Cheryl Shops

1909 Victorinox Fall 2009
Where & When: Wednesday, February 18th at 2 p.m., New York Public Library
Runway Recap: Being on the bottom of the Fashion Week totem pole can have its advantages--no, really--one being that I often get last-minute invites to shows that need to fill up their audience. I was a bit perplexed when I got invited to Victorinox--a menswear show--last night, but as MW put it, "Why not go? You might get a Swiss Army knife!" So I went. 1909 is a new higher-end line from Victorinox, and for his first collection, designer Pierre Henri Mattout sent out a series of sporty-meets-dorky looks inspired by Amish teenagers in the big city. This being Victorinox, everything looked very utilitarian--lots of pockets and zippers--but the silhouette was much slimmer than their primary line (which my 73-year-old father is a fan of). The Amish motif came across primarily in the unfortunate bowl-like hairdos on the models, all of whom sped up and down the runway like, well, my dad when he has somewhere important to be.
Standout Look: The entire collection was very wearable, which is more than you can say for a lot of men's fashion shows, when you get crazy things like kimono jackets and pink fishnet tops. My favorite pieces, however, were the shiny parkas, like this one--perfect for skiing, or for the city.
Bonus Points: I was really glad I braved the weather to come to this show when I spotted--I kid you not--Marc Jacobs in the flesh, in the front row. Recession be damned, he was wearing a gray astrakhan coat and very large diamond studs in his ears, and he looked a bit tired but otherwise good (and fit and tan). After the show, I overheard him telling a reporter that Mattout is a good friend of his. Now that I've come within two feet of one of my idols, I don't know what to do with myself. What's next, Karl Lagerfeld? And, oh yeah, I got a free Swiss Army knife.
Where to Buy: Swiss Army store at 136 Prince Street in Soho, or go here to find a store near you.