Hello!...I'm just Fine...and Dandy

There are two universal truths about the suit:

1. With the RIGHT accessories (shirt, tie, links, pocket square) it can look outstanding.

2. With the WRONG accessories (shirt, tie, links, pocket square) it can look awful.

The New York city based Fine & Dandy Shop (www.FineAndDandyShop.com) is an online retailer that specializes in making sure you're able to bring out the best in that prince of wales 3 piece that you've been looking to spice up.

Recently, the team at Fine & Dandy launched it's 2009 Look Book.

Black Crushable Felt Ivy Cap
Purple Paisley Bow Tie
Blue Multi-colored Pocket Square

Photographed by Patrick Roxas the Fine & Dandy Look Book showcases some amazing accessory looks. From paisley bow ties and felt ivy caps (above) to black derby hats and multi colored pocket squares the Fine & Dandy shop sells some of the best accessories I have seen on line (or anywhere for that matter).

Black Derby Hat
Burgundy Striped Houndstooth Bow Tie
Silver And Paisley Pocket Square

Black Derby Hat
Grey Fleur de Lis Rep TieYellow Striped and Paisley Pocket Square
Buffalo Nickel Cufflinks

The accessories are fantastic but the reason I've included so many shots from the look book is because the photography and styling is absolutely amazing! The clothing that the shop selected to showcase the product is beautiful and the photography reminds me a little of the stuff that Peggy Sirota shots for the Barney's catalogue.

Grey Diamond Hat

Purple Melange Silk Tie

Purple Handkerchief (part of set)

Silver Fleur-De-Lis Cufflinks
Brushed Stainless Steel Pocket Watch

Grey Ivy Cap

Red Plaid Bow Tie

Yellow And Burgundy Pin Dot Pocket Square

Tooled Leather Portfolio

Christys' London Grey Newsboy Cap
Purple Striped Bow Tie
Orange Multi-Colored Edge Pocket Square

Black Beret
Blue Club Tie
Rectangular Silver Tie Bar
Orange Wool Scarf

Brown Flecked Newsboy Cap
Grey Melange Silk Tie
Dress Stewart Wool Scarf
Gold Key Tie Bar

To check out the rest of the look book Click Here and you can check out the online store at FineAndDandyShop.com.

Now go get a few accessories and flex your "dandy-ism"

Make it and Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Cult of Personality

Over the last several months you've seen me write a lot about what I'll call throwback denim. Denim that is simple and comfortable and comes from a simpler time. A little less "ass-vertising" if you know what I mean...


I love brands like Rock & Republic and True Religion but I hate the fact that other brands think that men don't want other options. Fortunately there are a few denim houses that recognize that the tide is changing and, as a result, are bringing fantastic denim washes and fits without having to scream and shout the brand name.


One of those brands is Cult of Individuality.




The name is a bit of a hint into the brand point of view....


Unlike other denim brands, Cult has made the choice to prioritize feel and fit over other aesthetic attributes. Now don't get me wrong, the denim from this brand looks great but this is a brand that recognizes that the magic of denim occurs when you slide your legs in and pull the waist band over your hips.




If they feel familiar, comfortable and like they've been your favorite pair for a decade then....really...nothing else matters.


Cult of Individuality understands that. It's a "guy's guy" brand of denim – worn-in and rugged, designed to look and feel like the jeans that you’ve had forever that you just live in, but in the most modern of cuts.



Available in Hagen Straight, Rebel Slim, Rocker Skinny & Trysten Boot cut, the line was just picked up by Bloomingdale’s and is also available in specialty stores worldwide – retailing at $185 (a great price-point considering all the hand detail and distressing that goes into these jeans).



Cult of Individuality calls it's denim "the canvas of the owner's life experiences" - what an outstanding way to describe denim....so very true.


I say pick up a new canvas and create a masterpiece!


Make it an Outstanding Day!


- Kenyatte

Fat Models

If you've followed Tweed & Velvet for a while then you'll remember a post that I did called "Model Homme". It was the first of a group of posts intended to explore the men who model the clothing from the major fashion houses that we all know and love.

I was doing some research for an upcoming Model Homme post and I found a headline that was particularly disturbing.

