No. 13 - Capsule

CAPSULESHOW.COM
1
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2015
Spring/
summer
2016
№
13
Paris Men's
New York Men's
June 26–28
Cité de la Mode
July 20–21
Basketball City
New York
Women's RTW
New York
Women's Acc.
September 17–19
Pier 94
September 17–19
Pier 94
Las Vegas
Men's & Women's
August 17–19
The Venetian Ballroom
Paris Women's
October 2–4
Tapis Rouge
2
CAPSULE PAPER NO. 13
JUNE
Guillermo Andrade
of 424
A
s co-owner of LA boutique 424, and designer of their
in-house jewelry line of the same name, Guillermo Andrade
has only seen his influence grow since the shop first opened
its doors in 2010. Now, he can count himself among a group of
progressive New American designers who are influencing the
menswear landscape from the outside in, creating new rules for
an industry that’s been guided by tradition for so long. Steve Dool
caught up with Guillermo in advance of Capsule’s inaugural
Le Nouveau showcase — New Americans, launching at Capsule
Paris and New York this summer — to talk inspiration, social
media, and what the kids are up to these days.
Authenticity goes a long way. It’s something
that you can tell immediately looking
at a brand.
Totally. I’m at the point now, where on
a personal level, I find shopping to be very
boring. I’ve only recently been able to travel.
Over the last year, I’ve gone to a few different
cities that I’ve always hoped to go to, and I
kind of wish I’d have been there ten years ago,
fifteen years ago, when I could have still experienced fashion in a different way. Now, you
get the same floor in every nice store across
the world. I don’t think it was always that way.
If you go to a store here, and you go
to whatever the version of that store is in
Germany or England – at the end of the day,
it’s almost like a carbon copy of everything
that’s cool all over the world in the same set up,
the same display. They tell the same stories.
There’s a big disconnect that’s happening
between [that] and brands like Fear of God,
brands like 424, even Virgil [Abloh]. The
story isn’t being properly told. That’s the most
important part of everything we do. We’re not
trained designers. We’re just kids who, to be
honest, got fed up and started making our
own stuff.
You don’t really see as much radically
different personal style in different major
cities either. A lot of personal style has been
homogenized because everyone gets everything at the same time.
Yeah. Totally. That’s another thing that I think
will, in fact, change. For the bigger brands that
follow their production calendar and follow
the fashion calendar, it works. It’s amazing.
It works for them. But for a brand like 424, it’s
not an option. I have very little interest in following that calendar, because it doesn’t suit my
brand. It’s not honest to where I am and where
the growth of my business is. I can’t do that.
In order to deliver to a hundred accounts, and
have them all be top tier accounts, and to make
sure everyone gets something special, and
everyone knows what the brand is – and every
employee on that floor is going to be able to
tell you about that brand – it’s an unbelievable
amount of work. So many things are moving
at the same time, that for that to be able to
happen, you need like 50 years before people
across the board understand your brand.
The ethos, what you’re trying to bring to the
table. Just because you’re in the stores, the
work isn’t done.
I walked into a store here in LA — in LA,
mind you, where we launched Fear of God in
my shop maybe a year and a half ago, before
it was ever in any stores. I walked into another
store here that’s had Fear of God for a couple
CAPSULESHOW.COM
Sure. I guess it’s the flip side to what we
were talking about before, where in some
instances the Internet and the immediacy
of how information is disseminated can
create a flattening effect, but it can also
allow someone like Ian to come up in a way
that wasn’t previously possible.
In reference to that, the Internet – and especially social media – has leveled the playing
field. There has been, across every industry,
for all time, people who didn’t have resources
who were doing amazing things and nobody
could find out about it. And only a select few
people could see it. It was so much easier
to get ripped off, because no one would ever
know. That’s essentially gone now. Not like
people don’t get ripped off, but now people
have a voice. Everyone gets a voice. And for
the ones who know how to use it, particularly
the younger people who grew up with it,
it is really super interesting to see how they
incorporate that into their daily lives.
We have a 14 year-old kid DJing
a Fear of God event, and he’s a killer DJ.
He’s been DJing for four years. He’s had
CDJ’s — not turntable ­— he’s had CDJ’s
since he’s ten years old.
by Steve Dool
SD: We look at 424 as an arbiter of what’s
new and what’s next. But I’m curious to
know what inspires you?
