It turns out there is more in Vegas than gambling, strippers, and booze.  There is also some MAGIC to be seen.  The annual MAGIC Marketplace trade show just ran this week with “Menswear at MAGIC” highlighting the event.  For three days designers, buyers, and enthusiasts flock to the Vegas strip to get a view of the contemporary, casual, active, footwear and accessory collections from some of the brightest style minds in the game.  There will be another event held sometime in August which I hope to attend and report findings to my followers.  Go here for the MAGIC.

Ask anyone with the slightest interest or knowledge about fashion, which gender the industry caters to the most and they will undoubtedly say “women”.  They would be right until recently.  The venerable Hermes and Coach brands have been synonymous with elegance, class, and sophistication for years.  They are also known for catering to the fairer sex.  Granted, Hermes does offer quality menswear options in the form of ties, suits, and accessories, but the focus of their marketing is aimed at women.  On the other hand Coach has always been about attracting the female buyer with their extensive selection of handbags, purses, and wallets while leaving men out in the cold.

No more.  Both of these fine clothiers are now targeting men specifically.  Hermes has opened its first exclusive men’s shop in NYC and Coach is set to open their first menswear boutique in May.  This is a big deal for men.  This shows that the big name brands aware of the fact aht men enjoy clothes just as much as women and they realize they’re missing out on an enormously wealthy, style motivated, and fashion focused genre.  Gone are the days when men would roll out of bed and toss on a t-shirt and jeans.  The modern man puts time and effort into his wardrobe.  Even after the financial meltdown, there are men with disposable income to expand their wardrobe, and now they have the chance.  It will be interesting to see how many other brands follow “suit” in the future.  Pun intended.

We’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be featured in a podcast at Mensplaybook.com.  Tune in and listen to tips, advice, and recommendations for upcoming Spring trends, when to wear sneakers, how to transition for urban wear to classic style, and more.  We are happy to share our knowledge and passion for style with Men’s Playbook readers and fans.  Be on the lookout for more podcasts in the future. Listen below or here.

Cobbler — Not the warm, sweet, down home fruit cobbler your grandmother used to make.  The cobbler who is a surgeon for your footwear.  The one who repairs, refinishes, restores, protects and extends the life of the shoes you so wisely invested in.  In light of the recession with more men interviewing for jobs, the shoe repair industry has seen a boost in many parts of the country.  With the unemployment rate in DC peaking at 11.9% as recently as December many men still either don’t buy shoes that require maintenance from a cobbler, or they simply do not posses the knowledge of how one can extend the life of their shoes.  Resoling a heel; attaching taps; or restitching the welt are all services a cobbler provides to preserve a man’s footwear and save him time and money in the long run.  Several cobblers have turned to the internet to offer their services to men who choose not to leave the comfort of their home.  Barring physical ailment or disability I find it lazy that a man would rather stuff his shoes — one of the biggest investments in his wardrobe – in a box, put them in the mail, and wait weeks for their return without ever being able to see and understand the behind the scenes work of a master at his craft.  But I digress.

Find a cobbler, but not your granny’s.

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A great look inside the creation of a handmade necktie.