Michael Bastian Will Now Design Suiting

As I'm sure you're all aware, we here at Out love Michael Bastian. Not only is he totally foxy, but he's also head honcho of a label that takes traditionally casual sportswear pieces, and upgrades them--via luxurious fabrics and an exacting eye for fit--transforming the casual into something a bit more elevated. It's weekend-wear for the 1%. But what about the boys who need to look snazzy at their office jobs from Monday to Friday? Don't you worry, Bastian now has you covered. WWDannounced that the CFDA Award-winning designer is expanding his apparel portfolio to include classic tailoring--suits, blazers, dress shirts, and ties--to be exclusively offered at Barneys. Though Barneys originally approached Bastian last summer, this news is perfectly poised to exploit the overarching suiting trend seen on the European runways just a few weeks ago. Yes, suiting is a mainstay of the menswear business, but even younger, more relaxed labels are honing in on the classic uniform as a response to a younger generation's growing appreciation of tailoring. The line will hit Barneys locations, and Barneys.com, in mid-February.