New & Noteworthy

=20 November 11, 2008 Swing Time Back in the 1960s and early 1970s many fashionable Italians = vacationed=20 in the seaside town of Forte dei Marmi as much for the sea as for = nightly=20 dancing at the famed Capannina beach club. This season, = d=E2=80=99Avenza,=20 the luxury menswear brand that was born just a short distance away = in=20 Avenza di Carrara, has created its Capannina jacket with that = historical=20 Italian stomping ground=E2=80=95still very much in swing = today=E2=80=95in mind. The=20 completely handmade cashmere/silk blend jacket is designed for a = night on=20 the town: It features a half-lined interior for lightweight appeal = and has=20 two roomy patch pockets and two smaller besom-style pockets with = tab=20 closures for convenience. =E2=80=9CThis could very well be the = next iconic jacket=20 for the company,=E2=80=9D says d=E2=80=99Avenza managing director = Massimo Barrata, noting=20 that it has many of the same sartorial details=E2=80=95bone = buttons and track=20 stitching under the cuff=E2=80=95reminiscent of the = brand=E2=80=99s most famous sport=20 coats from the 1950s. The $3,400 jacket is available at Artigiano = in Coral=20 Gables, Florida, as well as through other high-end men=E2=80=99s = stores.=20 (305.374.6064, http://www.davenza.com/) =E2=80=94William Kissel
=20 October 28, 2008 Crocodile Dandy When Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana set out to distance = themselves=20 from other mass-marketed designer brands, they decided to offer an = exclusive range of limited-edition and custom-made products that = would=20 appeal more to connoisseurs than status seekers. This winter they = continue=20 that mandate with the launch of a new collection of one-of-a-kind = weekend=20 bags produced entirely out of crocodile and limited to 20 = worldwide.=20 In the U.S. the company is offering two custom-made = variations of=20 the bags=E2=80=95a beige crocodile weekender in the shape of a = vintage bowling=20 case, $53,995, and a two-tone brown boxy overnighter, = $45,695. To=20 further differentiate the bags from other exotic-skinned = accessories in=20 the duo=E2=80=99s ready-made repertoire, each piece comes with a = metal engraved=20 plaque inside identifying you as its owner. (877.70.DGUSA, http://www.dolcegabbana.it/) =E2=80=94William Kissel
=20 October 14, 2008 New Gold Standard When Robert Valdes-Rodriguez was working as a Wall Street = banker he=20 wore a lucky designer-made tie that he credits with helping him = close=20 deals with numerous corporate chief executives, hedge-fund = managers, and=20 international finance officials. However, when the classic = blue=20 pin-dot tie began to lose its luster and it was time to replace = it,=20 Valdes-Rodriguez was disappointed to learn the company no longer = made that=20 particular model. That disappointment led to a career change = and the=20 introduction this fall of RVR neckwear. Now the former = banker=20 creates traditional men=E2=80=99s woven silk neckties, including a = replica of his=20 lucky original, which he promises will never go out of = style. He=20 even uses his former profession as a springboard for new tie = ideas.=20 =E2=80=9CBecause I was in the trading business I saw that metals = were coming=20 back,=E2=80=9D says Valdes-Rodriguez of one of the = company=E2=80=99s early best sellers: a=20 $210 Italian silk that=E2=80=99s been dipped in liquid sterling = silver. When the=20 buyers at the Plaza Collection, the new retail shops at the newly = reopened=20 Plaza Hotel in New York, saw the sterling tie they immediately=20 commissioned RVR to create a signature $300 necktie. The result is = a line=20 of navy and 24-karat-gold ties=E2=80=95the hotel=E2=80=99s = signature colors=E2=80=95that is=20 currently being sold exclusively through the hotel=E2=80=99s = boutique.=20 (646.436.1883, http://www.rvrneckwear.com/) =E2=80=94William Kissel
=20 September 30, 2008 Call Me Theodore Herb and Norma Fink were a pioneering power couple back in 1969 = when=20 they were among the first to open a luxury retail store, = Theodore,=20 on the then-sleepy Rodeo Drive. Along with Jerry Magnin, from the = defunct=20 store of the same name, and the late Dick Carroll of Carroll & = Co.,=20 they created the Rodeo Drive Committee that helped transform the = Golden=20 Triangle of Beverly Hills into a bastion of upscale design and = retailing.=20 This fall, the Finks have turned their attention to nearby Camden = Drive,=20 where they=E2=80=99ve created their sixth Theodore = store=E2=80=93an impressive=20 5,000-square-foot space inspired by the retro beach glamour of St. = Tropez=20 in the 1960s. Behind the store=E2=80=99s pool- blue glass = fa=C3=A7ade, customers=20 will discover a comprehensive collection of contemporary, and = sometimes=20 avant-garde, menswear including designs by Alexander McQueen, = Helmut Lang,=20 Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, and newcomer Haider Ackerman, = among=20 others. (310.276.0663) =E2=80=94William Kissel