GA: It’s always been about using my resources
as a bridge to introduce new products to a
whole different world, who otherwise wouldn’t
come to Fairfax, but now feel a little bit more
comfortable to check it out, since there’s something there for them. Packaging things up in
a way that tells a story properly. I think that’s
been my inspiration as far as creating a different type of retail experience, where you come
in and some things you know, some things
you’ve seen. Some things may even feel familiar, and you don’t understand why. And if you
look a little deeper, you find that these are the
kids setting the trends. That’s really important.
A lot of the time, things become very popular
and no one knows where they came from. I use
my platform to remind people, “This is what’s
going on. This is where it’s coming from and
this is the real version.”
I’ve always been that way, even as
a kid. I would go after everything, man. Journeys. Fourteen hour bus trips, back and forth,
just to go get that one pair of Girbaud jeans
that I knew was it. And I would only have that
pair. I wouldn’t have a hundred of them. I’d
just have the one pair. In the same spirit, I do
that with my store. My boutique isn’t really
a boutique; it’s more of a community. The
way that I do my buying, I need to make sure
that whoever is on the racks in my store loves
what they do. That’s the first prerequisite for
anything that comes into 424. If I don’t feel the
love in it, it’s very hard for me to sell it.
I have no interest in that.
2015
That makes me feel like I’m not
doing anything.
He’s a little rockstar DJ. The kids are as
advanced as the technology is. Every six
months, new technology comes out that’s
quicker, faster, smaller, slimmer and more
efficient and has more energy. The kids are
the same way. Ian is 22 now. This kid is 14.
“I need to make sure that whoever is
on the racks in my store loves what
they do. If I don’t feel the love in it,
it’s very hard for me to sell it.”
seasons, and I asked the guy, “Hey, this is a
cool brand. What is it? Can you tell me about
it?” And it was all just a very bogus sales pitch
that you get from any bogus salesperson. It’s
such a big disconnect between what is actually
happening and “hey, just buy this and get the
fuck out.”
Do you think there’s a solution to that,
or is that just how it is?
I think boutiques like mine are a solution
to that. Or at least, that’s what I want it to be.
[At 424], I’m coming from a place of,
“This is what we’re doing. If you have any
questions about the brand, we’re going to talk
your ear off.” We care about it as much as the
designers do — sometimes more.
The inspiration is really just to tell the
story of what’s happening in our world, in our
scene, in the proper way. In an honest way.
There’s a lot of different things we’re trying
to do right now, and I’m trying to bring it all
together so that when you come into the shop,
or go through our brand list online, it’s a complete story. It has a beginning, it has a story,
and it has an ending. I like things like that.
What are you excited about right
now – even outside of fashion?
I love Berlin, as a city. I really enjoyed myself
there. I thought it was a really cool place to
be. People left you alone, but it has a creative
energy to it. Almost everybody is working on
an art project, and it’s not done yet. It’ll be
done soon. I really felt at home there, because
I’m constantly on that wave, all the time.
But, in direct relationship to fashion,
I really like all the kids. I really do. I was in
their shoes at one point, and it’s really nice to
see someone like Ian [Connor], for example.
He was in Atlanta before he moved to New
York, and all he had was the Internet. And he
spun that into an actual career. Whether he
has a degree or not, he’s earned a seat at the
table and people have to respect it. The rebel
in me really likes a middle finger to everybody whenever the option is there. I think he’s
earned it. Regardless of what his talent may
or may not be, people like that excite me. It’s
a wrench in the system. The algorithm goes off
a little bit and you just try to figure out what
the fuck just happened.
I relate to that, in a way. It’s nice for me
to see that in the physical realm, how something
goes from being popular on the Internet and how
it translates the digital world into the reality of
how we live our day to day life. He doesn’t have
any tangible successes — it’s not like he can
go to his house that he paid for with millions of
dollars because he’s so rich — but he’s got a new
kind of currency. And that I appreciate.
»
It’s stunning. He models. He DJ’s. He’s cool
as fuck. He’s educated. He takes the time
to learn about the stuff he’s talking about.
