NYC is full of menswear designers cranking out safe affordable duds and selling them profitably. Jay Kos, on so many levels, would not be that designer. Despite the common, "He dresses funny - he must be creative," observation, Kos owns an uncommonly cool shop that hits idiosyncratic right outta the bull fighting ring.
Pushing the envelope with humor, color, knowledge and worldliness...Jay's taste reminds me of the Bohemian girl in college who introduced me to obscure Samba, mole sauce and Bolivian marching powder, all in one night. She wore a rusted chastity belt of Socialist feminism but I was crazy about her -- She heard my knocking -- No way was I getting in. Just as well. She smoked pot with her parents.
Jay will let me in but my budget won't let me do a whole lot. There's a $10,000 cashmere Covert coat I've been lusting after but that's NYC fur sink money. Kos is Hermès expensive but unlike Hermès, there's some decent value here. As in all things Kos, there's little of what you see. Consequently, you won't see your modern duffle coat with throat latch coming at you on every street in Soho.
I don't own much Kos. The Otter sweater, a pair of black leather gloves and one tie. But they are the best gloves I've ever owned (infantry blue lining) and the most hysterical Shetland I've ever worn. I've only worn the tie once. Two outta three ain't bad. Downstairs there's a bespoke fitting room done up like a Moroccan Bedouin tent. Instead of hash, there's a humidor filled with Cubans. Cigars, not people. Partagas, Cohiba, Montecristo and a favorite robusto, the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No 2. That's how you take care of a customer.
Fashion has a short shelf life. The designers and the media work together to lure the trendy in. Months of proud promenade - For a year if you're lucky and the designer duds, like a dumb wine, go into storage and wait 30 yrs before being palatable again. It's odd that Kos isn't covered more by the fashion media. But he doesn't advertise. Wonder who fashion media works for? The people who pay them and we're not talking subscriptions.
In all fairness, I do not write this blog to bring you news from J. Crew or Cole Haan. I figure you can find those folks on your own. Jay Kos is not so easy to find. The shop is on Mott, just around the corner from the warm heart of Emilio Ballato on Houston St. You don't need a compass to find the place but you'll feel like you discovered something the moment you step in.
Jay Kos
293 Mott Street
212.319.2770
mottstreet@jaykos.com
Thanks, Alice
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13 comments:
Were you at Jay Kos last night taking these shots? Just curious since I walked by around 8:45 PM or so and it looked like some photo shoot was going on in there.
Mott St- that wasn't us. We're much more an available light operation.
"Check the flag on that jacket...they's some Yankee queers."
Movie?
Andy- Even better. The jkt is made outta wood. Easy Riser.
Mr Kos appears to have moved much more to the avant garde since his departure from midtown (from where I bought a couple of things) judging by the pics although I haven't been into his new store yet. I await the experience with interest.
Joe- The passion is still there. Probably more so than at Park.
Not sure about the duds but the photos by A.O. are really good, as usual. Nice one of the monkey, as well.
-DB
Well played Sir...I was certain you would catch that quote with relative ease.
DB- AO did a great job and so did Kos.
Andy- don't call me sir.
With all due respect to the painterly photos and Kos, I am cheering for whoever gave Ms. Olive that incredibly smart-looking haircut! Had to be said....
Oyster- She has all of NYC talking.
Yes, Kos did a great job, indeed. A varied and fascinating line.
-DB
Nice article. But no such thing as "Moroccan Bedouin". You might as well be talking about "Congolese Yankee"... I think wha you meant was "Moroccan Berber". Cheers!
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