America's Next Top Model

... Because when you fall down you get back up -- or fall back down again.

Speaking of America's Next Top Model, I was thrilled to bump into Miss Jay, runway coach extraordinaire, at the Oumlil Fall 2010 show (he told me that a new cycle was about to begin -- why didn't he tell me about this runway moment? And why does he look all Mr. Jay in this photo?). I was also seated behind him at the Michael Bastian show.

Billy Reid Fall 2010

Congratulations to Billy Reid who was awarded Best New Menswear Designer 2010 by GQ. That night he also presented his Fall 2010 collection at Milk Studios during New York Fashion. I caught up with him during the after-party at the Hotel Gansevoort to talk to him about… OK, so the truth is I asked him these questions a few days later – it was really all fun and play that night. He’s a great guy to talk and, well, between his talent and his character, it’s clear why he’s a winner.

Billy Reid Fall 2010
Sachin Bhola: What was the inspiration behind the Fall 2010 collection?
Billy Reid: Classic American clothing, turn of the century field- and work-wear meets East Village folk.

Sachin: What one must-have item will instantly update a man’s wardrobe for Fall 2010?
Billy: A hand-tailored navy blazer. Get one that is made for you, or fits perfectly, not the one you wore in college -- or your dad's. It goes with everything.

Sachin: On the other hand, which item does a man not need another of in his wardrobe?
Billy: Ill-fitting clothing

Billy Reid Interview

"Southern-bred luxury" isn't a term you'd expect to hear in menswear. If this were a physics class, we'd make a case for the South and luxury having diamagnetic properties in relation to fashion's magnetic field. Intense.

And it takes an intense designer to bounce back from September 11, 2001, when William "Billy" Reid was forced to leave New York and return to his native Florence, Alabama. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, as the designer reconnected with his homegrown aesthetic and salvaged his momentum.

We wanted to know more. So AskMen.com caught up with Billy Reid at New York Fashion Week: Fall 2010 to check out his presentation at Milk Studios (not exactly a hop, skip and jump from the Mississippi line) and found ourselves partying the night away at the Hotel Gansevoort with Billy, toasting to (what else?) southern-bred luxury.

About Billy Reid
Sachin Bhola: Can you give us some background on the Billy Reid label?
Billy Reid: The collection is all about American clothing. It blends deep Southern roots with a downtown vibe, and I love to build pieces tough enough, and versatile enough, for both those worlds. It started in 2004 when friends approached me with an idea to open retail shops for the collection. The idea was that we would build an environment based on the interior influences and touches of our home here in Florence, Alabama. We would personalize every part of the retail experience. For me, it is about the things I do in life, and the clothes that I want to wear to support it.

Sachin: What’s the one thing you would like the public to know about Billy Reid that they are unaware of?
Billy: I would want them to know how much work and care we put into the collection. The quality and integrity of the effort is something we work so hard to present.

Men's Fashion Today
Sachin: What is the most important garment in a man's wardrobe; the one big-ticket fashion item that is worth its price tag?
Billy: Handmade boots and a handmade jacket or men's suit. You will have them forever if they're made well.

Du Juan & Philip Huang: Vogue China February 2010

Fashion Music

As much as I’m paying attention to the clothes during a fashion show, you can bet that I’m taking note of the beats as well. The right music timed with the right model wearing the right clothes can be a powerful thing. The standouts were Yigal Azrouel's Fall 2010 show that played “We Are The People” by Empire of the Sun, with models Alana Zimmer and Bruna Tenorio walking down the runway – it was a moment.

(Thank you, Bryan, for Shazamming it during the show – you rock!)

The other was at the Michael Kors Fall 2010 show finale, when he played “Native New Yorker” by Odyssey. It was one of the those cheesy Mary Tyler Moore moments that had us in a nostolgic, dream-like state for a hot second.

