Malouf's by Fashion Forum Magazine

M alouf’s 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

Exclusive fabric by Loro Piana, “Extreme”

Malouf’s Kingsgate Center 8201 Quaker Avenue #106 Lubbock, TX 79424 806-794-9500 Southlake Town Square 190 State Street Southlake, TX 76092 817-416-7100 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Karen Alberg Grossman DESIGN DIRECTOR

Hans Gschliesser MANAGING EDITOR

FEATURES 30 34 40 66 70 72

Best Practices: Exceptionally Eton Fabrics: Spring Forward Profile: Lafayette 148 Speed: Days of Future Fast Essay: Cut Your Losses Culture: 4 Must-Watch Fashion Documentaries

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

BUSINESS JOURNALS FASHION GROUP PUBLISHER

FASHION 8 10 12 38 42 50

Ask Don Ask Lyndsie Spotlight on Spring All Tied Up Color Check Italian Style

DEPARTMENTS 2 6 56 60 64 76

Welcome Letter Happenings World Scene Food: May the Fowl Be With You Spirits: Made-to-Treasure At Your Service

Stuart Nifoussi PRESIDENT AND CEO

Britton Jones CHAIRMAN AND COO

Mac Brighton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Christine Sullivan

APPAREL FORUM Andrisen Morton DENVER, CO Garys NEWPORT BEACH, CA Hubert White MINNEAPOLIS, MN Kilgore Trout CLEVELAND, OH Larrimor’s PITTSBURGH, PA Malouf’s LUBBOCK/SOUTHLAKE, TX Mario’s PORTLAND, OR/SEATTLE, WA Mitchells/Marshs HUNTINGTON, NY Mitchells/Richards WESTPORT/GREENWICH, CT Oak Hall MEMPHIS, TN Rodes LOUISVILLE, KY 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 © 2014. 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 17, ISSUE 1. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

Kingsgate Center • 8201 Quaker Avenue, #106, Lubbock, Texas • 806.794.9500 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Southlake Town Square • 190 State Street, Southlake, Texas • 817.416.7100 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm | Thurs 10am-7pm

SPRING 2014

Knowledge. Wisdom. Truth

PLIAGE

速

CUIR

COLLECTION

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-makHans 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!” John Malouf 30

ing process from cotton production to creative to sales. They use only extra-long staple cotton (Pima from California and Giza from Egypt), renowned for its luster, durability and softness. (Only 0.7 percent of the world’s cotton is ELS.) They then partner with top mills that spin the cotton and weave the fabric. “We work with mills in Italy, Switzerland, and Egypt,” explains Eton creative director Sebastian Dollinger, a talented young artist whose 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 with our weaving mills very early in the process and buy up their capacity far in advance, which is why the designs are exclusive.” Also unique to Eton shirts: a notable crispness, thanks to a special process that allows wrinkleresistance in the most ecologically safe way possible. “Cynics say it’s impossible to attain our level of wrinklefree 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…”

Ca g F or Your Ertin on Shirts HOME WASHIN

G: • Unbutt on the sh irt and fo instructio llow care ns on lab el. • Do not overfill w ashing m set on lo achine; w spin. • Once w ashed, h ang shir t on hanger an d stretch collar, cu front pla ff and ckets soft ly. Do not the shirt. wring • Option al: Light iron for an finishing extra touch. PROFES SIONAL LAUNDR • Ask yo Y: ur clean

er to use light pre and no st ss arch. Pre ssing is n recomm ot ended fo r co lla r, cuff an front pla d ckets.

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

Sebastian Dollinger poses in front of his spring inspiration board.

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

Malouf’s is a great partner and the undisputed king of Eton shirts in West Texas.”

brand director Robert

Erik Wilkinson, Eton global sales director

guy that women love:

Inghamn. “He’s the James Bond-type of always stylish and cool, even when facing extreme danger…”

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

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!

