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JANUARY 2015, NO. 11
ASK A NORMAL
They all think we’re crazy
P. 2
NEWBIES AT RETAIL
Top shops tell us what it takes
to survive
P. 3
POP ART
Humberto Cruz is a real
culture vulture
P. 4-5
NEW BRANDS
Nine designers making their
Capsule debut
P. 6
DREAM TEAMS
Fantasy pairings of designers
and brands
P. 7
2
JANUARY
2015
3
What I Look For:
Color Inspiration
Emerging
Designers
at Retail
White
WHITE FIELDS
I
In the winter time we go
Walking in the fields of snow;
Every fence, and every tree,
Is as white as white can be.
II
Pointing out the way we came,
—Every one of them the same—
with Darren Skey
of Harvey Nichols
All across the fields there be
Prints in silver filigree;
And our mothers always know,
By the footprints in the snow,
By Steve Dool
Where it is the children go.
JAMES STEPHENS, 1909
By Steve Dool
As avid followers of fashion or participants
in the industry, it's often easy to lose sight of
the fact that clothes we wear without a second
thought can seem extravagant, confusing or
inaccessible to the average citizen. To help us
gain a little perspective, We Are the Market,
the Capsule blog, created a regular series
called “Ask a Normal,” in which we seek out
average, everyday citizens and ask them their
unedited opinions on Fashion with a capital F.
“I think the best advice I can give to a new brand is
to spend time in your target stores,” he said.
“Understand the customer profile and the customer
journey in-store. What gravitates a customer to
certain rails? What's your USP [unique selling point]
which will set you aside from all the other rails
in the store?”
And Then Some…
More advice for emerging designers from some
of our favorite directional retailers
For their part, when Harvey Nichols takes on an
emerging designer, they’re willing to work with
them to help them answer some of these questions.
Where there is no grass at all;
Where the top of every wall,
Ask A Normal
According to Skey, designers with an understanding
of those key differences between stores automatically have a leg up compared to other, less educated
brands.
Sarah
be spotted getting kicked out of Chateau
Marmont or puking outside an awards show.
28, Law student, Los Angeles
Re: Iris van Herpen leather, mock stingray
and faux fur coat
What are your initial thoughts on this coat?
I'm not totally sure what's going on. I was NOT
expecting stingray to look like that. I thought
it would be more grayish, although I guess that
could be the underbelly or something. That
seems really weird and difficult to make. Also,
I'm not sure how much I like the idea of stingrays,
dead or alive, that close to my neck after what
they did to Steve Irwin. Note: I have since realized it's not real stingray.
This coat is by Iris Van Herpen, a Dutch
fashion designer who has dressed Beyonce.
Which of the following would describe how
you would feel if you were to wear this:
A) Crazy in Love
B) Crazy
C) Drunk in Love
D) Drunk
E) Bootylicious
Oh, I can see that. Realistically speaking, I'd
probably go with d) Drunk since I'd have to down
a bottle of bourbon before I felt like I could come
close to pulling this off.
As a resident of Southern California, could
you imagine a time or place when it would be
appropriate to wear this jacket?
Definitely. I'll spare you the lecture on microclimates but suffice to say jackets are common
wear in LA. I'm betting at least one of these will
What would the reaction of your classmates
or professors be if you wore this to class?
I'd definitely get a lot of shade from the environmental law clique, and lots of long stares.
People here tend to be more causal than this
jacket—a significant percentage of the student
body longboards to class.
Can you think of a scenario in which you
would wear this?
Yes. The more I look at it, the more wearable
it looks. Is that what happens when you work
in fashion?
The coat uses faux fur and real leather made
to look like stingray. Do you think Van Herpen loves all animals except cows?
I dunno man, she put a LOT of effort into making
that leather look like it came from a stingray.
At what point does a normal doll become
a voodoo doll? I only put that much thought into
things I hate. Stingrays are definitely on her list.
Could you imagine spending $4250 on a coat?
Lolz! I'm a student at the end of the semester,
I can barely imagine spending $42.50 on a coat.
Looks like there's free shipping though. That's
always a game-changer.
