The Shirt That Came Back Home

In a galaxy far, far away, and in an fashion industry that seems to be lightyears away from what it is now, I designed. Among others, I had envisioned and created a collection called Vluxe, and for the Fall 2007 season in particular,  I had invented a particular technique.

It was simple, yet created an effect not quite seen before. I took relatively traditional patterns in men's shirting fabrications and designed a second pattern that would be printed over it. The particular uniqueness of this was the fact that I had purposefully left "holes" in the printed designs, much like port holes on a ship that one looks through, and in this case one would see the unaffected traditional pattern of the fabric. The end result turned out to be a success in the men's market, a fun shirt that looked great with a pair of jeans.

But that, is just some context for what happened next. Years later with a new brand and collection in an online store, I received an order followed up with an e-mail asking me, I believe on Facebook, if I was really me, that is, was he, Matt, actually speaking with Lucky Nahum. Well yes he was, and he proceeded to tell me a few things. Matt told me how big a fan of my work he was and how many of my shirts he had bought in the past. Then he said that there was a particular shirt he loved but had never bought, he had "let it get away", and he literally sends me a picture of it. I had to give him the bad news that they were all long gone, and the only one I had in my possession, was my personal one and it wasn't in his size (a Large), it was an XL. Quickly he said "I can make it work, you really don't know what your shirts mean to me". That was an interesting statement in and of itself, what could a shirt, or a collection of shirts "mean" for someone?

Matt proceeded to tell me how at one time he was considerably heavier and my shirts had played a role in making him feel confident with the very first Vluxe he had ever worn, confident enough to eventually shed considerable amounts of weight and picking up more shirts and more confidence along with them.

We left it that I couldn't let go of my shirt, I just couldn't, I was attached to it due to it's particular design. I was leaving for a trip to Europe and the order from the online store was about to be filled while I was in Italy. Perhaps it was the good wine I was consuming in Tuscany, but I started to think about Matt and "the shirt" he so loved. I called my office back in the U.S. and directed them to include my shirt with his order for free, as a surprise gift from me. The story had moved me and I simply felt Matt had "earned it".

Move forward to 2015 and I discover the same exact style on eBay as I check for fun every so often to see which of my shirts are being sold. There it was, "the shirt",  and in my size too. Was this Karma at work? Was this my shirt coming back home? With a few clicks I placed the order and today "the shirt", my shirt, came back home.

2000, 2006, 2014 And How GQ Magazine Made These Years Matter To Me.

"Be the first and be the loudest".

This is the advice I give all budding fashion designers as they often seek my advice. Rightly so designers want to protect their work, but how can they? Patent attorneys will take your money to do the paperwork and filing, but it's worthless, it is simply to easy to alter the design minimally enough to render the patent null and void.

In my career as a fashion designer and manufacturer I have had several designs copied by the best in the business, and I along with all others who design have been influenced by someone or something…it's an inevitability.

I have also played the game, over one too many bottles of fine wine, of trying to come up with a word, a term, that would become everyday jargon. Am I and my friends the only ones that have done this? I don't know, but in the past I have made up words to describe one of my designs, to create another category of garment or as we say, to create a new classification.

Somewhere between 1999 and 2001 I created some items that I wanted to be able to have identified by name and worn in a certain way. Although the design itself was not particularly unique, the fabrics used were and more importantly the name for them was. At the time I was living in the Hollywood Hills and the weather particularly lent itself to this garment. It was a cross between a jacket and a shirt, you could wear it alone or over a shirt or knit, easy, what else could it be but a SHACKET?

