russel Jon t R t M g thre . By John s u j ot platin globe n s ’ It ntem the Co around Seinfeld…not that there was anything wrong with that. la l On the news, George H.W. Bush had

E H T AS

Remember the day a suave, bearded Stu Nifoussi first turned up in your office pushing ads in a fledgling trade mag called MR (no it’s not called Mister!)? Or the first time Karen Alberg waltzed into your store to take blurry photos with a clunky camera (and film!) and record the interview on a large plastic Sony device that used tapes? What else was going on that day? Did you stop by Borders during your lunch break to grab the latest book by your favorite management guru? Did you scatter Post-It Notes throughout your copy of the Wall Street Journal to share features with coworkers? As we celebrate 30 years of MR magazine, we look back on what else was happening in the world that surely influenced your business, your customers, and menswear trends in general.

Party Like It’s 1990

The 1990s doesn’t sound like it was that long ago, but when you walked into the office that morning, you might have been jamming to Vanilla Ice’s "Ice Ice Baby" on your bright yellow Sony Walkman Sports edition. You wouldn’t have had a mobile phone in your pocket, unless it was a Motorola Microtac. Milli Vanilli was out—Girl, You Know It’s True—and Mariah Carey was in with her own "Vision of Love".

Maybe you went to see Ghost or Pretty Woman that weekend at the movie theater… or else stopped by Blockbuster to grab a VHS tape, or just kicked back and watched

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been president for about a year, the USSR was crumbling, Germany reuniting. Iraq invaded Kuwait for the start of the first Gulf War. Margaret Thatcher resigned in 1990. ⃣ The U.S. debt was at $3.2 trillion, ⃣ Unemployment hovered around 5 percent, ⃣ Minimum wage (depending on your state) hovered at around $5 an hour ⃣ A regular stamp was 25 cents.

Needed to get an order out to a vendor quickly? You probably had a secretary type up a memo…on an actual typewriter— which you’d send via fax…or maybe you still were using a Telex machine? No email quite yet…the Internet didn’t happen until 1991!

Although financial industries held to higher standards, 53 percent of companies allowed casual dress by 1998.

Customer Relationship Management was becoming a phenomenon at retail, offering everything from coupons to discounts to “BOGOs” to get customers to surrender their personal details for mailing lists so

we could entice them to clip more coupons and come back to the store. Six Sigma, part of the quality management trend (still going strong in some circles), grew out of its roots in Motorola to invade all sorts of companies….and make

a whole lot of consultants a whole lot of money in the process.

2000 Maniacs

If you were an early adopter when the 2000s rolled around, you might have been listening to your music on one of the first MP3 players; the iPod wouldn’t be easing your commute until 2001. Saying "Bye Bye Bye" to the 1990s, we were asking "Who Let the Dogs Out?"…still a wedding favorite.

You might have left the movies that weekend feeling like a 90-pound weakling after ogling Russell Crowe in Gladiator. Marvel launched the first of (so far) 13 X-Men movies. Jake Gyllenhaal broke out with Donnie Darko, while Cast Away made us worry just a bit about that stack of pricey samples we sent out via FedEx. Settling down at home with The West Wing (Sheen for 2020!), we even admitted our addiction to The Sopranos.

Bill Clinton was finishing up his second term as president, the Air France Concorde crash in Paris brought supersonic passenger jet travel to a close…a sad precursor to the terrorist attacks of September 11th more than a year later which would have worldwide political and economic consequences. George W. Bush narrowly won the November election, making the term “hanging chad” more than just a threat to the guy bringing your daughter home late. ⃣ The U.S. debt now stood at $5.6 trillion. ⃣ Unemployment fell to 4 percent. ⃣ Minimum wage was around $5 an hour. ⃣ A regular stamp cost 33 cents.

We relied on our PalmPilots to keep us organized—although it wouldn’t be too much longer before they’d be replaced with BlackBerries and iPhones—and as the dotcom era ushered in a whole new approach to work, you may have dodged a bean bag chair or a foosball table while making your way to your desk. By now, email was the norm—and you were likely writing all of those yourself.

Malcom Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point turned Hush Puppies from a shoe

brand into a case study way before the term Influencer would become a line item in our marketing budgets. Closer to home, Paco Underhill had us rearranging our store shelves while menswear’s own Jack Mitchell was teaching the world how to hug.

2010 Percent

muting from home, but you weren’t asking Siri for help quite yet…that would take another year, and Alexa wouldn’t have invaded your home until 2014. At the office, you might have been leaning on your CIO to get that Shopify sight up and running while trying to sort out just what those kids in marketing were doing with this Instagram thing… (The hugely successful Old Spice Guy viral campaign garnered nearly 40 million views in its first week in 2010).

Although Sustainability (with a capital “s”) was still more representative of customer demand. The relentless pursuit of shareholder value—sometimes at the expense of all else—was driving both Wall Street and Main Street. Online retailing grew to the point that megaretailers began closing doors. (If you were reading Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue, or Justin Halpern’s Shit My Dad Says, you probably got it on Amazon!)

To the 2020s…

Where will we be ten years from now?

With the pace of change accelerating at a ridiculous rate, it’s hard to even imagine. You might be dressing in front of a virtual reality mirror in your bedroom…not that you’ll have to dress for work once C3PO takes over the C-Suite. In any case, may we all be around to find out!

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

We weren’t quite “feelin’ fly like a G6” as we headed to work in 2010; cranking Ke$ha’s "TiK ToK" or Lady Antebellum’s "Need You Now" through the EarPods of our iPhone 4S. When you got home that night, if you weren’t streaming Avatar on your Apple TV, you might have been completely caught up in Breaking Bad, or heading for a night out to see Inception or The Social Network.

President Barack Obama— whose 2008 election was itself a landmark—was busy cleaning up one of the biggest financial debacles of our time. A BP oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 people and dumping an estimated 42,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. We all watched breathlessly as 33 Chilean miners were rescued after spending 68 days trapped half a mile underground. Couture designer Alexander McQueen committed suicide on February 11th of that year. Violent crime in the United States hit a 20 year low in 2010, and Bob’s Red Mill CEO Bob Moore gave his entire company to his workers upon his retirement. ⃣ The U.S. debt was at $13.5 trillion ⃣ Unemployment was nearly 10 percent. ⃣ Minimum wage was just over $7 an hour ⃣ A regular stamp was 44 cents.

You might have started your day telecom-

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30 Years...

30 PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE An eclectic group of visionaries representing the heart and soul of MR magazine.

By Karen Alberg Grossman Having interviewed many hundreds of fascinating industry execs over the past 30 years of MR, it’s tough to pick favorites. Here, we select 30 remarkable people whose insights are as relevant today as they were back then. The world may be changing at record pace but certain ideals remain as thought-provoking as ever. Read on for some pearls of wisdom that we hope will inspire you in some way.

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MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

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30 Years...

Martin Miller

Founder, Baxter International, 1991 One of my all-time favorite quotes from the past 30 years is from this interview with Martin Miller: “People’s strengths are their weaknesses and their weaknesses are their strengths.” As time goes by, I am finally understanding the brilliance of this paradox: that the very traits that make someone a star (candor, assertiveness, ego) can hold them back in other ways.

Miller graduated from MIT, earned an MBA from Harvard, and was a procurement officer in the Air Force. As founder of Baxter International, he created a $50+ million pants business in under three years that competed well with Dockers in its heyday.

Known for his intensity (he rarely finished a sentence because he was already on to the next thought), Miller was widely admired for his intelligence and obsessive work ethic. “There aren’t a lot of stores left to sell,” he told us back in 1991. “Our growth will come from building larger businesses in the stores we’re in.”

Geoffrey Beene Designer, 1991

Although he was most famous for his women’s fashion (and his long-standing feud with John Fairchild, which began in 1967 when Fairchild was denied a preview of Lynda Bird Johnson’s wedding gown), Geoffrey Beene contributed much to the menswear industry, both through sales of licensed product as well as his very modern personal style. Starting in the 1970s, his trademark look was an unconstructed jersey suit with a collarless shirt and no tie (despite the fact that he had huge dress-shirt and tie businesses with PVH and Randa). “What I’ve learned about licensing: you’re only as good as the hands you’re put into. PVH has done an amazing job, as has Randa. It’s not that I leave my licenses alone, but I leave success alone…”

Mr. Beene shared a bit about his relaxed menswear aesthetic, sold mostly in his own upscale store since he couldn’t find a moderate-priced clothing maker to produce it. “I’ve been making my unconstructed jersey suits since the 1970s, long before most Italian designers ever heard of the fabric. I don’t like constructed clothes: I feel better and move better in knits. I’ve never understood why men have to be so uptight in their business attire, then run home at 5:00 pm and jump into sneakers and sweats.”

A sweet, gentle man who had studied to be an MD (“I would not have made a good doctor: I took on the symptoms of every malady I studied…”), we loved his realistic perspective on fashion. “I think the values in our society are just ridiculous. Can you imagine caring that much about a fashion show?”

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Phil Molinari

Chairman, Cluett Peabody, 1994 His first job was as a bouncer/bartender at Pete’s Tavern in NYC, which reveals a lot about this very driven and determined menswear exec. Perhaps he’s best described in his own words in our interview from 25 years ago.

“I am definitely a little insane but in a good way. A leader has to be somewhat nuts.”

“What makes me most crazy is being turned down. I never take no for an answer because I know I’m always right.”

“My major weakness is that I can’t give it up. Whatever ‘it’ is, I stay at it longer than anyone else, longer than I should…”

“I am the world’s fastest interviewer: I hire mostly by looking into a person’s eyes…”

Michael Zaccaro

SVP/GMM Saks Fifth, 1993

Dr. Peter Littman Chairman, Hugo Boss, 1994

How refreshing to get a perspective on the menswear industry from a top exec not from the menswear industry! Before he was recruited by Marzotto to run Hugo Boss, Peter Littman (a refugee from Czechoslovakia) was a top exec at Rosenthal china.

