Pop-Up

. 9 comments.

Scene: Manresa Clothing Pop-Up store at 173 Elizabeth Street in Nolita, Manhattan. Manresa is a one man brand created by Connecticut born designer and owner Mike McLachlan. His vision encapsulates a workwear, outdoors, and streetwear sensibility. Manresa’s Clothing line is about quality, style, affordability, and communicating with his fan base on an everyday basis. Talk about customer relations! His direction for his brand now is “Classics, not novelties” as he mentioned at the Pop-Up. Mike has had a handful of brands starting when he was 13, creating his graphic tees in his parents basement workshop. This has been his dream 20 years in the making. And what a success it is! It was incredible to see the number of people coming to the Pop-Up from as far as California to meet and purchase. I am very proud of Mike and his journey. I’m wearing one of his shirts from an earlier collection.
Mike and I met in our first year at Marist College in the Fashion Department. Mike was a freshman and I was a new professor. He was in my Photoshop, Illustrator, and Creative Process classes. He has addressed me by a few names. First it was Professor, then it was Mr. D, and my newest is Uncle Fred, which happened at the Pop-Up. He referred to himself as my apprentice when he reached out for me to review his first look book, when he transferred to a Graphic Design major after he left the Fashion Department.
I always believed in Mike’s talent and supported his growth. I became a mentor to him. He shared his visions with me and we brainstormed. He would visit the city and we’d go to fabric stores, talk about his new ideas, and have lunch. We learned from each other.
Photo by Dylan.

Scene: North side of the Pop-Up shop.

Scene: South and east sides of the Pop-Up shop.

Scene: In transaction.

Scene: Max and Christine.

Scene: Mike’s Apple Macintosh in the window on display. Later it was rebranded as the Macintosh 128K and is the original Apple Macintosh personal computer. It played a pivotal role in establishing desktop publishing as a general office function. The Macintosh was introduced by a television commercial entitled “1984” shown during Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984.

Scene: Dylan and Mike.

Scene: Manresa’s Back East Tee in White.

Scene: Matt Kanovsky wearing his recent purchase, Manresa’s Bittner coat in Camel. A super heavy washed canvas work coat with soft satin lining, corduroy collar and ribbed cuffs with heavy duty YKK snaps and zips.

Scene: Mussel and clam cages serve as the base for merchandise and inspirational objects.

Scene: Happy Mike! And why shouldn’t he be with his first very successful Pop-Up store.

Scene: Manresa Clothing on view.

Scene: Abhijeet wearing Manresa’s Tartan Fleece in Black, a pullover with waxed canvas on the hood and pockets. The hood is lined in tartan.

Scene: Annie and Dylan.

Scene: Nolan Hayes, designer and owner of Transparent Hotel, and Finley Heilers, FIT student who works with Nolan, play chess. Finley lites a palosanto wood scent stick, and is wearing a Transparent Hotel shirt.

Scene: Finley wears diamonds, silver, and pearls.

Scene: Mike greeting a guest.

Scene: Guests shop the shop.

Scene: About to try on the Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat in brown.

Scene: Holly and Mike McLachlan with their adorable daughter Virginia.

Scene: Finley Heilers wearing Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Olive.

Scene: Caps: Manressa Manhattan 173, Tartan in Green Mountain, and Interlock in Olive Drab.

Scene: Joe and Adam shopping.

Scene: Joe is wearing Manresa’s Bittner coat in Indigo. A super heavy washed canvas work coat with soft satin lining, corduroy collar and ribbed cuffs. Heavy duty YKK snaps and zips.

Scene: Antonio Ciongoli, Creative Director at 18 East, and Mike.

Scene: Pero Simic reviewing the offerings.

Scene: Jasmine Bhoola and Tausif Khan.

Scene: Mike Palamountan.

Scene: Shawn Lacosta, Lizzie, Jacques, and Mikey. Shawn is wearing a Manresa hoodie from an earlier collection.

Scene: Dan Shetron wearing Manrersa’s Vallas Overcoat in brown.

Scene: Inspirational items.

Scene: Samantha from 18 East.

Scene: Antonio Ciongoli, Creative Director at 18 East, and Nam Nguyen from 18 East.

Scene: The Crew: Dennis, Mickey, Mike, Shawn, and Mike.

