Issue #55 | Honeymoon Is (Literally) Over
FOB is back—with news about Husbands, Lacoste, Seth Rogan Style Guy, and more. Plus, a trove of vintage Levi's
Hello everyone,
It’s been a while! I’ve been delinquent posting here because, well, I was on my honeymoon in Japan and the Philippines with Mrs. Front of Book. We had an amazing time. Highlights included: Everything about Tokyo; Ace Hotel Kyoto; meeting Nikita’s family in Davao, particularly tatay; surfing, CEV, and Kwai in Siargao; Tour B in El Nido. (Lowlight: Both of us getting food poisoning the last two nights in the Philippines. The culprit? Seafood pasta, we think.)
I still have a big Tokyo menswear piece coming up, but I’ve been on a few deadlines for various projects so haven’t gotten around to that yet. In the meantime, here are a few bits and pieces on my radar from the last few weeks.
1. Husbands is (Maybe?) Coming to New York
One of my big regrets after visiting Paris last September was not picking up a piece or two from Husbands. The guys at the store almost sold me on a beautiful navy double breasted jacket, but it was just a smidge too short, and I figured if I’m going to get something from Husbands, I’ll wait till I can afford it and get it made to order. But why, I fret today, didn’t I get a pearl button denim shirt? They’re always sold out online but were plentiful in the shop on Rue de Richelieu. We live, we learn.
Aesthetically, Husband’s is probably my favorite brand these days. When I dress up to go out at night, I use it as a reference point. Flowing, high waisted pants; shirts with big collars; long jackets with wide lapels. As the brand’s founder, Nicolas Gabard, recently told GQ, “When you are in Husbands, you are the sexiest guy in the room.” I would revise that statement to say, “When you are dressed like Husbands, you feel like the sexiest guy in the room.”
Last month Husbands hosted its first trunk show in New York, and in the GQ piece Gabard hinted at a possible future New York store:
With a week left in the trunk show, Gabard was already planning a return trip, and mentioned with a wink that his New York customers are “waiting for us to open a store.”
Yes, please! Until then…
2. Gary’s New Suit
Probably the most frequent question I get asked from friends is where to buy a suit. It’s a tough one to answer because there are so many variables: price point, body type, personal preference, purpose, comfort zone, etc. It’s also a very important question, since even a modestly priced suit isn’t exactly cheap, for a decent one at least. You want to look great it in, and you want it to last awhile without going out of style. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question.
But Gary Shteyngart, one of my favorite writers, comes as close as possible to providing one in his recent Atlantic piece, “Behold My Suit!” In it, Gary goes on a global adventure to find the “perfect suit,” a suit that “would do nothing less than transform me”:
A fine suit made just for me. From the best fabrics. By the best tailor. Paired with the best bespoke shoes.
A suit that would make me feel at ease, while declaring to others, “Here is a man who feels at ease.” A suit that would be appreciated by the world’s most heartless maître d’. A suit that would see me through the immigration checkpoints of difficult countries. A suit that would convince readers that the man in the author photo has a sense of taste beyond the Brooklyn consensus of plaid shirt and pouf of graying hair.
Gary decides on a bespoke sack suit from The Armoury, crafted by a renowned Japanese tailor named Yamamoto-san, under the guidance of Armoury owner Mark Cho. Gary’s sartorial journey takes him from New York to Italy to Hong Kong to Tokyo. The result?
The fit was good. The fit was perfect. Through the industry of a thoughtful team of cutters and sewers on the edge of Asia, I had finally reached a détente with my body.
Obviously, few of us have the time, resources, or connections to travel around the world for the sake of a single outfit, but thankfully we don’t have to. If you live in or near New York or Hong Kong, you can afford it, and you want the surest chance of looking fantastic in a new suit, The Armoury is the place to go. I’ve met Mark before, he’s a great guy and incredibly knowledgable. The Armoury’s staff is welcoming and un-intimidating and will guide you though the process with a steady hand. Just ask Gary.
3. Seth Rogan, Underrated Style Guy
Have you been watching Apple TV+’s The Studio? It’s a fun show, but what stands out to me is how good the show’s creator and star Seth Rogan looks.
It’s no accident. Rogan might have come of age in Hollywood playing schlubby dudes, but for a while now he’s quietly been one of the Town’s most underrated style guys. In the show, Rogan’s character, Matt Remnick, is always dressed in impeccably tailored, casual double breasted suits and jackets. They’re apparently not Brunello Cucinelli, but very Cucinelli-esque.
The New York Times’ recently ran a piece about the show’s style, in which the costume designer, Kameron Lennox, described Matt’s style as an outgrowth of Rogan’s own, and GQ recently called him “Hollywood’s chillest suit guru.”
It’s always great to see a Canadian kid come into his own.
4. A Trove of Vintage Levi’s
If you’re on the hunt for vintage denim and don’t want to spend hours sifting through the shelves at thrift stores, Aaron Levine’s eponymous brand is regularly releasing troves of Made in the U.S.A. Levi’s on its website. These aren’t cheap, but they look great and have been vetted, and there are plenty of sizes for even tall guys like me. They sell out quick, but new batches are regularly added.
5. Lacoste’s Cool New Campaign
Finally, I wanted to highlight Lacoste’s new campaign, shot in New York and modeled by a New York City cab driver. I love the ’80s feel of these images, the yellow cab, and, especially, the crocodile green of the polos. I feel like we’ve collectively forgotten how cool Lacoste polos are, and so kudos for whoever came up with this campaign for reminding us. (And thanks Allan Pulga for bringing it to my attention.)
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend and see you back here soon.
Mitch
Question? Comment? Suggestion? Caught a typo? Email me at mitch.moxley@gmail.com
Levis that are probably scored from eBay et al. for 1/4 the price. Not cool.