On the ups and downs of Hugo Boss, he told us, “Hugo Boss became a prominent company because it knew the right approach for the 1980s. Men wanted a power image: think Michael Douglas in Wall Street. But then something happened: men in the 90s are no longer wanting to look rich and powerful. Our values have changed and we’re looking be more individual…”

Littman also talked about decision-making: “You sometimes have to make a decision without knowing why you decided it. You have all the numbers but you act more on instinct.”

Asked if he would personally spend $250 on a shirt to wear on weekends were he not working at Hugo Boss, Littman spoke thoughtfully: “That’s a good question, and I’m not sure…”

He grew up in Williamsburg Brooklyn and spent two years in an artillery unit in Vietnam, before starting his fasttrack retail career that included stints at Bloomingdales, Lord&Taylor, Jordan Marsh, Marshall Fields, Tip Top Tailors (a Toronto-based company where he managed 187 men’s specialty stores) and then Saks Fifth Avenue (at the encouragement of Phil Miller, whom he worked with at Bloomingdales). After Saks, he went on to head the outlet division of PVH. An intense and instinctive merchant with a unique feel for retail, Zaccaro’s insights from 27 years ago are amazingly valid today. “We need to create a leaner, more efficient organization and that can only be done with people who commit to our mission. We can no longer tolerate mediocrity: 6’s and 7’s are not acceptable; all of our people must be 9’s and 10’s.”

“We are in no way moving to more opening pricepoints,” Zaccaro declared in this interview. And he firmly believed in partnerships. “We can’t do business with all the resources we currently carry: in 60-70,000 square foot stores, we need to go deeper with fewer brands and cultivate closer ties with these vendors…A partnership today cannot mean a phone call out of the blue requesting markdown money.

We share our selling reports with vendors and encourage them to be in the stores.

We need to be working together.”

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

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Stan Tucker

Fashion director, Saks Fifth Ave, 1996 He grew up in Charlotte N.C. and at age 16, was a model and clerk at Ed Mellon Co. After graduating from UNC at Chapel Hill, Stan Tucker was recruited by A&S, the beginning of an illustrious retail career than included AMC, Geoffrey Beene, Gieves & Hawkes and other iconic companies. He joined Saks in 1991.

His greatest joy, he told MR, is discovering new talent. “Stores need to take risks and stand behind undiscovered stars, as Saks did with John Bartlett. New talent needs to be fostered.”

He also shared his secret to happiness: “The secret is simply to laugh a lot.

It keeps you healthy and it keeps you young.” (Editor’s note: At the time of this interview, Stan had just completed a children’s book about a teddy bear.)

Audrey Talbott

Robert Talbott Neckwear, 1994 A strikingly beautiful woman, former department store model and talented seamstress, Mrs. Audrey Talbott was the wife of Robert Talbott, a Harvard MBA and Army Intelligence Officer during WW11. An instinctive entrepreneur, Robert tried his hand at various businesses, including a canned dog food venture that allegedly did well until some of the cans exploded on supermarket shelves. Meanwhile, around 1950, Mrs. T starting sewing bowties out of their Carmel home, the beginning of an iconic neckwear business that dominated the market for several decades. (Talbott Neckwear received Nordstrom’s Partners in Excellence award in 1992.)

Despite her beauty, elegance, and fabulous collections of vintage race cars and fine art, Mrs. Talbott was known to be totally unpretentious and somewhat shy. At a small dinner at The 21 Club in Manhattan that this writer attended, she never acknowledged that the fine wine we were drinking was a Talbott Chardonnay.

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Lee, Fred and Virginia DLS Outfitters, 2005

One could call them “the triumphant trio”—the last buying office standing for independent specialty stores. When we profiled them back in August 2005, they were celebrating 25 years in business. Could that mean they’re now hitting 40?

Immersed in the market 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year, the team is often the first to discover new brands, key items and hot trends. They can always tell you just who to contact for the perfect plaid sportcoat or where to buy the best slim-fit stretch jeans. Their services include merchandising, marketing, buying, consulting, advertising, magazines, financial restructuring and vendor-negotiated group discounts.

They’ve known each other since the 1960s: Lee was a buyer at Garfinkel’s, Fred worked for Miller & Rhodes, owned by the same parent company, and Virginia worked with Fred at the buying office he founded before DLS. (Lee jokes that since their roots date back to the ‘60s, they should have named the office LSD rather than DLS…) Out of everything the team does for its member stores (150 in 2005, accounting for $200 million in menswear volume), Fred lists the most important: finding the right offprice goods to give stores extra margin, discovering new brands to add excitement to selling floors, and “strategizing a course for each individual store, taking them from point A to point B…” “We keep pushing the envelope,” said Lee 15 years ago. “There’s a youth-driven revolution in men’s apparel and if stores don’t start looking younger, they won’t survive…”

RoseMarie Bravo

President, Saks Fifth Ave, 1996 Claiming that “there’s very little politics at Saks,” Rosemarie Bravo spoke to MR about their decision to trade up, to drop even very profitable, moderately-priced collections like Tommy Hilfiger in favor of more expensive brands.

“Hilfiger is a hot, fabulous line that we were making money with but we couldn’t compete with the amount of space department stores were giving it.

In our current game plan, we believe in dominance.”

Asked how Saks arrived at their current game plan, she explained, “In the early 1990s, we conducted more than 5000 customer interviews.

They told us they wanted designer names, exclusive product, the highest quality, and extra service. So when we planned our store renovations (most recently Atlanta and Boston), we dropped moderate altogether and added more designer.”

Designer, 1994

Ron Chereskin started his career as a fashion illustrator, known for his bold graphics and strong sense of color. When wide ties were popular in the late 70s, he created an exclusive collection for Saks Fifth Avenue which put him on the map. Then during the NikNik printed shirt era, he designed some fabulous renditions that created huge volume for Saks until they suddenly stopped selling. Chereskin was baffled: not understanding the concept of market saturation, he actually apologized to Saks’ execs, assuming the sudden slowdown was his fault.

Saks’ then-fashion director Stan Tucker observed, “Ron is what he is and there’s no pretense. He’s able to create clothes that are well-styled and well-priced.”

Over the years, Chereskin had much success in Macys, Bloomingdales, Marshall Field, Dayton Hudson, and May Company stores. We once heard him do an industry presentation at which he challenged Allen Solly and Christopher Hayes (made-up labels for store-brand goods) to join him on the stage, a not-so subtle reminder that he was one of very few living breathing American designers of that era.

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

Ron Chereskin

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30 Years...

Sam Champion

WABC weatherman, 2008

Pete Nordstrom

Co-president, Nordstrom, 2006 “Does anyone grow up dreaming about becoming a retailer? Like most kids, I wanted to be a professional basketball player. Or a rock star.”

Be that as it may, Pete Nordstrom started working in the store at age 12 or 13 to earn money for basketball camp. (His dad would pay him out of his pocket, of course!) When he realized after college (English major at University of Washington) that he was not destined for stardom in professional basketball, he began working at the store: first in the women’s shoe department (refereeing mother-daughter arguments on heel heights) and gradually working his way up. He viewed retailing like sports: you keep score every day; you work as a team.

Sensing retail’s changing reality back in 2005, the Nordstroms bought two trendy Jeffrey boutiques and brought in Jeff Kalinsky as Director of Designer Merchandising. A new focus on Fashion became as important as their original hallmarks: Quality and Service. “This company can’t be successful because four people named Nordstrom hold executive positions. If we’re to be successful, it’s because 52,000 people care about the business. We invest in our sales associates so they’re more productive. Nothing we do in the name of service compromises the bottom line: The people who provide the best service are the ones who sell the most.”

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Although he’s not a fashion industry insider, Sam Champion loves clothes and proved to be amazingly candid about the fact that he wasn’t a trained meteorologist but works with an ABC team of expert scientists.

Even 12 years ago, he spoke passionately about global warming. “If it matters to you that there’s no glacier in Glacier National Park, then you should do something.

Cutting back on waste, changing fuel, serious recycling, all of these are critical. Drink out of fountains instead of those horrible plastic bottles. Walk instead of drive. Or at least drive a fuel-efficient car.”

On fashion, Champion waxed poetic. “I love wearing suits, especially Dolce & Gabbana, Hugo Boss, and Eredi Pisano. The secret is they’re tailored to perfection.

“But my real passion is ties. It’s the one thing you wear that reflects who you are."

Salvatore Ferragamo Wine maker, 2009

Okay, so we opted to interview a Ferragamo in the wine business rather than a Ferragamo in the fashion business. But this Salvatore Ferragamo (grandson of the founder) gave us some great insights into the link between fashion and wine.

Italian-born with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from NYU, Ferragamo followed the path of his father and uncle who ventured into the wine business in 1999 by purchasing two estates.

“Because I was born and raised in Tuscany, wine is part of my culture,” he explains. “The best part for me is working with nature.

“The worst part,” he continues, “is the profit margins: they’re not like the margins in fashion. Because the wine business is so competitive with so many winemakers, introducing a new wine is challenging. In fact, marketing can actually be counterproductive: when you start buying pages in fancy magazines, it makes the wine seem commercial rather than special.”

Mike Ullman

CEO JCPenney, 2009 Was there ever a nicer merchant than Mike Ulman, who ran Macys from 1989 to 1995 and ultimately moved to run JCPenney? I loved that he kept on his desk a small pewter sculpture of a human ear. “I keep it by my telephone, reminding me to listen,” he confided. “Virtually everything you need to know about your business will become apparent through listening.”

In our interview from 11 years ago, Ullman talks to MR about recession strategy. “When I was running Macys in the early 1990s, every mall wanted the same four anchors and every store wanted the same four brands, so there was a lot of sameness. Thousands of specialty stores have come along since then and only a few department stores remain. We'd better differentiate or we won’t survive.”

