Articles by John Ortved - Fashionista

John Ortved

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Ovadia & Sons Spring 2014: Retro Ralph

Leaving Eyebeam studios, where the young label Ovadia and Sons presented its spring collection, a smarter, more incisive fashion editor commented, “It’s just Polo (Ralph Lauren), but years ago, and done better—a popped collar here and there.” He’s not wrong--and there’s no dis here.

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Billy Reid Spring 2014: Cutting Loose

For Spring 2014, Billy Reid cut loose. His indigo surf pants, camouflage poncho, henleys, and club shorts gave more breathing room than we’ve seen in recent seasons, offering a silhouette that, while far from boxy, rebuffed the sacred tightness we’ve become accustomed to.

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The Kanye West-Approved Raincoat Poised to Take the Menswear Scene by Storm

Finally: a cool rain jacket. With Stutterheim’s “Arholma,” the moat between the classic elegance of a British Barbour, or everyday trench and the sporty utility of a Fjallraven has dried up. We liked these before he wore it, but Kanye West was recently spotted wearing one of Stutterheim’s gorgeously minimalist and heavy duty raincoats, presaging a trend that will no doubt take better hold than his leather skirts. We caught up with brand's founder Alexander Stutterheim to find out why he launched to label--and what's next.

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Fashion Meets Art at the Whitney Art Party

“So much better than last year” was the chorus heard time and time again at the Whitney Art Party and auction last night at Skylight at Moynihan Station. Presented by MaxMara, with co-chairs Maria Giulia Maramotti (MaxMara's director of retail, and granddaughter of the brand's founder), entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman, and actress/model Nichole Galicia, the event managed to raise over $450,000 for the Whitney’s Independent Study Program. A fashion brand getting behind an art institution; we support that.

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Women's Rights Group Targeting Reebok Over Rick Ross Date Rape Lyrics

“The Boss” might soon be looking for a new job. Reebok is being pressured to drop rapper Rick Ross as its spokesperson in light of his new single, which appears to glorify date rape. Released earlier this month, “U.O.E.N.O.,” contains the lyric “Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that. She ain’t even know it.” (For the uninitiated, Molly is slang for ecstasy, or its active ingredient, MDMA). UltraViolet, a new women’s rights group, has collected more than 70,000 signatures on a petition demanding that Reebok drop the rapper, which they plan to deliver to the Reebok’s flagship store in Manhattan today.

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Scott Sternberg Sent Two Models on a Scavenger Hunt in NYC to Show Off His Fall Menswear Collection for Band of Outsiders and We Tagged Along

“This is game control” says Scott Sternberg, his voice rising above the din of 6th avenue traffic passing us while we sit in his bespoke Band of Outsiders studio on wheels, its glass walls giving NYC a look inside the designer’s fall 2013 menswear collection, and into his rarified mind. Inspired by the notion of urban utopia, maps, globes and architect Oscar Niemeyer’s Brasília, Sternberg is showing his newest menswear collection by sending two models, Matt and Miles, on a scavenger hunt throughout Manhattan. There’s a different look for each clue, and the hunt is being livestreamed throughout the day.

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Exclusive Video: GQ Brings Surfer-Cool Brand Saturdays NYC to the Gap

As one of GQ's Best New Menswear Designers in America, the guys of hip NYC surf shop Saturdays designed a special collection for Gap. We went to a party for it and came back with this exclusive video of them working on it! Saturdays NYC is one of six labels doing a capsule collection for Gap, which hits stores on September 27. BLK Denim, Ian Velardi, Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, Ovadia and Sons, and Todd Snyder are the other designers participating. Might be some good stuff to steal here ladies...

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Gant by Michael Bastian Fall 2012: A Study in Fashion

Michael Bastian has taken Gant to school. Over the past two years, since Michael Bastian took over as the designer of Gant by Michael Bastian, and then relaxed into that job, the brand has experienced one of the great turnarounds in menswear. This year, Mr. Bastian did not disappoint with smart, playful college looks. It was a sartorial swap meet between Harvard and Dartmouth, a showcase of prep and cool. Girls sported high-volume (yet not exactly loud) plaid and printed trousers, fun striped sweaters, sexy, but restrained skirts (ending mid-thigh) and even the occasional cargo. Boys had raffish blazers (a double-breasted check was a particular winner), faded jeans and thick sweaters that were on the right side of goofy.

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Simon Spurr Fall 2012: Expert Tailoring With Nary A Jean in Sight

Simon Spurr, whose expert tailoring is often showcased alongside denim, had a surprise for us, just minutes before his show began at Milk Studios on Sunday: “There’s not a single jean in the collection this season,” he revealed. Instead, Spurr offered a crisp, business-like selection that took its cues from a Robert Frank photograph of London in the 1950s. Spurr said he was striving for “a more elevated look.” Spurr achieved his aim. With Joe Jonas and Kellan Lutz seated in the audience, the show began with pieces tinged with mauve, and small, glistening touches. Silver buttons on his jackets glimmered along with umbrella handles, helping his looks cut a cool, collected path down the runway. The designer keenly focused on fabric this time around, flaunting his new found love of mixing materials (leather sleeves on a wool suit) and patterns (a check meeting a hound’s tooth). The British proclivity for overbearing checks, stripes and prints came to fore only rarely, and these instances were easily surmounted by the conservatism displayed by the resolutely “elevated” items that far outnumbered them.

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Sean Avery Makes Fun of Tom Brady and Common Says Men Express Themselves with Facial Hair

It may have been the softest hit he ever delivered, but on Friday night at Milk Studios, Sean Avery took a shot at Tom Brady. The topic was menswear, the setting a panel at Milk Studios, organized by Parsons, sponsored by Gillette and featuring hockey player Sean Avery, rapper/actor Common, creative director Timothee Verrecchia, and designer Richard Chai. The hit came as the panel was discussing the loosening of stigma on men caring about fashion and how they dress. Common had offered that celebrities, including famous athletes, publicly declaring in interest in fashion (from Kanye’s fashion line to Sean Avery interning at Vogue), has helped removed the stigma.

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Richard Chai Fall 2012: Down to Earth

Recently appointed creative director of American heritage brand Filson, Richard Chai presented a down to earth collection featuring somber stripes, neatly belted jackets and some very silly suiting. Maybe the latter was an attempt to liven up the former, kind of like bringing a puppy to a funeral; regardless, the balance felt off.

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Rag & Bone Men's Fall 2012: A Brand Divided

While watching the Rag & Bone men’s presentation, in the industrial setting that is Marine and Aviation building on Pier 57, I couldn't help but feel like the hand dealt to designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright isn’t exactly fair. They were one in a group of several designers that focused on heritage and made it the trend in menswear. Now that everyone is doing it, or has done it at this point, what is poor Rag & Bone to do?

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N. Hoolywood Fall 2012: An Ode to Hemingway

For this season’s collection N. Hoolywood’s designer, Daisuke Obana took his cues from Hemingway, alluding to Papa’s entire career, from his days as a WWI ambulance driver to his later career in Cuba, spending lots of time on the great author’s masterwork, The Old Man and the Sea. That’s a lot of ground to cover, but Obana did it admirably, with bearded boys marching down the runway to the tune of old sea shanties (neither I nor a fashion editor I ran into later could figure out if they were sung live or not—the sound was amazing), wearing parkas, blousons, raincoats and peacoats fit for a sea adventure…even if that just means a stroll down by the Hudson.