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.

profile

Sleek

IN ALL SIZES

LAFAYETTE 148 EMBODIES MODERN SOPHISTICATION. BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

he brand’s mission is to provide enduring designs for its clients’ multifaceted lives, so iconic pieces like the white shirt and perfect-fitting pant are important cornerstones in each collection. But it’s the combination of these pieces with luxurious knits, laser-cut leathers and special handembellishments that truly sets Lafayette 148 apart. Styles are offered in a full range of petite, missy and women’s sizes, giving women of all shapes the opportunity to be effortlessly chic. At the helm is creative director Edward Wilkerson, who designed for Calvin Klein and Donna Karan before beginning his tenure at Lafayette 148 in 1998. Wilkerson

approaches design from a global viewpoint, and his world travels have directly inspired the vivid colors and interesting prints used throughout his designs. This season, look for relaxed, rounded shapes like drop-shoulder sleeves to soften sharp lines, and wide, cropped pants or long, slim skirts to balance voluminous a-line tops. Since it was founded by businessman Shun Yen Siu in 1996, the brand’s namesake headquarters at 148 Lafayette Street in Manhattan has been the home base for its design team and also houses a sales showroom and marketing department. Lafayette 148 owns and operates its own factory, allowing maximum flexibility, rapid turnaround time, and unparalleled oversight of the entire production process. The designers themselves are even on hand to make sure every detail is executed exactly how it was imagined. Though Lafayette 148’s production facility in Siu’s hometown of Shantou, China, is state of the art, the nearby schools were anything but. Outdated laws deny many children in the area access to a public education, so in 2007 Siu spearheaded the restoration of an abandoned school and founded the School of Dreams. Enrollment quickly expanded from children of Lafayette 148 employees to include children of all local workers; it now serves over 300 students from preschool through 6th grade. The company recently purchased two buses to provide the children with safe transportation, launched a free lunch and snack program to promote healthy living, and continually raises funds to keep books and equipment up to date. Though Siu has since passed away, those at Lafayette 148 and the School of Dreams continue to live by his philosophy: “Quality on the inside will reflect everywhere else.”

AVAILABLE AT

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.

A COUNTRY PORT

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 after-dinner 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.” 56

IMAGE BY BEALL + THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

BLACKBERRY FARM, a stylishly pastoral resort at the

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.

for a

wide range

Stephen Sebastian, Artist of the Year

April 25 .26 .27 Southlake Town Square

www.artinthesquare.com Art in the Square 2014 presented by the Southlake W omen’s Club

THE ZONE, PRESENTED BY KIDS’ KORNER, SPONSORED BY

Dentistry by Greg Gist, DDS

Griffith Roofing

OurGreatCity.com

Baylor Medical Center of Grapevine

#AITS2014

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

MI NGWANG K NI TS .CO M

IZABEL

MEPHISTO SANDALS WITH

Soft-Air

TECHNOLOGY

BEAUTY MEPHISTO offers you comfort with modern design. The SOFT-AIR PLGVROH YHU\ VRIW DQG Ă H[LEOH PLQLPL]HV the shock that results from walking. It protects your feet, UHOLHYHV \RXU EDFN DQG MRLQWV DQG SURPRWHV D KHDOWK\ environment inside your sandals.

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

speed DAYS OF

FUTURE FAST

THE NEXT GENERATION OF HIGH-TECH TRANSPORTATION IS ALMOST HERE. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

HERE WE ARE IN 2014; where are the flying cars and jet packs? Not everyone’s given up on the dream: From highspeed rail and solar-powered cars to wacky personal transport and luxury airships, innovators and idealists continue moving the world forward, one hovercraft at a time. Some of our biggest dreamers continue to look towards the sky. Last year, Terrafugia, a Massachusetts-based aerospace company, announced it was officially in the flying car business. The Transition is a compact, street-legal vehicle which can fly in and out of airports using retractable wings, looks and drives like a car on the road, and costs around $280,000. Now the company hopes to produce the TF-X, a four-seat hybrid electric vehicle capable of making vertical take-offs and landings. Despite the reality of private jets and luxury airliners, some innovators still envision demand for a classic airship. The Aether Cruise Experience is a design project created by University of