Bill and Jack Mitchell Gen 2 Mitchells Stores, 2001

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Jack’s the guy who quite literally taught the world to hug, writing several best-selling books detailing the elusive art of showing appreciation. Bill’s the inside man, always on the selling floor, whether helping customers carry packages to their cars or encouraging the sales team. As Jack has often said, “Bill’s the one who’s the instinctive hugger, effortlessly making people feel terrific.

He’s the heart and soul of the store.”

Mitchells in Westport Ct was founded by Ed and Norma Mitchell in 1958 when Ed decided to leave his high-powered consulting job (constant travel!) to spend more time with his family. He and Norma opened a little store in their home town of Westport Ct with just three suits (two gray, one blue; Ed’s mom did the alterations) and a never-empty coffee pot that Norma schlepped from home to the store each morning. But it was Ed Mitchell’s innate ability to connect with people, both customers and vendors, that made it all work.

He was 96 at the time of this interview, looking truly elegant in his Hickey Freeman suit and Charvet tie.

Stressing the value of personal relationships, he shared advice he got early on from Reginald Jones, former chairman of GE. “He came into the store and handed me a list of names, saying ‘Write these people personal notes: I’ve told them about your store…’”

Some interesting stats on Mitchells/Richards from 2001: they did $65 million in their two stores; had 80 computer terminals and 25,000 active households in their menswear data base; sold 23,000 suits/sportscoats, held 250 in-store events, raising $900,000 for local charities; did more than half their volume on Saturdays; had 165 employees including 52 full-time sellers, 20 of whom sold $1 million or more. More importantly, Richards served 20,613 cups of coffee in 2000 while Mitchells gave out 80 pounds of plain M&Ms plus 1065 pounds with peanuts.

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Freddie Stollmack Weatherproof, 2010

Few marketing execs have made more impact with a menswear brand than what Fred Stollmack did for Weatherproof. According to Stollmack, creativity is more about gut feeling than textbooks. “Whenever someone says to me ‘Are you crazy?’ that’s when I know I’m on to something.”

Stollmack also maintained that tenuous markets offer the most opportunity for creative thinking. For example, one of his most successful campaigns was a print ad (and Times Square billboard) featuring Barack Obama wearing a Weatherproof jacket with the tag line “A Leader in Style.” Stollmack found the image in a newspaper article showing Obama at the Great Wall of China; he called Associated Press for a high res version of the image and sure enough—it was a Weatherproof jacket.

Although the campaign was short-lived (presidents are not allowed to endorse product), it generated 1.7 billion impressions in just two weeks.

Stollmack was also into Buddhism and yoga; before his untimely death, he had planned to use his marketing and PR skills to help young people in recovery.

Russ Patrick

GMM, Neimans, 2011 As a kid growing up in Dallas, Russ Patrick would work at the Dallas Apparel Mart, where his dad was a rep. “I’d get buyers their Cokes, update the Rolodex, important stuff…” After graduating from SMU as a marketing major, Patrick sent in a check to enroll in law school, but changed his mind, telling us “something about law school didn’t feel right to me: I wasn’t sure I was doing it for the right reasons.” So 30 years ago, Patrick sent a resume to Neiman Marcus, cold-called the person in charge of exec training, set up an interview and started his illustrious retail career. “He’s very tuned into the selling floor,” Mike Cohen, then at Hickey Freeman, told us. “He digs deep to find out why things are selling. Or not…”

Patrick fondly remembers the times he spent on the selling floor with Stanley Marcus. “He had an amazing eye for details. I keep a book on my desk that he wrote and signed: ‘Dear Russ, Always remember to keep your brass polished. The second you stop polishing, the brass will tarnish.’”

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Anthony DeGirolamo Brooklyn retailer, 2012

He does all the buying for Garage Clothing in Bensonhurst, his family’s 44-year-old menswear store that sells everything from streetwear to casual sportswear to luxury tailored clothing. In this interview from eight years ago, Anthony DeGirolamo was honored as one of America’s top buyers, well deserved recognition for this very talented merchant who’s had to adapt to many changes. “Originally all our customers were either Italian or Jewish; now, we have a lot of Russian, Asian and Arabic patrons.” Other changes involve his customers’ appreciation (or lack of) for fine tailoring.

“Guys used to come into the store and ask for a suit in their size. He’d try it on and we’d watch him check himself out in the mirror, pointing out subtle details in the fit. Now guys come in and barely know how to put on the jacket…”

His sage advice to fellow retailers: “Too many stores don’t own their property and they should. That way, even if the worst happens, you’ll have the opportunity for rental income. In fact, once your store’s making a profit, buy more property instead of a boat! And always pay your vendors before yourself."

Robert Stock

Founder, Robert Graham, 2011 “I’ve learned that you should never get too cocky, or think you can walk on water,” Robert Stock told us in a 2011 interview, when the company he founded was 10 years old. This writer vividly remembers that during this interview, rap star 50 Cent stormed into the showroom, in desperate need of a size 44 seersucker sportcoat. It wasn’t available so Stock suggested he take the size 42 and slit the back to make some extra room. “For a face-front photograph, who would notice?” Just another day in the office for this amazing brand, that’s still going strong even though Stock has moved on.

Among his success secrets while at Robert Graham: strong partnerships. “We don’t just hand over a license,” he maintained.

“We work with the company conceptually and gradually build the business as partners.” Wait til you see what he's up to next!

Karen Murray

President, Nautica, 2010

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How many top execs ever admit to making mistakes? At the very beginning of our interview 10 years ago, Nautica president Karen Murray boldly admitted that her game plan to upgrade Nautica was wrong.

“It might have been the right concept but it was definitely the wrong timing,” she confessed. “We put together a great collection but at prices that were $20 more than the competition as the economy was collapsing. By returning to value-priced classics, business has really revived…the brand is generating double digit gains over plan with our department store partners.”

Murray also turned out to be remarkably prescient describing a strategic change in Nautica advertising. “Our campaigns were always about a guy alone in a boat.

Going forward, we’re working to create a stronger emotional connection with our target demographic (guys 35-54). It’s still about the water but we need to emphasize family over self, experience over acquisition.”

Murray’s most recent move was buying Fivestory, a women’s boutique that she’s turning into the quintessential shopping experience. “I wanted out of corporate,” she explains. “I don’t love earnings calls.”

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David Glazer

Luxury rep, professional ballet dancer, ordained rabbi, 2013 He is probably one of the most unique and talented characters we’ve ever profiled in MR magazine.

Known in the industry as a sales rep for Italian luxury brands (Cucinelli for 10 years, Incotex for 14, Loro Piana for 12), Glazer defined his talent as “helping vendors focus their collections based on my sense of what can sell in the States.”

The best part of his job, he told us, is spending time with the merchants; his favorite retailers are “the ones who pay. Murray Pearlstein from Louis Boston was a good customer ($1 million a year) and a great friend. He called my showroom ‘The Chutzpah Shop.’ When the dollar sank in the late 1980s, Murray was the only merchant to stick to his guns and not cut back. He came in that season and asked to see a particular cashmere line that I knew didn’t do well in his store. ‘Hell yeah I want to see it,’ he insisted. ‘I love their product! Just because my customers didn’t buy it doesn’t mean I won’t bring it back if I like what I see.’”

Glazer concludes with some sage suggestions for specialty store merchants. “They need more guts, more vision, more risk-taking. They need to go out and discover new designers (there are some magnificent brands out there) rather than simply copy what’s in Neiman’s and Saks. Then they need to stand behind these new names, and not just for a season or two since it takes time to nurture something new. Most importantly, they need to merchandise creatively rather than by brand, which will ultimately bite them in the ass…”

Gary Dante

Co-founder, Suitmart, 2012 Another of 2012’s Best Buyers, Gary Dante is still at it! He started out working in a Louisiana dry goods store with his father and grandfather when he was only 8 years old. Fast forward:, he held a few other buying jobs and ultimately met Jay Plotkin, with whom he opened Suitmart in Houston in 1992. “We loved the idea of every-day low prices rather than random 20% off, 40% off, and more.” At the time of this interview, Suitmart had four stores ranging from 16,000 to 25,000 square feet. The mix was 60 percent dress-up, 40 percent casual; prices were low to moderate and brand names were key.”

On what it takes to be a good buyer, Dante doesn’t hesitate: “You’ve got to shop the market without blinders, which is why we never make appointments at trade shows. Our goal is to find the next winner, which you can’t do if you shop only your regular vendors. I’m in NYC every three weeks, California four times a year, Atlanta three, Vegas two… As my mentor Don Rosenfeld taught me, “There’s always something that will sell: your job is to go out there and find it!”

Shaquille O’Neal Basketball star, 2014

Born in Newark in 1972, this 7 ft 1 basketball icon has built an incredibly successful clothing business, partnering with Peerless and Macys over the course of many years. In person, Shaq is not only funny, charming, candid and personable but also a truly smart businessman: he graduated from LSU and then earned an MBA. In his own words: “Most people think I’m funny but if you don’t know me, you’d probably say I’m strange. But that’s what they said about Nietzsche and Einstein. I’m often quiet: I like to sit around and think.”

And this: “I wish I wouldn’t have to make mistakes to get things right. I wish I could make the right decisions without starting off wrong.”

One decision that Shaq always gets right: what to eat for dinner. (Don’t get him started on the wonders of his mom’s famous fried chicken!)

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Doug Ewert

CEO, Men’s Wearhouse, 2014 At the time of this interview six years ago, Men’s Wearhouse was negotiating to buy Joseph A. Bank, who had just bid to buy Men’s Wearhouse. Asked how the merger would work, Ewert confided, “Today’s marketplace is very aggressive and what drives each customer is an ongoing process. Clearly, we’re in a highly promotional environment so both businesses would continue to be promotional. But what shapes each promotional strategy would evolve.”

