MAN OF THE WEEK

Under WaterWhile getting attention with a capital A for his in-pool exploits of late, Ryan Lochte’s style sense is far from golden. Page MW7

PLUS:Pierre Cardin returns to the Paris men’s wear calendar at the Tranoï trade show. Page MW7

MILAN WRAP-UP

Sportswear, SeparatesAre the Key ItemsFor Stores This SpringRetailers at the Milan shows were also attracted to the loose fabrics and beautiful colors on the runways.

June 28, 2012

by WWD Staff MILAN — The shows here further boosted the confidence of international men’s wear buyers, delivering a range of strong, modern, summery, colorful and print-heavy collections.

“I think the message is clear that sports-wear and separate jackets are driving busi-ness, apart from knits and wovens. There was a very strong presentation on tailoring, but it was decidedly more focused on separates,” said Tom Kalenderian, executive vice presi-dent and general merchandise manager of men’s wear at Barneys New York. Designers were focusing on putting forward collections that differentiate spring from fall, he noted.

“Designers used the runway to speak to the lightness of fabrics, beautiful colors, especially blues, every shade from navy to sapphire to a beautiful Mediterranean Capri blue or a brighter Yves Klein blue; blue is by far the most important color.”

“A very nice week, very fresh, a real sum-mer season full of color, with touches of humor,” echoed Tancrède de Lalun, gmm for men’s and women’s apparel at Printemps. “The spring man is an elegant playboy of sorts, who wants to wear a nice jacket, beau-tiful shoes…”

“Designers are taking chic to another level, infusing sophisticated color pair-ings in sportswear and clothing. Gucci was a great example of this. The terrific styling of the show demonstrated how a man can wear such bold color or prints in a strong and masculine way,” commented Matthew Singer, men’s fashion director, Neiman Marcus Stores, Neiman Marcus Direct and Bergdorf Goodman. “Color continues to be a driving force for men. The bright colors are very exciting, especially in pants.”

Other key spring colors included Bordeaux, red, tobacco brown, pine green and mustard.

“I think Milan is moving in a very mod-ern direction, which I like. Traditionally, Milan has been more classically oriented and I see it really moving ahead with exper-imental tailoring, it has a really modern feel right now to me,” said Eric Jennings, men’s fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, who mentioned the bomber jacket among key items for spring.

Prints were rife, as were metallics, which surfaced on everything from shirts and out-erwear to accessories, though retailers ex-pect the shiny trend will take a year or two to trickle down to guys on the street.

David Wakely, divisional merchandise manager of men’s wear for Lane Crawford, found the Milan season full of theater and

{Continued on page MW6}PHOTO BY MARLEEN DANIELS

BY A NECK The men’s wear shows have moved to the French capital, a showcase for designers from Japan, America, Belgium and beyond. Here, Dries Van Noten gingerly adjusts

a collar on a model at his Antwerp, Belgium headquarters. For a look inside more studios as designers prepare their spring collections, see pages MW4 and MW5.

Men’s Week

Balenciaga

MW2 WWD Thursday, June 28, 2012

by KATYA FOREMAN

PARIS — Five years after launch-ing his brand, Damir Doma has opened his first flagship situated on an intimate courtyard off of the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

Framed by Burberry, Brunello Cucinelli and Comme des Garçons boutiques, the three-story site, which is accessible by a set of stone steps, measures about 2,000 square feet.

“The idea was to give the feel of a Parisian building that has been gutted,” said architect Rodney Eggleston, who juxta-posed “typically Parisian” details such as sections of aged parquet flooring, with industrial elements — exposed concrete walls, sus-pended brass clothing rails and black, burnished plaster walls.

Striking features include a ceil-ing of aged mirrored squares, each with silver partially eroded away at the back to allow light to pass through, as well as a stacked trav-ertine marble platform running along one wall, which serves as a table for bags, shoes, jewelry and knitwear. The ground floor has a roomy changing room behind a long leather curtain, and a small seating area, both near the cash wrap.

A monumental staircase made from artfully stacked slabs of trav-ertine marble connects the levels.