It’s, for me, so new to see kids so young speaking so eloquently, being interested in things
that are just a little different. It’s not so much
about “look how fly I am, look at me stuntin’
on it.” It’s more conscious, in a way. They’re
more interested in the “why” of everything,
which is really cool. That, I’m excited about.
I’m excited about an energy in the market
where people are more interested in the real
reasons people are doing things. Not just
flipping a buck.
3
presents:
What’s the 14 year-old DJ’s name?
I need to get up on the youth.
His name is Xuly.
This kid will be on his fifth career by the
time he’s 20.
It’s really nuts. It’s really cool. I’m also excited
about the right people getting the right jobs.
I think for a long time now, the wrong people
have been getting the right jobs, and I’m over
that. It’s an exciting time for all of us. Every
time I see Virgil doing an insane installation
somewhere in Korea or in Belgium or wherever the fuck he’s at, I get really happy. It’s
really awesome for all of us that these things
are happening, because for a long time, it was
reserved only for the elite. And that’s done.
It’s awesome.
Spring / Summer 2016
men’s Paris, NYC
& Las Vegas
Featuring:
Blackfist
424
Rhude
Second Layer
and more…
Ask A Normal
As avid followers of fashion and participants in the
fashion industry, it's often easy to lose sight of the fact that
labels and designers we wear without a second thought can
seem extravagant, confusing or inaccessible to the average
citizen. To help us gain a little perspective, we have a regular
series on We Are the Market, the Capsule blog, called
“Ask a Normal,” in which we seek out people outside of the
industry and ask them their unedited opinions on
Fashion with a capital F.
How do you normally dress for work?
Suit and tie every day.
What would the reaction be if you were
to wear this to work?
Oh my God. I would be mercilessly made
fun of from the moment the day began by my
coworkers. I'm often in courtrooms in front
of judges, and I think there is a real chance
that the wrong judge would find me in
contempt of court for being disrespectful.
Today, we're discussing the
SS15 embroidered tulle blazer
by Ann Demeulemeester.
Our guest is Jason, 30,
a lawyer from Queens.
What were your first impressions,
right off the bat?
Siegfried and Roy. I look at that blazer and all
I can see is Siegfried and Roy.
Ann Demeulemeester is the designer.
Have you ever heard of her before?
I have not.
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
Blazer Collection Spring Summer 2015
$2,550.00
Featuring the brands and personalities
that push the boundaries of our modern
apparel landscape, Capsule introduces
Le Nouveau — a progressive showcase.
Exhibitors this season include leaders
of the street luxe scene and members
of a new American avant garde, together
with key pioneers of the underground
movements that matter right now:
New Americans.
She's one of the Antwerp Six, a group
of designers from Belgium who became
famous for their unique fashion perspective in the 1980's. Is this how you envision
people in Belgium dressing?
Honestly, when I try to picture someone from
Belgium, I consistently imagine that person
in lederhosen. I know lederhosen are German,
and probably from the 19th century, but that
is still what I picture. I now realize I should
probably go to Belgium.
Is there anywhere you would wear
this blazer?
Costume party? 70’s party?
Saturday Night Fever tribute event?
If you had to choose one item of clothing
made from this fabric, what would it be
and why?
Underwear. My coworkers and family won't
ever see it, but when I take a woman home,
she's going to know I'm ready to party.
Who would you suggest wear this blazer?
Only Vegas showmen.
Lastly, if not this, is there a piece of clothing you would spend $2550 to own?
I have always had a boring fantasy of owning
a closet full of Brioni suits. I don't own any
as of yet, but I will. That's the only type
of clothing I would be willing to spend that
much money on.
4
CAPSULE PAPER NO. 13
JUNE
New at Capsule
A preview of new brands we’re welcoming into the
Capsule family for the first time.
C S’TUDIO
CUCHÈ BIKINIS
HALO
C S’TUDIO specializes in integrating abstract prints into their
designs, for an artistic, East-meets-West interpretation of what
women want to wear today.
Founded in 2003, Cuchè Bikinis infuses vintage-flavored
women’s swimwear with a modern sensibility. And, despite the
name, they’ve even snuck in some one-piece suits, too.
An acronym for High Altitude Low Opening, Newline HALO
is inspired by the Danish Special Forces, a mix of high
functionality and current streetwear-friendly style.
