MAN AW15’s Handcrafted Excellence

A distinct European flavor peppered the menswear at the MAN Show NY last week. Held at the intimate trade show space provided at Industria Super Studio, many vendors hailed from Norway, Portuguese, France, Sweden and other Euro locales. But there were a number of American designers enlivening this show, too, a new trend this season.

Many of the wares, in keeping with menswear from other shows we loved last week, celebrated a sense of individuality supported by handcrafting at the utmost quality level. KikaNY’s amazing leather bags had a heft, balance and unique design shape made even more special by the fact that designer Kika Vliegenthart earned her leather-making chops from East Village leather maven Barbara Shaum.

Victoria, BC-based Viberg Shoe Company, a family-run business, is modernizing the handmade shoe outlook with dressier boot styles under the next-generation tutelage of Brett Viberg, who learned the trade scampering about/growing up in his grandfather’s factory.

Older Brother’s Bobby Bonaparte (and, yes, he IS the older brother of all his siblings) calls Portland, Oregan home, and gives his spartanly-styled pieces cool contemporary cuts. He wax-carves his cast jewelry, which is onspot and genderless. In that vein, Older Brother will be back for the Women’s Show in a couple of weeks.

Uniforms for the Dedicated’s creative director/founding partner Fredrik Wikholm has just brought his Swedish company stateside, having just moved to Brooklyn. With great outerwear and fun printed pants, this is a collection to keep on your radar, guys.