Asked how Men’s Wearhouse would fare without George Zimmer, Ewert says, “George was our founder and a valuable force in our company but our company has been built by thousands of employees. Our executive team has an average tenure of 20 years. We have more than 1100 store managers with an average tenure of 10 years. So our culture at Men’s Wearhouse is bigger than just one person.”

Gildo Zegna

CEO, Ermenegildo Zegna, 2015

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In this awards issue, we spoke with Zegna CEO Gildo Zegna, part of the fourth generation to run the world’s largest men’s clothing company, about challenges, opportunities and change. He was incredibly candid about Zegna’s growing direct-to-consumer business.

“Balance is key to an effective distribution model: each channel has a role to play. The U.S. is a unique market in that wholesale makes up a substantial part of the business.”

Asked how Zegna is attracting Millennials at their ultra-luxury pricepoints, he replied, “I don’t believe one can generalize about Millennials: it’s not like they’re all attracted to any one thing. Z Zegna merges modernism with our traditional roots and gives us the opportunity to innovate, blending the elegance of precise tailoring with the performance of technical sportswear. Surely Millennial customers find it appealing, but the brand’s identity reflects the way most men want to dress today. Our sneaker business has also introduced many new customers to the Zegna brand.”

Numerous retailers waxed poetic about their business with Zegna. Said Bob Mitchell, “Our men’s business can only be strong if our Zegna business is strong. From 20 suits in 1993 when I first started buying the collection, Zegna now represents 20 percent of our total men’s clothing. I treasure my twice-yearly meetings with Gildo when he peppers me with questions about anything and everything. He’s driven, highly responsive to our needs and a great partner.”

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Ronny Wurtzburger Peerless Clothing, 2017

Only once in MR’s history have we given a Master of Menswear award and that honor, of course, went to Ronny Wurtzburger. Peerless chairman and CEO Alvin Segal said of Ronny in this 2017 interview, “I met Ronny almost 28 years ago when Peerless was looking for someone to build our suit business. Before we broke our handshake, he had the confidence to say, ‘It will be the biggest and most successful company in North America’—which is exactly what happened. Ronny is a selling machine of ideas and confidence. And with a heart of gold.” Said G-111 Chairman Morris Goldfarb, “Ronny is one of the finest human beings on earth. It’s rare to find a person who can build a monopoly in our industry while maintaining the highest level of integrity.” And from Ryan Seacrest, TV host and Peerless licensing partner for many years, “Ronny has a glimmer in his eyes that I imagine he's had since he first started in the business. It’s enviable to still love what you do after so many years.”

My favorite quote from Ronny in this feature: “You have to earn your business every day: don’t ever give anyone a chance to take it away from you.” He goes on to give numerous examples of this: how he won the Dayton Hudson business from their top supplier, how he got the Chaps license from Ralph Lauren after it was promised to someone else, why he took the Kasper license when he’d never heard of Kasper…

Suzanne Anderson, now a fashion director at Macys, worked for Ronny for many years. “He’s one of the toughest people to work for: he’s incredibly demanding and has no filter. He’s also one of the most loyal and caring people I know. He treats us like his children: he’ll yell, scream and argue until something is done right but he’ll laugh, cry and hug when you need it most.”

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Kent Gushner Boyds, 2018

It’s not too many specialty merchants who invest more than $10 million in renovating a single store. But Kent Gushner is no ordinary merchant and Boyds is no ordinary store. With open floor plans spanning 50,000 square feet of top luxury brands and 130 passionate employees including 39 full-time tailors (who work in a light-filled top-floor space), this store is beyond special!

Discussing problems in menswear, Gushner was candid.

“First of all, there’s no new compelling trend or direction in menswear. Second, while women are by nature interested in fashion, most men are not.” Another factor: the impact of declining foot traffic on employee morale. That said, Gushner is optimistic, believing that a store has a soul. “It’s the vibe, the presentations, the sellers, the total in-store experience that when done right, creates a certain magic."

Gianluca Isaia Designer, 2018

"We take our craftsmanship very seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Gianluca Isaia told us in this interview. Grandson of the founder of this iconic Italian clothing brand, Gianluca is famous for his charisma, irreverent advertising and somewhat eccentric personal style.

We spoke about how to dress Italian. His advice: “Be confident. Don’t try too hard to be perfect. (There’s no such thing.) Make sure your clothing fits you properly. And if you’re not sure, ask for help. Don’t follow rules.

True style comes from being comfortable in your own skin."

On advertising, Gianluca explains that their goal is less about selling product and more about communicating an idea. “One of our most beloved campaigns was in 2008 right after the U.S. market crash. It featured a man in a sharply dressed suit, hunched in a corner crying. It really captured the sentiment of the time: a real man who is not afraid to cry, to express his feelings, to be passionate and share emotion.”

Giorgio Canali Canali, 2017

Designer, 2016

In this interview on the occasion of his Lifetime Achievement Award, Joseph Abboud spoke about the challenges facing today’s specialty retailers. “Retail is still about theater, about putting on a show for customers to win them over. Sadly, we’ve lost a lot of great specialty stores over the years…and we need more of what they stood for. Guys still want interesting and exciting pieces; price is not always the motivating factor and if you rely on that alone, someone can always outprice you. Even young guys with limited budgets don’t want to be shortchanged in terms of style.”

Abboud also shared with MR readers his top three business lessons: 1. Be true to who you are, 2. Don’t be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you. 3. Enjoy the journey: it goes really fast.

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

Joseph Abboud

Maintaining and growing the legacy of the 83-year-old Italian clothing and sportswear company founded by his grandfather and great uncle is no easy task for Giorgio Canali. Nor is navigating the challenges of 21st century retailing while finding time to spend with his beautiful wife Estelle and their adorable then-twoyear-old son Vittorio. That said, he does it all with class!

Harry Rosen exec Jeff Farbstein had this to say about Giorgio in our July 2017 interview: “He’s such an incredibly humble person. Once we were on the same flight from Toronto to Italy and I asked the flight attendant if she could move him up to business class with me. She was so impressed that Giorgio Canali was flying coach!”

In fact, the Canali business was completely European until the mid-1970s, when it was picked up in the States by Mario’s and Bloomingdale’s. Today, the U.S. is their largest market. “There is a worldwide clientele that looks for our products,” noted Giorgio. “People love our fit and construction; our pieces rarely need much in terms of alteration. And quality is so important to us, which is why we insist on everything being 100 percent Italian-made, despite the costs. It’s one reason we don’t want to do a lower-priced line, even if it would attract the younger customer. To lower our standards would be to change our DNA."

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YEARS OF MEN’S FASHION Menswear trends may be longerlived than their ephemeral female equivalents, but a look back through the last 30 years of MR fashion pages presents a successively nostalgic evolution.

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THE 90s 54

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30 Years...

THE 00s 56

s

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THE 10s 58

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YEARS OF INTERESTING ADS THAT KEPT MR IN BUSINESS In today’s digital world, print ads seem all the more precious, a powerful and lasting way for brands to communicate their DNA. In the next few pages, MR looks back at good, bad, and dubious ads from the past 30 years. Kudos to strong simple images, to photos that create an emotional connection with readers, and to pictures that make us smile. And thanks to all the loyal brands that have supported us for the past three decades. We love you!

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Adrian Clay dances in a suit made with Estrato fabric, hand-stitched by Sant’Andrea Milano

www.saintandrews.it

SantAndrea Left.indd 2

7/12/19 9:09 AM

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30 Years...

LESS IS MORE

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SEX STILL SELLS!

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WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

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YOU DECIDE!

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30 Years...

Karen’s SCHMOOZING For sure, the best part of working at MR magazine PICKS isindustry getting to know the players who make our so special. While I could fill a gallery with

all the blurry photos taken over 30 years at trade shows, parties, store trips and events, here are just a few of the reasons I love our menswear industry!

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FASHION

A MOMENT IN TIME As we look back at our past 30 years, we can't help but see the similarites of today's fashion trends and those of the year of our founding—1990. Take a look as we blend the best of both eras, and translate the dress codes of the '90s into a modern man's wardrobe.

By Stephen Garner Photography by Henry Lou Grooming by Natasha Leibel

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Coat, Sweater, and Pants by GIORGIO ARMANI; Shoes by BRUNO MAGLI

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FASHION

On Left: Suit and Shirt by GIORGIO ARMANI; Shoes by BRUNO MAGLI On Right: Jacket, Sweater and Pants by ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA XXX

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FASHION

On Left: Coat, Shirt, and Bag by BALENCIAGA On Right: Coat, Suit, Shirt, and Shoes by DIOR MEN

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FASHION

On Left: Coat by HERNO; Sweater and Suit by BOGLIOLI On Right: Suit by RALPH LAUREN PURPLE LABEL; Sweater by N.PEAL

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FASHION

On Left: Coat by RICHARD JAMES; Suit and Cardigan by BARENA; Shirt by BOGLIOLI; Sunglasses by GIORGIO ARMANI On Right: Suit, Shirt, and Tie

by FENDI; Shoes by CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

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TAILORED CLOTHING

“Most men have no idea how to put together a Business Casual look, so the potential for growth is there.”

—Craig Andrisen, Andrisen Morton

Samuelsohn

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CHANGE IS COMING! But not soon enough for most…

By Karen Alberg Grossman occasion purchase, customers will spend more for higher quality.”

Retail analyst Danny Paul is also somewhat optimistic. Although in the stores that he counsels, suits have been down for 10 consecutive months and 17 out of the past 18 months, he’s encouraged by some growth in sportcoats. “Sportcoat sales in October were the strongest we've seen so far this year; they appear to be the one bright spot in tailored clothing. Made-to-measure posted its fourth consecutive monthly increase, although some of those months were small gains. Dress trousers sales have been down for eight of the last 10 months, no doubt affected by the strength in casual pants and five pockets. It's apparent that something new and exciting needs to be added to all

“Instead of convincing men to go back to dressing the old way, we need to educate them on new ways.”

