Nordstrom‘s ongoing New Concept series launched only last year, but it’s already seen partnerships with revered cult-like designers including Raf Simons and Helmut Lang. For its newest edition, Thom Browne has stepped up to the plate.
Concept 009: Thom Browne is a sharp 30-piece collection inspired by retro athletic gear. (Remember Armie Hammer as the Winklevoss Twins in The Social Network? It’s very that.) Browne’s signature collegiate uniform aesthetic is in top form but executed in a subtler manner that’s easier to integrate into everyday wear. There are plenty of tailored pieces, like blazers, ties, trousers, and fitted schoolboy shorts, as well as more casual spring options like printed swimsuits, bucket hats, and sweatpants. Accessories include a leather bag, a Dopp kit, and a branded towel.
“I have to say, I feel like collaborations are getting a little overdone, and the only times I ever even entertain the idea of collaboration is if it’s something that’s really interesting to me—and I think, in turn, interesting to the customer,” Browne said in a statement. “So, for me, it stands out in that it really is not a traditional collaboration; it’s a collaboration at a level that is a lot more intellectual and not purely commercial. The approach to this collaboration is done well and intelligently. It really elevates the collections within Nordstrom stores.”
The Nordstrom Concept 009: Thom Browne is available in select Nordstrom stores and online now. Check out more of the looks in action below.
Nordstrom kicks off the new season with the seventh installment of its Concepts initiative, Concept 007: BEAMS. This time around, the retailer partnered with the Japanese clothing brand on an exclusive range of apparel, accessories, and home goods. Additionally, off-shoots BEAM PLUS and BEAM T offer chunky knitwear and other fall necessities inspired by elite college merch. The new Concept also features items from New Balance, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Brooks Brothers.
“As New Concepts evolves, each iteration has become decidedly different from the last,” Sam Lobban, VP of men’s fashion, said in a statement. “BEAMS is both innovative and evergreen, embodying trends while remaining classic. The breadth of that offering is something American customers have not experienced in-store.”
Recent years have taken a drastic toll on the retail industry. One report estimates that over 7,500 stores across the United States will close by the end of the year. Beloved city institution Barneys New York has filed for bankruptcy. With new digital platforms and increasing dependence on technology that makes online shopping easier than ever before, traditional retail as we know it is in peril.
On the other hand, the menswear world is brimming with new life and potential. More people are tuned in to what’s happening with men’s fashion, and a new generation of industry figureheads like Virgil Abloh are directing the future of the fashion landscape as a whole—a sharp turn for a segment which, until recently, moved and evolved at only a fraction of the pace of its womenswear counterpart. The golden age of menswear is finally upon us.
This is where Sam Lobban, the vice president of men’s fashion at Nordstrom, comes in. With his expertise and decorated career, Lobban is helping bridge these worlds together for the future. “One of the most exciting things is how democratic menswear is, and how there are more eyes on it than ever before,” Lobban says. “There seems to be a recurring conversation about this period of real growth in menswear and how far more people are interested in it, which is all completely true. That in itself, by just having a huge amount of interest in the men’s scene, a huge amount of people want to buy into it and want to find out about new brands, new products, and new ideas, which means you can do lots of different things.”
Nike Men’s Store in the Nordstrom Men’s store in New York.
Born in London, Lobban got his earliest experience working at a men’s store when he was 15 years old. He later worked for Selfridges in London before helping launch Mr. Porter in 2011 and finally joined Nordstrom last year. It’s fair to say he’s seen both industries from every imaginable angle.
“One of the things that interested me in joining Nordstrom was [thinking about] what stories can we tell? Who can we partner with? What’s the branding? And I was super intrigued by what that meant in a physical and digital environment,” he shares. “How can you marry storytelling ideas in physical form and then marry that with digital content? I think that is the biggest difference between what I was doing there [at Mr. Porter] and what I’m doing here.”
During his first year at Nordstrom, Lobban oversaw the opening of the department store’s first menswear boutique in New York last April. The multi-level space captures the cultural demand of today, carrying a range of merchandise from high-profile designers like Comme des Garçons, Balenciaga, and Valentino alongside familiar brands like Vans, Converse, and Adidas. Everything works together to ensure a seamless experience for a variety of consumers.
