Inspirations

(All photos the property of Getty Images, AP Photos, Hart Schaffner Marx, Bergdorf Goodman, JL)

-KC

Aussie Inked?

(Photo the sole property of Getty Images)

The Geoff Ogilvy clothing riddle has been solved... 

As rumored, Geoff plans to sign with So Cal apparel brand - and recent KC feature - Travis Mathew. 

Geoff will wear T.M. clothing, sans logos, until the deal is announced officially. 

Trustworthy sources also reveal that T.M. will unveil two other big name sponsees in the coming weeks. So, be sure to look out for that... In fact, just look out for Travis Mathew in 2010, period. T.M. is coming out of the gate hard after successful '09 sales numbers and looking towards building a major stable of guys that reflect their brand's aesthetic.

-KC

Allergic?

(Photo the sole property of Getty Images)

After 4 years with Puma, Geoff Ogilvy has put the cat to sleep... Ogilvy stepped out this week at the season opener in Kapalua adorned with logos from powerhouse Titleist/FootJoy- his new flagship sponsors. Ogilvy, as most serious golf fans know, was Puma's lead horse in the stable and a major driving force in their golf sales. For those of us close to the apparel game, we now are left to wonder what clothing Geoff will wear this year - we've been told he will NOT wear Peter Millar like the rest of the Titleist/FJ gang and will begin the season with no apparel deal...

This has to be a huge loss for Puma, who now looks to Rickie Fowler as its biggest star-power. No, Rickie doesn't have a U.S. Open or World Match Play title, but he does have A LOT more hair... (Probably the only gift Mr. Ogilvy isn't blessed with...)

-KC

  

PGA Show

The KC team will be in full effect in Orlando in several weeks, so drop us a line, here. We love meeting fellow style enthusiasts...

Gilt Golf

(Photo the property of Getty Images)

I've been noticing that Gilt Group has been incorporating several golf apparel companies into their rapidly rotating array of daily sales... I got an email blast today that TaylorMade/Adidas is being featured today at Noon (Eastern Time) - might be a good way to pick up some discounted golf shirts and wow, clubs too...

Check out the sale, here. You have to sign up to gain admission. Yes, they will send you emails every damn day, but it's fun to browse the goods from time to time... Enjoy.

P.S. - I think someone told Sergio about the sale... Or he just heard a particularly good Tiger joke...

-KC

Early Apparel Buzz in 2010...

- Louis Wolcott - formally Global Brand Manager of J. Lindeberg Golf - has been tapped to launch the new Slazenger Heritage Collection at selected prestigious accounts throughout Europe for autumn/winter 2010. 

The first collection is focused on 1970's and 1980's inspired classics as famously worn by Seve Ballesteros. (See above.)
The clothing has been modernized with a contemporary slim fit, high quality Italian fabrics and fine detailing. 

- Peter Millar hires Todd Martin, one of the founders of Fairway and Greene, as President of its golf division, effective today. Martin will run the golf sales and strategic partnerships for PM going forward... With a proven leader on the golf side, will this free up other team members to focus on the ever-expanding menswear side of PM? Time will tell...

 
- Stopped into the J. Lindeberg showroom today and checked out the 2010 fall stuff. Some really unique pieces in there - a gray-and-white houndstooth down jacket comes to mind and a new, slimmer trouser cut, the Damon, which is looking especially fantastic. Too much orange for my taste in the collection, but the other colors, deep navy and bold red, are clean and pair well. Very cool webbed-nylon versions of the popular Slater belts also were standouts and look for organic, washed-cotton cardigans and v-necks... More to come...

-KC

Happy New Year From the KC...

(Photo the property of TIME Magazine)

Roughly a year ago I relaunched the KC with hopes of spreading the message of golf style to a few folks, sharpening my writing skills, continuing to learn, meeting a few industry people and having a little fun. I've managed - with your help - to eclipse every expectation...

I've met countless interesting and generous individuals, have learned an incredible amount about the trade that I love and have ever so much enjoyed presenting to you all a certain vision of style on the fairways. 

The idea was to become a forum where fashion-savvy golfers could compare notes, reflect, applaud, and even bicker at times - all the while creating a little corner of cyberspace that felt comfortable and focused on the attitudes and the clothing that make this game so special.

I hope for 2010, with the relaunch of the KC in the next few weeks, to bring loads more content -product reviews, photos, features, interviews, stories from around the golf style world and most importantly, continue the great fun we've had... 

I thank you for spending a little bit of your time with us every week and hope that you've enjoyed what we've offered...

Please reach out with any ideas/constructions/concerns in the New Year.

All the best!