—Larry Rosen, Harry Rosen stores tailored classifications, especially suits, to pique customer interest and give clothing the lift it needs for 2020.”

Pruitt agrees. “Moving forward, retailers need to have upfront conversations about the kinds of events that can drive clothing business. Most importantly, the modeling needs to change. We’ve seen fashion presentations with a new focus on pleats, something that could drive a new coat silhouette. But most retailers are slow to adapt, reluctant to introduce this change to their clients.”

Farrington admits some reluctance.

“We’re seeing a few looser pant models and some single pleats, but in general, we

softer shoulders so that the suit coat can also be worn casually.”

At Andrisen Morton in Denver, Craig Andrisen remains optimistic about tailored clothing, which generates 55 percent of his menswear sales (40 percent fashion, 30 percent in-stock, 30 percent MTM). “If you look up and down the street, you’ll see that most men have no idea how to put together a Business Casual look, so the potential for growth is there.”

At the more moderate level, Macys VP Mark Stocker (who is contemplating adding MTM to his mix but does not currently offer it) admits his reluctance to jump on the loose oversized fits shown on designer

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

With few exceptions, selling reports on 2019 tailored clothing business have not been great. While the sky’s not falling, both department and independent specialty stores are struggling to maintain volume.

At department stores, clothing business has been increasingly promotional (if that’s even possible) while many independent stores trying to sell suits at ticket price are finding themselves with excess inventory.

In most upscale stores, luxury brands have fared better than most.

Says Steve Pruitt, retail analyst at Blacks Consulting, who advises top luxury stores across the country, “Clothing is soft across the markets, but not as bad as we sometimes hear. Overall clothing is running down (Jan-Sept) three percent. While sportscoats are up two percent, suits are down five percent and special order (now 30 percent of clothing volume in upscale stores) is down four percent.”

Pruitt maintains that the bigger issue for both retailers and manufacturers is the lack of newness in suits and sportscoats.

“Weddings seem to be the biggest driver for demand in suits, so it’s become purely an event-driven business. Of course, there are isolated markets that still require suits for business but this is declining as the customer ages.”

Dan Farrington from Mitchells stores acknowledges that sportswear and footwear are driving menswear sales but tries to give it a positive spin. “The fact that we’re not in a tailored cycle presents us with an opportunity to gain market share. Clothing is such an important part of our business, we can’t resign ourselves to doing less. We’d like to think that as a suit becomes more an

have no indication that our customers are ready for this, since guys seem comfortable with today’s slim (but not tight) fit.” Like most upscale retailers, Farrington says his clothing business is best at the very high end: Kiton, Cucinelli, Brioni. Made-to-measure (averaging 20 percent to clothing sales but ranging dramatically by store) is also holding its own. “I love MTM: no inventory, no markdowns, no returns… We need to further nurture this business.”

Johnell Garmany at Garmany in Red Bank N.J. also reports strong business at the luxury level. “We sell Kiton jackets that are $7500-$9000; I just sold one for $12,000.

Other key brands are Canali, Ravazzolo, and Isaia. MTM is also growing, especially our own label: from $700 to Italian-made suits for $4000-$5,000.”

At 25-30 percent of Garmany’s menswear, tailored clothing remains healthy.

“Even guys who no longer wear suits every day are noticing that the ones they own are looking dated. So they’re shopping, especially at special events that we do monthly.

What’s driving sales is suits that can be worn as separates. The suit jacket worn with jeans. The trousers on their own. Or they buy a 3-piece suit and wear the vest with jeans. We’re selling more patch pockets and

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“I love MTM: no inventory, no markdowns, no returns…

We need to further nurture this business” —Dan Farrington, Mitchells stores runways. “Our customer is not there yet.

Single pleat models and cuffs could reemerge; we’re touching on those now. But as for the exaggerated runway styles, not yet.

Our customer is finally getting comfortable with color and pattern; new fashion has to be digested gradually.”

Self-Fulfilling Prophesy?

Peerless president John Tighe has a reasonable explanation for declining suit business at retail: too many retailers have stopped believing in it. “Business has been tough, mostly because stores that have given up on tailored clothing are not presenting it like they believe in it so their sales are down.

Those merchants who are investing in their business are doing well: specialty stores like Milton’s and The Garage, and I have to say Macys, where tailored clothing is called out on virtually every earnings call. They believe in it: they’ve invested in floor space, inventory, fixturing, sales associates. I give tremendous credit to Jeff and his team…”

According to Tighe, whose company is the largest producer of tailored clothing for the U.S. and Canada with labels ranging from Calvin, Ralph, and Tommy to Hart Schaffner Marx, Tallia and Shaq, customers are looking for newness and innovation.

“There’s so much excitement out there,” he maintains, “especially fabric innovation: new blends, stretch, recyclable, sustainable.

Five years ago, our suit business was pure wools; today, the majority of what we sell features stretch.”

Clearly, stretch and tech fabrics are driving sales for many clothing brands. At Lanier, Matt Silverman sings the praises of their new performance fabrics in Cole Haan, Kenneth Cole, and Strong Suit. He points to a jacket with mesh inserts and a cool-max lining and demonstrates how the wrinkles roll out of a new bi-stretch fabric using 290s high-twist yarns. He matches a knit jacket with a drawstring, jogger-type pants. Brent Kestin at Q by Flynt (a division of Trybus) touts the “empty” tailoring they’re putting into their sportscoats (all patch pockets and made with Italian piece goods), confiding that last year’s fit was a bit too trim so they’ve sized up slightly for American bodies. At Paisley & Gray, whose

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major accounts include Macys and Men’s Wearhouse, the focus is clothing combined with sportswear: softly tailored jackets and pants anchoring a mix of knits, woven’s and outerwear. Says Vince Marrone, “Our fall 2020 clothing features an array of fabrics from bold vibrant patterns to rich velvets to classic vintage-inspired tweeds.”

All other departments benefitted from the increase in traffic. Our charitable partners were happy, our customers were happy, and we were thrilled! A win-win-win! I'm excited for next year!” (Editor’s note, Elkus’ goal for 2020 is to make Suitember a national promotion in independent stores across the country; for more info: 248-865-9960.)

Doing Their Own Thing

The New Suit

To Tighe’s point, tailored clothing is selling well in stores that support it. At Penners in San Antonio, Mitchell Penner (4th generation) explains that tailored clothing had been declining, now it’s back on an upswing. “We believe in it so we carry an extensive inventory of sizes: 36-74 in regulars, shorts, longs, even portly. Most of our sales range from $495-$895 (HSM averages $1800); our custom averages $2900.

Key brands include Peerless, Jack Victor, HSM, Hugo Boss, H. Cohen, and Eisenberg. We use Baroni for margin: they make

While there’s no way to instantaneously transform an entire culture that’s shifted to casual dressing, there are ways to construct suits that are softer, lighter and more comfortable. But it’s not easy!

At Sant’ Andrea, a much-admired Italian luxury brand that’s recently entered the U.S. market, Luciano Moresco explains, “Sant’Andrea customers look to us for the finest hand craftsmanship and for luxury materials like cashmere and cashmere/silk blends. For fall 2020, a significant portion of our collection has been lighted up, eliminat-

“We’ve seen numerous collections with a focus on pleats, a change that should drive a new coat silhouette.

But retailers are reluctant to introduce this” —Steve Pruitt, retail consultant beautiful lightweight super 150s suits that cost us $200 and we sell them for $595. We have seven on-site tailors and we don’t take markdowns. We realize that suit business nationwide has been tough but we continue do our own thing…”

Another independent merchant who’s taken an aggressive stance is David Elkus at Michigan-based Baron’s and Todd’s. Unwilling to sit back and watch his suit sales erode, he launched a major month-long promotion this past September (calling it Suitember), promoting suits for the entire month and donating a portion of proceeds to local charities. Says Elkus, “Our Suitember results were beyond our expectations!

Baron's suit sales were up over 60 percent, Todd's suit sales were up nearly 50 percent.

Sant’ Andrea

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TAILORED CLOTHING

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ing the padding but keeping a light canvas in the shoulders to give a touch of support to the clean and fluid lines of the garments.”

Says Samuelsohn’s creative director Arnold Silverstone, “We just came out with our lightest full-canvas garment ever.

The challenge is how to make a super-soft unconstructed garment look rich and expensive, not like a rag. How we do it: I work very closely with our master patternmaker, back and forth, over and over, until every detail is perfect. We use the lightest canvas, no shoulder pads, no chest piece, but expensive interlinings and a tremendous amount of hand-basting. It’s a lot of work.”

Silverstone maintains that suits are not going away and that business is cyclical. “I think there’s still room for suits but there has to be a new suit. Not a structured garment: soft, unconstructed, with some flow.

Still close to the body but using softer materials, richer tailoring, less trim. The customer shouldn’t feel confined by the shoulder pad or chest piece—it should feel more like sweats. And, of course, this new suit needs a lifestyle approach to presentation.”

Confides Dan Farrington, ever the pragmatist: “I’m eagerly awaiting that big sweeping change in tailored clothing. In the meantime, we need to tighten our inventory.”

Larry Rosen from Harry Rosen stores (Canada’s largest luxury menswear retailer with 20 magnificent stores across the country) puts a slightly different spin on the precarious state of tailored clothing.

“There’s no doubt men are wearing fewer suits, but I believe it’s our responsibility as retailers to show them other ways of dressing for work. Just because an executive isn’t wearing a suit doesn’t mean he shouldn’t dress with a strong point of view. Instead of convincing men to go back to dressing the old way, we need to educate them on new ways. Most importantly, luxury menswear merchants need to focus on things that will ensure our future, like getting in younger customers. We might have to excite them digitally, which we’re now helping our associates learn how to do. But whatever it takes, our future depends on engaging the next generation.”

