Men’s Ex - In a League of Its Own

Before a recent trip to visit a friend, while waiting for my flight to board, I decided to pick up the latest issue of GQ magazine, my first in almost five years, and was appalled by what I read. Apparently, a lad named Shia LaBeouf in an interview confessed that he used to crap in his pants until he was 12 years old. Did I just read this? Really? In GQ? As I continued to read on the plane, it became apparent that GQ had deteriorated into a fashion equivalent of MTV: a fashion magazine without the fashion. Page after page of sponsor driven drivel on topics I could care less about, and more importantly, with almost no pictorials.

Thirty thousand feet up in the air, I began to panic. I wanted to be taken back to that happy place when I was a little kid staring at my coloring books. I wanted to see pictures! It was also then that I inadvertently discovered how much I have longed for a magazine that spoke to my inner child and showed me nothing but pictorials of clothing and allowed me to decide whether I liked the fit of the jacket or the combination of a tie and a shirt. Fortunately, with the help of my fellow pundits at Style Forum, that magazine exists and I found it! Let me introduce you to Men’s Ex.

This Japanese magazine with the motto “Nice Look Nice Life!” is one of a handful Asian fashion magazines slowly gaining popularity in the United States. Yet, what makes Men’s Ex different from the likes of Zino, Leon, and Uomo, is its emphasis is on high end Italian clothing with immaculate emphasis on detail. Roughly ninety percent of this two hundred page magazine consists of photos of clothes, with brands like Ermenegildo Zegna, Brunello Cucinelli, Cesare Attolini, and Kiton featured in almost every issue.  The other roughly ten percent is dedicated to cars, food and men’s lifestyle.

Men’s Ex is presented in a rather simple format. The magazine is divided into multi-page sections on suits, jackets, shirts, ties, shoes, bags, watches, combinations thereof, and other accessories, just to name a few. Often, there is a side by side comparison of brands. For example, in the March 2008 issue, there is a side by side comparison of Boglioli and Rafaelo Caruso suits, Isaia and Belvest suits, and Kiton and Cesare Attolini suits. In addition, in every issue, there is a section that deals with picking the right color combination to accompany shirts, ties, and suits.

Every time I get my hands on a new issue of Men’s Ex, I spend hours browsing through it. Months later, I keep coming back for more. Simply put, there is nothing quite like Men’s Ex on the domestic market and my inability to speak Japanese is not a handicap because the brand names are in English. Moreover, the fact that the magazine is in Japanese works to my advantage, as it makes me pay closer attention to detail. In addition, since Men’s Ex is oriented toward the Asian market, there are brands that American consumers are not familiar with, like Mark Bladog shoes, Albertelli shirts, or Stefanomano bags, just to name a few. Hence, reading Men’s Ex is also educational, leading to further discovery of new, interesting brands.

My only slight complaint about Men’s Ex is how difficult it is to get a copy in Florida. If you live in a metropolitan city with a large Asian population, many Asian convenience stores will carry Men’s Ex, but be prepared to pay as little as $8 or as much as $20 per issue. Some of these vendors may even offer you a yearly subscription that will set you back as much as $200. For the rest of us, places like eBay or friends in big cities are the only way to get our hands on this spectacular magazine. Once you do, however, you will understand what the fuss is all about, and will never again go back to rubbish being touted as a fashion magazine.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Say It Ain’t So, Massimo

As the misleading and whimsical title may suggest, this is not a Kiton bashing post. On the contrary, this writer is of the opinion that Kiton makes the best “ready to wear” suits, shirts, and possibly even shoes on the market. The brand’s popularity in North America is largely due to the efforts of its U.S. President of Operations, Massimo Bizzocchi, whose hard work not only made the United States the largest consumer of Kiton in the world, but also helped to put Massimo’s own brand of fine clothing on the fashion map. As a result, in March 2005, Massimo Bizzocchi opened his first stateside clothing store in New York’s meatpacking district.

Massimo Bizzocchi’s best known product are his ties. The silk is luxurious to rival Stefano Ricci, the construction is on par with Brioni, and patterns, while on a conservative side, are as interesting as anything made by Nicky or Valentino. Massimo did not stop there, however, as he took the construction of his ties to a whole new level by creating a “spine” stitching system to eliminate the wrinkling problem. By pulling a special string in the “spine”, the fabric wrinkles and then relaxes the tension for a permanent flat look. In addition to ties, Massimo Bizzocchi brand makes suits, jackets and shirts, just to name a few. Extremely satisfied with my Bizzocchi ties, I decided to give his shirt a try. Sadly, it is not as nice as I had imagined.