For an emerging designer, the chance to work with
a major department store with an international
presence can be a make-it-or-break-it, watershed
opportunity with a long-lasting impact. Unfortunately, selling into a major department store often
asks a lot of both the designer and the retailer;
something as simple as an order minimum can be
a huge roadblock for a fledgling label with limited
resources. As a result, there aren’t a lot of majors
willing to take a chance on new designers early on
in their career.
But then there’s Harvey Nichols. The UK-based
luxury department store - with a famous Knightsbridge flagship and doors from Hong Kong to
Edinburgh - has revamped its men’s department,
honing in on young designers.
“We have certainly made a conscious effort to introduce new brands, which in turn will introduce
a new demographic to our Menswear offering,” said
Darren Skey, Harvey Nichols Menswear Buying and
Merchandising Manager. “We endeavor to work
with the younger brands to grow together and share
our experiences to help them develop.”
“We enjoy working with brands who are willing
to take guidance from us, in terms of what our
customer is looking for, whilst at the same time
being true to their own DNA,” Skey said. “The end
result must be a win-win scenario. Brands can
make a mistake of just being interested in the sellin results rather than the sell-out. Emerging brands
need to understand the commercial nature of
a collection whilst balancing the fashion element.”
Even though Harvey Nichols is demonstrating
a willingness to throw a hefty amount of support
behind new talent, it’s been a carefully considered
decision, and one with long-term goals.
Brian Trunzo,
co-owner, Carson Street Clothiers
63 Crosby Street, New York City
(www.carsonstreetclothiers.com)
“Most importantly, we want to make sure
that collections are sellable. Sure, a designer's
vision and desire to break the mold is exciting and invigorating, but we need to move a
certain amount of product for it to make sense
to bring in a new brand. It's really a delicate
balance between design and commerce.”
As Skey said, “We want to grow organically with
[emerging] brands and grow them into a bigger
part of our business.”
“The best advice
I can give to a new
brand is to spend time
in your target stores.
Understand the
customer profile and
the customer journey
in-store.”
While Harvey Nichols will always be a comfortable
home to the Diors and Givenchys of the world, those
venerable labels now sit beside homegrown talent
like Lee Roach, Matthew Miller, Blood Brother and
Trapstar. US brands like Hood by Air, Fear of God,
VFILES and Pyer Moss have also recently been
introduced. Skey noted that Harvey Nic’s unique
structure allows for more adventurous buys than
some of its contemporaries.
Herbert Hofmann, Voo Store
Oranienstraße 24, Berlin
(www.vooberlin.com)
“I see too often that young designers try to
reinvent fashion and simple things like
pants and shirts. It’s important to work on
great cuts and materials and to have basics
in the line. Basics are not exciting but
[they are] necessary!”
Lukas Grundtner, Grundtner & Söhne
Metzgergasse 2, Hallein, Austria
(www.grundtnerundsoehne.com)
“A lot of [emerging] designers do not have a
clear language. They are rather look-a-like or
try to copy someone. We like designers and
brands who have a clear and precise aesthetic.”
“Harvey Nichols is actually more of a boutique than
a traditional department store,” he said. “We don't
sell white goods, which allow us to concentrate on
our fashion offer. The size of our store allows us to
be a bit more creative, as you would expect from
a boutique.”
V-FILES
Matthew Miller
4
JANUARY
Interview with
Humberto
Cruz
@iscreamcolour
Name: Humberto Cruz
Age: 30
Star sign: Pisces
Interview by Minya Quirk (MQ)
While scrolling and trolling down the
rabbit hole of Instagram we landed on planet
@iscreamscolour, a veritable visual cacophony
of so much that we love. That’s cute overload in
the form of smiley faces, kitties on skateboards,
lipstick kisses, tiny pyramids, rainbows and
wide-eyed sweetie pie portraits of the somewhat
predictable (Miley Cyrus, the Olsens, Rih Rih)
and the unexpected (Eva Chen, Lynn Yaeger and
Mel Ottenberg). Three sheets of exclusive Capsule
doodles later, we spoke to Humberto and chatted
it up about his artistic dreams, to peel or not to
peel those precious stickers in your collection
and that troll life.
MQ: It’s nice to finally speak on the phone
after so much correspondence and just
knowing you through Instagram.
Tell me about yourself!
I was born in San Diego but moved to Tijuana, Mexico
where I grew up. I returned to San Diego when I was 16
and went to college at the Art Institute of California San Diego. I studied graphic design and graduated in
2007. It was so hard finding a job. I work full time in
a grocery store, it’s a 99 cent store. I’ve been working
there since I was 17.
