Pitti Mini Interview: Paul Memoir

I was walking through a particularly crowded section of Pitti when I saw the Paul Mémoir collection; it was colorful, had bold graphics, and fun imagery. Paul and Claudia kindly introduced me to their playful brand. 

What do you love about fashion?
Paul: I like to create things. I get inspired by fabrics. For example, there is one sweater we make that has an inspiring fabric; it’s cotton and merino wool. The weave is very complicated because the cotton is on the inside, and the merino wool on the outside. It takes 2 hours to knit one sweater. When I touch the fabric, and see the weave of the pattern I can visualize what the product will look like.

 Together with his friends, Claudia Balzani and Luca Ferrar, Paolo (aka Paul) Fantuzzi (above), founded Paul Mémoir in 2014.

What inspired you to launch your brand? 
Claudia: Everyone in our hometown, Reggio Emilia, Italy, admired Paul’s style and was asking him when he was going to launch a clothing brand. Paul, Luca, and I were good friends and decided to work together to make this happen. In 2014 we began working on the brand in the evening after we finished our day jobs to turn this dream into reality.

Bold graphic patterned sweater vest.

What is missing in fashion? 
Paul: Too many brands make products that are similar to each other. We need something more catchy. 

Playful animal images on the AW17 sweaters.

How do you define success? 
Paul & Claudia: Everyone wearing Paul Mémoir!

Bold graphic sweaters, in warm and cool colorways, from the AW17 collection.

Thank you to Paul and Claudia for your time! To see more from the Paul Mémoir collection visit their their instagram, but they also have an updated website which will launch soon.

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Is there too much black?

While In Paris, I visited three fashion showrooms, which collectively represented 60+ brands–and every brand worked almost exclusively in black. Seeing this many brands made me question their role in the fashion industry. Is there really such a big market for the color black? I had only visited three showrooms in Paris yet how many other all-black showrooms are there? And how talented is a designer who only works in one color?

PRO-black

• The designer: working in one color ensures the collection is cohesive.
• The retailer: black is a very sellable color. 
• The consumer: wearing all-black ensures that you’re formal enough for any occasion.
• Functionally, black matches any color (even brown when done right), it hides stains, is slimming, and is classic good taste—reasons it makes a good uniform.

ANTI-black

• The designer: working in one color is too easy and requires less creative talent than working in color. Black is too safe a color choice for someone whose job is to visually excite us. I question whether 60+ similar brands can innovate enough with their products and branding to build competitive, sustainable companies that clearly communicate a value proposition to retail buyers.
• The retailer: after a few seasons of all-black there is not enough newness to excite new shoppers. Consumers will always buy black, but it's a wardrobe staple not an emotional purchase.
• The consumer: when distinguishing quality between a high and low priced black product it is likely difficult for consumers because they would struggle to visually differentiate the two items. 
• Psychology: wearing all-black may indicate an individual’s fear of expressing any sense of personal style. It is very somber to never wear color.

Conclusions

Although there will always be a demand for black, it's more of a safe wardrobe staple than emotional fashion purchase. I believe that fashion, as an extension of an individual’s personality, is masked when wearing all-black. And a designer who only works in shades of black, has yet to tap their full creative potential. So is there too much black? Maybe not! These all-black brands are limited in their market reach and will quickly reach a sales ceiling that they cannot overcome unless they introduce color. 

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Pitti Mini Interview: Barbed

Andrea, founder and designer for Italian brand, Barbed, speaks about the story of how he evolved from a vintage reseller to a fashion brand.

What do you love about fashion? 

As a designer I enjoy the challenge of always finding new creative ideas. This season we were imagining what eastern European folklore embroidery might look like when seen through the perspective of modern pixels. We developed pixelated versions of traditional embroidery patterns. We enlarged the designs and had them embroidered in colored squares, or pixels, and used a very thick thread. These reinterpreted embroideries show colorful flowers and geometric shapes which form a beautiful contrast against the rugged look of the military jacket.

