Hubert White

Page 1

Forum/The Substance of Style/SS 2016

HOW TO DRESS NOW

CELEBRATING

100 YEARS!

SPECIAL GOLF SECTION

FEATURING BRANDT SNEDEKER AND DAVID FEHERTY

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

Karen Alberg Grossman DESIGN DIRECTOR

Hans Gschliesser MANAGING EDITOR

Jillian LaRochelle PROJECT MANAGER

Lisa Montemorra DESIGNERS

Cynthia Lucero, Jean-Nicole Venditti CONCEPT DIRECTORS

Andrew Mitchell, Russ Mitchell MERCHANDISING DIRECTOR

Bob Mitchell DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Peg Eadie

FEATURES 9 16 18 24

My Three Sons Celebrating 100 Years Profile: Boglioli Profile: Samuelsohn

FASHION

DIRECTOR OF PREPRESS

John Frascone

BUSINESS JOURNALS FASHION GROUP PUBLISHER

Stuart Nifoussi PRESIDENT AND CEO

Britton Jones CHAIRMAN AND COO

Mac Brighton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

28 Dressing for a Good Time 36 Upgrade Now! 52 Style: Normal to the Core

Christine Sullivan

DEPARTMENTS

Garys NEWPORT BEACH, CA

6 14 20 26 54 56

Kilgore Trout CLEVELAND, OH

Welcome Letter Ask Forum Designers: Work It The Fashion Forum Wheels: A Horse With No Mane End Page: Loose Threads

APPAREL FORUM Andrisen Morton DENVER, CO

Hubert White MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Larrimor’s PITTSBURGH, PA Malouf’s LUBBOCK/SOUTHLAKE, TX Marios PORTLAND, OR / SEATTLE, WA Mitchells WESTPORT, CT / HUNTINGTON, NY Mitchells/Richards GREENWICH, CT Oak Hall MEMPHIS, TN Rodes LOUISVILLE, KY

SPECIAL SECTION:

GOLF 42 44 46 48 50

Players: Brandt Snedeker Interview: David Feherty Tech: Greens Machines Resorts: Sea Island Dreaming History: Style Evolution

Rubensteins NEW ORLEANS, LA Stanley Korshak DALLAS, TX Wilkes Bashford SAN FRAN/PALO ALTO, CA FASHION FORUM MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED IN 11 REGIONAL EDITIONS FOR MEMBER STORES OF THE APPAREL FORUM © 2016. PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS JOURNALS, INC, P.O. BOX 5550, NORWALK, CT 06856, 203-853-6015 • FAX: 203-852-8175; ADVERTISING OFFICE: 1384 BROADWAY, NY, NY 10018-6108, 212-686-4412 • FAX: 212-686-6821; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE PUBLISHERS ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ADVERTISERS CLAIMS, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS OR OTHER MATERIALS. NO PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHERS. VOLUME 19, ISSUE 1. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

CELEBRATING BIG MOMENTS SINCE 1885

LORO PIANA “EXTREME” PERFORMANCE FABRIC

welcome

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF STYLE It’s hard to believe, but we at Hubert White are now in our 100th year! In 1916 my grandfather, Hubert “Bert” White, opened a small haberdashery shop in downtown St. Paul, on the current site of the Kellogg Square Apartments and directly across the street from our longtime location in the First National Bank Building. And so our history began. Now 10 decades, six locations and four generations of Whites later, we have the honor of celebrating our 100th year in business. We are both proud and grateful: proud of our history and the generations of staff members who worked so hard to help create our successes, and grateful to the many clients and friends who have supported us throughout these 100 years. Personally, I am humbled to have been a part of that history for over 40 years. As the year progresses, we will be hosting various events and promotions in celebration of this landmark occasion, and hopefully you will be able to participate with us. In the meantime, learn more about our history on page 16 of this issue. While looking back is fun, it’s looking forward that will ensure our future successes. That’s what you will find in this season’s installment of our fathers and sons spotlight on page 9. In the past we featured proud fathers and their sons, but his season we have taken it a step forward by featuring two proud fathers each with their three sons—all Hubert White clients! Thank you to the Simmons and Donaldson families for your participation. Hope to see you in the shop this spring, and thanks for being a client and friend.

Pictured above are Robbie, Chip and Ernie, dutiful sons of their father, Steve Douglas. There was more than a bit of California cool in this family of boys. The clothing was ’60s snappy, everything comfortably trim. Classic American luxury. The Peter Millar Collection is featured throughout this photo shoot of our very own clients, the Simmons and Donaldson families. We love having fathers and sons shopping at Hubert White, and none better than these two families of boys.

The Simmons family Kyle, Eric and Tyler encircle their proud papa Cal, all wearing Peter Millar Collection.

The Donaldson family Eric, Jesse and Andy put their lux on with cashmere, silk and cotton. Phil fits in comfortably, surrounded by the blue, purple, gray and tan shades that are the 2016 Peter Millar Collection.

ask

SPRING 2016 FASHION TIPS FOR HIM

Q:

I see a lot of my favorite suit brands offering made-to-measure suits and sportcoats. Is it worth the extra time and money? Yes! You get to pick the fabrics, the model and the details (linings, buttons, monograms), and the fit is sure to flatter. Depending on the maker, delivery is usually within four to six weeks of getting measured, and we guarantee that this will become your go-to favorite suit! Our suggestion: select a pattern (subtle or bold) rather than a solid, or perhaps a seasonal fabric. If you’re going for special, why not make it really special?

plan on taking several long weekends this Any packing tips for a carry-on bag? Q: Isummer.

Q:

When is, and isn’t it, appropriate to wear sneakers?

Except for formal occasions and business meetings with conservative clients, it’s almost always okay to wear sneakers, especially contemporary leather or suede styles that look nothing like gym shoes. Modern sneakers might have contrast soles or colorful laces; they can cost as much as leather shoes and serve as a sort of hybrid between work and play. They’re certainly comfortable, and add a touch of personality to pants and a sportcoat. That said, while some guys can pull it off, wearing sneakers with a suit takes a certain panache. If you’ve got it, go for it! But if you’re at all uncertain, stick to the updated leather shoes currently on our selling floor. Modern footwear will elevate your entire wardrobe.

Light and casual are the buzzwords for weekends away. For travel, wear the pieces that take up the most room: long pants (lightweight five-pocket styles are perfect for most occasions), a long-sleeve woven shirt in cotton or linen and either a soft sportcoat or cardigan, depending on your weekend agenda. Then throw the rest into your carry-on—a short-sleeve woven shirt, two short-sleeve polos, two T-shirts, shorts, a swimsuit, underwear—and you’re good to go. If there’s room in your bag for sandals and grooming products, toss them in too. If not, hotels (and considerate hosts) can generally supply shampoo, moisturizer and flip-flops. If you’re a guest in someone’s home, don’t forget to bring a bottle of good wine. (But never pack sparkling wine in your checked bag, as it’s likely to explode. We know from experience!) If you’re struggling to zip your overstuffed carryon, you need a new travel bag! Come in and let us show you our favorite designs.

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In 1916

my grandfather, Hubert “Bert” White, and my grandmother, Jeanne Lichty White, were newlyweds in their twenties. They had a meeting with her father and my greatOZIVLNI\PMZ /MWZOM 4QKP\a \W [MK]ZM Å VIVKQVO—$5,600 and a $200-per-month salary—to start the business that was Bert’s dream: Hubert White.