Building this experience is Lobban’s main objective. He’s aware the customers today are hungry for more than just clothing when they walk into a store—they want a story. Rather than overwhelm visitors with options, he targets a specific audience with niche tactics.
The grooming department at Nordstrom Men’s in New York.
Earlier this year, Lobban launched the Concept initiative, a storewide series that highlights emerging and established talent and introduces new customers to influential designers. “The new Concept is a way for us to give our current customer base some new and compelling ideas and reasons to come into the store and interact with the business, but also a way for us to reach out to a new customer base,” he says.
The first Concept featured a curated range of extreme outerwear. Later editions include a temporary Dior takeover, a collaboration with Japanese publisher Printings. JP that curated a vintage selection of rare Helmut Lang and Raf Simons pieces, and a partnership with boutique streetwear store Union Los Angeles.
“It’s really important that there are multiple levels to what we are trying to do,” Lobban says about the success of the series. “I’m really interested in when a guy wants to come in and buy a $42 Union T-shirt, just because he thought the graphics were cool, [which is] great! But if a customer is interested in finding out some of the deeper layers of the storytelling, it’s important for my concepts that there are multi-faceted layers, and there’s a story to back it up.”
Rather than submit to the general trends of the industry, Lobban is interested in providing customers with an opportunity to explore beyond the mainstream—he’s aware that the shopping experience is multidimensional. So when it comes to the idea of a doomed retail industry, he’s not worried at all.
“Everyone’s talking about the speed of change, but change is the only constant thing in fashion. It’s faster than seasonal now, but it’s always moved, it’s always changed—that’s why I like it,” he says. “And everything is cyclical, so even if something is in a lull, everything comes back around.”
The dedicated Christian Louboutin section at Nordstrom Men’s in New York.
The third rollout of Nordstrom Men’s Concept series reintroduces seminal pieces from the archives of Raf Simons and Helmut Lang. Devised by VP of Men’s Fashion Sam Lobban, the Concept initiative was designed to highlight the best menswear finds from across the world, with the first edition launching back in January. The latest, Concept 003: printings.jp, was organized in partnership with Japanese publisher printings.jp, who also created a tw0-volume book set chronicling each designer’s influence.
Of course, then there’s the clothes. Some highlight resurrected pieces from Simons include a David Bowie tank top, a black printed fishtail parka, and a faded camouflage bomber. From Lang, there’s an orange leather jacket and a military-inspired utility vest, which has emerged as one of the years’ biggest trends. Better shop the collection now before it ends up on Grailed.
Concept 003: printings.jp will be open in the Nordstrom Men’s stores in New York, Downtown Seattle, Vancouver, and online until May 30th.
Today, Nordstrom Men’s New York store launches Concept 002: Dior, a unique in-store experience featuring a series of pop-up shops and introducing Dior‘s Summer ’19 capsule collection to the boutique. The collection features an assortment of pieces, including t-shirts and accessories, adorned with exclusive prints from American artist KAWS who updated the brand’s logo and bee motif. The initiative (overseen by Sam Lobban, Nordstrom VP Men’s Fashion) also includes a large 8-foot tall bee sculpture and black scaffolding inspired by the designer’s summer presentation in Paris last June. Since it’s the first collection presented by newly appointed creative director Kim Jones, Concept 002: Dior is sure to generate a lot of buzz.
Concept 002: Dior is open today at Nordstrom Men’s in New York and will land in the Seattle location tomorrow. Check out some of the available pieces below.
The hotly anticipated Nordstrom men’s store opens today near Columbus Circle. Spanning three floors, the expansive shop is a one-stop destination for the modern man’s every sartorial need.
The retailer carries luxury brands including Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, and Comme des Garçons, while offering exclusive product collaborations — upcoming ones include a Nike and Cole Haan. In the denim section, located on the ground floor, customers can purchase customized Levi’s jeans, opting to embellish their trousers with patches and other decorations. The basement houses a diverse shoe display, including a site-specific Christian Louboutin section (one of the few in the country) as well as popular sneaker selections from Vans, Converse, and Adidas. Business, fitness, party — footwear is covered.
The first floor also features a grooming station, stocked with carefully curated selection of products. Cult favorites like Kiehl’s and Jack Black, as well as smaller niche brands — the shop is currently the only site for Murdock London, a luxury grooming brand based in the UK. Planned on-site promotions include professional shaves and consultations, while travel-sized options are placed close to go for guys on the go. In another nearby nook, aesthetically-savvy tech is displayed — mainly speakers, headphones and other tablet accessories. Clearly this store aims to meet a flurry of lifestyle needs beyond fashion.