I bought my Massimo Bizzocchi shirt online at very deep discount – over 80% off the original price of $275 dollars. What appealed to me, other than the price, were the colors: subtle yet vibrant white, orange, blue and light blue stripes (as seen in the picture). After receiving and trying on the shirt, I am happy with my purchase. The shirt, while nice, however, is not on par with the higher end brands like Kiton, Borrelli, or Cesare Attolini. It fairs well with the middle of the road Italian shirt makers like Lorenzini and Zegna.

Those looking for handwork found on Kiton shirts will be disappointed – there is none to be found here, as the shirt is completely machine made. The shirt, however, has sturdy seashell buttons, nice fabric, and a handsome design. It fits fairly roomy, although not as boxy as Zegna. For size 16/41, it has a 48 inch chest, is 20 inches from shoulder to shoulder, and is about 33 inches long. And, while currently not a perfect fit, with about $20 worth of alterations (sides taken in by half an inch), it will fit well.

Massimo’s press release states that the “shirts are cut shorter and tails are not extended so they can be worn as dress or sportswear.” I, however, can’t imagine wearing my Massimo Bizzocchi shirt with a tie, as it is strictly a casual shirt due to its color combination. At around $80, Massimo Bizzocchi shirts are a good deal. Anything higher, and there are better alternatives to be found. His ties, however, are pretty awesome.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

The Overlooked Gem: Gravati Shoes

Amidst a pantheon of high end men’s shoes, Gravati is one brand that often gets overlooked. Yet, anyone who owns a pair will tell you that Gravati is the most comfortable shoe in their collection.

Gravati was founded in 1909 in Milan, Italy. While the brand maintains a cult following in Europe, Gravati was relatively unknown in the United States until the late 1990s when it began raising brand awareness by hosting trunk shows. These attempts, however, never caught on with the stateside shoe loving crowd largely due to uninspiring designs and relatively high prices. Truth be told, Gravati collection examined as a whole leaves much to be desired. While on the eclectic side, Gravati is not as interesting when compared to other Italian shoemakers like Sutor Mantellassi or Santoni. Some models, however, look quite nice and are incredibly comfortable as I recently discovered.

My introduction to Gravati came in November 2007, while shopping with my mother in one of her favorite shoe stores. While I knew nothing about the brand, two shoes really caught my eye. After trying on both pairs, the shoes looked and felt impeccable, and for the price – a little over $200 each – they became an easy purchase (I bought another pair since then).

The tan wingtip is called “Bolet”. It is made out of betis leather, which in the words of a fellow sartorialist “is an aniline calfskin that has been treated with alcohol to disrupt the finish and then had neutral polish worked in with a buffing wheel to effect the antiquing.” As seen from the photos, the shoes are heavily brogued and could pass for a model out of a Sutor Mantellassi catalog. I wear them with a summer tan suit, but they could also work well with jeans or slacks. The black wholecut is called “Sera”. It is made out of Nappa leather, and is a versatile pair of dress shoes that can be worn to any formal occasion. Both shoes are blake constructed and have a leather outsole. A heel toplift if made from rubber with a stamped Gravati logo – a Gravati trademark for leather soles. It adds support on slippery surfaces.

When trying on a Gravati shoe, one cannot help but notice how supple the leather is. Hence, my main concern before the purchase was how much wear they could take. Yet, almost nine months later, both pairs look as new (I must add, however, that I only wear each pair three to four times a month). While I am not familiar with Gravati lasts, the shoes fit true to size. In addition, wearing Gravati is an experience all in itself as they hug your feet and give you great comfort and support unlike any other high end pair of shoes I own.

The three retailers that carry the largest selection of Gravati shoes in the United States are: Wilkes Bashford in San Francisco, Harolds in the Heights in Houston, and Zappos.com. These retailers’ prices, however, are a bit on a steep side, as Gravati can often be found on eBay or in a number of independent retailers for almost half the amount as the brand is still relatively unknown. Thus, if found in the $200 price range, Gravati is a great investment, as the leather quality and the overall comfort will leave one a very happy customer.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

J. Press: As Classic as You Can Get

This is a true story: Back when he was running for president in 1980, George H.W. Bush (that’s George senior) was giving a speech at his alma mater, Yale University, and being heckled by some students. Someone yelled out that Bush was just another out of touch “Brooks Brothers Republican.” The president, apparently offended by that particular remark, promptly opened his suit coat to reveal its J. Press label.

I’ve always liked that story because it shows the deep dedication that some cultures naturally create. J. Press has that kind of culture. It is the quintessential New England prep-Yale Man-old money-Ivy League brand that the J. Crews and Ralph Laurens of the world want you to think they are. Not that there is anything wrong with either of those brands, I’m a fan of both. But J. Press is special because that’s where it all started. It’s the real deal.

