The Obtainer - 4/28/23, Friday
↦ The New Shoes on Our Radar
Friday, April 28th Edition
Presented by
Presented by
Congratulations on making it through another week—I can’t be the only one looking forward to kicking my feet up and watching some playoff basketball, right?
- Leon Hedgepeth, Shopping Editor ⋯ @leonhedgepeth
The New Shoes on Our Radar
Is it time to re-evaluate the shoes in your closet? Maybe this list will help get you going in the right direction. There are so many great shoes dropping these days, we thought we would pull a few of our current favorites to showcase. From a beautiful pair of leather loafers and full-zip sneakers to some vintage-looking trainers, these are the shoes our team can’t stop talking about.
On Our Radar
The uncomfortable truth when it comes to loafers is that any worth wearing are usually an investment. This means finding a pair made in Italy for under $250 was unheard of—until Astorflex came into the picture. Their Dartflex is a moc-toe loafer designed to continue conforming to your foot with each wear. The bovine leather is thick yet supple on the interior for comfort, and the outsole is leather to add classic looks and extra durability. From summer weddings and jeans to office looks, these will look good with anything and will age even better.
$225 by Astorflex
If you're looking to update your summer canvas kicks with something more elevated and ethically made—Veja's new Wata II sneakers are the answer. The shoes are made in Brazil from 100% certified organic cotton, and the soles are crafted from 40% Amazonian rubber and 10% recycled rubber. A toe cap ensures your feet are stable and comfortable—these are the types of shoes you continue to reach for throughout the warmer months—the only question remains, socks or no socks?
$145 by Veja
I like HOKA shoes, but this pair are by far my favorite. I'm a less is more kind of person—including branded logos—and these are sleek and understated. But beyond looks, the shoe's technology is insane. The quick-lace system is convenient and looks nice, and the aquaguard zip (which seals out water) is flawless—stylish and functional, protecting against all-weather elements. The ripstop mesh also gives the shoe extra durability to wear off-road or whenever it rains. The telltale sole from the label makes for a comfortable and smooth ride throughout the day, and while the shoe is on the chunkier side, I've been rocking some cargo pants and fatigues with these, creating a juxtaposing fit.
$250 by HOKA
Partner
Make Her Gift Meaningful
Moms give so much and get so little in return. Treat her to something that elevates her everyday experience. An item that's meaningful and built to last. These are the kind of items that Huckberry specializes in, from small indie makers to respected global lifestyle brands. From modern turquoise jewelry and the internet's favorite pan, to some classically chic sunglasses that look right on anyone. Here's just a taste of what they've got on offer this year for Mom.
Berry terry cloth robe, $180 by OAS
Arizona sandal, $140 by Birkenstock
Charm necklace with diamond, $80 by j.Bee
Ynez sunglasses, $150 by Raen Optics
Lightweight hiking fleece midlayer, $188 by Hikerkind
'Flamingo Estate: Friday's From the Garden', $75 by Richard Christiansen
Checking in With ...
Carter Young
I discovered Carter Altman’s brand, Carter Young, through friend of the newsletter Jeremy Kirkland’s podcast Blamo!. Ever since, I’ve enjoyed watching the brand grow and evolve. At just 24 years old, Carter’s collection is refined and mature beyond its years. That’s no accident. Cutting his teeth with brands like Kith, Helmut Lang and Alyx, he’s gotten a crash course in the business of fashion and is now ready to put his spin on things. Carter Young is a unisex brand inspired by Americana clothing—there’s a thread of traditional tailoring with a refreshing shot of modern sportswear. Which is why the upstart label already counts guys like Ethan Hawke and Penn Badgley as fans. We caught up with Carter to see why filmmakers and gallerists cling to his brand, his design ethos and how powerful the double-breasted blazer is.
What are customers responding to the most these days?
Our cropped blazer and uniform trousers have been best-sellers for the past few seasons because they offer the formal styling of wearing a suit, but with the versatility of casualwear that has a downtown edge.
Uniform trouser, $295 by Carter Young
Any current staff favorites?