Scene: A pizza party ensued. Mike, Shawn, Lizzie, Micky, Nolan wearing the Vallas Overcoat in brown, and Mike.

Scene: Mike and Dennis wearing a Manresa shirt. One of my favorites!

Scene: Having a look.

Scene: Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Rust with the Sheffield Pant in Duck Camo.

Scene: Gina wearing Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Olive.

Scene: Shopping the rack.

Scene: A busy Manresa Pop-Up store.

Scene: Niko, Gina, and Mike wearing one of his t-shirt designs.

Scene: Pero Simic.

Scene: Marist alumni Leander Trotter, Associate Outerwear Designer at GIII for Guess and Kenneth Cole Men’s, and Mike in conversation.

Scene: What does Leander Trotter have in his shopping bag? Manresa’s Lachlan shirt, two tee’s, Chunky Socks in chocolate and sand, mug, and Fujifilm’s QuickSnap single-use camera.

Scene: Manresa’s MMX Beanie’s in Teal and Black.

Scene: Dan Shetron wearing Manresa’s Lachlan Shirt in Rolling Hills.

Scene: Caps, inspiration, and props on display.

Scene: Andrew’s pup Olive.

Scene: Norm and Diane LeBlanc, Holly McLachlan’s parents. Norm is wearing a Manresa tee from an earlier collection.

Scene: Stephanie and Jasmine.

Scene: Proud dad Mike, with miss adorable Virginia.

Scene: Checking out Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat.

Scene: Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat in blue. I bought one!

Scene: Jarrod and Stephanie.

Scene: Taking a closer look at Manresa’s Sheffield Pant in Duck Camo.

Scene: Mike’s parents Bill and Cathy McLachlan with Mike. Bill is wearing a Manresa sweat shirt from an earlier collection and Mike is wearing his Pop-Up tee.

Scene: Allie, Leanne, and Natalie.

Scene: Alex Delaney is a Food, Beverage, and Hospitality Consultant and Host of Sound Radio on Spotify; Aidan Scurti; and Fran Young who owns the brand Paratodo and Aiden helps him out. Photo by Mike McLachlan.

Scene and Heard: Walkin’ the walk as he leaves the Manresa Clothing Pop-Up. Listen to Death Cab for Cutie’s song Here To Forever.

Scene: Manresa’s neon sign in the store front window.
Manresa’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/manresamfg/?hl=en
and website https://manresaclothing.com/.
And here’s an article about Mike and his brand by Gear Patrol
https://www.gearpatrol.com/style/a39374413/manresa-fabric-clothing/






Halloween Spirit

. 3 comments.

Scene: A fun and happy Halloween celebration hosted by Paul O’Connor and Christina Osburn. Paul is wearing one of his creations. Paul, former Technical Director and Stage Designer at Vassar College, is now Designer and Owner of his woodworking and design studio. He’s a master craftsman!

Scene: Christina Osburn, with a knife through her head, talked about her headache. What can I say?? Christina is an Art Teacher and Creator of Events, Artwork, and Spaces. Paul and Christina are fabulous hosts, but more importantly wonderful people.

Scene: Tedd Prudhomme and Janet Hicks.

Scene: Neal Hollinger.

Scene: Janet Wygal.

Scene: Christina Osburn and their sweet Stella.

Scene: Janet Hicks and Neal Hollinger.

Scene: Spirited offerings.

Scene: Janet Wygal and Paul O’Connor.

Scene: Frank Bango.

Scene: Beth King DeVito and me.

Scene: Janet Hicks.

Scene: Janet Wygal.

Scene: Christina Osburn, in the background, and Paul O’Connor, from the back.

Scene: Janet Wygal and Tedd Prudhomme.

Scene: Christina Osburn.

Scene: Paul O’Connor.

Scene: Paul’s Halloween Spirit kinetic carousel. 

Scene: Rachel Gans, Janet Wygal, and Frank Bango on the front porch.

Scene: Christina Osburn and Paul O’Connor’s backyard with thier chestnut tree and workshops.

Scene: Janet Hicks in the front yard.

Scene: Tedd Prudhomme, Rachel Gans, John Murphy in front of Paul O’Connor’s Halloween Spirit stage set.

Scene: Pema Cliett.

Scene: Janet Wygal and Janet Hicks.

Scene: Yours truly and Beth King DeVito.

