Simply For You

"What you see is not what you get"

I recently ran across Umit Benan's self titled first collection and what met me in concept and form was simply beautiful. When he first moved to New York, Benan shockingly found that on many occasions he was barred entry into his own apartment complex and refused service in many high end boutiques. Apparently it seems, judging a book by its front cover is quite the status quo, indeed once Benan had shaved off his slightly scruffy beard, he found to his surprise that his woes seemed to vanish along with it.

Outward appearance played the key role and central inspiration for Umit Benan's menswear line. The clothing was purposely given a rough and aged look, conjuring up the notion of aged finery, no doubt like the man himself. The garments were deceptively crafted using only the highest end fabrics, from cashmere to fine combed cotton. Yet the elegance of these finishes were hidden, only for the wearers' pleasure, on the interior of the garment. There is something about clothing made in such a way, for the owners' delight, that I find greatly appealing and in its very sense, intrinsic to my love of fashion.

Reversing many of the fabrics allowed Benan to give his clothing a slightly rougher and unkempt look, whilst still using the highest qualities of fabric and construction. In essence the clothing is made primarily for the owner, the delicate and fine fabrics for them, with the otherwise hidden side proudly on display. Interestingly however, far from making the collection simply seem like inverted clothing, the quality this decision gave was of a warmer, and arguably more accessible tone to the clothing. For me this collection is of classic tailoring and high quality garments, made for the joyous appreciation of the owner, yet most importantly, made to be worn.

Currently playing: Entourage - Omarion

xxxx