The Sartorialist

I love a look that can inspire both men and women.

She’s back – with another pair of great shoes

Nice triple collar detail

perfectly casual. perfectly sophisticated

I remember how much everyone liked the recent Armani Red & Green post so here is another take on that color theme.

Notice the DIY belt on the trench

I wish more New York young ladies looked as colorful and “naturally stylish ” as this young lady.
I say “naturally stylish” because I hear/read alot of people talk about being “effortless” but I think it’s unfair to expect people to look “effortless”. We all put in some effort – nothing wrong with that – but to look “effortless” I think you almost have to be born perfect – like Christy Turlington or my wife. (scored a big one there!)

I think we should strive less to be “effortless” and more to look naturally and happily ourselves – the best we, we can be.

How often do we see a great piece in a store and think “I could never wear that, it is too obvious”
I love a coat (or any piece) that has really dramatic design details , like the sleeve seaming here, that is actually is very subtle when you are wearing it.

Paris

I love the patina that these buildings have developed over the years. I seem to see these kind of buildings and doorways all over Milan.

I love the looks in these photos but I equally love the light.

One of the rare citings of an Italian man wearing jeans while in Milan.

When I lifted those Thom Browne photos from Style.com I should have more properly credited them.
The photos were provided by Don Ashby’s (above) company Firstview and were shot by Kevin Sturman.

As a photographer I should have been more sensitive to that.

She asked if I could take the picture quickly because she was going to a big interview with LVMH.
I’m sure all of us here at The Sartorialist wish you good luck!

This skirt seemed to be the first piece all the editors were snapping up when it hit the Prada salesfloor in Milan and Paris.
I love how Anna Della Russo has worn long, dark jewel-toned green gloves to compliment the color of the skirt.

I’m not saying anything but…..

Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Fall 2007

This is Dario, he works at Cesare Attolini. one of the top sartorial clothiers in the world.
When I look at this photo the first thing I notice is the perfect jacket/sleeve cuff ratio but the second thing (and maybe more subtle but equally important) is the perfect length of the shirt sleeve itself.
Similar to what we do to pants, most men in America wear their shirts sleeves with way too much extra length in the arms.
If you notice Dario’s sleeves hits right at the base of his wrist without having the shirt cuff buttoned.
I know a couple of guys in New York that like to do the “cuffs unbuttoned thing” but they wear the sleeves too long so it makes them look like the shirt doesn’t fit correctly.
I also think this way of wearing your shirt sleeve gives a very subtle illusion that makes a person look taller and more lanky. Think about it, tall people with long arms rarely wear sleeves that are too long , their sleeves ride up on their arms a bit. I think it is something we see everday but don’t really notice.
Charlie Rose is a perfect example of this.
I watch his show sometimes and I think the way he wears his shirts looks great and gives him a heightened sense of lankiness.
Maybe because I am more of a muscular, square shape that I’m always on the lookout for things that might, maybe, possibly give me just one once of “lank”.
I’d kill for a little lank.

It is one thing to see a guy standing still with a perfect sleeve length but it is another to see how the sleeves should look when you are actually “in-action”.
When I was reviewing my Milan photos I found one of Dario (on the right side of the photo) working an appointment. See how the slleves ride up a bit but still looks great and is very subtle.
This must/should be a fancy watch-wearers fantasy fit for shirts.
Below is an example of another guy I shot on the street in Milan that wears his shirt to the benefit of his watch.
As a side note, notice how the back blade and front blade of his tie sit side-by-side. I have seen this too much in Milan to think it is done by accident.

Don’t be afraid to print this post and take it with you to your tailor when you are having suits jackets or shirts fitted.

I dont see “blue jeans” very often when I am at the shows so these kinda stoodout

I will be speaking in a presentation at the Apple Store Soho tonight about New York photoblogging.

The event will run from 6:30pm to 8pm

It would be great to see some of you there.

