Hubert White by Fashion Forum Magazine

Hu b e rt Whi te Forum/The Substance of Style/Spring 2014

SPRING FASHION

TROPICAL HIDEAWAY STYLE GUIDE: TIE ONE ON SCENE AROUND THE WORLD

Su Misura Made to Measure is the Art of Personal Elegance

welcome

SPRING 2014 Welcome to the latest edition of Hubert White’s Forum magazine. The following 50 pages offer a little glimpse into our world. There are articles on color and style, on two of our iconic partners, Eton and Isaia, tips on how to wear your clothing with style, and even some information on hot trends in food and drink. Take special note of the spread beginning on page 8, put together by our own Brad Sherman and Matt White to highlight the spring 2014 season. In other news, it’s about time to start talking about a very important upcoming event: our 100th anniversary. In 1916 my grandfather, Hubert White, started our store in St. Paul on the site of what is now Kellogg Square Apartments. We are in the early planning stages for special events to commemorate this milestone, but let me assure you that 2016 will be a very special year for all of us here at Hubert White. We certainly hope you’ll join us in celebrating. In the meantime, please enjoy this issue of Forum magazine. I look forward to seeing you in our shop.

Bob White 3rd-generation owner

Exclusive fabric by Loro Piana, “Extreme”

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 DIRECTOR OF PREPRESS

John Frascone

FEATURES

BUSINESS JOURNALS FASHION GROUP

12 What’s Up With Those Off-the-Wall Isaia Images?

PUBLISHER

20 Best Practices: Exceptionally Eton

PRESIDENT AND CEO

46 Art: Listen Up

CHAIRMAN AND COO

Stuart Nifoussi Britton Jones Mac Brighton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

FASHION

Christine Sullivan

Andrisen Morton DENVER, CO

4 Trends for Spring ’14

APPAREL FORUM

14 All Tied Up

Garys NEWPORT BEACH, CA

16 Fabrics: Spring Forward

Kilgore Trout CLEVELAND, OH

22 Color Check 30 Italian Style

Hubert White MINNEAPOLIS, MN Larrimor’s PITTSBURGH, PA Malouf’s LUBBOCK/SOUTHLAKE, TX Mario’s PORTLAND, OR/SEATTLE, WA Mitchells/Marshs HUNTINGTON, NY

DEPARTMENTS

Mitchells/Richards WESTPORT/GREENWICH, CT Oak Hall MEMPHIS, TN Rodes LOUISVILLE, KY

Welcome Letter

Rubensteins NEW ORLEANS, LA

Ask Forum

Stanley Korshak DALLAS, TX Wilkes Bashford SAN FRAN/PALO ALTO, CA

36 World Scene FASHION FORUM MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED IN 11 REGIONAL EDITIONS FOR MEMBER

40 Food: May the Fowl Be With You

44 Spirits: Made-to-Treasure

48 End Page: Speaking of Style

CLAIMS, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS OR OTHER MATERIALS. NO PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHERS. VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

SPRING 2014 FASHION TIPS FOR HIM

I always thought I own just one belt that that jeans are jeans, reverses from black to brown. but I’m told there’s a What more do I need? difference between dress Just as there are dress jeans and casual denim and casual denim. jeans, there are also dress belts and What’s the difference? casual belts. If the leather is smooth,

shiny, burnished or exotic (alligator, snakeskin), it’s best worn with dress trousers or a suit. FYI, we love brown belts and brown shoes (leather or suede) worn with gray and navy tailored clothing! When you’re wearing casual pants (jeans, khakis, twills), the ideal belt might be a softer leather or suede. Fabric belts are also great in spring and summer (perfect for shorts!). Don’t be afraid of color or interesting buckles, both good ways to express some fashion flair.

I’m seeing some strangely short pants on young guys these days, sometimes hitting above the ankle. Is this a trend? Shorter-length pants are definitely the way to go in 2014, but showing ankle is on the extreme side. We recommend a very soft break in the leg, with the hem of the pant just grazing the top of the shoe. If this seems too trendy for you, go a bit longer, but please: no hems dragging on the floor! If your pant leg covers the entire heel of your shoe, it’s too long!