Our favorite piece from SS23 is the pinstripe cropped blazer. Drawing inspiration from traditional menswear, we’ve taken a classic silhouette and modernized its fabric and cut. It’s cropped, with a straight fit, and slightly dropped armhole with a padded shoulder. Our iteration draws from the ’80s and ’90s tailoring, with its wide shoulders and unstructured body.
Besides that, our suede western shirts are a perennial favorite. This season, we have two variations in a yarn-dyed striped Pima cotton and two colorways in a linen-cotton blend slub jersey shirting. Exploring something less structured in shirting is a new frontier for us, but we feel it has been executed well.
Cropped blazer ($695) and Julius jersey shirt ($295), both by Carter Young
Who is the “Carter Young” customer?
The Carter Young customer is interested in design, but often feels alienated by fashion’s reliance on trend cycles. We focus on designing products that feel good and are rooted in a historical lineage, but remain modern and distinctive. Often, we sell to young professionals working in creative industries adjacent to but not directly involved in fashion. They’re filmmakers, gallerists, graphic designers, musicians, writers, marketers and PR professionals.
You’ve worked for some impressive brands. What’s one common takeaway that you learned?
Each company provided me with very different experiences. When I joined Helmut Lang, the brand already had a recognized and storied history; Alyx and Kith, however, were in the early stages of their businesses (as I was there during the launch of the menswear line and womenswear line at each company, respectively). The common thread was that they shared a central creative vision.
Matthew Williams summed it up best to me during a talk we had on my last night in Italy. I’m paraphrasing, but he had said something along the lines of, “The world doesn’t need more stuff in it, so anything you want to make should be part of a larger story and have a reason why it's being made.” Since then, I’ve constantly referred back to this advice while developing my brand.
What are some of your design principles and brand ethos?
Most of my designs are rooted in historical context. I find inspiration when engaging with the canon of Americana clothing and finding ways to make it feel modern and new. Often, I find myself designing by removing and taking away superfluous details and trying to get to the essence of a garment.
Another part of my design process is reusing and repurposing. I work with vintage suppliers all over the East Coast of America to source vintage textiles and deadstock garments for use in my work. An example would be the denim re-work items seen in the spring collection or the vintage scarf Western shirts introduced in pre-fall, in which we made the yoke of Western shirts out of silk menswear foulard scarves.
You pull inspiration from classic tailoring and Americana. But it feels like you’re redefining menswear in a modern way.
My background is in traditional menswear tailoring, but my line is unisex. Many of my designs are inspired by traditional menswear forms, but the way we grade, notate size and style the items are inclusive of anyone that wants to wear the clothes. We cut the trousers with a slightly higher waist and the blazers with a bit more of a boxy cut to not alienate our customers. I am incorporating tailoring into modern sportswear, offering a new way for more people to engage with sartorial details.
Double-breasted blazer, $695 by Carter Young
The relaxed double-breasted blazer has really made a comeback … what is it about this kind of jacket?
Whenever I wear a double-breasted jacket, it takes control and makes me stand up straighter. Our version, with padded shoulders and a slightly dropped armhole, is a more softly tailored interpretation than some for easy wear with a high-styled look.
The sales and discounts our team is currently watching.
Filson's 30% off sale runs until Monday, and this flannel is the first thing in our bag. Made from a midweight 7 oz. cotton, you can wear this underneath a denim jacket or by itself for those breezy summer evenings.
$115 / $80.50by Filson
A lightweight cotton camp collar shirt that's cozy enough to sleep in, yet chic enough to wear out of the house should you hit snooze a few too many times.
$98 / $49by Sleepy Jones
A slightly oversized knit polo will be a summer wardrobe champion. Tricot's version is made in Italy from a 50/50 blend of cotton and cashmere with a louche, laid-back look.
$177 / $124by Tricot
The newest addition to our Oxford program, the Teal Stripe Spring Oxford features a 4oz 100% cotton woven from 50-singles fine gauge yarns for a lightweight, broken-in hand #MadeInUSA
March 13