TIME & PLACE: @ 7pm, Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Lower Level, Bloomingdale’s Soho, 504 B’Way, NYC
Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images, Matthew Carasella, Courtesy of GQ Magazine
Image #1: Daiki Suzuki and Angelo Urritia of Engineered Garments
Image #2: Jim Moore, creative director, GQ and Simon Spurr of Spurr
Image #3: Engineered Garments new fall collection in collaboration with Levi’s
We ran over to Bloomies’ Soho to have a look at the collection ENGINEERED GARMENTS created in collaboration with Levi’s.
WHO
Design Duo DAIKI SUZUK and ANGELO URRITIA, the designers of the Engineered Garments line.
WHY THEY WERE BEING FETED BY GQ
The duo won the FIRST ANNUAL BEST NEW MENSWEAR DESIGNER IN AMERICA PROJECT & $50,000.
WHO WAS THERE
A Nice sized crowd including Jim Nelson, GQ's Editor in chief, Steven Kolb, executive director, CFDA, and JIM MOORE, Creative director, GQ.
We spoke with Jim Moore about the contest he helped put into play.
LYRA MAG: We went to the GQ event in February at Rockefeller Center. It was great, it made us aware of a lot of good menswear designers such as Spurr and Gilded Age we were previously unaware of.
JIM MOORE: Yes that went very well. This event tonight is a culmination of a 1-year event when we picked out the next crop of designers. What’s different about this young crop of designers is that they have talent AND a business plan.
LYRA MAG: How did this award get started?
JIM MOORE: We started 1 year ago with 30 studio visits. From there, we narrowed it down to 6 and we featured those 6 in the fall issue.
Now the process has restarted and we’re busy looking for the next crop of talent.
LYRA MAG: When did they start designing this 9-piece collection?
JIM MOORE: They won in mid February and immediately went to San Francisco to meet with Levi’s and started designing it.
LYRA MAG: How do you think it will do at retail?
JIM MOORE: It’s already sold out. We had to hold some pieces back for this event.
LYRA MAG: That’s impressive. Why do you think it hit?
JIM MOORE: These designers have a keen eye for Americana. They’re passionately obsessed with Americana. Think: tweedy, rugged, Russell Athletics.
LYRA MAG: Thanks, Jim , for your time
ENDNOTE:
We walked through the other room before leaving and the collection was just what Jim said it was – rugged and All-American.
To read more about the Engineered Garments for Levi's, pick-up a copy of the GQ September 2008 issue, p. 158, or log onto
www.GQ.com