Here is a link to the event

NYC Photobloggers 9

Al Bazar owner Lino Ieluzzi
He just oozes charisma.
You know what I really like about Al Bazar? I like the fact that that it has an aura of quality and style and yet it is not about being the most expensive or most exclusive.
As much as I love Domenico Vacca and Luigi Borrelli here in New York they both have a very elitist sensibility.
Maybe it is just me but I don’t think a person should have to pay a boatload of money to get good quality clothes that also have a certain amount of style.
As I mentioned in the previous post I also love the commitment to good service at Al Bazar. When I visited Al Bazar in January they had a specific salesperson to work with their large number of Japanese customers.
Lino is like a rock star in japan. I bought a copy of Leon, a super sartorial japanese mens magazine, and he was voted the top mens store in Milan. Well I’m guessing he was voted top, I don’t speak or read Japanese but he was listed first and had a big number 1 next to him.

I will do another post about Al Bazar when I visit again to do some Summer shopping.

Here is a link to the Al Bazar website Al Bazar

This is Gianpaolo Alliata, he is the type of salesperson a Sartorialist dreams about. (wait, I’m not sure that reads the way I meant but hear me out)

The first time I went into Al Bazar , my new favorite store in Milan, I was overwhelmed by the selection of beautiful shirts.

Guy Rover shirts sold at Al Bazar come with an extra set of collar and cuffs and are available in only spread collar (below) and extreme cutaway collar (as Gianpaolo wears above) or button-down. ( Point-collar shirts do not exist in the best menswear shops of Milan)

Gianpaolo ,with an actors flair for the dramatic, showed me the variety of fabrics that were available in my size.
He had a very particular and graceful way off pulling out each box from the wall, flipping over the lid and peeling back the tissue paper to reveal the woven treasure inside.
Once I decided on which shirts I was going to buy I started toward the dressing room to try the shirt on for the sleeve alteration – this is where he really got me.
He just looks at me and says “what are you doing?”
“I’m trying the shirt on so you can shorten the sleeves” I said.
“It’s ok, I have it” he said
“I’m really particular” I warned. To this point I had not said anything about my blog or anything about my background.
“I have it ” he said with a with a slight arrogance that comes from years of experience.
“Well, understand I want the length to be right here” I said pointing to the base of my wrist.
“I have it” he repeated.
“Ok, but if it is wrong you won’t have time to fix it before I leave Milan.” I warned again.
“No problem” he assured me.

To be honest, I could not decide to be pleased or pissed.

I loved the fact that he felt so confident in his ability to offer a perfect fitting shirt (which is rare for a salesperson these days) but I was also a little put off at the idea I was so easy to visually measure up.
A small part of me wanted to sleeve length to be a little off just to show I was more complex than he thought (if that makes sense?)

I went back to the store two days later and damn! if the sleeve length wasn’t perfect!

Mr. Show-Off!

Needless to say since then I have bought about six shirts at Al Bazar and several pairs of pants (which I did try on).

When I got the pants back from alteration, twill tape had been sewn in the hem of the pants to protect the fabric from being stepped on by your shoes(this is a very high-end detail). I asked if this was something that they always did and Gianpaolo looked at me like “of course, dork, this is Milan.”

The Guy Rover Shirts are about $105Euro and the pants are about $195Euro.
To me they are just about the best menswear deals in Milan.

Tonight I will post the photo I took of Al Bazar owner ,and Japanese fashion icon, Lino Ieluzzi with a few more photos from the store and a link to their website.

This weekend, instead of slopping around in the brown-snow muck of New York. I spent several hours adding labels to my posts!
By next week I should have a section on the right-hand column that you can click on to see label categories like Scenes of New York, My Favorites, Men New York, Men Milan, Women New York, Bicycles, Books etc.

I think this will make the blog even more useful and give the discussions WE have had about things like scent blending or books an even longer life because they will be easier to find.

While I was doing this project I noticed that quite a few of my favorite photos from my European trips are not on my site.
They are still on Style.com but if they are old they can be hard to find there.
Hopefully by next week I will have added quite a few of those images to my archives at about the original dates they were taken.

I will do a follow-up post when I feel I have completed adding all the images I want.

In the meantime, if you look at the Handball,Brooklyn post below you will see a link to labels for My Favorites and Scenes of New York (both of which already have quite a few posts.)

I hope you all enjoy these new features.

It was almost 70 degrees last Wednesday and then snowed on Thursday and Friday! Saturday and Sunday New York was like a giant 7-11 Slushy.

The one thing I kept seeing over and over this weekend were these colorful rubber boots.

I’m guessing they are Marc by Marc Jacobs because he was selling them for $35 and this photo was taken just down the street from his Bleecker Street store.

