February 2015 Las Vegas Show Previews
We asked the Las Vegas trade shows to share a few of their most exciting new exhibitors. For today: Project. Scroll down or click for Liberty, MRket and Capsule.
Project
February 17-19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center: magiconline.com/project-las-vegas
Orlebar Brown
Founded by: Adam Brown in 2007
Signature Aesthetic: Considered, tailored, colorful
Produced in: Europe
Retail Price Range: $90 to $595
Craft Atlantic
Creative Director: Luis Fernandez
Signature Aesthetic: A luxe take on travel: inspired by well-constructed, modernist and functional objets d’voyage, Craft Atlantic is a sporstwear collection for the Modern Man on-the-Go; from business class to leisure, from meeting room to boarding gate, always perfectly tailored. Crafted for a journey.
Produced in: Designed in New York, made in Italy
Retail Price Range: $115 to $895
The Kooples
Founded: 2008. The Kooples fuses both men’s and women’s wear into one collection. The brand has an innovative and unique concept: the ability to go shopping as a couple and allowing them to swap their wardrobe. The Kooples is a contemporary brand, combining perfect cuts, attention to details and precious fabrics. In 2012, the creators decided to launch a second brand named The Kooples SPORT. The new brand complements the tailored line with a preppy, casual and chic style. The Kooples launched 330 points of sale in the world in the last 5 years. and opened 69 points of sale with wholesale partners.
Signature Aesthetic: The Kooples selected the bespoke tailor Norton & Sons, one of the most renowned tailors on Saville Row to create the patterns of all woven pieces. The true art of tailoring through the superiority of the fit, a testament to detail and a custom fit. Also, The Kooples brand found its name through two concepts: couples and rock bands. The Kooples is above all about style — a style that is deeply rooted in the greatest couples of music history. Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, Jane Fonda and Alain Delon, Kate Moss and Jamie Hince… Rock history is filled with legendary couples whose styles have become iconic.
Retail Price Range: From $115 for neckwear to $1,000 for leather jackets.
Liberty
February 16-18 at the Venetian – Sands Expo, Las Vegas: libertyfairs.com
Cipher
Cipher was founded by Matthew Arrowsmith and Gregg Murfin in 2013. Cipher makes luxury semi-formal footwear with plans to add other men’s accessories like bags, small leather goods and eyewear. The word Cipher is derived from the Ancient Arabic word Sifr; meaning zero, nothing or no one. Therefore, our philosophy centers not on any brand figurehead or celebrity designer allowing the product to speak for itself and be the star.
Signature Aesthetic: Subtle and understated. Cipher offers a textural exploration within a singular tone; a heightened elegance not seen elsewhere within the luxury sneaker market. We infuse traditional techniques with modern lines confirming an understated, quieter form of luxury for today’s creative, well-traveled man.
Retail Price Points: From $500 for low-tops to $850 for high-top boots.
Retail Accounts: Kith in New York, Atrium in Miami, PleaseDoNotEnter in Los Angeles, Galleries Lafayette in Beijing and Galleria in Korea.
Direction for fall 2015: Cipher returns to Japan, this time to the underground-twilight world of Tokyo’s infamous biker gangs and illegal street racing. This is the most serious collection to date, set against a somber palette of matte black, winter white and oxblood. The influence of motorbikes and gangs can be seen throughout the collection through the use of diamond-quilted side panels, beautifully crafted full-grain calf skin and tough nubuck sitting alongside our signature understated matte finishes.
Curated Idea Merchants Unlimited
Curated debuts its first collection for fall 2015 under the leadership of Gary Sims (former president of William Rast and J Lindeberg USA) and a group of experienced investors. Initial offerings include wovens, knitwear, sweaters, denim, pants, shorts, jackets, blazers, scarves, ties and belts.
Signature Aesthetic: Curated is a unique collection of menswear, tailored for the discriminating man who appreciates exceptional craftsmanship with design integrity and a vintage flair.
Retail Price Points: Wovens are $175; Jackets are $795
Direction for fall 2015: The collection represents an innovative mix of the finest fabrics and trims from time honored producers in Italy and Japan, combined with some of the latest techniques in sustainable manufacturing to form the brand’s values and aesthetic.
Hickey Freeman Sportswear
Hickey Freeman was founded in 1900 by Jeremiah G. Hickey and Jacob L. Freeman. The Hickey Freeman Sportswear collection will be designed in America and produced in fine European mills.
