With talk of returning to the office well and truly underway for most big companies, the conundrum of figuring out what to wear for those two- or three-day work weeks is made all the easier with the arrival of Salie 66, a brand offering a minimal collection of well-made staples designed for both men and women. Founded by art dealer James Shalom and his father, Elliot, who has more than 40 years of experience in wholesale manufacturing within the fashion industry under his belt, Salie 66 is rooted in the production expertise of a family-owned factory in the Veneto region of Italy.
‘My father and I had this idea for a while of creating a brand that offered the best possible version of the clothing we wear every day at the best possible price. We felt if we were going to put products out into the world, it needed to be at the highest level of construction, made with the finest fabrics we could source, and distributed directly to our customers,’ shares James. ‘We were inspired to launch the brand when we were introduced to artisans in Italy that operate a small family-run factory, where techniques have been passed down from generation to generation. The pieces themselves are inspired by characters in films and people we pass by on the streets of New York. We like the idea that a brand is a gateway into other parts of culture and the opportunity to see a world develop around clothing.’
Launching with 11 his-and-hers styles that feature subtle tweaks to make them suitable for men and women to wear, Salie 66’s timeless offering includes fine-knit V-neck sweaters, cotton poplin shirts (worn oversized for women and more classically fitted for men), pleated high-waisted twill trousers for women, and mid-rise moleskin five-pocket trousers for men.
Salie 66: wardrobe essentials weaving Italian craft and a New York mindset
‘In my mind, I don’t separate the two categories,’ explains James. ‘We want the customers to feel free to wear whatever they gravitate towards. It is fascinating to watch how people style the clothing, and see the same piece take on different personalities on different bodies.’
With seasonal styles released in a considered fashion, new products are launched in a responsible manner at the brand’s own pace.
‘Our process always begins with fabric research. We’re constantly on a quest to find fabrics that have a special quality to them, almost ideal,’ reveals James, adding that the first capsule of limited-run styles includes a slim-fit, ribbed polo-neck sweater for women, a men’s V-neck sweater with a drop-stitch detail, and a unisex button-neck polo sweater in pure cashmere. ‘We like to tell subtle stories around the drops and in this case, we were focused on cashmere as a theme. We did a cashmere blend with silk, another with merino wool, and one with 100 per cent cashmere.’
Capped off with a sophisticated palette of neutrals, accented by shades like baby blue, khaki and burnt orange, this is the kind of uniform dressing we can see ourselves adopting.
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