(capsule) Trade Show Recap

Two for one special!  So not only did we get to attend the Agenda show but we also attended the capsule tradeshow.  It was right next door to the Agenda show which made our lives a lot easier.  The atmosphere at capsule was completely different from the Agenda, but in some small way they felt linked.  Capsule consisted of more contemporary brands. A lot of high quality cut an sew garments, bags, neck ties,  jewelry, eyewear, and shoes.  There were four floors of brands and it was packed! The people in attendance were more of what you would see on the pages of GQ, Details, Vanity Fair, or the Satoralist.  A lot of new brands got to present their collections for the first time as well as more established brands that have been around the block a few fears. Palladium, Stussy Deluxe, PRPS, Penfield, Creative Recreation, Clae, and Amongst Friends were the more notable brands that showcasing their new pieces.

While walking through the show and checking out some really cool collections we stopped and got acquainted with a few brands. Everyone at the show was very receptive to not only buyers but bloggers as well (some more than others). It was easily well over 60 brands exhibiting, but a few stuck out that we would like to highlight.

Fahlgren is a tie line debuting at Capsule and set to release this Fall.  Brett Fahlgren, owner, talked to us for a while about his collection saying that his ties are “whimsical,but not too whimsical, preppy but not too stiff”.  The ties are slim, but not extremely slim like some ties you see around stores today.  The ties have a classic and timeless feel to them.  Definitely a good fit for any gentleman’s closet.  After he gave us some background on his product he told us that he was a stylist  for the publishers of GQ and he also has a blog (www.styleledger.com). So look out for this guy in the near future.

Miansai is a men’s jewelry line based out of New York.  Michael Saiger, founder and creative director, was definitely one of the main attractions at the show.  At only 25-years-old he is leading the way in men’s bracelets.  We featured some of his bracelets in a earlier post on accessorizing your wrist a while back.  Miansai had a lot of new products at capsule and boy were they impressive.  What makes his bracelets stand out so much is the quality of the materials as well as the uniqueness of clasps; using hooks and now miniature anchors to hold the bracelets together.  Miansai is going to be huge! Especially since men’s jewelry is starting to become more and more popular.

Etiquette was also a new brand showcasing their bold signature socks, underwear, and accessories at the show.  Set to launch this summer, Etiquette Clothiers really paid attention to details at their booth.  They had a very nice setup as well as a great product (“It’s all about cool socks”.)  We at itstheratpack.com pride ourselves on stressing the importance of having cool socks.  Who wants to wear plain dingy white tube socks and dress socks every day? Anyways, their line consist of  a nice variety of bold, sophisticated, and fashionable high quality socks.   They even took things a step further and made a  guide-book on men’s etiquette dealing with socks, underwear, and etc.  Hopefully we can get our hands on one of those books.

Capsule was a great experience and being there was an even better opportunity.  If style and fashion is your thing then we would definitely suggest attending one of these tradeshows the next time they come around.  We wish the best of luck to the brands at this show because at the end of the day these people are doing something they are passionate about doing.  Here we encourage anyone to take a risk and do something that brings you joy because you never know the opportunities that may come from it.  Maybe you start a clothing brand and get picked up by stores all over the world or maybe it will provide some sort of outlet.  Bottom line is, you never know until you try.  Stay inspired and keep following istheratpack for more in the future.

-Matt G