Five days ago I read on GQ MAgazine about a shacket, as they stated, "Shirt + Jacket = Shacket, but together they're worth more to your fall wardrobe than the sum of their parts." This created mixed emotions, the adage about imitation being the greatest form of flattery only goes so far, after that you want to see your name attached to it, hey, I never claimed modesty. So, I thought I would go searching through some external drives long ago put away. I quickly found two documents, the first is in Italian in a letter to the factory discussing deliveries where it is mentioned to be delivered by February 28, 2001. While in the second document it is mentioned in descriptive terms for what was going to be part of a line book. I've blurred some parts to not mention companies or individuals that may want to remain unnamed at this moment. At the bottom of each document you can see the dates of April 5, 2007 and December 27, 2000 respectively, representing the dates when these documents were last created or modified prior to me using them in this blog, proving two things: one, they were created before GQ used the term, and two, that someone with as many assigned tasks as I had, simply didn't take time off because it was the Holiday week between Christmas and New Year.

besides digging these documents up, I also was curious to do the proverbial Google search to see what I'd find. A listing for shacket, appeared in the Urban Dictionary as you see here, showing the term, the description and the date it was first entered.

The last shacket I designed and manufactured was for Vluxe in a cotton/linen blend as you see it here in a washed & crunched charcoal gray and bright royal blue inside.

There, I got it off my chest, or perhaps I should say, off my shoulders for it to be worn by new designers and customers.

The Emperor And The Designer Have No Clothes.

I'm ready, go ahead and tell me that I just don't get it. but before you do hear me out.

The Fashion industry and the world at large is certainly ever evolving as it should be, we apply words to objects, concepts, entities and so on. We use words so that we can understand each other when we communicate. If we were to use the word "car" we know that we're talking about an automobile, we understand that two cars may look different from one another but we still know they are cars. We wouldn't and shouldn't call something that isn't a car a "car". If and when a car evolves into something beyond what our original definition stands for it should be called something else that more appropriately reflects it. If you invite me to go see a movie, I don't expect to see a play.

You get that? Good!

So, with this in mind I believe that we should re-evaluate Fashion Shows, break them down to no less than two categories and perhaps more and appropriately named them as to appropriately depict the difference between them.

Certainly we can agree that there's fashion shows that exhibit clothes that will actually be produced and sold in clothing stores and then there's fashion shows that exhibit conceptual clothing that look more like costumes in a theatrical production and that at best will only be sold in considerably modified versions of the original.

Here are some examples of what I'm talking about using two Fall 2012 Collections, Thom Browne (top two) and Giorgio Armani (bottom two). Strictly concentrating on the clothing (hair and make-up aside),

it's obvious to see which designer designed for theatrical effect and which one designed with practical salability in mind. I'm not criticizing, I am making what I believe is a valid point.

These are not quirky outfits in the collections, these are very representative of what the collections are.

 I get the role of both, I just don't think they should be labeled in the same manner. After all,  you wouldn't want to be served meatloaf if you ordered a cheeseburger would you?

IF YOU REALLY CARE TO KNOW

This is a topic I've touched on before and will continue to do so until I am well...at least a wonderful shade of Midnight Blue.

"Made in Italy", as you see it on products, was meant to tell the consumer that this was indeed a product made in Italy by skilled workers that worked under internationally accepted labor laws.

This no longer is so, and it hasn't been for many years, as the laws pertaining to this matter shifted in various amounts over time to benefit those that were producing anywhere but in Italy. It hasn't been something in the industry or at government levels that anyone has wanted to talk about. Clearly not a deterrent for me.

Yesterday I stopped at one of America's most prestigious stores, Saks Fifth Avenue. Not to discover something I didn't already know but to gather photographs to make a point for you.

I found three shirts that exemplified my point, a Bruno Cucinelli, a Valentino and one by Isaia. Very well known and respected brands in the Luxury market each in their own way and all sold in the same area of the men's department.

This is a shirt made by ISAIA in the renowned Neapolitan tradition of shirt making. One arrow points to a portion of the logo identifying this as an ISAIA shirt, while the other arrow points to the price of $395.00 which is in keeping with a shirt that is truly Made in Italy and of this quality.

This next shirt is one made by Brunello Cucinelli, a premier Italian producer of garments. You will notice that one arrow points to the label with the logo as well as the "Made in Italy" country of origin declaration required to be in plain sight by the laws of the USA.

The second arrow points to a price tag showing the cost of this shirt at $495.00 which again, is in keeping with the pricing of a quality shirt with a certain amount of details that is truly Made in Italy.

