Style

This Peachtree Hills Collection Is Carried by more than 200 Boutiques

Mary Logan Bikoff — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Annie Griffin, twenty-nine, always knew she wanted to be the creative force behind her own business. She studied studio art at Southern Methodist University and fashion design at SCAD Atlanta, and soon after formed Annie Griffin Collection. But sales wasn’t her thing, so after a year and a half of frustrating market experiences, the designer brought on her younger sister, Robin Gerber—a UGA grad and already a retail veteran—to head up that area. In their sleek studio space in Peachtree Hills, the two complement each other’s skills and interrupt each other’s sentences as only sisters do.

Originally from Memphis, the sisters say Atlanta is the perfect home for their line, which has decidedly Southern features such as flowing silks, scalloped hems, easy tunics, and plenty of color. They tried business in New York, but the city offered neither the comfortable pace of life they love nor the Southern inspiration that fuels their work. Gerber says, “The Atlanta woman understands our clothes. She’s conservative . . .” Griffin chimes in, “But she wants to feel modern. She wants something fresh.”

With only four full-time employees, Annie Griffin Collection (not to be confused with the similarly named Atlanta-based decorative paper company Anna Griffin) is carried by more than 200 boutiques across the country. Griffin says that she and Libby Culligan, who helps with design and handles public relations, gather images from Pinterest and magazines of artwork, interiors, nail polish colors—anything that inspires—to come up with each season’s theme. Atlanta itself has inspired Griffin. “We just went to the Optimist for my husband’s birthday, and I was taking pictures of the artwork on the walls and sending them to Libby,” Griffin says. “At this point, we’re set up so we could work anywhere, but we love this city.” Of course, Gerber points out, it doesn’t hurt that five out of the twelve major trade markets they attend take place here at AmericasMart.

They’ve recently finished designing collections for resort and holiday 2013, and by this month, their summer collection—inspired by a seventies poolside scene—will be in stores. Blouses typically retail from $190 to $240, dresses from $260 to $325. In Atlanta, Annie Griffin Collection can be found at Poppy’s (56 East Andrews Drive, poppysofatlanta.com) and anniegriffincollection.com.

Photograph by Jimmy Johnston. This article originally appeared in our June 2013 issue.

1920s Fashion Returns

Feifei Sun — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

There was a dichotomy in 1920s fashion. Designers like Coco Chanel introduced a looser, more practical silhouette that freed women from corsets. Yet they also embraced the extravagance of the Jazz Age. This complexity has made the decade’s style perennially appealing, and this spring it surfaces again—aided by the luxurious costumes on Downton Abbey and in Baz Luhrmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby. After the Great War, “people wanted to eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow they may die,” says Sarah Phillips Collins, associate chair of fashion at SCAD-Atlanta. “A bit of that mood lingers now with the recent economic slump.” Watch for these looks:

Drop waist
The decade’s definitive silhouette appears in everything from casual frocks to glitzy gowns. “Women wanted the look of a flat bust and no hips,” says Collins. “There was a preference for a very boxy silhouette that had more of a swing to it.”

Filigree jewelry  and pearls
Influenced by skyscrapers, art deco, and even art nouveau, the baubles of the time featured floral motifs, lace patterns, and intricate beading. Tiffany & Co., which provided the jewelry for Luhrmann’s film, is releasing a Ziegfeld Collection of pieces inspired by the company’s archival designs from the 1920s.

T-strap shoes
These styles, such as the iconic Mary Jane, were enormously popular during the 1920s because they mixed fashion with function. The center strap and lower heel enabled women to dance into the wee hours. “They weren’t going to come off if you were doing the Charleston,” says Collins. “Plus, they weren’t a totally closed-up shoe, so exposing a bit of the foot gave them a sexier look.”

Headpieces
From feather fascinators and embellished pins to more traditional headbands, hair accessories were a way for women to flaunt their shorter hairstyles. “There was a tremendous attention to detail in these accessories,” says Atlanta-based stylist Melissa Welch. “You see a lot of detailed beading and elegance.”

1. Haute hippie evergreen dress $995, Tootsies, Shops Around Lenox, 404-842-9990, tootsies.com/atlanta, 2. Multi deco stone collar necklace $168, Chloe + Isabel, 866-488-6505, chloeandisabel.com, 3. Addy flats $49.95, Julianne Hough for Sole Society, Nordstrom, Phipps Plaza, 404-442-3000, nordstrom.com, 4. Feather headpiece $75, Teeny House Bunny, 678-640-6308, teenyhousebunny.com, 5. Ziegfeld pearl and onyx ring $475, Tiffany & Co., Phipps Plaza, 404-261-0074, tiffany.com

This article originally appeared in our May 2013 issue.

