PROJECT SHOW

Everybody has their style rules of thumb. Christopher Bastin, Creative Director of GANT, happens to have 10.

The menswear icon divulges his rules of style for DETAILS, including the two items every man should splurge on, tips for denim on denim, and the go-to color that looks good on everyone (hint: it’s navy). 

Gather all of his insights HERE. 

Talking Shop is an ongoing discussion with a selection of our key retailers talking about retail trends, predictions, and top performing brands.  

Location: 6303 28^th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Opened: Originally in 1986 and moved to new location in September of 2012.

1. A little bit about A.K. RIKK’s: Here is a timetable of sorts: 1986- A.K. RIKK’s started as a small men’s haberdashery with contemporary brands but focused mainly on suits and ties.

2008- We expanded the existing store and with that, started a women’s business.

2010- was the start of selling furniture and home accessories with the launch being done in a downtown pop-up shop.

September 2012- we moved locations from a plaza to a stand along building, 28,000 sq ft., including a classroom, event space and outdoor park. This provides us the opportunity to display 60 plus vendors and to becoming a larger in our community. The goal is to continue to push the city through contemporary fashion by opening up our space so that our city may embrace something culturally that would typically only be seen in a larger city.

2. Top performing brands this season? Scotch & Soda/Maison Scotch, AG (men’s & women’s), J Brand (men’s & women’s), and Belstaff.

3. What shift have you seen in how consumers are shopping? Customers are buying with a purpose this season. They want to buy something they think is “special”. Meaning colorful, unique, and that the item has quality.

4. What are you most excited for this year? September will bring our one year anniversary in our new space, which brings a full year’s worth of business to reflect on. Growth. Spending time in our park. 

The Katins, comprised of the late Nancy and Walter, began making custom boat covers in the 1950s. Shortly after, the married couple took their product to the next level and began making swim trunks after several requests from the local surfers. Thus, the iconic Katin was born. The Huntington Beach-based brand will forever be the pioneer of durable, functional swimwear. Not to mention the designs are next level.

For the upcoming season, Katin has teamed up with Club Monaco for a capsule collection that is so, so on point. Browse HERE and start planning on your next beach day. 

Inspired by and made for urban tastemakers, newly launched Slate & Stone should be on your radar. 

Let’s rephrase that. Slate & Stoned needs to be on your radar.

The refined menswear label launched with its debut spring/summer 13 collection and is headed by President and Creative Director, Jeff Jacobs. With a background in music management, Jacobs aims to dress the modern day artist and cultural pioneer. In terms of inspiration - the designer looks to a myriad of sources, including the likes of Giorgio Armani, James Bond 007, and Daniel Craig’s character in Layer Cake. Needless to say, these are all gentleman that don’t necessarily play by the rules, but wear their rebellion well. 

After a successful launch, Slate and Stone returns for their sophomore fall/winter ‘13 collection: A Rebel and a Gentleman. Trust when we say that you’ll want to cop every piece in here. What makes the collection strong in our minds is the thoughtful design elements that dress up your cold weather mainstays. Take, for instance, the Great Jones Camo Peacoat. We were really drawn to the detailing on this piece as it is made from 100% boiled wool, but knitted rather than printed. Other standouts that we were drawn to include the Lennox Varsity Sweater, Leroy Puffer Vest, and the Essex shirt. The craftsmanship of each piece is also something to take note of. Premium materials, hints of leather and wool detailing, hidden plackets, and dip-dyes all contribute to the unique line and add to its distinguished character. 

Pay Slate & Stone a visit at PROJECT in Vegas this summer, and stay tuned for their e-commerce, which will also be launching in the upcoming months. 

The day has finally come for our brand, Scotch & Soda. The Amsterdam-based label has opened a new retail space on the west side of Los Angeles, on Abbott Kinney to be exact.

Browse the new (not to mention handsome) 1200 square feet space HERE.

Built upon the foundation and legacy that Levi Strauss created with his original innovation and blue jean design, the Levi’s Made & Crafted collection was launched four years ago. 

“We have, as a brand, a very strong identity. Our expectations are very high,” says Miles Johnson, Design Director of Levi’s Made & Crafted.

