I love the fashion industry for its dynamism. I can always count on new visual inspiration and the newness keeps me on my toes. I embrace this change, I think partially, because my foundation is solid. I understand that not everyone feels the same and – particularly for my male clients – the updates can be challenging. Menswear is equally as dynamic and with so many collar, tie knot and shoe options (and so many “rules”), it can feel intimidating. Add uncertainty about aesthetic to the equation and it feels even more complex.
One of my favorite menswear clients and I were introduced last year because he was struggling with the “what to wear, how to wear it” part of getting dressed for work. His job called for business casual attire and, while he understood the suit and tie equation, he was clueless about this less formal tier. He was overwhelmed with choices and underwhelmed with his wardrobe.
He had plenty of clothes because he previously worked with a personal shopper at Saks but still couldn’t make sense of it all. I decided that the best approach would be to edit the assortment, introduce a few items to fill in the voids and create a visual merchandising guide for easy reference. I set up merchandising appointments where we discussed color combinations, balancing silhouettes and mixing prints as well as the more technical details about menswear. The visual guides showed him how to incorporate new pieces into his preexisting wardrobe and were printed and hung in his closet for easy reference.
This year, during our Summer merchandising appointment, I felt like I was working with a new man. He was confident about his wardrobe, totally engaged in the process and even came up with a few combinations on his own. I was proud. Similar to the old adage about teaching a man to fish, if you teach a man to dress you style him for a lifetime.
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