Q&A: Cuan Hanly

Cathy Anderson — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Kate Spade and her husband Andy launched their line of men’s bags, Jack Spade, in 1997. Now the brand known for its preppy-meets-hipster style offers a full clothing line. Kate and Andy sold the business to Fifth and Pacific Companies in 2010, and Irish-born designer Cuan Hanly, who has been with Jack Spade since 2008, took the reins as creative director. Having previously managed an eponymous line and held a similar role at Original Penguin, Hanly is leading Jack Spade as the company opens its first Southern storefront in Atlanta. 1170 Howell Mill Road, 404-815-1551, jackspade.com

Why did you decide your next location needed to be Atlanta? We are expanding our retail presence in the best shopping districts throughout the United States. Atlanta was an easy decision. We love the aesthetic of the Westside Provisions District; the area has a great masculine feel.

What about your style appeals to Atlanta? The Jack Spade customer is very similar throughout the world. It’s about him being interested in functionality, traditional craftsmanship, modern aesthetic, and a sense of humor.

Did you change anything about your store to appeal more to Atlantans? No, but we’re bringing the lending-library concept that we have in our other stores. Customers can borrow books, bring them back, or pass them on.

What are the most popular items you sell in the South? As this is our first freestanding store in the South, we still have to build up our history there. But based on our experience with our fantastic wholesale partners, I would say that bags is our biggest category. Having our own store will allow us to show a much broader selection, specifically our apparel collections.

What are your views on Southern fashion? A gentleman, not afraid of color and that little extra flair—so it’s a perfect match for the Jack Spade style.

You’re opening in the same district as other menswear powerhouses Billy Reid and Sid Mashburn. Do you feel this is helpful or hurtful to your business? We have great respect for both Sid and Billy, as they are such tremendous ambassadors for the U.S. menswear industry. I can only see it being helpful for the customer, having us all in one location.

Photograph courtesy of Jack Spade. This article originally appeared in our April 2013 issue.

Head to Toe: David Schweitzer

Cathy Anderson — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

As manager of Gerber Group’s local hot spots Whiskey Park and Living Room, both located at the W Hotel in Midtown, thirty-year-old David Schweitzer makes it his mission to look sharp and professional. We asked the stylish Cabbagetown resident for his fashion advice.

Does your job require you to dress up daily? If so, what’s your favorite suit? We have more of a flexible style here. Favorite suits I own are an off-white Wright Fit Club Monaco and a black pinstripe Hugo Boss, but more often we mix and match.

Where do you like to shop in Atlanta? Club Monaco, J. Crew, Sid Mashburn, and G-Star Raw.

What are your top three style tips for men? 1. Explore a full range of colors. 2. Have staples in each category of clothing for every season. 3. Buy clothes that fit and take care of them.

How would you describe your personal style? I try to stay classic with a touch of defiance in every outfit.

What fashion trend did you follow in the past that you really wish you hadn’t? For six months, I was a mortgage broker who looked right out of the movie Boiler Room, and for a very short period of time I thought Tommy Bahama’s shirts were cool. Sorry.

What is one piece every man should invest in? A medium-weight charcoal gray suit. Dress it up or down, either black or brown. It will allow you to dress the “part” in a variety of ways.

What’s your favorite item for spring? Brightly patterned, colorful shirts. I recently bought a classic, super-versatile sports shirt in blue gingham from Sid Mashburn. I’ll roll the sleeves up and pair it with crisp trousers, a funky belt, and freshly polished shoes.

Photograph by Jimmy Johnston. This article originally appeared in our March 2013 issue.

Is Felicia Barth-Aasen the Next Vera Wang?

Cathy Anderson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Like Vera Wang, Felicia Barth-Aasen went from being a nationally competitive ice-skater to creating her own fashion line. At age twenty-four, she looks like a veteran designer too—ensconced in a Dallas, Georgia, studio packed with clothing, a dress form, and sketches and wearing a simple all-black ensemble (another Wang similarity).

Raised in Acworth, Barth-Aasen moved to Lake Placid, New York, at sixteen to pursue figure skating, but she always had an eye for fashion. “I’ve been sketching for as long as I can remember, and I would design my skating competition outfits,” she says. “I loved that part of my life, but at eighteen I had to choose between joining Disney on Ice or going to college.” Barth-Aasen ultimately went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Focusing on women’s sportswear, she had Calvin Klein as her personal FIT mentor before graduating in 2011.

