Vineyard Vines to Open D.C. Outlet in '08

Vineyard Vines, the purveyor of New England nautical themed ties and clothing, has announced that it will be opening it's seventh freestanding retail store in the tony Georgetown section of D.C.

The 6,000 square foot space is located in an historic townhouse on the corner of Wisconsin and M streets. The store is scheduled to open in April of 2008.

As an aside, I was literally standing on that corner about 30 minutes ago. It is a fantastic location and the specialty retail hub of the city. Go up Wisconsin in one direction to find the newly renovated Ralph Lauren boutique. Turn around an go the other way to visit the new Rugby outlet and cafe'.

According to the DNR article, other than specialty retailer Sherman Pickey - itself in Georgetown, but further up Wisconsin Avenue - the Vineyard Vines store will be the only place in the capitol to buy their wares.

Though I am biased, both as a native New Englander and a longtime D.C. resident, I completely agree that Georgetown is an excellent market for the company. Vineyard Vines ties are incredibly popular with both Democrats and Republicans, not to mention all those well dressed lobbyists.

Throw in the fact that the Chesapeake Bay is only a short drive away and sailing is a huge pastime in the Mid-Atlantic and sales should be just fine.

Marketing to Men: Not the New Women Quite Yet

There was an interesting article this past Saturday in the Wall Street Journal that confirms something I've recently noticed: luxury makers that traditionally target women are taking aim at the men in their lives. While this is not really new, the intensity and focus surrounding the effort is.

Earlier in the year I wrote about Longchamp reviving its line of men's bags; it turns out that was only the opening salvo. Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Lanvin, and even Dolce & Gabbana have all ramped up their menswear related offerings. While men are beginning to actually shop more like women, achieving the same level of brand loyalty is still an elusive goal. Generally speaking men are still more comfortable switching brands if one maker does not carry a desired product.

Men also appear to be taking that hunter/gatherer shopping approach to the mall. In 1995 52% of men bought their own clothes, compared to 75% in 2006. In addition, the menswear segment of the retail landscape has become quite profitable as guys across the board ease into the role of acquisitive spender. After observing this growing trend, retailers are taking action.



Earlier this year, Tiffany & Co., and Hermes both opened new stores in the Wall Street district of New York City. Both specifically target male shoppers. The Hermes location even has a separate salon dedicated to its custom tailored clothing; the first of its kind in any Hermes store.

That said, retailers still understand that women and men have different goals when it comes to shopping. Two age old rules will probably always apply: 1) Men tend to know what they want and approach shopping accordingly, and 2) men in general do not want "fashion," they want functional style that lasts.



A good example of effectively responding to the trend of men taking a stronger interest in shopping is the Brook's Brother's Black Fleece line. Designer Thom Browne reigned in the excesses of his famously shrunken suits to create a stylish yet realistic collection that is still well grounded in Brook's sense of tradition.

The suits and sport coats, pants and shirts are all easily understandable and nonthreatening to the target market of younger men looking to get the Brooks' name with a modern flair. The line balances customer desires for "new" classics with usability.

The male customer can browse through selections without feeling like he is wasting time on trendy fluff. In the process, Brooks Brothers gets a new convert and the customer gets some sharp yet timeless clothes.

Men are not yet the next women when it comes to shopping, but maybe it doesn't even matter. Men are now interested in shopping for themselves. They care about the experience and are more knowledgeable than ever before. If you are a retailer, that's what you should really be focusing on.

Off The Cuff Named "Top 10" Menswear Blog

Great news for Off The Cuff DC! Shiny Media has named us to the Menswear Top Ten as part of their Christmas top 100 blogs. This is a huge honor and we certainly appreciate the recognition.

In choosing Off The Cuff, they note, “menswear is all about the minutae and this blog gives you detailed style advice with a historical bent.”

For those of you who are not familiar with Shiny Media, it is the UK’s leading commercial blog publisher. Shiny Media’s 40 blogs attract more than 3.5 million visitors each month. Their influential sites include Brandish, a leading men’s fashion blog, and Catwalk Queen, its women’s counterpart.

