Passion for Nature Featuring “Oasi Zegna” Landscape
CONTENTS FEATURES 2 12 53 56
Hip Happenings Welcome Letter Mario’s 3.10 Updates Meet Your Mario’s Specialists 0ROFILE 4HE !LLURE OF (UGO "OSS $ESIGNERS 3HIRTED TO 0ERFECTION
FASHION 13 68
Crossing to a New Season The Merits of Made to Measure &IT 4HE %VOLUTION OF THE 3UIT &ASHION )NDEX
DEPARTMENTS 54 At Your Service 60 Ask Mario 62 Ask Lynwood
MANAGING EDITOR Jillian LaRochelle PROJECT MANAGER PORTLAND MARIO’S 833 SW Broadway 0ORTLAND /2 MEN’S
Lisa Montemorra DESIGNERS Cynthia Lucero, Jean-Nicole Venditti PRODUCTION MANAGER Peg Eadie
WOMEN’S 503.241.8111 SEATTLE MARIO’S 1513 6th Avenue Seattle, WA 98101
BUSINESS JOURNALS FASHION GROUP PUBLISHER
MEN’S 206.223.1461
Stuart Nifoussi
WOMEN’S 206.622.6161
PRESIDENT & CEO
BRIDGEPORT VILLAGE MARIO’S 3.10 37 ND !VENUE 4IGARD /2 MEN’S + WOMEN’S
CROSSING TO A NEW SEASON FALL 2012 EDITORIAL
Britton Jones CHAIRMAN & COO Mac Brighton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Christine Sullivan APPAREL FORUM ANDRISEN MORTON, DENVER, CO GARYS, NEWPORT BEACH, CA
MEN’S FASHION DIRECTOR
HUBERT WHITE, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Mario Bisio
KILGORE TROUT, CLEVELAND, OH
WOMEN’S FASHION DIRECTOR
LARRIMOR’S, PITTSBURGH, PA
Lynwood Holmberg
MALOUF’S, LUBBOCK/SOUTHLAKE, TX
DESIGN / CONCEPT / PHOTO ART DIRECTION
MARIO’S, PORTLAND, OR/SEATTLE, WA
Steve Kennevan
MITCHELLS/MARSHS, HUNTINGTON, NY
FASHION & PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY / COLOR
MITCHELLS/RICHARDS, WESTPORT/GREENWICH, CT
Ryan McVay & Hank Drew / Ian Goode
OAK HALL, MEMPHIS, TN
MARKETING MANAGER & ASSISTANT
RODES, LOUISVILLE, KY
Lisa Hanninen & Kaylen Steele
RUBENSTEINS, NEW ORLEANS, LA
HAIR & MAKEUP
STANLEY KORSHAK, DALLAS, TX
Mark Putnam & Kymm Ernst
WILKES BASHFORD, SAN FRANCISCO/PALO ALTO, CA
FASHION & PRODUCT STYLING Mary Beers & Pamela Smith
Fashion Forum Magazine is published in
ASSISTANT STYLING & MERCHANDISING
10 regional editions for member stores
Elaine Ford & Dee Hewitt
of the Apparel Forum Copyright 2012.
CREATIVE & STORE DIRECTORS
Published by Business Journals, Inc.
Patrick Angus & Patsy Carlson
P.O. Box 5550, Norwalk, CT 06856
FORUM FEATURE ARTICLES
!DVERTISING /FFICE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
s &AX
Karen Alberg Grossman
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DESIGN DIRECTOR
The publishers accept no responsibilities
Hans Gschliesser
for advertisers’ claims, unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies
s &AX 1384 Broadway, NY, NY 10018-6108
or other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Volume 15, Issue 2. Printed In The U.S.A.
MARIOS.COM
Mario’s would like to extend a special thanks to the following for their generosity and time in helping to make our Fall 2012 issue possible: The Portland Art Museum, Departure Restaurant / Lounge, Fox Tower, Cargo Imports, Utrecht Art Supply, Director Park, The City of Portland / Mayor’s Office, The State of Oregon / ODOT, The North Precinct and, last but not least, Ayham Samkough and Boomer.