Signature Aesthetic: With Hickey Freeman’s 110-year history, newly appointed creative director David Hart’s collection expands on the brand’s current pillars – tailoring and dress shirting – and introduces new items into the modern luxury vernacular. The collection features nods to military decoration from leather and shearling bombers, to a reverse twill field jacket. The palate is based around rich neutrals, accented with vibrant colors in the Irish Donegal fisherman’s sweaters or with the texture of the twisted slub yarn sport shirts.
Direction for Fall 2015: Creative director David Hart found inspiration in the early days of American aviation. References include the modernist photojournalist Willi Ruge’s iconic imagery of parachuting and skydiving in the early 20th Century. The collection is built around today’s modern man and his evolving needs.
Miansai
Miansai was founded by Michael Saiger in 2008 as a collection of men’s jewelry. The brands has since expanded to include men’s bags, small leather goods, watches, dry goods, women’s jewelry and women’s watches.
Signature Aesthetic: Industrial with nautical undertones
Retail Price Points: $55 to $425
Retail Accounts: Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Colette, Bird,
Direction for Fall 2015: We took our men’s collection back to our roots, using materials Miansai was founded from: brass and sterling silver.
Tokyo Nishikawa
Tokyo Nishikawa was founded in 1566 as a luxury bedding manufacturer in Japan.
Using their signature down processing technique, they launched their first apparel line “Nishikawa Down” in 2012.
Signature Aesthetic: A combination of well-detailed functionality and urban design made possible through long traditions.
Retail Price Points: Down jackets: $300 to $600
Retail Accounts: Nano Universe, Kith
Direction for fall 2015: A full collection of urban downwear that possesses the aesthetics of Tokyo’s street culture, consisting of outerwear, tops and pants.
Shockoe Atelier
Shockoe Atelier is a luxury menswear brand founded in October 2012 by Anthony and Pierre Lupesco. The collection comprises suit jackets, coats, vest and shirting all made in Italy, and five-pocket pants made in America.
Signature Aesthetic: Our concept is to marry exquisitely constructed denim made by hand in our Richmond, Va. workshop with luxury tailored goods made to the same handmade standards in Italy.
Retail Price Points: $225 to $505 for denim, $250 for shirting and $1,100 to $2,100 for jackets and coats.
Retail Accounts: Jeffrey New York, Notre, Granger Owings, MartinPatrick3.
Direction for fall 2015: Luxury menswear built upon the tradition and craft of the great European houses, but with a distinctly American point of view. Our beautifully fitted shirts, soft shouldered jackets and tapered denim shows up elegant whatever room you enter.
MRket/Vanguards Gallery
February 16-18 at the Palazzo – Sands Expo, Las Vegas: MRketshow.com
Jerry Kaye
Before founding his eponymous brand, Jerry Kaye was the creative director of Perry Ellis for 13 years. In hopes of “bringing back affordable luxury,” his first collection for fall 2015 debuts at MRket’s Vanguards Gallery in Las Vegas.
Signature Aesthetic: Sophisticated, casual, contemporary. The collection offers an American attitude and design perspective, but is made in Italy. We also offer newness in fabrication, garment finishes and detail. We’re showing pieces like a stretch chino with a unique clear coating on it or a merino wool sweater dyed in a special vintage technique which allows a classic yarn to take on look that gives a heather stone-wash effect.
Retail Price Points: Our goal is to offer great price/value for made in Italy product and give the retailer a strong margin to work with: $55 to $135 for knitwear, $135 to $395 for sweaters, $165 to $195 for pants, $175 to $195 for woven shirts and $295 to $795 for jackets/outerwear.
Direction for fall 2015: The inspiration for fall ’15 came from growing up as a kid in Detroit in the ’70s, but with an attitude for today. I was inspired by the way men wore clothes, so I’m mixing an urban city edge with a casual feel, all with technology and fabrics for today’s consumer. For example, a washed leather 3/4 safari inspired jacket with a vintage dyed fine knit Henley sweater, or a double-face peacoat with a viyella finished shirt and tweed vest. Shown with trim cotton jersey knit chinos as a new take on the stretch poly pant, which was what every man wore.
Brett Johnson Collection
The Brett Johnson Collection was founded by Brett Johnson in December 2013.
Signature Aesthetic: Modern Luxury: cultured, refined, immaculate Italian craftsmanship.
Retail Price Points: $295 to $525 for knitwear; $1,060 to $2,960 for outerwear
Retail Accounts: Neiman Marcus and Stanley Korshak
Direction for fall 2015: The inspiration of this collection came from the 1989 Sundance Film Festival, when it transformed from just a film festival to a celebrity hangout. The popular style of that year was the Armani sack suit, which we have reinterpreted into a modern silhouette.
