Trend Book - Current Trends & Forecasting

VOLUME ONE

W E AT H E R E D A GUIDE FOR THE RUGGED GENTLEMAN

W E AT H E R E D A GUIDE FOR THE RUGGED GENTLEMAN

Manon Audibert, Sara Spicer & Mallory Prevatt Current Trends and Forecasting Professor Daniel Greene | Spring 2014 Savannah College of Art & Design Savannah, Georgia

CONTENTS ANALYSIS 6 an overview of the rugged style for menswear as a whole THE URBAN ROAMER the life and style of charlie owens in brooklyn, new york

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THE PIONEER 14 eli merrick’s style in boulder, colorado THE CRAFTSMAN the simplistic style of nolan palmer in portland, oregon

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LIFESTYLE MOODBOARD showing the rugged style through a lifestyle moodboard

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SYNTHESIS the milestones of the rugged style as a lifestyle

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A N A LY S I S { the rugged gentleman }

The first guideline for a rugged gentleman is to be respectful of his surroundings.

This of course means that a gentleman will adhere to certain standards when being invited to an event, a night out on the town, or simply to a nice dinner at a friend’s house. Jeans, it is one of his favorite and most comfortable pair, can still be worn to a nice dinner at a friend’s house. A gentleman is not defined by his persistence, but by his ability to adapt and be the best in any situation, even while wearing jeans. He can certainly still “be himself ” when dressing properly for the occasion. This leads us to our second guideline: whatever you do, do it to your best ability. Dressing included. A gentleman should strive to equip himself with the best possible quality [within his budget] and the highest functionality. Of course, he will not wear a suit for our next dawn ambush in the wood duck hole, but for the in-between occasions pick a comfortable – and very functional – jacket from Barbour or Filson. A gentleman will always be suitably equipped in such manner. The third guideline: less is more. It has been said over and over again: for a gentleman, it is always recommended to go for subtle elegance instead of flashy brilliance. With the rugged style, it is no different. Simple lines, simple patterns, high quality materials, and no frills will suit the gentleman much better than a ton of accessories, conflicting patterns and rainbow colors. Keeping it simple will blur the lines between ruggedness and elegance.

A N A LY S I S

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CHARLIE OWENS { the urban roamer }

Charlie Owens is a country boy at heart, but has somehow traveled his way into the big city of Brooklyn, New York. His style can usually tell his story from far away. He has a rugged, but classic aesthetic. Pair his favorite staple pieces of blazers and denim on a weekly basis. Charlie is the urban stem of the rugged gentleman tree as his

“For me I really enjoy that basic t-shirt or button down with a nice blazer or vest. My go-to pant is usally my Levi 511’s. I like my style to be simple, but to also look like I do care about my apperance.”

-CHARLIE OWENS

style has a tough, but casual look to it, while maintaining room for a lot of daily movement, such as riding his bike or taking the cab to dinner. Charlie relocated from Washington State to New York as a buyer for Hershel Supply Co, the widely successful men’s accessory company. Charlie will tell you that looking professional yet casual is in the job description.

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Hat: Patrick James

Cardigan: Filson

Vest: The Kooples

Lace Up Boots: A.P.C Black Jeans: Levi’s

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ELI MERRICK { the pioneer }

Eli Merrick lives in Portland, Oregon, for now at least.

Eli is the type of guy that has a hard time living in a place for too long. Eli’s style is the definition of rugged. He looks for longevity in the pieces he buys but is not always willing to pay the price. Wherever his journey takes him is where he will buy his clothes. This does not make

“We are given a choice of what we do with all those fabrics we call clothes. I suppose I’ve always tried to make sense of it through styling it into this rugged, eclectic way.”

-ELI MERRICK

Eli a loyal customer to most stores since he is always on the go. Eli can usually be found in colder climate places, therefore you see his style reflect that. He looks to layer his favorite pieces such as his denim jacket under a puffer vest, finishing with a plaid or colorful scarf. Eli wants his clothes to have meaning and last during the rigorous demands he puts them through.

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Hat: Minnetonka

Vest: Barbour Flannel: Steven Alan

Jeans: Old North

Shoes: Clark’s

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NOLAN PALMER { the craftsman }

Nolan Palmer is a craftsman from Boulder, Colorado. His style is the epitome of simplicity and durability. Nolan is one to have a day of woodwork and a night of grilling at the house with his girlfriend.

He has just about every basic white shirt you can imagine, but he will pay extra for that quality label.

“I like my closet to have your basic t-shirts, jeans, and the classic Levi’s denim jacket. That way if I do purchase that item that is a little out of my comfort zone, I can still pair it with my essential pieces.”

-NOLAN PALMER

Nolan is not like the other rugged gentlemen categories in the way that he does not like a lot of all-over prints on his clothing. If there is any print on his clothing or accessories you would find it in smaller details of his t-shirt or on the sides of his boot or even on his baseball cap. Nolan likes to have a tasteful appearance but not anything that would stand out too much.

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T-shirt: American Apperal

Jeans: Levi’s

Boots: All Saints

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SYNTHESIS { the rugged lifestyle }

Leather jackets, denim jeans, and boots have become universal in all social circles.

We consider it our duty to weigh in on the dos and don’ts just to help out with guiding the flood of impressions, information, and ideas around the new style that is everything but new. As a matter of fact, the rugged gentleman aesthetic is quite old. In many ways, it is older than some of the items considered most conservative, like the tuxedo. Nonetheless, it did not make its way into the closets of socialites, stars, and starlets until recent days. Until recently, the rugged style was very much associated with rebellion, and characters like James Dean or Paul Newman were more teen idols than respectable guests at the governor’s next cocktail party‌ Today, the rugged style satisfies a desire of a gentleman to be perceived as rough and tough, ready for all possibilities. More often than not, it also represents a superior sense of quality. While more and more prominent, luxurious brands start to eye the growing potential of the rugged market, smaller and more traditional manufacturers have established a devoted customer base, strong reputation, and high brand loyalty. The rugged gentleman, in this case, can be transformed into an entire lifestyle.

We see components of this rough-tough nature in components such as editorials, interiors, visual merchandising, blogs, music, and even the style of women. Some examples of editorials are Kinfolk and Darling, and have the simple yet sophisticated look to them, similar to that of the rugged gentleman. We see left and right the spread of authentic, American shops such as Prospector & Co and Modern General

by Sylvester & Co here in Savannah, Georgia. The rugged gentleman and lifestyle that comes with it, hold the characteristics of being genuine, traditional, and dependable. All of these characteristics will withstand time and continue to develop.

SYNTHESIS

“I am the new American pioneer, looking forward, never back. No longer content to wait for better times... I will work for better times. ‘Cause no one built this country in suits. All I need is all I got, bruises heal. Stink is good. And apathy is death, so I strike up for the new world! A newer, mightier world. The one I will make to my liking, for after the darkness comes the dawn. There is a better tomorrow.

Look across the plains and mountains and see America’s eternal promise. A promise of progress. Go forth with me, go forth!”

-LEVI STRAUSS inspired by Walt Whitman