A Glass of Pinot and Suits for the President
My feet are tired. It's freezing outside. And I'm taking particular pleasure in a glass of Sea Smoke pinot noir. It must be New York fashion week.
Officially, Friday, Feb. 1 is the start of New York's fall 2008 runway season. But there are so many designers, so many clothes, so many parties, that folks had to get going at the crack of dawn on Thursday just to fit it all in.
Ok, technically dawn had already broken by the time I'd had a little "me" time at the gym, walked the most spectacular Westie known to man and showed up at the Hickey Freeman menswear store on Fifth Avenue. It was 9 a.m. and I was there to see something called the Presidential Collection. Who could resist that?
It turns out that the collection was inspired by the company's archives. A bit of history: Hickey Freeman is a ba-zillion years old - about 180, actually - and still manufactures its suits out of its headquarters in Rochester, N.Y. All sorts of power brokers have worn the company's tastefully reserved suits, including Al Gore, Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson and George H.W. Bush. (The company does not boast the current president as a client.) The Presidential Collection is hand-tailored, with horn buttons, silk linings, and all of the fancy blah, blah, blah that jacks the starting price up to $3,200.
When I mentioned that this may not be the best time to launch such a pricey label, since the economy, uh, sucks, Hickey Freeman honcho Paulette Garafalo noted that the company doesn't expect to sell that many of the suits. In fact, it can't even produce that many since they're all hand-made. The collection is more about bragging rights. The point is to kick a little sand in the face of all those Italian and English tailors who think they have the monopoly on finicky customers.
It's easy to imagine any of the male presidential candidates wearing one of these suits. The two-button single breasted jackets and pleated trousers are understated and conservative. And truth be told, all of the male candidates could benefit from the exacting eye of a good tailor. That's not a judgement, just an observation.
I asked Garafalo if the menswear company would consider adding womenswear to its Presidential Collection if, by chance, a woman should become president. "Never!" yelped Garafalo. I assumed her energetic response was a reaction to the complicated and fickle world of women's design and not the prospect of a particular Madame President.
By Robin Givhan |
February 1, 2008; 8:19 AM ET
New York
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Posted by: Cory | February 1, 2008 10:52 AM
If someone wants to pay $3,200 for a suit, will they seriously consider Hickey-Freeman? Their suits are sturdy enough but for $3,200 couldn't you get a sexy RL Purple Label or Tom Ford or Gucci suit? I can't imagine spending that kind of cash for a staid, boring Hiceky-Freeman suit even if it is made-to-measure.
P.S. Robin talks about politicians benefitting from a good tailor. If Romeny showed up in a sexy $3,200 suit wouldn't Ms. Givan and others start criticizing him for spending that kind of money for a suit? I mean she's already dissed his hair.
Posted by: FashionFanatic | February 1, 2008 2:47 PM
Robin writes, "I asked Garafalo if the menswear company would consider adding womenswear to its Presidential Collection if, by chance, a woman should become president. "Never!" yelped Garafalo. I assumed her energetic response was a reaction to the complicated and fickle world of women's design and not the prospect of a particular Madame President."
Oh Robin, you never know . . . ;)
Posted by: Mel | February 1, 2008 5:00 PM
Who, in his right mind, would pay $3,200 for off-the-rack? (Well, maybe some of our presidential candidates) Nobody I know.
Posted by: OCULUS New York | February 2, 2008 9:46 PM
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The blog is back! Can't wait to hear all the juicy bits -- fill us in. And shout-out to Ruby!