This is the real Mix Master (all pardons to the fine Gentleman at Grand Master Flash anfd the Furious Five)

I love little tailors shops like this called Liverano & Liverano in Florence. They sell a little ready-to wear but the majority of their business is still done with tailored garments.

I love the fact that the gentleman doing the work seem to be as well dressed as their potential customers. I think that says something about the pride they have in their work and their craft.

For a great sartorial Florence shopping experience buy something, anything, at Liverano & Liverano then go around the corner to the original Santa Maria Novella and spend just as much on colognes, soaps,and creams.

Interesting jacket

And how to carry a manbag

Welcome to ENORMO SARTO
My new giant, oversized blog
sorry this loading thing is being a bit of a pain
but it should be fixed soon
in the meantime enjoy these completely ridiculously oversized images
i will work out the correct sizing tonight


So do we think that he is wearing a pocket square as scarf?
This gentleman is an editor for Mens EX magazine in Japan,
Does anyone know how to get in touch with him?
We should ask him about this scarf, about the deminsions and how he ties it.

I often wear my gloves in my back pocket just like this – glad I;m not the only one.

Don’t click on the images because it will take you to the Flickr webpage.
i have been communicating with Blogger so I think the loading problem will be resolved soon.

I walked by the Apple Store in Soho yesterday while a large group was lining up for a concert at the store. As you can see a very New York looking crew.

On a similar note, I have been asked to participate in a presentation about digital photography at the Apple Store Soho on March 21st from 6-8pm. If you are in the area I would love to have you stop in.

I will do a reminder post as we get closer to the date.

Pixie perfect hair

I love finding guys like this.
He is an art director in Milan and he just seems to live a stylish life.
I will have to email him soon- he would be great fior my “The SartoriaList -Milan” .

Someone forgot to turn the heat on in New York while as I was Europe.
I got back to NYC and it is freezing!

First I would like to say Happy 10 Year Anniversary to Sarah and everyone at Colette.

Before I started The Sartorialist I worked with and sold to hundreds of fashion boutiques around the world for over 15 years. I feel I understand what it takes to make a shopping experience special and a store truly unique and Colette is both in spades.
I am constantly amazed how they are able to keep the store so exciting and directional over such an extended amount of time. Time is usually the killer of cool but they just keep rolling along.

As you can see from my photos I spend a lot of time there and around there because it is so central to what is happening in Paris.

Well, with that said, I am proud and a little humbled to announce that I will have an exhibit of my photos at Colette this Fall in either September or October.

To show my work at Colette during that time period is like having a painting in the Louvre.

We are still working out the details but we both want it to capture the whole spectrum of style that I shoot for The Sartorialist.

I will keep you posted as new developments occur.

She reminds me of a modern Billie Holiday

I loved the color at LV

So what did you think of Olivier Theyskens debut for Nina Ricci?
I thought it was not as groundbreaking as his debut for Rochas but still a very good collection.

I just got back to New York and will be out shooting in the city tomorrow!

I love his tie choice with this look

Remember that great place where I had this salad during the Summer and Fall?

It closed!

I am so disappointed.

I just bet La Walmart is somehow connected with pushing this lunch place out.

I just wish the French were not so progressive and always throwing aside what is old in favor of what is new and shiny.

I cannot wait to get back to New York where we protect our cherished institutions.

For instance, the sun tanning place on my block has been there for over three years!

We New Yorkers know how to treat our small business owners with respect!

(I hope this is read with the intent of which it was written)

In the past I have had a hard time finding great menswear style in Paris but maybe I was just looking in the wrong places.

I have been really inspired by the gentleman I found the last three days – I’m hitting my Paris groove.

I love a girl that can wear a parka with heels and mean it.

So what did you think of Dries?
For me it begins and ends with his collection in Paris.
When looking at the photos on Style.com give each look an extra three points because the colors are even more perfect in person.
He is the one designer that can do a long show (60 something looks) and not have it seem repetitive because each look is its own study of color, shape and texture.

Also ,if you get a chance, take a look at the portraits (with the black background) that I did at the Dries show on Style.com.
They were very difficult to shoot but they turned out very good I think.

the shoe are the softess, pale lilac color that is so perfect with those shades of grey.