“The idea was to try to trans-late some of the main elements of my work into the store’s de-sign, working with oppositions; working with precious things, but at the same time being very raw and pure,” Doma said dur-ing an interview at the store in the run-up to the opening.

The project came around a little faster than expected, he said. “We were planning to open a store in the near future, but didn’t expect it to happen this quickly. The location came up and we had to jump on it. It’s great for us to be next to Comme des Garçons, I think we share a lot of clients and a similar philosophy,” he said.

Men’s and women’s clothing is presented together on the store’s first and second floors, along with pieces from the brand’s diffusion line, Silent by Damir Doma.

Doma said the top floor would be used as a private space for clients, and also to showcase spe-cial collaborations exclusive to the store. An eyewear line with Mykita is planned for September, for instance. The designer will also create special garments for the boutique and is working on a scent project with Givaudan’s Antoine Maisondieu.

Doma said he wants the store to serve as a template for poten-tial retail partners. He hopes to open two stores in Asia next year.

The Damir Doma brand is jointly owned by Doma and Paper Rain SA, a Paris-based company that bills itself as an incubator and management company specializ-ing in luxury fashion and design.

In June 2011, Paper Rain ap-pointed former longtime LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton ex-ecutive James Greenfield as man-aging director of its Paris-based

luxury and accessories division, in charge of the Damir Doma as well as the company’s Silent and Côte & Ciel brands. Paper Rain also appointed Carlo Zollo as commercial director for Doma’s men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections.

“It was a big boost for us,” said Doma. “We are growing from a design company into a real brand, and it’s not easy for me to manage all this. Designing is one thing, but designing a company is another. I am learning so much about management from James.”

Doma, 31, was born in Croatia and grew up in Germany. His mother, Zdenka Doma, owns a tex-tile factory near Lake Chiemsee in southern Germany and develops most of the brand’s woven sam-ples. The collection is produced in Italy. Doma’s sister, Dorotea, de-signs the brand’s jewelry.

Declining to disclose sales figures, Doma said men’s, with which he started out, is still slightly stronger, though wom-en’s, introduced for fall 2010, is quickly catching up.

by JEAN E. PALMIERI

HIPSTER FAVORITE Freemans Sporting Club has opened a bespoke studio at its New York City flagship.

The 1,000-square-foot spot is tucked away at the end of Freeman Alley, off Rivington Street, between Chrystie and Bowery, and accessed by walking through the company’s restaurant, Freemans, and up a flight of stairs hidden behind a faux bookcase.

The shop, FSC Bench-Made Bespoke Studio, opened with little fanfare earlier this month after being tested for six months, and produces custom clothing on-site that retails for $3,950 and up. The by-appoint-ment-only shop boasts five full-time in-house bench tailors, seven sewing stations and two cutting tables. The operation is overseen by Alex Young, studio director, and master tailor Felix Aybar, who previously worked for Giorgio Armani and Tom Ford.

The bespoke offering comple-ments the off-the-rack suits sold in the main store. Those suits are manufactured by Martin Greenfield in Brooklyn and sell for $1,800 to $2,400. The street-level store also sells sportswear and accessories and has a barber shop in the rear.

“We’re trying to evolve the brand,” said Kent Kilroe, Freemans managing director. “And we were fortunate to find an amazing tailor, which encouraged us to bring anoth-er level to our quality and service.”

Freemans, which is owned by the restaurateur Taavo Somer, who also serves as creative direc-tor, and his partners Kilroe and William Tigertt, has built its repu-tation on offering products made in America by skilled artisans.

Each bespoke suit takes around 60 hours of labor to pro-duce. Customers will be fitted four times, and a custom suit will be

produced to their specifications in around 12 weeks. Three “posture photographs” are also taken of each customer so any issues that could impact the fit of the suit can be addressed, according to Young.

The finished suit will include a personalized label with the cus-tomer’s name and the date it was completed. Young said he hopes to eventually get the completion time down to six weeks, and possibly four.

In addition to suits, Freemans Bespoke also offers custom dress shoes from Allen Edmonds, a col-lection of vintage timepieces curat-ed by Hodinkee, and bespoke belts, wallets and bags from AE McAteer.

