WELCOME TO FASHION AS A 2ND LANGUAGE: ARE YOU FLUENT?

FA2L is for anyone who cares about beautiful things–clothing, shoes, accessories, home furnishings–and the interconnected tribes of those who make, sell, market and desire them. If something speaks to you, buy it now or hold your peace: there are links in each story, so the item you want is just a click away. I'd like to hear from you, too: please view my profile, use the email button and send me your comments. –MG

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Kesner, New York: A Store–and Refuge–For Men





Even men who don't like to shop will find bliss at Kesner, in Manhattan's West Village. Its owners, half-brothers Philip Silverman and Matthew Simon, named it after their grandfather, Alfred Kesner–and this nod to the past perfectly illustrates the shop's modus operandi. Kesner offers a sharply-focused, well-edited selection of men's clothing, accessories and grooming products that go beyond classics with the proverbial twist. Novices and dandies alike will appreciate its combination of old-school traditional and new skool contemporary, presented in a handsome, masculine setting. For the truly shy–or truly famous–there's even a plush, upholstered room for private fittings, complete with a well-stocked bar.

Thomas Trube, Kesner's Director of Operations, says that Fall's lineup includes Alexander Olch's sharp ties; jewelry by tenthousandthings; shoes by Schmoove; the debut of Caulfield Prep clothing; as well as pieces from the collections of Burkman Bros., Gossuin, Jean Paul Gaultier and Neil Barrett, among others. We suggest you begin your Fall shopping now (and, if you're out east, that you visit Kesner's new store on Jobs Lane in Southampton). Let the smart salesmen offer suggestions–they want to help you hone a personal style, rather than drown you in uncomfortable clothes. Times are tough, yes, but looking good is still the best revenge.

www.kesner-ny.com

Photographs by Anthony Philip Festa
www.anthonyphilipfesta.com
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