Anyway, here is some of the music from the shows at New York Fashion Week Fall 2010:

“House of Fun” by Madness – heard at the Ducke Brown Fall 2010 Show
Alberta Cross and Guns N’ Roses – performed live at the L’Uomo Vogue / John Varvatos Party (pictured here)
“We Are The People” by Empire of the Sun – heard at the Yigal Arouel Fall 2010 show (featured below – sorry about the video quality. I promise to buy a new camera.)
“Impossible” by Daniel Merriweather – heard at the Simon Spurr Fall 2010 show
“She Loves Everybody” by Chester French – heard at the Simon Spurr Fall 2010 show
“Helicopter” by Bloc Party featuring Peaches – heard at the Michael Bastian Fall 2010 show
“Native New Yorker” by Odyssey – heard at the Michael Kors Fall 2010 show

New York Fashion Week Fall 2010: Men's Trend Report

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Written for AskMen.com, click here for the full article (with images)
Written by Sachin Bhola

Remember when men ardently awaited New York Fashion Week -- a time when newsstands experienced the onslaught of guys fighting over the latest copy of a fashion magazine and who had spent the last week forecasting future trends rather than forecasting stock prices? Neither do we.

Men don't relate to fashion with the same zeal as they do the Super Bowl, so attempting to glorify fashion week would be as convincing as Tiger Woods' statement tomorrow morning.

So, why should you care that, say, tweed is a major fabric for Fall 2010? Well, for starters, it's moisture resistant and durable -- something we look for in clothing. Check. A tweed blazer can easily be worn with gray flat-front trousers for the conservative; it can be fused with resin leather sleeves as seen on the jackets at Yigal Azrouel for a cool streetwear look; and it will be available at your local mass retailer next fall. Versatile, accessible and affordable? Check. We think these are pretty good reasons to care.

New York Fashion Week: Fall 2010 wraps up today and, after a week of countless shows, live tweeting, partying, and throw in a snow storm for good measure, AM is here to break down the trends you should look out for later this year.

Combat Boots: Fall 2010 Trend

Michael Kors Fall 2010

“All about ease… Relaxed glamour… The quintessential American sportswear wardrobe… Urban casual vs. country luxe… Tactile texture mixes… The juxtaposition of crisp tailoring and languid softeness…”

“Languid softness?” Are you kidding me?

Let me just say that I hate it when people in fashion make fluffy statements – like “relaxed glamour.” They’re cliché, insubstantial and reinforce the notion of fashion as a social enclave to non-fashion people because we throw around terms like “languid softness.” FYI: It’s nothing but empty jargon.

Another example – why not? On my way out of the Timo Weiland Fall 2010 show during New York Fashion Week, I overheard a fashionista commenting on the presentation: “I really liked the range of the collection; there were a lot of good separates, you know?”

No shit, Sherlock. Of course there would be separates. I could take the economic position by arguing that in today’s highly volatile market, not producing a range of clothing that would appeal to a wide demographic means retail suicide – especially if you are operating on high margins. However, the common sense in me (you know, the one that urks when I hear “languid softness”) says: “Of course they’re separates. What else would they be? Pants that are restricted to one specific top? Shoes that are incapable of being worn with, say, a different pair of jeans?

But I digress.

The opening of this blog entry was taken from Michael Kors’ Fall 2010 print-out. One of the strongest looks during the show was a knitted crossfox fling, smoke tissue cashmere pullover and camel suede trouser (pictured above). Did I mention this was worn by Frankie Rayder? Bonus. It was nice to see Michael cast some of the girls I grew up on – Frankie and Angela to be specific.

The outerwear for men was another highlight. Simon Nessman opened the Michael Kors Fall 2010 show in a camel crushed garbadine anorak (pictured below). Terron Wood (my new obsession) wore a tobacco distressed leather flight jacket and Max wore a leather cargo jacket.

When it was time to process all of this with my fashion editor hat on I struggled to unify the aesthetic. It was New York… It was urban yet country… It was luxe sportswear…. It was relaxed glamour… Uh oh.

Michael Kors Fall 2010 Video

I captured the very end of the Michael Kors Fall 2010 finale on video. Last season, I remember the woman sitting beside me saying: “The longer the runway, the bigger the designer’s ego.” I thought that was funny.

New York Fashion Week Fall 2010

Flying into New York in the middle of a snow storm -- kind of intense. Ours was the only flight that was not canceled. Of course, being from Montreal, I figured a "snow storm" in New York would be a joke. Wrong. I didn't bring any appropriate winter shoes, slipped and fell on my ass and am (still) freezing... but the best part about this was that I was able to sound off on winter fashion for NY Mag -- check it out (I'm at the end):

Fashion Week Vs. The Blizzard - NYMag.com




Stay tuned for coverage on New York Fashion Week Fall 2010.