=20 September 16, 2008 Fashion Meets Function Alfredo Argiro, the quirky Italian designer of the Avon = Celli=20 cashmere collection, had airline baggage restrictions on his = mind when=20 he created his innovative Kit Box. The clear Plexiglas box = contains four=20 knit shirts, 16 detachable collars, and four bow ties designed to = create a=20 multitude of wearable options. =E2=80=9CWe used a lot of the old = stitching=20 techniques from the 1920s as well as the interchangeable collars = of the=20 past, and tried to project them into the future,=E2=80=9D says = Argiro. The=20 inspiration came from Avon Celli founder Pasquale Celli who, in = 1922,=20 originated the polo shirt by sewing a woven collar onto a = three-button=20 knit pullover. The Kit Box expands on that idea by offering such = classics=20 as a zip-neck pullover, a polo shirt, and a woven sport shirt that = can=20 change personalities depending on how the wearer combines them = with collar=20 options. Plus, it=E2=80=99s more efficient to pack a few extra = collars rather than=20 numerous shirts for a trip. Each Kit Box contains knit shirts made = of=20 superlight cotton woven on antique 36-gauge English looms, the = same looms=20 once used to produce ladies silk stockings, in navy, gray, light = gray, and=20 white. The $4,625 kit is available by special order from Massimo=20 Bizzocchi/NYC, 212.675.4055. ( http://www.avoncelli.com/) =E2=80=94William Kissel Photo credit: Stefano=20 Jesi
=20 September 2, 2008 Cartier Revs Up In creating its first new men's fragrance in nearly a decade,=20 Cartier was inspired by its most iconic men=E2=80=99s = watch, the Roadster.=20 The Roadster fragrance uses a mineral foug=C3=A8re: = a classic=20 fern-based blend traditionally created using lavender and oakmoss. = Cartier=20 swapped the lavender with English mint for an updated, cleaner = take on the=20 men=E2=80=99s cologne. The Roadster also contains subtle hints of = bergamot,=20 patchouli, and vanilla, and the gray, white, and black = glass-sculpted=20 bottle was made to resemble the stylish watch, which was styled = after the=20 classic car. The Roadster, $105 for 3.3 ounces, will debut in = Cartier=20 boutiques and Bloomingdale=E2=80=99s stores September 1. (http://www.cartier.com/) =E2=80=94Alexandra Foster
=20 August 5, 2008 Leather Permitting For the last 15 years, tucked away in a discreet studio in = Orange=20 County, California, George Esquivel has been providing a=20 European-style bespoke men=E2=80=99s shoe service that not only = offers customized=20 handmade footwear, but also has a wide selection of stylish = designs.=20 Esquivel=E2=80=99s latest collection features a calfskin leather = shoe designed to=20 give the appearance of true shell cordovan =E2=80=95a hard, stiff = leather made=20 from the back of a horse and used to construct men=E2=80=99s shoes = for=20 centuries=E2=80=95but without the usual breaking-in process = required of genuine=20 cordovan leather. The shoe, which is accented with soft matte = alligator=20 swatches along the sides, is $2,800 for custom-made orders. The = shoemaker=20 has also created a limited edition of ready-to-wear calfskin = models (that=20 appear like shell cordovan) for $1,900, available at Douglas Fir = in Los=20 Angeles and Rubenstein=E2=80=99s in New Orleans. (714.670.2200, http://www.esquivelshoes.com/) =E2=80=94Alexandra Foster
=20 July 22, 2008 Looking Like Maverick MODO eyewear company has partnered with NetJets private = aviation=20 carrier to design a collection of sunglasses specifically with = pilots in=20 mind. The lenses reflect and contrast colors at a particularly = high=20 chronic definition, helping ease the strain on pilots=E2=80=99 = eyes while flying.=20 The MODO for NetJets collection includes two limited-edition = lightweight=20 titanium and gold-plated styles for $650. The sunglasses were = unveiled on=20 July 1 at select sunglass boutiques as well as at MODO=E2=80=99s = first store,=20 which opened in June on Mott Street in New York. (http://www.modo.com/) =E2=80=94Alexandra Foster
=20 July 8, 2008 Sneaker Peak In their goal to develop more comfortable dress footwear, = men=E2=80=99s=20 shoemakers began creating leather dress loafers with rubber soles=20 typically found on sport shoes. For fall, Ermenegildo Zegna = is=20 taking that concept to the next comfort level by creating a hybrid = shoe=20 that functions like a slipper but wears like a sneaker. The = Italian=20 clothier=E2=80=99s new Globe Trotter is, in fact, two shoes in = one: a soft travel=20 slipper made of a proprietary lightweight fabric that easily slips = like a=20 sock inside a rubber-soled cycling sneaker and is held in place by = two=20 Velcro buckles. The black dual-purpose shoe, which retails for = $395, comes=20 with one of three colored slipper choices=E2=80=95jet black, urban = orange, or=20 sporty silver=E2=80=95and debuted in select Ermenegildo Zegna = shops worldwide in=20 June. (888.880.3462, http://www.zegna.com/) =E2=80=94William Kissel