“The focus of the room is all about the environment,” said Young. “It’s like a private store. People can come up here from the restaurant with a cocktail to be fitted. In fact, we encourage late-night visits.”

The company’s West Village location on Bleecker Street has also installed a bespoke depart-ment, Young said, and eventually Freemans would like to offer the service at its San Francisco store as well. “We haven’t found a tailor we’re happy with,” said Young.

In fact, finding skilled tailors was perhaps the biggest challenge when deciding to take the plunge into custom, but Freemans was able to find workers that fit the bill. “When we made the investment of money and time, we were worried whether we’d be able to keep them busy,” said Kilroe. “But they’re making eight to 10 suits a month now, and we’d like them to make 20 or 30.” The Bleecker Street store is producing four to five suits a month.

Somer said he hopes to further expand the Freemans franchise by looking into the Japanese mar-ket next year, and he also hopes to open additional stores on the West Coast.

Damir Doma Opens Paris Boutique

The bespoke shop is located above Freemans restaurant.

The Paris store, here and below, features typical

Parisian elements.

City of Light(s)The men’s shows kicked off in Paris with designers showing looser

and less rigid silhouettes inspired by classic men’s shapes.

Balenciaga: A looser, easier silhouette took shape this season, bringing to mind the dandy style of Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto in the Eighties. Long, boxy coats had kimono-sleeve construction, some in unlined silk seersucker fabric. Roomy too were long shorts and an elongated tailored jacket. It was a confident new step for the brand into the men’s arena. Artsy touches included optical motifs on T-shirts, a tropical flower print and vibrant Tamara de Lempicka colors to enliven the stark black, white and gray.

Mugler: Why an undersea theme for Nicola Formichetti?

Because Mugler’s digital-savvy creative director — prone to live-streaming and crowdsourcing — decided to go offline this season and “under the sea is the only place we can’t have Wi-Fi,” he laughed. He and men’s wear designer Romain Kremer brought in a new tailoring team and honed in on fundamentals — jackets, pants and shirts — “without being too extreme,” as Formichetti put it. Although the gill-like slashes and jutting fins were outré, his suits had a taut, muscular presence. And the theme worked swimmingly for graphic scuba tops and sleek

trenchcoats in sea foam green or oil-slick black.

Hardy Amies: For the British label’s Paris debut, creative director Claire Malcolm mined the late Hardy Amies’ style and the rarefied world that Cecil Beaton chronicled — from the Thirties through to the Sixties. But her appealing lineup of sharp, single-breasted suits looked modern, not retro, in shades of white, royal blue and navy, particularly when a printed parka was tossed over. Prints nodded to times past, such as a faded geometric motif on light cotton shirts and a kaleidoscopic ice blue and white print done on a tuxedo jacket.

Freemans Adds Bespoke Studio

Mugler Hardy Amies

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Men’s WeekMW4 WWD THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

HOMME FRONT PARIPierr

GREAT FIT WITH AMI’S ALEXANDRE MATTIUSSI. PARIS MATCH AT CHRTWO STEPS AT DAMIR DOMA.

GONE FISHING WITH KIM JONES AT LOUIS VUITTON.DOUBLE VISION AT VIKTOR & ROLF.

PACKED AND READY TO GO AT KRIS VAN ASSCHE.

WILD AT HEART AT MAIS

Subhead

Men’s Week MW5WWD thursday, june 28, 2012

PARIS — From a sea of luxury nauticalwear at Louis Vuitton to Space-Age chic courtesy of Pierre Cardin, an eclectic lineup is in store for Paris Men’s Fashion Week. — Laurent Folcher

Paris Match at christoPhe leMaire.

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seeinG red at Jean Paul Gaultier. John Galliano’s three aMiGos.

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Men’s Week

Retailers Respond to Modern Milan

MW6 WWD THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

surprise. “There has been a sense of confi-dence that was not evident in previous sea-sons. From the return of Jil Sander showing a collection of bold color and graphics, the sophistication of Burberry Prorsum’s sharp tailoring and metallics, to the showman-ship of Dolce & Gabbana’s Sicilian boys and Versace’s gladiators, there is much excite-ment, with men’s wear more playful than before. Men are dressing up and showing off,” he said.

