Style and the City

Letter from the Editor, November 2018
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The debut of Hour Detroit’s Best Dressed issue May be one of the most exciting times of the year at the Hour Media HQ. The opportunity to showcase some of the area’s most stylish residents is an honor for our editors and the winners alike. It’s also an entry point to explore metro Detroit’s style sensibility as a whole.

Joe Vaughn’s rich photographs for this year’s Best Dressed feature (page 50) offer a snapshot of the region’s style ethos: Slightly flashy accessorized with glimmers of hometown pride. The Lions’ Golden Tate assumed the dapper look of an old Hollywood star, in a white dinner jacket with a hint of shimmer. The custom suit, complete with a black bow tie, was designed by Birmingham’s Cicchini Custom Clothier. Designer and store owner Roslyn Karamoko echoed our cover star’s tailored, high-local approach, wearing a customized Amsale ball gown with a T-shirt from her own line — Détroit Is the New Black scrawled across her chest. Wells Fargo Managing Director Marc Beshany opted for Armani paired with a shirt from Alexander’s Custom Clothiers in Northville, and several others shouted out their go-to tailors and boutique owners.

There’s poignancy in the collective choice among winners to pair made-to-fit styles with local ties. Throughout the feature, many of the tastemakers place Henry the Hatter and 1701 Bespoke in the same category of favorite designers and shops as Gabrielle Chanel and Gucci, speaking to the caliber of retailers within city limits. This juxtaposition should be flattering for native Detroiters.

But most importantly, the winners — a CEO, a judge, and several business owners in between —  all agree that a fierce wardrobe is nothing if not worn with grace. As philanthropist Jennifer Granger tells writer, Chuck Bennett, “People will always remember if you were kind, gracious, and genuine over what you were wearing.” It doesn’t get more metro Detroit than that.