Review: Aaron Levine New York Clothing

Late last year, the menswear world was aflutter as style guru Aaron Levine — who’d applied his eye to Aime Leon Dore, Abercrombie, Made Well, and Club Monaco — would now be starting his own brand of stylish, basic, quality garments. He did a big interview in the New York Times, and his first collection sold out rapidly despite their more aggressive, premium pricing. You’ll look at paying $628 for a utility jacket, $418 for cargo pants, $368 for a rather plain cardigan, and $4,200 if you want their slouchy, made-to-measure suit.I ended up buying two items — their $348 “pull on pant” and $148 thermal long-sleeve — and having worn both for a few months now, I can say that the quality is high, but they have flaws of an early company. I won’t buy more from Levine, at least for a while.The less flawed item is the thermal long-sleeve. It’s a 100% American cotton, garment-dyed waffle-knit shirt made in Detroit with a flatlock seam construction, and it’s a lot warmer than its light feel would suggest. You’d mistake it for a summer top were it not for how comparatively warm you feel wearing it, and it’s a great partner for a warming sweater. It also has a pleasant, if unremarkable, cut, and you’ll either view the raw hem as rustic or sloppy.Is it worth the money, though? It’s on par, price-wise, with other American-made high-quality cotton shirts. Still, you’re paying a slight premium for Levine’s name, so I’d recommend Buck Mason first, which has higher-quality shirts for the money. I also can’t complain too much, though, as this is a high-quality garment.However, if you’re shopping for function alone, then no, do not buy this shirt. Uniqlo’s waffle-knit long-sleeve shirts mightn’t have the clout of these, nor quite the thermal retention, but they also only cost $30. For the same money, you could buy several a year and cycle through them, and you wouldn’t even need to, as I have shirts from them that still look good after years of wear.Aaron Levine Pull On Pant. Courtesy of Aaron Levine New YorkThe trousers are the more interesting but flawed item. For one, they’re a higher-waisted style that is somewhat hard to find in mainstream menswear brands, and the black cotton twill is beautiful. They don’t have quite the same feel as when they were new, but the fabric is stylish, relatively light, and feels quality; and though I haven’t washed them enough to know how quickly the dye will fade, I have a certain confidence that they will do better than most.However, they are not perfect. The waist is elasticated, but the drawstring is an unflexing woven cotton, and it’s hard to pull them quite tight enough without feeling like you are damaging the trousers or becoming uncomfortable. They do work with belts, but this is where the sewing construction comes up short, as within three months of moderate use, the stitching on one of the belt loops broke loose, requiring a mend. Is it a big issue? No, but for trousers that cost nearly $350, that’s unacceptable. Also, their sizing favors taller men, and — at 5’11 — I had to get mine aggressively tailored to not trail on the floor.I do love both garments, and I’m happy I own them. They were designed with care out of quality materials, and had they been $60 and $120, respectively, I’d be heartily recommending them. But at their current prices, I can’t recommend a purchase.They’re not interesting enough, the construction quality doesn’t meet the standards of the price tag, and there is too much competition in this space. Buck Mason, notably, makes better quality items at slightly lower prices, and they have a style I generally prefer. If I had the money, I would happily wear a wardrobe bought entirely from Buck Mason. The same is not true of Aaron Levine.

Review: Aaron Levine New York Clothing

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