What inspired you to launch the brand? 

I started with a vintage shop that he opened in the 90s. In the early 2000s he began offering military jackets with fur and people loved it! With this positive response he founded Barbed in 2006. Today we continue to reinvent the style of the military jacket by offering new sleeve lengths and shapes, new colors of fur, or other design features. 

What is missing in fashion? 

I don’t think the market is missing anything; there is so much choice.

How do you define success? 

We want to create products that will last for a long time and bring our customers happiness. That makes our work meaningful.

Thank you Andrea for your time! Additional men's styles, as well as women's styles, are available on the Barbed website, or on their instagram.

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Pitti Mini Interview: Mitchumm Industries

Having taken the creative lead as a second generation director of Mitchumm Industries, Alex Mitchumm, has achieved a lot. Under his leadership the company has opened a new flagship store in Como, Italy, and introduced a new, higher-end label, I'm Den, to broaden the company's consumer reach. In between visits with buyers Alex enthusiastically answered my Pitti Mini questions.

What do you love most about fashion?  
I love the emotion of designing clothes. It feels so good when customers enjoy the products that you worked so hard to make. Mitchumm Industries is a fun brand. I make every pattern colorful and unique. We recently introduced the label, I'm Den, as a more serious product for a more mature consumer. I want to provide the best value for the customer at each of our brands; nice price and great quality.

Waistcoats shown from left in big blue dots on grey, jacquard polka dots, and grey and blue.

Why was it important to move the brand to Italy?
When my father relocated the company from LA where it was founded, to Como, Italy, it was with the understanding that I would join as creative director. We’re proud of our fashion tradition in Como. Como is known for high quality silk so we honor this tradition by making all Mitchumm Industries products in Como using the best quality materials.

Shirts shown from left in Bordeaux “tapestry” and Liberty of London – Desert.

What is missing in men's fashion?
Good taste. You see Pitti Peacocks at Pitti Uomo and many of them think that style means wearing a complete look from one designer. But if you think of Cindy Crawford, she looked great in jeans and a tshirt; that's style.

Shirts shown from left in wool fil coupè and owls & blue tulips.

How do you define success?
Satisfaction between me and my customers. If you read the brand message on the labels it explains our purpose for making clothes. The tag reads, "It's all about making beautiful and comfortable things for you, my friend, creating every day something cool and fresh." I want to make people feel good and earning money second to that.

Shirts shown from left in Liberty of London – Juniper and pink ducks. 

Thank you to Alex for your time! You can see the rest of the Mitchumm Industries collection on their website or their instagram.

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Pitti Mini Interview: Brosbi

Founded in 2012 by brothers Dennis and Yves-Oliver Wilke, Brosbi is a German sportswear brand that is steadily expanding into new European markets. 

Having reached the 3rd floor of an oppressively overheated showroom I came across Brosbi and was drawn in by their curious embroidery. Yves saw me looking at each piece on the rack and came over to share more info about the brand with me. We chatted in German for a moment and then he agreed to have a Pitti Mini Interview!

What do you love most about fashion? 

I actually prefer the word apparel. The word fashion can be too excessive and not-wearable; characteristics that go against our brand. I love apparel as a form of self expression. It's a way to show who you are.  

What inspired you to launch your brand? 

My brother and I were already working in the fashion industry when the idea first came up. We were both looking for the next chapter of our professional lives so we decided to start a company.

What is missing in men's fashion? 

I don't think we're missing choice, I actually think there is too much choice. But I do believe that apparel is missing a sense of humor. For example, when you are walking down the sidewalk and see clothes on someone, you usually can't tell what brand they are wearing until they get quite close. We inject a sense of humor into Brosbi by exploring the idea of branding and logos. We make classic American sportswear but add different embroidered icons that are meant to make you laugh.  

How do you define success? 

It's different for everyone, but for me it's when I'm doing something that bring me happiness.

Thank you to Yves for your time! You can see the rest of the Brosbi collection on their website or their instagram. 

