The Best Seattle Men's Stores - Part One

I posted about my favorite menswear stores in Seattle nearly four years ago, but considering how much the retail landscape has changed since then, I thought it'd be worth an update.

+ Nordstrom Downtown - A newly expanded men's designer selection now includes six new brands this season, including Shipley & Halmos and Opening Ceremony. Also on offer are new American favorites like Spurr and Rag & Bone, as well more established European brands like Burberry Prorsum and Gucci. Loden Dager, A.P.C., Hentsch Men, Maison Martin Margiela, John Varvatos, dsquared2, and the incredibly rare Marni round out the bunch. A little something for everybody, but all incredibly solid wardrobe additions.

+ Blackbird - Ballard's world-renowned men's shop is still as reliable as ever. An early proponent for the American heritage revival, there are well-curated and exclusive items from brands like Alden, Pendleton and Woolrich (both Woolen Mills and John Rich & Bros.), all with a Northwest slant (as opposed to Opening Ceremony's progressive bent). Beyond that, the list of brands keeps going, with cult Japanese labels like Coming Soon to slick, smart American designers like Simon Miller and Tim Hamilton. You really have to check it out to understand why magazines like Monocle keep raving about it. Also check out The Field House, their more outdoorsy, woodsman-friendly sister store.

+ Jack Straw - An extremely edited selection of labels for men includes Adam Kimmel, Dries Van Noten, and Engineered Garments. The client is mature, sophisticated, and well-educated, with a strong appreciation for refined detailing and unexpected fabrications. For the creative Seattle man who doesn't want to wear another damn Brioni suit. For the women in their lives, check out the selection of Yoshi Kondo sweaters.

+ Crossroads Trading Co. - The Capitol Hill outpost recently doubled in size, and for the extremely patient and diligent, you can find some unbelievable deals. My recent finds include A.P.C. coats, a Band of Outsiders vest, Marc by Marc Jacobs shirts, and Surface to Air shoes, and virtually everything in the store is under $60. Just beware, the best stuff requires coming in often and being ready to dig.

Coming soon: an update including Barneys, Veridis, Kuhlman, and more.

Martha Streck Looks Good

Made in Brazil: The Horse Whisperer

How the hell is model Martha Streck so gorgeous?

VINCE Opening at Bellevue Square

Vince, maker of the softest tees you could ever imagine (I'm wearing one right now!), is coming to Bellevue Square this November. With a slew of stores already on the East Coast and in California (plus one in Texas), the brand is really revving up their own retail network. Already available at Nordstrom, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Mario's, Mercer, and a few other places around Seattle, the line is clearly a hit with the upscale, super-casual vibe of the area. Their sweaters are pretty exceptional, and their button-downs are about as easy to wear as any I've bought so far. I have to say, it's tough for me to choose a favorite between James Perse and Vince, so I'm gonna leave it as a tie for now. But come November 5, we'll see if the new store persuades me in one direction. Check more out here.

Shooz

Reasons I think I might like Crossroads:

1) Dries Van Noten sneakers for $34!

2) Dior Homme sneakers for $34!

Fuck yeah.

What I Wore 1

American Apparel tri-blend cardigan, Gant plaid button-up, Rag & Bone jeans, Cole Haan cap-toe oxfords

Shoe Porn

Pucci shoes by Peter Dundas for Fall 2009, already in the apartment of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. Swoon.

Anna Wintour vs Fat Minnesotans

“I had just been on a trip to Minnesota where I can only kindly describe most of the people that I saw as little houses" - Anna Wintour. I LOVE HER.

Oprah vs Anna Wintour

I don't even know who to side with here :( Not that's there's any side to take, I can love them both!

The Bravern - Bottega Veneta Pulling Out?

Is Bottega Veneta pulling out of the Bravern development in Bellevue? All press releases and mentions of the boutique seem to have mysteriously vanished from the Bravern website. My guess is that the Gucci Group, which owns Bottega Veneta, was monitoring how the new Gucci boutique at 5th & University in downtown Seattle was performing, and combining that with the economy as a whole, decided to pull the plug on opening a Bottega Veneta in Bellevue. Oy.

Coolest Fucking Gown Ever

Heyyyyyyy :D Designed by me!

From Megan Chan's Flickr here

Carine Roitfeld + CNN = Not Sure...