=20 June 24, 2008 A Taste of Italy Since launching his signature clothing house in Florence, = Italy, in=20 1988, Michele Negri=E2=80=99s stylish, colorful yet = classically tailored=20 fashions have had a loyal American following. After 20 years in = business,=20 Negri has finally opened his first U.S. boutique on Madison Avenue = in New=20 York to serve his American patrons. The shop features = Negri=E2=80=99s signature=20 Neapolitan-cut suits with distinctive stitch work and additional = ticket=20 pocket similar to those cut on Savile Row. =E2=80=9CMy father = always had an=20 affection for Neapolitan tailoring, especially from brands like = Kiton and=20 Isaia,=E2=80=9D says Gian Luigi Negri, Negri=E2=80=99s son with = wife and business partner=20 Patrizia Beltrami, of the Beltrami shoe family. Though = Negri=E2=80=99s designs go=20 beyond the traditional says his son, who runs the U.S. business: = His=20 newest Italian-made blazers are un-constructed and cut razor thin. = (212.212.988.8804, http://www.michelenegri.com/) =E2=80=95William Kissel
=20 June 10, 2008 Our Man Bixby Andre Benjamin, also known as Andre 3000 from the hip-hop group = OutKast, has always had a singular sense of style. His distinctive = fashion=20 approach even earned the Grammy-winning musician the title of = best-dressed=20 man in Esquire magazine a few years back. Now Benjamin is=20 introducing his alter ego, a fashion designer of =E2=80=9Crough = luxury=E2=80=9D named=20 Benjamin Bixby, whose debut fall 2008 collection of polo = shirts,=20 varsity knits, tweed trousers, and corduroy sport coats were = inspired by=20 documentary college sports footage from the 1930s. However, the = Bixby=20 brand, available through Barneys New York this fall, is not just a = collection of chic throwbacks to menswear=E2=80=99s golden past. = Nor is it just=20 another line of celebrity-endorsed clothing. Most of the pieces, = including=20 long wool duffel coats, carefully fitted double-breasted cashmere = blazers,=20 club-collar cotton dress shirts, and high-waisted wool herringbone = trousers, incorporate rich historical fabrics and precision hand = tailoring=20 for a thoroughly modern approach to old-world style. (available = through=20 Marvin Traub & Associates, 646.723.2990) =E2=80=93William Kissel
=20 May 27, 2008 All Aboard Clothing makers often reference designs from the 1930s and = 1940s as a=20 way of holding on to the golden age of menswear. But in = creating his=20 new Voyager collection of luggage and leather goods, = Arkansas-based=20 designer Martin Dingman found inspiration in the glory days = of=20 train travel. "I wanted to recall when people owned the beautiful=20 hard-sided luggage and had porters available to carry it for = them," says=20 Dingman, who updated the look in lightweight, polyurethane-coated = cotton=20 canvas to accommodate modern travel. Each made-to-order bench-made = shaving=20 valet, duffle, attach=C3=A9, briefcase, and carry-on trolley, = priced from $650=20 to $3950, will be made in a limited edition of 50 per item. The = collection=20 features a discrete orange and brown stripe reminiscent of those = found on=20 antique steamers of yesterday, and soon the stripe will find its = way on=20 the designer's deerskin and bridle leather belts and footwear as = well.=20 Voyager pieces are available through Martin Dingman trunk shows = (see=20 schedule online at http://www.robbreport.com/categories/Fashion/www.martindingman.com= ).=20 -William Kissel
=20 May 13, 2008 Davi=E2=80=99s Skin Care Harvest The name Mondavi is synonymous with California wines, and now = it=E2=80=99s=20 making its mark in luxury skin care. Davi was established = last year=20 by Carlo Cesare Robert Mondavi, the grandson of Robert Mondavi, = who=20 founded the wine brand in 1966. Staying true to his family = heritage, the=20 skin-care products are made from a blend of natural ingredients = that=20 include by-products of the winemaking process. During = fermentation, a=20 by-product is produced containing polyphenols, a naturally = occurring=20 antioxidant that is believed to combat free radicals that cause = aging.=20 This derivative is combined with grape and fermented wine = extracts, green=20 tea, raspberry, black currant, and bilberry extracts among other=20 ingredients to create what Davi has coined Meritage, which is at = the core=20 of all its products, including Le Grand Cru cream for men and = women, $175=20 (shown). (310.827.0800, http://www.daviskin.com/) =E2=80=95Jill=20 = Newman &= nbsp; &n= bsp; =20