Scene and Heard: The spooking hours begin! Have a Booootiful Halloween!! Hahahaha… It’s the Monster Mash!!!






NYMD Fall/Winter 2022

. 4 comments.

New York Men’s Day opened New York Fashion Week sponsored by Perry Ellis America at Canoe Studios in Chelsea. Here are five designers who presented: Teddy von Ranson, Stan, Nicholas Raefski, Clara Son, and Atelier Cillian.

Scene: Teddy von Ranson’s metaphorical collection “North Beach”. Impressed by the similar ways surfers, skiers, and snowboarders layer technical fashion pieces, he reimagined an assortment of clothing. Now the man is one. He surfs in the Pacific and the Atlantic all year, skis and snowboards from Lake Placid to Aspen to Mammoth, kitted out with playfulness and mastery.
Teddy von Ranson effectively layers the effortless cool west coast sentiment with east coast discernment to advance his story of the modern American man. The best parts of the collection are the genius ways in which Teddy experiments with prints, textures, and color waves.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro, Stylists David Vivirido. Footwear a reimagined vintage-style ski boot with lug soles. Model above Jaden Edlund.

Scene: Designer Teddy von Ranson (center) with models.
“I wanted to explore literal and metaphorical winter beaches: the die-hard surfers in the chilly winter waters of California and the ice capped breakers of northeastern beaches, the slopes from Lake Placid to Aspen to Mammoth where moguls and half pipes emulate the waves”.
Teddy von Ranson




Scene: STAN by designer Tristan Detwiler titled “The Rugged Gentleman”. Since the brand’s inception, Detwiler has sourced and upcycled antique textiles with rich historical backstories. This season was less surfwear, more party wear. “I wanted to present a more formal gentleman character, the kind that goes out for an evening on the town,” he explained.
Navajo blankets feature prominently in the collection, some of which date back to the late 1870’s when The Hubbell Trading Post was established on the Navajo Nation. This exploration of textiles continues with antique fabrics as far ranging from the 18th century to the 19th century.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Cobe Alcantar and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Footwear Sperry.
Above photo, my friends Tony Spinelli and Alva Chinn. Tony is wearing trousers and an overcoat made from a 1916 all black wool crazy quilt. Tony, an iconic male model in the 70’s was on the premier cover of Vogue Men photographed by Irving Penn. He appeared in Halston’s debut ad campaign and Richard Avedon’s work for Versace. Alva Chinn is wearing an evening gown of 19th Century silk brocade drapes from a little chateau in France. The pioneering model made her name on the runways of Halston, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel in the 70’s and made history walking for Halston at the legendary Battle of Versailles Fashion Show. 

Scene: Designer Tristan Detwiler (third from left) with models, and Clair (far left) from the now non-existent Yardage Town. In 2019 she welcomed Tristan into her quilting group and shared her lifelong passion for quilting with him.
“I looked to my paternal grandfather as a muse for this collection, Robert Stanley Detwiler. In my eyes, Bob always embodied the idea of a perfect gentleman. As a salesman in the 50’s, Bob wore a three-piece suit and a hat every day. A man of few words, he is remembered for his charming tip of the hat accompanied by a warm smile. I made that into my own, by crossing it with a more adventurous, rugged spirit”. Tristan Detwiler




Scene: Nicholas Raefski’s second collection “Meet Me By The Bleachers” is inspired by his nostalgia for going to high school in the 1970s. Notions of false nostalgia – yearnings for something you never actually owned nor experienced. Lounging on bleachers, models wearing a variety of 70s inspired styles radiated a youthful energy that matched the clothing. Pastel shades, funky patterns, and confident color blocking were displayed under the warm glow of overhead lights. AstroTurf carpeting completed the image of a Friday night in the suburbs of 70s-era Southern California.
The eleven looks collection is divided into four groups: the jocks, the nerds, the punks, and the hippies.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Ashley Breken and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Jessica Marisol and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Stylists Jules Wettreich, Footwear Puma, Converse, and Doc Martens.