I'm sorry, I just don't really understand a lot of the words that Carine Roitfeld, supremely chic editor of Vogue Paris, utters in this mostly lovely profile. But it's worth watching to just observe the world's most stylish woman in her natural habitat, wearing clothes that have literally debuted just days before on the runway, such as that freaking awesome Balenciaga dress (above) she wears to the office. The clothes she wears are a good six months or so away from hitting stores, if they go into production at all. Oh, it must be so, so good to be her.







Full Video — Carine Roitfeld on CNN: Revealed | Anna Wintour, insider wire, Carine Roitfeld | fashionologie

Erin Wasson = Brody Jenner - Penis

Erin Wasson is so creative. She is such a wonderful artist. Her whole life is just amazing. Nah, I'm kidding, I kinda just wanna vomit after I read about the words that come out of her silly, pretty mouth. Nah, I'm kidding again, her mouth isn't all that pretty. In her own words:

“I get approached for a lot of TV projects. And I sit in a room with these people and I say ‘You guys realize you’re talking to the wrong girl?’ I’m not your cheesy girl that’s going to dress up in a hokey outfit and say all the sound bites that you want me to say. That’s just not who I am. I’m a total odd bird. I collect prison art and paper mache [sic] masks. I keep a journal and rip pages out of books. I think that when you open your mind, you realize there’s art everywhere, there’s art all around us. That’s what keeps the wheels in motion. To create is my ultimate goal. So why would I ever sell out?”

Erin Wasson Chooses ‘Creating’ Over Selling Out -- The Cut: New York Magazine's Fashion Blog:

Is There No Other Way to Be Green?!

Because these make me wanna vomit.

Mary Katrantzou - London Fashion Week

Mary Katrantzou's big debut at London Fashion Week was full of buzz. Her perfume bottle prints were stunning and fresh, which is big praise in London, where every other young designer sees themselves as the next Johnathan Saunders. Can't wait to see more from her.

Mary Katrantzou Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection on Style.com: Runway Review

Christopher Kane Fall 2009

fashionologie has the scoop on the new Christopher Kane show. Kane is easily one of the top three designers in London right now, along with Giles Deacon and...a third, rotating member (Louise Goldin maybe?). This show is faaaaar better than his crack-whack Planet of the Apes meets The Flintstones collection from last season.

It's Fashion Week!

New York Fashion Week is in full swing, and there are a few designers you definitely need to look for. Altuzarra, Hester, and Cushnie et Ochs are getting the biggest buzz, while Bibhu Mohapatra (styled by Lauren Santo Domingo) and Hutson (from the duo behind Obedient Sons & Daughters) are also on my radar. Ohne Titel and Yigal Azrouël (who had Ashley Dupre in the front row, totally unbeknownst to him) are finally coming into their own, but neither has hit the big-time quite like Anna Wintour fave Alexander Wang. More to come!

Michelle Obama + Vogue = Best. Cover. EVER.

EDIT: Cover leaked!!!

The pictures haven't leaked yet, but the Washington Post has finally confirmed that Michelle Obama will indeed be on the grand March issue of Vogue, as just about everybody had predicted. She wears Jason Wu on the cover (of course) and Narciso Rodriguez in side (no surprise there) and was shot by Annie Leibovitz (naturally). Andre Leon Talley wrote the article (though who really reads anything he writes?). Can't freaking wait for the photos to leak.

The Stranger + The Gucci Party

Somebody from The Stranger got invited to the opening celebration for the new Gucci in Seattle. Too fucking bizarre. Anyways, the wonderful account is here and the photo is from here. Oh, Mr. Chihuly!

Hussein Chalayan = Fashion Genius

In light of his exhibit at London's Design Museum, Style.com has posted a video of his favorite moments from his past 15 years of beautifully refined, avant-garde design. It's spectacular.

Jason Wu Trunk Show at Seattle Nordstrom

Even if Jason Wu isn't reproducing Michelle Obama's inaugural gown, he still has a whole assortment of gorgeous gowns just waiting to be loved. Next Wednesday, at the flagship Nordstrom in downtown Seattle, there's going to be a Jason Wu trunk show on 2. While this has been planned for quite some time now, there really couldn't have been better timing for the event. It's especially surprising considering that the other designers on the Seattle Nordstrom trunk show schedule are Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, and Akris, none of which are up-and-coming designers in the slightest.

Here's the info from nordstrom.com:
Jason Wu Trunk Show
Wednesday, January 28, 11am - 3pm
Downtown Seattle
Seattle, WA 98101
In Collectors, Level 2. For more information or to RSVP, please call (206) 628-2111, ext. 1445.