Hasta La Ideas

Old and new come together in a camouflage driven collaboration between two of menswear’s most respected names

As a well-known name in menswear, Nick Wooster has played an integral role in the camo comeback over the past few seasons. His contributions to menswear design have taken him from men’s fashion director for Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman to a recent appointment as VP, brand, design and…

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First look at the NYC boutique’s big-box collaboration

Honing in its successful collaboration series on independent boutiques, Target announced a partnership with NYC-based menswear pioneer Odin back in May, and last night we got a first look at the upcoming line for The Shops at Target initiative. As one of two New York stores to be included in the program (along with Kirna Zabete for women), Odin teamed up with innovative mega-retailer Target to bring a bit of their self-proclaimed “moody” menswear to a broad audience at unparalleled mass-market prices. Even with a requisite sense of trepidation over such a move, we were impressed with the strength and integrity of the collection.

Having established itself as the authority in sophisticated men’s fashion in New York, Odin’s participation in the fresh-minded Shops initiative will introduce the aesthetic to all Target stores nationwide. The cohesive collection of nearly 20 apparel staples and a small selection of accessories represents a characteristic offering for which founders Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi have become well-respected among their loyal and discerning fan base.

The range of button-down shirts, wovens and jackets come in a neutral color palette, along with chinos, a chukka boot and an understated weekend bag. Standouts include the Fair Isle Shall Cardigan, unstructured Moleskin Blazer and the motorcycle-inspired Cropped Jacket—each priced less than $100.

The Odin at Target Collection will hit stores 9 September 2012 alongside those from Kirna Zabete, San Francisco’s The Curiosity Shoppe and Boston-based Patch NYC. Prices range from $35 for items like shirts and trousers to $45-$99 for jackets and sweaters. Hit Target stores and visit their website next month to purchase.

Men’s basics done right

If you’re going to make a point to wear the finest selvedge denim money can buy, what’s the sense in neglecting the base layer underneath? Putting your underwear on their deserved pedestal is Mack Weldon, purveyor of premium underwear and undershirts, with socks coming soon. As a newcomer to the industry Mack Weldon remains uninhibited in their efforts to offer intelligently reengineered garments with a legitimate claim to improving fit and daily comfort in general.

After giving a full kit of Mack Weldon undergarments a proper trial—and being genuinely impressed—we’ve decided to team up with founder Brian Berger to give CH readers first access to their newly designed e-commerce site. This puts you alongside Mack Weldon’s short list of friends and family beta-testers for a chance to be the first to cop a feel.

Sticking to the men’s “essentials” category, which Berger defines as “items that make up the foundation of our wardrobe,” Mack Weldon hopes to establish a following by producing quality products rather than an over-the-top marketing image. At the forefront of this campaign is their redesigned undershirt. Available in either a crew or V-neck, each is specifically designed to be worn under a button-down with a considered fit that fits close to the body without being too snug. It features higher cut armholes to avoid bunching and a slightly longer body to avoid coming untucked, all constructed with a custom blend of fine cotton, performance-driven Lenzing Modal and Lycra they call 18-hour Jersey. Also featuring the signature fabric is their answer to the generic T-shirt—with anatomical stitching on the shoulder to prevent uncomfortable seams, this puppy is simply casual comfort.

As for underwear, Mack Weldon currently offers a boxer brief and shorter trunk-style short, with a full-on brief coming soon. Where most boxer briefs fail theirs succeeds with exaggerated leg length to prevent riding up, and strategically placed mesh to promote airflow. Plus, all Mack Weldon basics forego itchy tags by printing all relevant information directly on the fabric. As for the trunk, it’s essentially the same with just slightly less fabric.

To avoid the hassle of department store-shopping, Berger and his team have developed an innovative auto-replenishment model at the core of Mack Weldon, wherein customers can set up a recurring re-order at their desired frequency. The service will be introduced once the e-commerce site launches out of beta in Fall 2012.

Also set to be introduced down the line are two styles of men’s formal socks in a selection of eight colors. Available in bar stripe and drop needle rib, the cotton, spandex and elastic blend socks will feature an elongated fit to help them stay up and a seamless toe box for added comfort.

“We want to change the way guys think about their underwear,” says Berger. For exclusive access to Mack Weldon’s daily essentials visit the site, where the entire range sells for between $22-$32. Keep an eye out for the early August sock line release and the auto-replenishment option in the weeks following.

Vibrant limited-edition swim trunks inspired by 1950s Mediterranean style

Founded on the principles of bespoke tailoring and a superlative attention to detail, NYC’s Seize sur Vingt makes men’s and women’s apparel with a penchant for elegant fabrics and classic colors. To step away from the confines of subdued hues, the young brand adventurously called upon NYC-based artist Paul Weil to design an exclusive range of swim trunks. As a stand-alone release apart from the major seasonal collections, the newly launched suits offer the perfect breath of fresh summer air.

Drawing inspiration from his paintings, as well as Mediterranean fashion of the 1950s and ’60s, Weil created two colorful prints called “Peacock” and “Vision.” Each offers a playful splash of color in the repeating patterns, while the Seize sur Vingt-designed houndstooth shorts anchor the collection together with a bold graphic.

The label printed just 60 meters of each fabric for a limited run. The quality in the low-quantity line is ensured by production in a modest factory in central France.

For more information on the collaboration trunks visit Seize sur Vingt directly where they go for $140 each, otherwise have a look through the slideshow for a closer look at the details of these slim-fitting shorts.

AeroSwift fabric, zero distraction and air tripping in Team USA’s track and field kit

Nike‘s latest take on the track and field uniform could be easily equated to the perfect waiter—at your service but, at the same time, so seamless in execution it seems invisible, so you can focus on what’s before you. The culmination of 12 years of research and more than 1,000 hours of wind tunnel testing, the new streamlined Olympic kit is what Nike calls a “zero distraction” garment.

“This is the most minimal way we’ve had to finish a garment,” explains Scott Williams, Nike’s creative director of Olympics and innovation. “When you have an athlete there, you don’t even want them to think about apparel.” The super smooth trim means no potentially scratchy stitching and no zippers, and, best of all, more simplified construction. “In Beijing it took eight pattern pieces to make the sleeve, here it only takes two,” Williams adds.

The Nike Pro TurboSpeed kit is also the fastest uniform to date, using what the company calls “Zoned Aerodynamics” to redirect air in targeted areas. Working in the manner of a golf ball, the dimpled swaths of the “AeroSwift” fabric “trip” air on the limbs, which can reach speeds of up to 47 MPH while sprinting. “It’s counter-intuitive to most people that skin is actually very slow. explains Williams, in describing the full-body track suit. “Nike studied hundreds of textures when fashioning the uniforms, the aesthetic and aerodynamic benefit derived from their results.” Williams adds that the marriage of form and function is “truly an expression of data-informed and body-led.” Scanning technology maps of athletes’ bodies to the nearest millimeter, ensuring that the uniforms, once built, will fit like a second skin.

Aesthetically, the kit makes athletes and their enhanced dimensions look like larger-than-life superheroes. Spectators will be able to see the uniforms’ white swaths on the arms and legs and the “flicker” effect they create when the wearer is running at full tilt. As HD viewing becomes increasingly commonplace, the progressive look and seamless fabrics promise to transform accomplished athletes into national idols.

Nike boldly claims that the speed differential in the new track suits could be the difference between a medalist and an also-ran. After launching the USA kit last night, Nike will continue to roll out the rest of the nations’ as the games approach. While colors will of course vary by country, the construction of the garments is identical for a thoroughly level playing field.