Size 4 model: I was fired for being too fat

Former Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton, who has worked with the brand for 8 years (since she was 15) was recently released by the brand because, as she states, she was too fat.

The brand informed Filippa of the decision via a letter that Lauren wrote to her agent saying "We're terminating your services because you don't fit into the sample clothes that you need to wear" adding in a response to the media "We regret that our relationship has ended as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us..." (read full statement here)

Most easily recognized by RL lovers by the campaign shot above, Filippa is 5'10'', 120 pounds and a size 4....not exactly Tank Johnson. She also says that she has not gained a pound since she entered into her most recent contract.

I could see why she was fired though...

I mean, look at her...she's over-weight and grossly unattractive...

....uhhhhh.....yeah....I'm gonna have to disagree with Ralph on this one.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

A New Kind of Timberland

Typically when you think about Timberland boots you think of these.....

And typically when you think about the boots shown above, you think about people wearing them like this...

It's not that I have anything against the standard 6 inch construction Timberland boot - after all I've purchased several pair over the last 15 years and still have a pair now.

Nor do I have an issue with the boot cut jean-draped-over-the-boot look (provided you're not showing the world your underwear).

I do, however, have an issue with the fact that over the last decade and a half the Timberland Boot Company has assumed that re-inventing this beige and brown boot in every color and fabric combination known to man could be considered fashionable or even interesting.

...wait, what kinda boots are these? I can't see the logo....

1. Why muck up construction boot perfection

AND

2. If you're going to innovate....then INNOVATE DAMMIT!!!

Just when I was at my wits end I saw the Fall/Winter collection from the Timberland Boot Company. In a word....OUTSTANDING!!

The Tackhead (above in green canvas with brown leather and black canvas with black leather) and the two vintage boots below (in nubuck and finished leather) come from the new Fall/Winter collection from Timberland Boot Company.

Now, when you think of Timberland boots you can think of theses...

And when you think about the boots shown above, you can think about people wearing them like this...

Now that's Change I can believe in.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Gucci for your iPhone

Okay...I have to admit that, although I felt it was admirable, I wasn't completely sold on the influx of Internet friendly marketing that I've been seeing come from some of the major fashion houses.

Unlike the very intentional work done by brands like Ralph Lauren and Gap as well as e-retailers like UKs Yook.com and the Gilt Groupe, the interactive work lead by some of the premier luxury brands (I won't name names) seemed a little forced and was, as a result, less engaging.

Then my friend Caitlin from Gucci sent me this....

Yep....it's Gucci’s new free App for the iPhone and iTouch...."Child Please!!!" (in my best Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson voice). You can check it out starting today on the App Store.

The app features the Gucci Little Black Book city guide, along with images from the latest fashion shows. look books and news from Gucci and creative director Frida Giannini.

On top of that, this free Gucci app comes with a streaming music channel and, incredibly enough, a feature called Gucci Beats.

Created by Frida and Grammy Award winning producer Mark Ronson, Gucci Beats contains personal play lists by Frida and Mark and allows you to mix your own music tracks and share with friends.

I love the fact that as soon as I saw this I thought the same thing, twice...

1. Tom Ford would have NEVER done anything like this (in a bad way)

2. Tom Ford would have never done ANYTHING like this (in a good way)

I'm leaning toward the latter.

I say go to iTunes right now and download this app while it's free before Frida realizes how awesome this is and puts a proper Gucci price tag on it.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Buy This Sock...Period

Did you know that the in some Asian cultures there is a common belief that death begins at your feet. It's one of the reasons why foot massage is so common place in many areas of China. Business men will often leave the office to get a quick foot rub....NICE!!

No wonder lovers of men's hosier (aka socks) will spend a bucket load of cash on great socks. I know it sounds silly...

"C'mon Kenyatte, a sock is a sock is a sock.....right?....."

Wrong!

When walking through the office or running across campus you can put 2 to 4 times your body weight on your feet. With a pair of 100% synthetic socks every step is recoiled and reverberated, magnifying the impact and sending muscles fatiguing shock waves through your ligaments and tendons (is that the scariest thing you've ever read about walking or what??)

