the FASHION forum OH KEI!
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f Canali’s Kei jacket has taken the fashion world by storm, it’s no surprise. As cozy and light as a knit garment, impeccably sharp, and so comfortable it can be worn year-round, this softly structured jacket is a masterpiece of Italian tailoring that can be appreciated (and worn) by men from every walk of life. And that’s exactly what Giorgio Canali had planned from the start: “When we created the Kei jacket, we didn’t have a specific customer in mind. We wanted something that would be timeless and appeal to many different types of men. The Kei strikes the perfect balance between comfort and style and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It’s this level of versatility that makes it such a hit season after season.” Trust us: no closet should be without one!
PERFECTION PERSONIFIED
Wisdom of many sorts is dispensed in A.C. Phillips’ wonderful how-to guide, The Pocket Square: 22 Essential Folds. Each chapter (with such unforgettable titles as “The Guido Puff” or “Diamonds are Forever”) illustrates how to create one pocket square look perfect for any suit or sportcoat. Better still, each section is preceded by an aptly chosen quote from a style icon, ranging from playwright Oscar Wilde to actors Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart to designers Hardy Amies, Tom Ford and Luciano Barbera. Best of all, there’s also a page with eight must-know “Etiquette” rules, including our favorite: “A gentleman should carry one square for show and another to blow.” Now this is what we call essential reading.
If there was any lingering question of the brilliance, innovation and craftsmanship of the late couturier Yves Saint Laurent, the new museum exhibition Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style (on view at the Seattle Art Museum from October 11 to January 16 before traveling to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on May 7) should put any doubts to rest. This multifaceted retrospective drawn from the collection of the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent will shine a bright light on the designer’s genius. On view will be 100 of his greatest creations that span nearly 50 years— some never before seen in public—along with photographs, drawings and films that give insight into his particular process. Says curator Florence Muller: “The changes he progressively introduced into the traditional representation of the feminine and masculine bodies and the codes of seduction stand at the origin of the profound changes of contemporary ways of dress.” Truer words were never spoken.
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THE FASHION FORUM WRITTEN BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON
Square Deal