1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s Ties become increasingly common in the man’s wardrobe as broadshouldered turn-of-thecentury suits give way to the sloped shoulders, tight jackets and a youthful aesthetic borrowed from the sporting world. Bert establishes Hubert White as a haberdashery and clothing shop that would come to be recognized as one of the KW]V\Za¼[ Å VM[\ \]ZVQVO his dream into his life’s work (and my dad’s, and my own).

Our advertising features tobacco, two-pants suits, University men and monkeys pushing the newly air-conditioned store. The St. Paul store moves across the street to the First National Bank Building in 1933 and the Å Z[\ 5QVVMIXWTQ[ [\WZM opens in the Radisson Hotel in 1939.

0I\[ Å TT \PM _QVLW_ \PM $45 suit becomes $60 and patriotism runs high. War bonds come before clothes. Around 18 men’s clothing stores compete in the Twin Cities. Of those, only Hubert White remains today.

<PM 5QVVMIXWTQ[ [\WZM UW^M[ \W 5IZY]M\\M Avenue, where it stays for the next 50 years. 5a LIL¸0]JMZ\ ¹*QTTº ? White, Jr.—returns from \PM _IZ IVL \PM PIVLWЄ from Bert to Bill begins. Ties are narrow, hats XTMV\QN]T IVL W]\Å \\QVO men is our only business. (That last one hasn’t changed.)

With Bill’s guidance, Hubert White continues to evolve in style—from sleek solids to durable nylon—while adhering to Bill’s mantra of providing Y]ITQ\a \ZILQ\QWVIT IXXIZMT _Q\P Æ IQZ accompanied by warm personal service.

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2016 5IV̆UILM Å JMZ[ N]Z\PMZ invade our industry and popularize washand-wear suits and [\IăXZM[[ [PQZ\[ 5a grandfather, Bert White, dies. I join Hubert White full-time along with Brad Sherman. Both of us work toward updating to more modern clothing while UIQV\IQVQVO \PM Y]ITQ\a and good taste that have characterized Hubert White since its founding.

Fashion is in constant Æ ]` <PM UIV̆\IQTWZML TWWS for the corporate career woman comes and goes; thankfully, dominance of VI\]ZIT Ă… JMZ[ ZM\]ZV[# “business casualâ€? enters the corporate lexicon. In 1987, the St. Paul store closes _PQTM \PM 5QVVMIXWTQ[ store is redesigned to accommodate the space needed to present a newly expanded casual and sportswear collection. In 1989, Dad passes away.

0]JMZ\ ?PQ\M Q[ Å ZUTa established as one of the premier men’s specialty stores in the country. Bert and Bill would be proud. During these years, we begin our wonderful relationship with the Gopher football and basketball programs, and introduce the Hubert White Forum magazine you’re reading right now. 5a [WV 5I\\ [\IZ\[ N]TT̆ time in 1999.

We enter the new millennium with our store in the IDS Crystal Court. We have more space, more casual wear, an Ermenegildo Zegna shop, a Robert Talbott shop, lots of windows – and a great party. Working together for more than 30 years, Brad and I broaden Hubert White’s scope _Q\PW]\ [IKZQÅ KQVO \PM store’s focus on treating customers as friends and [\IЄ I[ NIUQTa

Tip of the hat

to you, our loyal customers, for your unwavering support and dedication to dressing well for 100 years. Stay tuned—this is just the beginning of our 100th Celebration.

One hundred years later, Bert White would be proud. -[Y]QZM named us in its “Gold Standard,â€? I OZW]X WN \PM Ă… VM[\ men’s specialty stores across the country.â€? It’s this spirit – a dedication to excellence in every aspect of our business, running in every stitch and every sale – that has set Hubert White apart for a century.

profile

Soft Touch

Boglioli is making the most of today’s “jacket moment.” BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON

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Becoming a standout brand in the world of Italian men’s fashion is far from an easy task, but it’s one that Boglioli has done in just two decades. While the Milanese company’s roots go back centuries, as topnotch tailors, Boglioli has made its mark in more recent times thanks to the softness of its fabrics— which range from linen blends to wools to cashmeres—and its unparalleled expertise in garment dyeing, says managing director David Newlove. “We take our fabric straight from our mills, then we dye it, make the jacket, wash it and tumble dry it,” says Newlove. “It’s sort of a science, in a way, but we use our own recipes. We know that each fiber we use reacts differently, but we always end up with an incredibly soft jacket. It’s important to be consistent.” Indeed, Boglioli’s knowledge of how to make the ideal unconstructed jacket is second to none. “It’s true; a lot of companies can produce a deconstructed jacket, but not like ours. We call ours ‘empty,’” explains Newlove, who spent 17 years working for Giorgio Armani. “Because of the cut and the structure, our jacket appears to have construction when it actually doesn’t. Your body is the canvas that makes it fit so well. And unlike a lot of companies, we only make six jackets at a time. It’s a very slow process. But if you overload the washing machines or dryers, the jackets will shrink too much. We never cut corners.” As Newlove points out, the company is expanding into other areas of tailored clothing and sportswear (including a women’s line) under newly installed creative director Davide Morello. Nonetheless, its commitment to the jacket is especially important these days. “We are definitely in a jacket moment,” he says. “I know it from talking to retailers; I see it from walking the street. Jackets are big with people in the tech industries, with emerging professionals, and with the cool hipster guy, along with the luxury market. I think we’ve barely scratched the surface of men who want jackets. The marketplace is definitely going in our direction. And once you’ve worn one of our jackets, you won’t go back!”

Guilloche CiselĂŠ Slate Grey The deep matte surface in slate grey combined with the shimmering engraved Herringbone pattern creates a unique and very pleasant feel. The highly polished rhodium plated cap, end piece and grip contrast beautifully with the engraved barrel.

designers

WORK IT OUR FAVORITE MEN IN FASHION TALK FIRST JOBS AND SURPRISING JOURNEYS TO THE TOP. BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

GIANLUCA ISAIA, ISAIA SEBASTIAN DOLLINGER, ETON My first real job was actually unpaid since I dropped out of school (truth be told I was kicked out). My father helped me get a trainee job at a local hotel where I cleaned rooms, worked with the maintenance team and helped out in the conference center. I think my father thought that because I was doing this rather boring job at 16, I would reconsider my decision to drop out and return to school. I can’t say I enjoyed working at the hotel but at least I learned I never want to work at hotels. I enlisted in the army at 17 against my will and I was out of the hotel world after six months. After 10 months in the army service and another less successful career at a reception job, I moved back to my old hometown and applied for a position in the warehouse at Eton. That was my first job in the business. I was about to turn 19 and through Eton I heard about a sales rep position at Harrods in London. I got the job and that became the starting point to my career in fashion. I love working at Eton because of my colleagues. I get to travel to so many interesting places, I find time to play with my band, Highly Sedated, and I have a genuine passion for what I do. I have found a profession that I enjoy doing so much so it rarely feels like I'm working. That has got to be the ultimate feeling. I guess it's a matter of finding what you love and then going out of your way to do it. I have worked hard to get where I am today, but the rewarding everyday feeling makes it all worth it.

