Bespoken
Fashion Installation
February 2010 Fashion Week
Hosfelt Gallery, 531 West 36th
Written by
Wendy R. Williams
Photographed by Mary Blanco
The British line
Bespoken is the child of the well respected Turnbull
& Asser house, creator (not manufacturer) of
fine menswear. Bespoken is the next generation of
Turnbull & Asser, both in design and heritage.
Bespoken is the creation of three brothers (Liam
Fayed, Sam Fayed and James Fayed) plus two brothers
(Paulo Goncalves and Carlos Goncalves).
The name Bespoken
means custom made, as in spoken for (the wool used
to be labeled with the name of the customer). The
line is ready-to-wear, but still has the look of
tailored menswear, but with a youthful mod cut.
The jackets are cut short and tight, giving a look
of "I grew and inch or two since I bought this
suit during my last year at University."
The Fall 2010 Fashion Installation at the Hosfelt
Gallery, an edgy gallery in a not- quite-gentrified
block a few feet from the Hudson River, was beautifully
staged. The models stood on the perimeter of a large
volume of space, bathed in natural light from the
large windows. The moody Fall 2010 video was projected
on the walls giving an Into the Looking Glass
vibe to the presentation, the grit of the gallery
mirroring the grit in the video.
The garments are
fun and rich and just the thing to purchase after
you are accepted at Cambridge.