Huddersfield student Mac Byers. His concept is inspired by classic zeppelins and incorporates vertical lift technology from AerosCraft (a company producing high-tech dirigibles for cargo transport and hoping to be online commerically by 2016). Byers envisions his helium-supported floating cruise ship as an open design, allowing passengers to explore spacious catwalks, viewing areas, bars and large private sleeping quarters. The frontiers of private commercial space flight, meanwhile, continue to be dominated by two pioneers: SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. Despite promises of speedy delivery of civilian passengers into low-earth orbit and higher (SpaceX is convinced they’ll be able to do private fly-bys of the Moon and land their proposed Dragon spacecraft on Mars in this century), the industry seems rife with delays. Virgin Galactic’s space program hasn’t yet taken off (pun intended), and SpaceX appears (from the outside) to

IMAGES COURTESY OF HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER, SPACEX

SpaceX's Dragon, a proposed Mars lander

Spring Summer 2014

be focused on commercial space over passengers (though it is currently competing for a contract to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station). Sierra Nevada, another contender, conducted a test flight in October of its Dream Catcher space plane in which landing gear malfunctioned, causing minor damage. eanwhile on the ground, progress seems to be racing along. Japan, long known for its high-speed, magneticlevitation bullet trains, is now marketing the technology to other countries. Northeast Maglev, a Washington D.C. company, is hoping to build a superconducting maglev train to the Northeast Corridor, potentially chopping the three-hour trip between D.C. and New York to one. And Elon Musk, co-founder of SpaceX and the brains behind the electric Tesla S sports car, floated a concept last year for a pressurized tube rail called Hyperloop, which theoretically would make the trip from LA to San Francisco in 35 minutes. Musk seems to vasillate between claiming to be too busy to make this more than a pipe dream, and promising a working prototype by 2015 through the new spinoff company Hyperloop Transportations Technologies. Either way, the idea has caused buzz on the internet and piqued the interests of investors. Electric cars are becoming a daily reality, but unplugging them completely from existing fossil fuel sources remains a hurdle. The World Solar Challenge is a semi-annual 1,865-mile, four-day race across the Australian desert which attempts to draw new ideas out of universities and think tanks around the world. Sunswift, a team out of New South Wales, introduced Eve, a four-passenger, twodoor car which averaged speeds of 50 MPH through the race, and topped out at 80. “The greatest challenges were the design trade-offs between aerodynamic efficiency, solar array output and driver/passenger comfort,” says Alexander To, director of Sunswift’s business team. Though the car finished the race 90 minutes ahead of its competition, passenger weight handicaps and judging on practicality left Eve third in its category.

The race exemplifies some of the challenges of bringing a solar-charged, off-the-grid car to market. “We calculated that if we applied the parameters of our competition to a Nissan Leaf [a small electric car priced—and taxed—at the luxury level in Australia], it would do the event in 28 days rather than four days,” says Chris Selwood of World Solar Challenge. “It highlights the cap between cutting-edge efficiency and commercial limitations.” What if you’re burning to buy a piece of the future today? Hammacher Schlemmer has been providing such opportunities for years, with electric bikes and hovercrafts filling the pages of their catalog (and their newly remodeled Manhattan flagship store) alongside high-tech razors and poolside fireplaces. Most recently, the company introduced two tantalizing personal submarines: one that looks like a Killer Whale ($90,000) and a two-person submersible for studying the ocean floor ($2 million, training and certification required). “We’re always looking for unusual modes of transport,” says Stephen Farrell, director of merchandising. “In the flying world, there is a loosening of ultralight aircraft regulations, making it easier for people to fly personal aircraft.” Perhaps he has the skinny on when we’re getting those jetpacks we’ve been so long promised. “We’re getting pretty close,” says Farrell. “It’s basically in the hands of military contractors. When they’re legal, safe and available, Hammacher Schlemmer will sell them!”

