Ready-to-Wear vs Custom-Made

Fashion Week is over here in NYC, and everywhere, the press has been full of stories on the state of the industry, the price of the clothes and how to give the industry, especially at the high end, a jolt.

Debate over price point, $800.00 for a dress is considered by some to be to “low end” for “high end” according to an interview in the NYT with Vera Wang, while Thakoon shows off $100.00 a yard fabric that he plans to use for a dress that will wind up at about 2000.00 in the stores.

Me, I think this is pretty impressive, considering he has to make that dress, pay for all the materials (There is a lot of draping this season=more fabric) & notions (trims, buttons, zippers etc) plus the highly skilled sewers needed to make something that will merit that price and then, add his markup, covering fixed and variable costs, and allowing for some profit (this should also include an allowance for buy backs & charge backs) plus carrying costs, since he will probably have to wait between 90 - 120 days to get paid. All this, for about 1/3rd of that estimated retail price.

On the other hand, in Thursdays’ style section was a feature “The Bodysuit Electric” featuring a $2300.00 ready-to-wear YSL strapless leather 1980’s style bodysuit, and all the different ways you can wear it. (Unfortunately all too 1980's derived) It is a hot, sexy garment, but why would you buy this as RTW? Even in the editorial you can see that the model will fall out of it the second she spontaneously raises an arm. A great piece, but a piece of this sort screams out to be custom-made. And when you consider the investment, it should to be custom-made.

What do you think, RTW vs Custom-Made?
Why and for what would you make the choice, or not, to go Custom-Made?

Or even Made-to-Order? (Usually an existing style, but adjusted to suit, usually within a specified size range.)

Other reads:
Wall Street Journal - various articles on Luxury
Forbes

There is a ton more out there, but my brain is a bit fried from the last week. I need a break!

Runway (!) Image Credit
There are some really fabulous photos here, Enjoy!

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Ready-to-Wear vs Custom-Made

Ephemeral and Eternal

The view this evening:











It is beyond my ability to describe the feelings that fill my heart when I see these lights. They are simply, to me, the most beautiful and fitting memorial to all who died on 9/11/01 and to all who have fought for us and all who have died since.

The Skyline is like a hazy glimmer of what could be the best in us. A once and future dream if you will. I hope we will reach it.

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Ephemeral and Eternal

Rick Owens' Real Aesthetics

I had to post this, the first part a great interview with Rick Owens that I found here, On The Business of Fashion. Part two is on youtube.

I have known about Rick Owens since the late 80's. A roommate of mine was good friend of Michelle Lamy, who he lived with at the time, in LA. I was always hearing about the clothes he was designing. (We've probably been designing for the same amount of time.) So over the years I've always followed his work and have always held a great deal of admiration for it, especially as a fellow designer who works in leather. In this interview, I realize that we share a lot as far as our feelings about fashion, the industry and working in it. His POV, is both practical and realistic and he doesn't buy into all the BS that we are bombarded with constantly.



I love that he jettisoned his press office, and the reason why. I love, love, love his kind of aggravated comment on the cv's & "collages" he sees all the time.

"Everyone wants to be a designer, what I need is older people who know how to make the stuff"

I could not have said it better myself. Bravo!

(Case in point is a dear friend who gave up teaching her Senior's course in American Couture at FIT. Because FIT does not teach them enough construction to either make or differentiate between 4 types of buttonholes. How shameful of FIT.)

I love that Rick Owens has stayed so true to himself over the years and of course I love what he does with leather (& knits). We share an aesthetic about wearability and quality & I am thrilled that he is finally getting his due.

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Rick Owens' Real Aesthetics

Glorious Leather Jacket

Ok, after getting all worked up about the leather jackets in "Inglourious Basterds" let's get back to the modern world. (Though I live to see those statement lapels come back!)

Here are some photos of a jacket I just finished, in an incredible espresso brown leather called "Roadrunner". The leather was milled a bit before cutting to bring out the grain. I am loving this leather. It's got a beautiful hand and very good weight and it works up beautifully.

This jacket was based on a old and much loved & worn, jacket belonging to the customer.

But the original jacket was quite beat up & much too over-sized for his taste & style today so really it was just a jumping off point.