Paisley & Gray

Macys VP Mark Stocker Talks Tailored Tricks of the Trade “When a guy today decides to put on a suit, it’s not because he needs to but because he wants to. Our success is based on showing him more modern ways to wear tailored clothing—with a sweater, a knit vest, or still traditional with a shirt and tie. We give him many options, ranging in price from $100 retail to $600 (Armani Exchange) or sometimes higher (Hart Schaffner Marx).

“We’re definitely getting younger customers onto our tailored clothing floor. It’s often an occasion-driven purchase: he needs a suit for a wedding, a prom, a job interview. A good percentage of our formalwear is separate tuxedo jackets, not just solid black but white dinner jackets and fancy patterns. Still, even when it’s matching pieces, almost all of our clothing is sold as separates, even Armani Exchange.

“We often cross-merchandise to show customers different ways to mix it up: there are soft sportscoats on our sportswear floor and sportswear mixed in with clothing displays. But due to our dominant market share in tailored clothing, we’re a destination for suits and will maintain a separate tailored clothing department.

“Slim fit continues to grow, according to the DNA of the brand. Color is trending—not just brighter blues in suits but bolder color in plaid and printed sportscoats. We did well with a muted lavender for spring, and our Southern stores sell color year-round. We have the benefit of a broad consumer base which enables us to have fun with it! Another key trend is stretch. It’s been happening for a few years now and it’s still growing: well over half of our inventory features stretch and other tech fabrics.

“I believe a main reason why our clothing business is strong is because we have great partners. We regularly brainstorm and collaborate with our vendors; they are totally supportive and quick to react. Bottom line: we continue to be happy with our tailored clothing business, and we continue to invest in the fashion component.”

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Directory of Luxury Italian Brands

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40 Colori

BOOTH 208 INFO@40COLORI.COM WWW.40COLORI.COM U.S. CONTACT ESP SHOWROOM - RANDI RUBIN RANDI@ESPSHOWROOM.COM

Adesi-Cashmere

BOOTH 832 SISTO@ADESITEX.IT U.S. CONTACT GIANCARLO FERRARI GIANCARLO@GCFASHIONGROUP.COM

Alexridolfi

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Alfonso D'Este BOOTH 837 IINFO@MRHATTER.IT U.S. CONTACT PABLO PERSICHETTI PFRAMARLTD@GMAIL.COM

Andrea Bossi/ItalWear BOOTH 821 INFO@ANDREABOSSI.COM WWW.ANDREABOSSI.COM U.S. CONTACT TARCISIO PACIOCCO ITALWEAR@MSN.COM

Antonio Barbuto

BOOTH 807 PANTS.BARBUTO@LIBERO.IT WWW.ANTONIOBARBUTO.IT

Arcuri Ties

BOOTH 917 INFO@ARCURICRAVATTE.IT WWW.ARCURICRAVATTE.IT

Belts + Di Piazza Stefano BOOTH 938

BELTS@RSADVNET.IT WWW.BELTS-PARMA.IT U.S. CONTACT JODINA TRADING JODINA@MSN.COM

Borsalino

BOOTH 151 SHOWROOM@BORSALINO.COM WWW.BORSALINO.COM

U.S. CONTACT

BRIAN GREENMAN BG@HATSNA.COM

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Bresciani 1970 BOOTH 833 INFO@BRESCIANI.IT WWW.BRESCIANI.IT U.S. CONTACT MICHAEL FORD MIKERDFORD@YAHOO.COM

Cordone 1956

BOOTH 843 CORDONE1956@GMAIL.COM WWW.CORDONE1956.COM U.S. CONTACT ROBERT KNUT ROBERT@ICOSPORTSWEAR.COM

Cortigiani

BOOTH 908 ISABELLABRESSAN@CORTIGIANI.IT WWW.CORTIGIANI.IT

Croclux

BOOTH 847 LAPCINTURE@GMAIL.COM WWW.PELLETTERIALAP.IT U.S. CONTACT MILFORD LEATHERS STEFANIA@MILFORDLEATHERS.COM

Di Bello by Fontani BOOTH 903 INFO@LINEAFONTANI.IT WWW.FONTANIFIRENZE.IT U.S. CONTACT DI & GI USA LLC DIBELLO@DIBELLO.COM

Dickson

BOOTH 947 INFO@DICKSON-CAMICIE.IT WWW.DICKSON-CAMICIE.IT

Fabrizio Mancini BOOTH 906 INFO@FABRIZIOMANCINI.IT WWW.FABRIZIOMANCINI.IT

Fefè Napoli BOOTH 913 INFO@FEFEGLAMOUR.IT WWW.FEFENAPOLI.COM

FLY3

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Ferrante

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Franceschetti BOOTH 935 INFO@FRANCESCHETTI.IT WWW.FRANCESCHETTI.IT

Fray

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Gionfriddo

BOOTH 850 INFO@FILMORA.IT WWW.MORA1962.IT U.S. CONTACT JOSEPH GIONFRIDDO THESWEATERGUY@HOTMAIL.COM

Ingram-Reporter

Dolcepunta

BOOTH 904 MONICA@DOLCEPUNTA.IT WWW.DOLCEPUNTA.IT U.S. CONTACT FUORI PORTA LLC RICCARDO@FUORIPORTANYC.COM

BOOTH 941 ITCPROMOTION@INGHIRAMI.COM WWW.INGRAM1949.COM WWW.REPORTER1981.COM U.S. CONTACT ROMAN GERSHENGORN ROMAN.GERSHENGORN@BALLIN.COM

Errico Formicola

Italo Ferretti

BOOTH 949 ENRICA@ERRICOFORMICOLA.COM WWW.ERRICOFORMICOLA.COM

Fabio Toma Roma BOOTH 812 INFO@FABIOTOMA.COM WWW.FABIOTOMA.COM

BOOTH 822 INFO@ITALOFERRETTI.IT WWW.ITALOFERRETTI.COM U.S. CONTACT TRICASE PINO PINOTRI@AOL.COM

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Lo.White

BOOTH 911 INFO@LOWHITE.COM WWW.LOWHITE.COM U.S. CONTACT NICK DI BELLO DIBELLO@DIBELLO.COM

Mandelli

BOOTH 931 E.MANDELLI@MANDELLI-MILANO.IT WWW.MANDELLI-MILANO.COM

Marchesi di Como

BOOTH 920 RAFFAELLA.CARRARO@CARRARO-SRL.COM ABBEY-NECKWEAR-LTD.QC.QUEBECX.CA U.S. CONTACT JIN FRATI JIN@ABBEYTIES.COM

Marco de Luca Bosso BOOTH 243 DEMAPELLE@LIBERO.IT WWW.MARCODELUCABOSSO.IT

Montechiaro Impulso Lorenzoni

BOOTH 814 CUSTOMERSERVICE@MONTECHIAROUSA.COM WWW.MONTECHIAROUSA.COM U.S. CONTACT AGOSTINO TERZI CUSTOMERSERVICE@MONTECHIAROUSA.COM

Ortigni 1930 BOOTH 915 INFO@SUTORIS.IT WWW.ORTIGNI.IT

Panizza

BOOTH 840 JUNIOR@PANIZZA1879.COM WWW.PANIZZA1879.COM U.S. CONTACT ROBERTO DORFZAUN RDORFZAUN@GMAIL.COM

Paolo Albizzati BOOTH 942 INFO@PAOLOALBIZZATI.COM WWW.PAOLOALBIZZATI.COM U.S. CONTACT JODINA INTERNATIONAL INC JODINA@MSN.COM

Paolo Scafora Napoli BOOTH 830 INFO@PAOLOSCAFORANAPOLI.IT WWW.PAOLOSCAFORANAPOLI.COM

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Paolo Vitale Handmade in Italy

BOOTH 834 AMMINISTRAZIONE@PAOLOVITALE.IT WWW.PAOLOVITALE.IT U.S. CONTACT GARY WEINER GWEINER213@GMAIL.COM

Pauri & Casati BOOTH 925 INFO@CASATIMILANO.IT WWW.CASATIMILANO.IT U.S. CONTACT MASSIMO PAURI MPAURI@PAURIANDCASATI.COM

Piero Gabrieli

BOOTH 820 PALAZZOSARTORIALE@GMAIL.COM WWW.PALAZZOSARTORIALE.COM U.S. CONTACT PIERO GABRIELI MARCELLO@PIEROGABRIELI.COM

Ploumanac'h BOOTH 914 INFO@KOSTNER.CO WWW.PLOUMANACH.IT

Portofinopiazzetta BOOTH 946 LORENZO@SARTOUSA.COM WWW.PORTOFINOPIAZZETTA.COM/IT

Rifugio - Handmade Leather Jackets - Napoli BOOTH 828 INFO@ALFREDORIFUGIO.COM WWW.ALFREDORIFUGIO.IT U.S. CONTACT NICO ALBANESE NICOONTHE5TH@GMAIL.COM

Rota Pantaloni BOOTH 815 INFO@ROTASRL.COM WWW.ROTA-PANTALONI.COM

Sant'Andrea

BOOTH 808 SAINTANDREWS@SAINTANDREWS.IT WWW.SAINTANDREWS.IT U.S. CONTACT LUCIANO MORESCO MORESCO@SAINTANDREWS.IT

SEM

BOOTH 921 INFO@SEMCREAZIONI.IT WWW.SEMCREAZIONI.IT U.S. CONTACT STEFANO MASSA SM@NONSOLOMODA.CH

Silvio Fiorello

BOOTH 934 INFO@SILVIOFIORELLO.COM WWW.SILVIOFIORELLO.COM U.S. CONTACT JODINA TRADING INTERNATIONAL JODINA@MSN.COM

Sinclair

BOOTH 939 SINCLAIR@SINCLAIR.IT WWW.SINCLAIR.IT

Suprema

BOOTH 839 INFO@SUPREMALAB.COM WWW.SUPREMALAB.COM U.S. CONTACT ODV GROUP OLGAFD@O-DVISION.COM

Taccaliti

BOOTH 932 INFO@GIOVANNITACCALITI.IT WWW.TACCALITI.COM

Tardia

BOOTH 940 TARDIA@TARDIA.IT WWW.TARDIA.IT U.S. CONTACT JODINA TRADING INT'L., INC.- JOHNNY NAAMO JODINA@MSN.COM

TwentyOne

BOOTH 846 COMMERCIALE@TWENTYONESRL.IT WWW.TWENTYONEFASHION.IT

Vitaliano

BOOTH 835 VITALIANO@VITALIANOPANCALDI.COM WWW.VITALIANO.EU U.S. CONTACT RONN HARRIS RONN@RONN.ME

Walking Sticks BOOTH 210 INFO@WALKING-STICKS.EU WWW.WALKING-STICKS.EU

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THE INDUSTRY’S HUB FOR THE LATEST BREAKING MENSWEAR NEWS AND FASHION TRENDS Don’t miss an issue!