The shirt from Valentino at fist glance appears to be of great value as it is priced at only $225.00 as pointed out by the arrow. Notice however that the country of origin label that is supposed to be readily visible in accordance with the laws is not there. So, where is this shirt made? Is it really made in Italy? Is that why it is so much lower in price?

There is no magic, no voodoo in fashion. There are reasons for the prices we see and the quality of the garments, marketing aside, and sadly, you as a consumer shouldn't expect an average retailer, even a prestigious one, to educate you anymore. Take control yourself....and discover the truth and beautiful garments that are made by true artisans.

As Fashion Tours Go......

As Fashion Tours go.....well wait a second, there aren't any to compare this one to. This is an utterly fresh idea for those that may have wished to truly be a Fashionista insider if not as a career for at least a week in Italy.

Check out the article in the May-June issue of Rochester Magazine.....want to come along?

Porch Perfect-----Pomagranate Prosecco

So the season is approaching, not fast enough but I can feel it. Soon I will be on my porch lounging and sipping on one of my favorites.....Prosecco.

The one thing I love is that I can share it with you on or off my porch, so here it is, my first of several Porch Perfect cocktails.

POMEGRANATE PROSECCO

Mandarins- 8

Pomegranate- Half

Prosecco- 1 Bottle

1) Squeeze the mandarins and filter to remove most of the pulp

2) Pour the mandarin juice into a carafe and add the pomegranate seeds and Prosecco

3) Stir and serve in a cocktail glass

A Fashion Lookbook

A quick look at some past work as some of you have shown interest. This collection was split into three groups: Martini, Cafe` and Relax in essence describing the Lifestyle that the garments might be suited for. The grouping was used as a way to give direction to the retailers while each individual wearer gives it his own spin.

Some Past work Portfolio 2

View more presentations from alwaysgetLucky.

Will you check it out if it says SEXY?

A cheap little ploy you're thinking, well....cheap is a relative term and "ploy"...well "ploy" is a four letter word and I was taught better than that.

Or was I? Ok I'll admitted if you'll admit, at least to yourself,  that you checked this blog out because the word "SEXY" was in the title. Look I'll feel good either way, I'll either believe that my initial premise was correct or that you just enjoy my writing.

While I have you here however, why not make the most of the moment?

With my dear friend and model Gleicy Santos looking at you you're not going to look away now are you? No, and I am thankful for your attention. I have known Gleicy from when she first made her way here from Brazil, young, bright eyed and shy about her "poor" English.

As we sat in a restaurant  in New York with a group of friends, I remember leaning over and reminding her that she should look around....that she should not feel shy, that most of those there only spoke one language and that she at least had a good start on a second one.

I am not sure if those words made the effect I had intended...to make her feel comfortable and remind her of the confidence she deserved to have. Perhaps she thought about it...perhaps not. I do know that she went on to have a wonderful career which continues to this day.

I am thankful for her friendship and for the beautiful photographs of Gleicy wearing
one of my designs from the x te da me collection.............com muito amor!

DETAILS

Life it seems...is in the details.

I've known this for a while. I learned it as a child of a Master Tailor and a Seamstress, in the care they put into their work. Reflected in every stitch was pride, giving, love, passion and this...this told me a lot about them as people. I wish I had learned it early on, as early as my first spoken words, so that I might have been able to verbally express my gratitude right there and then. Instead, I also learned that appreciation for the details wasn't merely a gift that could or should be handed over, if it were, I am sure my parents would have gladly given it to me. They gave me this gift just the same and perhaps, the way it is meant to be given...by living an exemplary life.

I watched with amazement as a bolt of cloth could turn into a garment. I watched the garment's worth "split" to bring pride to both to the maker and the wearer. As a child I strolled the boulevards of the seashore city of my birth, Tripoli,  I saw the joy in the wearer and his wife as they too strolled with a step that might have otherwise had a lesser bounce. This was infectious and it spread to everyone that came in contact with what was....a piece of cloth, some buttons and thread in the hands of those that gave me the gift of detail.

In my work today, as in my life, I try to instill that same detail which of course means so much more than one might think off at first glance... but then, life is in the details.