JENS INGVARSSON

If you own trim-fitting jeans in a medium to dark wash with no tears or abrasions, feel free to wear them out to dinner, with a sportcoat and tie if you desire, or with any kind of shirt or sweater. If you don’t own this type of denim, come into the store and try some on! Clean, dark jeans are perhaps the single most important item in today’s casual wardrobes, because they work well with virtually everything you can think of. What’s more, many of today’s new denim fabrics contain a small percentage of stretch to ensure comfort, wrinkle resistance and a perfect fit! If your jeans are baggy in a light to medium wash (with or without tears or abrasions), save them for casual wear and don’t pair them with a slim modern sportcoat. Better yet, buy some jeans that fit.

All About Color Our sales associates present 4 important trends for spring ’14. Chuck believes it’s All About Color, Bob is enamored with What’s Inside, Jim is a dedicated follower of My Baby Blue, while Paige is locked in on Brand Power.

1 printed shirts: Eton of Sweden 2 orange and green cotton trousers: Hiltl, white pebbled textured calfskin belt: W. Kleinberg 3 gold and barn red 5-pocket pants: Gardeur, gold ostrich leg belt: W. Kleinberg 4 colorful hosiery: V.K. Nagrani

MY BABY BLUE 1 navy ostrich leg belt: W. Klenberg 2 royal blue â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chino-linoâ&#x20AC;? jacket with matching trousers: Incotex for Slowear, linen/silk knit tie: Isaia, pocket circle: Edward Armah 3 bright blue and green wool/linen plaid jacket with coordinating lapis blue wool mohair trousers: Luciano Barbera, pocket circle: Edward Armah 4 azure blue trim-fit, washed-chino golf trousers: Hiltl

1 2

BRAND POWER 1

1 linen/cotton rugby stripe crewneck sweater with khaki denim 5-pocket trousers: Isaia 2 tan and lavender plaid super-130s lightweight wool suit, and one-piece button-down collar shirt in purple plaid: Isaia, linen pocket circle: Edward Armah

INSIDE OUT 1

1 10-pocket stretch wool travel blazer: Ermenegildo Zegna, red bengal stripe shirt: Eton of Sweden 2 soft-construction, quarter-lined wool/lycra seersucker plaid jacket: Samuelsohn, multi-stripe shirt: Eton of Sweden 3 featherweight wool/silk dark seersucker stripe suit: Montodoro for Slowear, pocket square: G. Inglese

What’s up with those

off the wall ISAIA images? ISAIA produces “single-image” ad campaigns. These single-image ads are designed to tell a story that carries on from year to year. The ISAIA ads and images are produced to reflect the essence of a true “ISAIA man.” One who is passionate, not afraid to cry, to admit fault, to be in love, or to seek redemption.

The story began with the 2010 ISAIA brand campaign… showing the ISAIA man confident and full, tasting all that is in front of him.

The 2011 campaign shows the ISAIA man in a miserable state… crouched in a corner, oozing sadness, guilt and remorse. What has happened?

2012 reveals the unintended consequence of scorning a woman… A martini thrown into the face of the ISAIA man. (Thankfully he is wearing ISAIA’s exclusive Aqua Spider fabric, resistant to stains and liquid mishaps… a foreshadowing?) This begs the question: What did he do to deserve this angry reaction? The next scene appears in ISAIA’s 2013 image… Our guy is leaning up against a confessional, prepared to ask for absolution from his sins. It now becomes clearer: something serious has happened. We just don’t know what it is…

The answers begin to unfold in the new 2014 campaign... A man must accept the consequences. We find him in the unfortunate position of holding an out-of-control baby boy. It is tempting to conclude that one must reap what he sows.

2.5-3.0” NARROW

2.0-2.5” SKINNY

ALLTIED UP!

THE FINISHING TOUCH THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

hose in the know view ties first and foremost as fashion accessories, divorced from the dress codes of 30 years ago. While ties paired with suits are still mandatory in some corporate office environments, many guys don’t see them that way: to younger generations, ties in narrower widths and materials like cotton or wool are fashionable accessories that go just as well with jeans and an unconstructed blazer... or no jacket at all. Take note that ties have been steadily slimming down over the last 10 years, from an average of 4 inches in 1994 to 3.25 inches today. Several widths (as illustrated above) are now acceptable, as long as they’re in proportion to your jacket lapel. With the pressure off, you’re free to add neckwear to almost any outfit, for almost any occasion. There’s no better way to show your unique personal style.

PHOTOGRAPHER: JENS INGVARSSON. STYLIST: WILLIAM BUCKLEY. TAILOR: JASON SANTIAGO. MODEL: EMANUELE @ MAJOR MODELS

3.0-3.5” MODERN

LITTLE-KNOWN NECKWEAR FACTS 1.

Louis XIV began wearing a lace cravat at the age of seven, igniting a trend that spread across France.

