Friday, November 30, 2012

READing Your Style: Letters to a Young Brother (Part 5)

The phrase that I keep throwing around here on #IMFblog this month, "MANifest Your Destiny" comes from a book I read not too long ago by actor, Hill Harper, entitled "Letters to a Young Brother". In my fashion, every man goes through his own walk of life, but the path can be hard, confusing, and frustrating due to lack of guidance. In his best-selling book, Harper addresses the tough issues young men face on the road to shaping their lives, and "MANifesting thier Destiny". In a 5 part series throughout the rest of this month, I will share some "Letters to Young Brother"s excerpted from the book, that contain some great points of for all of us boys to remember on our journey to manhood.





Style Maven: Tyson Chandler

“‘The Body Issue’ is a chance for the ‘average person’ take a good look at athletes bodies and why we are able to do the things we do…. I think a lot of people are curious about it… I wanted people to look at my body and see why I’m able to do the things I do on the court. Also, it’s a very artistic shoot, and seeing that in past issues made me want to do it.”
Last year New York Knicks player, Amar'e Stoudemire was a subject of attention for Vogue when he was one of 2011's features in the annual ESPN Body issue. This year, the same can be said of this month's #IMFblog Style Maven, Tyson Chandler, who has become more acquainted with Vogue throughout the 2012 year. Reading, International Editor-at-Large, Hamish Bowles', article about his experience practicing with the Stoudemier and Knicks was laudable considering I can relate to Bowles "mutual incompatibility" with sports. Having played basketball since age eight, dabbling in a wide range of sports from gymnastics to track to football all my childhood, I would say I have a better understanding of sports than the famed fashion editor turned clueless Knicks-player-for-a-day, yet I too find I have the most passion and interest in things such as hemline lengths and seasonal color trends. Interestingly enough, as Bowles so exquisitely described, basketball can be just as much a graceful spectacle as fashion is. Stoudemier compared the NBA to "a land of giants", but says “When you put your fashion on—you know, your tailor-made suits or bow ties and fedoras—you feel like you’re swagger,” he says. “You feel elegant and rich.” Stoudemire collaborated with designer, Rachel Roy on a women’s capsule collection for Macy’s, and it was reported that he is in the midst of creating a menswear line. This must be why we have seen a wave of athletes fraternizing with Anna Wintour and making it into the pages of Vogue, including, Tyson Chandler, who was featured in this December issue of Vogue. It’s funny because as I read his profile in Vogue, his wife, Kimberly, explained to readers that, "The deal with Tyson is he grew up on the farm and on the street, but there is an elegance to him," and this got me to thinking—what exactly is the "elegance" of a man?


Chandler has stood out to me for some time now. Sans his performance coverage in sports news with the Mavericks and Knicks (not to mention his participation on the men's US Basketball team at this year's Olympics), he has stood out in entertainment news, especially fashion, which turns out to be a personal interest to him artistically. Complex Magazine named him one of this summer's “10 Most Stylish Celebrities of the Summer” saying this: “Tyson Chandler is one of the resident risk takers on this list, and should be applauded for that. The New York Knicks player and Olympic gold medalist is always willing to explore different trends. Sometimes they’re trends that other 7’1″ 240 lb. guys wouldn't even think of trying. So even if you’re not feeling his gothic look or his capes, you've got to give him props.” When I saw him in pictures at this year's MET Costume Gala wearing a distinguished looking navy blue suit ensemble, with black lapels, perfectly fit for his seven foot one frame, he channeled that James Bond "cool" I described in my recent Character Building post (especially considering blue suits are a classic 007 signature). At New York Fashion Week past season, he sat front row with his wife at the Boy. by Band of Outsiders, Alexander Wang, Altuzarra Spring 2013 collections and has gotten mixed reviews for his own daring, and off-kilter but suave style at public events. Hearing his wife describe her man as elegant may conjure up images of say a graceful male ballerina, or a dandy fashion editor such as Hamish Bowles, but Chandler is quite clearly neither of the above. Coming from more humble beginnings, growing up on a farm where his grandfather was a key influence of his own manhood and work ethic, in my fashion, Chandler represents the elegance of a man I feel all men are able to attain, if only we put in that 100% commitment to achieve it. Even though chandler doesn't work in fashion or anything like that, in my fashion, his elegance is exuded through his confidence to be himself, with a "not-going-to-let-ME-down" attitude.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

READing Your Style: Letters to a Young Brother (Part 4)

The phrase that I keep throwing around here on #IMFblog this month, "MANifest Your Destiny" comes from a book I read not too long ago by actor, Hill Harper, entitled "Letters to a Young Brother". In my fashion, every man goes through his own walk of life, but the path can be hard, confusing, and frustrating due to lack of guidance. In his best-selling book, Harper addresses the tough issues young men face on the road to shaping their lives, and "MANifesting thier Destiny". In a 5 part series throughout the rest of this month, I will share some "Letters to Young Brother"s excerpted from the book, that contain some great points of for all of us boys to remember on our journey to manhood.