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Lessons from the 91st Pitti Uomo

After attending Pitti Uomo, London Fashion Week Men's is tame by comparison. At #LFWM I was able to comfortably browse the collections, get to know the designers, and became very familiar with the venue's floorplan—totally different story at Pitti.  

What is Pitti Uomo?
Hosted by Pitti Immagine each January and June in Florence, Italy, Pitti Uomo brings together brands, buyers, and press. The company defines their fair as: "Pitti Uomo: the most important international event for menswear and men accessories collections and for the launch of new men fashion projects." I'd like to validate their claim.

Pitti Uomo overwhelmed me! There were 24,300 buyers alone. That's not counting members of the press or the general public who purchased tickets!

Where LFWM hosted around 50 brands in one building, Pitti must have had hundreds and filled about 15 buildings (many of which had 2-3 floors). In the 3 days that I was in Florence, I spent the entire day walking around the compound trying to find my way and often finding myself back where I started unable to find my target section. At last on the final day I had began to have my bearings.

A view down the Via Ricasoli, where I stayed, looking towards the beautiful Duomo.

What have I learned from Pitti Uomo? 

• Fashion. When people use the word, fashion, it is automatically assumed they mean, luxury fashion. Most of the brands represented are never coming to a mall near you.
• Luxury. The main differentiation between the luxury market segment and other more affordable segments is quality. I can't express how many times I've heard that word over these last few days. Highest quality. Best quality. Made in Italy. Japanese materials. The softest. The lightest. The term, luxury, commands whatever extreme quality (there's that word again!) that is desirable by the industry. 
• Competition & PR. It was until I began walking the multiple floors of the 15 Pitti buildings did I begin to understand how much competition exists in the fashion industry. They all have talent. They all have good products. They all want to grow. How any of them manage is a marvel. I understand now why it is so vital to have excellent branding, marketing strategy, and media placement. It is needed to simply remain on level footing against the competitors. The brief moments when a celebrity is photographed in a brand's clothing, and published in a media channel with a large readership that brand has the market's attention. And we buy what we know, or what our friends know, so these media moments are vital to establishing trust between a brand an the consumer. 
• Design Differentiation. Although there was an immense selection of choice, I must say that there was not as much variety in design. Everyone made suits, sweaters, and shirts. The main point of differentiation were color, fabric, and prints. Without the embroidered logos or labels, you could mix and match products and never know which brand produced it. When I recognized this it led to two mini revelations: 1) I could browse the exhibitors much more quickly by only stopping at brands that were innovative, had an opinion, or featured something memorable. 2) Brands competing for the same luxury customer do so by developing and nurturing personal relationships with key buyers and media influencers. The only reason some of these brands succeed while others stagnate or fail is because they are friends with the right people who can place their products in the right stores and get the right press coverage for it.
• Egos. Even if a well dressed person has great connections and influence, I have no interest in knowing them if they cannot have manners as well. For much of my time at Pitti I was struck by how no one acknowledged the person standing next to them in the exhibitor's stand. And on the walkways no one made any effort to share footspace; they moved for no one. I don't know if this is due to how crowded the fair was (24k buyers alone), or perhaps it's common in the fashion industry? Either way I felt more confident walking when I decided that I would only associate with people if they were capable of showing some common courtesy.
• Details Matter. As I walked among the fashion royalty I began to notice how beautifully put-together they all were. The color and pattern combinations paired with the expressive accessories all worked together to form wonderful style. I loved people watching at Pitti. Many of the attendees looked like they had stepped out of a fashion editorial. The more "loudly dressed" are known as "Pitti Peacocks." They taught me to pay attention to the details like a lapel pin, pocket square, jewelry, hairstyle, pops of color, etc. When we get dressed, we're really only halfway done. If you don't embellish the outfit with accessories you still have untapped personality to show. I'll need to pay more attention to this moving forward.

An accent neon lapel pin and some shiny new coins add valuable visual interest.