=20 April 29, 2008 All SEWed Up =E2=80=9CI think men=E2=80=99s custom clothing has become too = sterile,=E2=80=9D says Scott Evan=20 Wasserberger from his downtown New York shop SEW, an = acronym for=20 his initials. Having worked in custom clothing for 22 years, = beginning as=20 an apprentice at his grandfather=E2=80=99s tailor shop in = Brooklyn, Wasserberger=20 is looking to infuse more style into custom clothing with SEW. = Located on=20 Mott Street in Little Italy, the boutique has the feel of a=20 19^th-century atelier, yet both Wasserberger and his = father,=20 Artie, keep up with the latest trends in men=E2=80=99s fashion to = provide clients=20 with more than just well-made clothing. Among the most popular = items are=20 made-to-measure shirts, which start around $350 for a minimum = order of=20 two, depending on the fabric. Clients are measured then select = from bolts=20 of textiles in the back of the shop that range from argyle and = plaid to=20 linen and houndstooth. Wasserberger=E2=80=99s choice for a = must-have item? The=20 wine-colored French velvet smoking jacket with a satin collar = ($1,750) =E2=80=95=20 just the item to make Hugh Hefner green with envy. = (212.686.1630) =E2=80=95Alexandra Foster
=20 April 15, 2008 A Cool Revolution Even when the Mediterranean heat soars upward of 100 degrees, = many=20 style-conscious Italians will keep their jackets on. Now with the=20 introduction of Isaia=E2=80=99s new jacket, the Sailor, = summer style=20 aficionados can maintain the elegance of the sport coat while = staying=20 comfortably cool. Isaia achieves this feat by crafting the = Sailor out=20 of its fine, light shirt fabric, while maintaining the same = elements of=20 construction in traditional Isaia jackets. Two vent belts on = the=20 inside of this super-light jacket enhance the illusion that the = wearer is=20 sporting a heavier coat and make this garment appropriate for = either the=20 beach or the boardroom. Starting at $1,295, the Sailor is = available=20 in stores in several fabrics but is also available made-to-measure = in any=20 of Isaia=E2=80=99s 500 fabric choices. (888.996.7555, http://www.isaia.it/) =E2=80=95Daniel Curtis
=20 April 1, 2008 The Horsey Set In honor of the 75^th anniversary of the prestigious = Piazza=20 di Siena horse-jumping show held annually in May, Loro = Piana has=20 created a special-edition version of its best-selling Horsey = jacket, which=20 was originally designed in 1992 for the Italian equestrian team to = wear=20 during the summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The updated jacket = is=20 produced in a new Microlight S3 stretch cloth treated with the = Biella,=20 Italy-based company=E2=80=99s patented Storm System technology = that renders it=20 both wind and rain resistant. The $1,575 blazer also comes with = the=20 owner=E2=80=99s name and purchase date signed on a specially = designed interior=20 label that identifies the yellow suede-trimmed navy jacket as the=20 signature style statement of Italy=E2=80=99s most prestigious = international=20 equestrian event. (212.980.7961, http://www.loropiana.com/) =E2=80=95William Kissel
=20 March 18, 2008 In True British Style Collectively, British designers Mark Stearn and Gary Seaward = have spent=20 nearly 50 years creating neckwear for such venerable makers as = Charles=20 Hill Silks and Jermyn Street Ties=E2=80=94the latter a division of = the famed=20 Turnbull & Asser, where their paths ultimately crossed. = In 2002=20 the pair joined forces to launch their own dual signature = Seaward &=20 Stearn collection of what they consider to be the rebirth of = the=20 classic English silk necktie. Made entirely by hand from silk = woven by one=20 of the last remaining pure silk weavers in the world and printed = in=20 London=E2=80=99s English Peak district, known for its weaving and = dying heritage,=20 Seaward & Stearn neckwear specializes in authentic British = patterns=20 such as micro-printed neats and foulards, super rep stripes, and = large,=20 flamboyant geometric designs. The company is also reviving the=20 1920s-inspired seven-fold production method in which a single = piece of=20 silk is folded seven times on itself before being artfully = stitched. The=20 collection makes its U.S. debut this spring at Barneys New York, = among=20 other specialty stores. (Available through British Apparel = Collection,=20 212.218.6520, http://www.vii/) =E2=80=95William Kissel
=20 March 4, 2008 Gucci=E2=80=99s New Fifth Avenue = Home In February, Gucci unveiled its largest store worldwide on New = York=20 City=E2=80=99s fashionable Fifth Avenue. Architect James Carpenter = transformed the=20 three-level, floor-to-ceiling glass walled store at 725 Fifth = Avenue into=20 a luxurious venue equipped with a VIP lounge and fitting rooms for = clients=20 who desire discretion and privacy. To underscore Gucci=E2=80=99s = modern=20 collections, the brand=E2=80=99s creative director Frida Giannini = integrated sleek=20 Art Deco styling with Gucci=E2=80=99s iconic symbols, including = classic materials=20 like rosewood and marble combined with polished gold, lush = fabrics, and=20 smoke mirrors. In addition to the fresh design concept, Gucci also = unveiled its Heritage collection, a series of limited- edition = accessories=20 available exclusively at the Manhattan location, in addition to = seasonal=20 designs created specifically for New York. Adjacent to store is = Gucci=E2=80=99s=20 first freestanding fine jewelry boutique featuring new jewelry and = watch=20 collections. (212.826.2600, http://www.gucci.com/) =E2=80=95Alyson Gerber