Conversely, if you're wearing a great pair of cashmere socks the shock of every step is buffered by cushioning abilities that dramatically outstrip those of other natural and synthetic fibers.

All that said, there two BIG ISSUES with cashmere socks

1. All that cushioning makes for a great winter sock but when it's warm things get...um..."sticky"

2. You can't put them in the washing machine

EUREKA!!! UK fashion house British Apparel Collection Company has introduced Punto - a collection of cashmere socks that are, at once, year round and machine washable.

The secret is a hi-tech, menage-a-trois of yarns (see below for a live shot of sock menage-a-trois...)



Punto seamlessly blends together three, R & D derived, hybrid versions of everyday yarns - cashmere, Super-Soft cotton and a smidgen of hi-performance nylon for, elasticity, breathability and long-wear durability.

With list of 18 bold-to-basic fashion colors - from a bubble gum pink to a great pair of black and white hounds with pink accents - the collection is sure to be a favorite of the fashion forward sock enthusiast.

By the way, "Punto" in Spanish means "the end / to put a point to".

I have a feeling this is the last brand of fashion sock that you will ever want to buy...Punto.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Gucci goes all 'Social Network'

Gucci is launching a new eye wear line and the fashion house is celebrating with a new photo-inspired social networking micro site....(gonna give you a second to let that sink in)

Gucci Eye Web is a new party photo destination where you can create your own photo art “reflectively” in the lenses of Frida Giannini’s new “eyeweb” sunglasses and can then share the results with friends.

While you upload and share your photos, you change the light, the music and the city you’re playing in. You can also time-stamp your images and keep a party timeline…And, of course, the new eye wear is available for purchase through a link to Gucci.com.

It's no facebook but, as a marketer of beauty brands for the last 10 years, I have to applaud the effort that many of the forward thinking fashion houses have given to finding a way to leverage the online space to create new product awareness.

Now if only there was a way to "poke" a Gucci model....that, my friend, would be a nice widget (sexual innuendo very much intended).

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Monday's with Mio Destino

Is there anyone on the planet who actually likes Mondays?

It is, simultaneously, the first day of the work week and the day after the weekend AND I'm pretty sure the relationship between 'Monday' and 'Mundane' is not a coincidence. Unless we're talking about Monday night at 8pm EST between September and January (i.e. Monday Night Football) I think it's safe to say that Monday pretty much sucks.

So here is my attempt to liven things up a little bit.

My gift to you, gentlemen, is the Autumn/Winter '09 Lingerie Trend Report from UK fashion retailer Mio Destino

Mio Destino sells some of the most amazing men's and women's lingerie I have ever seen but the great thing about this trend report is how incredibly interactive this e-book is.

The pages turn, like book pages, on line and almost all of the images are click-able in order to provide better detail and more images of the various pieces. There is even a gift guide (see below) for us "3 legged" schmucks.

In addition to the stunning lingerie from Marlies Dekkers (pause for the cause...)

you'll find top brands such as Simone Perele and Mimi Holliday and fabulous new designers including And God Created Woman and Miss Lala's Boudoir.

All in all, it's a damn good read on a Monday night

.....and NO reading with your pants around your ankles is not 'reading'....there is another name for that.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

I "Heart" Ceramic

Okay so I was working on the Nixon Regent post below and I found this....

O - M - F - G

(Oh, my freakin' God.....if you were wondering...)

The Nixon Ceramic 51-30 is a 300m solid ceramic monster with a custom hardened mineral crystal case back window and scratch resistant sapphire crystal face. The band is solid ceramic and the movement is a 25 jewel Swiss made automatic with a sweeping second hand.

This watch will set you back $2,400...

I'm heading downstairs to dig through my sofa cushions...

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Nixon Regent

It's no secret that the Nixon brand makes some outstanding watches. The last time I was in San Fran I picked up a 51-30 Tide in Brushed Steel (I saw a few other things while I was there but you can check out my West Coast picks here) . The 51-30 is a beast of a watch. This makes it great for casual wear...not so great for more formal attire.

Well if the 51-30 is "the beast" then the recently released Nixon Regent is "the beauty".

