Quick Hits
I’ve reached the point of summer where I’m defiantly wearing Fall clothes. It’s also been the hottest week of summer, so my sartorial protesting resolve has been tested. Nothing will get the comment section on fashion posts like wearing layers in the summer. People can’t believe it. Engagement goes through the roof as if offices, homes, and stores aren’t air conditioned in 2021. It may not be the engagement you want, but Instagram is really crowded.
I’m officially saying Fall is here and prioritizing the brands of the season below.
Engineered Garments - Sometimes the moment swings back around and a brand is just sitting there waiting. There are traces of the workwear trends of 10 years ago resurfacing. EG has just been doing what they do the whole time. The Sebago collaboration was a big statement. Boat shoes were also big around a decade ago. Their FA pants meet the moment perfectly - workwear with extra utility. I mean, we have to have cargo pockets on our thighs right now. I’m also a fan of the Aircrew pants which feels a little more technical and GORPy. I guess if you boiled down the differences in outdoor/workwear/technical clothing space between now and a decade ago, we’re more hiking than working these days. It’s maybe more honest but there are still many using very generous definitions of “hiking”. Either way, I sometimes appreciate water repellant material when outside for a few minutes on a rainy day.
Stone Island - Much like EG, a brand that has been doing what they do for decades. Again, the cargo pants unconventional materials are exactly right for this Fall, but were also right 20 years ago. (It’s also wild how much this applies to mall brands 20 years ago, but that’s another piece).
And Wander - Perhaps at the top of the GORP movement right now. It has all the high-info, made exclusively in Japan, founded by Issey Miyake designers sensibilities required to complement a lavender latte and .75 mile trail walk. A recipe for transcendence if you asked me.
Beams Plus - I’ve had more moments than I can count in the last year where I’ve REALLY liked a Beams Plus item before realizing what the brand was. It still seems a little difficult to find many of the best pieces in the U.S., but that just makes it more fun, right? Nice to see a selection carried by Nordstrom as well as solid stock at Mr. Porter.
Balenciaga - While I thought FW21 might be the time for Hermès to make a menswear move, Balenciaga ended that before it started. As the de facto official outfitter for Ye’s Donda rollout, which included him buying out the entire stock at Dover Street Market in LA, it’s safe to say Balenciaga will reclaim the luxury menswear belt this season. Also, doesn’t all black just feel right again? But it’s not “all black everything”, which once again was trend a little more than a decade ago. Seems like a theme…
Kapital - Not every piece is for everyone. Some don’t even seem like they’re made to be worn. As Davis Sedaris has noted, some Kapital clothing will make you look absolutely terrible. However, the best Kapital and most wearable Kapital pieces are like nothing else. Much like Rick Owens collections, I find the fun is taking such pieces and incorporating them into a wardrobe in a way that can work for a guy in the Midwest who isn’t above hitting a drive thru. We’re approaching fleece season which is one of the things Kapital does best.
By ZK