In early 2012, Barth-Aasen was accepted, out of a hundred other applicants, into L.A. Fashion Week and started creating her own line, Collective 26. “L.A. Fashion Week is all about showcasing independent designers, but you have to show that your designs are unique. [It was] a huge highlight and stepping stone into the industry,” she says.

Barth-Aasen’s style displays an upscale bohemian sensibility. Her first collection, titled “Submerged,” reflects a whimsical, clean, underwater aesthetic—fluid chiffon, worn leather, and hues of blue and gray in a thirty-piece line, which includes swimwear, knitwear, and jackets. The grouping garnered serious attention from Los Angeles media and bloggers. Now back in Dallas, Barth-Aasen has set up a basement studio and continues to design her contemporary line (retail ranges from $100 to $800) and court buyers from Atlanta, upstate New York, and Los Angeles. Under way is her fall-winter 2013 line: “I found a pair of antique welder glasses at a market. They’re inspiring me to make a more industrial line for the coming season.” collective26.com

Photograph by Troy Stains. This article originally appeared in our February 2013 issue.

Atlanta's KP MacLane Is Polo Perfect

Cathy Anderson — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

In early 2010 Jared and Katherine Petty MacLane set out to take the polo shirt, a standard of American fashion, and transform it with European luxury. Their company’s costly garments—with a sticker price of $155 for women and $175 for men—quickly caught the attention of Forbes.com and the Wall Street Journal, which broke down how much each polo costs to produce (for the record, it’s $29.57, which grows to $155 with standard industry markups).

“We wanted to create a classic piece that could go into any person’s wardrobe and have the longest shelf life,” says Jared. “We both owned a lot of polos from other brands, but that perfect polo wasn’t out there.”

The husband-and-wife team, both in their early thirties, met in 2004 while working in sales for Hermès in Beverly Hills, where they became well versed in the art of branding and what goes into manufacturing a high-end product. Married at Sea Island in 2009, they returned to Georgia in late 2011 to establish their offices in a city with easier access to their manufacturing facility in New York.

So what makes these polo shirts so much more expensive than well-known brands like Lacoste and Ralph Lauren? Fabrication and construction. The KP MacLane polo is made from a unique blend of French cotton, elastine, and modal, which helps the shirt drape gracefully and hold its color. “If you’re going to wear it often, it has to be the softest against your skin. And we found this combination creates the best feel,” says Katherine. The fabric is custom-dyed in France and then sent to Brooklyn for production. Shirts are shipped to Buckhead for distribution.

Though using traditional collars and plackets, the MacLanes updated each element. For example, Katherine says, “The placket on the women’s polo is lower to showcase jewelry without showing too much skin. Also, the collar isn’t ribbed and stiff.” In a niche built on prominent logos, the MacLanes opted not to display theirs. The goal is to be “ageless, not trendy,” says Katherine.

The brand is sold in luxury-resort markets like Nantucket and Bermuda, as well as online. All polos are shipped in linen laundry bags that are handmade in Vietnam. Right now the MacLanes sell only adult polos, but they have plans to launch new products later this year. Says Jared, “What we’re trying to do is revolutionize the classics, one piece at time.” kpmaclane.com

Photograph by Patrick Heagney. This article originally appeared in our January 2013 issue.

W.port

Cathy Anderson — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Westport is not just another preppy Connecticut town. A longtime magnet for glitterati from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Paul Newman, it’s an artsy place heavily influenced by nearby New York City. So its style is classic and comfortable like other wealthy New England enclaves, but with artistic and fashionable flair. It’s a sensibility not unlike Atlanta’s, which is partly why native Georgian Emily Bean christened her new Roswell Road store, W.port, after the coastal town where she spent much of her childhood.

Born in Atlanta, twenty-nine-year-old Bean moved to Westport in fourth grade with stepmom Pat Mastandrea. She came back south to attend Ole Miss and has made Peachtree Hills her home for the last five years. Mastandrea still lives in the 200-year-old farmhouse where Bean grew up, but the duo collaborated on the new Buckhead boutique, which occupies the real estate between popular shops Pieces and Southern Traditions. Opening her own store was a natural progression for Bean, who has worked in retail—including Atlanta’s Intermix and Deka—since she was fifteen, in addition to logging multiple New York fashion internships.

