Fashion

My parents emmigrated from Greece in 1970 to pursue higher education and the chance to broaden their professional horizons. What this meant though was leaving their families and careers, moving several thousands of miles away and basically starting from scratch. That was just prior to the start of University that autumn, where my father was to attend and earn a Masters Degree in Urban Planning. With nothing to their name but a few suitcases and a 5 year old (my brother), they set upon their way and never looked back.

I recall a story my mum had told me of those early days were they had been invited to a Christmas party. The hostess, trying to be welcoming, told my parents that they should feel comfortable to come to the party dressed in their native clothes, as they would back home. My parents looked at eachother sort of puzzled, but accepted the invite and planned on attending. Weeks later on the eve of the party, my parents got ready, got a baby sitter for my brother, and left the house. To this day my mom recalls the disappointment in the hostess's eyes as she opened the door to greet my parents. There they stood, my dad in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt and my mother in a skirt cut at the knee and a light sweater. Apparently the hostess must have been expecting them to show up in some elaborate robes and/or headdresses. We're Greek, not Incas for christ sake! The fathers of democracy, not some backwoods savages! Perhaps if my dad had worn the skirt and sweater instead, that may have done satisfied the poor woman.

Anyway, about a year and a half later I came along. For the first few years of my life my parents were still working towards advanced degrees and we lived the somewhat impoverished life of the grad student. That meant that for several years I wore either hand me down clothes from my brother or worse yet my mom would make us clothes, which for me at 3 years old, not so bad, but for my 10 year old brother, he may as well have worn that skirt.

Eventually my parents finished with their degrees and got teaching postitions at a good University and began their careers again after a 5 year hiatus. This didn't however mean that we began dressing any better. Now there were mortgage mayments and student loans, trips back to Greece for the summers and 2 growing boys. No money for such extravagances. I was destined to wear my brother's clothes until I was 40, or maybe I figured until I could buy my own things.

For some reason, going back as far as I can remember, I have been particularly fond of clothes. From about 4 or 5 when I HAD to wear my brown leisure suit for my passport photo, through the early eighties when I saved my own money to buy Lacoste shirts and Sperry topsiders. The mid and late eighties saw my transition to a punk, mod and skinhead style. I went from black leather jackets, Doc Martens and torn jeans to tight slacks and trench coats and ultimately to Fred Perrys, bomber jackets and braces. Always somehow adding my own twist, whether in the details of changing out buttons and laces or my color, pattern and fabric combos. Gay sounding, I know.

Over the course of the next several years during my time at Design school I found my opportunityto experiment a bit. For many this means messing with drugs or sleeping with members of the same sex. To me it meant trying out various style experiments (and several fashion design girlfriends). The magic of vintage clothing stores and thrift shops landed me some impressive bowling shirts and sharkskin suits, while also puttng me in overalls and fedoras. What can I say, I was just experimenting!

Being a designer I think it is really important to look your best as your appearance communicates that you know what good style is. Clients notice. I notice too that the last few years as I've worked my way into my thirties and into a salary level that affords me some indulgences, I have begun to narrow down my tastes to certain materials, brands and overall looks that work for me.

My wardrobe has gotten pretty focused on some key brands the last couple of years, as I think a few houses do certain things better than anyone. I'll start with Diesel jeans. The last few years have shown us a proliferation of the 100 quid+ jeans with True Religion, 7 For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, et al. Most of these are flash in the pan companies that have jumped on the jean bandwagon to make a quick buck, but will likely not be around for many years. There is no well defined equity to their brands, nor is there any real brand loyalty or heritage. They're just brands of the moment, not brands with momentum. Diesel has been around since 1978 and in my opinion are the best jeans made in fit, style, quality and value. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on jeans, they better be good, they better look great and they better be Diesels.

I'm also a big fan of Hugo Boss, for both their more formal clothes (Boss Black) and also their sportswear (Boss Orange). They not only make excellent fitting dress clothes (their dress shirts are second to none), but also have extended their brand into the Orange line, which really capitalizes on a little served market, 30-40 year old guys that have some money, but want to look cool and expect quality. Great stuff.

Miuccia Prada gets some odd looks from time to time with her daring runway shows and bizarre juxtapositions of materials, but you've got to hand it to the famed Italian fashion house, they make some amazing classic pieces that should be part of every wardrobe. Both the Prada and MiuMiu labels have brought high fashion to the pret-a-porter world with fantastic pieces that while expensive, can stay timeless. I particularly like the Linea Rossa details and the fabric choices, both in materials and patterns.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few other favorites and UK stalwarts, Ted Baker, Ben Sherman and Burberry. Ted Baker is well known for his exquisite pairing of bold linings and traditional fabrics in his suits. Nice detail. He also has amazing ties and some gorgeous sweaters. My favorite sweater I have is a Ted Baker zip-up wool hoody which is great on it's own or layered.

Ben Sherman is a classic brand that seems to be able to strattle the line of high fashion and affordability and they also seem to have a fun twist. They make great fitting dress shirts that are perfect examples of the Carnaby style. Nice shoes too, but I would guess that like Diesel, they probably license out the name and dont make them themselves.

Burberry has a history as long as fashion itself, dating back to 1856! Known best for their distinctive "Burberry Check" tartan pattern, they have a few areas where they're unbeatable. Having invented the gabardine something like 120 years ago, it is safe to say they make the best raincoat. What I actually like even better than my vintage trench are my Burberry undershirts! They not only fit exceptionally well, but they use a tight cotton knit that doesn't pill and they add some really nice details (a subtle tartan swatch) both inside the neck and on the left side of the lower hem and seam. The last few years the creative directors at Burberry have done a great job reinvigorating the brand and the extension of the Prorsum line has added a freshness to the brand that will continue to carry them well into the 21st century.

I almost forgot John Varvatos, who I think has also done a nice job targeting the Boss Orange market, again looking to attract the 30-40 year old male that wants to look great and doesn't mind spending money to do it. Cashing in on the nostalgia with their collection of shoes for Converse was a smart move too and has been done far more successfully than other similar attempts by other fashion houses.

These aren't the end all be all of design, as there are several other designers/brands, mass brands and select pieces that you cant go wrong. Versace ties are great(their clothes are horrible) or Dior's newer work (Hedi Slimanne is really solid). I like Alexander McQueen's stuff and Philip Lim's 3.1. Stores like Banana Republic, Mexx, Urban Behaviour, Zara and H&M give us affordable everyday stuff that you can mix in with your expensive stuff. You pair a cheap t-shirt from a street vendor in Camden with some Diesels, a MiuMiu jacket or some nice shoes and you'll look like the whole package sent you to the poorhouse.

Overall my fashion philosophy would be this. Be smart and keep it simple. Classic looks should be staples in every wardrobe as should a few key fun things to mix things up. Having some new items from season to season that are a bit trendier help keep the classic stuff fresh. Details are still very important too and can be the difference between an ok outfit and a great outfit. In my opinion, if you can swing it, it's worth spending a bit more to buy items of higher quality as they will last longer and you'll get more satisfaction from them with each wear. And you'll look great too.