It’s going to take some dedication to win these tickets, this isn’t any 100th caller business. First, go to the Florsheim by Duckie Brown Facebook page and Like it. All this week, they’ll be posting style questions. You have until Sunday, January 29th to answer as many questions as possible. All commenters’ names will be pooled, and a winner will be drawn. The more questions you answer, the more chance you have!

Will I be seeing you there?

Sam‘s Faves

Prabal/Style.com

- Ralph Lauren: “For the ostrich feather boas.”

- Diane von Furstenberg: For handing out little American flags in honor of 9/11 and for making an outfit that anyone could wear.

- Prabal Gurung: “For using one print 100 ways, and also for clever cutouts.”

- 3.1 Phillip Lim: ”For his tasty sherbert color palette.”

- The Row: “For dressing the old ladies that the Olsen twins were born to be.”

Color Palette: From lead gray up through checked  heathers and worked nudes, down to to morning and evening rose.

Mood: A paratrooper has adventured to the edge, and in the end, it’s all coming up roses.

Statement Pieces: Windbreaking suits. Rose prints.

Front Row Name Drops: Steven Kolb, President of the CFDA.

Gossip: In a terribly sad turn of events, the Duckie designer Steven Cox’s mother just passed away this past week. It made for quite the emotional backstage well wishes.

Runway Music: “Work It” as written by Missy Elliot, and performed by some guy.

The escalation of Duckie Brown:

Started here:

Progressed here:

Ended here:

And it felt like this WWII paratrooper started here:

Went here:

And ended up living in a place like this, knowing the fruits of beautiful adventure come not without thorns.

All you have to do is LIKE the Florsheim by Duckie Brown Facebook page and then LIKE my picture submission.

The image with the most LIKES wins. A win for me is a win for Indie everywhere.

If you must have an incentive everyone who likes this post AND my image will get a mini prize. If I win one person will get a mega prize.

What are you waiting for? Get to LIKING!

Please & Thanks.

The movie in brief happens over the course of six months while Lina Plioplyte (Director) follows Steven Cox and Daniel Silver as they create their Fall 2011 collection. The footage documents the creative and business processes – from sketch to runway. The film not only chronicles achievement, but shows collaboration and cooperation sustained through understanding, creativity, humor, and love.

This movie, unlike other designer docs, is quite comical and shows the real struggles that designers face when it comes to running their labels.

The two are very candid about their views, especially Daniel. One of our favorite points of conversation happened when homophobia in the fashion industry was brought up. They discussed the problems they face with their collection being “too gay” and that they basically have to create two collections: one for the runway and the other to sell. They went on to explain that many high end designers do this market to people’s idea of “real men” which in reality are “reel men.”

They also discussed that they are open to launching an underwear and fragrance line but only with the right people. They maintain integrity because they admit they “don’t want to work with assholes.” Good news for you ladies because they  announced that they are planning a womenswear line with the same aesthetic as the original Duckie Brown label.

We highly recommend if you have a chance to view this movie then do. In only 15 minutes it grabs you and makes you feel so much closer to Daniel, Steven, and their process.

If you want to know more about the film then check out their Facebook Page or ask me a question on twitter- @mcarthurjoseph.

Click through for more videos

The duo behind Duckie Brown, Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, have always incorporated classically feminine fabrics and touches in their menswear, including chiffon, organza and floral lace, but as Cox so eloquently puts it, “[W]hat makes a fabric a man’s or a woman’s? It doesn’t have a penis or a vagina.”

So Mrs. Brown — a reference to Queen Victoria and 60s classic “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” — will not be a huge departure from their slouchy, drop-crotch aesthetic.

The 17-piece collection, heavy on knits (“because women always love a great knit,” says Silver) includes sweaters, cardigans, a tank dress and a wrap hoodie with plans to expand into woven shirts, leather and denim jackets, skinny pants and, thankfully, a drop-crotch trouser.

Ranging in price from $30 to $375, similar to Duckie Brown, Mrs. Brown has already been picked up by three stores for the fall, including A. Turen in New York. [WWD]

- First season DVDs of Glee and How I Met Your Mother. Glee’s Rachel Berry is the perfect example of what can go wonderfully right and horribly wrong with the child of two gay dads, while fellow real-life gay dad Neil Patrick Harris became America’s Sweetheart again thanks to How I Met Your Mother, or as I like to refer to it, The Only Reasonably Watchable Show on CBS.