INNOVATORS AND IDEALISTS KEEP MOVING THE WORLD OF TRANSPORTATION FORWARD.

Hammacher Schlemmer’s Killer Whale Submersible

Dirigible prototype from AerosCraft

essay

RE-EVALUATE YOUR WARDROBE AND

Cut Your Losses By Hans J. Gschliesser

I vividly recall my cocky college roommate (an accounting major) lecturing anyone who would listen: “It’s not how much you make; it’s how much you keep!” Those words, delivered with the hubris of youth, still resonate for me. Unfortunately, they do not apply to my overstocked clothing portfolio, as I’ve been practicing a buy-andhold wardrobe strategy. It’s gotten so bad that when there’s a special event on the horizon, I become so traumatized at the prospect of retrieving the right tux from that entangled black hole that I run out and rent one (despite owning several already). The painful truth: No matter how good an investment it was seven years ago when your waist was as trim as the economy, some things no longer fit. Forget about squeezing into those artfully distressed but now uncomfortably tight jeans that have strolled in and out of style several times over the years. Forget the suits with the big shoulders and flowy pleated trousers: even if they still fit, they’re far too outdated to be respectable. We understand: you were simply caught up in the moment when you bought that ridiculously loud red tartan sportcoat

while vacationing in the Scottish Highlands. Blame it on the single malt if you must, but why hold on to it longer than The Macallan ages in its cask? Clearly, guys tend to fall victim to what economists and psychologists call the Effect of Sunk Costs. Yes, you made a monetary and mental investment when you decided to buy it, but now that it no longer holds any real value to you, why not just toss it? If you’re like most of us, you don’t want to appear wasteful, but what do we gain by holding on to stuff we never wear? Suggestion: rather than let your underused clothes languish in your overcrowded closet, how about getting a great return on those investments by donating them to a local non-profit? If you find the process too overwhelming, call a professional advisor (e.g. one of our sales associates) to help rebalance your wardrobe. Not only will your fashion-savvy consultant suggest what should stay and what should go, he’ll also offer some great ideas on how to update your overall style. The net result: an uncluttered closet, an uncluttered mind, and the spiritual dividend that comes from helping those in need. My new axiom is out with the old and in with the new. Or to paraphrase my college roommate: it’s not how much you own, but how much you wear.

GETTY/LASSE KRISTENSEN

WHAT DO WE GAIN BY HOLDING ON TO STUFF WE NEVER WEAR?

culture Before there was Anna Wintour, there was Diana Vreeland, often referred to as “The High Priestess of Fashion.” The visionary editor helped shape the fashion and social trends of the mid20th century... discovering models including Lauren Bacall and Twiggy, designers like Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg, and informing Manolo Blahnik that he should design shoes. The Eye Has to Travel reveals the wonderfully imaginative, if often over-the-top, editor with a breathtaking joie de vivre. The consensus is clear: there has never been anyone like Diana Vreeland. She was utterly demanding of the people she worked with, but she had an incredible work ethic and produced some of the most fantastical, beautiful images in magazines. She ﬁrst worked as an editor at Harper’s Bazaar, largely pioneering a job that had previously been ﬁlled by somewhat frivolous

society ladies. As editor at Bazaar, and later editor-in-chief of Vogue, Vreeland traveled to the most exotic locations around the world with photographers like David Bailey and Richard Avedon. Vreeland had no formal fashion education, yet she gained an extensive knowledge of history and culture through her own study of fashion. Diana helped expand the influence of the ’60s “mod style” that cropped up in London by photographing the trendiest models, rock stars and celebrities. After she was fired from Vogue, Vreeland accepted a job at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She revamped the entire collection, pulling items out of the archives to create opulent fashion exhibits each year. Each exhibit was accompanied by an equally extravagant party on opening night, which became one of New York’s premier social events. The Eye Has to Travel provides a close look at the epic career of an icon, sharing some little-known details about her life. Overall, nothing entirely shocking or groundbreaking is revealed, but with Diana’s booming voice and fierce declarations, The Eye Has to Travel is a very entertaining experience.