The Regent continues in the stylish yet minimalist tradition that Nixon is known for but that is where the comparison to the typical Nixon stops. The Regent has a 25 jewel Swiss made mechanical, automatic winding movement with a day and date window and a beautiful pale blue sweeping second hand.

At $1,200 the watch is a great deal with a stainless steel case, a scratch resistant sapphire crystal and a genuine Italian Crocodile leather strap with a stainless steel buckle.....Boo-Yah!! (I don't really know why I said "boo-yah" but it just felt right)

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

...you prefer your roses blue...

So if you're a gentlemen who reads my blog....wait...let me start over...(because ONLY gentlemen read my blog)...

If you're the kind of guy who reads this blog you have undoubtedly given a women flowers and if you've given a women flowers then you have probably given her roses.


I was listening to one of my favorite songs, from an R&B artist named Maxwell, called "Get to Know Ya" and the first couple of lines go like this...

"...they will try to bring you flowers,

but you prefer your roses blue...

...they will try to get in your trousers,

but I was just trying to get into you..."**

Needless to say, I love that line and figured I would try to find out if I could order "blue roses"...

Viola!!!

It took me a while but I finally found a site that would create (the roses need to be dyed) and ship blue colored roses in the states - many sites were Canadian specific, surprisingly.

The site is called Grower Fresh Roses and the novelty roses pictured above are toned from dark blue/purple tips and the color shades into a mauve base.

If you're interested in sending them to your "sweet thang" make sure you call ahead because the bouquet is very popular and it takes about a week to get them - which should be just enough time for you to rest up for the love making marathon you'll be in for when she gets them....enjoy boys!

Make it an Outstanding Day! (**click the link, it sounds better when he sings it)

- Kenyatte

Jil Sander Online with Yoox

I've been on a pretty big on-line shopping kick lately. A pair of Ted Baker loafers from Gilt Groupe, a cobalt blue double breasted suit from Banana Republic Monogram and more recently a fitted gray denim jacket from an L.A. based brand called Kill City (of course, they don't really advocate the eradicating of entire cities but they do make very cool clothes).

One of my favorite shopping trips is not a trip at all because the shop is online. It's an on line retailer called Yoox. It's a UK based shop that features well and little known luxury brands from around the globe, at discounted prices.

I'm not sure how I missed this but just last month The Jil Sander Group announced the opening of its new online store http://www.jilsander.com/. The shop will be powered by Yoox and offer a full rang of products for passionate web aficionados as well as newly attracted Jil Sander e-shoppers.

Just in time for the Fall/Winter season the ready to wear collections for men and women will be available. Everything from suits, shoes and bags to accessories and eyewear will be a simple mouse click away (which, incidentally, could be very dangerous).

After the success of shops like Polo.com, design houses like Jil Sander and others are taking the step to place more substantive shops on line. I hope this is an indication that there is more to come.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Gilt Trip

The other day I got an email from my friend Gabby who heads the Public Relations efforts at the Gilt Groupe and she sent me this....

It's "Gilt on the Go" (yes I know...it's not the most creative name for an iPhone app but when you launch a discount luxury retail outlet on line you can come up with your own name...)

For those of you who aren't members of the Gilt group...you should be (click here).

For those of you who know about the amazing sales held on this site daily you will love this iPhone app, especially if you're like me and are constantly missing the best of the sales (they start at noon everyday) because you're caught away from your computer or worse, tied up in meetings.

With Gilt on the Go App you can:

· Get sale alerts sent to your iPhone
· Shop today’s active sales from wherever you are
· Check out in under a minute
· Preview upcoming sales
· Select your favorite categories in one click

The user interface is intuitive and the app can be downloaded free from iTunes.

Now the only thing you have to worry about is getting caught clicking "buy" on that new Rag and Bone sweater while your manager is asking you to "explain slide 7" of your teams presentation.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Impossible is Nothing

Audrey Kathleen Ruston (better known as Audrey Hepburn) was born in Belgium in 1929 and spent most of her childhood in the Netherlands. She attended boarding school and studied ballet but this is where any comparison to the maturation of a normal women pretty much stops...

