Welcome to the latest of our biannual installments from New York City’s Market Week! If you’ve read this site for more than about 6 months, then you know that this is just one stop on a worldwide tour for brands to show samples from their future collection to press and prospective buyers.
Brands then take those orders into production so they can fulfill everything their accounts want for the next season. In New York, these happen every July for the next year’s Spring/Summer and in January for the upcoming Autumn/Winter. So most everything you’ll see from these collections is for Spring/Summer 16.
The scale of these shows is mind-boggling. If you’ve seen our coverage in past seasons, know that that’s barely 2-3% of the brands that are in attendance, and we only go to four out of about a dozen shows–Capsule, Liberty Fairs, MAN, and Kingpins. Gerald and I hit the floors to show you what’s coming up from your favorite brands (the better looking photos are his).
Today is our roundup from Capsule and features new product from Naked & Famous, Left Field, New England Outerwear, Story MFG, Oak Street Bootmakers, Tanner Goods, Yuketen, Orslow, and many more. Stick around for the next few days, you’re gonna see a lot!
Naked & Famous
Canada’s denim trio Risa Saito, Bahzad Trinos, and Brandon Svarc may grab headlines for their crazier productions, but as their earlier Made in Japan line shows, they can still put out a heavy hitting jean. The biggest news from them is sneakers–a first time for footwear for the brand–all are made in Japan and come in a variety of sashiko, chambray, and print fabrics.
New denim offerings included a Chinese New Year jean, complete with a gold selvedge, red pocket bags, and a monkey embossed leather patch; Sakura denim with a cherry-colored weft fill, a Vegan jean with a paper patch, and a broken twill with a lighter caste.
New indigo shirting and kimonos also rounded out the line.
And it wouldn’t be Naked & Famous if they didn’t have something ridiculous. This time around it was their “Invisible Denim”, which may have been stitched up as a joke at the last minute, but they are taking orders! It comes complete with a see-through patch.
Left Field NYC
Christian and Johnny from Left Field are always experimenting with new production methods and new fabrics out of their headquarters and retail space in Ridgewood, Queens. While it was mainly stock fabrics on the denim side, including more in their new Charles Atlas fit, they had quite a bit to show in other apparel.
Left Field has been making a Flight Jacket for a few seasons now, but this is the first time they’re running it in a super thick black nylon–the thing feels indestructible. They’ll also be doing their Muleskinner denim jackets, but unlined for the warmer months, and a v-neck on their tube tees.
Selvedge chinos are coming back, with thick ticking stripe pocket bags and nearly unbreakable mil-spec melamine buttons.
New England Outerwear Co.
The above natural leather running shoes are not from New England Outerwear, but their brand Victory Sportswear, which produces made in USA trainers. These guys should be absolute patina magnets.
On the hand-stitched side of the company, they’ve got a new silhouette out in their take on the Clark’s Wallabee boot, an open-throated moc based on a vintage L.L.Bean shoe, and a variety of new leathers and sole options, including a super white version of their lace ups.
Story MFG
This was also Story MFG’s first showing at a major trade show, and they had a variety of super-unusual and eclectic fabrics on offer. Everything from drunken indigo, hand-woven and spun textiles, to orange-hued kakishibu was on display.
Oak Street Bootmakers
OSB had a new last to show off, many were asking for something with a sleeker toe-box than the silhouette of their Trench Boot, and they delivered. It’ll be available in high and low tops. They also had an indigo dyed roughout sample on display, a very well worn pair of Trench Boots, and they may still be on this “sneaker on a loafer” kick.
Tanner Goods
Tanner is keeping most of the new stuff for their own stores, but that hasn’t stopped the Portland crew from serving up some fresh items. They’re using a new Swiss military textile as an option on many of their bags, it’s both lighter and cheaper than the standard waxed canvas and has a great green depth.
You may remember their Cordovan Watch Straps from a couple days ago, well founder Jevan Lautz had a patina-ed example literally on hand.
Yuketen/Monitaly/Epperson Mountaineering
Yuki Masuda is a man of many talents and many brands. Yuketen covers moccasin footwear, Monitaly vintage inspired apparel, and Epperson Mountaineering nylon and technical backpacks.
Grenson
Northampton shoemaker Grenson had many of their classic stock on hand, but new items from their “triple welted” collection. We couldn’t get a look inside, like we do on most footwear reviews, but the extra welts seem to exist as another layer of edge dressing above the midsole and will at least keep more water out.
Big John
Big John didn’t have much more to show, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t update you on the status of the fades on this set of RARE jeans and jacket they take with them to trade events. That’s a year on the jacket and over two on the jeans.
Orslow
Orslow tends to swing a bit more “fashion-ey”, but that doesn’t take away from their selection of a hairy textured fabrics, tight attention to detail, and their yarn-dyed indigo knits.
That’s it from Capsule, keep reading for our updates from Liberty Fairs, MAN, and Kingpins!