And you’ve got a pretty decent following
on Instagram!
I discovered Instagram almost exactly three years ago
and I’ve been posting every day, sharing my artwork.
I reached 10k a month ago thanks to people reposting.
I guess it started when I drew Cara Delevingne wearing a Jeremy Scott sweater and one of his friends
reposted; things went viral from there.
Tell me about your typical day
Three days a week I start work at 5 am, two days a week
at 6. I’m up early. I work in a freezer, so it’s like New
York I guess. I wear a lot of layers. I stock all day. After
work I have lunch with my roommate, I start drawing.
I like to swim so I go to the gym three days a week.
I just learned to swim. I’m still swimming with fins on
my feet, otherwise I get tired.
Were you always drawing as a kid?
As a kid I was always into different characters, the
Little Mermaid. Disney movies. I would watch
the movie and pause it to draw the characters and
specific scenes.
What was your favorite scene to draw from
Little Mermaid?
The wedding scene. Sebastian and the cake.
“I like to mix personalities that I grew up with,
with the latest pop star or maybe a historical
figure in an outfit that I like. Right now I’m
obsessed with Polly Pocket dolls.”
So let’s talk stickers. They play an important part in
your work. I’m a collector myself. Tell me about it.
I’ve always collected, and had them in a box. I wasn’t
inspired for a few years after I was finished with school.
I’m drawing celebrities, thinking what should I do with
the backgrounds? Should I use my stickers? Are they
going to stay there in the box forever? It’s better to look
at them in a drawing.
That’s hard! Where do you buy
your stickers?
Ebay.
You’re probably bidding against me!
Probably.
In the world of cute things like Lisa Frank or
Sanrio, what’s your poison?
Probably trolls. I collected them as a child and I’ve
started buying them again on Ebay. My collection from
when I was young, the hair got all damaged from water,
from playing with them. Like cutting their hair or
washing it. Also My Little Pony, but that was
when I was younger. Right now I’m obsessed with
Polly Pocket dolls.
What about fashion, you’ve done some portraits
of pretty obscure fashion personalities. People
that are not widely known outside the industry.
But I guess that’s the internet for ya. What draws
you to fashion?
It’s always changing every season. I just like the way
people express themselves with clothes. Here in San
Deigo we don’t get to wear those things, interesting
things. It’s not New York or Paris.
Like, people are just wearing flip-flops.
People are lazy here! It’s fun to see it on the Internet.
How do you choose people to draw, especially the
more unexpected portraits?
I draw people if I admire their work, like a Donald
“Drawbertson” Robertson. Bryan Boy, I love his style
I love what he does. Sometimes I just like what they’re
wearing in a picture I see, like (legendary stylist) Carlyne
Cerf de Dudzeele in Jeremy Scott. I like what she’s been
doing with Miley. I like to mix personalities that I grew
up with, with the latest pop star or maybe a historical
figure in an outfit that I like.
What kind of fashion websites do you
frequent every day?
V Magazine (vmagazine.com). Oyster (oystermag.com).
Favorite fashion designers?
Kenzo, Jeremy Scott – people have been criticizing him
lately for using other people’s stuff lately, but…Vivienne
Westwood. Alexander Wang. For Halloween I really like
to design my own elaborate costume. Use the glue gun.
What were you this year?
I was a troll this year.
Do you ever think you might work
in fashion?
I’d love to design shirts. I would love to do graphics.
What do you like to listen to when you work?
I love pop music. My favorite song right now is “Pom
Pom” by Ariel Pink.
Other sources of inspiration
David LaChapelle, Jeff Koons, pop culture in general.
Top three people in pop culture you like
to draw
Miley, the Olsen twins and Anna Dello Russo.
What’s coming up in your near or far future?
I’m just looking for the right opportunities to do what
I like to do – to make art. I did a project for Intel, some
avatars. I have an editorial project coming out with
Herself magazine from London.
Thanks, Humberto!
MQ
2015
5
6
JANUARY
New At Capsule For A\W 2015
A closer look at designers making their Capsule debut this season
Han Kjobenhavn Women’s
Capsule New York Women’s
Bolstered by the success of their cult-favorite line
of accessories and apparel for men – and imma
culate shops in Copenhagen and New York – the
Danish label is launching a women’s collection
for AW15.