We recently took a visit to the collection’s showroom space in Downtown LA’s Cooper Design building for a preview of what’s to come this fall. We met with Ben Starmer, Marketing Manager for Levi’s Americas, for an introduction to some of the yet-to-be released pieces.

The inspiration for Levi’s Made & Crafted FW13 collection began with a lake. Lake Heron to be exact. 

The Levi’s team found the lake just outside of Detroit, the nation’s industrial capitol. The crew spent a few days observing the reflections of the water, the light and the cold, and the stillness of nature, all from their log cabin where they bundled in layers of blankets purchased at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. The team was inspired by the layers needed for the landscape, the textures of woolen blankets, and the versatility of cotton pieces. 

If you look closely at all of Made & Crafted denim, the arcuate (the famous Levi’s pocket stitching) is stitched on the inside panel, so the back pocket starts out clean, then with washing and wearing comes through as a ghost arcuate.

Hello, punk princess. 

1. Eugene Tong - @ettong1979

The Style Director at DETAILS flawlessly mixes high fashion with streetwear, and documents his menswear finds on Instagram. 

2. L.A.S - @sartiallyinc

While he’s not running How To Talk to Girls at Parties and dominating the #menswear scene, this cool guy contributes to Complex and Four Pins. 

3. Matthew Sebra - @mattyseebs

Apart from being one of the talented men behind GQ’s instagram, Matthew’s style shines through in his personal account too. Note the Lacoste L!VE sweatshirt shot taken at PROJECT LV this past February.

4. Nick Grant - @nicholasgrant

Despite living in Iowa, Nick is on the forefront of all things menswear and street style. Oh yeah, he also writes for Complex. 

5. Atif Kazmi - @porhomme

As a resident Blogger PROJECT veteran, Atif is more than fluent in menswear and what’s coming up in the next year.

6. Morgan Collett - @morgancollett

The Co-Founder of SATURDAY Surf NYC offers an industry insider’s view through the lens of his iPhone. 

7. Nick Sullivan - @nicksullivanesq

As the Fashion Director of Esquire, Nick knows a thing or two about the industry and menswear.

8. Dao-Yi Chow - @alldaydaoyi

The Co-Founder of Public School NYC is an avid Instagrammer and offers insight into his world as a designer for one of the most buzzed about brands over the past few seasons. 

9. Marcus Troy - @marcustroy

What would any Instagram list be without Marcus? As the chief curator of the Blogger PROJECT and a certified tastemaker, Marcus consistently delivers on point pictures and brings his followers into his world of creativity and brand collaborations.

10. Michael Williams - @acontinuouslean

As one of the pioneers of menswear blogging, Michael has a refined and clear vision for artisanal products and behind-the-scenes access to the brands we love. 

Next level window display.

The storefront at LA’s American Rag is dedicated to COMUNE’s spring collection, featuring the brand’s locally made denim pieces: the Lindon and Ricky. Check out the moto-inspired visuals HERE. 

Stand out by blending in.

Barneys New York spotlights their top camo picks in store, including pieces from Gant and SeaVees. Check out the rest of the roster HERE. 

The Calder is your go-to short for the summer. Perfect for a casual stroll, outdoor training, or a swim - these shorts are cool and versatile. Better yet, they come in three lengths so you can tailor them to you. 

Enough said. 

Gant Rugger took a different route to find inspiration for Spring/Summer 2013. Enter Team Americano.

Team Americano, assembled by the Gant team, is a group of New York gentlemen all deeply rooted in the fashion industry. Whether they be bloggers, photographers, writers, or retailers - these guys are on point and in the game. With a crew of menswear veterans assembled, Gant posed an adventure: travel as a group to Italy for Pitti, and document the whole thing.

The result? Team Americano, the S/S ‘13 collection. Have a look HERE. 

Freemans Sporting Club abides by one rule of thumb: “Made Local, Buy Local.”

With an unrivaled commitment to American handmade goods, the FSC gents have opened up shop in Tokyo’s Miniami-Aoyama shopping district. The new brick + mortar flagship is the retailer’s first store outside of the U.S., and features four stories dedicated to sportswear retail, a suiting lounge and tailor studio, a bar/restaurant, and a full-service barber shop. 

FSC firmly believes in the quality and durability inherent in something made by skilled artisans. This philosophy is seen throughout the stunning interior of the new store location. Take a look at the entire gallery HERE.