Ways & Means
824 BuildingSuite 305(213) 784-2646
Ways & Means, Matthew Cabral’s new menswear showroom at the 824 Building, is a savvy mix of high and low. “Basically, the brands represented here are the brands I would sell if I had a retail store. There are a mix of price points, but everything works together,” Cabral said. Formerly an assistant buyer for American Rag and the West Coastsales manager for G Star, Cabral’s personal taste and professional experience inform Ways & Means’ eclectic offerings. “The menswear market has been really repetitive for the last few seasons. I wanted to bring in something new and work with brands that are setting the trends—give buyers something to be excited about,” he said.
For his tightly edited showroom, Cabral selected brands that not only span price range but also span the globe.
Indigo Farm, a Hong Kong–based collection of high-end workwear-inspired denim thatwholesales for $65 to $350, hangs well alongside Quiksilver Limited, the classic California surf brand’s new line that combines archival prints with sleek fabrications and silhouettes. Quik’s wholesale prices range from $20 to $65 for apparel and $30 to $37.50 for casual footwear. Offerings from The Garb Store, a London-based retailer whose high-end private-label collection is available for wholesale in the United States, are complemented by Vael’s quirky-cool footwear. The Garb Store’s collection, which wholesales for $35 to $225, includes T-shirts, woven shirts, outerwear, denim and knits.
“This is the way trendsetters dress; they mix price points and flavors,” Cabral said. He is careful to point out that while the mix reflects his aesthetic for menswear, the individual lines are strong on their own, as well. “That is key. Every brand I work with is one that I believe in individually.” —Erin Barajas