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My first job was in London, folding shirts in a shop for £25 a week. This position eventually led me to my current role because I was (and still am) the best folding man around! The best part about my job as CEO of Isaia is that I wake up in the morning happy to go to work…

GIOVANNI BIANCHI, L.B.M. 1911

ADAM DERRICK, TO BOOT NEW YORK When I was 15 I got my first summer job at Macy's Herald Square. The position I ended up with was working the switchboard taking complaints! I don't remember how much it paid, but it wasn't much and definitely not enough! Even though I went from the employee entrance directly up to my job, I always spent some time before or after my shift in the store. I loved the constantly changing displays and the energy and interaction on the sales floor. Since founding To Boot New York, I get to do a lot of different things and exercise a lot of different muscles, creative as well as business. I work with great people, and enjoy my interactions with my colleagues and customers. I am a lucky man!

My very first job was here at Lubiam, the company that manufactures L.B.M. 1911 and that has been owned by my family for over 100 years. After getting a high school diploma in scientific studies I studied economics in college for one year, but soon realized design was my passion. I enrolled in the faculty of Industrial Design at the Politecnico di Milano. Before my graduation I started training at Lubiam, and in 2002 I became product manager. Although my siblings and I are the fourth generation of the family, my parents never pushed me to join the company. I decided to enter it on my own, to give my personal contribution to its growth the same way my father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Luigi Bianchi, did before me. I was hired for an entry-level position and used my first salary to buy the engagement ring for Ilaria, my wife of 12 years and partner for 22. My best investment indeed. We have four wonderful children together. Fashion has been in my family's DNA for over 100 years. Joining the company was a spontaneous call that fulfilled my natural passion for creativity and design. The possibility to create, dare and express myself with a language, the menswear language, was part of my history before I was born. As L.B.M. 1911's style director, nothing fulfills me more than creating a product with my own hands and intellect, and realizing season after season that I was able to conceive something new and original, while remaining loyal to my company's values. L.B.M. 1911 is a perfect example of that. The line is completely focused on product innovation. The garment-dyed techniques and the finishes and washes our clothes undergo require constant experimentation and ongoing research. Another important aspect of my job is the unexpected power of inspiration. It can come to you by doing the simplest thing, like walking. All I need to do is be open to my environment and draw from it inspirations that can potentially translate into stylish and revolutionary ideas.

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BRUNELLO CUCINELLI, BRUNELLO CUCINELLI From 15 to 25 I went to school and received my diploma in surveying. I must confess that I never studied much; I lacked sufficient motivation and drew little satisfaction from poring over books. Nevertheless, I passed the final examination and enrolled in the faculty of engineering. I attended for roughly three years, but during this period I sat only one examination. The most important event of that period, and indeed of the subsequent periods, was my meeting the woman who was to become my wife: we were both around 17 years old; she had just finished her studies in accounting and had decided to open a small clothes shop. It was through participating with her in this activity that I rediscovered a feeling for beauty and began to appreciate fashion. A very important aspect of that period was the culture of “bars”: the Italian café. It became my social outlet on a daily basis; that was where we met in the evening, seven or eight people (in those days only men), from all social classes, in a friendly atmosphere of mutual respect. There were industrialists and blue-collar workers, as well as layabouts (I confess I was one of them). It was much more than just a place to pass the time; we spent hours discussing a wide range of issues, engaged in uninterrupted debate. These are my memories of what was both entertainment and learning, lessons of life, different from schooling, vivid, cherished and authentic. The years rolled on and I began to wonder what I would do with my life. Thanks to my fiancée and her shop, I was developing a keen interest in knitwear; then, like now, it was a distinctive tradition in Umbria. Therefore, I came to the idea of producing pullovers in colored cashmere, and it should be said that this product was something of an innovation. I wanted to create a company that stood behind living a high quality of life. I watched my father be humiliated as a farmer and treated poorly at work, so it inspired me to make a change. I chose cashmere because of its ability to be passed down for generations. It is something you can cherish and enjoy for many years. The best part of my success is the ability to give back and continue the message of living in a humanistic way. I have also been able to meet fascinating, like-minded people who share the same passions.

SAM KU, AG I worked summer retail at a Champs Sports in the local mall. I was not a very good sales person, and this still holds true today! My first job out of college was a position in AG’s R&D facility, the department responsible for developing washes. I knew nothing about denim manufacturing at the time, so it was a very eye-opening learning process for me. Prior to this job I had worked a few internships in a couple different fields. One job was in finance, and another in an advertising firm. Neither really excited me all that much, so I told my father I would go work for him. My salary at the time was $30K. I think young people starting in fashion have to understand that starting salaries are what they are, and it takes time and experience to add value to a company. From this position, I moved to different parts of the company. I spent some time in the sample sewing room and learned how our product was constructed. I eventually moved into a design position, and I’m still involved in the design process today. The best part of working in fashion is seeing a project through from start to finish. The process of seeing something go from concept to development to sales and hitting the retail floor is a satisfying one.

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profile Samuelsohn:

The Big Reveal

Tailored clothing’s best-kept secret comes out of the closet! BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

These days, as business dress codes remain relaxed, men are choosing to wear fine tailored clothing because they want to, not because they have to. And men in the know are choosing Samuelsohn, an exceptional but low-profile clothing company that’s been crafting beautiful suits in Montreal since 1923. But low profile no more, new ownership at this Canadian company relaunched the brand in 2011 and business has more than doubled. Much of the credit goes to the company’s new president and chief creative officer, Arnold Brant Silverstone, a talented designer and visionary executive who lives and breathes the clothing business. Upon taking over, he quickly recognized a “diamond in the rough” and immediately updated the label, the logo, the fabrics, the fits, the colors, the buttons, the linings, the marketing and

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more. What remains constant: Samuelsohn’s commitment to exceptional quality, and the “expression” of its full-canvas handtailored suits that both fit and flatter the wearer. “I feel like I’ve come full circle,” says Silverstone, a third-generation clothing guy who grew up in his father’s suit factory in Montreal. “I’d always known and respected the Samuelsohn brand, Canada’s quintessential quality suit maker. (My father wore Samuelsohn suits!) As my career moved forward—from my father’s company to launching my own clothing label (that I ultimately sold to Oxford) to becoming design director at Nordstrom—I always dreamed of returning to manufacturing. When Samuelsohn was bought by Stephen Granovsky in 2010, I was recommended for the job of president, and felt it was exactly where I belonged.” hat makes Samuelsohn clothing so special? Silverstone could go on for hours. “First of all, the suits are a rare combination of modern styling and classic tailoring, featuring fully basted canvas construction and hand-tailored details. Since all garments are produced in our own factory, we control every step of the process. Second, we are known for innovation, e.g. we were the first to come out with luxury performance fabrics that are cool, comfortable and wrinkle resistant; we’ve even developed clothing with carbon fiber! Third, we have the cleanest distribution in the industry: we don’t sell to outlets, only the best specialty stores in North America. Fourth of course is our tremendous intrinsic value: there’s more craftsmanship in a Samuelsohn garment than in most Italian brands that are double the price. (Canada’s duty advantages and exchange rates offer additional value for American customers.) Fifth, our made-tomeasure programs are the best in the industry. Sixth is our company culture: although we’re privately owned, we’re run more like a family business than a large corporation, with emphasis on customer service, personal relationships and employee appreciation. “I know it sounds counterintuitive, but making money is not our number-one priority; we’re more concerned with providing the best goods at the best value and satisfying our customers so they’ll keep coming back.” And come back they do! For spring ’16, check out the beautifully tailored Samuelsohn clothing arriving on our selling floor now. For practical types, we love the performance suit in a Loro Piana Storm System fabric with stretch. (It’s waterproof, wrinkle resistant and amazingly comfortable!) Or try the updated luxury travel blazer with 12 pockets and extra zippers. For nights and weekends, there’s an amazing washed cashmere sportcoat. And to make a bold fashion statement, why not a beautifully tailored striped DB suit in a hot shade of blue? Which is his favorite? “It’s like asking a parent to choose his favorite child,” Silverstone responds. So we’ll let you, our customers, be the judge…