Jil Sander, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Burberry Prorsum, Emporio Armani, Bottega Veneta, Belfast, Z Zegna and Trussardi were among the collections that received wide praise from buyers.

Several of them applauded Sander’s debut effort back in the driver’s seat of her namesake brand. “I thought the runway was very modern and showed a definite power of this designer coming back into control of the brand,” said Barneys’ Kalenderian. “Going to the showroom, looking at the clothes up close, I thought that the fabrics were exquisite and there was a definite change in production, especially for the tai-lored clothing, where she upgraded product and silhouette and feel, the level of luxury is superb.”

Prada’s collection was equally as im-pressive, he said. “The textiles you saw on the runway were actually natural, it’s a dou-ble cotton, with a double-face construction, it had so much body and a soft, cashmere touch. The conceptual appearance was very modern and graphic, the clothes are very luxurious.…This was, I think, a very good example of Prada at its best.”

Here’s more of what buyers had to say:

Toby baTeMan, buying direcTor, MrPorTer.coMSound off: “It was the first season that I man-aged to stay out of the bar at the Principe and I am very happy for it. I could see the collections particularly clearly this season.” Trendspotting: “Double-breasted suits and jackets remain a key trend. Trousers are slim, for the most part, and were often fin-ished a little short with a turned-up ankle. Otherwise, we saw trousers with pleats, and tapered at the hem. The ‘short’ suit is definitely here (both on and off the run-way). Silk fabrications were evident, which goes hand-in-hand with the opulence of the continuing prints trend. In formalwear, we saw tuxedos of all varieties being shown in black and white, of wool and silk. The Fifties seemed to be an inspiration for the color palette and the shapes we saw.”

david Wakely, dMM of Men’S Wear, lane craWfordSound off: “The overall mood in men’s wear right now is one of confidence and positiv-ity. There are lots of commercial looks to get behind, which will allow us to present the best offer for men’s wear.…In terms of brand mix and offer, we’re looking for ex-clusivity and uniqueness, newness for our fashion savvy Asian market.”Trendspotting: “Modern tailoring was key — whether the…34-length sleeveless topcoats at Jil Sander or the neat, slim suiting at Neil Barrett and Burberry Prorsum. The double-breasted blazer has been reinter-preted differently, which is refreshing.”

ToM kalenderian, execuTive vice PreSidenT and gMM of Men’S Wear, barneyS neW yorkTrendspotting: “A lot of the trends were driven by cloth, a lot of cloth development and dou-ble-faced fabrics. Unlined is an important trend in outerwear and tailoring. Contrast color. And in shirting there’s quite a bit of print. They’re either micro designs that remind you of Macclesfield or Spitalfields designs from textile mills, or you see big splashes of pattern in a floral motif.”

Tancrède de lalun, general Merchan-diSe Manager for Men’S and WoMen’S aPParel, PrinTeMPS Trendspotting: “For shoes, the slipper or tas-seled moccasin, often worn with summer socks. Prints were major, with allover prints and a lot of kinetic designs.”

Jeffrey kalinSky, execuTive vice PreSidenT of deSigner MerchandiSing, nordSTroMSound off: “Spring ’13 feels optimistic. Our customers are asking for more brands and bolder fashion, so spring will be a great sea-son for us, and our budgets will be bigger.”Trendspotting: “Lots of bold colors anchored in white or khaki. Military green also looked beautiful. Safari jackets were plen-tiful, usually in classic linen. Voluminous shorts (and shorts in general) were every-where in all fabrications, even leather.”

eric JenningS, Men’S faShion direcTor, SakS fifTh avenueTrendspotting: “Almost every kind of print, whether it’s florals, tropical, little medal-lion prints, chinoiserie, exploded tropical. Footwear is another hot topic right now. The brogue continues, but it’s not your fa-ther’s brogue. There are many variations — mixed media, casual, dressy. Then there’s

soft footwear, going from basketweaves and plays on the espadrille, to mesh, per-foration and color. Color in footwear is very strong. The sneaker seems to be mak-ing a return to the catwalk this season and Salvatore Ferragamo just nailed it.”

