Chris Berre admits he was always into style - taking inspiration from his dapper dressing grandfather and father who imparted the mentality that if you dress well "good things will happen to you."
A recent graduate of Northern Kentucky's Chase College of Law, Berre found his mind wandering towards style while interning at the State Attorney's office in Chicago last summer. With no formal training in design or fashion, he found inspiration in a Renaissance-era book that discusses the attributes of "perfect gentlemen," and began blogging about men's style.
"Chris is very style conscious and understands men's fashion and some of the intricacies," says Michael Palmer, Berre's partner in their men's style venture,
Artfully Disheveled.
Berre and Palmer met through mutual friend Colin Groth. In 2005, Groth and Palmer founded
Nati Evolvement, a Cincinnati-centric urban clothing line that combines elements of street art and design while shining a positive light on the Queen City. A graduate of
DAAP, Palmer spent time in New York City before returning to Cincinnati to work with
Interbrand, handling creative direction for some of the firm's clients. He recently joined Procter & Gamble as a senior design manager for men's grooming products. Palmer provided the perfect foil for Berre and a partnership began.
The brand name Artfully Disheveled, is a loose interpretation of an Italian term, "sprezzatura," coined by Baldassare Castiglione in his 16th century work,
The Book of the Courtier - the same book which originally inspired Berre's style blogging. The term, according to Berre, implies a "well-practiced naturalness" that should be part of any perfect gentlemen's essence.
"It's this thoughtful nonchalance," says Berre. "It doesn't look as though you've tried this hard to put the look together but it comes across so naturally that it doesn't seem like you're trying."
While Palmer and Berre co-design the line of ties and pocket squares, their partnership also includes Berre's brother Trey, an attorney in Chicago who handles the legal end of things, and Palmer's friend Grady Collins, originally from Columbus and currently a financial controller in Cardiff, Wales. Utilizing a manufacturing contact in the States, their designs are custom woven in China using 100% silk. Palmer and Berre have spent the past month canvassing men's style stores in Chicago and Lexington, and have further appointments in Louisville and Nashville as they attemp to grow their Midwestern based line regionally at first. "We're selling the story, and the fact that style can come out of the Midwest," says Berre.
Artfully Disheveled's fall line includes neck ties, bow ties and pocket squares. Palmer says the goal is to be "classic with a twist," by utilizing familiar patterns that reveal more subtle details as you inspect them closer. Palmer notes that it's important that men wear something that's not just stylish, but conversational as well.
"You can go into any store in the world and buy a tie. It's not colors or patterns for patterns' sake, it's colors and patterns that come together to tell a story," he says. "Every person should be wearing something that tells something about themselves, or tells a story in general, and this is a way for guys who aren't that style conscious to have a piece that has a story to it."
Berre says each tie comes with its own story as well with names like the "Epicurean," with its fork and knife pattern, the "Academy," a traditional classic tie that nods back to schools and the establishment, the "Six-Shooter," for the well-dressed 'rebel', and the "Shoreditch", which Palmer recounts is from a popular pattern he fell in love with while living in the north London neighborhood. The fall collection also includes bow-ties with a repetitive tailor needle design, and a line of silk and cotton squares that evoke classic patterns and quirky designs (the "Epsicle" pays tribute to the creator of the popsicle for instance). They're also developing a limited square design on canvas cot covers imported from Vietnam. The winter will bring new items, according to Palmer, including scarves and socks.
Berre says the name of their fall line, "Beg, Borrow and Steal," addresses the realities of starting your own venture from scratch. He admits they're calling in every favor from friends and family, using public relations' resources and identifying retail contacts to get the word out about their labor of love. The first of two events to launch their venture occurs at the Rookwood Bar in Mt. Adams on Thursday, November 11. The
'friends and family' launch is open to the public and will provide an opportunity to purchase ties and squares. Palmer and Berre will also take part in a
showcase this coming Saturday to preview the line with other vendors. On tap for the future are possible collaborations with local and national figures to benefit local charities, and involvement in Cincinnati Fashion Week. In the meantime, they'll launch their
website with tips on style, quotes, and
general discourse about men's behavior, just like their 16th century inspiration.
The line is currently available at
Pomegranate & Lime in Mariemont and through their
online store, with prices ranging from $85 to $89 for ties, and $28-$70 for squares. The goal, according to Palmer, is to make "timeless pieces, things that last."
"You can buy fashion but you can't buy style," he adds.
Photography by Scott Beseler.
All photos taken at the Cincinnati Athletic Club