Gary Graham is the kind of guy who would probably make a killing on Jeopardy. A history buff and autodidact, his mood board each season is chock-full of obscure references. For Fall, he was inspired by the Manchester International Theater Festival he attended in July, ancient Iranian wrestling tunics, and WWI naval "dazzle" camouflage. That s quite the combination, but it fit Graham s magpie aesthetic, which emphasizes convertibility and ample layering.
At a preview in Graham s downtown Manhattan store, he piled up a vintage quilt-print dress with fine-gauge sweaters and a deconstructed army vest, then completed the look with a Dickensian wool topper. Styled in a more realistic, pared-down manner, the pieces here would still stand out—particularly the outerwear. The burnished cardinal fingertip-length coat evoked, as the designer put it, a sense of "leftover royalty," while a safety orange padded vest with a split-zip hood added a refreshing touch of sportiness. Graham s clothes aren t for everyone, but aspiring female dandies ought to fancy his unique brand of awkward elegance.