OVER
Black Label
Allegri
AG Adriano Goldschmied
50
ASKMARIO
FASHION TIPS FOR HIM
quintessential knit blazer. These styles represent a new genre of sportcoat that blurs the boundary between sportswear and tailored clothing. They can be dressed up with a tie or worn casually with jeans: comfort, class and cool, all in one item!
Q:
My expensive topcoat is looking dated. Should I have it altered?
Q:
I haven’t lost weight but my pants seem baggy. What’s up with that?
This season’s pant styles are narrower than they used to be: not tight but definitely more fitted (and no longer down to the floor). For fall 2012, I recommend five-pocket pants in cottons, wools and wool blends. When it comes to jeans, fit is all-important. If your closet is full of droopy denim, let us show you how great you can look in jeans that actually fit.
Q:
If I buy only one item this season, what should it be?
I love refined soft sportcoats in wool blends and cashmeres (both solids and subtle patterns) as well as the
Q:
What footwear do I need for fall?
The wrong pair of shoes can instantly ruin an outfit, so don’t forget to consider your footwear as carefully as your clothes. One must-have for fall 2012 is a pair of slightly chunky oxfords in suede or burnished leather, to add a bit of character. Think updated wingtips that are substantial enough to wear with jeans and can also lend an English sensibility to your suits. In addition, there are tons of great boot options, from rugged contemporary styles to beautiful polished dress versions, that add instant personality to your look.
60
Probably not. There’s only so much you can change with alterations, and yesterday’s long, billowy topcoats and trenches have evolved to more modern versions this season. So give them away to someone in need and buy a new shorter, trimmer-fit overcoat or raincoat. From knee-length on up is the updated way to wear outerwear.
Q:
What’s new in sweaters for fall 2012?
Although chunky sweaters are very much in style, light and medium weights are also important and these have little to do with the weather. A modern or retro-inspired cardigan, either button or zip-front, can often replace a jacket or sportcoat. Today’s trimmed-down, fine gauge knits also work well underneath sportcoats since they breathe comfortably—good news for guys who tend to run hot. Cashmeres, merinos and new blends in great colors mean lots of strong sweater options this season.
ASKLYNWOOD A lot of major high-end design talents are now crossing over to work in the contemporary arena. Olivier Theyskens recently joined Theory. Kelly Wearstler, known for interior design, is now bringing her enchanting fabrics to fashion. Carven’s accessible French modern style, Isabel Marant’s free-spirited, bohemian collections, and Helmut Lang’s simple, sexy styles are all favorites at Mario’s. It’s fun to see them experiment, as well as make their designs available to a wider audience with more favorable pricepoints. In your own wardrobe, try combining contemporary and designer pieces for a unique look that’s eclectic and fun.
Q:
How can I get more mileage out of my outerwear? In Washington and Oregon, the need for layering is especially important. Luckily, this season brings many warm coat options that are still lightweight, sleek and feminine, and can be worn over chunkier sweaters (or not). When you’re not sure what the weather has in store, try a coat from Brunello Cucinelli, whose designs are all about luxury and comfort. The quality pieces always have a modern twist, like sleeve and collar details in cashmere or fur, and multiple layers for your changing needs. Wraphabillement is another great collection based right here in the Northwest. Made of high-tech Swiss
62
fabrics in great shapes, the coats are both fashionable and wearable, with clever details like protective cell phone pockets. Also consider Loro Piana’s Wind-Mate coat: weather-treated on the outside, cashmere on the inside. If you buy only one coat this season, make sure it’s a shaped, three-quarter length, mid-weight style that’s versatile enough in color and texture to layer with the rest of your clothing.
FASHION TIPS FOR HER
Q:
Which collections are you most looking forward to for the fall/winter 2012 season?
