Suspect: Contemporary Menswear With a Twist
Suspect clothing puts a new spin on the term “fashion emergency.”
The contemporary menswear collection was launched by Chris Ramstead and Brian Nolan, both paramedics.
The two first launched the line in November 2003 as a streetwear-inspired graphic-T-shirt line, but it has since developed into a more-refined collection featuring tailored pieces with a hip edge. The line relaunched at MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas last August and made its runway debut at the Element nightclub during Los Angeles Fashion Week in October.
The fashion-forward line includes classic pieces with unusual details and unconventional colors. Clean lines and features such as contrasting linings, hand embroidery and a signature stitched logo give the collection an individual look.
Ramstead and Nolan have included a bit of their emergency-worker background in the line, adopting the slogan “Suspect Saves Lives” and including style names such as the “America’s Finest” tee, the “Riot Control” jacket and the “Diplomatic Protection” blazer. Their signature “Fireman” fleece is embellished with a textured-denim trimmed collar, appliqueacute;s, embroidery and patches.
“All these pieces include or reflect some of our lifestyle and our influences. Being paramedics and Chris being a firefighter, we wanted definitely to introduce that aspect of it,” said Nolan, president and designer, who studied business at the University of Southern California.
For Spring, the line continues forward with some Holiday styles including hand-painted and hand-embroidered argyle polo shirts and track jackets and navy and white blazers with fuchsia linings. Additional offerings in a softer palette include floral-print woven shirts and cotton twill blazers, pants and car shorts in lotus, deep khaki and mocha cream. Knit polo shirts utilize contrasting pop colors, and T-shirts feature colorful graphic prints. Accessories include cashmere scarves and beanies, and more cashmere pieces, such as hoodies and sweaters, are in the works for Fall ’06.
Wholesale prices are $30 for T-shirts; $60 for polos; $60–$80 for woven shirts; $165 for blazers; $65 for shorts; $90 for pants; and $125 for the “Fireman” full-zip fleece. The line is currently carried at Fred Segal Street at Fred Segal Santa Monica and offered at retail online at www.suspectclothing.com.
For more information, visit the Web site or call (818) 760-1328. —N. Jayne Seward
