Fall Layers, featuring Mickey Drexler & Alex Drexler of Alex Mill
It's layering season (for most of us), so who better than two of the most stylist people I know to chime in on timeless style and their enduring inspirations.
One of the things I actually miss about living in New York City is the daily ritual of dressing for it. As layering weather (finally) makes its way to the West Coast, I connected with my NYC roots by calling up old friends Alex Drexler and Mickey Drexler—founder and chairman, respectively—of the New York-based label, Alex Mill, to get their take. Plus, I’ve layered (!) in some of my favorite seasonal finds.
—Hamish
Hamish: Throw me your evergreen style advice.
Alex: Tonal dressing. I think monochromatic dressing is really cool. It might not be for everyone, but I really like how it looks. I like brown clothes lately, but that’s not for everybody, either!
Mickey: Andy Spade would say to me—and I’m paraphrasing here—you can buy a cappuccino, you can buy a hamburger, and you can buy whatever … but you can’t buy style. I’m vintage now, and I wear a lot of vintage. Everything I wear, my Ascot Chang shirt, my Rolex, my jeans. They’re not new things, but they work. Old to me is the new new… vintage clothes, vintage cars, you know. Look at the vintage business—it’s the entire inspiration to many creative designers today. Just don’t make the details stand out—I like when style is discreet.
Editor’s note — Orslow’s current collection has a great workwear-inspired mid-weight monotonal ensemble—in brown cotton-linen moleskin no less—pairing a classic work jacket with fatigue pants.
Hamish: Do your surroundings influence your creative work?
Mickey: When I think about surroundings, I’m thinking mostly of the people, because, to me, like here, there’s a certain energy and creativity from people. I can’t do this job alone, and anyone in my position cannot do it alone. I could be in an ugly office or in a beautiful office—I’ve had all of them, bad location, San Francisco, whatever—but it’s all about the team, the interaction, and camaraderie. I love New York City. I grew up in the Bronx. It’s in my DNA, and I really like to work here.
Alex: New York definitely does [influence my creative work]. Just going around the city and downtown… I work in SoHo—it’s inspiring. Brooklyn, too. If I’m creatively blocked, I just get out in it and take a walk. It charges me.
Editor’s note — Layers of New York. Left: “Elaine’s” cap; Right: “Acoustic Research R&D” t-long sleeve T-shirt by AH-HA.
Hamish: Are there timeless books, movies, or records that continue to inspire you?
Alex: I really love documentaries, especially life stories. I went to law school for a while but dropped out—I realized fashion was in my blood. I’ve always held on to that genre, though… I love watching shows like Law & Order. I like the attention to detail. I’d also say books by photographers are a constant. I collect photo books—Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Irving Penn—I love fashion photography. It’s very inspiring to me, and I often go back to those books.
Mickey: I wish I read more! Music very much inspires me. Certain artists and songs make me feel better and lift my spirits. I still listen to the old music I grew up on. I don’t understand today’s music. I don’t like it. I understand, you know, young is different than old. When the Beatles came out when I was a teenager or 20 years old, that struck a chord. I love them. My favorite groups are still the Beatles, the Stones, and the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb’s music always puts me in a good mood. When I’m at SoulCycle, if I’m not listening to a true crime podcast, I’m listening to the Bee Gees. And a film? Saturday Night Fever—the dancing, the music, the emotion. I love it.
Editor’s note —Left: “10 Women by Peter Linbergh,” published by Te Neues, 1996; Center: Promotional photographs for Saturday Night Fever, 1977, from the archives of Posteritati; Right: “Passage,” by Irving Penn, published by Alfred A. Knopf, 1991.
Hamish: Do you have a current favorite item in your closet or from your current collection?
Mickey: Our monogram totes! For me, it’s art married to merchandising. Love and marriage—monogram and totes.
Alex: I second Mickey with a shout-out to our Alex Mill totes.
Editor’s note — The “Perfect Weekday” tote from Alex Mill.
Hamish: Is there a piece of art or works by a particular artist you would love to live with?
Mickey: Paintings by Edward Hopper. I also absolutely loved some of the pieces in the recent David Hockney show at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris—the most incredible color.
Alex: Something by Irving Penn—his works transcend space—or a piece by Richard Avedon.
Editor’s note —Left: “Molyneux Pocket Detail,” 1950, Irvine Penn; Right: “Office in a Small City,” 1953, Edward Hopper.
Hamish: Sartorially, who nails it every time?
Alex: Springsteen.
Mickey: My late architect, Thierry Despont. He was tremendously stylish.
Editor’s note — Left: Bruce Springsteen in 1984, photographed by Brooks Kraft; Right: Thierry Despont photographed in his New York office by Circe Hamilton.
Hamish: Are there tools, tips, or techniques that have transformed the way you work?
Mickey: I’m addicted to true crime podcasts, and I’ll tell how this connects to my job description. For me, curiosity is a given. I compare myself to a detective. First of all, I’m crazy curious. If you remember Colombo, the detective on TV, every time he left a room, in his trench coat, he would turn back and ask a killer question. A great detective is like a great merchant. [Another] prerequisite to me is investigation. Great detectives ask the right questions. They never give up.
Editor’s note — This happens to be my favorite piece from the current Alex Mill collection, the Elijah hooded—and reversible—canvas trench.
Hamish: Is there a piece of advice from your younger self you still carry with you?
Alex: Don’t overthink things. Go with your gut. When I started Alex Mill, I didn’t think too far in advance. I just wanted to get it going. There wasn’t immediately a grand plan for years in the future. Not overthinking and going for it are the way to go.
Mickey: Pay attention. I wasn’t from the manor born. I don’t know where my secret sauce comes from, but I always paid attention. I remember being 10 years old, and my father ordered a 1955 blue Buick with a red and white top, the cheaper model special. I always hearken back to that because we went to pick up the car and the car was [actually] red with a cream top. I was so upset about that choice. Who the fuck knew why, but I paid attention. I always paid attention.
Editor’s note — I’m paying attention to the C89 frames by Frederic Beausoleil.
My thanks to Alex and Mickey for their time. Explore Alex Mill at alex-mill.com