“Last Christmas we sat at dinner, and I asked her what she wanted to do with her life, and she said she wanted to open a store,” says Mastandrea. “We clinked our glasses and got on roller skates to start this store.”

Fast-forward through an exhausting eight months of stripping drywall and hanging light fixtures themselves until W.port opened its doors in August 2012. “This store is a direct reflection of my personal style: relaxed, timeless, and multigenerational, with a touch of European sensibility.” says Bean. “The W.port customer wants to invest in classic basics like structured blazers, cashmere sweaters, and printed scarves they can wear year after year. There really isn’t anything trendy in here.” Beloved brands like Vince and Mother Denim are carried next to lesser-known lines such as Red’s Outfitters, DemyLee, and American Colors, which makes a versatile tunic that retails for $175 and has become the store’s most popular item. W.port also stocks a small inventory of vintage pieces from Mastandrea’s personal collection, like a 1940s Gucci dress and a rare Chanel handbag. The women plan to launch e-commerce by month’s end, as well as a private W.port label next year. 3232 Roswell Road, 404-565-1644, shopwport.com

Photograph by Amber Fouts. This article originally appeared in our December 2012 issue.

How to Dress Like a Southern Gentleman

Wyatt Williams — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:43:00 GMT

Who is this mythical Southern Gentleman we’ve heard so much about? If the archetype is to be believed, he always has a glass of sweet iced tea ready for the parched, never talks politics at the supper table, can turn a barren field into a cash crop with the touch of his shovel, charms ladies with a single smile, and wears fine clothes that subtly communicate his intellectual and cultural sophistication. While we’ve never met that guy, we’d sure love to dress like him. As it turns out, two of the South’s most distinctive haberdashers operate within a few hundred feet of each other in Westside. Sid Mashburn came here by way of J.Crew and Ralph Lauren; Billy Reid’s past clients include Neiman Marcus. Both are darlings of GQ. Atlanta magazine sent me—a Louisiana native who usually writes about food—to each with a simple request: Dress me for a cocktail party. Behold, the Southern male, interpreted.

Billy Reid (left) The aged leather chairs, heirloom mirrors, and antique marble tables in Billy Reid’s Atlanta location are the first indications that you’ve arrived in the lap of Southern hospitality. The eighth location of Reid’s Florence, Alabama–based namesake operates at the laid-back, measured pace of an afternoon on the porch. Store director Brent Homesley, a North Carolinian who left his career as a teacher to work with Reid, offers his sharp eye for patterns and combinations. Whereas Mashburn’s look is crisp and preppy, Reid’s tends to be softer and busier. When I mentioned that few men my age know how to tie a bow tie, staffer Kendall Stowell replied, “I’ll teach them.” 1170 Howell Mill Road, 404-994-3144, billyreid.com

Fashion Notes: The bow tie, which never fell out of fashion in the South, is enjoying a renaissance. Don’t be afraid of wearing pattern on pattern, but look for complementary colors. Reid carries silk ties—from busy stripes to subtle dots—that are appropriate year-round. But if you really feel compelled to wear that pink madras patchwork bow tie from your college girlfriend, please wait until after Memorial Day.

A lightweight gingham shirt is suitable for nearly any occasion or season, says Homesley. “It’s like a Southern picnic table—just as classic.”

The patient artisan was venerated in the South long before handcrafted everything became the current Brooklyn vogue. Fine details, like the buffalo-horn buttons on this coat, are the recognizable signs of careful craftsmanship.

Let’s face it, the South is simply too damn hot for socks in the summer. Once you get accustomed to the comfort of a bare foot in a fine leather shoe, you’ll want it all winter too. It’s a point where both Mashburn and Reid agree.

Clothing Shown Here: All private label: Heirloom Campbell patch navy suit, $1,395; John T blue and white shirt, $185; Classic orange and gray bow tie, $95; Bowery camel coat, $1,195; Gulch loafers in Stone, $395

Sid Mashburn (right) Stepping into the boutique Mashburn opened in 2007 is like finding out you’re a member of a fashionable country club you didn’t even know existed. Before I could say “pocket square,” a dapper guy in tortoiseshell glasses was handing me a cold beer and flipping the Mighty Hannibal LP on the turntable. Tailors worked sewing machines in the back as I browsed Laguiole pocket knives, Allyn Scura eyeglasses, and the double monk strap shoes bench-made in England exclusively for the store. Soon Mashburn himself showed up, leaning on the Ping-Pong table and talking vintage cars and English film. Sporting the high-hemmed pants and bare ankles that have become his trademark, it was soon apparent he had the sharpest eye in the clubhouse. 1198 Howell Mill Road, 404-350-7135, sidmashburn.com

Fashion Notes: “I like rules,” Mashburn explains, suggesting that a white shirt should be worn at a formal cocktail party after dark. Southern etiquette dictates respect for tradition. On the other hand, bending those rules is as customary as sneaking bourbon into Sanford Stadium. “Like speed limits,” he explains, “they don’t mean an experienced driver can’t speed.” Still, a younger guy with long hair, like myself, would do better to play it straight, he advises.