By the time she was 22 she was staring on Broadway, at 24 she won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her performance as the lead in the film Roman Holiday and, one year later, at 25 she won a a Tony Award for her performance in Ondine

When she wasn't acting along side some of the most stylish men in Hollywood (i.e. Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Fred Astaire, Peter O'Toole etc.) she was an artist and a poet and her quotes and playful dialogues can be found all over the Internet.

The below is my favorite and it's how I'm feeling today.

I truly hope that you feel the same way.

Good morning!......oh, and as aways...

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Be Afraid...Be VERY Afraid

I read an article recently that talked about why men are no longer using condoms. The reasons were not all that surprising...

"I'm only sleeping with one partner"....

..."she said she was safe"...

..."I hate these f'ing things"...

..."I can't feel anything when I wear a condom"

...or my personal favorite

"I'm too big, condoms don't fit me"

That last one is the one I was using until I saw these print ads...

Now I don't feel very "big" anymore.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Real - Plain - Jeans

Even though the US denim market seems to be stabilizing, after over a decade of double digit growth, our beloved blue jean still accounts for over $5 billion of the over $15 billion bottoms market.

On another note...is it just me or does the phrase "bottoms market" sound like a place where a "Real Housewife of (insert city) would go to pick up ass implants??

I digress. The fact is, despite the fact that the US denim market is still huge there has been a gradual slow down as the premium denim market (driven by brands like Rock & Republic, True Religion and 7 for all Mankind) has become saturated.

A while back I did a post called Adore the Unadorned where I talked about my new found love for denim that DIDN'T have the brand name plastered all over the hip pockets. About a year later we are finally seeing a return to common sense jean wearing.

The days of giant "R's" and crochet horse shoes are fading fast. Men's fashion is turning the corner and the every man jean is around the bend. It's the jean made of 100% cotton, not 98% cotton and 2% spandex. It's the jean held together with cooper colored stitching and rivets that you can't see from 20 feet away (sorry...but something had to be said for those quarter size rivets on True Religion denim).

What has me most excited is the fact that leading this charge is the brand that no one expected. GAP...or "the GAP" as most people (including me) call it, has a fantastic range of denim that has just been introduced as part of the Born to Fit collection.

The collection comes in 7 different styles - from skinny to athletic, boot cut to straight leg the entire collection is just-PLAIN-outstanding (pun intended) and with prices from $59 to $89 the only holes in your pockets will be the ones that were there when you bought the jeans.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

A blog about Underwear...

If I say to you "name a brand that makes great underwear for women", you would likely say something like "Victoria's Secret" or you might even say "La Perla" or any of the other dozen brands or women's lingerie brands. Fact is, women have tons of options when it comes to brands that specialize in creating great "skivvies"

...uhh...YES...I know the Victoria's Secret girls above don't actually have any lingerie on...and I'm okay with that. You should be too.

Now if I were to say "name a brand that makes great underwear for MEN" the field slims down considerably. You've got 2(x)ist and the omnipresent Hanes brand but the fact is us guys don't really have many options for really great underwear.

Enter Calvin Klein...For almost 20 years the house that Calvin Klein built has rested on a foundation of high grade cotton and elastic waist bands.

As a designer, Calvin Klein is best known for being the "master of minimalism". Creating tailored and casual clothing, for both men and women, that consistently transcended the confines of the trend de joir.

This focus on simplicity is, I believe, the reason why Calvin Klein underwear has continued to be so popular. It is, like the balance of the collections that come out of this design house, incredibly well made and unpretentious. Oh yeah....the new ads with Eva Mendes are easy on the eyes as well.

It reminds me of a quote from designer Tom Ford - "You will never look better than the way we look when we are nude. There are many ways to get dressed badly...there is only one way to be naked"....or in this case only one way to wear your "tighty whities"

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Tod's Fall 09/10 Collection

Wow...has it really been that long. I haven't written an entry in almost a week and in the blog world that might as well be about a year.

Truth be told, like most of you, I've been incredibly busy but I'll share that story a different day....for now it's back to work.

First up, one of my favorite footwear and accessory brands has introduce an Outstanding Fall 09/10 collection.


Tod's has introduced an expanded collection of footwear for men and at first glace it looks like something that would come from a different house - the designs are very different vs. the suede, pebble bottomed loafers the brand is typically known.

