Meet Jeffrey Banks ..

Here’s a quick primer on why Jeffrey Banks is a presence in the fashion world: studied at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, graduated from Parsons School of Design, New York. Career:  Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein,  Nik Nik, Merona Sport, launched own menswear company, 1980;. Awards: Coty Award, "Earnie" award for boyswear, Cutty Sark award, 1987

Again, one’s resume or breadth of fashion experience/knowledge must span longer than a year or 2 but for those of us who are truly fashionably educated, we know why Jeffrey Banks is one of American fashion’s more discreet treasures. He has worked for and been the behind the scenes of some of the most revered marquee and iconic brands of the 20^th century. In more recent times he has turned his knowledge and passions into authorship and a curatorial gig at HSN which is a very inclusive vision of what it means to be part of Jeffrey Banks’ world of fashion.

I am proud to say that Mr. Banks’ and I  have crossed paths many times during both of our  careers and it is always a pleasure to become reacquainted with a one of the rarities of what we call the world of fashion; after all he is always a gentleman and always gracious.

So, if you have never met him then this will hopefully enlighten you and for those of us who know him, maybe you will learn something of him that you never knew!

1-What is the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?

My red hand knit multi-breed dog sweater. It's a sample we never made

2-What is your most sterling trait and what trait do you treasure most in your friendships? 

Loyalty.

3-What is your bliss? 

A great massage just before going to sleep.

4-What is your guilty secret? 

I am obsessive about The Lord of the Rings trilogy films.

5-Where is your ideal home? 

In Manhattan or Mayfair in London.

6-If you could not be a designer/retailer/etc:, what would you be.

An Art Director

7-What is on your bedside table right now?  

A crystal water carafe.

8-What do you wear to bed? 

Flannel pajama bottoms or nothing.

9-What, if any, book are you reading now or last read? 

The Eye Has to Travel

10-What’s your advice to the “newcomer?” 

Take business courses or work for someone a while to learn the business side of Fashion

11-Who or what is your inspiration/style icon? 

AUDREY HEPBURN

12-What is the best advice you ever received? 

Always hire people that are smarter and better than you.

13-In 3 words or less, describe the current state of fashion. 

Less than inspired.

14-If you were a retailer, would you wear your own designs or shop in your own store ? or where would you shop? 

I always have a lovely shopping experience at Ralph Lauren  on Madison Avenue

15-If you won a $200,000,000 power ball (lottery), what is the first thing you would buy or do? 

Give money to the Ali Forney Center, Publicolor and The Hetrick Martin Institute 

16-If you could invite up to 4 people for dinner, who would they be…dead or alive? 

Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, Richard Avedon and Truman Capote

17-What is your favorite movie /or movie star?

Funny Face

18-What is the one thing you would change about yourself? 

I'd like to be 6'3"

19-Whose opinion do you value most and why? 

Stan Herman because he is always honest .

20-What store or which designer do you most like to shop in or wear ? 

Ralph Lauren

21-What’s your take on magazines, books versus the internet? 

I love books and magazines, more than ever.

22-Do you have a dream collaborator? 

Piero Tosi

23-What is your crowning achievement thus far in your career? 

There are far to many to just name one !

24-What’s your music library like?

Extensive with lots of Musicals, Film Soundtracks, and Barbra Streisand.

25-What and where is your favorite meal? 

My Mother's Meatloaf !

Pre-fall 2014 ... Andrew Gn

Having been a fan of Andrew Gn for quite some time, this collection registers seismically on the Richter scale. Mr. Gn is hardly a man who believes in minimalist fashion and yet the clothes he executes and designs are rarely overdone. In this “non-season,” Andrew Gn proves that yes there are designers who design and those who believe that every season deserves a statement of some kind.

To my eye, these clothes are just exquisitely sharp and rendered in the most flawless way. Sharp does not mean harsh or rigid, it means perfectly pressed and hemmed, every shoulder line perfection and every look is put together. The “extended” jewel tone palette is superb. The only detraction here is the model that seems abnormally long from the waist down and abnormally short form the waist up but even that cannot take away from what one sees here.

There are dresses, gowns, suits, blouses, laces, wools, brocades and embroideries of almost unequaled beauty; this is of course to say that you must first be predisposed to Mr. Gn’s vision of fashion. He is in his own way an old school designer who manages to massage his vision into the 21^st century by incorporating old school techniques. Once again, these are clothes of the “non blah blah blah” school that require no explanation and no need of esoteric inspirations ... in other words the clothes speak for themselves. A novelty at best these days!!

Of great interest here are a few blouses which are incredibly beautiful, the laces, the gowns and of course the Gn idea of perfect day clothes. He surely emphasized paisley, safariennes and embraced jackets of almost every proportion. One of the great facets of his clothes is that they never look heavy handed, no matter the weight of the fabric; he has what some would say “a very light hand.”