MaTTheW Singer, Men’S faShion direc-Tor, neiMan MarcuS SToreS, neiMan MarcuS direcT and bergdorf goodManSound off: “Despite the temperature being a little too warm at times, the energy was high and the vibe positive.”Trendspotting: “Prints, with a focus on shirts. Short-sleeve is going to be important for us. Loving the lightweight blouson for next season, it’s a retro style done in a modern way. In accessories, it’s definitely in soft constructed bags and portfolios.”

Tiziana cardini, faShion direcTor, la rinaScenTeSound off: “It was a good week, all shows were interesting from a design standpoint and were a guidance for the market. The collections were classy, yet with an easy style, they veered either toward formalwear with a sense of ease, or sportswear with a sense of elegance and luxury, which is what the Made in Italy production is all about.”Trendspotting: “Color, which showed an en-ergetic attitude, a positive response to the moment. New proportions for suits, with short double-breasted jackets and short, tight pants or Bermuda shorts.”

kevin harTer, vice PreSidenT of faShion for Men’S and hoMe for blooMingdale’SSound off: “The Milan collections will really resonate with our Bloomingdale’s customers.”Trendspotting: “It was all about beauti-ful color palettes and textured fabrics. Garment dying, sun-faded patterns and in-digo treatments all played a role. We see a bigger push on some trends that we are cur-rently having success with: double-breasted blazers, printed batik wovens and linen-cot-ton blends all played a role. Also the infu-sion of active-inspired looks in many collec-tions will be a big opportunity for us.”

darren Skey, head of Men’S Wear, harvey nicholSSound off: “Usually, when you see Milan and then you see Paris, Paris is the more exciting of the two. But there was some really good theater this year in Milan — especially from Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. Burberry Prorsum has been quite sedate over the past seasons, but we saw some really great colors coming down the catwalk, as well as

lots of strong metallic. Neil Barrett was re-ally strong, especially the varsity jackets, cool baseball tops and an off-white tuxedo at the end. And we loved McQueen. It was absolutely beautiful — the best collection in the past two to three years. They have re-ally elevated it, and it’s one of the strongest brands at the store. We loved the embroidery and the dragonfly tuxedo.”Trendspotting: “Shorts on the catwalk for work and play and with tailored jackets. Blousons and bombers — we saw some beau-tiful blousons from Prorsum — and lots of cropped trousers. One trend is worrying for me — sandals and socks. I think it’s tongue in cheek, a play on the look. I think sandals on their own will work, though. Footwear on the catwalks was really strong this season.”

JaSon broderick, gMM of Men’S Wear and WaTcheS, harrodSSound off: “We thought it was a very strong season with great collections from Ermenegildo Zegna and Gucci. Both showed a more masculine man and more consumer-friendly collections. We loved Fendi and we thought McQueen was outstanding.”Trendspotting: “Minimalism was quite impor-tant, and we saw very clean looks from Jil Sander and Prada; pastels, neon, and san-dals to complement all the shorts.”

roSy biffi, oWner of biffi bouTique, MilanSound off: “Except for a few shows, I had the impression that the collections were a bit too fashion-forward for market taste. All the companies gave their best in terms of re-search and professional expertise, but some-times they failed to meet buyers’ needs.”Trendspotting: “Double-breasted jackets, slim fits, revisited classics. “

adaM kelly, buying Manager of Men’S deSigner, forMal and acceSSorieS, SelfridgeSSound off: “I was quite excited about Milan — it was a good week. Milan is kind of back. The fashion and trends of today suit Milan — in the sense that there is a lot of simplic-ity, and the print angle lends itself to brands like Gucci. It was about futuristic moderni-ty, simple in its aesthetic. Our budgets are not decreasing, and will increase where relevant.”Trendspotting: “Metallics — I wasn’t expect-ing them, and I don’t know where they came from. Constructed satin and silk jackets and trousers, and printed jackets, shirts and trousers. Modernity — the clothes were about now and about the future.”