But if you take a closer look I think you'll discover that each of these looks are very much in keeping with the tradition that is Tod's.

From the ultra utilitarian lace up ankle boot (above), to the incredibly sleek and beautifully scaled desert boot (below). Each of the items in the Winter 09/10 collection is rooted in classic design with details that give it a very timely aesthetic.

I especially like the desert boot and the Pierre Hardy-like trainers below. They even look great with the suit that that bloke is wearing

Of course, it goes without saying that each shoe in the collection is unquestionably Italian. The unapologetic substance of the penny loafer, the midnight blue canvas on the Tod's trainer...all accents that draw the eye toward the floor...toward the shoe.

You know what they say...The first thing a women looks at when she meets a man is his feet. I guess it makes sense that Italian men have so much luck with women...."must be the shoes"**.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

** if you don't know where that quote came from click here

The Style & Design of TIME Magazine

I'm a huge fan of the seasonal supplement to TIME magazine called TIME Style & Design - essentially a global look at what is driving the world of fashion, travel, design and all things luxurious.

Every issue has a list of quotes from fashion and design luminaries, on various "popular" topics of discussion.

The Fall '09 supplement was interesting as it showcased quotations, from many popular designers, on the current economic crisis.

...."Yes" it is ironic that people who sell luxury goods are talking about the loss of trillions of dollars of market value and..."Yes" they had some interesting things to say...

"The crisis is the time when one should create new ways of doing things...find solutions...and put even the most basic things into question."

-Jean Paul Gaultier, designer

"I don't know anything about the financial crisis. We'll make a recovery by everyone loving their life, each other and being positive."

-Roberto Cavalli, designer

"I detest this period of fantasy we were in where you had something for three seconds and then you threw it away. The last few years have been a nightmare! It's one thing to have a dream, but this was overkill."

<>-Manola Blahnik, designer

"We are arriving at the end of a fashion cycle. There has been nothing very new for a long time, and a general tiredness has been established."

-Jean Bousquet, founder and managing director of Cacharel

"People say it will never go back to the way it was. I don't believe it. They're going to forget. They are going to want to enjoy their lives and spend again."

<>-Donatella Versace, designer

"I am too angry to cry."

-Christian Lacroix, designer, on his company's financial troubles

...I think I saved the best for last.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Best Dressed Real Man 2009

Yesterday (sadly), I had to relinquish my crown as Esquire's best dressed real man in America. The new title holder was named on the Today show. I actually talked to Dan (the winner) about a month ago and told him I thought he would win.....score one for Tweed & Velvet!..awww yeah!

Couldn't have happened to a better guy.....check it out

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

He's 22 years old and a student at NYU. What's more is that Mr. Trepanier has a men's fashion blog!

What's left to say except....Outstanding!

(at the risk of sounding redundant)

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

No One on the Corner Got Swagga Like Us (or this kid)...

Okay so I just finished a blog about the Barneys premium denim catalogue and I started doing some blog surfing.

I was going from link to link when I came across this little gem on the blog of a Singer/Songwriter named Esthero (best known for co-penning three songs on Kanye West's 808's and Heartbreaks release).

This kid has more swagger than you....and me!



I know....this has nothing to do with Fashion, but what the hell. It's an awesome clip....so why not share it with my friends here at Tweed & Velvet.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Un Adorned - The Barneys CO OP Mailer

Several months ago I did a post about my new found love for "un adorned" denim - that would be denim that doesn't have the designers name tattooed across the back pockets (I won't say the names but you know who you are...). So imagine my excitement when I saw this...

The new Barney's Co-Op Mailer is here, and...EUREKA!!...the entire book is focused on premium denim.....and there's not a hip pocket logo in sight.

Denim by Acne

Denim by Citizens of Humanity

The denim featured in the mailer is as diverse in its construction and wash as it is in it's heritage. The booklet features premium denim from heavy weights like Levi's (Capital E) and Citizens of Humanity as well as outstanding designs from high end designers like Marc Jacobs and newly popular brands like Nude and Naked & Famous.

But let's put the brands aside for a second and focus on the real lesson here...

