From the Bookshelf: One Hundred Years of Menswear

Here in the studio we've received a number of noteworthy coffee table books from clients as "Congrats on the new space!" gifts. I was just flipping through one of my favorites, "One Hundred Years of Menswear," an inspiring and educational tour of men's style and fashion over the past century.

Product Description (from Amazon.com):

A rich, comprehensive collection of images covering the revolution in menswear over the last 100 years with text by fashion historian Cally Blackman.

Rare photography and illustrations reveal the elegant tailoring of Savile Row and tough khaki and denim of the uniform and workplace giving way to an exuberant array of styles and colors as the century progresses. Packed with images of Hollywood style icons, the artist personalities of the 1930s, and more, the evolution of menswear from practical to peacock is explored in an array of rarely seen photographs and illustrations.

The impact of Pierre Cardin, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, and other designers is contrasted with the street fashion of the 1960s, punk, and the club scene to bring together the story of the flourishing menswear market in one invaluable book.

About the Author (from Amazon.com):

Cally Blackman is a writer and lecturer with degrees in Fashion Design and History of Art, and an MA in History of Dress from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. She teaches on the BA Fashion History and Theory course at Central Saint Martins College. Her previous publications include 100 Years of Fashion Illustration (Laurence King) 2007), Costume: From 1500 to the Present Day (2003), and The 20s and 30s:

 
Thanks for reading, and from everyone here at MAB, happy New Year!
 
Cheers,
The MAB Crew

Favorite Fall/Winter Fabrics

It's our favorite time of year: LAYERS SEASON. It's when those of us with a passion for quality clothing begin looking forward to layers of tweeds, flannels and cashmeres.

Here are some of our favorite fabrics from Fall 2010, stuff to keep in mind now that the winter season is most definitely upon us, with temperatures rarely climbing above the freezing mark. Keep these fabrics in mind when thinking about how to dress for colder weather—whether it be overcoats, suits, blazers, vests, or trousers.

 

Grey/Brown Flannel Glen Plaid          Medium Grey Wool Donegal

Brown Herringbone Tweed         Medium Grey Herringbone Tweed

Light Grey Flannel                          Midnight Navy Velvet

    Navy Cashmere                        Navy Corduroy (Medium Wale)

Tan Corduroy (Fine Wale)              Light Grey Wool/Cashmere

More on MAB WINTER pieces, including product and client pictures, coming soon. Stay tuned.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

The MAB Crew

Garment Care Instructions, Part I: Suits

To maximize the life of your suits, we recommend the following:

Restaurant: Acme

It seems like daily we have a client ask us for food recommendations in the area. So, we are proud to announce the blog's new 'Our Neighborhood' section. Here you can find reviews on restaurants we personally love that are in walking distance of Great Jones Alley. First up: ACME.

Just a couple doors down from our alley you'll stumble upon Acme Bar & Grill. This is a great Louisiana- themed restaurant. Having family from Louisiana, I can't attest to its authenticity but it does have some good food. The burgers are tasty as well as the cornbread. With good drink specials you can stop and get another drink after you've stopped by our bar. We recommend Acme for any and all who are looking for a Southern food fix.

All the best,

The MAB Crew



From the Bookshelf: The Suit

     Nicholas Antongiavanni's book The Suit is a great guild to success with advice on how to dress with style because as Antongiavanni believes good style will project your elegance, as well as your bravado. This little book leaves nothing out, from double-breasted vs. single, two-buttons vs. three, English vs. Italian and plenty others. You, of course, can pick this book up on Amazon or browse through it as you wait for your appointment next time you're in to see us!

Justin Woodis' Birthday

We were honored when Justin, a great client and friend of Michael Andrews, approached us about hosting his birthday party in our space. The event turned out great, with special spiked punch, a spontaneous order of pizza mid-party, and, last but not least, all of Justin's beautiful and loving friends.

MAB featured on Always a Blogsmaid

We are excited to have a feature on Always a Bridesmaid today. Check out the article below and stay to snoop around for tips and advice on planning a wedding... they know what they're doing!

 

All the best,

The MAB Crew

MAB in Gilt MANual

Gilt MANual is a daily guide to men's fashion and lifestyle. From clever how-tos to the latest street fashion trends, we really like what these guys are doing. MAB was recently mentioned in an article they posted about custom shirts. 

Always appreciate some good press.

All the best,

The MAB Crew

Grand Opening Party

Last week we celebrated the official opening of our new studio in Great Jones Alley. Thanks to everyone that attended, we had a great time!

                                                 

Great Jones Alley, here we come

Here a few images from the new space. Hope to see you here soon!

 

 

The New Studio!

MAB has officially moved!!

While our new studio is still in it's final phase of construction, the space is really shaping up!  

The new 4,200 sq ft space is four times the size of our prior residence at 20 Clinton - making us one of the largest custom clothiers in the country. It features 3 floors, 20-foot ceilings, sky lights, 2 flat-screen TVs, and an authentic vintage 12-foot wet bar - clients are already volunteering for bartending shifts!

And don't worry, we kept the "old boys club" mystique. You no longer have to walk through a gated basement, but being tucked-away in Great Jones Alley allows us all to speak a little easy.

Looking forward to showing you around. As always, drinks are on us.

Cheers,
The MAB Crew

Welcome to the MAB Blog

Welcome to the official MAB Blog.

As MAB has grown and evolved, we decided to add a blog to our website - so our extended family can keep up with what's happening in the studio.

Stay tuned for updates, new fabrics, design ideas, funny stories about Michael and the team, and anything else MAB related.


Cheers,
The MAB Crew