Though not as well known commercially as Brooks Brothers – there are four brick and mortar J. Press stores to Brooks’ nearly 200 – J. Press is as classically preppy as you can get. In fact it quite literally invented the look. From the 1930s through the’50s, Press helped to cement the image of American preppy in the minds of college students everywhere. Known as the “Yale” or “Ivy League” look, it came to define the stylish New England intellectual or at least moneyed, layer of society that was the ruling class of the time. A hybrid of English prep school uniform and traditional American wear, the preppy look is timeless.

Founded in 1902 by Jacobi Press, in my hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, his namesake company has always adhered to a traditional some would say conservative, design philosophy. Much of their clothing is still American made. Mr. Press would probably feel right at home were he to walk into one of his stores today. In fact, the store has never moved location.

Sartorial innovations like the sack suit and natural shoulder were invented here. The trademark three-button suit coat with the rolled lapel that visually converts it to a two-button is also a Press innovation. The sack suit itself, given global branding by Jack Kennedy as the American suit, is also credited to J. Press.

Another of their signatures is the lack of pleated trousers. All Press suits have flat front pants and always have; it’s the kind of consistency and tradition that make the company such an icon among its customers, generation after generation. Where Brooks Brothers’ shirts are famously voluminous, Press shirts are more trim and discreet. Their shirts also have, should you choose the option, a distinctive flapped pocket.

But don’t mistake that tradition and adherence to New England stylistic values for old fashion stodginess. Though smaller compared to Brooks Brothers, Paul Stuart or Joseph A. Bank, J. Press is a global player and major style influencer on the Trad front. To see just how popular and relevant J. Press is to the fashion world – at least for the true preppy market – you need to go a little ways past New Haven, all the way to Japan.

J. Press is huge in Japan. In 1974, the Press family sold the rights to license J. Press in Japan; becoming the first American brand to be licensed in Japan. To many a Japanese professional, the sartorial standard by which business and traditional dress is measured is J. Press. In fact, the company is today a wholly owned subsidiary of Onward Kashiyama Co., Ltd. Onward Kashiyama realized almost immediately that to preserve J. Press’ Ivy League cachet, it needed to stay out of the way. And that they have done.

J. Press has maintained its preppy core values and remains the truest expression of traditional New England Style. What else would you expect?

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

The Allure of Corthay Shoes

Pierre Corthay is one of the best shoemakers around, but is not well-known outside France. Trained at both John Lobb and Berluti, he has a pedigree from possibly the two most respected shoemakers in the world, for quality and design respectively.

Like Berluti, he has used some innovative marketing and eye-catching designs to gain attention across France. And he has gradually acquired stockists in Japan, Germany and the USA (Leffot and Bergdorf Goodman). If he were owned by the giant LVMH, he’d probably be as big as Berluti already.

I like Corthay shoes because they are sleek without being pointy (cf. Artioli), have a lovely patina without being over the top (cf. Berluti), and are universally renowned to have great construction (again, cf. Berluti).

I wore my pair, probably inadvisably, in torrential rain in London recently. They coped very well, without a stain on them and no signs of damage. In fact, come to think of it, they had had a few spots of rain on a previous occasion and there were no marks that time either.

I hasten to add that on neither occasion did I submit the shoes to this treatment on purpose. But as an assistant in the Gaziano & Girling showroom told me that day, “you wouldn’t want to be wearing a pair of Berlutis on a day like this.”

A look at the website (www.corthay.fr) illustrates the Corthay taste for the extreme. Neon-orange leathers and turquoise two-tones are always going to stand out from the crowd. But I am informed that 90% of the shoes they sell are still black or brown.

What blacks and browns though. Highlights are the two-holed derbies with elongated tongue, which look great in smart and clean shades, and the suede-and-calf combinations – a modern take on the traditional business model. I opted for a brown version of the black two-tones illustrated (colour shown in the magnified image).

Having trained at Lobb in 1984 and become the senior craftsman at Berluti in 1985, Corthay opened his own store in 1990. Five years later a contract for 150 bespoke pairs from the Sultan of Brunei kick-started the business, which added a ready-to-wear in 2001. A tricky experience with a subcontractor led the company to start doing its own ready-to-wear and opening its own factory in 2003.

Today, Corthay probably competes with Aubercy for the reputation of the best-respected shoemaker in France. I highly recommend a look next time you are in New York (Leffot, Bergdorf Goodman) or, indeed, are strolling down Rue Volney in Paris.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment