The reason Joseph Ettedgui, the London-based designer and retailer, is so respected by fashion insiders is that ever since he began selling Kenzo sweaters in the 1970s, he has been on the cusp of fashion. Now, as trousers of every price and design are gaining popularity, Ettedgui has opened a shop devoted to them.
The boutique, which opened six weeks ago, is called Joseph and is at 796 Madison Ave. in New York City. It stocks the designer's popular classic bootleg pants, among other styles.The store is the prototype for a planned chain, said Barrie Levett, the general manager of Joseph's New York retail operation.
There are 12 Joseph or Joseph Tricot stores carrying the Joseph sportswear collection, including one at 804 Madison Ave., steps from the new boutique. Others are in London and Paris. Joseph pants are also sold in stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel and Fred Segal in Los Angeles.
The trousers trend has been driven by casual dress and a lack of a cohesive direction in fashion in the last few years.
The basic stretch cotton pants in bootleg or straight-leg styles cost $225. Stretch pants with kneepads and zippered hip pockets cost $289, and flared pants in stretch PVC, a synthetic, cost $220. Most styles come in black, beige or brown.
"The pants that we started with are getting more and more popular," Levett said. "The fabrics are quite interesting and up-to-the-minute, yet they're all washable."
When Ettedgui switched from hairdressing to retail, his discerning eye created fresh environments for his own creations, as well as those of designers relatively unknown at the time, like John Galliano, Katharine Hamnett and Yohji Yamamoto.
- Constance C.R. White