In the early 1700s, leather collars called “stocks” were worn around the neck to protect major blood vessels and encourage soldiers to hold their heads high during battle.

Published in 1818, Neckclothitania or Tietania contains the first printed use of the word “tie” in reference to neckwear.

The long, thin necktie style still used today was born during the industrial revolution, when factory workers needed simple, unfussy neckwear that wouldn’t come undone.

When soldiers returned home from WWII, the Bold Look (characterized by ties that were up to 5 inches wide) showed their eagerness to break free from the conformity of military uniforms.

Since September 2007, doctors in British hospitals have been banned from wearing neckties because they are laundered less frequently than other clothing items.

In their book The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie, physicists Thomas Fink and Yong Mao assert that there are exactly 85 possible ways to knot a conventional necktie. Of these, Fink says, “just over a dozen are sufficiently handsome or different from each other to be worn.”

International Necktie Day (or Cravat Day in Croatia) is celebrated each year on October 18th.

ADVANCES IN MODERN MATERIALS TAKE US THROUGH THE CHANGING SEASONS. BY WILLIAM KISSEL

If you still believe that cashmere and wool are for winter and cotton and linen must stay in the closet until the first signs of spring, you may not have a clear grasp on the material world—or at least not on the materials that have been developed in the past decade. In today’s world, where travel is more commonplace and indoor to outdoor temperatures can fluctuate wildly, the best spring menswear is made from fabrics that are essentially seasonless. Featherweight cashmere in “THE ULTIMATE the summer? Why not? A small percentage of tropSUMMER BLAZER ical wool blended into that linen shirt? Of course, IS NO LONGER especially since wool’s elastic properties help LIMITED TO combat wrinkles. COTTON OR “The biggest trend is weight-neutral fabrics that LINEN.” travel well and go from one climate to the next with —Arnold Silverstone ease,” explains Craig Wertheim of Scabal USA, one of the top cloth makers in the world. The Brussels-based company’s solution this season is Fresh, a collection of tropical-weight, wool-blend suit fabrics treated in an advanced finishing process that makes them more breathable as well as cooler to the touch, especially when worn in spring. Of course, cotton and linen are still the two most versatile fabrics for the warmer months. The hygroscopic properties of both plant-based fibers make them highly absorbent and resistant to heat. That same characteristic also makes them remarkably durable, and cooler when in contact with the body. But contrary to popular belief, traditional winter-weight cloths such as alpaca, cashmere and wool—all derived from the downy fleece of animals—are also hygroscopic, meaning they too can absorb perspiration and have the ability to keep the body cool in summer, depending on the weight of the fiber. In fact, cashmere’s unique molecular structure actually

IMAGES COURTESY OF SAMUELSOHN

fabrics

Spring Forward

helps the fiber absorb as much as 35 percent of its own weight in moisture. That compares to 25 percent moisture absorption for cotton, which makes cashmere the better choice for wicking perspiration away from the body. Thankfully,

modern technology can render many classically cool-weather cloths in microscopically thin and lightweight versions. To that end, some extra-

fine gauge cashmeres are now as light and airy as a pair of silk stockings, primarily because top knitting factories are using the same weaving machines to produce both. Or consider the incredible lightness found in this season’s fine-micron wools, some of which are made of gossamer-thin fibers six times finer than human hair. The newest technologies have been embraced by makers of both sportswear and suits, so unless you’re an Icelandic fisherman, it’s hard to believe there isn’t room in your wardrobe for any of these year-round weaves. For spring 2014, suit makers including Canali and Ermenegildo Zegna have been especially keen on seasonless blends of tropical-weight wool mixed with silk, bamboo and even mohair for a look that can add a bit of iridescence to the finished cloth. Others are using high-tech fabrics such as

microfiber, which is lightweight, water-resistant and breathable, as well as Ermenegildo Zegna’s Techmarino cloth and Loro Piana’s Storm System, which both add comfort and breathability to wool and other fabrics for when temperatures rise and fall. “Selling wool or cashmere in summer five years ago would have been tough,” offers Arnold Silverstone, president and creative director at Samuelsohn and Hickey Freeman, two of the leading suit makers at the forefront of new trends in fabric technology. “But the weights, the weaving and the technology have all changed so much that you can have jackets that look like cotton poplin and seersucker, but are really made of wool.” Among the company’s newest fabrics is a proprietary performance-driven wool called Extreme, created in collaboration with Loro Piana’s patented Rain System technology to give it natural stretch and render it water and wrinkle resistant as well. “We also did a lightweight cashmere/silk blend for spring that weighs only 200 grams, so it’s almost shirt weight but gives a soft hand [previously found] only in cashmere,” says Silverstone. “The ultimate summer blazer is no longer limited to cotton or linen; now you can wear a blend of wool/silk/linen and still be comfortable.”

