The Sartorialist

A photo of “The Painter” that I shot in the early Spring.

I am inspired by a lot of looks I see on the street but I rarely see an entire look that I would want for myself – this is one of the few.

I love the colors, the pattern, the fit, the accessories – Well played sir!

I should call this “Feels Like New York, part 2.” Only in New York could a street pretzel be a perfect accessory.

He said I have inspired him to look into a second career as a male model.

I have said it before but he exemplifies the kind of elegance I hope to have 40 years from now. (ok. ok, 30 years)

It would have been so easy to throw on a pair of black tights but the shot of color really makes the whole look.

This just feels like New York to me – the action, the energy and the diversity of style

This shot is about the overall look.
Those little black leather jackets I kept seeing in Paris looks great here in brown- yes, brown!
This shot is about the hair.

Love it! Love it all!

Here is the Boggi website link Boggi

Boggi – I love this store, I bought several shirts during my last visit to Milan for $49 euro each (about $65 US dollar) and they are wearing great.

Imagine a very Milanese version of Brooks Brothers, around that same price and conservative yet very exciting style. I really thought about ditching a few of my J.Crew shirts from my suitcase to make room for even more shirts. I bought the shirts on a Tuesday and they had the sleeves shortened and ready to go by early Thursday morning.

I will post more photos from their website (www.boggi.it) later today.

I think I have said before that I’m not a big fan of brown for clothing but I love how she has combined the brown dress with the red shoes.

Of course, I also love the hair.

So I am looking in this shop window and thinking about how great the whole ensemble looks and then The Sartorialist in me wondered….

Quiz:
The overcoat has a white cotton pocket square – when you take off the overcoat do you remove the pocket square and place it in your suit or do you have a separate pocket square for your coat AND for your suit?

ANSWER
I went into the shop and asked the owner – without a second of hesitation and with a slight look of surprise that I didn’t already know he said “One pocket square for each, of course.”

I’m not saying it is right or wrong but I love how many different opinions were left in the comment section and that several of you left very sounds reasons as to why or why not.
I love when I get an idea like this and we get such strong reader participation.

I will really try to get a photo this winter of the Italian guys that put their gloves in the breast pocket of their overcoat.

Some of you thought it seemed a bit over-the-top to put a pocket square in your overcoat but I bet if you saw a guy on the street with one you would barely notice it which ,to me, makes it a perfectly subtle sartorial detail.

Thanks Everyone!!!!

Thanks to everyone who braved the rain and came out to Saks for the Michael Bastian event.
It has been really wonderful to meet so many of my readers and have an opportunity to conduct these events with Saks.
The setting was very intimate and I think Michael really opened up about the excitement and challenges of being a young designer.

I thought it was interesting when Michael discussed how a designer can have an inspiration, sketch it, build a collection around it and after working it for a while eventually realizing it isn’t right and then have to start over. I think that takes a lot of courage to start over ,especially on a tight time schedule, but that is the kind of thing that helps designers succeed.

I am humbled by the fantastic windows Saks Fifth Avenue has dedicated to The Sartorialist this week. We had a few general conversations about ideas for the display but I was pleasantly shocked to see what a wonderful job they did.

Thanks Tim, and ,as always, thanks iMac.

I love the exuberance of this young girl’s look. She is not a size 4 and she is not making excuses.

I love the dress (both of them actually) but I really like the guys in the background sitting outside one of the few remaining small butcher shops in the city. I’ve talked to them before and they still remember when Nolita wasn’t “Nolita” and that area was still very much of a real neighborhood.

I shot the Miller Brothers of Barker Black shoes for the November GQ. Both brothers have great style and often (very often) wear vintage in a way that looks completely modern. In the November issue Derrick gives a few tips on how to shop for vintage clothing.

I love the little ridingcap and the black bow at her waist was very cute but it blended into the black of her skirt.

I almost always wear woven ties but the new print ties at Domenico Vacca are starting to catch my attention. The colors are great and they allow for a slightly tighter knot – which is nice to see after so many bad giant knots.

“Just paperbag it” the last time I heard that it was being said by Mallory on Family Ties.
You know the Eighties are really back when it starts slipping into outfits that don’t scream RETRO.

Color fabric bolts at Charvet . Paris
Vintage Style, San Francisco
Wall of Collars at Charvet, Paris
San Francisco Style
Not only is the Paris Charvet store’s second floor packed with fabrics but it is very much a true workroom with a large cutting table and patterns that are adjusted right on the customer.

The selection of bow ties and pocket squares is mind-blowing
Wall of Cuffs at Charvet, Paris

I received a few emailed questions wanting to know when Charvet will create a website or start e-commerce. Jean-Claude said that his main concern is color accuracy of the computer images on a website, He is very proud of the high standards of his customers and will wait until he feels confident that the technology is perfected enough that what he shows on a website is what will ship to his customer.
He actually has already done quite a bit of research on the subject and even suggested a Photoshop book to me. I’m guessing that when the Charvet site is ready it will have been worth the wait.

