THE DRG STYLE INDEX: Public School for J Crew, Alexander Olch, My-Wardrobe, Louis Vuitton, Chanel
It’s the eve of London Collections: Men, so the latest DRG STYLE INDEX is a little bit menswear focussed. Here’s my ranking of the brands on my radar this week…
1) J CREW X PUBLIC SCHOOL
Every good menswear designer knows there’s more money to be made from womenswear. So naturally it makes sense for (newly crowned CFDA Menswear Designer Of The Year) Public School to work with J Crew on this womenswear collab. Only available in America and already nearly sold out, the nine-piece capsule collection boasts elevated boyish basics including this grey sweatshirt and two-tone chambray shirt…
2. ALEXANDER OLCH’S BESPOKE (NOT YOUR) BOYFRIEND SHIRTS
I like the idea of Alexander Olch’s men’s shirts for women. Sold at Barrneys, his New York flagship will soon offer a whole customisable experience with 200 fabric options…
3. MY-WARDROBE EXPLORES BRICK AND MORTAR
My-wardrobe.com is dipping into physical retail, starting with two pop-ups to offload its sale stock. The stores, just opened at 15 Floral Street, WC2 and 152a Sloane Street, SW1, will be followed at the end of the month by a permanent space at Whiteleys shopping centre. The physical space hopes to act as a central hub for press appointments and for click-and-collect customers, a timely 360-degree approach that will appeal to customers like me who are never home to receive packages. I can’t keep up with all the changes at My-wardrobe and I hope they succeed with these latest initiatives.
4. LOUIS VUITTON TAPS ICONCLASTS FOR MONOGRAM COLLABORATION
Remember that time Louis Vuitton got the likes of Helmut Lang, Azzedine Alaïa and Manolo Blahnik to reimagine its luxury leather goods in the 1980s? Of course you don’t, you probably weren’t even born. Well they did and the results were soooo good. Here’s Chrissie Hynde modelling the Helmut Lang record box (I know, how many did they make and where are they now?). This year, to celebrate Vuitton’s 160th anniversary, Vuitton has asked designers and arists including Karl Lagerfeld, Rei Kawakubo and Cindy Sherman to rethink it’s monogram for a line of limited edition leather pieces due in October. I’m loving the creativity going on with monogramming at the moment and this is an artful collab that feels meaningful and considered.
5. A CHANEL MODEL COMPETITION?
I’m not sure I’m feeling Ford’s model competition, #walkwithkarl, in association with V Magazine. Hopefuls can upload their photos to Scouting.fordmodels.com/V and tag their social media with #walkwithkarl. The prize is a Ford contract, a V shoot, plus a turn on the Fendi and Chanel runways. I get the democratisation of fashion, I just don’t feel that this idea is innovative enough for a luxury brand like Chanel. It should be leading, not following!
[IMAGES: Alexander Olch by Diedre Schoo for New York Times; Chanel by Benoit Peverelli]
