The New York Sartorialist

Greetings and Welcome to the New York Sartorialist website!


My name is Michael Cress and I guess you could say I'm just a normal guy. An Atlanta native, I entered the business world which inevitably brought me to New York, the City that called out to me as moth to light. After securing my first job, my father took me clothes shopping to prepare for my first day. It was then and there that he said something that to this day still resonates with me. He said, "Right or wrong, people will size you up and judge you immediately by the way you look, so it's important to always look your best so you make a good first impression. That first impression won't win you business but it can certainly lose it". From that day forward, I took those words to heart and began the wonderful journey of learning about the sartorial and ultimately, style.


As time went on, I found tremendous pleasure in learning what colors, fabrics, pattern combinations and cuts looked best. There's no feeling quite like knowing you look your absolute best, down to the smallest detail. It became fun and like a game. I looked forward to waking up in the morning and dressing in the combination I had mentally prepared myself for the night before. I really should have been born in a previous, more classical era. I hate the way men are no longer men- being a gentleman, dressing well, manners and exquisite taste has become a thing of the past. Where did Cary Grant's go?


I longed for matching my true passions with my work. I love shopping, beauty, clothes, history, New York, people and the classics (music, movies, dress, culture).  This site is the clearest possible reflection of who I am and what I'm about. I felt there was a disconnect between today's "high fashion" marketing machines and elegant, classic style that has an enduring quality. There are many others that write or photograph latest fashions. Some even have the name "sartorialist" in their description.  I still felt there was something missing that people yearned to hear and learn.


The definition of sartorial is, "of or relating to the tailoring of clothing or quality of dress. For me, to be a "sartorialist" is to editorialize both through images and writing on the sartorial- not just one or the other. I used "sartorialist" in "The New York Sartorialist" with some trepidation; it perfectly describes what I editorialize about and there is no other adequate synonym in the English language, but I've never wished to be confused with anyone else. I am a New Yorker and my subjects are predominantly as well; however, my hope is to transcend geography. To simply post images can be interesting, but what makes a certain look work and why? That takes explaining for the readers to understand what I see in a certain look. How do certain looks relate to historical fashion and style? What are both new and established designers bringing to the market and what is the contextual meaning? Every six months, we have the major collections showing in New York, London, Milan and Paris. How do we cut through the noise for a personal enduring style we can call our own without becoming fashion victims? 

So here we are. The New York Sartorialist is a site that takes a sartorial view of the world around us. Editorials cover individual styles, "Seen On the Street" images, trends, interviews, store and designer reviews, historical perspectives on fashion, the fashion industry, great finds and anything else to illustrate true style. 


My vision and personality are to take a deeper look at fashion, style and all things sartorial that you might not otherwise see. At times it can be a bit whimsical but it keeps things interesting. So many others are writing (and sometimes not even that) about "fast fashion" and seem to be reactive and held captive by the latest look, trend, subject or runway show that's in vogue (pun somewhat intended). My hope is to transcend the moment, put things into a proper perspective, realize that most of today's "hot trends" will pass and be meaningless by the next fashion cycle in 6 months. No fashion victims here. 


There's a need for a fresh voice who calls it like they see it, is independent, critical and honest when others are either silent or have a conflict of interest. Curiously, there hasn't been many heterosexual males offering their point of view on fashion, so perhaps I'm filling a bit of void with my slightly different perspective. My responsibility is to my readers and not make fans on 7th Avenue if my message is different than those of their marketing machines. I sincerely hope everyone enjoys and finds my words to be fresh, fulfilling and an oasis amid tremendous noise and shallow flash.


Thanks for being here!
-Michael Cress


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