With a conservative outfit, the details can be disheveled: a wrinkled pocket square, an askew tie, and so forth. Casual elegance is what makes it Southern, Mashburn says. “We’ll be comfortable in anything we put on.”

The alligator that gave its life for this belt isn’t the only native connection. “There is a Southern desire to pass on heritage,” Mashburn says. “An alligator belt should certainly make it to the next generation, almost like a watch. It’s exotic, expensive, and not just something to keep your pants up. It’s an heirloom.”

Mashburn says high pant hems were popularized by the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the British throne in 1936 to marry the stylish American divorcee Wallis Simpson. The jet-setting royal introduced a number of innovations: “One was wearing suede shoes in town, another was unbuttoning the bottom button of a suit vest, and he didn’t have a break in his trousers. That tends to make you look a little taller.” The clean look of an unbroken pant leg, as well as double monk strap shoes with no socks, is both rakish and refined. It’s what Rhett Butler would wear now.

Clothing Shown Here: All private label: Navy blazer, $895; white oxford pop over, $145; red, navy, and ivory wool flannel stripe tie, $125; black alligator Conroy belt, $325; gray wool Donegal trousers, $295; black cap-toe double monk strap shoes, $595

Photographs by Alex Martinez. This article originally appeared in our November 2012 issue.

Style Insider: Melanie Turner

Cathy Anderson — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:25:00 GMT

Since launching her eponymous design firm three years ago, Melanie Turner has twice been ADAC’s Southeast Designer of the Year. We peeked inside the fashionista’s Buckhead closet. melanieturnerinteriors.com

What is the go-to item in your closet? It’s a white, long-sleeve, lace minidress from French Connection. Whether I’m hosting a dinner party or working, this dress is easy and comfortable, but still fashionable.

How would you describe your personal style? My dad was a businessman by day and a manager for rock bands at night, while my mother was an executive at Saks Fifth Avenue. My personal style is this fun mixture of both his earthy-hippie side and her posh elegance.

What is the one item you would encourage all women to purchase? Hunter rain boots. These really are the flip-flop of fall! I just got a new pair in black with brown trim (see above).

How did you design your closet? I treat my clothing and accessories more like art than just for wearing. There are some pieces that I’ll only wear once every few years, like my blush-colored Rickie Freeman for Teri Jon gown, that I keep out because they are beautiful, and they inspire me. I use necklace stands that look like trees to hang my jewelry.

How do you organize your clothes? I organize everything by occasion—evening, day, weekend—and then by color within each category. I use skinny velvet hangers because they take up less space. And I hang everything except undergarments and workout clothes.

Photograph by Neda Abghari

Fall Fashion at Barnsley Gardens

Betsy Riley — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 18:26:00 GMT

The storybook ruins of Barnsley Gardens’ Italianate mansion in Adairsville are a fitting setting for this fall’s romantic fashions. The season’s runways saw ladylike looks in reimagined shapes, with elegant embellishments and lavish flourishes to give the vintage-inspired silhouettes a contemporary bent. Godfrey Barnsley, a wealthy cotton trader, designed this grand home in the Georgia foothills for his Savannah bride, Julia. Sadly, she died of a lung disease in 1845, before it was complete. Barnsley halted construction for a year until, he said, Julia’s spirit appeared to him in the formal garden, urging him to complete the house for posterity. Barnsley finished the mansion two years later. The estate suffered under Union occupation during the Civil War, and a tornado tore off its roof in 1906. The property fell into disrepair until a German prince, Hubertus Fugger, purchased it in 1988, restored the gardens, and opened the site as a museum. Today it is also the centerpiece of an award-winning luxury resort, with three restaurants, a spa, a golf course, and a hunting plantation. barnsleyresort.com

>> View more photos of fall fashion at Barnsley Gardens

Photograph by Alex Martinez