Passarella Death Squad
Capsule Paris Men’s
Since it was founded in 2004, the multi-disciplinary
“aesthetic experience” has encompassed music,
art and clothing design. Always subversive with an
emphasis on premium production values, the British
label has created fantasy scene artwork that will be
displayed throughout their AW15 collection.
Massimo Alba
Capsule Las Vegas
The Milan-based cashmere maestro has been hooking
customers with his casually elegant menswear since
2006. Look for his unstructured, Made-in-Italy sportswear on effortlessly stylish gents around the world.
Pantaloni Torino
Capsule Las Vegas
When it debuted in 1969, this Italian label quickly
became renowned for its pants (as you may have
guessed). Top of the line fabrics, exacting attention
to detail and a precise fit have kept customers
happy since.
New Kid
Capsule New York Women’s
Since 2009, this independent footwear and accessories line has been operating out of Florence, the
epicenter of high quality leather production.
A hand-picked network of Tuscan craftsmen work to
create the androgynous, pop-culture inspired styles
that have become the brand’s signature.
Campbell Cole
Capsule Paris Men’s
Minimalist, meticulous and functional, this collection of bags and small leather goods is designed
to enhance your everyday life. Made entirely in
England, each piece employs a number of production techniques – from hand-stitching to embossing
– to ensure long use and ample character.
2015
7
2 Guys & A Girl
Jonathan A. Eyal and Kevin Beltran of Miami’s Supply
and Advise compare notes on current favorites and all-time
classics with Grandpa Style’s Ashley Owens.
Timeless
Gift?
JONATHAN
1st Edition James
Bond novel by Ian
Fleming
KEVIN
Yamazaki
Single Malt.
ASHLEY
A beautiful scarf,
the perfect scent,
or tasteful jewelry.
Winter
Vacation
Spot?
Rio De Janeiro
Stockbridge in the
Berkshires.
Sun Peaks in
British Columbia.
Essential
Shopping
City?
Haven't yet been,
but I know Tokyo
will be everything
I've imagined
and more.
I get it done in
New York City.
The ultimate is
New York. You just
have to know
where to go.
2014 Song of
the Year?
“Rising Son,”
Takuya Kuroda.
“No Name Bar,”
by The Fabulous
Three
“Ivory,”
by Movement
CMMN SWDN
Capsule New York Men’s
Based in East London by way of Malmö, Sweden,
this menswear label has Kanye West to thank for
its existence – the designers, Saif Bakir and Emma
Hedlund, met while setting up a Paris design studio
for the rapper. Soon after, they launched CMMN,
gaining recognition for combining classic wardrobe
staples with progressive standout pieces.
Matthew Miller
Capsule New York Men’s
A 2009 alum of the Royal College of Art, Londonbased Miller gained early recognition from Vogue
for his graduate collection, setting the course for his
rise to prominence. Never afraid to make a political
statement with his designs, Miller has become
a must-see during London Collections Men, where
his shows, like his clothing, give life to his unique
artistic vision.
Army – Yves Salomon
Capsule Las Vegas
The history behind this storied furrier stretches
from Russia at the turn of the century to China and
Paris, with detours working alongside Jean Paul
Gaultier, Dior and Azzedine Alaïa, among others.
Today, the Army sub-collection specializes in
“wittily subversive” military-inspired outerwear.
I DREAM OF FASHION!
Winter
Whites–
Yay or Nay?
Really?
Yay, of course.
I’m not bound by
that convention, so
I say yes to Winter
Whites.
Yay! It's not my
thing, but I know
some people who
do it very well.
Style Icon of
the Year?
Don't have a flavor
of the year, in many
respects I live in
the past.
The legend,
Ralph Lauren.
Caroline
DeMaigret
Go to suiting
label?
Ring Jacket
Ring Jacket
HVRMINN,
always
Go to
footwear
designer?
Alden. If you take
care of them they'll
last a lifetime.
Must-follow
Instagram
account?
@war_mongo.
Amazing photos of
abandoned relics
from all the wars
of the world.
Guilty pleasure…
@thefatjewish.
@leacolombo
@ideabooks
AW15 trend
to watch?