{Continued from page MW1}

Gucci Jil SanderBurberry Prorsum

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Men’s Week WWD THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 MW7

Cardin’s Paris Homecoming

Pierre Cardin tries to push the boundaries with his new collection.by JEAN E. PALMIERI

IT’S NOT EASY being number one — just ask Luke Donald.

The top-ranked professional golfer has traded the lead spot with Rory McIlroy a couple of times over the past three months and knows that retaining the top world ranking can be elusive.

“There is pressure,” the Englishman admitted during a per-sonal appearance at Ralph Lauren’s New York City flagship last week. “As number one, more is expected of you and there are more demands on your time. People expect you to per-form well — and I expect me to per-form well. But you can only control what you can control, put in the time and hopefully it pays off. It’s about managing expectations.”

Donald, who didn’t make the cut of the recent U.S. Open, was planning to take a couple of weeks off before defending his title at the upcoming Scottish Open at Castle Stuart next month followed by the British Open the following week. Then there’s the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, and the PGA Championship in South Carolina in August. “It’s a long run of events,” he said with a smile.

“I came off a disappointing week at the U.S. Open where I didn’t play well,” he admitted. “But I’ve still had a pretty solid year. I’ve won twice and it got me back to number one over Rory. So it’s been a good year, but there’s still a lot left and the chance to achieve more victories, even one of the majors.”

Despite his success — which included the top spot on the PGA Tour money list last year — Donald has never won a major, something McIlroy has managed to achieve.

Donald said that although the two are rivals, they’re “friendly off course. I don’t call him up to go out for dinner, but we’re very cordial. But we still want to beat each other. We’re fierce competitors and both work hard to get to the next level.”

Although McIlroy has been the biggest threat to Donald’s number-one ranking, he said that any num-ber of competitors are capable of moving to the top. “There really isn’t one guy who’s ahead of everyone else like Tiger [Woods] was at his peak,” he said. “The top 20 guys are all very close so it’s gratifying for me to stay on top for close to a year now.”

Donald was in New York to fete the debut of the first RLX golf shop and joined designer Ralph Lauren for cocktails at the Rhinelander Mansion to toast the opening. He also signed autographs for fans the fol-lowing morning. The appearance served to introduce a limited-edition Luke Donald RLX golf shirt created by Lauren to benefit The First Tee, a charity that pro-vides educational programs designed to build char-

acter and instill values into young people through the game of golf. All the net proceeds from the sale of the shirts benefitted the charity.

Donald said he got involved with the organization “a few years back” through his former sponsor, Royal Bank of Scotland. “I got a taste for it.” And today, he hosts an annual event in Chicago, his adopted home town, to raise funds for the local af-filiate of the group. “It was not doing well and could have gone under,” he said. “I’ve lived in Chicago for 15 years and thought I could have an impact and help resurrect it.”

He said that what attracted him to the First Tee is the chance to “help kids who don’t have the op-portunity to play.” He knows that he was fortunate to be able to join a golf club in the U.K. when he was just nine years old and that had a major impact on his life.

He also appreciates the opportunity to be dressed by Ralph Lauren for nearly a decade. “I signed with them in 2003, one year after I turned pro,” he said. “It’s been a great fit and allows me to surround myself with a premier brand. Ralph Lauren is an icon in the world of fashion.”

Donald said that although Ralph Lauren is American, his sensibility — and his ubiquitous polo logo — “has its roots in England.” In addition, by being an ambassador for the upper-end performance line RLX, Donald is able to indulge his “love of fashion and more European style. It’s got a slimmer cut and is more sporty,” he said. I’m just fortunate that they think I’m the right guy for RLX. I love the brand and all my com-petitors are jealous that I get to wear it. It makes me look good and when you look good, you play good.”

Donald Steps It Up for Ralph, First Tee

by JOELLE DIDERICH

PARIS — Pierre Cardin has a fellow innovator to thank for his return to the Paris men’s wear calendar this season.

Armand Hadida, artistic director of the Tranoï trade show and owner of the chain of L’Eclaireur concept stores, has invited the Space Age couturier to show on July 1 at the Palais de la Bourse during the fair.

Cardin said the collection was based on belted and sleeveless jackets, in line with his lifelong fascination with futuristic silhouettes.