Lanvin and Prada are two of my favorites, a feeling shared by many of our customers! Lanvin, which just celebrated 10 years with Alber Elbaz as creative director, captures the spirit of happiness. When someone comes out of the dressing room, you can tell right away from her body language (and smile!) that she feels great in a Lanvin piece. Prada is so creative, and the artistry of their designs adds excitement to any wardrobe. It was fun to see them honored with the Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute—such an inspiration! We’ve been carrying both collections for a very long time, and the best part of my job is when a customer brings in a piece they bought from us years ago that still feels current. We can help give it a fresh look and suggest a different way to wear it.
CLOTHING BY HELMUT LANG
Q:
What’s new in advanced contemporary fashion?
Civita di Bagnoregio
The State is the actuality of the ethical idea
THE
B O DY BEAUTIFUL
IN ANCIENT GREECE
OCTOBER 6, 2012 – JANUARY 6, 2013 www.portlandartmuseum.org/special/bodybeautiful
This exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Portland Art Museum
profile
The Allure of
HUGO BOSS ACCORDING TO SVP OF SALES CHUCK LUCIA, IT’S ALL ABOUT CONSISTENCY AND EVOLVING THE TRENDS. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN
and a focus on accessories.
If a man buys only three items this fall, what should they be? 1) A dark, dressy threepiece suit; 2) a three-quarter length wool/cashmere topcoat in an interesting color or pattern; and 3) a pair of shearling-lined laceup boots that can be worn with both casual and tailored outfits.
To what do you attribute Hugo Boss’ huge international success? We have a distinct, clearly defined aesthetic (modern and sophisticated) and a consistent brand identity across the globe, whether in Rio, New York, or Shanghai.
Who is your target demographic? Has the collection become too cool for the older gentleman?
Fashion is not about age: it’s about expressing yourself. Our core customer ranges in age from 25 to 45; however, men of all ages appreciate the way Hugo Boss makes them look and feel. You are never too old to dress with a modern, sophisticated expression. The broad range of fits Hugo Boss offers makes our brand accessible to a large audience.
What are the most important items and trends for fall/winter 2012?
Hugo Boss has always been modern and elegant. If we were to chase trends, we would become irrelevant, so we don’t chase trends—we set and evolve them. That said, there are several important directions for fall 2012: sophisticated tailoring, luxury fabrications
What should most American men do differently to be better dressed?
American men should be more confident in the way they dress. Confidence is the key to style! To gain this confidence and look their best, men need only understand a few basic concepts. First, wear clothes that fit well and are age-appropriate. Next, when in doubt, dress up! If you are underdressed no one will take you seriously. I don’t believe you can ever be over-dressed. Last and most significant: A man’s most important asset is his smile! Men need to smile more often...which they will surely do when dressed with confidence.
66
From top: A look from the Boss Black fashion show in Beijing; Ryan Phillippe in Hugo Boss; CEO ClausDietrich Lahrs with Tilda Swinton
BOSS Black
BOSS 0476/S
HUGO BOSS FASHIONS INC. Phone +1 212 940 0600
By William Kissel
The Merits of
MADE TO MEA
_____________________________________ Any man who’s bought an off-the-rack suit in the past half century probably thinks that what you see on the sales floor is what you get. If the fit, fabric or color you want isn’t in stock, you’re out of luck. Not so fast. Thanks to the rapidly growing concept of made to measure, top fashion brands like Zegna, Isaia, Samuelsohn, Canali, Kiton and Brioni have slowly transformed the once-bland process of buying a business suit (or sportcoat) into a very personal expression of a man’s good taste and sense of style. Want a broken pinstripe on a medium-blue super 150s wool, or a windowpane check in a soft brown cashmere/silk blend? Consider it done. Looking for that hard-to-find trimcut, double-breasted jacket and want to customize it with a lining in your wife’s favorite shade