L.L. Bean Takes NYFW
By Michael Caruso
Flannels, bean boots, and duck camouflage jackets — all of these items are a fairly common sight in the northeast during the winter. Well, everywhere except New York Fashion week. Todd Snyder changed that with his most recent show, a collaboration with L.L. Bean. The collection featured several iconic styles from L.L. Bean with hints of Todd Snyder to set it apart from traditional Bean apparel. Overall, the show relied on the styles of Americana workwear, a common theme from both brands. No one could have anticipated this collaboration, but that’s not to say the Bean doesn’t belong in fashion week. Snyder truly embraced the essence of L.L. Bean while tailoring it to the runway.
Courtesy of Vogue
The collection featured themes of military, hunting, and an overall sense of Americana workwear. Snyder showed no fear in attempting to tackle Bean classics, such as the Boat and Tote bag, coveralls, and a plethora of corduroy. Additionally, Snyder paid homage to Bean’s iconic shade of orange in many looks throughout the show. One of the most striking looks was the first model, who donned a green corduroy suit with a yellow puffer vest. Some of my favorites from the show included the several variations of nylon quilted pants, the large chocolate brown overcoat, and the previously mentioned corduroy suit. There were a myriad of takes on the Bean boot, my favorite of which was an olive-green pair fitted with orange laces and orange sole. The collection features 40 total styles and will most likely be difficult to obtain. With that in mind, Todd Snyder and L.L. Bean presented a striking yet familiar take on a classic American look.
Americana workwear has been a prominent style in menswear for the better part of a decade and it seems to be constantly growing. The pathway for L.L. Bean to be featured on a NYFW runway was paved by brands like Carhartt W.I.P., RRL from Ralph Lauren, and Visvim. Junya Watanabe and The North Face have had an ongoing collaboration for many seasons and inspiration from those collections came through in Snyder’s show. Models were seen with tactical vests and camouflage similar to those of Junya’s past collections. However, many Bean fans may feel forgotten. To them, L.L. Bean represents American utilitarian gear at an affordable price point that can be worn until they have been thrashed. After all, this is the company that infamously said, would replace any of their products that failed to withstand the task thrown at them. The policy was eventually walked back in 2018 after an influx of bogus claims, allowing returns for any reason within one year. To their loyal base, L.L. Bean says they are not abandoning their identity as an outdoorsman brand, but coexisting in both worlds, despite how different their clientele may be.
Although this is a very exciting collection for the relatively small outdoors brand, a dark cloud hung over the entire event. L.L. Bean recently announced they would be getting rid of as many as 200 jobs and closing a customer service center based in Maine. Fortunately, they do not intend on closing any stores both in the US and abroad. With a small company of only around 5,200 employees, losing 200 jobs is disconcerting for anyone who loves the goods L.L. Bean has provided since 1912. Despite troubling times for the company, L.L. Bean is adapting their image to appeal to a new audience.
While this appearance by L.L. Bean on the runway may seem surprising, this pairing seems quite fitting when you take a closer look at both parties. Todd Snyder grew up in the Midwest, where workwear isn’t a trend, but a major part of their lifestyle. Snyder said he grew up wearing Bean and distinctively remembers his first pair of Bean boots in college. Their aesthetic became one of the driving forces behind the formation of his namesake brand. At the same time, L.L. Bean has been steadily modernizing its look and finding ways to reach into the world of menswear while remaining loyal to its traditional fanbase. For example, in 2010 L. L. Bean released their Signature collection led by Alex Carleton, who at the time was recognized by GQ as one of the most exciting names in menswear. The collection focused on modernizing the cut and style of L.L. Bean and was certainly a step in the right direction. Fast forward a decade and Todd Snyder’s collection at NYFW is the Maine based company fully embracing this new alternate identity. You can anticipate this collection to reach Todd Snyder and select L.L. Bean stores, as well as their respective e-commerce sites, in Fall 2020.