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the FASHION forum

NEVER TOO LATE FOR A CHANGE We’ve seen a complete changing of the guard in the late-night talk show world, with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, Seth Myers, Jimmy Kimmel and Trevor Noah among the funnymen now sitting in the interviewers’ chairs. But if the faces have changed, the uniform has remained mostly the same: dark suit, white or blue shirt, boring tie. While these guys certainly look dapper, one can’t help but feel they could push the sartorial envelope a bit more. Corden is one of the faces of Burberry, so where are the cutting-edge designs and pops of plaid? Fallon recently signed a deal with G-III for licensed athletic wear, so perhaps he’s saving all his creative juices for that collaboration. And would it kill Myers to borrow something more casual and creative from Stefon, his former flame from Saturday Night Live? The time is ripe to start a trend. —BSL

L

ooking at the current high-fashion uses for denim, from threepiece suits to stylish coats, it can be hard to imagine just how utilitarian the cotton fabric was in its earlier days, when it was worn during the California Gold Rush and used to make early 20th-century prison uniforms. That latter usage surprised even fashion historian Emma McClendon, author of the new book Denim: Fashion’s Frontier and curator of the exhibition of the same name at New York City’s Museum at FIT. Still, McClendon admits that denim’s constant permutations really shouldn’t be shocking. “It’s the rare fabric that’s relatively inexpensive to produce, extremely durable, and easy to care for,” she says. —BSL

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TOP: GETTY IMAGES. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF MUSEUM AT FIT

DURABLE DENIM

S S 16 . B E A N E W G E N T L E M A N .

PHOTOGRAPHY:SERGIO KURHAJEC HAIR:MARCELINO GONZALEZ MAKEUP:CLAIRE BAYLEY STYLING:WENDY MCNETT

DRESSing FOR A

GOODTIME Bring on the season of fun! Add style and charisma to spring and summer with bright colors, breathable linens, light sportcoats, fun prints and great shades.

SCENE WITH STYLE

MAKING a

Lightweight sportcoats with colorful pocket squares and great accessories bring life to the party.

LOSE THESE OUTDATED LOOKS AND UPGRADE NOW!

WHAT TO WEAR NOW

THE NEW BLUE SUIT Black and charcoal feel too heavy for the warmer months, and the fit of your older suits is likely doing you a disservice. To show you mean business, choose a blue slim-fit suit that follows the natural slope of your shoulder, nips in at the waist and breaks just slightly at the shoe. This color is less inky than traditional navy but is just as easy to wear. Pair with brown monkstraps and furnishings in seasonal hues.

BIG MEETING

WHAT TO WEAR NOW

THE KNIT BLAZER Some guys have taken the “casual� part too far. Stay professional in a linencotton blend sportcoat that keeps you cool under pressure. This versatile knit blazer is unlike anything else in your wardrobe: polished and sophisticated without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. Tailored fivepocket pants are just formal enough, and a dress shirt and knit tie complete the look.

BUSINESS CASUAL

WHAT TO WEAR NOW

THE LUXE POLO

P R O D U C E R / S T Y L I S T: M I C H A E L F U S C O . P H O T O G R A P H E R : E VA N TAY L O R G U N V I L L E . G R O O M E R : A M Y Z D U N O W S K I - R O E D E R . M O D E L : J U S T I N M C M A N U S @ F O R D .

Don’t give your style the day off just because it’s the weekend. Stick with wellfitting jeans or khakis and a trim polo, and don’t forget to accessorize! Wear with a sleeker sneaker or chukka boot—save your running shoes for the gym and flipflops for the beach.

WEEKEND COOL

GOLF

A Forum Magazine Special Section

Sea Island Spotlight David Feherty Keeps it Real

Brandt Snedeker

Talks Pop-Style Putting

GETTY 1

Teaching With Robots Golfwear: Then and Now

players

A HIGHLY RANKED PRO GOLFER WITH A UNIQUE PUTTING STROKE, BRANDT SNEDEKER SHARES SOME SECRETS. BY TERRY C. GROSSMAN

a passion for it so I played all the time and practiced all the time.

Distinctive

Style

You’ve had enormous success with your pop-style putting stroke: why do few other pros use it? That’s a very good question, and I haven’t the faintest idea. I guess because it’s difficult. It’s something I’ve always done but I suppose it’s hard for others to teach themselves to do it because the way I hit the ball is so counterintuitive. But it’s something I’ve always done so it feels natural to me.

Did others try to dissuade you from putting that way? Yes, when I was younger they did. As I got better and better, I refined it over the years and made it a little simpler and easier to repeat.

Which course has the toughest greens?

is nickname is Sneds, the Nashvillebased pro golfer with the unusual putting style, and at age 35 he’s one of the best there is. A candid and down-to-earth family man who’s as fun to interview as he is to watch on the course, he and his wife Mandy started a foundation in 2013 that helps underprivileged kids who need a break in life. He’s also known for his charity work to benefit victims of natural disasters, and for his memorable MasterCard commercials in which Tom Watson mispronounces his name. Here, we chat with Sneds about his passion.

What first piqued your interest in golf? I started playing when I was about six years old and just kind of fell in love with it. My brother and I played a lot growing up; I had

Augusta National. They are so severe and so fast and the margin of error is so small that it’s extremely difficult to be aggressive: because they’re so fast, you have to be defensive.

Some friends from Nashville want to know how you rate the greens at the Hillwood Golf Club, which you play when you’re home. They re-did them with Bermuda a couple of years ago and they’re extremely fast. They’re difficult to read and they have a bunch of small slopes that are tough to understand. Playing there has definitely contributed to my green reading skills.

Regarding green reading skills, is this something you’re born with or can it be learned? It’s a bit of both. I think that I was definitely born with an innate ability. But as I played more and more, I refined my green reading over the years by learning to hit the ball consistently at a desired speed. The trick is learning how hard to hit the ball so as to produce the desired speed and to be able to do that consistently until it becomes automatic. If you can’t hit the putt the same way every time, it’s not going to matter how well you read the greens.

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Can you give us any tricks of the trade? Do you take notes and reference them during the round?

You won $10 million at that FedEx Cup in 2012; would you change that playoff system if you could?

One of the things I love to do before the tournament starts is play in the pro ams and try to read other people’s putts, so I can tell if I’m misreading or if they’re hitting them poorly. This gives me a general idea of what’s going on around the greens. I take notes when there are certain undulations that are tricky or counter to what you’d think. At times, some putts are faster while others are slower than they look. It just comes with experience.

No. Maybe I’d tweak it a little by giving out the points a bit differently, but the tour has done a great job by giving everybody a chance to win. I wouldn’t change much.

Your biggest regret as a touring pro?

I actually changed putters for about two months last year but I’m now back with my old one.

Not having the experience as a 26-year-old to know what’s important and what’s not, what to worry about and what not to… That’s just part of the stuff you learn out here on the tour. This being my ninth year, I’ve kind of figured out what’s important and what’s not. As a 26-year-old, you really have no idea; you’re just trying to figure it out. I wish I could have kicked my younger self in the butt to have figured it out a little sooner.

I used that model for 20 years but now use it to move logs in the fireplace…

How are you feeling these days and what’s your fitness regimen?

Ha! Not what it was designed for, but I use some shafts at home to do different things with so I get what you’re saying...

I had some injuries for a few years but that’s in the past and my body is now feeling great. I have a pretty stringent workout routine, a clearly defined program including an hour and a half a day of stretching and working out… soft tissue stuff to keep my body pliable. Off weeks I do more weight lifting and during the week more stretching and core stuff. Then there’s paying attention to diet, keeping myself hydrated, and I’m good to go.

I read that you changed putters. Think you’ll ever return to your old Odyssey Rossie II?

Who do you consider the best putters of all time? That’s a tough one. I think Jack Nicklaus was probably one of the best putters of all time just because of the amount of putts he made to win tournaments. And Tiger’s up there too due to the amount of putts he had to make under severe pressure and his ability to make them. Billy Casper and Jackie Burke were also among the best. Out here on the tour right now, I love watching Steve Stricker, or Brad Faxon when he gets out.

How about Crenshaw, who you didn’t mention? Yes, Ben. We play a practice round together at Augusta every year because I love watching him putt on those greens. I love seeing how he reads them, how he hits them, his stroke… it’s a thing of beauty. It’s so natural and free flowing, which I’d love to be…

Describe your fashion style on and off the course.

“I SUPPOSE IT’S HARD FOR OTHERS TO TEACH THEMSELVES [MY PUTTING STYLE] BECAUSE THE WAY I HIT THE BALL IS SO COUNTERINTUITIVE.”

Who do you consider the greatest golfer of all time? Jack Nicklaus, although I think Tiger has a chance to be right up there with him. Tiger had the most impressive run in golf: he led for seven years. I’m not sure he’ll end up winning as many as Jack did since he’s been so injured and his body has broken down. I really hope he gets healthy and comes back in his 40s: it would be great for him and great for the game of golf. So I hope to see him challenge Jack’s record but right now, I’d have to go with Jack.

Well I’ve been partnering with Peter Millar for four years now and I’ve got to say they make it easy to look good. They’re a quality brand with an unbelievable array of great clothes. So whether I’m wearing them on the golf course or for my off-the-course casual lifestyle, their stuff looks great: golf shirts, button-down shirts, sweaters, sports blazers. When I’m home with the kids on weekends, I’m most often in a T-shirt and jeans.

Any other interests?

What do you think about the impact of modern equipment on classic courses now that you pros can hit much further?

Being with my kids, who are right now at fun ages: five and three. I like getting outdoors. I love fishing and hunting.

You know, it’s just like anything else in life: technology enhances but also makes some things obsolete. We redo buildings, we redo cars to accommodate technology, so why not golf courses? We modify everything else! People get so hung up on traditional golf courses, but they just need to be tweaked a bit by adding some yardage. I think golf has been given an unfair rap: technological advances aren’t such a bad thing.

Are you introducing your kids to golf? They’re already both into it and they love it. My little man especially, who is only three years old, wants to play every day. I love that they’re liking it!

Do you dream of them becoming pro golfers? No, I wouldn’t push them. It’s ironic that a lot of guys on the tour push their kids away from golf rather than towards it because we realize that it takes lots of hard work, lots of luck and the chances of turning pro are so slim. But if my kids end up being passionate about golf and that’s the goal they want to pursue, then I’ll do everything in my power to help them.

What was your single best moment on the golf course? Winning the FedEx Cup. That was obviously a huge day for me, for my career, and most importantly for my confidence. Beating the best players in the world at their best—wow!

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interview

KNOWN FOR HIS WIT, WISDOM, CANDOR AND CRAZINESS, BROADCASTER DAVID FEHERTY ADDS SOME MUCH-NEEDED PERSONALITY TO THE GAME OF GOLF. BY TERRY C. GROSSMAN that Tiger Woods was starting out when he broadcast his first Masters and Jordan Spieth appeared on the scene for his last. Upon leaving CBS, Feherty signed contracts with NBC Sports and the Golf Channel, where he still does his highly rated interview series, launched in 2011. Here, we talk to him about the state of professional golf and the turns his own career has taken.

Changing the Game uch has been written about David Feherty’s demons: a past tinged by drinking, drugs, insomnia, instability and other evidence of a dark side. Not enough has been written about his brilliance: an extreme work ethic, tremendous generosity (his Troops First foundation has raised millions, providing assistance, counsel and training to wounded soldiers), incredible charm, self-deprecating humor and a unique ability to get inside the heads and hearts of his interview subjects to showcase a little-known side of even the best-known celebrities. His is a talent that is very rare indeed. Growing up in war-torn Northern Ireland, Feherty turned pro at 17 (with a five handicap) and played in the ’91 Ryder Cup and the ’92 Masters. He finished top 10 in three majors but retired from his professional career in ’97, just when CBS was looking for an on-course analyst. He attributes his 19-year tenure at CBS to good luck, noting

What is it about golf that attracts so many different personality types? Can you articulate the appeal of this game?

It’s like no other sport in that it has an addictive quality. Not everyone can throw a 60-yard touchdown pass but everyone can hit a ball in the middle of the clubface down the center of the fairway. There’s an indescribable feeling the first time it happens: you feel like the master of the universe because you’ve influenced a small object to go a long way, exactly where you want it to. There’s a sweetness to it. And once you’ve done it once, you want to do it again. Kind of like heroin.

Do you feel you lived up to your potential on the course? Oh I think I went way past it. Not that I was ever one of the top players in the world, but I got close at times and I have no idea why.

Who do you consider the greatest golfer of all time? Tiger Woods. And it was harder to win in his era than it is today.

Do you think there will ever be another player who will dominate the tour for as long a stretch as Tiger did? Not in my grandchildren’s lifetimes. It was an extraordinary spell.

Who has the sweetest swing in golf today? Boo Weekley. There are players who line up behind him just to watch him hit on the range. It’s just gorgeous! He’s not a clothes horse; he’s not in great shape (he’s got issues with his back). In fact, he’s got a body like a ruptured sofa. But what a swing!

Well I kind of resemble him: the body, not the swing... I’ve been there as well. When I quit drinking, I lost 75 pounds. I

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modern courses. I find it a shame that for the pros, the new equipment has taken the teeth out of these classic courses.

had been close to 250. I was six inches taller if I’d lie on my back…

You’re famous for your very insightful interviews. Which are your favorites?

But all they’d have to do to make those courses relevant again is make the surface of the ball a little bigger. We did it once before when the diameter went from 1.62 to 1.68 inches. It makes the ball sit up around the greens a little better so it becomes easier for the amateurs to chip. But for the pros, it’s harder to hit it in a straight line. It spins more and won’t go as far. But that’s way too simple a solution for the ruling bodies, who just want to be members of each other’s golf clubs and don’t care about much else.

Well, I’ve interviewed a couple of presidents, most recently George W. I’ve also interviewed Bill Clinton and I love the fact that these two are polar opposites but great friends. Then there was Bill Russell, the greatest winner in the history of American sports. I’ve also interviewed Nicklaus, Watson, Samuel L. Jackson, Larry David… a tremendous cross section of people. But if I had to pick a favorite, I guess it would be Lee Trevino, my first interview, and my hero growing up. I remember watching him win the 1968 U.S. Open: there was just something special about Lee Trevino… I was only 10 years old at the time but I loved his style, his attitude. Then when I got a little older, I learned his story. He came from nothing: that’s my kind of people.

What took them so long to bring the British Open back to Ireland, where Royal Portrush will host it in 2019? You’re right: it’s not been there since 1951. Of course we had The Troubles in Northern Ireland and it has to be in Northern Ireland: It would break tradition if it were in the South. There are only a couple of viable venues in Northern Ireland, Royal County Down Golf Club being one of them. But it doesn’t have the infrastructure: you couldn’t get the crowd in and out. I think it’s taken them this long to get back to Royal Portrush because they were unwilling to spend what it would take to make it more accessible. The golf course is spectacular, but they still have a lot more work to do around it.

Which golfer, living or dead, would you most like to have interviewed? I would love to have interviewed Seve (Ballesteros). We lost him, but he would definitely have been on my list. He was a magician, a warlock. He could change the weather with his face.

Here’s a tough one: Spieth, McIlroy or Day? That is a tough one! I mean it’s so hard to pick between Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. Rory has more majors and he’s a little older but Jordan…the last time we had a child this special, there were three wise men and a donkey involved. So I can’t really choose. By the way, you should know that I’m not really an expert on golf; I just play one on television.

If you were stuck playing on one course over and over, which would you pick? St. Andrews. Hitting to the 18th green, you feel like you’re playing into the soul of golf.

What do you think of McIlroy’s decision to play for the Republic of Ireland in the 2016 Olympics? Whether you’re British or Irish, if you come from Northern

“THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CHILD AS SPECIAL AS JORDAN SPIETH, THERE WERE THREE WISE MEN AND A DONKEY INVOLVED.”

Do you think technology has ruined or enhanced the game?

Ireland, you have to make a decision. I had two passports for a long time and exchanged them both for an American one. I’m very happy with that decision. It’s not political and it’s not geographic: who you are is mostly an emotional issue. I didn’t know who I was until, at age 32, I captained the Irish side at the Dunhill Cup; when they raised the flag after we won, I got this huge lump in my throat. I remember thinking, “Sh*t, I’m Irish!” I hadn’t thought much about it until that point but it’s definitely an emotional thing.

It’s definitely enhanced the game. For anyone who thinks it’s made the game too easy, just take a look at your score card. The amateurs are the important people in the game. Professional golfers are in the stratosphere where it really doesn’t matter. It’s the people who watch the game and pay for the 30-second commercials who drive the industry. They’re the important ones.

Is there any room in golf for tournaments played with older clubs and balls, like those used 25 years ago?

What’s the toughest part of your job?

I think it’s a great idea; there’s room for a tournament like that for sure. I know they have this Hickory event that brings guys to their knees. Something between present day and Hickory would be interesting as well. I was using a wooden driver at the end of my career…

The constant travel. I get worn out with it: airports, hotels, being away from home…

And what, in your career, has been your biggest regret? I don’t have regrets. I was a 17 year old with a five handicap and I decided in a geography class to drop out of school and become a professional golfer. When I look back, it was a miracle. Then, after I left professional golf, I was the right drunk in the right bar at the right time when CBS wanted to hire a course reporter. So I’ve been astonishingly lucky throughout my career.

Today, the pros are carrying the ball over 240-yard fairway traps. With a five iron!

Correct. I recently played the gorgeous Sea Island golf course where the pros play the RSM Classic and which is, like older classic courses, relatively short compared to the

They say it’s better to be lucky than good… No sh*t!

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tech

“The flashiest entry into the world of golf training aids is RoboGolf Pro, which resembles something we might sink drop on Mars to dig through rocks.”

Greens

Machines

Artificial intelligence offers a supposed shortcut to the hard work of learning golf. BY CHRISTIAN CHENSVOLD

n the 1996 film Tin Cup, Kevin Costner plays a washed-up golfer who loses his swing (a common plot device in golf movies). When he finally hits rock bottom, co-star Rene Russo discovers him shackled in swing aids, plastic gizmos and rubber straps latched to every part of his body in his desperate attempt to remember how to move properly. Since the days of yore when Scottish shepherds invented the absurd game of golf, there has been a quest for a magic move, a cure-all panacea that would instantly fix the veteran when his swing mysteriously goes awry, and allow the novice to bypass the traditional learning rout (which basically consists of banging tens of thousands of balls over the course of years). The flashiest entry into the world of golf training aids—it’s certainly the largest, priciest and most technologically advanced—is RoboGolf Pro, which resembles something we might sink drop on Mars to dig through rocks. Developed in Germany and distributed in the U.S. by Scot Nei under the name RoboGolf Pro, the machine features a golf club on the end of a computer-driven hydraulic arm. Custom data is input into the computer, the club is gripped and the robotic arm takes the user through the path the club should ideally follow in order to hit the ball long and straight. It's a way of not only teaching the proper plane on which the club should travel, but of

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ingraining muscle memory at the subconscious level, says Nei. RoboGolf Pro is priced at $150,000 and its target market is professional golfers (even they want to get better), teaching academies and private golf clubs. There are currently 12 locations in the U.S. where you can book a learning session, but all that technological input doesn’t come cheap. RoboGolf suggests package deals, stressing repetitions to build muscle memory, with packages typically running $2,000. One of the unique challenges of golf is recognizing that human beings are not machines, and that every day you feel a little different. The key thought that worked yesterday fails to work today. And it bears repeating that throughout history, great golfers have possessed every possible body type, tempo, style and every other variable, and yet the only thing that mattered was that they all got themselves into the same position at impact, golf's so-called moment of truth. For as long as there are golfers, there will be those willing to resort to anything to learn and improve. But science fiction always cautions us that artificial intelligence is hardly the same as human intuition, and there's no individuality inside the moving limbs of a robot. Mankind has yet to devise a guaranteed shortcut to perfecting the golf swing, for, as a celebrated book says, “golf is not a game of perfect.” And neither is being human.

resorts

Sea Island Dreaming

The history and tradition of this spectacular resort fulfill a golf-lover’s fantasy. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

