ENK New York 2010 Wrap Up Pt. I

It was a whirlwind weekend to say the least and I enjoyed every minute of it.  ENK New York was in one word: gnarly.  All first trade show "geeking out" aside, what AC and the whole ENK crew put on was absolutely fantastic.  ENK is not your typical trade show clusterf- and is taking cues from the Italians who do it right.  By dividing vendors up into categories the experience of walking the floor and finding brands was much easier, and ultimetely enjoyable, for both buyers and guests.

It's not everyday that I get to hang with some of the coolest cats in the business and check out some of the newest gear so hopefully these posts will do the whole experience justice.  My head was definitely spinning the entire time I was there and I often found myself so hyped up that I completely forgot to take pictures.  The following will be my best attempt at a break down of a killer trade show and my personal highlights.

Company of We was one of the first booths I checked out and they set the bar pretty high.  They have been getting incredible press lately and all of it is completely deserved.  Not many brands can claim that they are truly making fashion for the people.  Company of We has some of the best clothes at price points that seem like misprints.  Jay, the brand's designer, couldn't be a humbler, nicer guy and was just as excited as I was, if not more, about all the cool things Company of We has coming up.  The stand out piece for me was their duffle coat which was so popular that they brought it back in a bunch of new colors for next fall (seen below on the rack and modeled by Mr. Shaun Barneveld)

 

On the accessories front Will Leather Goods shut it down.  I introduced you guys to the brand a little while back and the stuff is even better in person.  Leather goods are a tricky business to get right and Mr. Bill Adler knows what he is doing.  I said it once and I'll say it again, if anyone is going to challenge Billy Kirk it's these guys.  The leather bags were very detailed and expertly crafted while the canvas goods were better if that's even possible.

 

 

While I respect the hell out of what the Italians do, Neapolitan style isn't really my thing.  That may just change after seeing the offerings from Salvatore Piccolo.  In fact the stuff they showed was some of the coolest at ENK hands down.  Their garments combined the perfect elements of what Italians have been doing for ages with just the right amount of American sportswear.  Their cowboy and madras shirts with cutaway collars and shirt/jacket/blazer hybrids (3rd picture down) need to be seen to be believed.

 

 

I've got a lot more to cover and hope you enjoyed the first dispatch of what ENK New York had to offer.  I have at least two more posts planned dealing with the best of the best so stay tuned.

-L.A.S