Dapper`s Delight - The New York Times

THE GET
I N- S T O R E
1. Tom Kalenderian, the men’s
honcho at Barneys New York, can
identify a seven-centimeter tie at
20 paces and a hand-stitched
buttonhole at 40. He can (and will)
wax poetic on the toe-box
construction of a custom shoe. And
don’t get him started on Neapolitan
suits. Having worked for 27 years
for the store that introduced Armani
to America, he has a soft spot for
Italian tailoring: ‘‘Italians have a
knack for blending their respect for
heritage with modern simplicity.’’
Here he wears a made-to-measure
jacket by Gianluca Isaia ($1,995)
and a shirt ($350) and tie ($105)
from Battistoni, a label he describes
as ‘‘part of the Italian businessman’s
suit of armor.’’
Dapper’s Delight
FOR THE BARNEYS EXECUTIVE TOM KALENDERIAN,
A SNAPPY MAN IS A HAPPY MAN.
SANDRA BALLENTINE TAKES NOTES.
7. Barneys men aren’t all cut from
the same cloth, and neither are their
shirts. Hamilton shirts are cut and
sewn by hand according to each
customer’s personal paper pattern.
The sleeves of this $265 buttondown shirt have vertical stripes.
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9. This silk tie, $215, from
Lanvin’s 15 Faubourg collection of
handmade suits, shirts and ties
(launched at Barneys this year), isn’t
just any old piece of neckwear.
‘‘It’s a beautifully constructed, bellsand-whistles, full seven-fold tie.’’
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this ($1,950) at the End of History,
5481⁄2 Hudson Street.
10. Fred Pressman,
Barneys’s second-generation
patriarch, brought the British tailor
Kilgour, French & Stanbury to
the States in the 60’s. This season,
the store introduces Kilgour’s
new slimmer, cooler cut. ‘‘The
silhouettes are classic Savile Row,
but sexier,’’ Kalenderian says.
‘‘This one-button jacket’’ — $1,395
— ‘‘is very young Wall Street.’’
3. He also craves objects from
the Milan studio of the late Piero
Fornasetti. ‘‘I never tire of how
Fornasetti applied his timeless
motifs to everyday objects. I covet
my vintage plates that depict
scenes of Venice.’’ This tray is
$940 at Barneys.
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4. Kalenderian has been
spritzing himself lately with Agua
de Colonia Fresca from Hierbas
de Ibiza ($80 for 3.4 ounces). ‘‘After
years of being addicted to Jacques
Fath’s Green Water,’’ he says, ‘‘I
finally found a suitable replacement.’’
5. Besides overseeing men’s
wear, Kalenderian heads up
the store’s Chelsea Passage, which
includes home furnishings and
kids’ clothing. ‘‘I have five nephews
and am constantly buying gifts
for them.’’ He gave his nephew this
$64 shirt by Claude, a label that
reworks vintage pieces.
6. Shoes make the man,
especially if the shoes are manmade. These $535 leather
and cotton drill spectators are from
Crockett & Jones, a company in
Northampton, England, that’s been
hand-constructing shoes with
traditional Goodyear welting since
1879. ‘‘They would look great with
jeans or a tan cotton suit.’’
11. Kalenderian’s globe-trotting
requires a great packing case, and
he never leaves home without his
favorite one from Mulberry, $1,395.
‘‘The soft, waxy Darwin leather
keeps getting better with age.’’
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12. Kalenderian plans on
keeping in touch with the mother
ship via a Flybook laptop ($2,990)
— when he can get his hands on
one, that is (Barneys can’t keep
them in stock). ‘‘It’s simple, modern,
smart and incredibly light.’’ ■
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PORTRAIT BY BRYAN BEDDER AND PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENS MORTENSEN, BOTH FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES.
2. Kalenderian’s love affair with
Italy isn’t limited to haberdashery.
He collects vintage Murano glass
in bulk. ‘‘Even the smallest piece
captures the mood of midcentury
modernism.’’ He bought a lamp like
8. Kalenderian happened upon
the antique jeweler and cuff-link
specialist Longmire in London
more than 20 years ago, and he
still collaborates with the company.
‘‘Their experience with vintage
jewelry gives them the credibility
and expertise to create amazing
new cuff links.’’ He’d save these
$11,500 white gold and sapphire
stirrups for a black-tie event.