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MR (USPS 7885) Published 5 times/year by Wainscot Media, One Maynard Drive, Suite 2104, Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Shae Marcus, Publisher; Karen Alberg Grossman, Editor. Subscription Price: $34.00 US. Filing Date: December 3, 2019; Issue Date for Circulation Data: December 2019. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months:Total # of copies: 13,679; Outside County paid/requested mail subscriptions: 5,454; In- County paid/ requested mail subscriptions: 0; Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid or requested distribution outside USPS: 0; Requested copies distributed by other mail classes through the USPS: 0. Total paid and/or requested circulation: 5,454; Outside County nonrequested copies: 3,400; In-County nonrequested copies: 0; Nonrequested copies distributed through the USPS by other classes of mail: 0; Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail: 1,826. Total nonrequested distribution: 5,226; Total distribution: 10,680; Copies not distributed: 2,999; Total: 13,679; Percent paid and/ or requested circulation: 51.1%; No. Copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: Total # of copies: 10,681; Outside County paid/requested mail subscriptions: 6,731; In-County paid/requested mail subscriptions: 0; Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid or requested distribution outside USPS: 0; Requested copies distributed by other mail classes through the USPS: 0. Total paid and/or requested circulation: 6,731;Outside County nonrequested copies: 0; In-County nonrequested copies: 0; Nonrequested copies distributed through the USPS by other classes of mail: 0; Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail: 1,607. Total nonrequested distribution: 1,607; Total distribution: 8,338; Copies not distributed: 2,343 Total: 10,681;Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 80.7%.

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RELAUNCH

THE NEW ZANELLA:

A CASE STUDY IN REINVENTION These are not your father’s trousers!

Among the most frequent complaints by menswear merchants these days: there’s nothing new in the market that guys don’t already own. And indeed, most closets are already filled with all the five-pocket pants, jeans, skinny suits, quilted vests and hybrid sneakers a guy will ever need.

Clearly, these frustrated retailers have not yet entered Zanella’s midtown Manhattan showroom where they’ll discover an array of sophisticated dress trousers crafted from luxury fabrics in rich fall colors and patterns. Worn with an unstructured knit blazer, chunky turtleneck or cashmere cardigan, it’s an updated take on Business Casual that any corporate exec (or aspiring one) will love! Smart retailers should con-

By Karen Alberg Grossman

sider aggressively promoting this look (store windows, mannequins, social media) as a new way of dressing for fall 2020.

Zanella was established in 1954 and rescued out of bankruptcy four years ago

by Bill Sweedler at Tengram Capital, who last July called on seasoned menswear exec Paul Buckter (Canali, Brioni, Hugo Boss) to spearhead a relaunch. Buckter immediately brought in his former Brioni colleague Andrew Weisbrot and the two have been working fast and furiously ever since.

Lessons from Past Mistakes Buckter confides that their first step in reinventing the brand was learning about past problems from their key accounts.

“It takes 70 hands and 49 steps to craft one pair of Zanella trousers.”

“They told us three things: 1)the brand had gotten boring; 2)our fabrics were not technical enough; and 3)our pricepoints were high. So we set out to create a younger, cooler, more affordable collection based on fashion, comfort and performance. Where we previously retailed in the $350-$500 range, we’re now $298-$398, still crafted in Bari, Italy. While our competition went higher, we distinguished ourselves by pricing lower, and putting more into the product.”

Famous for its great fit, one of Zanella’s secrets is a unique natural stretch waistband produced on a special machine that, combined with their three-button closure, adds comfort and performance to the trouser. As for styling, Buckter notes that most fall 2020 models will be a bit trimmer.

Of course, the collection will offer enough variety to accommodate a diverse customer base. “Mr. Porter buys a fashion model with single pleats and side tabs. Macys buys our diffusion line, flatfront with finished bottoms. Other stores want a skinnier fit.

We’ll show different avenues so we don’t get pigeonholed,” Buckter confirms.

Thinking Fresh!

From the finest European mills, some of Zanella’s luxury fabrics for fall '20.

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While Zanella is continuing its renowned in-stock program, both Buckter and Weisbrot strongly believe that retailers should be taking more fashion risks, e.g. the bolder patterns and colors in the fall 2020 collection. A ZNL derivative pants collection priced at $195 retail (and recently launched at Macys) is a new direction for the brand and a possible entry into a more moderately-priced universe.

Zanella’s new marketing program will

Steering the ship in new directions: Paul Buckter, Zanella’s president and global CEO and Andrew Weisbrot, VP Sales

A Retailer Perspective Who better to ask what retailers could be doing to jumpstart sales than two guys with impressive retail credentials. Weisbrot responds based on his past five years at

Garmany and Boyds. “The key is educating sales associates about how to sell new looks.

In great stores, the store is the brand and the sellers are brand ambassadors. Sellers need the confidence to speak to customers with authority. Product knowledge is critical but sellers also need to learn the basics: how to shake hands, how to build relationships and sustain them. Especially today with so much online competition, stores need to provide a fun, engaging in-store experience with incredible service that can’t be had by clicking a button. Store owners need to create a culture that’s relaxed, comfortable and friendly, where sellers suggest but never push. They also need to invest back in the store to let clients know they believe in the business. Kenny and Johnell do this brilliantly: customers recognize their passion

and want to support them.”

“Even if you can’t do a multi-million renovation, some fresh paint and new floors can make a big difference,” adds Buckter, who recalls his early days working at Barneys and Bloomingdales. “Barneys always featured the best of the best: they brought in merchandise that no one else would dream of. And Marvin Traub virtually invented the concept of experiential retail with his storewide country promotions.”

Concludes Weisbrot, “I spent a lot of time at Boyds’ on the selling floor and would often hear customers say that they just don’t need anything new to wear. But they bought anyway. It’s about creating desire with the right mix of product, service, and environment. It sounds simplistic but that’s really what it takes.”

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

soon feature a recognizable influencer as a brand ambassador. And get ready for their newest category: luxury performance pants in an ultra-soft four-way stretch fabric that’s printed to look like a rich lofty flannel.

To enhance the fall 2020 collection, which is 95% bottoms, Zanella has added outerwear and knits that relate back to the trousers. A unstructured knit sportcoat at $595 suggested retail is priced well under the competition; a fabulous zip-front vest (with sustainable fill made from oyster shells and plastic bottles) is $395.

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MARKETING MATTERS

I’M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY How companies can apologize without getting shunned. Or sued.

The corporate apology, once deemed a rare occurrence, is now commonplace, an indispensable part of daily corporate colloquy. From conglomerates to politicians, from YouTubers to teenaged Instagram influencers, everyone seems to be rushing at an alarming rate to deliver high-minded, low impact apologies. Sean O’Meara, co-author of The Apology Impulse, helps break down why brands and celebrities continue to shell out lackadaisical apologies, only for them to fall on deaf ears In this age of cancel culture, it seems brands are constantly teetering between creating astronomically successful, buzz-worthy campaigns and orchestrating major PR blunders. From Facebook’s lukewarm apology for its notorious 2018 Cambridge Analytica data breach, to fast-food chain KFC’s tongue-in-cheek apology for running out of chicken—nobody is immune to the public’s demand for apologies. Paradoxically, a PR scandal can make for good clickbait, capturing audiences who might not have otherwise heard of the company. This could explain why Heineken paid a hefty sum to create

to be doing much more than brushing the problem under the rug. In a sense, the perfect public apology seems to be the Loch Ness monster of the corporate world: some claim to have seen one now and then, but few believe the apology suffices. As O’Meara notes, “The current mess is a supply and demand problem. There isn’t enough genuine atonement to go around. In the absence of the genuine apologies that consumers demand, crude fakes are flooding the market.”

So why is it that most companies still struggle to apologize for their transgressions, an act that most of our parents taught us as toddlers? First and foremost, organizations will go to extreme lengths to circumvent legal responsibility. “Everyone is apologizing and no one is saying sorry,” O’Meara explains. “The prevailing corporate orthodoxy is to not say sorry if doing so could be taken as an admission of liability for something really bad. Organizations apologize for trivialities that pose no risk of inviting litigation while withholding the box office mea culpas from the people who genuinely need them.” Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines, made three attempts at apologizing for his airline forcibly dragging a passenger down the aisle, to the point where he was bloody. Not once did he actually use the word “sorry”—instead, he described the incident as an overbooking issue, only —Sean O’Meara to later admit that the flight wasn't overbooked at all.

For decades, companies have been toiling away under the misassumption that apologizing could result in a lawsuit. But the Compensation Act (2006) clarifies that this simply isn’t the case.

Secondly, corporate apologizing has become an act of performative atonement carried out by public relations departments and communications experts. They will keenly ‘express deepest regrets’ and ‘apologize for the inconvenience’ with the solitary purpose of not saying they’re sorry. “It’s a contrition-free allusion to generic regret, a placeholder where the apology should be,” O’Meara posits.