Be Better Guys Event: Celebrate the Season While Doing Good

Newly-announced partners, BeBetterGuys.com and The School of Post Modern Dating, are providing DC area professionals a chance to celebrate the holidays while supporting a fantastic cause – a Toys for Tots toy drive Wednesday, December 12.

The event will be at the Clarendon Grill, 1101 N. Highland Street in Arlington, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The goal is to collect 200 toys for underprivileged children in the greater Washington Metro area.

In addition to bringing a toy, a $20 donation at the door automatically enters attendees into a raffle with $4,000 worth of merchandise, including a men's Tag Heuer watch from Boone and Sons Jewelers and a month-long membership to Sport Club LA (and a complimentary squash lesson with a top-rated squash pro). All proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots.

David Boris and Brian Joyner, "The Guys" behind BeBetterGuys.com and monthly Guy Tips guests on NBC4, will talk about the hottest gifts for guys this year, while Project Beltway's Rachel Cothran will provide gift ideas for women. Special guests Amy Senger and John-Michael Scott, founders of The School of Post Modern Dating, will provide dating tips for thriving (not just surviving) during the holiday season.

Get some great tips for enjoying the holiday madness while giving to a great charity. Co-hosting the event are NBC's D.C. Scene, D.C. Style magazine, and Project Beltway.

Site Update - Blue Is Beautiful

I just want to leave you a quick note to say that I'll be keeping OTC's original blue background. Thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions! The problem is that the color coding for the sidebar links has been altered in the template and is showing up as that dark blue that is difficult to read.

I am working with Blogger on fixing this, but all the achieve links and links to former articles, sorted by month, are still there. They're just hard to see right now. I'm also moving some things around, like my profile, now up top, but everything is still there. I am also always on the lookout for new and useful sites for the blogrolls, so keep your eyes peeled for additions.

I hope all my American readers had a great holiday and that everyone is now gearing up for the holidays.

As we move into December I'm looking forward to telling you about some ideas for creative and stylish gifts - for your loved one, or just for you!

Variations in Seasonal Marketing

As retailers pull out all the stops to get a share of our dwindling holiday funds, I have come across a variety of interesting marketing approaches.

One of the more notable vehicles is the social action campaign at Rugby. Their goal is to tap into the community service idealism of the Rugby target demographic and build a social movement around some unique Rugby products. Commercial? Blatant capitalism? Fashion giant pandering to the pseudo-social consciousness of spoiled kids? Perhaps, but it's also a well organized effort for a very good cause.

Just so there is no confusion, Rugby did not ask me to write this, I just find the strategy refreshing and heartfelt. Ralph Lauren and his companies have a long tradition of supporting health care, social and environmental causes.

This new effort marks the first time that Lauren has used design-collaboration to develop a product line. The current ad campaign highlights the first three items developed for the campaign and their co-creators.

50% of the purchase price of the special edition Match Rugby shirt (above) will go the company's new Match Rugby Fund to support young social entrepreneurs.


Toms Shoes for Rugby

Rugby has teamed with Blake Mycoskie of Toms Shoes to create a special edition of Rugby patterned shoes. For each pair purchased, a pair of shoes will be donated to a needy child.


FEED Foundation Bag for Rugby

They have also joined forces with Lauren Bush, founder of FEED Foundation (and longtime girlfriend of David Lauren) to design a collection of limited edition burlap Rugby inspired bags. Proceeds from the bags will go directly to the FEED Foundation.

Both designers expanded on hallmarks of the brand for their pieces: “Rugby does ‘create your own’ elements in their rugby shirts, so we took that idea and decided to make four extra FEED country patches to be sold separately,” explained Bush.

DNR Folds. At Least On Paper

Today is a red letter day in the menswear world. DNR, the bible of the menswear business, published its last stand-alone issue.

Moving forward, DNR and Women's Wear Daily (WWD) will be merging their publications and WWD will begin covering menswear at least on a weekly basis. Fairchild, the parent company of both publications made the call as the global economy continues to beat industries either into submission and failure or realization and adaptation. Fairchild chose the latter option.