Contact: brettjohnson.co
Kapraun
Kapraun was founded by Heinz Kapraun in 1961, debuting in the U.S. for fall 2015.
Signature Aesthetic: Modern design; unexpected and exquisite detail; finest luxury components; creating a symbiosis of German engineering and international design.
Retail Price Points: $795-$2,295 with 2.7 to 3 time markup on cost.
Contact: Jeffrey Roberts jeffrey@europeanfashiongroup.com or Kris Kuhn kris@europeanfashiongroup.com
Trapper
Trapper was founded by Florian Koenig in 1981, debuting in the U.S. for fall 2015.
Signature Aesthetic: Hand finished, casual, outstanding attention to detail, sportswear inspired with tremendous price value relationship.
Retail Price Points: $395 to $995 with 3 to 4 time markup on cost
Contact: Jeffrey Roberts jeffrey@europeanfashiongroup.com or Kris Kuhn kris@europeanfashiongroup.com
Capsule Las Vegas
February 16-18 at the Venetian Ballroom, Las Vegas: capsuleshow.com
Wolf & Man
Wolf & Man was founded by Brian Chan as an independent, fair trade, family-owned company that’s operated out of the USA.
Signature Aesthetic: Classic menswear for the youth culture.
Retail Price Points: Price points vary anywhere from $80 wovens to $250 outerwear layering pieces.
Retail Accounts: Lone Flag in Del Mar, Calif., Seven Points LA.
Direction for fall 2015: Fall 2015 focuses on easy layering pieces like lightweight Henleys and shirt jackets that are comfortable, but classic enough to wear out.
Contact: wolfandman.us
Granted Clothing
Granted Clothing was founded in 1978. It’s a second-generation, family-owned and operated business out of Vancouver. All garments are still made in Vancouver and can take 15 to 25 hours to knit each one.
Signature Aesthetic: Granted is best known for continuing the legacy of the iconic “Canadian Heritage” sweater. We produce thick knit sweaters the old fashion way using only traditional knitting techniques.
Retail Price Points: Sweaters range from $385 to $410.
Retail Accounts: Freemans Sporting Club, Hills of Kerrisdale, Poler.
Direction for fall 2015: Many of our popular designs are inspired by the outdoors. Some of our new designed feature fun Nordic themes. We’re also bringing back some of our tropical designs in subtle colors for a wearable juxtaposition.
Contact: grantedclothing.com
Pomp & Ceremony
Pomp & Ceremony was founded by Andrea Dixon in late 2009.
Signature Aesthetic: Classically made men’s accessories with distinguished flair. Simple and beautiful.
Retail Price Points: $30 to $120
Retail Accounts: Model Citizen in Toronto and other Canadian specialty stores.
Direction for fall 2015: My direction is to continue helping men make better sartorial choices when it comes to neckwear. For fall, I’m showing men’s accessories in seasonally appropriate cotton/wool blends that bring sumptuous texture to iconic Liberty prints. I’ll pair Liberty fabrics with fine Italian wools, Japanese chambrays and other exquisite fabrics, all with the distinct Pomp & Ceremony flair.
Contact: pompandceremony.ca
Bleu de Chauffe
Bleu de Chauffe was founded in 2009 by Thierry Batteux and Alexandre Rousseau.
Signature Aesthetic: Inspired by the industrial universe of the 20th century, Bleu de Chauffe re-invents work bags in a contemporary and urban way. Professional bags with a clear and sharp design, Bleu de Chauffe products are simple, practical and stylish.
Retail price points: $375 to $775
Retail Accounts: Merci and Le Bon Marché in France.
Contact: bleu-de-chauffe.com
Essential Supply Co.
Essential Supply Co. was founded in 2012 by Brandon Portelli.
Signature Aesthetic: Timeless heritage classics, cut and sewn in limited quantities in the U.S.
Retail price points: $30 for T-shirts, $30 to $50 for hats, $100 for pants, $100 for long-sleeved shirts.
Contact: essentialsupplyco.com
M. Carter
M. Carter was founded by Brooklyn-based artist Milton Carter in 2003. M. Carter began as a graphic T-shirt collection and has become a full lifestyle collection including bags, towels, ball caps, swim trunks and other apparel and accessories.
Signature Aesthetic: fun, casual, classic.
Retail Price Points: $30 to $150
Retail Accounts: Ad Hoc in Brooklyn, SurfCode in Incheon.
Direction for fall 2015: The M. Carter fall 2015 collection takes inspiration from time travel.
Contact: mcartershop.com