LOCK UP 2 (posted: S08_HORIZ_LOCK UP)
things we love about spring
A beat you can dance to. Fun and games. Wild things. Warming up. Stretching out. Cleaning up, nicely. A brand new suit.
Side trips and safaris. Plenty of patterns. Great shades. Skinny ties. The best thing about spring? Just thinking about it.
67
a american beat
It’s prep, it pops. It sends you. Yesterday is new again.
POLO RALPH LAUREN A. Seersucker 3-button sportcoat. Blue/white. S-XL. $295. Classic-fit oxford shirt. White and other colors. S-XL. $85. Seersucker shorts. Blue/white. 32-40. $75. All are cotton and imported. See back cover for store listings.
4
1-800-45macys | macys.com
5
The thinking man’s (and woman’s) designer talks about the power of fashion and staying relevant.
Kenneth
COLE An interview with
In 1982, Kenneth Cole was just back from Europe with a brand new shoe collection, but no place to sell it. So he did what any enterprising businessman would do: changed his letterhead to Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc., and got a permit to shoot a film called “The Birth of a Shoe Company” – the only way to park his rented 40-foot trailer in midtown Manhattan during market week and set up shop in it. Two days and 40,000 pairs of shoes later, the reviews were in: he was on his way. Since then, Cole has expanded to clothing, jewelry, sunglasses – and more. His signature style is as much about clean, contemporary lines as it is the socially conscious messages, ranging from safe sex to homelessness to gun control, that shape his marketing campaigns. His Web site features the Cole Poll, which poses questions on everything from U.S. healthcare policies to Iran’s nuclear program. Q: What do you do with the results of the Cole Poll? A: It gets us that much closer to “who is” and “where are” our customers. It helps us understand and connect with them in more meaningful ways. Q: Social commentary is as much a part of what you offer your customer as your clothing. Do you think of it as educating the customer, or voicing his thoughts? A: I’ve always sought to make our relationship with our customers about not just what they wear on the outside, but also who they are on the inside. Q: To quote one of your campaigns, “To be aware is more important than what you wear.” So clothes don’t make the man – but would you say in a way they become him? A: How one appears becomes as defining an element as to who one is as much as anything else. It is a powerful medium to communicate to the world how you see yourself. Since fashion is an extraordinary force that means different things to different people, it plays a role not only in our aesthetic existence, but also in our emotional well-being. I’ve always believed that how you look is a self-fulfilling prophecy: when you wake up, get dressed and look in the mirror; if you think you look good, most likely you will. Q: Some of the many ways your style has been described: edgy. Urban sophisticate who doesn’t mind walking 10 blocks to Soho. Prada for the people. How do you say it in your own words? A: We offer modern, current fashion for men and women that shows their confidence and individuality. With consumers who demand to be looked upon as aware, it’s our constant goal to search out the right looks for the season, but not with so much fashion that they feel outdated the next.
10
Q: Resourcefulness and innovation are important to you – it’s what you used to start your company. (That and the 40-ft. trailer.) Where do you look today to keep that spirit alive? A: The next big frontier is emerging countries where growth is fast, and the number of affluent people is growing even faster. There are extraordinary opportunities around the world. Everything today is virtually simultaneous, and fashion has its relevance in every part of the world. Q: What aspect of your business do you enjoy most: the design, the production, the marketing, the philanthropy? A: The creative. The creative elements of design, marketing, and of running the business. Q: What keeps you up at night? A: Sometimes I find that this brand I have created is bigger than I actually am, and I struggle to keep up with it. There are times when I feel like the business is driving me, and other times when I feel like I am behind the wheel. In either case, I wonder, is it relevant? Does it matter? Do the results justify all of the effort? Q: And since it all started with the shoes, we just have to ask. There are two kinds of people in the world: the ones who get the shoes first, clothes second, and the ones who get the clothes first and then the shoes. So which comes first for you? A: I buy whatever it is that compels me, regardless of whether it’s meant to be worn from the ankles up or down.
1-800-45macys | macys.com
11
PERRY ELLIS A. Lightweight hooded jacket. Apricot. Cotton. S-XXL. $165. Short-sleeved crewneck tee. Sandbar or swan. Cotton/bamboo. S-XXL. 39.50. 5-pocket linen pants. Natural. 30-40. 59.50. All are imported.
U
RBAN SAFARI
22
See back cover for store listings.
Pattern, detail, color. React to your environment. Trust your instincts.
1-800-45macys | macys.com
23
m modern refinement
Crisp, clean, collected. Well-dressed, and effortless. There’s something about a suit.
TED BAKER LONDON A. 3-pc. navy suit. 2-button jacket with side vents. 5-button vest. Flat-front trousers. $795. See back cover for store listings. Men’s tailored clothing is not available by phone order.
52
1-800-45macys | macys.com
53