Man fashion store

GORDON HENDERSON Talk about red-hot! Even though Gordon Henderson will tell you that he's no "trend-of-the-moment designer," read between the lines, not his lips. His fashions are classic but kickin'--dresses, suits, pants, coats and separates in luscious colors and elegant, fluid shapes. Henderson's commitment to great-looking "clothes that women really love to wear" has made him a success in the fashion business at a time when the recession and women's fashion independence have made fashion a "risky business." Last year, Henderson's designer collection, which begins at $150, and his lower-priced "But, Gordon" line earned about $7 million in sales. Look for his clothes at Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Saks and other major stores around the country.

Henderson's trip to the top can also be considered classic. A native of Berkeley, California, he came East to study at the Parsons School of Design. After a brief period designing sportswear for Calvin Klein, Henderson launched his own line five years ago. To make production more efficient, he has moved his sample room to Hong Kong, where his clothes are produced, and he flies there at least three times a year to oversee the process. This way he ensures that his clothes are well made, in addition to having his signature--a "certain sex appeal combined with practicality and longevity."

KEVIN SMITH

All the elegance you'll ever want can be found in the "night dressing" designs by Kevin Smith. But don't look for traditional confections of lace, satin and silk. Oh, you'll find these fabrics, all right, but in surprising combinations, like silk shantung with wool jersey and reembroidered lace, and gold-on-black brocade trimmed with feathers.

By all accounts, Smith's elegant evening gowns, daytime dresses and suits are the stuff that draams are made of, but he expects women to bring their own personalities and sense of style to dream. "I rely on a woman to define a dress. I give the shape, the foundation, then the dress becomes what she is," he says.

Right now, Smith is doing exactly what he always dreamed about: He grew up drawing and sketching women's clothing and always had a love for evening wear. A native of Connecticut, he attended Yale University before transferring to Parsons School of Design and going on to work with Bill Blass, Anne Klein and other Seventh Avenue houses. Smith's philosophy of design is to make the wearer feel "as special as possible in what she wears." He's listening to the voices of his customers, who want the visual impact of glamour streamlined to fit busy lifestyles. The result is evening wear that's wearable, yet imaginative, colorful and bold.

BYRON LARS

All you have to do is look at Byron Lars to know that his designs are going to be fun, funky and a far cry from anyone else's. Who else would have thought of taking a man's basic Oxford shirt, cutting off the sleeves and letting it ride a woman's curves? Innovator Byron Lars. He's got a thing for sporty tartan and hunter's plaids, wears them himself and also translates them into body-skimming silhouettes.

Lar's exuberance shows through in everything he does. Bloomingdale's in New York was so swept away by his style that they gave him his own boutique. His clothes are also available at department and specialty stores around the country, including Macy's, I. Magnin, Saks, Nordstrom's and Henri Bendel. Dresses start at $325.

Don't call this overnight success. Lars got his start when a neighbor in Oakland, California, who knew her way around a Singer sewing machine helped him copy a pair of pants he had to have. He began designing for himself and friends, training later at the Brooks Fashion Institute in Long Beach. A slew of national and international design awards followed, making New York the next logical step. At first, Lars says, "I worked, slaved, freelanced for anybody," but he tired of that and started his own collection in 1990 with a lot of nerve and seven pieces he carried on his back from store to store. The rest has become Seventh Avenue legend. There's no telling where his creativity and sense of fun will take him. This past June he whipped up an edible, wearable, tiered wedding-cake dress. Delicious by all counts!

CD GREENE

Here's a designer who knows it's not about going back to the future but forward to it. CD Greene's "special occasion" clothes, featuring 3-D "ice" cubes, holograms, paillettes, mirrors and other nontraditional embellishments, are right on time. Sure, Greene's short, sexy dresses dazzle, but this unique sportswear is also keeping his name in the forefront of hot young designers across the country.

Greene made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago designing menswear before coming to New York in 1981. It was his portfolio sketches of designs for women, however, that got him design jobs with Adolfo and other big-name houses.

All the time he was working for other folks, Greene never lost sight of his own fantasies. "I always designed on my own, did stuff for boutiques and private clients," he says. "I knew I'd have my own business one day."

In fall 1988 he showed his mirror dresses to Bergdorf Goodman, and the powers that be were impressed enough to put his clothes in the windows the following spring. Now his designs, which range from $425 to $15,000 (for a floor-length rayon matte-jersey gown with a 15-foot train), are at Bloomingdale's, Saks, Fred Hayman, Neiman Marcus and other major stores. While it's glitter that has won Greene lots of customers, he creates styles that endure. "Forget about what's in and what's out. A woman should wear what she feels comfortable in," Greene says," and change her style day to day if she feels like it."

COPYRIGHT 1991 Essence Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group