So you're looking for that one-of-a-kind, well-fitting Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah gift for a special someone. Or you want holiday party attire without seeing yourself coming or going.
You might want to check with Jerald Mitchell. The Little Rock designer got his start making custom bow ties and restyling existing clothing pieces and outfits under the name 1297 Kustoms. Now, he provides made-to-measure luxury suiting for men, women and children under the name 1297 Luxe.
Suits, which include formal wear, start about $400, but prices can vary according to the quality of the fabric selected. The majority of clients prefer worsted wool for their custom garments, Mitchell says; other fabric and texture choices include cotton, linen, cashmere, jacquard, velvet, suede and tweed. In addition to bespoke suits, 1297 Luxe provides suiting separates as well as shirts, fur jackets, trench coats, pea coats and overcoats. If a client has a design in mind, he can submit a photo to have it re-created.
Here's how it works: The prospective client can visit the website, 1297luxe.com, to view fabric swatches for suits, shirts and jacket linings as well as buttons; then book an appointment for a phone or face-to-face consultation with a member of Mitchell's design team. When an order is placed, the clothing is constructed according to the client's body measurements. "Younger clients tend to prefer to have their suits fit with little to no extra room for bagginess, while our more mature clients like to have a little more room," Mitchell says.
Orders take four to six weeks; three-week rush service is offered as well. A 60 percent, nonrefundable deposit is required for order placement; the remaining 40 percent is due upon order completion. Mitchell and his team make sure they double-check measurements so that any needed corrections can be made before the order is completed. Measurements are then checked one final time before the product is delivered.
By the way, Mitchell still makes those custom bow ties, the very first items he leaned how to sew. "They will always be available," he says.
Here are a few other gift considerations for making someone's holiday season merry and bright:
• An outfit from Regalia Handmade Clothing. Mark Hughes, designer of the Eureka Springs-based, predominately womens fashion line, has "upped his game," according to Cantrell Gallery, which for years has hosted Hughes' Little Rock trunk shows. One of those trunk shows will be Dec. 7-8 at the gallery, 8208 Cantrell Road in Little Rock. A wine and cheese preview party will take place from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 7; the trunk show will continue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 8. Hughes is known for his graceful, regal, stunningly understated linen garments, but he has also been producing such retro-style pieces as sheaths, rockabilly-style fit-and-flare frocks and men's guayabera-style shirts in solids and eye-catching prints. Pieces shown on the Regalia website start at $95. For more information, visit Regaliahandmadeclothing.com.
• A bottle of Bond No. 9's latest. In September, that brand of many splendored scents introduced its latest fragrance, New Bond St. ($280-$405; $485-$1,000 for Swarovski and Swarovski Bejeweled versions of its bottle). The scent is an ode to the revamped Bond Street in the NoHo (North of Houston Street) neighborhood in New York's lower Manhattan. New Bond St. is described as a "rich, strong, very sexy ... oriental scent" consisting of bergamot, pepper and dewy muguet with mid notes of cocoa, coffee beans and chestnut and base notes of patchouli, vanilla, sandalwood and leatherwood. Riiiiight, but does it smell good? I was provided with a small sample and, being fond of all the mid and base notes by themselves, I love sultry-but-not-overpowering New Bond St. And, says Mindy Stewart, who sells the Bond fragrances in her west Little Rock gift shop Powder & Smoke, "Everyone loves the red and black animal print bottle."
• The Kennedy. Nope, not some cocktail named after our 35th president. This is the style name of a fall 2018 ankle boot from Vionic Shoes. The gorgeously sleek, almond-toed leather Kennedy Ankle Boot ($179.95) reaches just above the ankle. It features a three-inch, stacked block heel, which makes it easier to walk in; a folded outer seam and a zipper closure. I tried a sample pair in 9 wide. All Vionic boots and booties tend to start out tight, then adapt to the feet. In these I sustained a couple early "rub" scars where the top of the boot met my right leg; the outer edge of my right big toe suffered a bit, too. The boots began to feel better with continued wear, but they're still inclined to pinch by the end of the day. The Kennedy rocks, but I recommend this style for gift recipients with narrower feet and calves.
• A little (fashionably) light reading, thanks to Esse Purse Museum & Store founder Anita Davis. Little Rock-based Et Alia Press announces What's Inside? A Century of Women and Handbags, 1900-1999 ($29.95) by Davis. The book, designed and styled by Steven Otis and edited by Erin Wood, debuted Nov. 7 as a follow-up to the museum and store's fifth anniversary, which was observed in the summer. The book is a companion for Esse's permanent exhibit. Head to the museum for your gift recipient's copy, or visit Etaliapress.com. A not-so-average handbag from the museum store wouldn't be a bad gift either.
• A regimen of Nyl Skincare. Carol Sondesky founded the line after becoming unhappy with the loosely regulated skin care products she found on the market. The Nyl collection includes bath soaks, hand and body lotion, body polish, scrub, face washes, body balm and hand soap, $28-$68 -- all free of pesky man-made chemicals, toxins, parabens and petroleum products. It's also vegan, gluten free and has never been tested on animals. Supplied with full-size samples, a co-worker tried a number of the products and especially appreciated the Rosewater Face Wash ($29) and Velvet Transformative Serum ($68). "The Rosewater Face Wash is a refreshing cleansing water that leaves the face soft and squeaky clean," she reports. "The gentle rose scent is pleasant, and the nondrying wash can be used on all skin types. The Velvet Transformative Serum is a combination of oils and botanical extracts that can be used as moisturizer, or mixed with cream or lotion. The thick serum leaves the skin feeling hydrated and soft, and is especially useful as an under-eye moisturizer." Visit nylskincare.com.
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hwilliams@arkansasonline.com
High Profile on 11/18/2018