- Origins Anti-aging serum. If there’s one thing gay dad needs is the reassurance that though he may be getting old, he’s still looks better than the other moms on the PTA. Sure, without the stress of childbirth he’s already ahead of the game, but why not put off the Botox train’s imminent arrival with Origins Plantscription Anti-aging serum. It’s clinically proven to help fight and reverse advanced visible aging signs…the gift that keeps on (subtly) hinting.

- Patti Lupone: A Memoir. Every gay dad needs to be in touch with his inner diva; it’s like his animal spirit, the guiding light of the days of the one life he has to live. And Patti Lupone can get anyone in painfully close contact with their inner diva. Her autobiography is basically one artistic triumph followed by one hysteric diva meltdown followed by one near-career-ending fall – lather, rinse, repeat. Give dad the drama he craves this Mother’s Day, or he’ll happily provide his own.

- Duckie Brown classic plaid shorts. Nothing says Happy Mother’s Day like good ole men’s tailoring. Ladies, am I right? Okay, maybe that’s not necessarily true, but gay dads are not traditionally honored on Mother’s Day, so why not give them something equally non-traditional? Duckie Brown adds more than a fair share of sass and slouch to men’s clothing and though my first instinct draws me to these drop-crotch pants, for gay dad a pair of fun, fashionable shorts that can take him from the grill to the bath house and back again seems a tad more appropriate.

- Tickets to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Broadway. With reviews like this: “Every conceivable surface has been decked with sequins, spattered with colored lights, plastered in mirrored chips or trimmed in feathers and fringe,” how could anyone resist? A feel-good musical about the original mothers of the world — drag queens — in a series of outlandish costumes and a disco ball’s worth of dance-pop hits, a trip to Priscilla will give gay dad a Mother’s Day he won’t likely forget…particularly with the number of buff, nearly naked go-go boys traipsing about. You gotta give daddy what he wants.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert Cast List: Nick Adams Tony Sheldon Will Swenson C. David Johnson James Brown III Nathan Lee Graham Mike McGowan J. Elaine Marcos Jessica Phillips Steve Schepis Keala Settle Jacqueline Arnold Anastacia McCleskey Ashley Spencer Thom Allison Kyle Brown Bryan West Tad Wilson Joshua Buscher Susan Dunstan Gavin Lodge David Lopez Ellyn Marie Marsh Jeff Metzler Eric Sciotto Production Credits: Simon Phillips (Direction) Ross Coleman (Choreography) Brian Thomson (Set Design) Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner (Costume Design) Nick Schlieper (Lighting Design) Jonathan Deans (Sound Design) Stephen "Spud" Murphy (Musical Supervision and Arrangements) Other Credits: Book by: Stephen Elliott & Allan Scott

We began the fashion search at Maguire Steele, the PR company that represents Timo Weiland, a designer we thought would evoke their clean cut hippiness. We arrived to find access to not only Timo, but to the Shipley & Halmos and Billy Reid collections, and Duckie Brown shoes. What a lovely way to start the day. Jeff was surprised to find himself liking this salmon Shipley blazer and green saddle shoes by Duckie; once he put them on, he saw the magic in them. Color and fit; bright and tight. That’s the vision.

Playing the green Timo Weiland vertically striped cardigan against the horizontally striped Billy Reid shirt made for optical illusionism – perfect for on-stage psychedelia. We tried with two Shipley & Halmos ties, one a conglomeration of pin thin geometric shapes, the other made of a mustard velvet (which totally called for heavy petting). We’re taking all of it along.

In the looks above, note the Shipley and Halmos pants: crisp, paper thin, glowing blue. Jeff really dug the look and feel of them. This sparked our next stop – Zara. Known in the masculine for modestly priced, modernly cut suits, I thought he might find a pant with a similar fit. Unfortunately, no fancy pants there captured our attention quite like Shipleys; the drawback to going from such a quality level of design down to one of the quickest of the fast fashion powerhouses (2 week turnaround from sketch to shelf!).

We did however conquer his need for new jeans. Imagine, he’s never owned a pair of skinny jeans! FashionIndie’s first instinct was mustard, for its ability to bring a bright spice to the stage. The look on his face when Mustard Slim Cut Jeans were suggested was dubious to say the least. We insisted he give it a try. In the fitting room, dubious shifted to contemplation, and very quickly to impressed contentment. Sold! To the man in yellow. He liked the fit so much, he got them in heather black as well. (TIP – Gentlemen, go to Zara right now… they’re only $39!)

