Here at Off The Cuff, we are always happy to promote a great brand that most people have never heard about. With that, please meet Dunning Sportswear. Apparently designer Ralph Dunning is a fan of OTC. A Toronto native and lifelong athlete, Ralph Dunning draws inspiration from his passions for sport, music, fashion and modern…
Tag: Preppy Style
How Not To Dress Like Your Grandfather
I was recently contacted by a young gentleman in Sweden who asked that I help him with his style of dress. This 25 year-old man is drawn to a very classic clothing; so much so, that his friends felt he dressed like an old man. “You need to dress for your age,” they said. Black,…
The Challenge of Branding Real Life
An anonymous gentleman posted the following comment about the recent “Vineyard Vines” column. He raises a very interesting point and I quickly drafted three paragraphs in response. So, instead of overloading the comment screen, I decided that a more organized response was appropriate. OTC- Being a Vineyarder, I’ve always been a little frustrated with Vineyard…
A quick link to some great "Trad" thoughts
I was checking out some fellow bloggers’ sites today and came across a wonderful post from this past October on A Duck Gets Dressed. He assembled a wonderful list of things that came to mind while pondering the term “Trad” one evening. As another reader noted, I wish he were my neighbor. Take a few…
Variations in Seasonal Marketing
As retailers pull out all the stops to get a share of our dwindling holiday funds, I have come across a variety of interesting marketing approaches. One of the more notable vehicles is the social action campaign at Rugby. Their goal is to tap into the community service idealism of the Rugby target demographic and…
Style Guide: The Colors of Summer
When it comes to summer dressing, most men like the idea of adding a little shot of color to their ensemble but are often fearful of overdoing it. When does a little become too much? How can I show some personality without looking like a caricature? Thinking this over, I am reminded of a fellow…
Earnings Season Tailored to Ralph’s World
Not all economic news is negative. Yesterday, Ralph Lauren Corp., announced first quarter results that indicates the company is exactly where it wants to be. Amid the credit crunch and housing slump luxury companies appear to be doing just fine and Polo is leading the pack. Shares of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., jumped 7.1 percent…
A Quick Brooks Brothers Post
In the process of doing a little background to answer a question on my recent J. Press column, I came across this great Time Magazine article from last year. The question was whether Brooks Brothers gets more street cred than J. Press on the Trad front because it is an older company. My response was…
J. Press: As Classic as You Can Get
This is a true story: Back when he was running for president in 1980, George H. W. Bush (that’s George senior) was giving a speech at his alma mater, Yale University, and being heckled by some students. Someone yelled out that Bush was just another out of touch “Brooks Brothers Republican.” The president, apparently offended…
Rugby.com Expanding Online Presence
According to DNR, Rugby is getting ready to unveil its new e-commerce site. Considered in many ways the future of Polo Ralph Lauren, the company is carefully nurturing the brand’s growth and expansion. The next step for the younger-skewed and lower-priced line, which is sold in 12 company-owned stores around the U.S. (including D.C.’s Georgetown…