Denim by Naked & Famous

....hmmmmm...let's see, why do you think there are no conspicuous logos on the front or back of these jeans....? BECAUSE THE DAYS OF ASS GRABBING LOGO DENIM ARE OVER MY FRIEND (and we should all rejoice...)

Denim by Nude

Don't get me wrong. I still have a few pairs of Rock & Republic jeans in my closet (I tried to give them all away but, after parting with over $1,000 in denim, the pain got to be too much) but they don't get worn. I've replaced them with some fantastic pairs of straight leg denim in light, dark and raw washes.....you should do the same

Denim by PRPS

(my personal favorite of the mailer. This distressed look would look great paired with a very clean top - tuxedo shirt or double breasted jacket - or a simple plaid button up)

Let me put it to you like this. Would you wear a a beautifully tailored blazer while wearing denim with two giant horse shoes on your backside?....If your answer is "YES" you should leave my blog and never come back

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

p.s. I'm kidding....you can stay....but you have to take off the "horse shoe" jeans...

Barney's has a sale....You should Go....Now

August 20th - September 7th will represent some of the best days of the year of our Lord, 2009...

The Barney's New York Warehouse Sale



255 West 17th Street between 7th & 8th Ave is where you will find a retail cornucopia of stratospheric proportions.....

Okay, maybe it won't be life changing but 50%-75% off "doesn't suck" my friend. Last year I picked up a $900 Armani blazer for just over $150 (....what's that??....of course I tell people I paid $900 for it)

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Model as Muse

Being the man of culture and refinement that I am (did you just laugh...because I did). I digress.

I do what I can to get a little "culture" from time to time and for me that means enjoying a museum exhibit or two every once in a while.

Vogue 1948 - Models in Charles James

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Model as Muse exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city.

Made possible by Marc Jacobs and Condé Nast publishing, Model as Muse explores the reciprocal relationship between high fashion and evolving ideals of beauty, thus the name.

Vogue 1967 - Twiggy in Yves Saint Laurent

British Vogue 1990 - Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford in Giorgio di Sant'Angelo

The exhibit focused on iconic models of the twentieth century and their roles in projecting, and sometimes inspiring, the fashion of their respective eras.

Harper's Bazaar 1996 - Kate Moss in Helmut Lang

Organized by historical period, from 1947 to 1997, Model as Muse displayed haute couture and ready-to-wear masterworks accompanied by fashion photography and video footage of models who epitomized their epochs.

Vogue Italia 1988 - Linda Evangelista in Guess

The exhibit is now over but you can check out the feature video here and there is amazing coffee table book that features beautiful images of all of the photography and clothing featured in the exhibit plus other images and model / designer interviews etc. Linda Evangelista is on the cover, shown below.

Check out the video and pick up the book....you might find your muse.

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte

Opening Ceremony - Retail Spaces

I'm a big fan of innovative retailing and Opening Ceremony is one of the more interesting retail concepts that I have come across.

With retail spaces in LA and New York and one on the way to Tokyo, Japan (opening August 30th, 2009), Opening Ceremony has established itself as a multifaceted environment comprised of retail spaces, showroom, and gallery space. Opening Ceremony brings together emerging American talent with both young and established designers and artists from abroad. Each year, the unique commercial and cultural character of a visiting city is represented at Opening Ceremony by capturing the essence of the consumer experience.

With established designers, emerging designers, one of a kind vintage pieces and select items from open-air markets Opening Ceremony is like the Olympics of retail - creatively merging fashion, business, and global participation.

Beginning with USA vs. Hong Kong in Fall 2002, each year Opening Ceremony has introduced a new country to its home team. Following Hong Kong, Opening Ceremony represented Brazil (2003), Germany (2004), United Kingdom with an exclusive launch of infamous London-based retailer Topshop and Topman in 2005, Sweden in 2007, New York vs. Los Angeles in 2007 and USA vs. Japan (2008)

With everything from high end designer duds from Europe to LA surf clothing, typically reserved for skate shops, Opening Ceremony is the definition of "melting pot" retail.

"Can't we all just get along?"......uhhhhh...YES!

Make it an Outstanding Day!

- Kenyatte