-KC 

Dunning Tour Slim-Fit Polos

Ralph Dunning and his team have some exciting product coming out next year and one of the newcomers is the Tour Slim-Fit Polo. Designed with 60's tailoring in mind, the polo is cut very close to the body. Besides being extremely comfortable and lightweight (performance poly) they are the perfect pattern for a thinner guy like myself (look at the side shot and the absence of any excess material in the body/the length and width of the sleeve and where it hits on the bicep.) The solid polos are great-looking and extremely versatile - look for striped offerings in the future. A warning: You may need to upgrade your trouser collection when you try one of these babies on... those fat, old khakis won't work anymore.  

It's great to see brands continuing to push slimmer-fitting stuff. The emphasis on fashions of the 60's and 70's in golf apparel is really bringing 'fit' back into a game that had, for many years, lost its shape. Obviously, as a slimmer guy, I'm looking for the more radical approaches to close-fitting golf apparel - but companies everywhere are subtly cutting material from seats and crotches and hacking away at polos - not enough to alienate returning customers, but enough to see a benefit in streamlining the overall shape. I've talked with apparel companies whose demographics start at 45 and 50 years old and they are taking the fit movement into account as much as anyone. We're all looking better for it, too. So, keep it coming...

(Yes, it was about 20 degrees out when I took these snaps... True dedication to my craft, I suppose...)

-KC

Interview with Travis Johnson - Part 2

(Photo of John Mallinger the sole property of Getty Images)

Part 2 of an interview with Travis Johnson from Travis Mathew...

6) What brands do you love? (Doesn't have to be clothing.) What do you look for in a brand?

Man, you’ve got great questions!!! To be honest, I consider myself the epitome of a consumer. I’m always following pop culture, trends, underground movements, etc., whether it’s on CNN, consumer reports, books, or magazines…I live for this stuff!! I’d say my deepest passions fall under the genres of sports, music, fashion and art. Food, drinks, health and wine are pretty enjoyable too. These things along with my family, friends and faith are what I live for. Some of my favorites in sports would have to be the Dodgers and “Lake Show,” as far as teams go.

As for sporting events, it’s hard to beat watching the Tour de France or attending the Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack. I love watching live musical performances by groups like Muse or Depeche Mode, but I also enjoy finding some of the newer lesser known indie bands like Ladyhawke or Phoenix. Wolfmother and Cold War Kids are a couple other pretty insane alternative bands to check out as well. As for fashion, I’m a big fan of an American surf brand called RVCA, as well as Hugo Boss or Armani suiting. I guess you can say that I’m not closed-minded to experiencing anything new. I give almost anything a fair chance and if I think it was well thought out and put together, I’m sold!

 7) Tommy Armour and John Mallinger - can you share a story about each that fans might enjoy?

Haha, I can’t tell you how cool it is that we have these guys representing our brand on the big Tour. I met "Malli" when I was about 12 years old playing junior golf. Just like any childhood story, we had an already established, tight-knit group of So Cal junior golfers that Malli wasn’t a part of at the time. Nothing against him, but Malli grew up in some small town outside of San Diego that none of us had ever heard about and we were all LA/Orange County kids. I’ll never forget the first tournament that I met Malli at. It was the Maxfli Junior Championship and I got paired with this skinny-legged, soft-spoken kid that I dwarfed over in size. I didn’t have a worry in the world about beating this kid that I knew nothing about, but after 6 holes, then 12 and eventually though 18, this kid using a beat-up, old 8802 Wilson blade dropped putts from everywhere. Malli ended up winning the event by at least 4 or 5 strokes leaving us all clearly behind in the dust. He instantly earned my respect as a golfer and as a character. 

Over the next few years I got to know Malli a lot more, eventually becoming decent friends during college while he was at Long Beach State and I was playing at UCLA, but even better friends after college when I moved back home to Long Beach where Malli was still residing. We practiced at the same course, Virginia Country Club, worked with the same coach, Jamie Mulligan, and traveled the country competing in many mini-tour events together. Overall though, the best thing that I can share about Malli is that he is an incredible guy who hasn’t changed a bit since the day I met him. At first glance, you’d think he’s still some soft-spoken guy from a small town in San Diego, but the moment you watch him play a full round of golf, you’ll realize that he’s more so like a “quiet assassin” with his laser-like accuracy and freakish short game. And though he’s one of the most competitive guys that I know on the course, he’s also one of the most free-spirited, fun-loving guys off the course. Malli cares about nothing more in life than his family, his friends, giving back to the youth in his community and his San Diego Chargers. I haven’t met too many people more well-grounded than Malli is with all that he has achieved to this point in his young career and I’m proud to be one of his friends.