It is lined in a heavy weight cotton sateen in a contrasting khaki and has these wonderful variegated horn buttons as well as two large outside pockets and 3 interior pockets, 2 at chest level and a special semi- hidden card pocket.














I am thrilled with the way it came out. It looks great on him, suits him perfectly & and should last him forever! ... Drat, did I just lose another customer!?

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Glorious Leather Jacket

Glourious...

I saw Inglourous Basterds last night. I wasn't originally planning to - but after seeing it mentioned on 2 of my favorite blogs, here & here, both of them highlighting the costumes, well... (like I said, I'm a sucker for costumes) I really enjoyed it.

QT has a shoe fetish, and with such great shoes, who wouldn't?

... and of course the leather...

(I must admit, though, after 'Grindhouse' I was a bit apprehensive - I could not stand that movie- dreckola- plus y plus-! I had to force myself to be polite & not ditch my friend in the theater!)

Anyone else see the huge "Brazil" influence in this film? Between the costumes, the mores, & the buffoonish portrayal of so many of the Nazis?

I do hope we will be seeing a lot more of Mélanie Laurent & Christoph Waltz in films here now, they are both tremendous talents.

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Glourious...

One Man's Luxury

Saw Harry Potter the other night, really enjoyed the visuals and kinda made me wish I still had a hand in the costume business....love costumes!

Anyhow, on the way home, a conductor got on the train & we both immediately noticed his bag.

It was gorgeous, & obviously made specially for the things conductors need, with an unusual square base, solid brass hardware and in an incredibly beautifully broken in leather.

We admired it & I took some (not very good) photos with my phone:

And then we got a great story from the owner (this guy had obviously been stopped about this bag many, many times) and he beamed as he told us that he got it custom made back in 1988!

He had to get a bag for the job back then so he and a few other guys got together and commissioned these special custom- made bags. He's had his ever since and uses it every single day since he got it.

He chuckled as he went on to say that the cheap bags that the MTA was pushing at the time would last on average 6 months and had to be replaced like clockwork. That, and they all got ribbed endlessly that they were spending way too much money for a bag.

And then he chuckled again...

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One Man's Luxury

Perfect Skins

People always ask what I make in leather, and my answer is... everything! I think "leather" is still oddly stuck on either "outerwear" or "fetish" wear in most people's minds when it comes up as a specific fabrication. And, I decided to focus on leather because I like the restraint :) it gives me. Like many artists I work best with a tightly defined goal or project, so I chose leather as my medium. I do work in other fabrics, but not here.   After all why would I need to? Look at just some of the things that can be done with skins... Please Turn The Sound DOWN - Or OFF!  My Apologies.

This video is of my last production collection, showing examples of work done in hand painted leather, laser cut leathers, distressed leathers, leather with hand-cut work and lacing, woven leather, reversible leather and fur, and stretch leather. As well as the leather & textile fabrications that are exclusive to BehrleNYC. Variations of many of these items can be custom-made.

Perfect Skins

A Note on Contacting Me for Custom-Made Items

Once in a while I get inquires either with mis-typed addresses or blocked addresses.

So this is just a reminder that when filling in contact forms either here or on the main site, please make sure you allow responses from behrlenyc.com into your e-mail. Otherwise I will be unable to answer your question.

I try very hard to answer all inquiries during the same or next the business day, so If you haven't heard back within that time, there may be a problem. So, as back-up you may also contact me via a comment here on this blog...I do not post comments with e-mails in them. & Yes I do custom made for all sizes. However hard-to-fit body types & plus sizes usually require in person appointments for measuring and fittings.

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A Note on Contacting Me for Custom-Made Items

White vs Black vs Wordpress

Such a nice contrast! I don't work on white often, leather is such an attention getter and white makes it even that much more so! So it takes a certain, very strong and confident personality to own a piece like this!



Fun to work on project, hopefully my client will one day send a photo of it on! Shot like this definitely does not give full effect.

Here, another unique and very personalized piece. Soft lambskin leather sweat pants for kicking back in. With full details- zip pockets and lower leg and waistband detail.





And lastly, something I've just started to get requests for, a mens jean style in the same stretch leather featured in our womens leggings. This client opted for stretch throughout the waist, which appears as slight gathering at the waistline when shot flat like this, but smooths out completely on the body. First thing he remarked on was how comfortable these jeans are.



