A new menswear label, a child of JD Sports, will be with us from September. OPEN will offer reasonably-priced clothes aimed at the man who hasn't yet reached the venerable status of a grey fox, but with enough classic staples to make it worth a visit by the older man in search of style.
After forty years of age, the middle-aged man becomes used to digging a little deeper for suitable menswear. Open has much to offer that's of interest, with casuals including a tweed jacket, tartan shirts and traditional-style knitwear.
Typical prices - a t-shirt at £10, blazer £50, parka £40 and jeans £35 and knitwear £25 - suggest throwaway style; but I had an impression of reasonable quality when I saw the range recently. Time and use will test durability. Some worry about ethics and sustainability when brands sell so cheaply, but others recognise that many of us don't have the budget to buy expensive, higher quality clothes.
You'll find some very attractive casual clothes at Open. See the Open website here.
You'll find some very attractive casual clothes at Open. See the Open website here.
Looking forward to seeing what this turns out like and moreover if it is sustainable?
ReplyDeleteI still get slightly irritated that "men over 40" are looking for traditional clothing according to the clothing industries. Men over 40 may have experienced punk, new romantics era and any number of radical fashion trends. Why does everyone assume that we are still searching out tweed and cashmere ?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point well made Anonymous - the fashion industry forgets many things when it comes to the older man - we are more affluent as well as having this long history of mixed style influences, yet as a group we do give up when middle age arrives. The fashion industry should be helping us find our natural stylish selves rather than ignoring us.
It's the only example I can think of where a huge potential market is ignored by sales professionals.
GF