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The contemporary design of Press Menswear
matching the contemporary clothing styles for men,
which range from suit accessories to casual wear.
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As an Uptown resident, entrepreneur Jason Warrington
figured that if he recognized a need for a contemporary, stylish men's store,
so would his peers. With that in mind, he opened Press Menswear (7621 Maple
St., 862-9908) around Labor Day as an alternative to more stodgy, expensive venues.
"I've lived Uptown for the last 10 years and
there's never been a men's store in the Riverbend area," he says. "I wanted
somewhere for myself to shop without having to go downtown.
"Most of my friends, and students from Tulane
and Loyola, all did their shopping in Texas and New York when they went home
on break and I did most of my shopping when I went on vacation. I wanted a place
where you could go in and get something for the weekend or to liven up a suit
without having to go downtown."
Outside, Press Menswear maintains the traditional
shotgun style of the area, but inside the shop is designed with clean lines,
contemporary fixtures and easy-to-maneuver displays. His product lines include
Kenneth Cole, Donna Karan, Joe's Jeans, Dan Sherman, LaCoste, Puma, Paul Frank,
Penguin and others.
"The concept is dressy casual," says Warrington.
"I'm not getting into suits, but I've got all the accessories to freshen up
suits: shirts, cufflinks, ties." He also carries casual jackets and windbreakers
and is adding new items as customers request them. This month he'll add Kenneth
Cole shoes, a line he plans to expand for the spring. He stocks clothes and
accessories for the young at heart that are found on the pages of GQ
magazine or in fine, more high-priced stores, but veers away from items that
he characterizes as "obscenely priced."
"I've got some of the same brands as like
Saks (Fifth Avenue), but it's a little younger target, between 18 and 24," he
says, adding that he also moves toward more contemporary styles than some other
men's shops in town. "I don't wear suits myself as a norm, unless I'm going
to a special event or out to eat someplace special. I would wear anything in
here."
Men aren't his only customers. About 20 percent
to 25 percent of his customers are women who venture in to find fashion accessories,
ties, cufflinks and shirts for their husbands and boyfriends.
Another focus of Warrington is to keep expanding
and changing merchandise in order to keep the fashions fresh and make sure he
has new things for regular customers to discover.
"I want it to be a boutique where you won't
see too many of one thing," he says. "I only order about six of each item, and
once something is gone, I don't necessarily re-order. I want to keep it fresh,
so if a guy comes in every other week, he will always see something different."
A Free Lesson
Historian and educator James Anderson will
discuss the court decision that brought about desegregation of the nation's
education system during a free lecture at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at Longue Vue House
and Gardens (7 Bamboo Road). The talk is part of a third annual conference
hosted by Dillard University and Longue Vue, titled "African-American Education
in the South: Historical, Current and Future Analysis of the Relationship Between
Community, Philanthropy and Public Education." Anderson's speech will be followed
by a reception. The summit is free and open to the public.
Anderson was chosen because of his expertise
in the field of African-American education. He is author of The Education
of Blacks in the South, 1860-1935 and participated in the documentary School:
History of Public Education.
A New 'Do in the Marigny
Residents looking for a top-notch hair salon
in the Marigny need look no further. Atria Salon (839 Spain St., 948-4240)
opened late last month and specializes in fashion-forward hair coloring and
styling services.
Stylists from Atria, a high-end salon with
two other locations in South Bend, Ind., last month were featured on The Learning
Channel's A Makeover Story. Co-owners Gail Getz-Ferrara and David Harrington,
a Louisiana native, have trained and styled internationally with salons including
Vidal Sasson, Toni and Guy, and Jose Eber.
Achievement for Juniors
Junior Achievement's new Exchange City
-- New Orleans (Delgado Community College, 5100 Orleans Ave., 877-JA4-KIDS)
opened last week, offering local school children an opportunity to learn about
life by practicing governmental, business and financial transactions in a simulated
city.
The "city" on the campus of Delgado Community College will include a life-sized
working bank, city hall, post office and about a dozen other businesses in which
children will learn how to navigate the enterprises by working with them. Fifth-grade
students at Mildred Osborne Elementary will be among the first schoolchildren
to participate in the program and will act as mayor and council members for
the city as well as business people and consumers.