Editor-in-Chief john Birmingham notes in his final letter in the final issue that throughout its 116-year history, DNR led the way. From Zoot suits to Ralph Lauren, DNR covered, commented and analyzed the menswear industry like no other. No, it's not going away per se, but it is changing. Now we can access everything we need online, and the diminished staff covering the menswear space can get stories to its readers faster and cheaper.

Faster and cheaper. That is the way of the world these days. So it goes. A Continuous Lean has a nice tribute to DNR and you can read the full text Mr. Birmingham's letter there as well.

Industry Leaders Speak: The WWD/DNR CEO Summit

Recently, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City, several leading menswear industry CEOs took to the stage and spoke unscripted about what makes them and their companies successful.

In the first of a two-part series, DNR reports on this fascinating event. From Polo/Ralph Lauren's namesake, Ralph Lauren, to J. Crew's Mickey Drexler, it's essentially a transcript of each CEO's discussion on how they think, adapt, and make decisions. They also go into what it takes to create - or in Drexler's case, recreate - some of the most iconic companies in the market today.

I typically don't like to just post a link and say, "hey, check this out..." but in this case, it's definitely worth taking a few minutes an learning more about how this fascinating industry works.

And yes, I know; it's another picture of Ralph. I found one of Mickey, but it just wasn't as good a shot.

LIVE: Watch the BeBetterGuys guys today

Watch Brian Joyner and David Boris, the guys behind BeBetterGuys.com, as they talk live about holiday party attire. Brian and Dave will be on NBC4 at 4:00 p.m., local D.C. time.

If you are not in the local Washington, D.C. area - not a surprise as we have readers from South Africa to England, France to Singapore, and Finland to China - feel free to link to NBC4's live news feed.

GQ's New Web Tool: 30 Days to Better Style

GQ recently launched a new online-only feature called "GQ Rules: How to Amp Up Your Style in 30 Days." The folks at GQ compiled some of the best knowledge from their editors and correspondents, including Style Guy Glenn O'Brien, to create a simple step-by-step guide to the foundations of good style.

http://www.gqrules.com/

The 30 style tips comprise videos, slide shows, and product recommendations covering everything from knowing your size to accessorizing with tie bars and pocket squares. Take a look, sign up, and let me know what you think about it.

NEWS FLASH: Retail Politics

Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers both made retail news today.

One is further expanding its multi-layered brand approach to the Southern luxury market hub of Atlanta, while the other is weighing the next step for a fledgling breakout high-end product line. These two approaches present interesting examples of how luxury companies handle the never ending problem of gaining market share.

Southern Polo
Ralph Lauren recently opened a new flagship store in Atlanta, Georgia, and has projected robust sales for the location. According to Charles Fagan, RL's executive vice president of global retail brand development, the store, equal in size to the Chevy Chase, Maryland, flagship, is expected to produce comparable sales per square foot.

Additionally, Fagan told DNR that the Atlanta location is especially chock full of elegance and glamour. The Lenox Square location will greet customers with 14,000 square feet of upscale Southern ambiance combined with the sophistication of the company's Milan store.

Juxtaposing this high-end environment, the RRL store-within-a-store presents a more rustic general store environment, with a tin ceiling and rough hewn floors. Compared to the main store's copious limestone and wrought-iron, this country casual atmosphere best highlights RRL's chinos and work wear inspired clothing.

Read the full DNR article here.

Black Fleece Leading the Herd
In a related story, Brooks Brothers appears to be seriously considering giving the newly launched Black Fleece line its own store. No firm plans have been announced, but Brooks CEO Claudio Del Vecchio has made it very clear that he thinks the line can carry its own stand-alone stores.

I wholeheartedly agree. Black Fleece, the result of a creative collaboration with designer Thom Browne intended to freshen up Brooks' tradition-bound personality, has been a surprising success. While many longtime customers may look askance at the slim cut and slightly avant garde designs, sales have made it clear that the line is a hit in many markets - particularly Asia. The overall design and feel of of Black Fleece, along with it's handmade quality, make it a unique and clearly identifiable brand apart from Brooks Brothers and for that matter, from Thom Browne.

