Branding the man: why men are the next frontier in fashion retail

(SAN FRANCISCO) – Since his wild-child debut in 1998, Yigal Azrouel has made a name for himself with beautifully draped clothes that are deceptively low-key. It’s not unusual to find an exquisite little mink cape nestled amongst racks of distressed wool, cotton, or linen dresses. Azrouel’s collections are rich in textures, colors and already have fiercely loyal fans, especially amongst the young New York fashion set. For those wanting a vagabond style, look no further: these are clothes that appear to have taken part in the Paris – Dakar Rally; dusty, rugged, but richly textured and elegant. His women’s collections in particular ooze a languid aesthetic that calls to mind Kristin Scott Thomas in “The English Patient.”

His 2010 men’s collections follows along those same lines and in some cases even exceed expectations for a designer who first made his mark in women’s wear. The 2010 menswear collection is boyishly disheveled but finely drawn in silhouette and message.

At a recent trunk show at Saks Fifth Avenue in downtown San Francisco, Azrouel showed richly textured jackets, pants, and his signature scarves that called to mind the sun-bleached life of a Nomad in the deserts of Morocco. A model wearing a black and dusty blue tie-dyed shirt with cardigan and striped scarf epitomized the look which has become distinctly Azrouel’s own style — one which might strike a chord with many men who are hoping  to gain at least an ounce of Azrouel’s mojo.

“I love San Francisco,” said Azrouel. “But I don’t always have much time to explore it when I’m doing events like this.”

The designer, never lacking in charm, had it in spades at the Saks event, and it certainly helped sell the clothes. Wearing a mossy green cardigan and scarf, Azrouel intermittently adjusted each of the models while sipping champagne and meeting guests. It seemed that some who had never seen Azrouel before, were too shy to meet the designer and  hung back on the periphery of the room, peering over their champagne glasses as he showed VIP’s some of his favorite pieces.

Yigal Azrouel is available at Saks Fifth Avenue’s men’s and women’s stores, both located on Post Street in downtown San Francisco. Photographs courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue and Drew Altizer Photography, www.drewaltizer.com.

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