Men's Sweats With a Contemporary Cut
Designer Darren Gold launched his latest line after searching for men’s sweats with an upscale, forward look—meaning sweats with a slim fit, high-quality fabrics and good construction.
The few upscale men’s lines he found had a boxy fit, and the mainstream brands were poorly made from cheap fabrics.
“When you go to buy men’s sweats they’re all bulky,” said the designer, who co-owns contemporary women’s line Mhope and serves as president of the Coalition of Los Angeles Designers (CLAD).
So after fruitlessly searching— and even picking up women’s sweats from the Gap—he launched Gold, a small collection of garment-dyed sweat pants, shorts, jackets and T-shirts in French terry and velour.
Gold is taking the collection to New York for the Sept. 29–Oct. 1 run of Designers & Agents, where he and Mhope co-designer Marla Folbe are also showing the latest Mhope collection. The Gold collection will bow in Los Angeles at the CLAD meet-and-greet event on Oct. 23 at Chateau Marmont.
The initial launch of Gold includes a few key styles: a button-front jean-jacket style, a zip-front style, trouser pants, drawstring pants, trouser shorts and drawstring shorts, and long-sleeved T-shirts in V-neck and crew-neck styles.
“I’m testing it out, and then I can expand from there,” Gold said.
The pieces in the line have simple details, such as a poplin lining on waistbands and cuffs that keep the fabric from stretching out of shape. The drawstring pants and shorts have a wide twill tape drawstring and a narrow leg. The trouser styles, which also have a slim cut, have a poplin pocket placket and the look of woven pants.
“I’ve worn them out to clubs, and they feel totally comfortable,” Gold said. “I tell people, ’You can wear them to get groceries, to go to the gym and to go out.’”
The initial colors are black, gray, chocolate, navy, olive, maroon and white.
The collection is targeted at specialty stores. Wholesale prices range from $16 to $18 for T-shirts to about $40 for jackets.
Gold said he planned to price the line in the same range as Juicy Couture’s men’s line. The collection is available for immediate deliveries and for early Spring, said Gold, noting that he plans to include styles in lighter fabrics for later Spring deliveries.
For more information about the Gold line, call (323) 883-0878. —Alison A. Nieder