Khakis Are About Purpose. Bills Khakis Have More Purpose Than Most. The individuals to the left make some of the finest khakis in the world. Each face represents a job. A livelihood that not only supports a family, but fosters a sense of pride that is difficult to measure in economic terms. This introduction wouldn’t be possible without customers who measure quality and value on their own scale. On behalf of everyone here, thank you for wearing Bills Khakis!

best practices

Exceptionally

ETON CRAFTING THE WORLD’S FINEST SHIRTS. By Karen Alberg Grossman

How did a little family-run shirt business in Sweden get to be the best-selling shirt company in America, possibly in the world? I recently had the opportunity to join a group of upscale menswear stores for a visit to Eton headquarters in Ganghester, Sweden and its design studio in Stockholm. Knowing Eton is one of the hottest brands in the luxury market, we were eager to experience firsthand the culture, commitment and quality-obsessed artisans at this amazing company. As with all great companies, success starts at the top. Eton CEO Hans Davidson (third generation, the company was founded by his grandparents in 1948) and senior advisor Jan Borghardt were incredibly candid about their journey. As Borghardt explains it, “The Swedish mindset discourages

arrogance: you should never think you’re too great. For many years, Hans and I were making all the decisions and it was hard for us to let people contribute. But we soon realized that we might be the problem, so we gradually established a team-building culture that encourages creative thinking. An intense passion now permeates the company; our people love coming to work…” Eton is a vertical business, managing every stage of the shirt-making process from cotton production to Hans Davidson and Jan Borghardt at the helm during a boat cruise in Stockholm.

Why invest in a luxury shirt? It will look better, wear longer and get more compliments than any shirt you own!” Bob White 20

creative to sales. They use only Ca g F or Your Ertin extra-long staple cotton (Pima from on Shirts HOME W California and Giza from Egypt), ASHING : • Unbutt on the sh renowned for its luster, durability irt and fo instructio llow care ns on lab el. and softness. (Only 0.7 percent of • Do not overfill w ashing m set on lo achine; the world’s cotton is ELS.) They then w spin. • Once w ashed, h ang shir partner with top mills that spin the t on hanger an d stretch collar, cu fr ont plack ff and cotton and weave the fabric. “We ets softly . Do not the shirt. wring work with mills in Italy, • Option al: Light iron for an Switzerland and France,” finishing extra touch. explains Eton creative PROFES SIONAL LAUNDR director Sebastian • Ask yo Y: ur cleaner to use lig and no st ht press Dollinger, a talented arch. Pre ssing is n recomm ot ended fo young artist whose r collar, cu front pla ff and ckets. inspiration wall for spring 2015 includes a Hindu magazine cover from the 1950s, a Led Zeppelin album cover, and various images of airplanes, flamingos, vintage pinball machines and Mexican skulls worked into a cool paisley. “We work Sebastian Dollinger with our weaving mills very early in the process and poses in front buy up their capacity far in advance, which is why of his spring inspiration the designs are exclusive.” board. Also unique to Eton shirts: a notable crispness, thanks to a special process that allows wrinkle resistance in the most ecologically safe way possible. “Cynics say it’s impossible to attain our level of wrinkle-free without chemicals,” Davidson explains. “But with our finisher in Switzerland, we invented a (40-step) method that actually rearranges the fibers of the cotton rather than coating the fabric with chemicals. It’s been said there are more chemicals in a cup of British tea than in an Eton shirt…”

FAST FACTS ON ETON: • The collection is sold in only the finest stores in 42 countries. • An Eton shirt is ecologically correct, from growing the cotton (using crop rotation) to dyeing the yarns to packaging and shipping. • Eton uses more cotton per square millimeter than most luxury brands. • They are famous for color clarity (there are 250 different shades of red alone!) and exclusive designs (they use no fabrics available on the open market). • Eton offers a variety of different fits and stocks numerous styles in each. The fit is exceptional because all measurements are carefully graded across sizes. • Eton collars and cuffs are unique: the founders invented an exclusive method of sewing them inside out. • Buttons are made of pulverized mother of pearl that Eton re-casts for added strength, and they’re strategically placed to allow for open collar-wearing. • Each shirt requires at least 100 minutes of cutting and sewing. • Much of the machinery used in the production process was conceived by Eton, and much hand craftsmanship is involved. • Eton ties are also exceptional, made at the finest factories in England and Italy. • The male model who is currently the face of Eton has a notable scar on his cheek. “Patrick represents adventure and risktaking,” explains global