’m sitting on the waterfront veranda of The Lodge, one of two luxury hotels at Sea Island Golf Resort. (The Lodge, adjacent to three golf courses on St. Simons Island, feels like an old English manor; The Cloisters, built on Sea Island in 1928 but reintroduced in 2006 after a three-year renovation, blends the history and aesthetics of Mediterranean revival style.) I’m sipping a Jack Daniels, taking in a brilliant sunset, and listening to the soulful sounds of a solitary bagpiper who’s been strolling the shoreline for the past hour. Enchanted by the music, the scenery, the wildlife, the canopy of oak trees and the genteel and gracious hospitality throughout the resort, I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in ages. (I had intended to go for a massage at Sea Island’s famous spa, but after only a few hours at the resort I no longer need one…) Truth be told: I’m not a golfer but since I’m married to one, I looked forward to a mini-vacation at this renowned Forbes Five-Star resort, home to one of the top-rated golf schools in the country. Little did I know how much the property has to offer above and beyond golf! James Gibson, Sea Island’s VP of operations, lists a hunting lodge, a shooting school, a yacht club featuring fishing, sailing and kayaking, a pristine beach, numerous swimming pools, an award-winning 65,000-square-foot spa, an indoor atrium, many fabulous restaurants (including the five-star Georgian room and my favorite, Colt & Alison) and numerous bars (I loved the Oak Room!) among the resort’s amenities. “Our demographic is multi-generational,” he explains as we sip tea in the historic Trophy Room. “Guests come with their children and grandchildren, couples come for romantic getaways, groups come for golf outings, and of course many PGA golf pros have chosen to make this their home.” Asked to articulate the essence of Sea Island, what makes it truly special, Gibson talks about the employees. “At least 80 of our people have worked here more than 25 years, which is unheard

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of in our business,” he explains. “Robert, who works in our men’s locker room, has been with us 50 years. Ask him how he’s doing and he’ll always respond ‘Mighty Fine’ which is what we now call him. Our repeat customers always make it a point to visit with Mighty Fine…” Brannen Veal, Sea Island’s director of golf, grew up playing golf in Macon, Georgia but turned to baseball at Auburn University (his dad had been a professional ball player with the Detroit Tigers). “After college, I went back to golf, starting out as a golf cart attendant as many of us do. I’m a good golfer (Editor’s Note: He’s being modest; he’s actually a scratch golfer.) and I’ve taught in Golf Digest top schools, but my passion is the service aspect: I love helping people enjoy the game.” Discussing Sea Island’s celebrated state-ofthe-art Golf Performance Center (featuring 3D capture, 13 top-rated instructors, three fitters, two fitness experts and its own psychologist), Veal talks about an individualized approach tailored to personal goals and skill levels. Focusing on five core competencies (long game, short game, fitness, club fitting and mental game), Veal notes that each competency has its own instructors. “Our goal at this Performance Center was to create the ultimate golf experience: the best courses, luxury accommodations, fine dining, top fitness programs, exceptional instructors (who currently work with Davis Love, Matt Kuchar, Harris English, Zach Johnson and other pros) and our own sports psychologist, Dr. Morris “Mo” Pickens. Veal points out that while many professionals frequent the Performance Center, it’s not just for five-handicappers. “I’d say the average handicap is mid-teens, and of course we also welcome beginners. And that’s one of the paradoxes we struggle with: because we have so many pros and so many top-50 teachers, people sometimes assume they’re not good enough to be here. So we’re trying to make the experience less intimidating. It’s essential for us to

grow the game and not be so focused on professionals and top amateur players. Sure they’re great, sure we want them here, but it’s just as important to get those beginner golfers who’ve never held a club, to make them feel comfortable so they want to be part of the game.” Delving a bit further into the mental game, Veal jokes that “it’s the one place where I could destroy Dr. Mo: if he knew what was really going on in my head, he might never recover…” More seriously, he explains the process: usually a 30-minute initial assessment followed by Dr. Mo accompanying the golfer on nine holes and then coming up with suggestions. “It’s not earth-shattering stuff: it’s generally about how you compartmentalize, prioritize, focus and then let go. I know that’s oversimplified, but it works. And it’s as applicable to business, and to life, as it is to golf…”

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Evolution

Golf attire then and now. BY CHRISTIAN CHENSVOLD

GETTY1 THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION

Right: Ben Hogan, 1955 Below: The Duke of Windsor (left) with Lord Castleross, 1933

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GETTY1 HULTON ROYALS COLLECTION

history

Style

When I took up golf at the age of 41, the first thing I did was order a pair of shoes. Not just any shoes, mind you, as golf presented the perfect opportunity to bust out brownand-white spectator wingtips. When my Millennial-generation instructor saw me, he cast a doubtful eye. “The way it works,” he said, “is you’ve got to have game to wear stuff like that.” I can see where he was coming from. I’ll never forget being in the group behind a freshly minted hacker. He hit every ball out of bounds, insisted on looking for it, and when he finally found it, took five strokes trying to hack it out of thick brush. But even more memorable than the

colossal waste of time he imposed on everyone behind him was his bubble-gum pink sweater. There was something offensive in his assumption that he could wear fun clothes despite having no skill nor sense of etiquette. But the problem with golf attire today is not that it’s too flamboyant, but that it’s too serious. Crazy pants show up now and then, but for the most part golf clothing embodies the game’s obsession with professionalization, technology, corporate sponsorship and branding, leaving few traces of its aristocratic origins or Caddyshack hijinks. If we were to gather a metaphoric foursome representing the past hundred years of golf attire, we would see a sartorial mirror of change in both the game and society at large. Let’s say that first on the tee box is the Gentleman. His hero is the Duke of Windsor, and he is clad in argyle knee socks, tweed plusfours (knickers), tattersall shirt, wool tie and Fair Isle sweater. For him golf is a game played on the vast acreage that surrounds a country estate—land that is used for farming (golf was invented by Scottish shepherds, after all), hunting, riding and keeping everyone else—save for the servants—as far away as possible. The clothing hardly differs from that worn for other country activities. Yet despite how it seems, there’s still a touch of the modern: for when the Duke of Windsor, the biggest fashion leader of his era, first donned a Fair Isle sweater in 1921, it was something new. Next on the tee is the Classicist, from whom I take my personal inspiration. Whereas the Gentleman looks anachronistic, the Classicist is inspired by the past but stylistically relevant. The shoes are traditional, but the trousers are pulled from the man’s everyday wardrobe. The necktie is no longer customary, and in place of a dress shirt is a fitted short-sleeve polo shirt covered by a cashmere Vneck. A flat cap tops off the outfit. This simple, modern, timeless look was personified by Ben Hogan in the 1950s. Wisecracking his way to the tee box next is the Country Clubber, even if he’s playing his local muni course at the discounted twilight rate. This guy’s hero is Bill Murray, and he resides in a sunny suburban community. He exemplifies the era when golf courses sprouted up across America, and middle-class desk jockeys took up golf to climb the social ladder. The clothing symbolizes a life of carefree suburban leisure: loud pants clash with brightcolored shirts and alpaca cardigans, and the clown colors seem to perfectly reflect the comedy of errors that is the game of golf. Hats are dispensed with altogether. Finally stepping onto the tee box—and shooting from the blacks— is an imposing figure, so teched-out he simply must be a single-

ISTOCK: CHATCHAI SOMWAT

Right: Sergio Garcia, 2013 Below: Bobby Jones, 1920s

digit. He doesn’t wear wingtips, but shoes that look designed for skateboarding. His clothing is loaded with performance attributes and splattered with manufacturers’ logos. He wears a baseball cap, where yet another logo blares its brand loyalty. Everything is color-coordinated, from his glove to his belt to driver head, which comes with 12 hosel adjustments. This is the Technocrat. In the near future, research will find that pants and zippered pullovers create wind resistance, and that a spandex bodysuit—the kind speed-skaters wear—can increase clubhead speed by an average of 1.2 miles per hour. This guy will be the first at his club to wear one. On the surface it would seem like little in the game of golf has changed: you still try to hit a ball 400 yards into a four-and-a-half-inch hole in four strokes. Yet golf has always been driven by change and technology—the old balls were called featheries precisely because they were stuffed with feathers. And the world of golf instruction is increasingly accepting that there is no perfect onesize-fits-all swing, and that it’s more a matter of finding your own unique way of achieving the desired result. Dressing for golf should be no different: you can wear whatever the hell you want, so long as it works for you.