As for Tommy, I don’t even know where to begin! TA in my mind, is one of the game’s last remaining true golfers. When I say that I mean that he comes from the old school, low-ball hitting, cigarette smoking, just get it in the hole kind of players. He doesn’t need a strength coach, the guy is as strong as a bull. He doesn’t need a mental coach because he knows exactly what he needs to do to play well. In fact, he doesn’t even need an apparel sponsor if he didn’t want it, the guy looks cool in anything he wears. The first time that I met Tommy was in Hawaii at the ‘05 Sony Open. I was at the event trying to Monday qualify along with Malli. After our practice round on Saturday, we happened to run into TA and his posse inside the Waialae Men’s Lounge that hovers over the Pacific. Tommy saw us two slumming around so he invited us to his table. After having a few pops with Tommy he invited us to his party later that night at the W hotel. At that point Malli and I had only heard the folkloric tales of Tommy and all that goes on at his parties, so we were beyond stoked to be invited to hang with this living legend. I won’t reveal all of the details about the party, but I will say the moment we showed up, all of the stories that I ever heard about how cool Tommy Armour was were instantly confirmed the moment we walked through the doors.

8) Where do you see TM in 5 years?

Well, as highly as I think of our brand, I also understand the realities of our current economy and how difficult it will be over the next few years to be prosperous in this industry. What we do have going for us though right now is that we’re flourishing as a company -- Our only problem right now is having enough product in stock to keep filling the shelves at our accounts. We are also unbelievably fortunate to have built the most amazing team internally, that will allow us to react quickly to the turbulence of this market so that we can stay above water during any peak or valley during these next few years. At that point, if we have weathered this storm that we are currently in, I really do believe that we will have an great opportunity to be one of the most influential brands that has ever entered the golf arena. We’ve studied in great measures the Munsingwears and Ashworths, and the Nikes and Adidases and I believe that we will have the opportunity to be one of the next names in that progression to help grow the game to more people, but even more so to improve the look and lifestyles of the individuals that make up this great game.

9) How does the whole social media/blogs like this and internet based advertising structure play into the hands of an up and coming apparel brand?

I learned very early on during my golfing career that any kind of marketing is good marketing and this day and age there seems to be an abundant amount of resources to help get your name out there if you want. The tricky part though is deciphering which of these marketing channels will maximize your exposure and visibility. I still haven’t quite figured that one out, but we’ve got some great young minds working on that as we speak. In the meantime, I will say that this source of advertising is probably one of the most undervalued marketing tools of our industry. The way I view social media is that it is one of the most efficient ways that I can connect with our customers to find out what they think about our products and/or services. It also helps me to better understand consumer needs. If consumer habits and trends follow the path they are already on, we will only see an increase of social networking through internet media and on-line blogging, which in turn will perpetuate the growth of online purchasing. I believe it is the way of the future.

Thanks for considering us to be a part of your blog! I’m a big fan of what you’ve created.

Thanks, Travis!

-KC

Introducing: Ukko

(Photos the sole property of Ukko)

Ukko is a London-based apparel company that exudes some serious British flair - aimed at clothing its' customer both on the course and off. When I look at these images, I can't help but see Topshop for the fairways - which is a pretty cool concept. The stuff is affordable, with polos around $50 US, sweaters around $100. ("Jumpers," if you will, mate...) 

It appears in their short history, they've already amassed a following of local professionals and they have their own actively managed and frequently posted-to blog. 

I've reached out to team Ukko to get some info on what they're all about. In the meantime, enjoy the photos of their first collection...

P.S. - If you're digging this stuff, you have to read yesterday's post. 

-KC

Separation Anxiety

(All images the sole property of J. Lindeberg)

I'm really inspired by a lot of non-golf stuff. I hate to think of golf clothing as a separate entity from the menswear world, because, frankly, that's dangerous and a license for disaster. I won't be placed in a box of someone else's construction... I read fantastically put-together menswear blogs daily and much of the inspiration for this site comes from them. 

I love how JL chose to shoot these stills for their s/s 2010 menswear (non-golf) collection - with the model sporting JL's new golf shoe. I like the pairing of sportswear with formal clothing and I love the whole fashion meets function vibe from these shots. 

When I choose my clothing for the course - I like to be a little bit different - stuff like this really inspires me to take a second look at my preoccupations with what 'golf clothing' means... 

One thing I've found is you can be much more creative than most apparel companies would have you think. You don't need to stick to golf-specific manufacturers when you choose golf apparel - that will only hinder individuality. 

I think the simplest way to look at things is to consider the fact that you're headed outside to participate in a recreational activity. You need traction and stability to swing the club (from your shoe) and you need room and comfort to turn (from your clothing) - beyond that your options are nearly endless. You have to decide, "How important are performance qualities to me?" To us, they aren't everything. I'd rather be comfortable with the way my clothing fits and looks than wear a shirt that has certain performance features, but looks space age. 

