Obama To Welcome In New Era With Style

Edited by Corey Moran

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

Thom Browne Wins GQ’s Desinger Of The Year

Edited by Corey Moran

Despite my normally extremist opinions, I am choosing to stay neutral in this decision. I’m not going to say he was necessarily the best designer of the year, but he definitely wasn’t the worst (Christian Audgier wins this one every year in my book). Regardless, I do love Thom Browne, and I think that he does create amazing designs, but at the same time I don’t think I could come out and make the same claim that he was the best designer this year without getting angry comments and challenges against my intelligence. Congrats to you Thom, but I think you might have stolen this one!

Thanks GQ for the image.

What is American Style?

Edited by Saynt

John Varvatos, Thom Browne, and Michael Bastian talk about preppy style and what it means to be an American Fashionisto.

CFDA 2008/Vogue Fashion Fund Contenders

Edited by Rebecca Alexander

Oscar de la Renta Presenting the award to Proenza Schouler

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has announced this year’s 10 contenders for the $200,000 award, which bestows $50,000 for each of two runners-up. Finalists include Albert Q. Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus, Alejandro Ingelmo, indie fave Alexander Wang, Irene Neuwirth, Jason Wu, Juan Carlos Obando, Swaim and Christina Hutson of Obedient Sons and Daughters, John Patrick of Organic, Richard Chai, and Lisa Mayock & Sophie  Buhai of Vena Cava, who were finalists last year as well.

Since its inception in 2003, the program has awarded over $1,000,000 to help build brands like Doo.Ri, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler (above), Rodarte, Thakoon, Thom Browne and Trovata. The awards will be presented on November 17 at a private dinner in New York.

Really excited about this, crossing our fingers that we may get invited to the dinner…

Runway: Thom Browne’s Argyle Collection, Fall 08

Edited by Corey Moran

The new Thom Browne line is nothing short of confusing with the bold prints and awkward designs. I don’t really get the pointy, cone head hat or the painted finger nails, but I will say that there are plenty of amazing pieces within the collection. The gloves and shoes are amazing and really seem to complete the looks. As far as the complete aryle suit goes, I like the pieces seperate but not as one complete set. I love argyle print (especially on my socks) but you have to realize not to use too much of a good thing. I would definately consider this line a success, but if you are going to buy the pieces be careful what you do with them. It’s easy to mess up.

Thanks to Honeyee.com for the pics!

Brook Brothers to Drop Thom Browne

Edited by Rebecca Alexander

Thom Browne’s Brookl Brothers collaboration is rumored to be ending. The New York Post reports, “The retailer signed Browne soon after his skinny suits earned him a CFDA award for menswear in 2006. But Browne’s shorter pants might not be selling too well. After all, can you really see all the men in the Hamptons running to the Golden Pair flashing so much sock?”

The Post also reports his skinny suits haven’t been flying off the racks at Bergdorf Goodman, which still has his 2006 tuxes on the sales floor.

Maybe we aren’t ready for the ‘short’ pants look, and maybe we just don’t get it! But you never know when Williamsburg hipsters are going to rock the look for the world to follow.

CFDA Nominees

Edited by Rebecca Alexander

Thom Browne

Tom Ford

The field of men’s wear designers nominated for the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Awards this year is a testament to the fresh blood coursing through the industry’s reinvigorated veins. Of all six nominees, Thom Browne’s label has been around the longest—a mere eight seasons. Tom Ford’s giant profile dwarfs the competition’s, but his business is the newest, having launched just last year. They’re both up for Menswear Designer of the Year against Michael Bastian, who graduated into that senior award category from the emerging-designer group, perhaps by dint of his creative directorship at Bill Blass. Among the nominees for the Swarovski Award for Menswear, Tim Hamilton is the sole returnee. He faces the former fashion editor Patrik Ervell and Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg, a former Hollywood agent and the only West Coaster in the bunch. Here we present a cross section of all these fresh perspectives.

Continue reading here.

Who is the Thom Browne Man?

Edited by Saynt

Tom Vs. Thom

One sells masculinity. One sells boyhood.