Valentino: The Last Emperor brings us into the rarefied world of legendary couturier Valentino Garavani, chronicling the events that led to his decision to retire after 45 years. It explores Valentino’s career, during which he dressed such fashion icons as Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, and his fascinating 50-year relationship with romantic and business partner Giancarlo Giammetti. We see the designer in action, creating a white gown that came to him in a dream as seamstresses painstakingly hand-sew on sequins and make changes until his vision is finally realized. Woven in are news clips depicting the evolution of an industry that would no longer accommodate the grand tradition in which Valentino and the greats of his era practiced their craft. Little by little, investors gain control of his company. The real-time narrative follows the preparations for a grand retrospective of Valentino’s work for his 45th anniversary in 2008, at the Ara Pacis Museum, followed by dinner at the Temple of Venus and an aerial ballet, an event unmatched in its grandeur. This film is as engaging a story as it is sumptuous to watch, filled with exquisite gowns and beautiful people.

It’s a sad moment when Valentino tells the press, “The celebration was unrepeatable. And so I have decided it is the right moment to leave the world of fashion. As the English say, I would like to leave when the party is full.” The worthwhile, though uneven, The Tents chronicles the evolution of Fashion Week at Bryant Park, positioning New York as a global fashion capital among the ranks of Paris and J>; J;DJI Milan. In 1993, the (&'( Council of Fashion ./ c_dkj[i Designers of America (CFDA), led by Fern Mallis, identified the centralized location that soon drew worldwide attention. Before Bryant Park, fashion shows were held in nightclubs and other scattered spaces, where the shows quickly outgrew their venues. The atmosphere was chaotic and unprofessional. The tents at Bryant Park were a triumphant, groundbreaking solution, solidifying New York’s fashion scene. Designers such as Donna Karan and Zac Posen, as well as top fashion editors, are interviewed, recalling the excitement and glamour of attending shows in the tents. While there is a twinge of nostalgia as Fashion Week prepares to move to Lincoln Center, most of the people interviewed are optimistic due to the cultural significance of Lincoln Center. While worth watching for the historical information and “eye candy” of runway footage, the documentary lacks a thematic thread. The brief emotional discussions of 9/11 and Alexander McQueen’s suicide seem out of place with the rest of the film. Bill Cunningham New York is an inside look at the 82-yearold New York Times photographer who spots trends by shooting anything that catches his eye on the city’s bustling 8?BB 9KDD?D=>7C streets and social D;M OEHA scene. The Bill that (&'' comes through, riding /& c_dkj[i everywhere on a Schwinn bike with his Nikon camera, is an

immensely humble and affable man with a unique talent. Today, with countless fashion blogs and the celebrity pop culture craze that often dominates fashion magazines, Bill, with his conventional camera and ﬁle cabinets full of negatives, appears both endearing and refreshing. Cunningham, who charmingly spent most of his life in a tiny ﬂat without a kitchen or private bathroom in the (now converted to offices) Carnegie Hall Artist Studios, has been photographing New York’s street style for almost 50 years. He has become a darling of the New York social scene, the only member of the press invited to Brooke Astor’s 100th birthday party. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of

Vogue, candidly admits, “We all get dressed for Bill.” While he has developed close friendships with many of his subjects, most know little about his personal life. The ﬁlm reveals a man who began his career as a hatmaker, lives alone, is obsessed with his work and “has never had the time” for a romantic relationship. Cunningham’s passion for clothes is evident throughout. Commenting on the notion that some think fashion is unimportant, he said, “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. To do away with fashion would be like doing away with civilization.” Bill Cunningham New York is a fascinating and uplifting depiction of the man behind the lens. — Andrew Mitchell-Namdar

MALOUF’S FORUM SPRING 2014