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style

NORMal

to the CORE

Why your wardrobe needs quality basics.

need to flaunt a lot of details or patterns or status labels these days. Consider instead a soft white cotton T-shirt under a washed linen sportcoat, worn with a light denim pant and a plain white sneaker (sans logo). The air already feels lighter. The quality of these simple pieces is what stands out, and the less “branded” the look, the better. So who’s the new hero of high-fashion normcore? Might it not be the shleppy-looking fashion designer taking a bow at the end of his runway show?

Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld have put a function-over-fashion lifestyle on the luxury map.

GETTY1

For centuries, luxury fashion pushed the limits of wearability. Fussy styles and decadent details by famous designers were said to reflect wealth, extravagance and certainly status. Fast-forward to 2016. Those almighty fashion houses still stand, but the look of luxury has taken a different course. The most notable influencers of the past two years? Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. Yes, these two have put simple sneakers, tapered denim, casual sportcoats and a function-over-fashion lifestyle on the luxury map. It is, without a doubt, their version of wealth, success and status that has altered what we are seeing today on runways and sidewalks alike. Normcore is the name. Hardcore normal is the game. The term was first coined by K-Hole, a New York-based cultural reporting agency that suggested Millennials wanted to seek out individual identities by blending in versus undertaking the exhausting effort to stand out. Thus the “more-going-on-inside-than-meets-the-eye” look has become wildly popular. And big luxury brands are picking up what Larry and Jerry have (unwittingly) put down. Fendi released its spring/summer 2016 collection in Milan, showcasing its take on this trend with an array of minimalist shapes, colors and comfortable silhouettes. Other industry pioneers of normcore include Prada, Celine, Vince and Chanel, so be prepared for others (including the fast-fashion copycats that clothe the masses) to follow suit. The desire for high-end basics is definitely happening and it will likely continue for some time. Recently, Harvard researchers conducted an interesting study revealing customer behavior in luxury retail stores. They concluded that people shopping in tracksuits are actually perceived as more confident and likely to splurge than those waltzing through the doors in fancy clothes or otherwise contrived outfits. While we’re not advocating that the trend be taken to the tracksuit extreme, we must admit that unpretentious people dressed in simple, well-made attire seem to be the epitome of cool these days. For surely, looking confident and appropriate while staying comfortable is a luxury in itself—and in a society that has become less formal, it makes perfect sense. Now that upscale brands are presenting more relaxed, well-styled basics in luxury fabrics, it’s easier than ever to look great without trying too hard. In fact, you don’t

BY NATALIE GALAS

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wheels

A Horse

With No Mane

If driving is your passion and performance is your goal, the Shelby Mustang GT350 is sure to please. BY DAVID A. ROSE The 1960s saw automobile manufacturers pushing the limits when producing performance cars. The public loved these machines: the more power under the hood, the more love. In 1965 one of the most desired performance cars was introduced: the Shelby GT350 Mustang. With a modified 289-cubic-inch V8, this car produced 306 horsepower. To enhance the hype, 34 of these cars were built specifically for racing in the Sports Car Club of America’s B Production class, where they won the national championships in 1965, ’66 and ’67. In 2015 the Shelby GT350 Mustang celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, where dozens of these magnificent vehicles were on display and on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. For sports car enthusiasts who reminisce about the glory days of the 1960s, there’s good news: Ford Motor Company has resurrected the iconic marque with an all-new Shelby GT350 Mustang. Carroll Shelby’s original concept of transforming an excellent road car into an extraordinary road racing car is apparent in this sixthgeneration Mustang, the most nimble, best-balanced and most powerful Mustang to date. Ford offers two engine options: the 2.3liter EcoBoost with twin-scroll turbochargers (310 horsepower and 320 ft. lbs. of torque) and the 5.2-liter V8 (producing over 500 horsepower with more than 400 ft. lbs. of torque) matched to a lightweight six-speed manual gearbox. Like the models built in 1965, there’s one color only: Wimbledon white with Guardsman blue rocker stripes.

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I recently drove the Shelby GT350 Mustang with 2.3-liter EcoBoost at Lime Rock Park, and although this is the milder version, it felt like a race car as it traversed the 1.5-mile course. The vehicle scored high marks for handling, braking and acceleration. Performance is crucial to a car lover, but so is styling. “Everything we changed on the GT350 is purely function-driven design,” says Ford design director Chris Svensson. “We optimized the aerodynamic shape of the car and then fine-tuned what was left to increase down-force and cooling airflow. All bodywork from the windshield forward is unique to this high-performance model, and up to two inches lower than the Mustang GT.” More than 9.2 million Mustangs have been sold since being introduced in 1964. The new Shelby GT350, true to its heritage, might be the greatest of them all.

end page

Loose

Threads

A RELATIONSHIP UNRAVELED. . . BY HOLLY ADAM

A few weeks into that year, he hitchhiked thousands of miles just to see me. I was thrilled, but it tossed a real monkey wrench into my settling in. I couldn’t sort out who I was, who we were. Later that spring, I lied to him. He had moved to a closer college, more suited to him. I visited there, and told him I was going south with some friends. He knew I’d been trying to decide between him and another guy. We were at a breaking point, and I broke his heart. Badly. Unfairly. He never went dark on me, despite my bad choices. We spent a summer together in our hometown a year later. He made a life-altering decision then, and I had to sit back in silence. My beautiful man was going into the military, into a very specialized unit. It would transform the rest of his life. And mine. And so we parted. I recently discovered a treasure he had sent me decades ago, something I thought should go to his children. He emailed me back with his address, noting that he was soon coming east, would I like to have dinner? Thankfully, I didn’t have time to think about it. The trials and tribulations it took both of us to get there (flat tire for me, missed flights for him, cash and passports left behind) were inconsequential. I pulled up in my old car with the spare in the backseat; he was instantly beside me, holding my cheeks and kissing me as if no time had passed. Miraculously, we still had our connection, as natural and spontaneous as me removing that thread from his sportcoat long ago. Made me look in the mirror. Very closely.

n a recent set of crazy circumstances, I had the opportunity to reconnect with the first love of my life, 35 years later… Back in the day, I spent more time with him and his father than I did with my own family. They had a glamorous bachelor pad for two, with an amazing view. Dinner was almost always “out.” On our first official date, he had on a new sportcoat. I should have known he needed saving: the basting stitches had not been removed. I pulled them out, discreetly. (Who would have guessed that, years later, I’d end up an arbiter of men’s fashion at Bloomingdale’s?) There was a painful parting at the airport when he went off to college. Weeks later, my father drove me to college and on the way told me that he and my mother were getting divorced. I was in escape mode, and Daddy was horrified that I brushed off something so important. But I didn’t really brush it off, devastated that the love of my life was a million miles away instead of there by my side when I needed him.

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IMAGE BY THADDEUS ROMBAUER COURTESY OF HICKEY FREEMAN

I should have known he needed saving: the basting stitches had not been removed. I pulled them out, discreetly.”

HUBERT WHITE FORUM SS 2016

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