of lavender? It’s yours simply for the asking. Just a few decades ago, the only way to have a suit made your way was to visit a custom tailor, a process that required you to dig deep into your wallet, be patient enough to sit through multiple fittings, and then wait the required six month production time. But after Ermenegildo Zegna became inspired by a concept the Japanese had developed in the early 1970s, he and other luxury suit makers found a way to speed up the
process and drastically lower the cost. Made to measure also allows stores to offer much more product than what fits on the sales floor. “When my father first started selling Zegna in Japan, he was quite surprised to see the small amount of real estate they had for retail,” explains Gildo Zegna, group chief executive at the family-owned Ermenegildo Zegna brand. “Back then our collection was very big, and he thought to himself, ‘How can I show it all?’ He found the Japanese had a clever system where they would show all the fabric swatches, like in a showroom, and let the customer pick the pattern and style. Within a few weeks the jacket was made to order for him. My father thought, ‘If the Japanese can make this work, why can’t we?’” A hybrid form of custom suit making, made to measure cuts out the costly practice of creating a separate pattern for every customer from scratch (as a bespoke tailor would do). Made-to-measure suits are produced from a pre-existing pattern that is later altered at the factory to
_____________________________________ 68
SURE
_____________________________________ meet your own physical requirements. “The difference In the past, only hard-to-fit men—those with sloping in quality between custom and made to measure is shoulders, curved backs, protruding abdomens or maybe none,” offers one luxury suit maker. “The only extremely large or small bodies—took advantage of difference is how you get through the process.” In the these custom suit making services. Today it’s all case of made to measure, you simply try on a jacket at about choice. “Superior fit is certainly a big factor. But the store that’s close to your size and style preference, I’d say the larger factor is men wanting to be different and the suit maker and own something adjusts the pattern for a unique,” explains more precise fit. Arnold Silverstone, Along the way you creative director at 9/7 Bontoni Custom Shoes Portland choose the fabric Samuelsohn. “It’s a 9/7 Ermenegildo Zegna Portland (from literally thouparticularly great serv9/8 Bontoni Custom Shoes Seattle sands of choices ice for guys who are 9/8 Ermenegildo Zegna Seattle beyond those offered super fit and require 9/13 – 9/16 Isaia Portland ready-made at the more than the stan9/20 – 9/23 Isaia Seattle store) as well as the dard 6-inch drop found 10/12 – 10/13 Armani Black Label Seattle details—from working on off-the-rack cloth10/19 Samuelsohn Seattle or non-working button ing,” he says. “A guy 10/20 Samuelsohn Portland holes, center or side might be a 42-regular 10/26 – 10/27 Kiton Seattle vents, and the number on top but waist-wise 10/29 – 11/4 Hamilton Shirts all stores of pleats (or no pleats) he’s a 32, which is a 10on your trousers, to inch drop. You won’t the number, size and shape of the pockets and even find that combination off the rack.” the color of the interior lining. Need an extra interior There’s one more reason for choosing made to pocket to house your card case or cell phone? You’ve measure: “Clothes are very expensive and most men got it. Want mother of pearl or titanium buttons? who spend $1,000 or more on a suit want it to last They’re yours. Then, a mere four to six weeks later, from five to seven years,” explains one suit maker. “If you have a suit that fits both your budget (only about a guy is going to live with it that long, it better have 20 percent more than off-the-rack pricing, depending all the details he loves. And the best way to ensure on the fabric) and your personal sense of style. that is to create it himself.”
Trunk Shows
_____________________________________ 69
CAN A MANʼS TROUSER OR JEAN, A NECESSARY BASIC ITEM OF CLOTHING, BE TRANSFORMED INTO A “MUST HAVE?” ̶HILTL THINKS SO
T H E U LT I M AT E T R O U S E R . . . AND JEANS
designers
Eton luxury shirtings: true works of art!