Capsule Paris Women’s
Capsule Las Vegas
Capsule Paris Men’s
2015
CAPSULESHOW.COM
Five Years of Soto
W
hen SOTO opened its doors in Berlin’s Mitte
district in April 2010, it offered a distinct take
on menswear that effortlessly fused high-end
designers like Thom Browne and Band of Outsiders with
a well-edited streetwear-minded offering from the likes
of Nike and Norse Projects. By catering to the way that so
many modern men dress today, SOTO — which is short
for South of Torstrasse — had introduced something new
and original to the Berlin retail landscape. Founders Philip
Gaedicke, Omer Ben-Michael and David Fischer had all
worked in the fashion industry prior to opening the shop,
but SOTO put them on the map as a retail force to be reckoned with. Their influence extends beyond Berlin, as well;
it’s one of the reasons why brands as diverse as Marcelo
Burlon and Barbour have lined up to collaborate on special
projects with the store, and why industry powerhouses like
Calvin Klein and adidas handpick SOTO to carry special,
limited edition product. Today, after a 2012 expansion into
the space next door and a roster that has grown to include
Kenzo, Dries Van Noten and Nanamica, SOTO is stronger
than ever.
Steve Dool caught up with
Fischer to look back at five
years of SOTO, and to get
a glimpse at what’s next.
Congratulations on five years of SOTO!
How does it feel to reach this milestone?
Time has gone by so fast. I can almost not
believe it has already been five years.
If you had to boil down your formula
for success into one key idea, what do you
think it would be?
It’s always really hard to put something like
that into words, because much of what we
do is not really planned, but rather a natural
progression that we go through. SOTO is
a destination store and I believe we stayed true
to the values that we set into place the day we
started with this project. Still today, the store
is very much a reflection of our personal tastes
and an eclectic mix of brands that in our mind
represents a modern way for men to dress.
We are open minded, global, but have a clear
idea of what we want our look to be.
What do you think sets SOTO apart from
other shops in Berlin specifically?
To be honest not that much has happened in
the last few years in Berlin in terms of new
retail. There are a few interesting new stores,
but at the end of the day, we still believe that
we have the strongest pure menswear offering.
From top to bottom, you can get whatever you
need as a guy at SOTO for any occasion.
We make sure that we cater specifically to men
and have a well-rounded assortment for that
customer. We want to be trendy, but also timeless, and that combination is always our goal.
That also means that we do not jump on every
new trend, but make sure that it suits our store
and our look.
LNA CLOTHING
SAMUJI
ZADEH
Launched in 2007 with the concept of creating the perfect
men’s-inspired t-shirt for women, LNA collections these days
include everything from cashmere sweaters to of-the-moment
tailored sweatpants.
Regular Capsule attendees may be familiar with Finnish label
Samuji from our women’s shows, but this season marks the
Capsule debut of the men’s line, which uses a minimalist design
sensibility to hone in on premium fabric and craftsmanship.
Catherine M. Zadeh’s jewelry design career began when she
created a ring for herself; now, the Paris-born designer boasts
a full collection of both men’s and women’s jewelry, many of
which utilize her signature sustainable buffalo horn material.
Capsule New York Women’s RTW
Capsule New York Men’s
Capsule New York Women’s Accessories
5
You’ve also mastered the art of the high-low
brand assortment in a way that speaks to
how so many guys dress today. Was this
something you set out to do, or did it happen
organically based on your own tastes?
That has been part of the SOTO DNA from
the first day. Opening Ceremony, Band of
Outsiders and Thom Browne were really early
on in the store next to Nike, Norse Projects and
others. We always felt like that represented
a modern menswear wardrobe and as such,
was nothing new to us.
Have you been surprised by the reaction
to any designers you’ve had in the store?
There are always surprises. We are still sur-
prised today of how well we are doing with
a brand such as Thom Browne in a city like
Berlin, where buying power is rather limited.
Of course sneakers have taken off these last
few years. They were never gone, but it still
feels like they are stronger than ever before.
We see certain brands win with specific items
for the most part.
You’ve had some really great collaborations exclusive to the shop as well, from
Barbour to Maison Kitsuné to Gitman
Brothers. What is the process like for you
when you decide to collaborate with
a designer?