Also, I am in the process of putting together a blog where I hope to eventually give an
overview of the actual process involved in creating various custom-made pieces.

Right now, The-Process is (mainly) a foray into my own (little bit frustrating) learning curve with Wordpress, but I'll get there!

I could never have managed so far on WP without this class. So please bear with me on this one.
It is truly a work-in-progress.

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White vs Black vs Wordpress

World Domination Supermodel!

This headline is not my own but the subject of an e-mail from my dear friend Karin... and here is what she sent me:

baby Leonardo Lovell.

Is he adorable or what?!!! And what confidence! At 2 1/2 months and counting he is one beautiful baby!

Congrats to the proud family; New Mom Karin, Leonardo Sr. and big bro Jordan.

Our Love goes out to you big time!

(& Thank You, Karin for the cute pix- I do love finally getting to see one of these on!)

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World Domination Supermodel!

Editorial Consideraton

Been a little tricky for me to keep on top of this blog lately, I think I may need to get help with this facet of things soon....it's hard for me to come up with things to write about &while I have tons of plans, I know I need massive help organizing them & planning! Plus, without the time to spend here on a regular basis it has just become problematic. So for now and to keep things lively, here is a recent editorial I received in Vice magazine & a little change of pace;




It was pulled mainly from items from my "World Domination " line.
it was shot by Richard Kern and inspired by his "NY Girls" era work and styled by Avena Gallagher.

More Editorial Here

I still make many items from the line- (besides the few items in the shop- under sensual) either custom made, (for things like corsets) or made to order, Masks, hoods, etc.

I am always somewhat amused by the attention these items get, on a continual basis.
Since, while they are all pretty classic, me, I have been looking at them for far too long!
So, getting to see them shot anew was a treat.

And since I've been diggin' through the old archives... (eventually I hope to get up a sister site to sell these things specifically) here's some more WD.




and I will note the extra watermarks are on everything due to the fact that we found somebody ripping off our images to sell some g'dawful crap on e-bay. I shudder to think what the product looked (let alone smelt like- based on where it was coming out of.) This work cannot be done cheaply, neither the fit, the leathers, nor the skill to make the patterns can be gotten at a cut rate. Not to mention the attention to detail and service, especially when you are talking custom made.

I hope you have enjoyed this little foray into the archives and we will be back on the 27th of May. So if you have any inquiries, feel free to contact us & we will get back to you then.

Editorial Consideraton

Swamped Myself Good

I am incredibly sick of poking my way through web and internet stuff for hours to get somewhere- I am still not that fluent with a lot of the online stuff & I really need to do my work.

Which in actuality has nothing to do with the computer, can't be done on it, can't be facilitated by it- I can sell on it, but, in the end... I really need to be at the drafting desk, on the phone...just elsewhere.

So, I am taking some online classes, I thought they would be something fairly easy where I might learn something- anything!
Boy, was I wrong, these are real, good and hardcore classes and I signed up for two of them. I had no idea. I am thrilled. I hope I can make it through.

Class is on week 5 and I've gotten up to week 3 on both, working on 4 now. So very behind. On top of it, I was expecting a somewhat slow period, as is usual this time of year for me.
I am not getting it. A friend of mine calls these "cadillac problems" which is a perfect name and I think, not "problems" so much as reminder. I love being busy, and a let up can throw you off your game. The trick is to keep a healthy balance and be, ultimately, in control.

I will probably take one or both of these classes again, but one at a time, and not when I am also taking Spanish! (and moving...) way, way too much..

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Swamped Myself Good

Ah Ha! The Mystery is solved...

Some times this whole blog thing has me so frustrated. I spent hours at one point figuring out how to get a little music playing here. One of my pet peeves about my main site is lack of music.
Which one day I hope to eventually address, along with updating the whole bunch of stuff. My Men's wear area is the orphan of the site, which is a shame as it's really the bulk of what I do these days.

Anyhow, the other day I got a Google Alert with a link to my videos on YouTube, so I go check it out , of course it is some silly, harvester site or whatever they are called, capitalizing on "sexy" and "models".. ho hum. But, wait! There is only Part 1 showing up.