Mr. Colban (right) with Saks buyer Bill Wynne
I visited and took a few photos at the Charvet store while I was in Paris for the women’s collections. I used some of the photos to illustrate our event.
This little corner of the Paris store really captures the essence of luxury and elegance that is Charvet.
Two fabulous young ladies that attended the event in San Fran
Colorful cuff links at Charvet, Paris
The fabric room on the second floor of Charvet in Paris. This is where the magic happens.

Rolls of silk shirting fabric at Charvet, Paris Chris Mitchell of Details magazine (left) and Michael Macko of Saks (right)

The event was so great and it was wonderful to meet so many of my San Francisco readers . Thanks to everyone that came out. I will write more detail about the event for tonight’s post but I wanted to get these first shots up this morning..

Don’t forget about the Saks event tomorrow Tuesday Oct. 17th at Saks Fifth Avenue. I will conduct a fun interview with designer Michael Bastian. The San Fran event was so fun I’m completely psyched about this next one with Michael.

Again, if you can’t make the event but would like to ask Michael a question just email it to me with “Michael Bastian” in the subject line.

I hope to meet a lot of there!

Here is a young lady with an interesting pair of pants in Paris.

I actually really love the long sweater over the little white skirt on her friend best. “The Chic Librarian”

UPDATE The event is open to the public – no invitation necessary

I’m so excited to announce my first New York event will be at Saks Fifth Avenue this October 17th from 6:30 pm to 8:00pm and will feature an interview with menswear designer Michael Bastian.

As you all know I’m a big fan of Michael Bastians work and it will be fun to grill him in front of a live audience about the success of his debut collection.
I will also take a few questions from the audience and (like the Charvet event) I will ask Michael a few questions that have been emailed to my blog (put Michael Bastian in the subject line of your emailed question). Please make sure to email your questions before the 17th.

Time table
Reception 6:30 to 7:pm
Presentation 7:00 to 8 pm

Of course I will also be taking photos at the event so please come in a good mood and with a big smile. I have already met quite a few of my New York-area readers and I hope to meet even more at this event.

ps don’t forget that the The Sartorialist will be featured in the Saks men’s windows at from Oct 16th to the 23rd.

I occasionally see club=collar shirts and think ….maybe. I usually don’t follow through because they seem a bit too costumey. This gentleman though has done it perfectly,

I rarely notice much about makeup but Stella really had a wonderfully dramatic look around her eyes at the Dior show I think the effect is heightened by her pale skin and blonde hair.

The “Paris Vogue girls” shot reminded me of a shot I took at Dries with all the girls in longer skirts and gold shoes.

I think it is great that some designers and companies can create their own little style tribes and yet the best (like Dries or Ralph or Paris Vogue ) have people that can work within that very specific aesthetic and still let their own style shine through.

I think this photo says a lot about the state of skirt lengths and heel height on the girls in Paris.

I will have to review but did I shoot any girls in pants in Paris?

Were there in girls in Paris wearing pants?

I really love the whole color scheme here

Here is an update for my event at Saks Fifth Avenue (downtown San Francisco) with Jean-Claude Colban of Charvet this Saturday which is open to the public.

1:00 reception
2:00-3:00 program

I would love to ask Mr. Colban some questions that have been emailed in by my readers so if you have a question about Charvet (product, history, business strategy etc) please email it to me with “Charvet question” in the subject line.

I will shoot some photos at the event so I hope to meet some of my super-stylish West Coast readers (male and female) at Saks.

Thanks again Scott

I have learned and will not even try to guess his nationality but he does have a very good personal style and love the little flip his hair does.

I seems like very cool girl in Paris has a short black leather jacket
Over short skirts, over dresses, or over pants it just looks right.

Girls in Paris just know how to do short hair

The best part of this look is that the jacket is from TopShop

This shot reminds me of a John Currin painting

For me it begins and ends with Dries Van Noten. It is the only show i would consider paying to get into. This collection was incredible – it is amazing how he can make clothes that seem otherworldly and yet so wearable and useful in real life.

I will have to update this later and pop in a few of my favorite looks from the show.

ps I shot the most elegant older woman on the street yesterday before the Dries show. I posted her at Style.com – I would love to hear what you think = she may be a Sartorialist of the Year nominee!

UPDATE – He is not French but Spanish

I love his combo of red check shirt and pale gold tie. This is a combo I would not have thought of – I guess some French (strike that – Spanish) guys are very sartorial ( oh, I know I didn’t just type that!)

Wow, sometimes people are more everything in real life – more beautiful, more stylish and more inspirational. She was born to work at Paris Vogue. Emmanuelle and Carine are like rock stars during the shows here and in Milan.

Oh I love my lunch in Paris. This place is just down the street from one of the more popular show spaces.
The salad is herbed goat-cheese on toast with aged “country ham”, greens in a mustard vinaigrette and the real topper is a few walnuts sprinkled on top. Give me a glass (or two) of white wine and I’m good to go for the rest of the day.

Andree Putman – she is my female version of Beppe

I have not liked full pleated pants in quite a while but he does a good job with them here – I think the slimness on top really helps

Strict, cleanly-tailored shape was the predominate theme of the Jil Sander show but from where I was I also saw a lot of fluidity and movement – especially in the dresses.