Browne's contract with Brooks is for four seasons and Del Vecchio is already looking beyond the Thom Browne era, suggesting that different guest designers will be invited to regularly freshen the Black Fleece line. This strategy would give the brand something akin to a limited edition atelier feel. If successful, this approach could make Black Fleece a regular "must have" for classic dressers looking for a seasonal sartorial twist.

Actual Black Fleece stores would be limited to specific global markets that have shown the most interest. All in all, I think both the success of Black Fleece and Brooks' overall turnaround are both excellent examples of why men everywhere should say a special word of thanks to Claudio Del Vecchio.

Read the full DNR article here.

Yes, He Did.

This evening at 11:00 p.m., ET, Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States of America.

My son will never know a world without a black president - to him, it will be just another unremarkable fact. And that's a wonderful thing. In addition to it's historic role, this coming transition will hit D.C. with an especially monumental impact as well.

An Obama administration will also change the character of D.C., from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill; from the Georgeton bars to Ben'sChili Bowel. The incoming staff, turnover in the halls of Congress, and new players will all put a new stamp on this city and its institutions.

Off The Cuff will be following the transition and the impact of this president's incoming crew.

BREAKING NEWS: Men's Vogue To Shut Doors

Sad News: It was announced today that Men’s Vogue is closing shop as a stand-alone title, and will instead become a seasonal supplement to Vogue. The title will be published in the spring and fall of 2009, according to Charles H. Townsend, president and CEO of Condé Nast Publications. The December/January issue will be the last issue sent to Men’s Vogue subscribers and sold on newsstands.

The title was launched in September 2005 into a crowded field of men’s titles, and aimed to set itself apart by catering to an older, more affluent audience than competitors like GQ and Details, which are also published by Condé Nast, as is DNR. Men’s Vogue carried the imprimatur of editorial director Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, who had tapped protégé Jay Fielden as editor-in-chief. He will continue to edit the Men’s Vogue supplement, according to Townsend.

The title had upped its frequency to 10 issues this year, and was set to raise its rate base to 400,000 at the beginning of next year, up from 350,000. However, ad pages were down 11 percent through November, to 588 pages, down from 662 in 2007, despite the title publishing two additional issues this year, according to Media Industry Newsletter. The move is part of Condé Nast’s across-the-board belt tightening as the current economic downturn significantly impacts the publishing industry.

I find this announcement particularly distressing because Men's Vogue is my kind of magazine. Smart, insightful, stylish and elegant without ever being stuffy. This publication spoke to me as an adult with taste. While GQ and Details have their place, only Esquire can match Men's Vogue's ability to blend intelligence and fashion with such effortless skill. In my opinion, Men's Vogue's premeier issue is one of the single best menswear publications I've ever come accross. This is a real loss.


Men's Vogue Premier Issue

Along with the brief but storied "M," magazine, Men's Vogue will stand as a testament to real style. Yes, it will stay alive as a seasonal supplement, but it's not quite the same. In any event, I will not make the same mistake I did when M ceased production; this time, I'll hold on to all my back issues of Men's Vogue.

On Top of the World: Another Boost For Lauren

Before we get started, let me clarify that I am not a shill for Polo Ralph Lauren. Nonetheless, as I am sure you all know, I'm a big fan of the man and his company. Ralph Lauren is an American success story in the best of ways and an enormous influence for designers and sartorialists across the globe.

It turns out that this is more than my mere humble opinion. Ralph Lauren was just given the #1 spot on DNR's Power 100 list. Giorgio Armani came in at #2. With his company celebrating it's 40th anniversary, Ralph has been everywhere this year, from the covers of numerous magazines to the cover of his own enormous retrospective coffee table book. Apart from the classic and glamorous lifestyle that he has firmly established in the hearts of the aspiring gentry, never forget that Ralph Lauren is first and foremost an accomplished businessman.

