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April 2008 People:
Ron Frasch: Man With a Mission
Just prior to his UJA honor on April 10, we chatted with Saks' president about luxury menswear in a recession economy.
While so many luxury merchants were struggling, Saks reported same store sales for fourth quarter up 9 percent over last year. (Same store growth for 2008 is plann
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Massimo Bizzocchi: Style & Sensibility
MR's 2008 "Best-Dressed Man" shares some sartorial secrets.
 "My life is busy,” designer/sales rep Ma
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Corneliani at 50
On the occasion of Corneliani’s 50th anniversary, we sat down with Maurizio Corneliani (who heads up marketing and sales) to discuss the past, present and future of his family business. His grandfather Alfredo had been a talented tailor in the 1930s, a pioneer in Italian menswear, but it was
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April 2008 Features:
Urban Dress-Up: Demanding Styling
 The urban dress-up market is having a tough spring. As retailer Maurice Smith, of Austin Menswear in Norfolk,
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International Shows: Pitti Uomo
Exotic luxury truimphs in Italy.
In America, all economic indicators point to a recession. But price appears to be no object for most of the Italian clothiers who showed their fall 2008 collections at this year’s Pitti Uomo men’s show and on the Milan runways.
Despite the dire economic projection facing U.S. consumers, Italian menswear makers are stepping up production on limited edition
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International Shows: Madrid
Madrid hosted the 21st edition of ModaCalzado, the Spanish shoe fair this March, and just as in past seasons, I am delighted to report that the colorful and festive culture of Spain permeates its elegant footwear.
Generally speaking, the trend in men’s shoes from Spain is in reinterpreted classics—infusing clean, modern lines with color, playing with perforations and embroidery, shifting sole sh
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International Shows: Hong Kong
Looking East: Hong Kong offers inventive, salable fashion.
Ahh, Fashion Week. Insouciant editors crowding for VIP seats, lithe models gliding to eardrum-bursting music, PETA protesters running around naked and a dim sum press breakfast. Wait a minute. Pork buns? Oh, that’s right. Seems like it’s always fashion week somewhere these days, and mid-January it was in Hong Kong. But don’t whip
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International Shows: Ireland
You won't find more beautiful crafts, gifts, woolens and linens than at Showcase Ireland.
According to menswear designer Nicky Wallace, the Irish have historically been too busy having fun to be hugely successful in fashion. “But we’ve now got our legs and we’re running,” he maintains. “And our gift of gab can prove an asset.”
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International Shows: Barcelona's Bread & Butter
This year the theme at Barcelona’s Bread & Butter trade show, housed in the dramatic Fira de Barcelona, was “King Size”—and they weren’t kidding! Almost 100,000 visitors attended, that’s 20 percent more than the previous year, and 954 vendors exhibited.
The scene was cool contemporary with both edgy street sections and sophisticated modern looks. The energy levels were sky high…if you think Proje
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Trade Shows: Las Vegas: MAGIC and Project and Pool, Oh My!
 • Eco-friendly is still abuzz in the market! Jay Underwood from Atlas Shops in California says, “I see
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Trade Shows: Las Vegas: Another Opening, Another Show
Vegas shows and vendors had a lot to offer.
After the New York market, I was joking around about how many times I heard people say, “Ya gotta give this guy a reason to buy.” After the Vegas market, all I can say is this industry has given men more reason to buy than ever! In a time of economic uncertainty, I saw an industry coming together to fight with everything at its disposal. From out
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Trade Shows: Las Vegas: Hot Items for a Lukewarm Market
The common denominator at the Las Vegas shows: a universal search for items.
Clothing
While it looks to be a tough suit season for basics, smart retailers are reacting to fashion. According to Traci Young at Arnold Brant, fall bookings were strong for their light gray cashmere chinchilla plaid sportcoat, a printed cashmere sportcoat that feels like a sweater but with enough constr
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Trade Shows: Charlotte Market
Southern Style: Even here in the heart of traditionalism, fashion rocks for fall '08!
It was my first trip to the Southern Clothing Market in Charlotte and I expected a plethora of buttondown shirts and repp striped ties. Instead, I saw more well-dressed guys than I ever see in NYC or Vegas, dressed conservatively, yes, but with so much flair! What’s more, I met numerous young (under 30 an
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April 2008 Departments:
Neckwear Report
If neckwear seems stagnant to you, look to the narrow (younger) and wide (wealthier) fringes: that’s where the innovation and excitement is.
Ties have been through some tough times, but younger men are rediscovering them. To men under 40 who have had little professional experience without “casual Fridays,” ties don’t symbolize conformity the way they have for their fathers’ generations. For the
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Notebook
More Hugs…
For those who believe in the power of hugs, Jack Mitchell has just come out with a second book, already receiving as many rave reviews as his first (Hug Your Customers, now in its 9th printing!) Hug Your People, The Proven Way to Hire, Inspire and Recognize Your Employees to Achieve Remarkable Results, has just been published by Hyperion. In it, Jack outlines a series of princip
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Watchin’ the Wheels Go Round and Round
Will menswear's next megatrend be nice and easy or rough and tumble?
Our last recession began during the first quarter of 2001, lasted for about eight months and was mostly laid at the feet of September 11th, rather than any “normal” economic cycle. We were watching “Moulin Rouge,” and “The West Wing,” listening to “Fallin” by Alicia Keys and premium denim was just getting its start.
The
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Guest Editorial: On American Living
The most comprehensive endeavor in years.
I applaud JC Penney and their American Living project. I have no idea if it will be successful (I have my doubts short term), but I think this is the most complete and proactive retail endeavor in years.
A constant industry complaint for years no
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Letters
The Wrong Stuff
I’m not commenting on Fred Rosenfeld’s on-point guest edit. Rather, I’m writing to voice my disgust with MR for writing, “Best Solution to NYC’s Homeless Problem…” [In the February 2008 issue] By even coming up with that thought, let alone putting it to paper, your [headline writer] manifested an “Imus-ian”, though not amusing, level of callousness.
-Edwin J. Berkowitz<
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Editor's Page: A Silver Lining
Use the recession to revise your business!
Psychologists will tell us that most of us live within our comfort zones. We view the world a certain way, we sense our place within it, and we live our lives accordingly. Few of us are comfortable with any change, let alone dramatic change.
I for one am surely more guilty than most: working for the same (wonderful) company for 28 years, married
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