Who delivers the apology matters just as much as the actual content of the apology. If an anonymous spokesperson delivers an apology, we assume that the issue isn’t earth-shattering. But if a CEO apologizes, we know that the situation has effectively hit the skids. In the horrifying Alton Towers theme park accident, the CEO of Merlin Entertainments, Nick Varney, appeared on national television and personally apologized to the victims. He took full responsibility and made no excuses, nor did

“There isn’t enough genuine atonement to go around.

In the absence of the genuine apologies that consumers demand, crude fakes are flooding the market.” a shockingly racist ad, intentionally presenting itself in a poor light.

And too, there had to be a compelling reason for Mark Zuckerberg to deliver a 934-word apology regarding his company’s numerous privacy scandals without saying sorry, knowing full well that it could end up being Facebook’s albatross. Companies are perpetually churning out substandard apologies, despite knowing that these could forever live on in the public consciousness.

From Juul CEO apologizing for teenagers getting addicted to their vaping products, to Qatar Airways CEO stating that women couldn't do his job—corporate apologies know no bounds. In the U.K. in January 2018 alone, 25 high-profile apologies were disseminated to the public. That said, the ubiquity of public apologies does not reflect their effectiveness. Much like in a lovers’ spat, companies often rush to apologize to avoid subjecting themselves to further public reproach. But is defusing the issue enough? Few major companies worldwide seem

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By Mehr Singh

Even in a Porsche and a handmade suit, the CEO of a multinational conglomerate isn’t all that different from a spear-wielding prehistoric man.

If you say you’re sorry all the time, you’re devaluing the word sorry,” insists O’Meara.

So, what’s the secret to delivering an effective public apology?

“The first thing you need to do is decide whether you're sorry. Presumably you are, if you've done something wrong. The second step is to decide how sorry, because contrition exists on a spectrum—from ‘sorry your flight was delayed by 20 minutes’, to ‘sorry the plane nearly skidded off the runway and you were injured.’ You need to be sorry differently in that situation,” insists O’Meara.

But ultimately, how frequently and sincerely a brand apologizes has more to do with the cultural zeitgeist, consumer behavior and market conditions in which this transgression takes place. O’Meara attributes this to market friction, the fluidity with which consumers switch from one company to that of a competitor. On any given day, he maintains, consumers would rather face a smidgeon of cognitive dissonance and continue to enjoy the products and services they hold dear than go through the hassle of finding an alternative provider.

Brands know this, and are therefore less likely to apologize or lose sleep over their public image. Indeed, this double-edged sword makes it difficult to make wise shopping decisions in the present status-quo.

If this write-up makes you want to riot and overthrow powerful conglomerates that dictate our daily lives—well, I’m sorry you feel that way.

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

he dodge the host’s difficult questions. Most importantly, he acknowledged the magnitude of the issue, referring to it as a ‘tragic accident’ and not an ‘incident’. This is a textbook example of a good corporate apology, and people accepted it. In turn, a petition that called for the dismissal of the show’s host subsequently gained more than 53,000 signatures, citing her behavior as ‘rude and patronizing.’

On the other hand, Google’s Larry Page chose to remain silent regarding his predatory behavior, even sitting out a congressional hearing. As you can probably guess, this only further tarnished his company’s public perception. O’Meara chalks this up to an evolutionary flaw: “Being criticized taps into our survival instincts, back when we lived in tribes and needed our group for survival. If we were rejected by our social group, we were a lot more vulnerable, and more likely to die.” He goes on to explain that the fear of rejection and criticism are quite linked. Even in a Porsche and a handmade suit, the CEO of a multinational conglomerate isn’t all that different from a spear-wielding prehistoric man.

An emerging countertrend encompassing corporate apologizing is organizations apologizing when they don’t need to. This could explain why Bodega, a Silicon Valley-based start-up, essentially apologized for its existence. “I think it’s imperative that companies withhold constant apologies to preserve the integrity of the apology.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

BETWEEN ART AND FASHION

MR met with photographers Micaiah Carter and Quil Lemons for a fresh perspective on inclusivity. By Mehr Singh In his recently-released book The New Black Vanguard, curator and critic Antwaun Sargent features the works of 15 renowned Black photographers including Tyler Mitchell, the first African-American to shoot a Vogue cover, Campbell Eddy, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Micaiah Carter, Quil Lemons and Renell Medrano. Sargent seeks to challenge the notion that blackness is homogenous; his book is deemed a form of visual activism. Historically, black visuals in fashion, film, and art were gauged against an idealized, Eurocentric canon of beauty. The black visual was altered for white consumption, appreciated only if it were palatable to white eyes. The new book features the work of emerging creatives in a variety of contexts, and spans several cities: New York, Johannesburg, Lagos and London.

I met with photographers Quil Lemons and Micaiah at Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall to discuss their new book–a rather fitting venue considering that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech on the same stage less than 60 years ago.

Thom Browne and Pyer Moss.

Carter’s close friend and colleague, Quil Lemons, is the 21-year-old boy king of hyper realistic portrait photography. The New School graduate’s work has been featured by the likes of Vogue, i-D, and Complex. He’s often fondly referred to as ‘GLITTERBOY’ after his series of the same name in which he dusted young black men in glitter, effectively challenging cultural stereotypes as well as calling out the black community’s policing of black masculinity. His work explores themes of family, race, gender and identity. In the same vein, Carter tells the audience that the book challenges systemic misconceptions of black masculinity. “[The book] is destroying what it traditionally means to be a black man.

We are turning a mirror on our own community, showing our perspectives in the most honest way we can.”

Lemon’s first series featured the women in his family. “I wanted to take the women in my life and not only showcase the reality of Black womanhood but contextualize these

“It’s gratifying to see that people are understanding the value of blackness, of coolness, of flavor.”

— Micaiah Carter Micaiah Carter is a 24-year-old photographer from Apple Valley, CA. Inspired by the 1970’s Black Arts Movement, he pays homage to this as well as to the Californian desert where he grew up. “What we see often happening in the industry is that black photographers are assigned only to black models. It’s amazing that I got to shoot people that looked like me, an emerging space where there had been a void. But we can do so much more! I don’t think we should be pigeonholing people like that.” Carter has photographed industry titans such as Missy Elliot, Tilda Swinton, Michael B. Jordan as well as campaigns for

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images within high fashion.” He regards his work as “relationships contextualized in editorial ways.” The Valentino campaign that he shot featuring his teenaged twin brother is a shining example of this. Lemon doesn’t restrict himself to photographing high fashion models. He routinely shoots unconventional models such as Salem Mitchell, who is 5’4" and curvy. “Salem once sent me a picture of herself with a banana after being bullied for her freckles. Today she is a household name with a plethora of beauty campaigns under her belt. I want to challenge monolithic ideals of blackness–there’s no one way to be black.

Black women are often told that they can’t do certain things with their hair, so I often shoot them in colorful, pastel wigs.” Lemons also underscores the dearth of black creatives in the fashion industry, thus the urgency for this book. “A lot of people think that there’s just this one stellar Black photographer shooting with eight disparate lenses. Me, Micaiah, Tyler are all the same person. I’ve actually been asked if I was Tyler Mitchell. And I was like no, man, Tyler is six feet two.”

Kimberly Jenkins, an educator at Parsons School of Design, specializes in the sociocultural and historical influences behind clothing. Jenkins’ debuted the "Fashion and Race" course at Parsons in fall 2016 and has worked as an educational consultant to Gucci, supporting their efforts on cultural awareness and sensitivity. She agrees with Lemons and Carter that young Black creatives should keep striving, especially in a system that’s against them. “It’s like walking a tightrope without a safety net, a very audacious move. My advice would be to know your allies, the intentions behind magazines and to ask yourself, how safe is this space? What are we doing to protect and preserve these images?”

Lemons shares a poignant story. “I’m the only person making art for a living in my family. Someone in New York once told me that I shouldn’t attend [The New School] and would have to drop out after my freshman year because I wouldn’t be able to afford it. Nor could I necessarily afford the equipment needed. So I shot GLITTERBOY by taping a red sheet to the 13th street dorm entrance. You make do with what you have, and you make your own space. It’s a very black thing to do.”

How can we create spaces that didn’t exist, in ways that are restorative? The New Black Vanguard is definitely a step in the right direction.

MR MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2020

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LAST LOOK

BIG ON BROWN Pantone may have chosen Classic Blue but the menswear market says BROWN is back!

“It’s the most misunderstood color in menswear,” asserts designer Joseph Abboud of the color brown. With his lifelong passion for rich earth tones, Abboud is delighted that browns are making a comeback for fall 2020. “It reflects the zeitgeist of our era, a connection with nature and the earth. It’s organic and inclusive, incorporating a broad range of shades from rust to chocolate to taupe. And it beautifully blends with other neutrals: blue, gray, camel, black… There’s just something magical about brown.”

Peerless VP/creative director Eric Jennings whole-heartedly agrees. “In our fall ᾽20 forecast, the big color callout was brown! We saw more shades of brown from the European mills than we’ve ever seen,” he relates, stating it’s directly related to the ᾽70s trend in fashion.

Peerless president John Tighe notes that brown looks especially beautiful in rich luxe fabrics: velvets, corduroys, cashmeres. “To varying degrees, Peerless is showing brown in all our collections for fall/holiday 2020. Smart retailers will focus on brown as a major fashion statement: in catalogs, in store windows and online.”

Not a bad idea, especially since a brown suit (or clothing in a pattern that incorporates brown) might be the one thing not currently in a guy’s closet and the best reason for him to buy a new suit. KAG

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Luxury Fashion Classic Mens Tailored Clothing info@richardharrisusa.com 1-516-743-9696

Adrian Clay dances in a suit made with Estrato fabric, hand-stitched by Sant’Andrea Milano

www.saintandrews.it