Hubert White was the first Forum store to put in an Eton shop. I remember the opening party: we sold 100 shirts in one night and consumed around five bottles of Aquavit. It was a huge success!” Erik Wilkinson, Eton global sales director 21

brand director Robert Inghamn. “He’s the James Bond-type of guy that women love: always stylish and cool, even when facing extreme danger…”

COLOR CHECK

SPRING 2014 BRINGS A FRESH TAKE ON PRINT AND COLOR. DISCOVER THE LUSH HUES OF THE TROPICS, SET ON STUNNING VERANDAS UNDER A CANOPY OF PALMS AT THE MOORINGS RESORT & SPA IN ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SERGIO KURHAJEC HAIR/MAKEUP: CLAIRE BAYLEY STYLING: WENDY MCNETT / WIILLIAM BUCKLEY

BRING ON THE

BLUES

BE PLAYFUL WITH PLAIDS, SETTING EXOTIC BRIGHTS AGAINST BOLD NEUTRALS.

IT’S A SHORTS

STORY

Style

A CRASH COURSE IN EASY ELEGANCE, FROM THE WORLD’S MOST WELL-DRESSED MEN.

PHOTOGRAPHER: JENS INGVARSSON. STYLIST: WILLIAM BUCKLEY. TAILOR: JASON SANTIAGO. MODELS: EFREN @ MSA, JHANELLE @ MAJOR, EMANUELE @ MAJOR.

ITALIAN

Brown Shoes PAIR PERFECTLY WITH GRAY OR NAVY SUITS IN A MODERN SLIM FIT.

Spring Layering GETS YOU THROUGH THE SEASON IN STYLE, WHILE WHITE TROUSERS BALANCE COLOR ON TOP.

Tailored Outerwear DOUBLES AS A BLAZER WHEN WORN WITH A DRESS SHIRT AND TIE.

PLAY WITH

Prints & Patterns IN BOLD COLOR (AND SKIP THE SOCKS).

Lightweight Knits LEND AN EFFORTLESS COOL TO SLIM COLORED CHINOS.

world scene

BY DONALD CHARLES RICHARDSON

Experience life’s little luxuries. TOUJOURS PROVENCE

BRUNO PRECHEMINSKY

Quietly sequestered among the vineyards, olive groves and lavender fields in the South of France is the sleek, modern, nearly 750-acre Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort. Here, golfers are welcomed with two championship 18-hole courses and the Leadbetter Golf Academy, featuring the world’s top instructors. Spend the morning improving your swing, then pass a lazy afternoon at the infinity pool (with a breathtaking view of the Southern Alps), or get pampered in the elaborate and opulent spa. Since you’re in France, you should do a lot of eating and drinking. Terre Blanche makes it easy with four restaurants that serve fresh local dishes and superb wines (the rosés are especially excellent). Finally, retire to one of the elaborately homey villas scattered among the pine trees, where you’ll find seclusion and every contemporary comfort. It’s like having your own private Provence.

BLACKBERRY FARM, a stylishly pastoral resort at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee, has been a favorite American destination for generations. Along with the comfortable cottages, award-winning food, and vast number of activities offered at Blackberry Farm, food, beverage and wine director Andy Chabot has assembled a commanding collection of 8,500 wines. The rare vintages include 25 madeiras and 20 ports. Chabot introduces guests to these notable afterdinner wines with flights: side-by-side tastings of three, such as the 1834, 1863 and 1875 madeiras, or ruby, tawny and white ports. For the true port connoisseur Chabot suggests VV from Niepoort (released only twice in the history of the company, just 999 bottles of this tawny port were produced), which he describes as “an elegant way to ease out of the evening.” 36

IMAGE BY BEALL + THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

A COUNTRY PORT

Love where you live!

S M I T H + RO F F E R S

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world scene

PICTURING THE WILD WEST

For more than a century, cowboys and cowgirls have gathered at the Cheyenne Frontier Days to compete at the rodeo, dance the two-step and recreate the Old West. There’s also an art show. This July more than 60 of the country’s contemporary artists celebrate America’s frontier past—its culture, its magnificent scenery and the western way of life—in paintings, sculptures, wood and alabaster carvings, and Navajo weavings. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show begins with a preview, followed by a reception at the Wyoming Governor’s Mansion. A western dinner and cocktails are served throughout the evening while the sale takes place, and guests dance the night away to the sounds of a live band.