Other amenities the shop boasts include a coffeeshop with a liquor license — customers can purchase alcoholic beverages whilst perusing the racks, happy shopping!! — and same-day delivery open 24/7. Customers can literally buy items while half-asleep and send someone to pick them up in the middle of the night. The future is impulse buying is here. Good move, @Nordstrom.
Nordstrom NYC Men’s store is open now at 235 W 57th Street, NY 10019.
Nordstrom aims to amp up its high-fashion credibility through a new creative venture from Olivia Kim, vice president of Creative Projects at the retailer, that branches on its recurring Pop-In@Nordstrom program. KPOP-IN@Nordstrom is a volumizing, high-voltage mashup of Korea’s best design talent—a three-part series taking over global Nordstrom stores with fashion and beauty inspired by the East Asian nation. Launching in dramatic fashion, Korean eyewear company Gentle Monster, the experimental label known for envelope-pushing designs and equally jaw-dropping campaigns, joins Nordstrom’s crew as the first collaborative pop-up experience. Available in both the United States and Canada, the shops feature a unique look at six exclusive eyewear styles created specifically for the venture, a combination of glowing blue lenses, aviator styles, and frames of unrelenting architecture that usher in a burning summer appeal. The store itself features fabric walls and mirror accents, a desire to create conversation a focal point amongst the tipped scale-like structures within. Visitors also have the option to explore the Gentle Monster flagship stores in Shanghai and Seoul through 360, virtual reality video content produced specifically for the pop-up experience, wrapping together a complete experience of American mass retailing and Korean fashion influence.
A complete list of Pop-In@Nordstrom x Gentle Monster locations can be found online now.
American designer Todd Snyder just launched his namesake label’s secondary collection, White Label, exclusively at Nordstrom, featuring Savile Row tailoring and classic formalwear styles of suits, sport coats, dress shirts, and neckwear in contemporary patterns and cuts designed for the modern man. The centerpiece of the collection is the “Mayfair” suit, which features exquisite craftsmanship, as exhibited in its soft natural shoulders, canvas interlining, narrow lapels, and the herringbone-patterned felt beneath the collar. Other pieces, such as flannel chalk striped sport coats, similarly feature luxury trimmings and distinctive linings, utilizing fabrics sourced from the United Kingdom and Italy.
Image: Nordstrom.
Image: Nordstrom.
Image: Nordstrom.
The entire collection will be available at the Nordstrom Men’s Shop in select Nordstrom stores and online.
Volley—Australia’s go-to shoe brand for tennis pro’s down under—has landed closer to home with its recent U.S. site launch. Volley’s offerings combine the necessary grip and support of a sports shoe with a stylish and sleek versatility, making them equally as stylish both on and off the court. The high and low top options, as well as the neutral color palette—which ranges from classic black, white and navy, to burgundy and cognac—has gained the 75-year-old original tennis shoe label some street cred with rockstars, models, and anyone else in the trendy shoe crowd. If scoring the Aussie-born footwear online doesn’t sound appealing, Volley’s affordable Fall collection is also available at Nordstrom, and Urban Outfitters. We, unfortunately, can’t promise they will improve your tennis skills.
Our friends at Richer Poorer continue their fine work with all American brand Union Thread for a new capsule collection of socks that are made in the USA. And yes, that’s a good thing, but even better is that Richer Poorer has once again come up with the kinds of original, bold looking designs that have put these sock makers are the top of our favorite designer list. Yup. Sock makers. Who’d have thunk? The socks will go for $20 starting on November 1st at Kitson (LA), South Moon Under (all locations), select Nordstrom locations and on richer-poorer.com.
Joseph Abboud can be credited with more than just refined tailored clothing with the introduction of its Made-to-Measure app for the iPad. Indeed, Joseph Abboud is also about refining and improving how shopping is done. In conjunction with partner Nordstrom, the app allows you to browse a full range of fabrics, styles and silhouettes as well as to create a completely personalized look by mixing and matching details like lapels, pockets and vents. The app will directly send your order to their factory, sparing everyone the slow drum of a middle man, and holds on to a record of what you’ve created, in turn, helping you to refine your own look.