We perused the rest of rushed retail row on Broadway from Broome to Bleecker from Urban Outfitters to Uniqlo, but nothing was jumping out at us. Man, were we spoiled by the gorgeous goods at Maguire Steele. Plus, mass market seems no place to find pieces to encapsulate the unique Heavy Pets sound. Time to switch things up,take it down real low, down all the way to Brooklyn’s poppin’ top vintage haunt, Beacon’s Closet.

Our instructions for The Pet: grab anything that strikes you. With that we end up with armfuls psychedelic patterns, bronze grommets, cowboy flair and a polyester disaster that shall remain on the hanger.

We pruned the options, ready to take eight new/old shirts in their varying sizes back to the rest of The Heavy Pets. The first piece on the rack? Pierre Cardin, $18.95. He looked at it skeptically, FashionIndie looked at it delightedly on him; we managed to convince acception with the tidbit that Pierre Cardin did introduce The Beatles to the Nehru jacket. Done and done.

The full styling goes down around 6:00 p.m. this evening when they are done with the soundcheck. As they are musicians, and this is fashion, that time is of course a rough estimation. But when it happens, we’ll be live tweeting @FashionIndie & @JessicaLapidos.

Come to The Brooklyn Bowl tonight to see The Heavy Pets perform in their new digs. See you there!

If there was a male equivalent to the bag lady, it would be Duckie Brown. Each look was oversized but the proportions were gently varied; some times the top was more tailored and the bottom loose, as in a clavicle-bearing cadrigan with the ubiquitous wrap trouser.

Meanwhile, some looks could easily have been pajamas, particularly a pair of plaid pleated trousers that the model could have slipped on as he rolled out of bed to stumble out onto the catwalk.

The jackets and coats in tweed and flannel provided classic menswear alternatives, but the slouchy sweaters are for the brave of heart and those desiring a bold silhouette. I’m claiming that front arm sweater now.

Photo: GQ

What do you get when an amazing designer teams up with an amazing New York City boutique? Please note exhibit A. The collection features some great wools and plaids, and I think I would look great in the grey jacket above if any of you amazing indie readers would like to buy me a gift!

The shoes are amazing, and the prints and patterns aren’t too shy either. A bit bummed I skipped out on this one. What do you think of the models? Fashion Indie’s own, Aaron K helped out with the casting.

Gallery: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Duckie Brown Spring 2010 Collection

via Men’s Style

I’m always surprised at how busy and nutty-acting everyone gets during Fashion Week prep. Everyone is in a huff. I’ve seen a lot of models in Soho, they’re almost all in huffs. Except for the “It” models, you know like Ash and Jethro. I bet they’re never in anything like a huff, they’re only in magazines. Is Cole Mohr still “It”?

Anyway, I got invited to the model casting for Duckie Brown. It made me feel a little special, but whenever I told anyone they sort of laughed. Everyone thought I was trying out to be a model, I wasn’t. Duckie wanted me there to cast models, and pretend to DJ. I really like pretending.

It was self-defeating though. The casting, I mean.  I was the short, pasty, black-clad kid with grandma glasses and bad hair. Everyone around me was 6 foot tall, healthy, fit, and beautiful. It was awful, and amazing. Amazing because they were changing and naked and trying on great clothes.

Two boys I party with came on a go-see. Is that an official term? Go-see? Or did Tyra make that up for America’s Next Top Model? But, right, Jace and Harvey came on a go-see. It was nice seeing them out and about during the day. And I think both of them were cast, because they have amazing walks and are so handsome.

Oh. Did anyone see that Craiglist missed connection from Tuesday? A friend posted it to my Facebook. I think someone I know, a boy, gave a man a blowjob at the Box while his girlfriend watched. It all happened on the balcony, I mean, I must have been a few feet away. Was it you? Tell me the truth. I need the scoop.

I think it’s a good nightlife when things like this can still happen. It reminds me of Studio 54.

It’s so sad that the Ruff Club is ending. I don’t know what else to say. It’s the end of an era, or something. There’s a rumor that Peaches Geldof and Jethro Cave will be there. That they’re going to DJ. I love Nick Cave, and his son Jethro is amazing. I didn’t know that Peaches is still around. Can I have her job? What is her job?

P.S.

I forgot to mention I met Christopher Sauve and Julia Frakes yesterday while creeping Soho with Alex. Chris was the nicest, like so pleasant. Julia was a button, but I kind of think I squeezed her hand too hard. Alex thought her pants were a great Beacon’s find, but of course they were Erin Wasson. Nicollette said Julia was a downtown luminary.