Personally the shorts didn’t make much sense to me but then again I am not 25 rich and fabulous enough to wear them!

Seeing is believing so here is a much edited look at Andrew Gn for pre-fall 2014….

Pre-NYFW ..Inside the head of Michael Kors

In keeping with my pre NYFW series, today is all about one of the torch bearers of American Fashion.

 

Today’s subject found his way to me via a series of serendipitous events which has reminded me of the power of the written word as well that of the internet in our daily lives.

 

That being said, Michael Kors is a ubiquitous presence in our lives whether we open a magazine, watch TV, stroll the toniest shopping streets around the world or amble through any department store.  For those of us who have been around longer than last season, so to speak, Michael can  sort of be summed up as an amalgam of Ralph Lauren, Halston, Zoran, Beene, Norell, Blass, Ellis  and many of Seventh Avenue’s greatest and most memorable designers; in simpler terms he is a result of what made New York a fashion power house. In a way he is extremely old school, and I say that in the most complimentary way and think that so many new designers could use a healthy dose of what was as opposed to the distorted vision they have of what it should be!

 

Where let’s say, Ralph Lauren  sold us the wasp lifestyle, Michael Kors transports the consumer to a time and ideal of a 21^st century jet setter lifestyle … slick, chic, soigne and cosmopolitan. He is an all American kind of guy who is a born and bred New Yorker whose legacy will be felt for years to come.

Let’s get inside the mind of Michael Kors!

 

What is the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?

ONE OF THEM IS THE CARTIER TANK WATCH I BOUGHT MYSELF WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I SPENT ALL THE MONEY I HAD SAVED UP DOING CARICATURES AT SWEET SIXTEENS AND BAT MITZVAHS. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.  IT CHANGED EVERYTHING I WORE, HOW I FELT ABOUT MYSELF AND HOW OTHER PEOPLE SAW

 What is your most sterling trait and what trait do you treasure most in your friendships?

LOYALTY. LEO’S ARE VERY LOYAL - MANY OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ARE LEO’S.

What is your bliss?

ICED TEA AND A BEACH

What is your guilty secret?

TABLOID TV

Where is your ideal home?

 ON A PRIVATE ISLAND FILLED WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

If you could not be a designer/retailer/etc.: what would you be

A BROADWAY PRODUCER

What is on your bedside table right now?

DIANA VREELAND MEMOS: THE VOGUE YEARS

What do you wear to bed?

BLACK MICHAEL KORS BRIEFS

What if any, book are you reading now or last read?

A STORY LATELY TOLD BY ANJELICA HUSTON

What’s your advice to the "newcomer?"

STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR VISION.

 Who or what is your inspiration/style icon?

MY PERSONAL STYLE ICON IS STEVE MCQUEEN. MY DESIGN STYLE ICON IS A MIX OF EVERYONE FROM JACKIE O. TO LAUREN HUTTON TO MY MOTHER.

What is the best advice you ever received?

STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE - PEOPLE WON’T TRUST YOU IF YOU AREN’T AUTHENTIC.

In 3 words or less, describe the current state of fashion.

 DEMOCRATIC AND FAST  

If you won a $200,000,000 power ball (lottery), what is the first thing you would buy or do?

I’D DONATE IT TO WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME OR GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER  

 If you could invite up to 4 people for dinner, who would they be…dead or alive?

  JACKIE ONASSIS, ANDY WARHOL, LUCILLE BALL AND MADONNA - ALL LEO’S!

What is your favorite movie /or movie star?

 I COULD WATCH FUNNY FACE WITH AUDREY HEPBURN A MILLION TIMES.

 Whose opinion do you value most and why?

  MY CUSTOMERS, BECAUSE THEIRS IS THE ONE THAT MATTERS MOST.

 What store or which designer do you most like to shop in or wear?

  I MOSTLY SHOP WHEN I TRAVEL; I LOVE THINGS THAT HAVE A STORY.  

What’s your take on magazines, books versus the internet?

PRINT ALL THE WAY.

  Do you have a dream collaborator?

  I WOULD’VE LOVED TO WORK WITH HALSTON.

 What is your crowning achievement thus far in your career?

I’VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE. EVERY AWARD IS UNIQUE IN ITS OWN WAY, FROM BEING AN INFLUENCER ON THE TIME 100 LIST TO RECEIVING THE GOLDEN HEART AWARD FROM GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER. THEY ALL MEAN SOMETHING TO ME.

What’s your music library like?

IT’S GOT A HUGE RANGE. EVERYONE FROM COLDPLAY TO CHER TO FRANK SINATRA.

What and where is your favorite meal?

A CHEESEBURGER FROM JG MELON