Back for another triumphant year PROJECT Presents: In Your Neighborhood put forth unexpected and well thought out garment details from an uber curated selection of brands. In addition to the US and multi-national companies featured, Promas French Menswear Federation in collaboration with PROJECT, welcomed to the show Paris based brands GUNTHER Paris, ADN Paris, Headoniste and Very Rare. These brands showcased their Fall/Winter 2025 collection details for the first time at a New York City men’s market event. The show was also back at 45 Downing Street, the historic carriage house located in Greenwich Village, New York for a decidedly intimate feeling.
Featured image: Burkindy leather and metal cuffs.
Burkindy
The idiom “The devil is in the details” seemed to be made for Burkindy. The intricacy of the jewelry on view was amazing and made more special by the company namesake. Drawing inspiration from his native Burkina Faso, Burkindy (meaning integrity in his native language), is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer whose projects go way beyond the jewelry selections in the show. His jewelry embodied the infusion of his West African heritage along with the modern sensibilities of a Brooklyn creative. Fine details carved in each piece showed not just an eye for imaginative creations but also the commitment to quality that was clearly apparent.
ADN Paris
French contemporary brands are abundant, but not all can match the Parisian refinement of ADN Paris. The designs by Léa Chabaa imbued classic minimalist concepts going beyond basics with beautiful details, fine fabrics and finishing techniques. Think The Row but with a quintessentially French aesthetic and a more softer edge. The women’s collection on view was modern androgyny that featured everyday wearable, sophisticated clothing to flatter any woman’s body.
Very Rare
Raf Reyes knows a thing or two about the social nourishment that comes with being a part of a movement. His streetwear brand Very Rare taps into youth culture and likeminded individuals, bringing together art, fashion, leisure, wit and history among other tenants of inspiration to its family membVRs. There were hoodies made from tapestry fabrications in bold and inventive designs, jacquard knitted jeans and a quilted vest that featured iconic imagery. And of course the must have tees that were not the everyday ho-hum designs. Throughout the collection there was an obvious intention for comfort, quality and uniqueness without having the customer break the bank to afford the pieces. Four years old brand with many more successful miles to go.
Not Particularly Talented [⇄] Try-Hard Tee front detail.
Headoniste
Unique hat brand Headoniste reinvented the iconic baseball cap and other styles by sustainable means. Using leftover luxury fabrics from major fashion powerhouses such as LVMH Group, styles are painstakingly made bowing to the individual eccentricities of each material to create fresh takes on classic hats. All produced in France by artisans who worked in the long tradition of French hat-making.
Tombolo
When you were literally handed a takeout menu to review styles and information from the Purveyors of Escapewear anyone would go straight to an island with an order of their clothes. Tombolo offered collections that went beyond the rote resort wear choices and colors. Styles in their signature french terry fabric, sweater knits, Tencel blend wovens and others were all on the menu, some accented with V notch pockets, fun embroidery and appliqué details. Beyond the swim trunks and the Cabana Shirts, Tombolo ventured into leisure suits, hats, sunglasses, bottle openers and other assorted goods.
The Brooklyn Circus
No apparel trade show in Manhattan would be complete without a quintessential New York brand, especially one built in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Circus fits the bill with their timeless silhouettes, intentional details and quality materials that all came together to tell their story of style throughout American history. To emphasize their commitment and respect to the wearer, vintage pieces worn by customers were also on display proving that words uttered about quality and craftsmanship were not marketing fluff, their “word is bond”.
GUNTHER
Naomi Gunther, founder and creative director of GUNTHER, studied fashion design at Parsons in New York before she headed back to home to be one of the bright lights on the Paris fashion scene. With an eye on sustainability, her collections were designed and manufactured in Paris workshops, skillfully made by artisans. The menswear pieces fused together refined materials, traditional styling along with streetwear influences for a relaxed, modern and chic aesthetic.
Eastside Golf
When opportunities available to others are denied, the way forward is to forge ahead with a new path to build and achieve your goals. Founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl A. Cooper did just that with Eastside Golf. The lack of sponsorships to pursue professional golf careers was the instigator used to create this lifestyle brand. That negative start morphed to the overall goal to expand the awareness and love of golf to the younger generation albeit with a fashionable bent. Functional and comfortable styles spoke to the care that went into creating the collections all topped off with their iconic Swingman logo. Collaborations with Jordan Brand, NBA and Mercedes-Benz, to name a few further cemented the brand’s status in the golf world and beyond.
BEAMS Plus
Collaboration seems to be the de rigueur movement in many of the creative fields today. Fortunately for fashion aficionados these collaborations have continued to show new and innovative directions without much disappointment. British brand Studio Nicholson and Japan’s BEAMS Plus joined forces for their Winter ‘25 ready-to-wear collection that brought together their shared obsession of period film characters. This marriage highlighted the combination of the fabric focused mindset of Studio Nicholson with the preppy Americana style of BEAMS Plus, creating modern classics that were meticulous crafted. Nick Wakeman, Creative Director and Founder of Studio Nicholson and BEAMS Plus’ Director, Hideki Mizobata created a shared moodboard of iconic characters from 1960s and 70s American screenplays including key characters: Columbo, Paul Varjak and Annie Hall. In the collection there were oversized raincoats, roomy double pleat chinos, sports jackets, and loopback sweatshirts paired over striped cotton Oxford shirts.
NORTH WORKS – Ordinary Fits – Fab.It
NORTH WORKS, Ordinary Fits and FAB.IT brands were the epitome of Japanese cool designed for modern times. Japanese ingenuity and wit were showcased with jewelry from NORTH WORKS that featured vintage US coins and other beautiful materials reworked into fun conversation pieces. Ordinary Fits went with classic and comfort driven pieces that would live for ages in anyone’s wardrobe. FAB.IT, derived from the words FABULOUS and HABIT, offered function and design with the hope that excellent comfort becomes habit when wearing their products.
Created over 20 years ago, PROJECT generates awareness on a global scale through media and communities, propelling trends that drives commerce within the fashion industry.
