You may not have heard of the subject of today’s Buyer’s Guide and there is a good chance that you’ve not visited one of its stores. But, it can only be described as a pocket rocket powerhouse for Style, which has a fiercely loyal customer base and is why MATCHESFASHION.COM has over the last decade become an authority on both contemporary and international menswear. It’s menswear buyer, Stacey Smith, started her career in the Retail Fashion industry working at the likes of Nicole Farhi and Paul Smith. She joined the retailer in 2002 and has spent the last decade establishing MATCHES as a real key player. Smith not only picked up hot British designers Jonathan Saunders and Rake in their first seasons, but has also introduced the coolest international labels, such as Carven, AMI and Michael Bastian to their menswear offering. MATCHESFASHION.COM’s rostrum of more than 100 carefully chosen brands is now a curated edit of international super-brands, young British designers, cult labels, sartorial legends and contemporary classics.
The Portfolio of the MATCHES lifestyle brand now boasts 11 stores and an international website, that ships to over 195 countries across the globe. However, its beginnings are far more humble, when, back in 1987, Tom and Ruth Chapman opened the first Matches store in Wimbledon Village, London. Since then MATCHES have worked with a plethora of names including Max Mara, Burberry and Diane Von Furstenberg on exclusive projects.
Mens Health consider it, “Shop here for the one luxury purchase you make this season.” and the Telegraph Magazine called it,“An elegant and easy-to- navigate site with a good selection from familiar names such as Paul Smith and Polo Ralph Lauren, as well as less widely available and interesting labels including Carven. A special mention for Matches’ excellent selection of eveningwear, if you have occasion to smarten up this season.”
So let’s see Stacey’s top buys for the season ahead;
STACEY’S TOP TEN PICKS FOR AUTUMN 2014
1) Y3 TRAINER
2) RAF SIMONS /STERLING RUBY BOMBER
3) SAINT LAURENT RUC SACK
4) VALEXTRA DOCUMENT HOLDER
5) BALENCIAGA OVERCOAT
6) APC SWEATSHIRT
7) MASTERCRAFT DENIM JEANS
8) HAIDER ACKERMANN TROUSERS
9) CHRISTOPHER KANE JUMPER
10) LANVIN BOOTS