THE NEW SMART CASUAL SPRING SHIRT BY CALDER CARMEL

“I believe in creating beautiful things,” designer Mark Calder told MR magazine during the recent New York market. “And I believe in specialty stores, in those great American merchants whose goal is to serve their communities. I don’t believe premium product can be sold online.”

Calder started his career in high school as a stockboy, moving up to buyer at At Ease in Newport Beach and then joining Robert Talbott in 1989; his mentor there was Bob Jensen who now has his own much-admired neckwear collection. “I’ve been fortunate to have had great teachers over the years: in addition to Bob, I’d cite Al Douglas, Gary Wasserman, and John Haller, all of whom have been very generous sharing their wisdom.”

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Calder’s focus is woven sportshirts in beautiful soft shades and incredibly soft fabrics, 90 percent of which he designs directly with European mills so every shirt is a limited edition. These shirts feature mostly mélange yarns and luxury details like mother of pearl buttons; retails range from $198 to $268. Special knit pieces include an 18-gauge cashmere crew that feels like a second skin at a suggested retail of $595.

Sums up retailer Van Smith of Lionel Smith Ltd in Aiken, South Carolina, who just received his first shipment of the shirts, “It’s the hottest shirt brand going: Mark knows how to make a beautiful shirt that fits.”

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