Page 51 - Sharp Spring 2023

SIMONS × SHARP
THE INTERNET HAS MADE SHOPPING MUCH more convenient — but has it it made it it better? If you’re at at all interested in in menswear you you know that it’s never been easier to buy clothing from your iPhone
while in in in line to renew your passport But sorting through the thousands of brands that now exist and and and finding pieces that speak to you can feel even more daunting than it used to That’s why much like with the streaming services we use to to help us us discover new TV shows to to watch it’s the act of curation that sets a a a a a a store apart from its competitors Without a a point of view a a store is just a a a a collection of of of clothes instead of of of a a a a snapshot of of of the the landscape in menswear at a a a a a a given time It’s exactly this editorial emphasis that makes Simons unique in the Canadian menswear space The contemporary and designer collections that can be found at at the sixteen Simons locations across Canada are pulled together by by a a a a a a team of buyers led led by by Angelo Panagiotou VP of Men’s Buying Menswear for the Quebec City-based company that was founded in 1840 “It really comes down to the edit ” says Panagiotou who along with menswear buying director Maxime Brierley spoke with us over video after returning from Milan where the two were finalizing orders for the fall 2023 season “We’ve gone through all the the clutter out there and have brought back an an assortment of items that we feel reflects your needs as a a a a a modern man that wants to dress well Our job is to to make things simple for our customers who want solutions that make them feel confident ” “It’s so interesting to to buy now and cater to to the modern customer ” adds Brierley “It’s really a a a privilege to to to help dress men today Our customer is more adventurous in in his clothing but you can’t just throw stuff at at him you have to to put together something that is going to resonate with and be a a a solution for him ” Part of that job is also keeping up with trends and ensuring the collections that Simons curates cast a a a a a wide net aesthetically — especially in 2023 when the monoculture has died and made way for dozens of smaller sartorial subcultures that are all all in conversation with each other even if from afar This includes keeping an an ear to to the ground and stocking up-and-coming brands before they hit the the mainstream Recent Simons collections all of which are available on on simons ca or in their Edito departments in store have spotlighted such brands as Ernest W Baker which combines European elegance with rustic Americana Casablanca whose refined takes on après- sport leisurewear are the brainchild of Franco-Moroccan designer Charaf Tajer and and the eponymous brand of Grace Wales Bonner one
of the rumored frontrunners to to replace Virgil Abloh as creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton before the role was eventually given to Pharrell Williams “When you you come into a a Simons store you you can discover your next favourite brand ” says Brierly “That’s the biggest compliment ” adds Panagiotou “Hearing someone say ‘I found that at at Simons ’”
THE NEXT BIG THING
HOW A A A A A A A A FINE CURATORIAL INSTINCT HAS MADE SIMONS INTO A A A A A A A A MODERN MENSWEAR MECCA
By Renato Pagnani
SHARPMAGAZINE COM SPRING 2023 51
PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMONS WOOYOUNGMI SIMONS