The Cut has a great Q&A today on Alex Carleton, founding designer of Rogues Gallery who was hired by L.L. Bean to breathe some life into a staid brand with its Signature label.
Having not shopped at the Bean since, well, never, because anytime I wore the label it was thanks to a Christmas present or birthday, I recently bought this madras blazer after I was beyond pleased by its detail and fit. Rogues has always been a bit out of my price range, unless its prices are slashed a few percentage points during end-of-season sales. And while I prefer the real thing, Carleton, a West Coast native (Portland, Ore.), has scored big time with his more affordable L.L. collection (the blazer pictured is $175).
According to the peeps at New York, Carleton is also working on his second collaboration with another menswear fave of ours, John Bartlett. Though once again it’s available only at John’s store over the summer. In the West Village. How about you open one up in Venice, JB?—Paul Dexter
It is unfortunate to read another review in which Mr. Carleton is mistaken for a West coast native because an author has not done his research. Paul Dexter would be wise to know that we on the East coast are proud to have Mr. Carleton as one of our own, a salty dog of the North Atlantic if you will, whose original flagship store for our beloved Rogues Gallery is in the heart of Portland MAINE.
Sincerely, S.R. Zittel