Contact Count Hovering Around 60 +/-

With the addition of about 25 new contacts from Pitti I have a total of 60 brands to interview. Some of them from Pitti will be "miniviews" as a shorter interview format was all that could be managed in the chaos, but some will be full-length. It's already been wonderful to have these people to reach out to. I'm meeting two of them in Paris in a few weeks, and one of them may be able to invite to an event in New York! On Saturday the 14th I will head to Milan and am excited for the adventures ahead!

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Recap: London Fashion Week F/W 2017

Thanks to the kindness of John O'Sullivan, of Gladstone London, I have had the most incredible experiences at London Fashion Week Men's. 

London Fashion Week Men's ended on January 10th and I would like to review the happenings of this amazing jam-packed event. As the caption above states, I was able to pursue my dreams in London thanks to the kindness of one man, John O'Sullivan. 

This recap will begin in September 2016, when I was preparing to leave my corporate job as a graphic designer and hotel merchandiser. I was so full of fear yet I managed to overcome it by following my friend Jorge's advice: I visualized what I wanted, not what I feared. I imagined a future where I would make great connections at Fashion Week, I would learn a lot, and I would feel like I was taking control of my life. I bought plane tickets; made Airbnb reservations; and registered with the event organizers as a blogger.

The future I visualized came true.

London is the first to host Fashion Week each season so I began emailing the designers who had showed that previous season. I requested informational interviews which I would post to my blog and I got some surprising yeses; chief among them was John. However, we were unable to coordinate our schedules (or diaries as their known in the UK) so John offered to provide me with a wristband to Fashion Week. The wristband would grant me access to the London Fashion Week Men's building so we could meet in person. 

In one email, John may very well have changed my life.

Not only was I able to meet John in person, but I met his Merchandiser, Designer, and one of his Investors. It felt like a miracle that these events led to me standing with this group of fashion professionals. 

As the days passed I learned so much about the industry and met some really wonderful people. 99% of my lingering doubt was erased when I saw a stack of nearly 50 business cards representing all the people I had spoken with, knew by name, and had made an impression with. These personal connections will lead to more interview opportunities and I'm delighted! 

The 37 brands I've had the pleasure of getting to know at the F/W 2017 London Fashion Week Men's are listed below: 

Alfie Douglas, Beau Homme, Briston, Castore, Chucs, Donhall & Bell, Dozoh, Ecole de Pensee, Emily Carter, Enlist, Eone, Ettinger, Frenn, Gandhum, Gladstone, Good News, Home of Homme, Honest Man, Ka Wa Key, Kocca, Labrum, Lamler, Logan Mackay, Look Mate, Mehm+, Meng, Natural Selection, Newgate, Northskul, Oppermann, Redmeteor Design, Swole Panda, Verena Schepperheyn, Waven, Yhim, Yoomi, and 3000.Systems. 

As the Fashion Week and trade fair season winds down I will begin posting interviews with many of these brands. In the mean time I will express my gratitude a final time to John from Gladstone and then as always, I wish you all success!

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Sketching Your Life Chart

Ideal Life Chart shown large at left. My Current Life Chart from Fall 2016 at right showed me considering a career shift into either UX Design or Marketing. 

Earlier in the Fall of 2016, I did an exercise to examine what my time looked like as a pie chart. I looked at what activities I did during the day and how I used my free time to sketch what my current and ideal life charts would look like. 

Comparing the differences between these charts was one way I knew that I was ready to leave graphic design and merchandising; it wasn't my ideal.

When I rediscovered this piece of paper a few days ago I was very pleased to see that my Ideal Life Chart was beginning to look a lot like my new Current Life Chart! Thanks to the positive thinking of people close to me I was able to build the confidence needed to make changes to my life and it feels wonderful to see the progress in motion! 

I would encourage everyone to do this exercise so you can see whether you are spending your time as you'd like, and if not, see what areas to work on to improve the look of your life chart. 

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