EASY RIDER

ission Motorcycles has recently introduced the Mission RS, an innovative and high-performing electric motorcycle. Merging stunning looks with state-of-the-art technology, the Mission RS has a 120 kW (160 hp) electric motor integrated with Mission’s InfiniteDrive, which offers control and performance levels never before seen in any electric vehicle. The result: a pure motorcycle experience. Marchesini competition-legal and race-spec forged magnesium wheels are included in the optional GP Package, making the Mission RS ready to compete on the world stage. Production of the Mission RS is limited to 40 editions; naturally, each bike purchased is hand-delivered within North America.

ON THE WATERFRONT

This summer, experience the great outdoors at Miami’s Viceroy Hotel. For evenings there’s Fifty, a new rooftop indoor/outdoor lounge perched atop the 50th floor. Recline on chaise lounges or hang out at the bar and private pool and stare at the stars (or the city lights). During the day, head for the 15th floor and make a splash in the 300-foot infinity pool (Florida’s longest), an 80-person hot tub (the world’s largest) and a wading pool, which together add up to a water complex the size of a football field.

SPRING 2014

Knowledge. Wisdom. Truth

food MAY THE

FOWL

FRIED CHICKEN GETS DRESSED UP.

BE WITH YOU

By Donald Charles Richardson

SO WHAT IF VERSIONS OF FRIED CHICKEN have been eaten since ancient times in Europe and Asia, chicken fried in palm oil has been a longstanding staple in West African cuisine, and the Scots were early proponents of frying chicken in fat? (Some even credit them with introducing the technique to the United States.) Despite its worldly history, fried chicken has become an inimitably American dish. After all, how many other countries celebrate National Fried Chicken Day? (July 6th, FYI.) It’s almost impossible not to love fried chicken. It’s crispy, satisfying, delicious, and like all great comfort foods, it can even evoke nostalgia: memories of Sunday family dinners, summer picnics or late-night refrigerator raids. (Few things in life are quite so satisfying as discovering an overlooked chicken leg.)

Although fried chicken has always been popular, these days it’s become so fashionable that even elitist gourmets are crying fowl. And cooks all over the country are keeping abreast of this current passion for poultry. Raised on a farm, Mildred Cotton Council spent years learning and creating her recipes. In 1976, she finally opened Mama Dip’s Kitchen (Mama Dip was her childhood nickname) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she continues to turn out some of the best fried chicken in the country. “I’m a country cook. I can tell how a chicken is raised by the taste,” she asserts. When asked if she has a special recipe, Mama Dip explains that she has “never called it a recipe” before sharing her prep routine: she soaks the chicken in a big tub filled with salt water, then rinses it off, dips it in flour and adds black pepper.

THOR SWIFT

Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc

“Best not to freeze for fried chicken,” she cautions. “People get chicken on sale and put it in a freezer, [but you] need a fresh chicken to begin with. Every day we get a delivery.” Mama Dip always serves her fried chicken with biscuits. Another tip she’s generous enough to reveal: “I started making biscuits with plain self-rising flour with a little extra baking powder mixed in there. It’s really good.” Other restaurants, vying for the cock of the walk title, have come up with their own inventive methods of making fried chicken. In Portland, Oregon, David Kreifels, one of the three Chicken and waffles at Birch & Barley

lion potato salad, pimento mac ‘n cheese, creamed kale and roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and presented alongside 12 different dipping sauces, including buffalo hot, satan spicy, homemade ranch buttermilk, barbeque and honey mustard. It stands to reason all the attention on this essentially simple American dish was eventually bound to ruffle the feathers of famous chefs. Renown for the gastronomic experiences he creates at his legendary French Laundry and Per Se restaurants, Thomas Keller salutes home cooking with Ad Hoc in Yountville, California. Here, chef de cuisine Katie HaganWelchel treats chickens like poultry royalty. Using only local birds no larger than 2.5 pounds (to promote even cooking), the chicken is cut into 10 pieces and spends 12 hours in an