His company's stock (RL) is strong and with a market cap of $7.19 billion Lauren is a very legitimate powerhouse on the world stage. New product lines like Rugby are proving to be early successes and his forthcoming American Living collection, to be sold through J.C. Penney, is highly anticipated by the market.

Speaking of the market, RL's net income has grown 30%; combined with a strong business plan, aggressive market expansion, and advances into new luxury accessory lines - including timepieces, about which I wrote a few weeks ago - you have an industry leader ready to take an even bigger piece of the pie.

For the full DNR article, go here. To visit Ralph Lauren's website, go here. To visit Rugby's website, go here.

DNR Announces Top 100 Power Players

DNR just announced it's Top 100 Power Players in menswear and, no surprise, Ralph Lauren holds onto the number one slot yet again.

While this may not seem particularly noteworthy, Ralph Lauren has never been known as one to rest on his bespoke laurels. Constantly driving his vision and company forward, Lauren, 68, is as innovative and finely tuned as ever.

Below is a excerpt from the DNR story, click here to read the entire article.

"Polo Ralph Lauren finished the year with 27 additional, directly operated stores. More recently it opened boutiques on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles and in Istanbul, Turkey, a new market. In 2009 a Paris flagship will bow on Boulevard Saint Germain, and the original Manhattan flagship, the Rhinelander Mansion, will be converted to a men’s-only concept. The Rugby chain has expanded to 12 stores, all in affluent and/or collegiate areas, as this youth-oriented and lower-priced brand is expected to become a serious growth engine. To that end, Rugby.com revealed e-commerce capability this past summer.

At the beginning of the decade, Ralph Lauren blazed a trail for luxury brands to sell product through Web sites, supported by rich multimedia. This year it led the way in adopting another interactive technology, which allows consumers to make purchases through their mobile phones with ease. Quick Response technology has already become mainstream in Asia and is catching on in Europe. Ralph Lauren is the first luxury brand in the U.S. to directly launch this type of service and incorporate QR codes in advertisements."

Rounding out the top Ten:

#2 Gorgio Armani (Armani, Emporio Armani, A/X, et al.)
#3 Gildo Zenga (Ermenegildo Zegna)
#4 Eric Weismann (VF Corp.)
#5 Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Dolce & Gabana)
#6 Terry Lundgren (Macy's)
#7 Mickey Drexler (J. Crew Group)
#8 Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli (Prada)
#9 Bernard Arnault (LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton)
#10 François-Henri Pinault and Robert Polet (PPR)

J. Crew Planning to Open Men's-Only Store

DNR today announced that J.Crew is looking at locations for it's first men's-only retail outlet. Mickey Drexler, chairman and CEO, indicated the he wants J.Crew to take a stronger position in the menswear market.

There is no immediate time frame, but it appears that the store should be ready to go sometime next year. While the company is keeping an open mind about location, it's a safe bet that it will be in an affluent market or major retail hub. With a successful public offering and a sales strategy that includes web, catalog, retail, and outlet; Drexler has already shown why his reputation for reading the market and successfully executing sound strategies is well-earned.

Focusing on a men's only branch of the J.Crew family tree makes perfect sense. Men are dressing better today and have less of a problem hitting the stores. Research shows that online shopping is still preferred, but having an entire environment dedicated to men's clothing and accessories will, I suspect, be another success.

Read the Full DNR article here.

NEWS FLASH: New Tool Added to Site

Good morning everyone, I just wanted to take a moment and let you know that I have finally had the time to go through and label virtually all of Off The Cuff's posts. You will find the new category link list below the "D.C. Resources" section.

This link list will allow you search more easily by general theme and quickly identify topics that interest you. For more specific searches, you can still use the "search Blog" tool.

Candidates & Couture

I thought you all might find this interesting; today, DNR ran a story delving into the American presidential candidates' and their wardrobes.

It is not so much a critique of their sartorial choices as it is an exploration of how their personal styles affect perceptions, the media and the fashion industry.

It's no surprise that the fashion world is deeply in love with Barrack Obama, but the article points out that, unlike John McCain whose war hero status is an easily understood archetype, Obama has had to consciously create a image that projects his own personal brand.

The result is a smooth and modern update of classic American style - kennedyesque but distinctively his own. Being of mixed ancestry and coming from both a challenging childhood and Ivy League education, Obama does not naturally have a story that explains who he is. In crafting his own look therefore, he had to deliberately choose the elements that were to physically define his image.


Senator Barrack Obama

Obama's physique and height easily lend a certain elegance to his trimmer but not skinny suits and overall polished look. Though he has already graced numerous fashion magazines, David Axlerod, Obama's campaign manager, says he makes an effort to avoid his candidate being branded too GQ. As Obama has already been on the cover of GQ, and every other major trade, this has been difficult to say the least.

John McCain on the other hand already has a public personal narrative - that of a tough and independent war hero who survived the kind of capture, torture and imprisonment which would have quickly done in almost any one else. He is also significantly older than Obama and does not have the same sartorial expectations as his opponent. McCain's traditional political uniform of loose dark suits or khakis and knit shirts can seem inelegant next to Obama's tailored trimness, but the difference in the two mens' clothing styles speaks to differences in their personalities as well.


Senator John McCain

McCain's rumpled style is more shoot-from-the-hip and earthy; it's less cosmopolitan and more "boots on the ground." Obama's look has been described as that of a sophisticated college professor. While such comparisons are inevitable and sometimes instructive (I've done one or two myself) conducting an actual side-by-side analysis is a bit unfair. It's like comparing an Aston Martin to Hummer; both are excellent vehicles but each is wholly different than the other.

So, if you have a few minutes read the DNR article and let me hear your own thoughts.

NEW FLASH: 2008 Esquire Big Black Book is out

I am in New York for some meetings right now and lo an behold, at the local Border's what did I see but the new Big Black Book from Esquire!

I wasn't expecting it to be out yet and even Amazon indicates that it won't ship until October 7, but there it was, piled up to the sky and ready to go. Apparently just issued, the store had stocked up on this seminal guide book for men, anticipating big demand. I am again very pleased with the nice mix of clothing, accessories, advice and stories the editors have been able to weave together.

This guide is a favorite of Off The Cuff because it is more than a product catalog - it is well, a guide. Sections like "Desktops," pair collections of items - pens, watches, notebooks, and clothing - in way that helps the reader see how to choose and organize their personal possessions in a stylish and coherent way.

"The New Americans" profiles several of-the-moment designers who seem to have solid staying power, including Gilded Age, Engineered Garments and the exceptionally talented Michael Bastian. "Watches" focuses on materials in this issue - from carbon fibre to gold and several beautiful stainless steel options are highlighted.

Longer form pieces include an homage to Neapolitan tailoring, an examination of the great outdoors and the role of the briefcase in our allegedly paperless world. The four main "Portfolios" cover mastering the art of the tuxedo, pared down international style, classic chunky anglophile-inspired woolens and a spread on explorer Sam Branson, the apparently well grounded son of super-entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

The educationally oriented "Information" section focuses on advice ranging from how to design the perfect business card to the pairing of patterned suit coats and shirts. Also tackled - caring for your clothing (in particular is a great guide to keeping dress shirts looking fresh and new), how to make small talk, managing office politics and characteristics of the perfect weekend bag.

There is much more than I have highlighted here and this year's Big Black Book really lives up to it's self-titled moniker of "The Style Guide of Successful Men." Not that previous year's did not, but this particular one is a font of practical and entertaining information.

Just remember, it's not about recreating exactly what you see within it's covers, but taking inspiration from the editors' ideas and spreads and making them your own. You will have even more opportunity to do so as Esquire is planing to produce a Spring edition of the BBB that should hit the stands in early March 2009.

NEWS FLASH: OTC on BeBetterGuys.com Front Page

I just wanted to let everyone know that BeBetterGuys.com moved my Five Easy Pieces article to the front page, so make sure to stop by their great site and take a look.

These are five great ideas for fall fashion that work together or all by themselves to help you add some creativity to your personal style. I'll be contributing the occasional article to BeBetterGuys.com, so make sure to regularly check out their excellent site.