The New York Times took a minute to dissect the Thom Browne shopper, the nonexistant boy/man who struts around in undersized clothes fit for a ten year old.  The article compares Thom to Tom (Ford), a designer known for portraying men as the sexually charged deviants they truly are.  One wants boys, one wants men.

In the balance the future of menswear?

We have the full article below, but the real question we must ask is whether or not this is the right perception of mens fashion? Thom’s idea was to revitalize menswear and rethink what’s the norm. Personally the look of Thom’s collection is unappealing and as of yet, I have not seen a single gentleman comfortable enough to walk down the street in something as silly looking as a Browne suit, but maybe we’re just at the heralding of a new generation of men.  We’ve seen the men in fashion spreads get younger as the new manhood deevolves into boyness. While the “metro” man seems to disappear, in his place is a younger, prepubescent image fit for a pedophile.  Are boys the new men?

Weigh in indies. Is Thom Browne bankable for the mainstream or is his collection just not wearable enough and has mens fashion finally caught up to womens fashion, promoting a younger image of a man that is down right childish?

Fashion 101: Should Designers Reflect Their Collections?

Edited by Saynt

This Man…

 designed this…

Riccardo Tisci was brought onto Givenchy in 2005 and given the position as Chief Designer of womens ready-to-wear and haute couture. Following the footsteps of great designers before him, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, Tisci was appointed to make the brand once favored by the Kennedy’s and Audrey Hepburn translatable to today’s customer.

Of course, in all this hubbub it seems the brand forgot to give Riccardo a wardrobe. With 10 day old scruff and a tee shirt better befitting a high school student, the 33 year old designer looks like an amateur in the game of fashion, forgetting one of the dead set rules of those dedicated to their craft, always represent your collection.

Many designers out there forget this simple, yet appropriate direction. They create amazing $1000 dresses but sport $15 tees and baggy, sloppy jeans.  I can image the rest of Riccardo’s outfit in the picture above; faded, ripped jeans, Converse, a skateboard and a dubbie in his back pocket. While refusing to fit a mold is an admirable pursuit, being so opposite to your brands image may in fact alienate you from your target customer. If you were introduced to Riccardo in his laid back get up your first impression would be “amateur”.  The gut reaction he would receive is that of someone who doesn’t take is work seriously and thus is not displaying his full potential on the runway.

For young designers, it is especially important to translate your collection onto your everyday wear.  Thom Browne is the perfect example of someone dedicated to his craft. While he may be the only man on the planet who wears Thom Browne suits, you know the reason isn’t cause he’s not actively promoting his wears. Thom rocks his high water crafted suits on the street, to events, and has even been seen rocking jackets with “I’m Thom Browne” embroidered on his back. Dedication.

So next time you’re heading out be sure to rock a piece from your collection or at least dress in something that reflects your brand. If you a tee shirt designer, rock tee shirts. But if you’re a high-end couture designer in charge of one of the largest fashion brands in the world, try not to pull a Riccardo and look like a complete burnout.

(photos courtesy of WWD, Style.com)

TrendSpark: The Adventures of a Corporate Hipster

Edited by Lauren Garroni

This week Fashion Indie has been very hipster-centric, which living in New York lends itself to that I think.Well, last night, Fashion Indie’s resident editor Rebecca Alexander and I were making our way to Brooklyn (a.k.a. the hipster epicenter) when we came across a new form of hipster…..THE CORPORATE HIPSTER!

How is this possible?

See hipsters work on a fine hypocrisy. The truth is, hipsters are the yuppies of our generation. It takes money to be a hipster! Only the finest deconstructed skinny jeans for todays hipster.

Meet corporate-hipster-man. Reading today’s Wall Street Journal. Rocking a Thom Browne bootleg via the local thrift-store.

Here’s a full shot of the man. Notice the shruken-two sizes too small pants. Rebecca and I couldn’t tell if he was being ironic or just being a hipster?

(And yes that is me in the forefront, not my best photo, I look much better after a hair and makeup team has had their way with me!)