An Exercise in Re-Styling
New Collection launch day is always a big day both in the home office and around the country, as each stylist is given the new seasonal tools to share with their Clients. These include new swatches in every category, from our global mill partners, with a curated sense of a collection with new seasonal colors. This season, we have multiple style updates across the collection, which I plan to cover over the next few weeks with this regular communication, hopefully helping those who weren’t at conference this season to get a better understanding of the new styles and options that we now include in our collection. |
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The collection, as always, is inspired by a personal feeling and mood that captures the colors of the season. The inspiration is often fed by market information, our mill partnership through their own point of view on new fabrics, and this season, more than ever, stylist feedback, helping us create many of the new styles and offering newness to our Clients in some of their favorite categories.
This season, there was a prevailing sense of true iconic menswear tradition, history, and heritage mixed with the new and the modern. This combination is always present for me in menswear, but every now and again, menswear gets a little push, and we need to “restyle” to keep product relevant for every type of Client. The softer leg trouser is becoming more and more prevalent on the menswear market here in the US, so we added a “relaxed chino” profile to address any requests you may have. Available across all our casual pant fabrics, we worked on deepening our double pleats to add softness, brought up the waist, and married it to a straighter leg. It looks great, and we are happy that this should work for most body types and Clients looking for this new silhouette. |
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Another item that I was feeling needed a refresh is the suiting vest. Inspired by country gentlemen, the suiting vest as a stylish layer led us to create a new style called the fashion vest. Designed to be worn under a sportscoat or on its own, the men’s tailored vest has a retro vibe of Edwardian office clerks with pocket watches, so we added some pocket details and a lapel to enhance our current suiting vest. The suiting vest itself can be purchased separately, and we did adjust the block to fit better on the shoulder and armhole. Later in the season, we will be able to add the waist and hip adjustment to both styles, too. I love showing the vest worn with a matching sportscoat, but then worn back to a casual pant and/or denim. With the new seasonal linings you can create playful combinations that are at the heart of modern menswear. |
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In shirting, along with three new button colors, we have added new jacquard tapes to sit with our current grosgrain solid ones. These new tapes, like the current ones, are offered as a placket detail that creates an interest when worn open. I love how unique and special this looks, reflecting the J.Hilburn ethos of a truly customized and personalized piece.
Next week, I will dive into more updates, including the new windstopper and outerwear, which we have reinvented for the new season. Stay tuned. |