Collaborations have also always been part
of SOTO and are something we enjoy doing
very much. We can offer something special
to our customer and fuse our style with the
look of some of our favorite brands. We have
been fortunate enough to work with some
fantastic brands over the years. The process
is usually quite natural. We work mostly with
brands that have been in the store for a while
and are part of the SOTO look, so to speak.
We are not fashion designers, so it is really
more about adding small interesting twists to
classics and smart details that catch the eyes
of our knowledgeable and picky customers.
Are there any young designers or new
brands who have you particularly excited
right now?
Every season we come across a few new
designers that excite us. Sometimes we pick
them up right away, other times we wait and
see how they develop. Proper Gang from
New York is new to SOTO this coming
season. Hender Scheme is new since SS15
and has been doing great too.
Finally, what’s next for SOTO?
We are celebrating our 5th anniversary with
an exciting collaboration with Levi's.
We were among the lucky ones, allowed to
design our own 501. Without any doubt one
of the most exciting projects we have been
allowed to work on in SOTO history and we
cannot wait to launch it in the coming weeks!
SOTO
Torstrasse 72, 10119 Berlin, Germany,
www.sotostore.com
6
CAPSULE PAPER NO. 13
Help Us
Help You
Advice and insight on
how to live well from
the Capsule community
and beyond
JUNE
How to Be a
Good Intern
How to Choose
the Right Watch
How to Mix
Prints
by Matthew Henson,
Fashion Editor, Complex
by Randy Brandoff, Founder
and CEO, Eleven James
by Ellen Van Dusen,
designer, Dusen Dusen
1. Listen more than you speak. It's really hard
to hear with your mouth open, child.
2. Show up early. If you are on time,
you are already late, child!
3. Stay later than expected. You never know
what opportunity can come your way after
all of the other interns have run out of the
building, child.
4. Ask questions. There is no such thing
(for the most part) as a dumb question.
How else will you be clear on your task, child?
5. The devil is in the details. Pay close
attention, or Satan himself will make sure
you fail, child.
6. Be enterprising! Show your full potential
at all times. Don't be afraid to stand out.
Success follows shortly after, child.
1. Select a brand that you're proud of and that
is consistent with other prominent luxury
brands in your arsenal.
2. Select a style (formal, sporty, etc) that
is most consistent with your typical outfit.
3. Select a size that looks natural.
4. Select a metal bracelet, leather, or rubber/
synthetic strap based on what you find most
comfortable.
5. As with other love interests, when you find
one you can't take your eyes or hands off of,
go with it...
1. Think about scale. I personally like to mix
small scale prints with larger scale prints—this
breaks things up a little bit.
2. Think about color. I like to match an accent
color with a base color. So for example, if you
have white pants with a black print, I would
match it with a black top with a different color
print.
3. Think about theme. I like to match prints
on a theme. Stripe-on-stripe, paisley-onpaisley, dot-on-dot. This can sometimes come
across as too much, but if done right can
be the perfect pair.
How to Work
with Your
Sibling
How to Choose
the Right
Tattoo
How to Store
Cigars Without
a Humidor
How to Enjoy
the Rain
by Amir and Shabeena Meghani,
co-founders, Breda
by Mads Hancock, Partner,
Rich & Hanc. Agency
by Michael Herklots,
VP of Retail and Brand
Development, Nat Sherman
by Alexander Stutterheim,
Founder & Creative Director,
Stutterheim Raincoats
1. Identify each other's strengths, then get out
of the way.
2. BE NICE to one another. Don't expect that
because you're siblings, they don't deserve the
same treatment as another business partner
or collaborator.
3. Vacation separately - it will help you
realize how badly you need each other to run
the business.
4. Agree to disagree.
5. Blood is thicker than water.
6. One of you has to know how to clean up the
mess.
7. It's almost like a competitive advantage
to those working as normal business partners
so don't take your sibling bond for grant
1. Don’t overthink it.
2. Never be persuaded into something
you don’t like by the tattooist.
3. Find your own style.
4. Don’t be a copycat.
5. Don’t be scared.
1. First, go to a local tobacconist and buy one.
2. If that’s out of the question, inquire with
a local tobacconist about “locker programs,”
where you can rent a humidified locker and
store your prized puros with them.
3. If you’re just looking for a more short term
solution, Boveda makes a fool proof 2-way
humidification system that works terrific.