I guess she must be if she’s curating a collection at Screaming Mimi’s for Fashion’s Night Out. I’m jealous, wish I was curating a collection.

Did you know that even the Disney Channel changes its New York programming before and during Fashion Week? I told you, nutty-acting. Everyone.

What can be said about Duckie Brown that hasn’t already been said? His shows bring in some of the biggest crowds at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, and his designs have the strength to do it. The latest Fall looks are powerful to say the least. The oversized puffball hats make me think of people walking around with miny afros. To top it off, the black and red color palette screams edgy.

Gallery: Duckie Brown: Fall 2009 Collection

via Men’s Rag

The infamous Duckie Brown has released some images from the upcoming Spring 2009 collection, and they look promising. The collection features some great pieces that are true to the Duckie Brown form. There are bright colors, unique layering and some truly innovative pieces.

Duckie Brown: Spring 2009 Collection

Thanks Selectism

President Elect Obama is geting ready to take office, and the hype about who’s designs he is going to wear on inaguarion day are already swirling. WWD is hosting a crap ton of pictures from all the biggest designers of their designs for the soon to be President’s suits on the historic day. Designers like Marc Jacobs, Sean John, D Squared, Ferragamo, Thom Browne and Rag and Bone have all submitted designs. For all the images head over to WWD and check them out.

PS: Does this completely annoy anyone else besides me? He’s our President to be who cares what he’s wearing? All that matters is that he does something to turn our country around. I in no way hope this happens, but what happens if he flops as a President? Talk about a lot of people being embarassed.

Enjoy the pictures

Watch this and tell me what you hear…no music! But it’s a fashion show!

Read what Daniel had to say about this spectacle, then read the reply straight from the Duckie Brown.

Just because the Summer is just about over (thank God!), this doesn’t mean that it’s time to put your shorts away yet. First seen in the Givenchy show awhile back, the shorts and leggings look for men is coming to be more and more popular. Duckie Brown seemed to be pushing the look pretty hard, featuring it up and down the runway this Fashion Week, not to mention the street sightings that have been popping in up. This is an amazing look, that when teamed with some boots, can be a look that could keep your shorts in your dresser drawers until Winter (for all you west coasters this could be a year round look). My only word to the warning is take precaution on your legging choice and fit, you don’t want to look like you’re rocking those weird Under Armour pants.

These amazing legging-esque track-pant by Chronicles Of Never (available at Pitbull Mansion) are exactly what I’m going to be gunning for this Fall. As soon as the temperature drops a little more I’ll be sure to snap a few of me rocking this look full out, I hope to see some of my indie friends doing the same!

Touche We Are The Market for beating me to the punch on this one.

Thanks to the following for the pictures:

The Fashion Spot

Mens.Style.com

Pitbull Mansion Boutique

Their show is to take place at 1:00PM today and a huge cache of major Hollywood power hitters will be lining the runway for their much anticipated collection.

Brad Pitt, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Daniel Craig, Justin Timberlake, Jeff Koons, and Mariah Carey are all set to attend, which is most likely due more to the designers partnership with Montblanc. The watch company will place timepieces on each of the models hitting the runway and I’m sure for the celebrity packed house and the money they fronted the designers for the deal, the Duckies will have their boys checking the time at the end of each runway walk.

What time is is now? Corporate sponsor love time…

Last year saw menswear label Duckie Brown nominated for a CFDA Award (alongside Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein) and featured in the “New York Fashion Now” exhibit at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

This year finds the Duckie duo (that’s Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, for the uninitiated) celebrating their sixth year in business and refining the tongue-in-chic collection (think: gold sequined hoodies, three-armed sweaters and low-crotch trousers) for which they’ve become famous.

The Fashion Informer quizzed the former Tommy Hilfiger designer (Cox) and ex-TV producer (Silver) behind the quirky-classic collection (a favorite of Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Graham Norton and Ashton Kutcher) earlier this month and got the low-down on how they relax in their off-time, the best way to chill after a long, hard day and what they’d be doing if not designing menswear.

So, Daniel and Steven…

What’s your favorite off-duty activity?
Daniel: Playing Scrabble – I’m addicted.

Steven: Swimming. I do an hour three times a week – I’m training for a triathalon.

Getaway spot of choice?
Daniel: Anguilla – the beach, the beach, the beach – going to the beach is a religious experience for me.

Steven: Saint Jean Cap Ferrat – where my parents have a vacation home. It’s heaven here on earth.