In today's golf market, many companies are coming around to the fact that you can incorporate performance and technical features into a piece that also looks great - because a large amount of consumers and pros alike do take the performance capabilities -moisture wicking, SPF, anti-microbial properties, etc. - into account. 

A company that comes to mind is Dunning - Ralph Dunning started designing gear for triathletes, so performance is paramount; at the same time Ralph also happens to be into 60's mod gear and 80's prep style - so Dunning is working on blending performance with style in a new and exciting way, like a CoolMax/Merino wool blend for sweaters and slim-cut herringbone trousers that breathe.   

Blending fashion with function is one of the things JL has always kept as a mantra for the brand: classic yet active, energetic. The key for me is really the transitional elements of this ideal - the blurring of the edges, so to speak, between clothing for sport and clothing for casualwear. You see it everywhere these days - workwear is HUGE in mainstream fashion - plaids, boots, selvedge denims, leathers, industrial-strength jackets and coats. Old workwear and sport brands have been revitalized in American fashion - Red Wing Boots, Barbour jackets, Sperry Topsider, Woolrich, LL Bean... 

When I go out to play golf, I want to be wearing something I'd feel comfortable in on the streets, I don't want to pull up to the ATM on my way to the course and have someone be able to readily distinguish that I'm on my way to the club. With the way prep-style has re-emerged as the go-to for the younger set, this is not an outlandish suggestion. I could just as easily be wearing a cricket sweater or an argyle vest to a downtown meeting, as I could to the first tee. 

I suppose the message here is one of open-mindedness... Do not place restrictions on your creativity by boxing yourself in with what the industry or other influences have defined as "golf clothing." It is much more practical, in our on-the-go world, to create transitional looks that work wherever life may take you today. I say this a lot, but "Have some fun with it..."

-KC  

The KC's Christmas List

1) Abacus Golf Pullover (www.abacus-outdoor.com)

2) Abacus Golf Pitch Jacket (www.abacus-outdoor.com)

3) Phineas Cole by Paul Stuart belt (www.phineascole.com)

4) Phineas Cole by Paul Stuart belt (www.phineascole.com)

5) RLX LS FZ Jacket (www.trendygolf.com)

6) Peter Millar V-Neck 12-gauge cashmere sweater (www.petermillarshop.com)

7) Ralph Lauren Black Label cashmere cardigan (www.ralphlauren.com)

8) Polo by Ralph Lauren cable-knit cashmere crewneck sweater (www.ralphlauren.com)

9) Dunning Tour Slim-Fit Polo (www.dunningsportswear.com) (www.trendygolfusa.com)

10) J. Lindeberg Larson Micro-Twill (www.zappos.com)

11) RLX Green Pant (www.trendygolfusa.com)

12) J. Lindeberg Sellers slim-fit trouser (www.trendygolf.com)

13) Marcoliani Milano socks (www.zappos.com)

14) FootJoy pebbled leather saddle Icons (www.footjoy.com)

-KC

More Nedbank Style...

(All photos are the sole property of Getty Images and are borrowed)

Bet Your Bottom Color?

(Photos the sole property of Getty Images)

A little analysis on the style selections from the professional tours today at the KC... Something we haven't done in a while. Case study: Nick Watney at the Nedbank - Gary Player's tournament in South Africa that draws a strong field. 

First off, I'd like to clarify here that I love Watney's efforts and creativity with his looks. He clearly put some time into his selections. In the top photo I liked the movement of color through the look, it's not overdone - subtle navy stripe on the FJ Icon Sport, navy gator belt and navy/white stripe, self-collar shirt. I like how the color balance is centered on his top half, I find this works better as a general rule. I definitely would have chosen a white trouser for this look, however. He would appear so crisp in white or even bone - the solid surplus color deadens the look. 

The bottom photo I wanted to show, because he made selections based strongly on color coordination again. The white shirt features bold red stripes and he has paired that with a lighter gray pant and off-white belt - then the piece de resistance - the red and white patent leather custom, 'USA' emblazoned Icons. Too much... It's just too light on top and heavy on the bottom - the balance from the look is totally thrown. 

I love all the pieces from the bottom look individually - except the shoes. A solid white shoe would kick a** here. Or even the Icon sport with a red stripe a' la the Luke Donald shot from "...Looks of the Year." Don't get me wrong, I love Watney's patriotism, but he doesn't have the fire power to pull these off. Camilo, maybe Miguel Angel Jimenez or even Hunter Mahan, they are really the only guys I can think of who could...

-KC