=20

November 11, 2008

Swing Time

Back in the 1960s and early 1970s many fashionable Italians = vacationed=20 in the seaside town of Forte dei Marmi as much for the sea as for = nightly=20 dancing at the famed Capannina beach club. This season, = d=E2=80=99Avenza,=20 the luxury menswear brand that was born just a short distance away = in=20 Avenza di Carrara, has created its Capannina jacket with that = historical=20 Italian stomping ground=E2=80=95still very much in swing = today=E2=80=95in mind. The=20 completely handmade cashmere/silk blend jacket is designed for a = night on=20 the town: It features a half-lined interior for lightweight appeal = and has=20 two roomy patch pockets and two smaller besom-style pockets with = tab=20 closures for convenience. =E2=80=9CThis could very well be the = next iconic jacket=20 for the company,=E2=80=9D says d=E2=80=99Avenza managing director = Massimo Barrata, noting=20 that it has many of the same sartorial details=E2=80=95bone = buttons and track=20 stitching under the cuff=E2=80=95reminiscent of the = brand=E2=80=99s most famous sport=20 coats from the 1950s. The $3,400 jacket is available at Artigiano = in Coral=20 Gables, Florida, as well as through other high-end men=E2=80=99s = stores.=20 (305.374.6064, http://www.davenza.com/)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

=20

October 28, 2008

Crocodile Dandy

When Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana set out to distance = themselves=20 from other mass-marketed designer brands, they decided to offer an = exclusive range of limited-edition and custom-made products that = would=20 appeal more to connoisseurs than status seekers. This winter they = continue=20 that mandate with the launch of a new collection of one-of-a-kind = weekend=20 bags produced entirely out of crocodile and limited to 20 = worldwide.=20 In the U.S. the company is offering two custom-made = variations of=20 the bags=E2=80=95a beige crocodile weekender in the shape of a = vintage bowling=20 case, $53,995, and a two-tone brown boxy overnighter, = $45,695. To=20 further differentiate the bags from other exotic-skinned = accessories in=20 the duo=E2=80=99s ready-made repertoire, each piece comes with a = metal engraved=20 plaque inside identifying you as its owner. (877.70.DGUSA, http://www.dolcegabbana.it/)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

=20

October 14, 2008

New Gold Standard

When Robert Valdes-Rodriguez was working as a Wall Street = banker he=20 wore a lucky designer-made tie that he credits with helping him = close=20 deals with numerous corporate chief executives, hedge-fund = managers, and=20 international finance officials. However, when the classic = blue=20 pin-dot tie began to lose its luster and it was time to replace = it,=20 Valdes-Rodriguez was disappointed to learn the company no longer = made that=20 particular model. That disappointment led to a career change = and the=20 introduction this fall of RVR neckwear. Now the former = banker=20 creates traditional men=E2=80=99s woven silk neckties, including a = replica of his=20 lucky original, which he promises will never go out of = style. He=20 even uses his former profession as a springboard for new tie = ideas.=20 =E2=80=9CBecause I was in the trading business I saw that metals = were coming=20 back,=E2=80=9D says Valdes-Rodriguez of one of the = company=E2=80=99s early best sellers: a=20 $210 Italian silk that=E2=80=99s been dipped in liquid sterling = silver. When the=20 buyers at the Plaza Collection, the new retail shops at the newly = reopened=20 Plaza Hotel in New York, saw the sterling tie they immediately=20 commissioned RVR to create a signature $300 necktie. The result is = a line=20 of navy and 24-karat-gold ties=E2=80=95the hotel=E2=80=99s = signature colors=E2=80=95that is=20 currently being sold exclusively through the hotel=E2=80=99s = boutique.=20 (646.436.1883, http://www.rvrneckwear.com/)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

=20

September 30, 2008

Call Me Theodore

Herb and Norma Fink were a pioneering power couple back in 1969 = when=20 they were among the first to open a luxury retail store, = Theodore,=20 on the then-sleepy Rodeo Drive. Along with Jerry Magnin, from the = defunct=20 store of the same name, and the late Dick Carroll of Carroll & = Co.,=20 they created the Rodeo Drive Committee that helped transform the = Golden=20 Triangle of Beverly Hills into a bastion of upscale design and = retailing.=20 This fall, the Finks have turned their attention to nearby Camden = Drive,=20 where they=E2=80=99ve created their sixth Theodore = store=E2=80=93an impressive=20 5,000-square-foot space inspired by the retro beach glamour of St. = Tropez=20 in the 1960s. Behind the store=E2=80=99s pool- blue glass = fa=C3=A7ade, customers=20 will discover a comprehensive collection of contemporary, and = sometimes=20 avant-garde, menswear including designs by Alexander McQueen, = Helmut Lang,=20 Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, and newcomer Haider Ackerman, = among=20 others. (310.276.0663)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

=20

September 16, 2008

Fashion Meets Function

Alfredo Argiro, the quirky Italian designer of the Avon = Celli=20 cashmere collection, had airline baggage restrictions on his = mind when=20 he created his innovative Kit Box. The clear Plexiglas box = contains four=20 knit shirts, 16 detachable collars, and four bow ties designed to = create a=20 multitude of wearable options. =E2=80=9CWe used a lot of the old = stitching=20 techniques from the 1920s as well as the interchangeable collars = of the=20 past, and tried to project them into the future,=E2=80=9D says = Argiro. The=20 inspiration came from Avon Celli founder Pasquale Celli who, in = 1922,=20 originated the polo shirt by sewing a woven collar onto a = three-button=20 knit pullover. The Kit Box expands on that idea by offering such = classics=20 as a zip-neck pullover, a polo shirt, and a woven sport shirt that = can=20 change personalities depending on how the wearer combines them = with collar=20 options. Plus, it=E2=80=99s more efficient to pack a few extra = collars rather than=20 numerous shirts for a trip. Each Kit Box contains knit shirts made = of=20 superlight cotton woven on antique 36-gauge English looms, the = same looms=20 once used to produce ladies silk stockings, in navy, gray, light = gray, and=20 white. The $4,625 kit is available by special order from Massimo=20 Bizzocchi/NYC, 212.675.4055. ( http://www.avoncelli.com/)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