partners who’ve created Simpatica and Laurelhurst Market (named in 2010 as one of the best new restaurants by Bon Appétit) says they only serve fried chicken from the butcher shop on Tuesdays at Laurelhurst Market, and at brunch on Sundays at Simpatica. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk overnight, dusted with a blend of curry powder, flour, salt, pepper and paprika, then fried in oil. The spice coating allows the chicken to develop a nice crisp at a lower oil temperature. It’s allowed to “rest” after frying and Kreifels says, “As it cools the crust gets crispier… and the crust stays on because of the lower heat.” Their chicken is served with waffles in fruit syrup. In Washington D.C., Birch & Barley’s fried chicken and waffle dish is so popular that husband and wife team Kyle (chef) and Tiffany (pastry chef) Bailey have opened another restaurant, GBD (Golden, Brown & Delicious), that highlights fried chicken along with their gourmet doughnuts. You can actually order a fried chicken sandwich with a doughnut as the bread. (Truly, you can!) GBD uses 100 percent hormone-free chickens plunged into a buttermilk brine then fried fresh to order. It’s served with sides like crème fraiche biscuits, scal-

IT’S ALMOST herb-lemon brine (to help the meat stay juicy). It’s IMPOSSIBLE air dried to room temperature then dredged in flour mixed with garlic, onion powder, paprika, cayenne NOT TO LOVE FRIED pepper, salt and black pepper. Next it’s dipped in CHICKEN. buttermilk, then returned to the flour mixture and finally fried in peanut oil. Chef Hagan-Whelchel uses two different fryers—one for white meat, another for dark— pointing out that dark meat takes longer and she prefers to cook it at a lower temperature (320 degrees) than the white (340 degrees). Fried chicken at Ad Hoc is on the menu every other Monday and served with corn bread and seasonal vegetables. It’s also available in a box lunch at Addendum in the garden behind Ad Hoc, from Thursday through Saturday. When you get right down to it, whether simple or sophisticated, fried chicken at its best is soul-satisfying food you eat with your fingers while having a really wonderful time. “Fried chicken somehow emotionally resonates with everybody,” says Hagan-Whelchel. “It’s a thread through all of us… it just makes you feel good.”

DAVID REAMER

Laurelhurst Market Steakhouse & Butcher Shop

spirits

Made-to-Treasure RESORTS AND RESTAURANTS OFFER GUESTS ONE-OF-A-KIND DRINKING EXPERIENCES. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

Jimmy Russell. Often the restaurant will craft a signature or private selection cocktail. Chef Marc Murphy's bar/restaurant Kingside, in Manhattan's luxe new Viceroy Hotel, features a custom Michter's Whiskey (aged in a custom deep-char barrel) in its own barrel-aged Manhattan. At Emeril Lagasse's Las Vegas venues, he drops a custom Buffalo Trace Eagle Rare single-barrel reserve into three seasonal cocktails: The NOLA Mule, the Bourbon Milk Punch and the Autumn Pomme. Bam! Such exclusivity isn't reserved for whiskeys: Herradura tequila offers a Buy the Barrel program to restaurants around the country, including several Richard Sandoval properties in New York; at contemporary Japanese eatery Shibuya in Las Vegas, you'll find exclusive sakes dubbed Neo-Tokyo and Hachiko; and at Four Seasons Milan, you can order a custom Italian (sweet) vermouth. "It's wonderful to see people come back and select new barrels for seasonality or specific food pairings," says Morris. "Restaurants and resorts are finding they're selling out so fast that they're saying, 'we've already got to do this again.'"

IMAGE BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

IT'S NO LONGER ENOUGH to order a standard blended whisky, or even an 18-year expression of your go-to Scotch before dinner. The latest trend: custom barrel selections and blends exclusive to specific restaurants, bars and resorts. Such custom and one-off bottlings have been around for years through high-end liquor stores and private tasting societies. But as the cocktail and fine drinking scenes evolve, more bars and restaurants are clamoring for a customized spirit. Woodford Reserve Bourbon offers two programs for restaurateurs and beverage managers: A single-barrel selection, and an unusual two-barrel blend, which sees the venue working directly with master distiller Chris Morris to create an exclusive whiskey, the selections winnowed down from over 100 possible barrels. "As far as I know, we have the only program like this," says Morris. Destinations like The Cloister at Sea Island (Georgia), The Edison in Los Angeles and the St. Regis in Atlanta have taken advantage. "It's so fun to watch the dynamics of each account: Some want a sweeter blend, some spicier. It's always unique; you can't replicate a two-barrel batch." Michael MacDonnell, beverage director at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas, concurs: "Uniqueness is one of the top selling points. Nowhere else in the world has it, and when it's gone, it's gone forever." The resort offers an exclusive Knob Creek sin-

THE LATEST TREND: CUSTOM BARREL SELECTIONS AND BLENDS EXCLUSIVE gle-barrel reserve Bourbon and TO SPECIFIC is now offering the first-ever RESTAURANTS, BARS AND Russell's Reserve select single RESORTS. barrel from Wild Turkey Distiller

IT JUST FITS.

art

Installation view of Soundings: A Contemporary Score at New York City’s MoMA. Inset: Janet Cardiff, The Forty Part Motet , Fuentidueña Chapel at The Cloisters

Listen Up!