Who do you consider the most underrated designer (living or dead)?
Daniel: Betsey Johnson. I don’t think people give her enough credit.

Steven: Carol Christian Poell.

What’s your dream job?
Daniel: To own my own florist shop.
Steven: I’m doing it.

Who is your personal style icon?
Daniel: I don’t have one. No, I take that back – I think Steven has great style, actually.
Steven: I don’t have one.

If you could change one thing about the city in which you live, what would it be?
Daniel: To eradicate the word “luxury.”

Steven: Nothing.

What’s your favorite store in the world?
Daniel : There’s an incredible florist shop in Paris on the Left Bank that’s amazing. Don’t know the name but every time we go to Paris we shop in and just hang out for a while.

Steven: Church Mouse in Palm Beach – great vintage clothing.

When are you happiest?
Daniel: Actually, I’m kind of a happy person. I’m happy a lot of the time – I’m happiest with friends, on my own, while at work – and on holiday. I get up every day and say..”how lucky am I” and I mean it.

Steven: On a beach.

First there was Alexander McQueen for Samsonite, then there was Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers. Now the latest edgy designer to team up with a traditional menswear brand is Duckie Brown.

In the fashion industry’s latest odd-couple pairing, century-old shoe company Florsheim, known for its wingtips, has chosen edgy menswear designer Duckie Brown, known for its sequins, to create a line of men’s dress shoes, reports the Wall Street Journal.  Florsheim executives learned of the Duckie Brown team from an item in the New Yorker magazine this past June about a New Jersey high-school senior who asked the designers to make a prom suit for him; they did — and sent along a pair of Florsheim shoes that they had used in a runway show for him to wear with it.

The Duckie Brown label has annual sales of only $1 million and is carried in only about 18 stores world-wide. Mr. Florsheim says the company considered bigger names but decided to go with an “up-and-coming” designer brand “that’s a little less predictable.”

Courtesy of WeAreTheMarket.com

Sounds like a sneaky little pr ploy to me, but I appreciate the attention (yes I’m a whore who loves the goodness).  Here’s the message. I guess realizing their explanation, the lack of music wasn’t so bad, but they weren’t sitting in the front row.

“That’s too bad you didn’t enjoy the show – so many many people did. Actually the response has been overwhelming for both of us. We felt since the collection was boiled down to its essence we thought this was a great opportunity to have people focus on the clothes and what better way to do that than by having a show without music. I don’t know about you – but to me backstage – it was kind of beautiful to see 500 fashion people be still and quite and focused for 8 minutes.

xoxoxo

The Duckies”

So I wasn’t so kind to the Duckie’s my first time around and too be fair I felt I should publish someone else’s review of the collection.

This one comes straight from our friendlies at WeAreTheMarket.com.

“It was quite a departure from the design duo’s signature color infused collections. Steven and Daniel used palette of all black with just a hint of olive, eggplant or silver and the presentation, punctuated by a total lack of music made a real statement. The Duckies used some innovative fabrics, like coated cotton and rubberized leather and layered them with menswear classics like pinstripe, Prince of Wales check and cashmere. Silhouettes were progressive — low crotch pinstripe trousers, oversized suit jackets worn under sweaters, slim but chic trousers. The duo also unveiled 2 jackets done in collaboration with outerwear legend Penfield. There were lots of dapper dudes in attendance.”

photos courtesy of Coutorture.com

Running into the Duckie Brown show I was greeted, not by the traditional boisterous sound garden that normally accompanies these high budgeted fashion extravaganzas, but instead with a whisper of a runway.  Complete silence seemed to be the theme for these two young designers and complete silence is what the event deserved.  Whether it was a problem with a faulty sound system (God I pray that’s what happened) or a consciences (say it isn’t so) decision by the designers, Daniel Silver and Steven Cox, to go quiet in the end it didn’t work.

If the reason for the silence was to instill a sense of urgency to pay attention to their looks, that’s one thing, but what happens when your collection fails to impress?  The tailored suiting and style of the Duckie Brown label seemed to be overshadowed by the uncomfortableness that took place as the crowd realized that their every whisper could be heard.  The snapping of cameras was all that could be heard, with the occassional catcall from randy editors in the front row, as each of the models headed down the runway.

For a collection that in the past showed such presence and substance, this show was in desperate need of a soundtrack.   If I’m wrong feel free to disagree and discuss.  Honestly though, John Bartlett was sitting front row and his outfit was more interesting than anything I saw on the runway.