Photo credit: Stefano=20 Jesi

=20

September 2, 2008

Cartier Revs Up

In creating its first new men's fragrance in nearly a decade,=20 Cartier was inspired by its most iconic men=E2=80=99s = watch, the Roadster.=20 The Roadster fragrance uses a mineral foug=C3=A8re: = a classic=20 fern-based blend traditionally created using lavender and oakmoss. = Cartier=20 swapped the lavender with English mint for an updated, cleaner = take on the=20 men=E2=80=99s cologne. The Roadster also contains subtle hints of = bergamot,=20 patchouli, and vanilla, and the gray, white, and black = glass-sculpted=20 bottle was made to resemble the stylish watch, which was styled = after the=20 classic car. The Roadster, $105 for 3.3 ounces, will debut in = Cartier=20 boutiques and Bloomingdale=E2=80=99s stores September 1. (http://www.cartier.com/)

=E2=80=94Alexandra Foster

=20

August 5, 2008

Leather Permitting

For the last 15 years, tucked away in a discreet studio in = Orange=20 County, California, George Esquivel has been providing a=20 European-style bespoke men=E2=80=99s shoe service that not only = offers customized=20 handmade footwear, but also has a wide selection of stylish = designs.=20 Esquivel=E2=80=99s latest collection features a calfskin leather = shoe designed to=20 give the appearance of true shell cordovan =E2=80=95a hard, stiff = leather made=20 from the back of a horse and used to construct men=E2=80=99s shoes = for=20 centuries=E2=80=95but without the usual breaking-in process = required of genuine=20 cordovan leather. The shoe, which is accented with soft matte = alligator=20 swatches along the sides, is $2,800 for custom-made orders. The = shoemaker=20 has also created a limited edition of ready-to-wear calfskin = models (that=20 appear like shell cordovan) for $1,900, available at Douglas Fir = in Los=20 Angeles and Rubenstein=E2=80=99s in New Orleans. (714.670.2200, http://www.esquivelshoes.com/)

=E2=80=94Alexandra Foster

=20

July 22, 2008

Looking Like Maverick

MODO eyewear company has partnered with NetJets private = aviation=20 carrier to design a collection of sunglasses specifically with = pilots in=20 mind. The lenses reflect and contrast colors at a particularly = high=20 chronic definition, helping ease the strain on pilots=E2=80=99 = eyes while flying.=20 The MODO for NetJets collection includes two limited-edition = lightweight=20 titanium and gold-plated styles for $650. The sunglasses were = unveiled on=20 July 1 at select sunglass boutiques as well as at MODO=E2=80=99s = first store,=20 which opened in June on Mott Street in New York. (http://www.modo.com/)

=E2=80=94Alexandra Foster

=20

July 8, 2008

Sneaker Peak

In their goal to develop more comfortable dress footwear, = men=E2=80=99s=20 shoemakers began creating leather dress loafers with rubber soles=20 typically found on sport shoes. For fall, Ermenegildo Zegna = is=20 taking that concept to the next comfort level by creating a hybrid = shoe=20 that functions like a slipper but wears like a sneaker. The = Italian=20 clothier=E2=80=99s new Globe Trotter is, in fact, two shoes in = one: a soft travel=20 slipper made of a proprietary lightweight fabric that easily slips = like a=20 sock inside a rubber-soled cycling sneaker and is held in place by = two=20 Velcro buckles. The black dual-purpose shoe, which retails for = $395, comes=20 with one of three colored slipper choices=E2=80=95jet black, urban = orange, or=20 sporty silver=E2=80=95and debuted in select Ermenegildo Zegna = shops worldwide in=20 June. (888.880.3462, http://www.zegna.com/)

=E2=80=94William Kissel

=20

June 24, 2008

A Taste of Italy

Since launching his signature clothing house in Florence, = Italy, in=20 1988, Michele Negri=E2=80=99s stylish, colorful yet = classically tailored=20 fashions have had a loyal American following. After 20 years in = business,=20 Negri has finally opened his first U.S. boutique on Madison Avenue = in New=20 York to serve his American patrons. The shop features = Negri=E2=80=99s signature=20 Neapolitan-cut suits with distinctive stitch work and additional = ticket=20 pocket similar to those cut on Savile Row. =E2=80=9CMy father = always had an=20 affection for Neapolitan tailoring, especially from brands like = Kiton and=20 Isaia,=E2=80=9D says Gian Luigi Negri, Negri=E2=80=99s son with = wife and business partner=20 Patrizia Beltrami, of the Beltrami shoe family. Though = Negri=E2=80=99s designs go=20 beyond the traditional says his son, who runs the U.S. business: = His=20 newest Italian-made blazers are un-constructed and cut razor thin. = (212.212.988.8804, http://www.michelenegri.com/)

