Crossed signals

If I made a note of every guy I saw in a nice shirt that turned out to be from F&H, my bag would be filled with crumpled pieces of paper with useless scribbles. Not that it isn’t already. But retail chain Folded & Hung has gotten good reviews from the kind of audience that matters: shoppers.

The retail concept’s expanded from being a simple basic outlet (that is: sole purveyor of plain tanks and tees that litter every tiannge shop anyway) to riffing on the latest trends, be they romantic blouses in chiffon or Mod one-sleeve dresses.

One recent shopping trip involved a hunt for a friend’s gift – one that involved much hemming and hawing on the budget (I’m not, after all, made of money) and style. It’s difficult to find something cheap and chic. And that’s the honest truth.

But F&H’s racks were filled with contemporary pieces, from secretary-inspired tie-front blouses in textured chiffon, paisley caftans, cropped shorts in a natty tweed, sexy see-through tops in blousy cuts. Name the trend and chances are one of its offspring is decorating the store racks.

The label’s combined a knack for knowing what sells (the latest trends) and creating it in multiples. So a gauzy tie-front blouse is sweetly feminine in cream, decidedly chic in lavender and off-the-charts cool in black.

Not since the Olsen twins (and Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe, for that matter) have copies been so in fashion.

Their menswear isn’t bad either. Slim-fit and cut right, the shirts often hug the body in all the right places – which must be why all the stylish gay men I know are wearing them. And the straight ones are slowly jumping on the bandwagon.

When F&H launched their Polo Ravales campaign, featuring the buff endorser in tight tees and cowboy hats not unlike a certain breakout movie hit about two cowboys and their secret love, the label hit on the target market that appreciated them most. Now the straight dudes are taking notice of the label’s stylish wares, which include more than a few preppy polos, dark fitted denims and graphic tees.

I couldn’t help but take note of the brand when a good friend was cast as an endorser. When she showed me the proofs from her shoot, I couldn’t help noting that the khaki trench jackets in cotton she was sporting were really "cool." (Clearly my fashion vernacular was limited to a few basic words).

Fast forward to 2006 with the label pulling in brisk business with their latest grunge collection, casual sportswear, given a ‘90s treatment. There are stonewashed denim minis, tight sweaters pique polos, plus a few ‘80s references, like bubble dresses and wide-shouldered cropped jackets. For men, some distressed denims and polo shirts in faded camouflage are just the thing.

Now that the label’s hitting its groove, sending out reprises of their stand-alone favorites, like preppy basics consisting of polos and plaid pants, along with new pieces inspired by the latest trends, people are bound to take notice.