Sound installations are a growing trend in the contemporary art world. Some attribute their popularity to the globalization of music through the internet. As Mark IJzerman, a sound artist/composer and writer for Everyday Listening, a website that posts various sound and art installations, sees it, “[The internet] makes way for music that uses sounds in different ways, which is why people’s ears are open to a wider variety. Sound is all around us, but we’re often not truly aware of it in the same way as the things we see because sound is temporal, fleeting. Learning how to focus on ‘active listening’ takes time and concentration, maybe more than looking at a painting, for example.” Garnering recent attention was Janet Cardiff’s Forty Part Motet, presented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Cloisters. This exhibit was The Cloisters’ entrée into contemporary art, and it was a first for Cardiff as well, since the exhibit was previously shown only in stark, modern rooms; this time, the backdrop was the beautiful Fuentidueña Chapel. Associate curator Anne Strauss referred to the work as “a contemporary artist deconstructing a renowned 16thcentury piece of music, transforming it into her own masterwork presented in a 12th-century setting.” The exhibit was breathtaking: 40 speakers set up in an ovu-

lar shape each played the recording of a singular voice from a member of the Salisbury Cathedral Choir. Together, the voices sang the 40-part motet Spem in alium numquam habui by Tudor composer Thomas Tallis. The 11-minute performance opened with a verbal introduction by the artist and played continuously during the museum’s operating hours. Guests were encouraged to walk around the room and listen to each speaker—separately and collectively—to gain the overall sensory experience. New York’s Museum of Modern Art also featured an exhibit in this emerging genre last year. Soundings: A Contemporary Score was MoMA’s first major exhibition of sound art and featured the work of 16 contemporary artists. The museum’s website described the exhibit: “These artistic responses range from architectural interventions, to visualizations of otherwise inaudible sound, to an exploration of how sound ricochets within a gallery, to a range of field recordings—including echolocating bats, abandoned buildings in Chernobyl, 59 bells in New York City, and a sugar factory in Taiwan.... The exhibition posits something specific: that how we listen determines what we hear.” Intrigued yet? Like art, sound installations can be exhibited in various forms. As IJzerman says, “It can be a sculpture in which sound is a dominant factor, or a knitted sculpture which reacts with sound when you touch it. Sound installation art is very much intertwined with both the exploration of music and sounds, but also sculptures and interactive systems.”

THE NEWEST CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITS ARE HEARD, NOT SEEN. BY ELISE DIAMANTINI

“

ON MATTERS OF STYLE, SWIM WITH THE CURRENT. ON MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE, STAND LIKE A ROCK.” — THOMAS JEFFERSON

WHETHER YOU’RE BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS IN PURSUIT OF YOUR DREAM JOB OR ENJOYING A NIGHT OUT WITH YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS, BEING SURROUNDED BY THE RIGHT LIFE-GIVING CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES CAN EQUIP YOU WITH THAT JUJU TO MAKE EVERYTHING GO YOUR WAY.” — CONNIE WANG & MARISSA ROSENBLUM

“

FOR IT. — Edith Head

Style

OPEN ALL

DOORS. — Thomas Fuller ’’ “Good design, much like good ballet, must look completely effortless. No one wants to see how hard you’re working.”

“

INNOVATION! ONE CANNOT BE FOREVER INNOVATING. I WANT TO CREATE CLASSICS.” — COCO CHANEL

WHATEVER YOU WANT

DRESS

Speaking

“GOOD CLOTHES

— JAMIE WOLF

YOU CAN HAVE IF YOU

“NINETY PERCENT OF WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PERSON IS HIS CLOTHING. SO OF COURSE IT MATTERS!” — TOM KALENDERIAN

’’

“STYLE IS A LUXURY, AND LUXURY IS SIMPLY WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.” — Deborah Needleman

“One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.” — Oscar Wilde 48

T H E U LT I M AT E T R O U S E R

HUBERT WHITE FORUM SPRING 2014