=E2=80=95William Kissel

=20

June 10, 2008

Our Man Bixby

Andre Benjamin, also known as Andre 3000 from the hip-hop group = OutKast, has always had a singular sense of style. His distinctive = fashion=20 approach even earned the Grammy-winning musician the title of = best-dressed=20 man in Esquire magazine a few years back. Now Benjamin is=20 introducing his alter ego, a fashion designer of =E2=80=9Crough = luxury=E2=80=9D named=20 Benjamin Bixby, whose debut fall 2008 collection of polo = shirts,=20 varsity knits, tweed trousers, and corduroy sport coats were = inspired by=20 documentary college sports footage from the 1930s. However, the = Bixby=20 brand, available through Barneys New York this fall, is not just a = collection of chic throwbacks to menswear=E2=80=99s golden past. = Nor is it just=20 another line of celebrity-endorsed clothing. Most of the pieces, = including=20 long wool duffel coats, carefully fitted double-breasted cashmere = blazers,=20 club-collar cotton dress shirts, and high-waisted wool herringbone = trousers, incorporate rich historical fabrics and precision hand = tailoring=20 for a thoroughly modern approach to old-world style. (available = through=20 Marvin Traub & Associates, 646.723.2990)

=E2=80=93William Kissel

=20

May 27, 2008

All Aboard

Clothing makers often reference designs from the 1930s and = 1940s as a=20 way of holding on to the golden age of menswear. But in = creating his=20 new Voyager collection of luggage and leather goods, = Arkansas-based=20 designer Martin Dingman found inspiration in the glory days = of=20 train travel. "I wanted to recall when people owned the beautiful=20 hard-sided luggage and had porters available to carry it for = them," says=20 Dingman, who updated the look in lightweight, polyurethane-coated = cotton=20 canvas to accommodate modern travel. Each made-to-order bench-made = shaving=20 valet, duffle, attach=C3=A9, briefcase, and carry-on trolley, = priced from $650=20 to $3950, will be made in a limited edition of 50 per item. The = collection=20 features a discrete orange and brown stripe reminiscent of those = found on=20 antique steamers of yesterday, and soon the stripe will find its = way on=20 the designer's deerskin and bridle leather belts and footwear as = well.=20 Voyager pieces are available through Martin Dingman trunk shows = (see=20 schedule online at http://www.robbreport.com/categories/Fashion/www.martindingman.com= ).=20

-William Kissel

=20

May 13, 2008

Davi=E2=80=99s Skin Care Harvest

The name Mondavi is synonymous with California wines, and now = it=E2=80=99s=20 making its mark in luxury skin care. Davi was established = last year=20 by Carlo Cesare Robert Mondavi, the grandson of Robert Mondavi, = who=20 founded the wine brand in 1966. Staying true to his family = heritage, the=20 skin-care products are made from a blend of natural ingredients = that=20 include by-products of the winemaking process. During = fermentation, a=20 by-product is produced containing polyphenols, a naturally = occurring=20 antioxidant that is believed to combat free radicals that cause = aging.=20 This derivative is combined with grape and fermented wine = extracts, green=20 tea, raspberry, black currant, and bilberry extracts among other=20 ingredients to create what Davi has coined Meritage, which is at = the core=20 of all its products, including Le Grand Cru cream for men and = women, $175=20 (shown). (310.827.0800, http://www.daviskin.com/)

=E2=80=95Jill=20 = Newman &= nbsp; &n= bsp; =20

=20

April 29, 2008

All SEWed Up

=E2=80=9CI think men=E2=80=99s custom clothing has become too = sterile,=E2=80=9D says Scott Evan=20 Wasserberger from his downtown New York shop SEW, an = acronym for=20 his initials. Having worked in custom clothing for 22 years, = beginning as=20 an apprentice at his grandfather=E2=80=99s tailor shop in = Brooklyn, Wasserberger=20 is looking to infuse more style into custom clothing with SEW. = Located on=20 Mott Street in Little Italy, the boutique has the feel of a=20 19^th-century atelier, yet both Wasserberger and his = father,=20 Artie, keep up with the latest trends in men=E2=80=99s fashion to = provide clients=20 with more than just well-made clothing. Among the most popular = items are=20 made-to-measure shirts, which start around $350 for a minimum = order of=20 two, depending on the fabric. Clients are measured then select = from bolts=20 of textiles in the back of the shop that range from argyle and = plaid to=20 linen and houndstooth. Wasserberger=E2=80=99s choice for a = must-have item? The=20 wine-colored French velvet smoking jacket with a satin collar = ($1,750) =E2=80=95=20 just the item to make Hugh Hefner green with envy. = (212.686.1630)