Recap: Men's Spring/Summer 2013 Ready-to-Wear (Part 5)

As I promised in my Editor's Letter, this month is all about the guys! New York Magazine reported last December that the luxury Men's fashion market is growing at 14% per year, twice as fast as the women's market which has shown a steady growth of 8% per year. With the men's fashion market growing (mainly because of emerging Chinese luxury-goods buyers), in my fashion, it is imperative that we men stay abreast of the emerging trends of the moment to attract that special woman of our dreams. AskMen.com mentioned a great quote in their 2012 Fall Fashion preview: Henry Rollins once said, "I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself." Reinvention is a key aspect of growing, and moving towards MANifesting Your Destiny, which is why I emphasize staying abreast of fashion trends. Fashion is aspiration, and in my fashion, if men aspire to be the best man they can be, the first step is to look the part of a Man-on-the-Grow. The below photos come from Style.com. Remember, "style is transformative and can be your stepping stone to a lot more."


Shipley & Halmos 

Sibling 

Siki Im 

Steven Alan 


T by Alexander Wang 

Thom Browne 

Tim Coppens 

Todd Snyder 



Tommy Hilfiger 

Topman Design 

Trussardi 

Umit Benan 



Valentino 

Versace 

Viktor & Rolf 

Vivienne Westwood 


Walter
Van Beirendonck 
Woolrich
Woolen Mills 

Yohji Yamamoto 

Z Zenga 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Style Watch: Shamar Forte

Anyone who is currently in a relationship or has been in one can attest that relationships are a showdown, much like artist Shamar Forte shows in his video entitled "Showdown". Any of us men who have had a lady can probably attest to the quote by, Muhammad Ali, that concludes this video: "My toughest fight was with my first wife." Women are beautiful creatures, but they sure can hold a grudge, and be quite nasty at times! In my fashion, it is a males duty to learn our women well enough to find the best approaches to communicate with them. The hardest part about it is having the patience to deal with the mind of a women. I've been paying attention to Keyshia Cole's show on BET, "Keyshia and Daniel: Family First", and I applaud them for inviting their fans to learn from the mistakes that they go through. Cole's husband, and point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Daniel Gibson, surely goes through it dealing with a strong women such as the infamous, "Keyshia Cole", who has already had it rough in previous relationships. A bit of advise I caught from him is that in a relationship their must be respect for how each other feels: "He needs to respect her feelings as much as she respects him." In my fashion, learning to approach, respect, and understand the "independent women" is a relatively new feat for men in history. Women have shown just in this last century that they will continue to fight for their equality, so its imperative now more than ever for men to be open-minded and take a closer look into the female psyche to understand how to keep them satisfied, which in turn will make us men happy in the long run, am I right? It goes back to a Bit-O-Inspiro I shared not too long ago from, Pharrell Williams, "If you kiss her mind, her body will follow." In my fashion, a women can teache us real patience. 


READing Your Style: Letters to a Young Brother (Part 3)

The phrase that I keep throwing around here on #IMFblog this month, "MANifest Your Destiny" comes from a book I read not too long ago by actor, Hill Harper, entitled "Letters to a Young Brother". In my fashion, every man goes through his own walk of life, but the path can be hard, confusing, and frustrating due to lack of guidance. In his best-selling book, Harper addresses the tough issues young men face on the road to shaping their lives, and "MANifesting thier Destiny". In a 5 part series throughout the rest of this month, I will share some "Letters to Young Brother"s excerpted from the book, that contain some great points of for all of us boys to remember on our journey to manhood.






Monday, November 26, 2012

Recap: Men's Spring/Summer 2013 Ready-to-Wear (Part 4)

As I promised in my Editor's Letter, this month is all about the guys! New York Magazine reported last December that the luxury Men's fashion market is growing at 14% per year, twice as fast as the women's market which has shown a steady growth of 8% per year. With the men's fashion market growing (mainly because of emerging Chinese luxury-goods buyers), in my fashion, it is imperative that we men stay abreast of the emerging trends of the moment to attract that special woman of our dreams. AskMen.com mentioned a great quote in their 2012 Fall Fashion preview: Henry Rollins once said, "I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself." Reinvention is a key aspect of growing, and moving towards MANifesting Your Destiny, which is why I emphasize staying abreast of fashion trends. Fashion is aspiration, and in my fashion, if men aspire to be the best man they can be, the first step is to look the part of a Man-on-the-Grow. The below photos come from Style.com. Remember, "style is transformative and can be your stepping stone to a lot more."


Michael Bastian

Miharayasuhiro 

Missoni 
Moncler
Gamme Blue 



Moschino 

MP Massimo Piombo 

Mugler 

Neil Barrett 



Nicole Farhi 

Patrik Ervell 

Paul & Joe 

Paul Smith 


Perry Ellis
by Duckie Brown 

Ports 1961 

Prada 

Pringle of Scotland 



Raf Simmons 

Rag & Bone 

Ralph Lauren 

Richard Nicoll 



Rick Owens 

Robert Geller 

Roberto Cavalli 

Salvatore Ferragamo