Scene: Models at the presentation.
“Going to high school in the 1970s is something I have always felt nostalgic for, despite being born a few decades too late to have experienced it. High school is all about archetypes and stereotypes; being put in a box. But when we grow up these boxes vanish, we find we cannot be bound by one group or idea. I enjoy the challenge of taking something that I know little about from the past, thinking about it in the present, and designing it for the future”. Nicholas Raefski




Scene: Clara Son, South Korea born menswear designer, launched her collection “Exuvia Capsule”. The Fashion Institute of Technology graduate continues her journey into innovative designs with this collection by drawing inspiration from art, nature, and personal feelings. A futuristic fashion approach with minimalist under currents and otherwordly silhouettes.
Her debut collection was also inspired by a trip to Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum where she had an emotional experience while observing the work “Black Cloud” by Carlos Amorales, a paper cut-out ode to the monarch butterfly migration from Canada to Mexico. “It was very eerie”. She wanted to metamorphose the negative energy into beautiful artistry. Son plays with contemporary and historical shapes through ruching techniques and mixes heavyweight with lightweight materials to emulate the hardshells and soft underbellies of bugs. “Exuvia,” is described in an entomologists’ glossary as a cast off outer skin, a shedding of what is no longer needed.
At the end a modern dance ensued with seven dancers in flesh toned tights and two models from the presentation.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Kien Hoang and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Stylist Nyeelah Lewis, Footwear Camper Tracktori boots by Joseph Yi.

Scene: Models at the presentation.
“I used to love bugs growing up and when I was really having a challenging time, I told my friends that I felt like a bug”. Clara Son




Scene: Atelier Cillian by designer Stephen Mikhail, who was debuting his premiere collection “The Misdeeds of Dashwood”. Atelier Cillian enjoys pushing boundaries in menswear and masculinity. His inaugural collection was inspired by the Hellfire Clubs in Britain, first founded in 1718, where Members of Parliament and society elites fraternized in excessive indulgent in sensual pleasures after hours. “They would go buttoned up to work everyday passing laws that they would go and break later on in the evening,” Mikhail described. “Watching how politics were handled during Covid, this was my commentary on politicians behaving badly.”
Channeling this theme through looks of black and gray tweed suits styled with historically authentic top hats opposite red draped turtlenecks and tattoo-revealing sheer sleeves with fingerless leather gloves is the medium where Mikhail questions masculinity as well as who defines it. Atelier Cillian can be recognized for its inherent duality between masculine and feminine.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team on behalf of AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Nail color Un/Dn Laqr, Stylist Kevin Breen, Footwear Florsheim.

Scene: Models at the presentation.
“I think there are a lot of amazing womenswear designers out there but womenswear doesn’t give me the challenge that I’m longing for, it doesn’t give me the boundaries that I can just crash through”. Stephen Mikhail

Special thanks to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist, blogger, and hair historian, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.






Sunflowers and Silk

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Scene: A week in the life of a scarf. DiFiore New York sunflower silk scarf and sarong which are part of the ‘Floral Seas’ collection. Their eco-friendly scarves are 100% lightweight silk twill printed by fine Italian artisans. Ms. DiFiore’s seasonless wearable silk art scarves are modern classics with a luxurious feel. For day or night, casual yet elegant. They are produced in small batches for quality control. Her passion for the ocean and water at a young age, and now her dedication to preserving our oceans, keeping them clean, and helping marine life from being decimated by pollution inspired her ‘Floral Seas’ collection.
The origins of the scarf goes back to Ancient Egypt, precisely to Queen Nefertiti, who was believed to have worn a woven wrapped scarf under an extravagant jewelled headpiece in 1350 BC. Scarves are one of the most essential versatile clothing accessories for both men and women.
Special thanks, Model and Opera Singer Sonia Fortezza, Locations Bluestone Lane 55 Hudson Yards Café and Hudson Yards.

Scene: DiFiore New York website. Learn more about the brand and shop https://difiorenewyork.com.
DiFiore New York will be donating a percentage of each Sunflower scarf sold to Save the Children – Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
 
 
 
 



Summer

. 6 comments.

Scene: Summer wear. Bold colors, some like it hot. Pinks trend and a celebration of hues. Maxi and midi dresses, mini and micro skirts. Light weight designer coats and tailored blazers. Black and white of course and beigh too. Airy sheer fabrics and subdued flashes of skin. Florals and patterns, but mostly solids. Underwear outerwear and printed chiffon. Kicks, slides, sandals, clogs, Birkenstocks, Doc Martens, and high heels. All on a summer day.