=E2=80=95Alexandra Foster

=20

April 15, 2008

A Cool Revolution

Even when the Mediterranean heat soars upward of 100 degrees, = many=20 style-conscious Italians will keep their jackets on. Now with the=20 introduction of Isaia=E2=80=99s new jacket, the Sailor, = summer style=20 aficionados can maintain the elegance of the sport coat while = staying=20 comfortably cool. Isaia achieves this feat by crafting the = Sailor out=20 of its fine, light shirt fabric, while maintaining the same = elements of=20 construction in traditional Isaia jackets. Two vent belts on = the=20 inside of this super-light jacket enhance the illusion that the = wearer is=20 sporting a heavier coat and make this garment appropriate for = either the=20 beach or the boardroom. Starting at $1,295, the Sailor is = available=20 in stores in several fabrics but is also available made-to-measure = in any=20 of Isaia=E2=80=99s 500 fabric choices. (888.996.7555, http://www.isaia.it/)

=E2=80=95Daniel Curtis

=20

April 1, 2008

The Horsey Set

In honor of the 75^th anniversary of the prestigious = Piazza=20 di Siena horse-jumping show held annually in May, Loro = Piana has=20 created a special-edition version of its best-selling Horsey = jacket, which=20 was originally designed in 1992 for the Italian equestrian team to = wear=20 during the summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The updated jacket = is=20 produced in a new Microlight S3 stretch cloth treated with the = Biella,=20 Italy-based company=E2=80=99s patented Storm System technology = that renders it=20 both wind and rain resistant. The $1,575 blazer also comes with = the=20 owner=E2=80=99s name and purchase date signed on a specially = designed interior=20 label that identifies the yellow suede-trimmed navy jacket as the=20 signature style statement of Italy=E2=80=99s most prestigious = international=20 equestrian event. (212.980.7961, http://www.loropiana.com/)

=E2=80=95William Kissel

=20

March 18, 2008

In True British Style

Collectively, British designers Mark Stearn and Gary Seaward = have spent=20 nearly 50 years creating neckwear for such venerable makers as = Charles=20 Hill Silks and Jermyn Street Ties=E2=80=94the latter a division of = the famed=20 Turnbull & Asser, where their paths ultimately crossed. = In 2002=20 the pair joined forces to launch their own dual signature = Seaward &=20 Stearn collection of what they consider to be the rebirth of = the=20 classic English silk necktie. Made entirely by hand from silk = woven by one=20 of the last remaining pure silk weavers in the world and printed = in=20 London=E2=80=99s English Peak district, known for its weaving and = dying heritage,=20 Seaward & Stearn neckwear specializes in authentic British = patterns=20 such as micro-printed neats and foulards, super rep stripes, and = large,=20 flamboyant geometric designs. The company is also reviving the=20 1920s-inspired seven-fold production method in which a single = piece of=20 silk is folded seven times on itself before being artfully = stitched. The=20 collection makes its U.S. debut this spring at Barneys New York, = among=20 other specialty stores. (Available through British Apparel = Collection,=20 212.218.6520, http://www.vii/)

=E2=80=95William Kissel

=20

March 4, 2008

Gucci=E2=80=99s New Fifth Avenue = Home

In February, Gucci unveiled its largest store worldwide on New = York=20 City=E2=80=99s fashionable Fifth Avenue. Architect James Carpenter = transformed the=20 three-level, floor-to-ceiling glass walled store at 725 Fifth = Avenue into=20 a luxurious venue equipped with a VIP lounge and fitting rooms for = clients=20 who desire discretion and privacy. To underscore Gucci=E2=80=99s = modern=20 collections, the brand=E2=80=99s creative director Frida Giannini = integrated sleek=20 Art Deco styling with Gucci=E2=80=99s iconic symbols, including = classic materials=20 like rosewood and marble combined with polished gold, lush = fabrics, and=20 smoke mirrors. In addition to the fresh design concept, Gucci also = unveiled its Heritage collection, a series of limited- edition = accessories=20 available exclusively at the Manhattan location, in addition to = seasonal=20 designs created specifically for New York. Adjacent to store is = Gucci=E2=80=99s=20 first freestanding fine jewelry boutique featuring new jewelry and = watch=20 collections. (212.826.2600, http://www.gucci.com/)

=E2=80=95Alyson Gerber

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=20

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New & Noteworthy

November 11, 2008

Swing Time

October 28, 2008

Crocodile Dandy

October 14, 2008

New Gold Standard

September 30, 2008

Call Me Theodore

September 16, 2008

Fashion Meets Function

September 2, 2008

Cartier Revs Up

August 5, 2008

Leather Permitting

July 22, 2008

Looking Like Maverick

July 8, 2008

Sneaker Peak

June 24, 2008

A Taste of Italy

June 10, 2008

Our Man Bixby

May 27, 2008

All Aboard

May 13, 2008

Davi=E2=80=99s Skin Care Harvest

April 29, 2008

All SEWed Up

April 15, 2008

A Cool Revolution

April 1, 2008

The Horsey Set

March 18, 2008

In True British Style

March 4, 2008

Gucci=E2=80=99s New Fifth Avenue = Home

Available Exclusively in the

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Car of the Year Judge

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