“Given my age and my long career, I did not want to show just well-made, classical clothes,” the designer told WWD. “I’m interested in creating, in pushing the boundar-ies of fashion, in being ahead of my time, even if I get crit-icized for it. If people don’t like it, that’s not a problem.”

Since his first Cylinder men’s collection, shown on 250 French students in 1960, Cardin has defied the conventions of men’s wear, while simultaneously building an empire with licensed goods including classic suits, shirts and ties.

In his Paris store at 27 Avenue Marigny, conservative navy suits are displayed alongside a red vinyl bomber jacket sprouting black rubber tubes. Cardin, who turns 90 next month, is confident his avant-garde designs will be understood in time.

“Everything I did 20 or 30 years ago is selling now. You might say I won’t be around in 20 years, so it doesn’t really matter,” he added with a laugh.

The last time Cardin showed men’s designs in Paris was for his 60th anniversary retrospective in September 2010.

Hadida said the aim of the Tranoï show was to intro-duce the designer to a younger generation of buyers and journalists, adding that Cardin would also show his wom-en’s collection during the fall edition of the trade event, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

“There is nothing commercial about my approach,” Hadida said. “Pierre Cardin has so much to say. He is like a fashion bible — he’s completely impervious to age.”

Indeed, Cardin’s latest project is a folly that will likely dwarf his previous achievements. On Sept. 24, he is due to attend a ceremony laying the first stone of his Palais Lumière, or Light Palace, a 790-foot high tower to be built on 125 acres of reclaimed industrial land, owned by the designer, on the border of the Venice lagoon.

“I can hardly believe it myself, it’s so unexpected,” said Cardin, noting construction should be completed by 2015, in time for the Universal Exposition in Milan, which by then should be linked to Venice by a high-speed train.

“It will have 10 restaurants, four cinemas, 50 lifts, 2,000 parking spaces, 1,400 apartments and 300 hotel rooms, in addition to a helipad,” he said. “It’s a habit-able sculpture.”

Cardin is also planning a party in the fall at his Palais Bulles near Cannes, which is the subject of a coffee table book written by his right-hand man Jean-Pascal Hesse, scheduled to be published by Assouline in September.

Hadida, meanwhile, said he was in talks with an in-ternational hotel chain to take his Royal L’Eclaireur store concept worldwide. A cross between an art gallery, hotel suite and store, the original store opened a year ago at the Royal Monceau hotel in Paris.

“It’s the link between the heritage of the store and what stores will look like in the future,” said Hadida. “It’s also very complementary with our e-business sales.”

The retailer said he expected e-commerce to account for about 20 percent of total sales by the end of 2013, and was also looking for locations to open stand-alone L’Eclaireur stores in the U.S.PH

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Man of THE WEEK

The swimmer has taken Michael Phelps to task at this week’s Olympic trials and is expected to heat up the pool in London. But when it comes to his fashion choices, he’s drowning in bad decisions. He may have been going for a sophisticated “The Great Gatsby”-style look but with his beefy new physique, the white tuxedo jacket makes him look more like a Chippendales’ dancer. It’s sartorial suicide.

RYAN LOCHTE: C+

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Luke Donald in the RLX golf shop.

The shop offers a selection of

golf apparel and accessories.

His hair is obviously fried from the chlorine. A Kérastase leave-in hair mask would go

a long way to repair his pot-scrubber locks.

The bow tie is perfectly hand-tied — thank the fashion gods he didn’t go for a clip-on.

A hidden placket tuxedo shirt would have been more appropriate, but that’s the least of his problems.

He’s busting out of his jacket. Get a bigger size.

It looks like a clergyman’s stole. It’s a pity to let someone dress you who doesn’t know

what they’re doing. Tuck the scarf inside the jacket or leave it back at the room.

A black jacket would have been a lifesaver.

Unless he’s timing himself in the 400 individual medley, there is no need for this style of watch

at a formal event. If the shirt cuff were showing, it might cover it, but alas, no.

The pants fit him well and are not too flowy.

The shoes are so precious they’re annoying. If you’re desperate for tuxedo slippers, make sure they’re not embroidered.

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