TAKE A WALK

ON THE

BRIGHT SIDE
A

BY HEIDI PRESS

sk men's clothing
retailers what's hot
for this spring and
summer and they'll all
say: It's the brights!
"Brights, lights and pastels are
making a tremendous
resurgence," this season, says
Harry Kosins, co-owner with
brother Ben of Kosins Clothes
and Kosins Big and Tall, both in
Lathrup Village. Bob Grumet of R
Grumet on the Boardwalk
concurs, adding that lots of yellow
and turquoise are "hot for
summer," especially in cotton
hand-knit sweaters and polo
shirts.
Loud colors, according to Ron
Elkus, owner of The Shirt Box,
extend to shorts and tops, as well
as in men's accessories. Elkus
says that men are starting to turn
to pink in ties and socks.
Fashion coordinator Heidi
Wolrauch at L'uomo Vogue in the
Park West strip, said she sees a
heavy influence in black,
turquoise, the ice cream shades
and grays. Sweaters are picking
up the brights, she says, and red
and white are "a little stronger."
Dan Orman, manager-buyer
for Freed's in Windsor says
designer Giafranco Ruffini has
chosen bright pastels for his

designs and accessories for
spring.
As far as fabrics go, linen and
100 percent cotton are tops for
the warm weather, according to
GQ magazine. Harry Kosins adds
that "gabardines are as good as
they've always been" and
predicts men will return to silk
suits. Harold "Hersh"
Rothenberg, owner of Hersh's on
the Boardwalk says "there's still
nothing like cotton," and adds
that cotton and linen are the
season's "big fabrics."
Cotton sweaters are making a
big splash, and linen is showing
up in pants and jackets. Elkus
says linen is "hot for sportcoats,"
and at Kosins, men can find the
linen influence in jackets, sport
coats and pants. In shirts and
sweaters, Grumet finds that linen,
cotton and silk, "mostly
pureblends," are trendy.
The Italian influence weighs
heavy in men's fashion design for
the coming season, according to
GQ, and is seen in the easy
shapes and strong focus on
texture. And, GQ, says the T-shirt
has taken a place of prominence
in men's dress. Better fabrics,
sturdier construction and expert
tailoring are factors in this
season's T-shirt stylings.