Don't follow trends,
as that very often
leads to mistakes
in assembling
a good wardrobe.
Not into trends, but
sportswear has been
really big lately so
let’s get back into
tailored clothing.
The "do your own
thing" trend.
My favorite.
Alden
Armando Cabral
The seasonal musical chairs that rotates boldfaced designer names between major fashion
houses is something of a tradition these days – the
upcoming AW15 season sees debut collections
from the likes of John Galliano for Maison Martin
Margiela, Peter Copping for Oscar de la Renta and
Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski for Hermes.
With that as inspiration, we asked some notable
friends what their dream designer-fashion house
pairing would be.
Jian DeLeon
Deputy Style Editor, Complex.com
“Robert Geller has done consistently good work, but is still a very
underrated designer. A bigger platform at a name like Dior could
propel his insouciantly romantic menswear to a place where it could
really be appreciated. I'd like to see what Mark McNairy could do for a
house like MCM. I can only imagine how bonkers a MCM backpack via
McNairy would be.”
Jake Gallagher
Contributor, A Continuous Lean
“The only dream pairings I would want would be for Ian Velardi and
Adam Kimmel to properly return to the design world and take over the
reins at major labels. Either of those guys at the helm of any label (seriously any label, I'm talking the spectrum from Brooks Brothers all the
way to Loro Piana and then over to Hermes) would be exciting for me.”
Kai Avent-deLeon
Owner, Sincerely Tommy
“My choice would have to be Phoebe Philo for Acne. Acne is a little
more quirky, but season after season they always come up with
amazing prints and fabrics. I would be curious to see how Philo could
put her timeless spin on the brand.”
Sandra Winther
Film Director, sandrawinther.com
“If I could pair any designer with an existing brand I would pair
Alexander Wang with Nike. I can't even imagine the sick sneakers that
would come out of that pairing.”
Kay Lee
Owner, OTTE NY
“Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty from Suno would be a cool pair with
Marni. Phillip Lim at Giorgio Armani would be a good, classic and
feminine fit.”
Angelo Baque
Brand Director, SUPREME
“Charlie Casely-Hayford at Gucci, just for the loafers.”
BPMW
80 8th Ave #202
New York, NY 10011
A\W 2015
New York Men’s
January 19 & 20
Basketball City, 299 South St (at Montgomery St)
Paris Men’s
January 23–25
New York Women’s
Accessories
February 22–24
Pier 94, 711 12 th Ave
New York Women’s
RTW
February 22–24
Pier 94, 711 12 th Ave
Cité de la Mode, 34 Quai d'Austerlitz, 75013
Las Vegas
February 16–18
The Venetian Ballroom, 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd
Paris Women’s
March 6–8
Espace Tapis Rouge,
67 rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 75010
Register to attend at capsuleshow.com
We're Moving: Capsule New York
Women's Show Has a New Home
In February 2015, the Capsule New York Women's show will officially make
its new home at Pier 94 on the West Side of Manhattan. Our new location lets
us stretch our legs a bit, enabling us to give our exhibitors more space and
updated display systems, our attendees more specialized service and everyone
amazing Hudson River views. Plus, we'll be in the thick of it all, just steps from
the center of the Market Week action in Midtown. If you haven't guessed,
we're pretty excited - and we hope you are, too.
Here's all of the information you need:
February 22, 10-7PM / February 23, 10-7PM / February 24, 10-6PM
Pier 94, 711 12th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Register to attend at capsuleshow.com
See you soon, New York. February isn't too far away.
Introducing Capsule Accessories
If you thought the news of our new women's show venue in New York was
the only announcement we had up our sleeves for next season, well...you'd be
wrong. In February 2015, Capsule Accessories will be making its proud debut
as a show-in-show during Capsule New York Women's at Pier 94.
Since the very first Capsule, our accessories exhibitors have been some of the
brands shining brightest in an assortment full of attention-grabbing designers
— and we've had more interest than we've ever been able to accommodate.
Now, with our new venue and Capsule Accessories as our brand new showcase,
we can finally bring in more directional accessories brands and designers,
representing the very best in jewelry, bags, hats, scarves, belts and more.
February 22, 10-7PM / February 23, 10-7PM / February 24, 10-6PM
Pier 94, 711 12th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Register to attend at capsuleshow.com