Isaac Mizrahi Fall 2007 –Menswear
Timestamp:
April 10, 2007
New York City
Text and photos by J. Ecochard
The tagline… “What becomes a legend most?”… is a memorable advertising ditty that poses an apt question. With reference to fashion designers, who will succeed-and how does one quantify success? Is it strictly defined by financials, number of licensed goods or points of distribution? Does the frequency of Red Carpet garb appearances on celeb bodies count?
Isaac Mizrahi, by any of the aforementioned measures…is the fashion equivalent of a a grand slam, home run and embodies one of America’s finest comeback stories. Cool, hip designer launching inexpensive quality line at ubiquitous chain store ( Target)-check. Posh women’s custom tailored eveningwear line in NY’s premier luxury store ( Bergdorf Goodman) -check. Isaac’s Style Book, a glossy how-to magazine plus fun, fun, fun cable TV schmooze fest gab show ( Style Network)-check. Website featuring affordable, feminine daywear (IsaacNY)- check. Super nice, personable guy with a smart, congenial team of employees (www....whoa...now that's refreshing!).
As one might expect, the second year of Isaac’s menswear line does not disappoint. Fashioned with European panache tailored in “American cut,” mix and match shirts, sweaters, suits, overcoats and comfy knits…the high end cashmere, peau de soire, smooth cottons and Superfine wool fabrics appear in autumn’s staple tones of classic camel, charcoal greys, deep blacks, navy blue, tomato reds and bright whites colors with dabs of lumberjack plaids. New for this year are Tyrolean trim details that make an appearance throughout the collection. And the short, to the hipbone length of jackets work particularly well on a caramel leather double-breasted motorcycle jacket with shiny gold buttons. Plus staples such as a chic camel alpaca and wool balmacaan slides over business suits as well as T shirts and jeans… and feature numerous inside zipped and billfold worthy pockets for the man on the go - or who doesn’t want to bulk up the clean silhouette's line.
Priced accordingly, the great vision behind and execution of these elegant, practical clothes is suitable for guys who might have lived through the dumbing down of work garb during the Web 1.0 era of the 90’s…and could never figure out what ‘casual Fridays’ meant anyway. And for nights out on the town or at the golf club, one could lose the cashmere herring bone cashmere and wool suit jacket and the leaf and gold brocade tie- and toss on the white, crew neck cashmere sweater threaded with subtle silver lurex or a feather weight, grey on grey Vanity Fair Isle sweater with gold button details…and look effortlessly terrific.