Available in different packets ranging in size
from a tea bag to an index card and varying
Relative Humidity percentages, all one needs
to do now is pick up a few and toss them in
a sealable container, Tupperware and ZipLoc,
along with your cigars.
HOW TO REGISTER FOR CAPSULE
1. Go to capsuleshow.com 2. Click “Attend.” 3. Enter your name and email address.
4. Click “Submit.” 5. Await further instructions via email.
1. Read that book you promised yourself to
read. No need to feel that your day is ruined
because of a downpour. The writer of your
book was probably totally fine with rain as
she/he knew that the sun would come back
at some point.
2. Take a walk in your neighborhood. Walking
in the rain will make you see things you walk
by every day in a new light.
3. Write down that idea. Many people say that
the rain makes them feel blue. But have you
ever considered that in order to feel happy and
creative again you need to let yourself have
those blue moments as well? So do the best out
of it — write down your thoughts.
4. Open your windows and listen to the sound
of the rain. No matter if you live in a flat or a
house, the rain will probably not go unnoticed.
Try and open your windows and listen to the
rain for a minute. The power of it is strangely
enough very calming.
2015
CAPSULESHOW.COM
7
In Memoriam:
Marc by
Marc Jacobs
(2001-2015)
By Minya Quirk
As followers of fashion know,
it was announced last month
that Marc by Marc Jacobs
has been discontinued. That
product, as we have come to
know it, will be folded into
the Marc Jacobs main line, in
an effort by the brand to offer
consumers a more streamlined experience that encompasses a wider price range
under one label. And so it is
with mixed emotions that we
bid adieu to one of the most
beloved diffusion lines in
recent history. Sniff.
Launched in 2001, when I was still in my
twenties and not quite making the money
(or like, any money) necessary for shopping
beyond Goodwill and Joyce Leslie, MMJ was
turning out just the things a broke freelance
fashion writer wanted to wear. I’d wait for
the sales, scrimp, overspend and love it.
Always nodding to the grunge aesthetic that
Marc Jacobs put on the fashion map via his
infamous 1992 Perry Ellis collection, MMJ
encapsulated a super New Yorky, youthful
energy that perfectly mixed and matched
vintage references, cool girl greatest hits from
decades past, and what you didn’t know you
wanted until it popped up on the runway.
It seemed as if, in those early years, MMJ
would hit the nail on the head forever.
There was Devon Aoki on the runway in
giant baubled hair ties fastening a loose side
pony. There was the elastic rainbow belt with
the enameled apple closure. Here were the
handbags with oversized clasp and turnlock
closures on good, heavy leather, with black
and white all-over logo fabric interiors. Silk
floral dresses with just the right amount of
asymmetry in a ruffle to remind you that you
were wearing designer clothes. The mouse
flats. The peep toe platform sandals. It was
(semi) accessible luxury from a brand that
you felt perhaps understood you. A brand you
could go out to some bar in the East Village
with, smoke weed in Tompkins Square Park
with, laugh with; a friend.
But, you grow up. And you want the main
line, and LV or Saint Laurent. Or just stuff
that doesn’t feel so fun, because fun is for kids
and mostly signifies “cheap,” what with all the
fast fashion these days. And anyway, the MMJ
stuff had gotten so mass, so ubiquitous, less
NY and more TJ (as in Maxx). And so it goes.
Bye Marc by Marc Jacobs; thanks for
the memories.
Marc says (from WWD):
“The intention now is no different than when
Robert and I started Marc by Marc Jacobs…
We believed that fashion could exist at lots
of different prices. It could be flip-flops for
$30, a well-priced T-shirt; there could be an
honesty and integrity in different types of
clothes. It wasn’t supposed to be a second
line or the poor-relative-of. I’m sitting here
in a $2,000 cashmere/silk sweatshirt hoodie
that we’ve made for 15 years and Adidas
track pants and a cotton shirt from American
Apparel, and I have a Prada fur coat upstairs.
I think as myself as a fashion customer, and I
know on a daily basis I will wear everything
from American Apparel to Adidas to Marc
Jacobs to Prada. I love that mix of things, that
high and low, that rich and poor, all of those
contrasts, the everyday and the extraordinary.”
Capsule
80 8th Ave #202
New York, NY 10011
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