So I go to you tube and look at my account and lo, NO Part 2! Some notice saying I'd been sent an e-mail (when? I never got it. I hear from YouTube like- never. Once I got a Peta Freek cussing me out in Spanish...but that's about it.)

Just a little note, that because some Jesus and Mary Chain was playing in the background (guitar noise and a couple of lytrics for maybe 7-13 seconds) the whole thing was ripped off of YouTube. I would have been perfectly fine if they'd removed the music altogether, even from the rest of the 6 minutes. But no, no option to remove background music, just a stupid (bad) music generator with ADVERTS!

Gimme a break! Live DJ- with a theme, no playlist, a few seconds, and they take the whole thing down?

Today first thing, front of the New York Times Business Section was the answer.

Eventually I will learn how to get that pesky video up in it's entirety, here on this blog somewhere, and WB can bite me. (and I am sure alot of other po'd people)

The only thing I ever watched on You Tube was vintage Music Videos (especially Roxy Music- STYLE- personified, the Best!) Now it sounds like a ton of that sort of stuff is gone. What's the point?

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Ah Ha! The Mystery is solved...

Custom Made Men's Leather Pants, Part 3

I very recently finished these, but have not gotten to post till now, been swamped - (between doing some re-location, taking 3 different classes and work- whew!) Plus , since the final design was surprise I wanted to wait till he got them. These were done via the mail.

I did a combination of inlay work in a grainy black elk-skin and contrast stitching on these.
I am really happy with how they came out and so is my client!

He wrote me the nicest note:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

I've picked up the pants and in a word they are "Magnificent" The
pocket detailing is incredible and exactly what what I was looking for.
The brown colour is beautiful and is perfect. The craftsmanship
exemplary.

Tried getting some pictures but they haven't turned out well. Will try
to get others to you shortly.

I'm just a average guy who is on the downward side of middle age,
looking to "dress it up" Your sense of style, execeptional craftmanship
and dedication will allow me to do that in spades.

When can I a get a black pair!

Thanks again and I can't wait to wear them out.

(Glenn B, Calgary)

It makes me so happy when my clients are thrilled, especially when the whole pant was more of less a surprise. The choice of leather, design, details, all but the primary color, brown. I sent a bunch of swatches, but the choice was left to me. Based on e-mail discussions, this is what I did.

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Now playing: Fun Lovin' Criminals - Back On the Block
via FoxyTunes

Custom Made Men's Leather Pants, Part 3

Custom Made Men's Leather Pants Two

Wishing everybody the best this day and I wish you all love in your hearts, be it for your family, friends, pets and please don't forget yourself.

I have been quite remiss with posting, I have been doing quite a few things at once lately, not the least of which is trying to learn Spanish!

I am dreaming of one day moving to Argentina or Uruguay. I would love to be able to work from there, I completely fell in love with Buenos Aires and the other parts of Argentina I visited and I cannot wait to go back and spend more time there. I saw leather work out of Uruguay that rivaled anything out of Italy and plan on looking into that next trip. They could definitely handle what I do...

I have been doing more custom-made men’s leather pants via the mail.
Working out the process and perfecting the system, as properly taken measurements are key. Often each tailor/fitter has a specific way of taking measurements that works best for their fit and styling. So you need to be clear on your system.

In a costume shop, it is either the pattern maker themselves or their trained assistant who will take the actors measurements. Years ago when I worked at the NYC Shakespeare Festival Costume Shop, each pattern maker had an assistant, and they were not interchangeable. If an assistant was not available only a comparable level pattern maker or the head of the shop could take the measurements. It sounds anal, but
there was good reason for this.

The pants shown here were done with e-mailed measurements. There was very little on the muslin that had to be adjusted. & So my system gets tweeked & improved each time, to make it clearer and simpler for both my customer and myself.

Here is a pair of custom pants made for a long time customer, who is quite a dashing gentleman with a fabulous sense of style. His style is a modern, elegant cross between Leone’s “the man with no name” & “the man in black”, since over the years I've made him 5 or 6 pairs of black pants!

One day I gotta get him into some nice deep expresso brown pants!!! Just a shade off Black...





I did take photos of the pants on him- they were all way too out of focus to put up- new camera, I forgot to change the settings on…I am kicking myself!

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Custom Made Men's Leather Pants Two