ETON’S DESIGNER BRINGS A FRESH YOUNG TAKE TO LUXURY SHIRTINGS. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN
worked his way up. “I took the long road at Eton, determined to prove myself without favoritism. (Editor’s note: Since his dad has a different last name, few people were aware of the relationship.) I went from the stockroom to a London-based position to a sales job, where I increased volume in my Swedish accounts by 800 percent. At that point, I felt vindicated and was excited to move to a design job.” Explaining the success of Eton, Dollinger sums it up simply: “We don’t take shortcuts; we spend on quality. We use the best French and Italian mills for our fabrics. We’ve developed a special finishing process that takes four-and-a-half weeks extra but adds luster and life to the shirts.” Other success secrets: a sophisticated use of color, pattern and detailing so the shirts are interesting but not over-the-top. “Balance is important,” says Dollinger, who also paints. “There’s an artistic way to combine elements so it’s not screaming or in your face.” Finally, there’s the fit factor: Eton shirts come in three different fits so that they feel custom-made. “Eton isn’t
SHIRTED TO PERFECTION
ith DeVotchKa blasting in the background, it was hard to hear Sebastian Dollinger, conducting this interview from the studio in Sweden where he designs the worldrenowned Eton shirt collection. “Yes, I design to music; it’s a big part of my life,” he confides. “I’m a DJ and a drummer when I’m not designing shirts…” He came to designing Eton shirts in a roundabout way: since his father, Jan Borghardt, has worked for the company since 1981, it was the last thing he’d planned to do. “My dad is from Holland; he met my mom on a sailing trip to Sweden, fell in love and needed a job. He started in the Eton stockroom and is now number two at the company. I was born in ’83. I was a wild kid who got kicked out of school and took various jobs pumping gas and waiting tables. But when I ultimately took a stockroom job, I made sure it was the cleanest stockroom in the universe. My dad taught me to take pride in my work, whatever it is…” After serving in the army for a year, Dollinger reluctantly took a job in the Eton stockroom, then gradually
just another global brand with extensive marketing; it’s quality in every way. Plus we’re one of very few companies to specialize in shirts.” When he’s not designing, Dollinger is out and about. “My body clock is reversed: I work late and come alive even later. I never watch TV; I’m out doing things. In addition to music (these days he’s listening to Joy Division, Demolition, The Black Keys, Muddy Waters) and design, I love writing (poetry, song lyrics), and also cosmology. I was always that strange little boy who studied the stars every night…”
72
CREATING GREAT TROUSERS AND JEANS. IT’S AN ART.
fit
SLIMMING DOWN Shoulders: Narrower by about an inch, they are less padded and more natural than they once were.
Lapels: Narrow is more modern (but peak lapels are fashion forward, said to have “attitude”).
Chest: Less padded than it used to be, since it’s now made with lighter-weight canvases and interlinings.
A TRIMMED-DOWN SUIT MEANS A TRIMMER-LOOKING YOU!
Button Stance: Lower, with two buttons more fashionable than three. Sleeves: Should hit at or slightly above the
wrist to show some shirt cuff (about a quarter to a half inch). Sleeves below the wrist are much too long!
Jacket Length: At least an inch shorter than five
years ago (now 30 inches long on a size 40 regular).
THE EVOLUTION Trousers: Much slimmer than they were. Flat-fronts
are dominant over pleats, but both are acceptable as long as the pant is not too billowy. Most makers have shortened the thigh and the rise measurements by about an inch, the knee by a half inch.
You might not have noticed much difference from one year to the next, but look back five years and the change in men’s suits is blatant! Gone are the broad padded shoulders and loose billowy trousers. No more wide lapels or padded chests. Today’s suits are neither tight nor restrictive, but they skim the body in a way that’s flattering to all physiques. A new slimmer suit can make you look your best. Give it a try!
Break: Modern trousers should have either no break or a slight break that hits mid-shin. The hem should just cover the top of the shoelaces. If you’re tripping on your trouser bottoms, they are clearly dated! Cuffs: Flat-front pants do not take cuffs; cuffs are optional but not necessary with pleated trousers.
74
GUSTAVO KUERTEN Lacoste Ambassador
Lacostetennis.com
M A R I O ’ S F O RU M FA L L 2 0 1 2