SoLost: Billy Reid at Home in Alabama
SoLost is an Oxford American production directed and produced by Dave Anderson, edited by Jonathan Childs, and the motion graphics by TJ McCoy.
This piece gives us an insight into the very unique menswear designer Billy Reid. He’s caught a wave of press over the last year, being named GQ’s Menswear designer of the Year, and also walking away with CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize of $300,000. It’s all very well deserved.
And in this video you can see why. Billy is a simple family man living on Walnut Street in Alabama’s eleventh-largest city. It’s been a long and hard road, ups and downs, twists and turns, but this guy is truly a master of the fabric. He never ceases to impress me with his brilliant collections season after season.
I particularly like the part where Billy says near the end that they wanted to raise their children in Alabama and they found a way of building their work around their life. Inspiring stuff. Watch underneath.
www.billyreid.com
www.dbanderson.com
Ok I like this guy- he seems real nice- but seriously what is the state of affairs of the fashion industry in our country when this collection wins CFDA and GQ mens?! It makes absolutely no sense?? I mean have you really looked at the clothes? Look at the their retail site, it looks like old navy or something. Really? Printed T-shirts that read: “make banana bread not war” (http://www.billyreid.com/?cat=51)
I just cannot understand what people are seeing? am I missing something..where is the DESIGN?? it is all rehashed, poorly made, ill fitted garments.
I have the feeling there was a lot of politics involved in these decisions-NOT a good reflection on US design..
All of fashion is rehashed from previous eras. However, if you have ever been into Billy Reid’s store you would see classic pieces with his spin on them. And while there may be some goofy pieces like the banana bread t-shirt, I seriously doubt that you will find anything that is poorly made.
His eye for classic Southern style is perfect and there really aren’t any other mensware designers out there that do it any better than Mr. Reid.
Wow really Will? I worked in the billy reid store for the last 6 months and I can tell you the one single response I got more than anything else was about bad fit and bad finish. I was given a double-breasted jacket and the buttons dont even do up straight!
Gill,
Have you ever been to one of his shops or seen his clothes in person? I will agree that sometimes the fit on the models on his website is not the best, however it has gotten better. But once you see, feel, try on his stuff in person you will see the difference. Just about all his fabrics are from Italy, shoes are all handmade in Italy and his shirting comes in different fits depending on the model. And Really, what is wrong with a little whimsical twist for T-shirts or hats? The cornbread shirts/hats are in collab with the Southern Foodways Alliance which was formed to preserve southern food heritage. Its nice to see a designer care about his real heritage and not a made up one because heritage is “hot” right now.
Jeffre