The standard story about men is that they do not go shopping; they restock.
Their closets are filled with indistinguishable white shirts and gray suits, drawers packed with black socks and identical jeans.
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This is not true. During the recent economic turmoil, men’s clothing—especially the most luxurious—has been a bright spot. More than ever, men are going to stores seeking clothes that go well beyond the blue button-downs they bought the year before—and the year before that.
In recognition of this change, we’ve put together a guide to one of the world’s best shopping streets: New York’s Madison Avenue. We wanted it to be useful for men who have been interested in clothes for years, as well as for those who might be branching out for the first time, so the focus is on the lesser-known aspects of the best-known stores.
We’ve found hidden lounges, new bespoke services, a place where you can work on your golf swing while buying a shirt and find a salesman who can help locate things you’ve never known you needed.
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Saks Fifth Avenue
Inside the Fifth Avenue Club of the Saks men’s department, hidden among the Italian tailoring, the Kiton and Brioni, the Isaia and Cucinelli, there’s a small lounge. Within are leather club chairs and a window with a view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s quiet enough that you can sit, have a drink and read The New York Times. But it’s not so hushed that you can’t go over fabric books with your tailor and talk about what to use for your latest suit. Something in a Scottish worsted, maybe, or even a cashmere?
Need to Know: The tailor you want is Peter Johnston, formerly of Dunhill and Chester Barrie. Until recently, getting Johnston’s clothing without visiting his Edinburgh, Scotland, townhouse-cum-workshop would have been a challenge. But now clients can meet him by appointment in the club lounge, next to Johnston’s ready-to-wear and made-to-measure shop, to be fitted for his bespoke suits (from $8,000), all of which are hand-sewn under his supervision on Savile Row. It takes three trips to really dial everything in, but the result is more than worth the effort.
Insider Tip: In honor of Johnston’s Scotish heritage, Saks created its own black-and-white plaid. Ask and he’ll use it to run up a bespoke kilt (if you already have a clan, Johnston will use whatever plaid you’re loyal to). 611 Fifth Ave. saks.com.
Bergdorf Goodman
There’s a lot going on at Bergdorf’s: vicuña coats from Loro Piana and vintage cuff links on the first floor; impeccable Neapolitan tailoring from Kiton and Brunello Cucinelli on the second; and Thom Browne’s highly stylized version of preppy gear on the third. Michael Bastian’s new-made classics are there too (look out for the tan suede jacket, a perfect meeting of 1970s vintage and modern).
Need to Know: The selection is incredible, but that also makes it easy to miss things. You may find the perfect Charvet shirts and ties just off the front entrance and not even realize that it’s possible to get them made-to-measure (from $605). And you’ll almost certainly miss the Charvet boxer shorts in a little alcove beside the ties; they’re gorgeous, created from the same material as the shirts, with the same mother-of-pearl buttons. And you can get these made-to-measure too, complete with monogram (from $155).
Insider Tip: The best way to ensure you get the perfect thing is to find a good salesman. Try Nelson Hennesy. He’s in Loro Piana, so he knows classic clothes, but he also ran the designer-driven third floor for several years, so he can search anywhere in the store for the thing you didn’t know you absolutely had to have. 754 Fifth Ave. bergdorfgoodman.com.
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers has been selling button-downs since button-downs were invented. So it makes perfect sense that they’d team up with also legendarily venerable St. Andrews Links to produce a line of technical clothes, like the Scotland essentials: wind- and rainproof jackets (from $350) and sportswear, such as the also—presumably—essential soft-cotton argyle sweaters (from $150), for golfing.
Need to Know: On the recently redone third floor, next to the fireplace and the curving staircase that leads to the sports coats, Brooks Brothers’ new golf simulator offers courses from all over the world, including, of course, St. Andrews. It’s the only place in Midtown to play nine holes with Callaway clubs, pick up a silk-cotton sweater for an upcoming golf trip to Scotland and make it back to the office before lunch is over.
Insider Tip: Brooks offers a chance to book free lessons with a pro. I asked Jeff, Brooks Brothers’ golf guru (and owner of Golf Manhattan), if people use the simulator to test out the clothes. “Not so much. I would, though,” he says. “You want to know how the Windbreaker affects your backswing, right?” 346 Madison Ave. brooksbrothers.com.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider