Issue #22 | Los Angeles Dispatch
Weird and wonderful Los Angeles, suiting from A-Z, Corridor knitwear, Octobre Éditions, and more
Greetings Front of Book readers,
I just got back from a trip to L.A. and am on my way to Canada for a few days. I’m happy to report that my last packing job was pretty much a perfect pack (see Issue #10), with no unnecessary items and every item worn except maybe a pair of socks.
Here are some things on my mind this week.
1. A Few Thoughts on Los Angeles
In Los Angeles I enjoyed the exclusively L.A. phenomenon of non-celebrities dressing like celebrities. It’s always the same outfit: a baseball cap pulled low, sunglasses, and clothes that, as the writer Caity Weaver once said about Justin Bieber’s outfit, aren’t merely clothes but “fashion.” These people are most often carrying on a conversation on their phone while wearing AirPods. Upon spotting one you get that sudden rush of “oh, a celebrity,” and then look closely and realize, nope, fooled again, thanks, L.A.
I find L.A. to be an incredibly disorienting place. It has to do with the disconnected neighborhoods and the constant travel by car. Each visit is so different and I can never seem to get a grip on the place. I leave feeling unsettled. But that’s not a terrible thing: I’m also fascinated by the city and always look forward to going.
Some of the highlights of this trip: The rain-soaked Lululemon 10K through the Arts District my girlfriend and I did; the food in Koreatown; a stroll down Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice; driving out to Malibu at sunset; hiking up to the Griffith Observatory; checking out the indie thriller Love Lies Bleeding at a tiny theater in Los Feliz; and, as always, In-N-Out Burger (animal style with fries).
See you next time you weird, wonderful city.
2. What I Learned Writing About the World of Suiting
Earlier this week I published a story with GQ called “The Best Suit Brands, from Armani to Zegna.” This was a lot of fun to work on. I’ve written for GQ in the past, but this was my first piece with them in ages and also my first style story in a famously style-forward publication. This whole newsletter, in fact, is modeled behind GQ’s old front of book section called The Manual. So it’s nice to be back.
I also learned a lot while researching this piece. Here are some of the highlights:
Suits aren’t going anywhere: It’s funny that even though day-to-day you hardly see anyone wearing suits, there are so many brands, old and new, dressy and casual, focusing on suiting. So there must be an appetite for them. And this, I think, bolsters my argument that we are seeing and will continue to see a hunger for dressing up and looking good by choice instead of necessity. In other words, not for work but play. This is a great thing.
Yes, there is a trend toward more casual suiting, but… there are still a ton of brands, the majority even, making more traditional suits—slim cuts, some padding in the shoulders, in blacks, blues, and grays. I guess this goes to show that truly great style never really changes, only evolves.
Giorgio Armani’s ’90s suits were amazing: Back in the 1980s, Armani was famous for making what was thought of as very “masculine” suits, with big, padded shoulders and a cinched waist, best exhibited in the Richard Gere classic American Gigolo. But in the ’90s, Armani ditched all that, stripping out the padding and loosening up the jacket and pants, creating a drapey, nonchalant look that was revolutionary at the time. These suits were game changing and you still see their influence in many fashion-forward brands today.
Armani’s relaxed suits in the 1990s. Anglo-Italian is the most exciting brand I discovered: I’d never heard of Anglo-Italian, which is surprising because this London-based brand is right up my alley. As the name suggests, it mixes the tailoring cultures of both England and Italy, specializing in expertly made suits with soft shoulders and flattering silhouettes. It has elements of all of my favorite brands today—Drake’s, J. Mueser, P. Johnson, and others—all in one. They also do their own knitwear, denim, outerwear, and accessories. This is a brand to watch.
3. Giving Corridor a Second Chance
I’ve always loved the idea of Corridor without actually loving Corridor. Every time I walked into their shops in Brooklyn or Manhattan, I would find a couple things that looked great on the rack, but just fit… weird. This was pretty much universally true of every item I tried. Normally, clothing fits me fairly well, but Corridor always felt a little off.
But it seems like the brand might be coming into its own. When I stopped into the L.A. shop in Venice, it was apparent that Corridor has really zeroed-in on knitwear. We’re talking eclectic cardigans, chill knit polos, Harry Styles-level crochet sweatshirts, and that tasteful canary sweater-vest above. I can’t speak for the fits, but I liked what I saw.
4. Buck Mason’s Women’s Line
We also stopped into Buck Mason’s women’s shop on Abbot Kinney. Buck Mason is doing great basics, from T-shirts (where it all began) to sweats and sweatshirts, knitwear, chinos, and outerwear. The quality of the fabrics is really top-notch and everything goes together. The same is true for the women’s line, which also has some really cool items the men’s line doesn’t: A full length Macintosh trench, a juniper field jacket, and some relaxed fit pull-on pants. For the women reading the newsletter, Buck Mason is worth a visit.
5. Octobre Edition’s ‘Brighter Days’ Lookbook
Writer, Front of Book reader, and all-around stylish lady Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore recently forwarded me the spring-summer lookbook of Octobre Éditions. I’d never heard of the French brand even though they have a New York store, but I can get behind their warm weather threads. I love those lightweight polos, knit t-shirts, and textured cotton chore coats (the French know a thing or two about chore coats). Throw on a pair of Octobre’s linen pants and some espadrilles and you’ve got a nice summer outfit.
That’s all for this week. About to board a flight. See you next time!
Mitch
Question? Comment? Suggestion? Caught a typo? Email me at mitch.moxley@gmail.com
