FourTwoNine Magazine - Does an Upscale Magazine for Gay Men Have a Chance?

The magazine industry has struggled in the 21st century as digital media pulls ad dollars away and the Great Recession of 2008-09's effect on ad revenue lingers.  Magazines targeting a LGBT audience may be even more challenged since potential readership is 1/10 the size of the general population, and many of our interests are addressed in general market publications such as Vanity Fair, Opera News, Men's Health, Dwell, GQ and websites such as Towle Road, Just Jared, Outsports, etc.  Still, new magazines continue to be introduced.  One of them is a high-end gay lifestyle magazine with the title FourTwoNine (429 spells "GAY" on a telephone key pad.)  I was unfamiliar with it until I saw it among a stack of magazines in the pantry at my office.  It's a handsome publication, with large-sized pages (9" x 11") that makes it stand out from other magazines that, as a cost-cutting measure, have reduced the size of their pages.  As I paged through the last few issues it brought to mind a cross between Out and Metrosource, but at a premium cover price of $12.99.

 

Published out of San Francisco, FourTwoNine launched in September 2013 (after a rather tepid Kickstarter campaign raised $18,700).  Sarah Jessica Parker and Andy Cohen were featured on the cover of the premiere issue.  Kevin Sessums of Vanity Fair fame, and writer of the critically acclaimed memoir Mississippi Sissy, was editor-in-chief until last summer.  So far, just six issues have been published in 2½ years.  According to the publication's media kit a spring Film and Fashion issue was scheduled to be published in March 2016 but I've seen no evidence of it.  Its print circulation is just under 100,000.

 

 

According to a subscriber survey, median personal income of a subscriber is $125,000 (four times that of a typical US wage earner).  With such monied readers to boast about, it's no surprise the magazine carries ads from an array of high-end companies such as Lexus, Piaget, Grey Goose, Saks and the Tribeca and SoHo Grand hotels - but ads for HIV meds are conspicuously absent (a huge revenue generator for many LGBT publications). 

 

The publication touts its photography, features poetry and carries interviews with accomplished players in the worlds of fashion, literature and the arts - gay as well as straight (e.g., in the Summer 2015 issue there was a profile of San Francisco Giants baseball player Hunter Pence).  As part of its somewhat avant-garde vibe, the pages aren't numbered.  Issue Four received  attention for its feature on a James Franco interview with himself that broached the subject of his sexuality: "I like to think that I'm gay in my art and straight in my life.  Although, I'm also gay in my life up to the point of intercourse, and then you could say I'm straight."  Below are some photos that were published in issue Five:

 

Daveed Diggs plays the roles of Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette in the Broadway smash "Hamilton".

 

The Riker twins, Derek and Drew, are celebrity photographers.

 

Part of a "Boys of Summer" fashion feature.

 

At $12.99 FourTwoNine is a bit too pricey for my taste, and I find that Out (the largest circulation gay magazine) serves my interests in LGBT culture just fine.  However, I'd be happy to pick it up if I again see it in the office, or if I find it in the waiting rooms of my doctor, dermatologist or eye doctor.

 

 

 

 

Tattoos - Why?

In the late 1970s gay men embraced what became known as the "clone" look, which featured a flannel shirt, mustache and a hanky in a rear pocket (one's sexual proclivities were communicated by the color of the hanky and in which pocket it was displayed).  Painter's pants and a Lacoste shirt with an upturned collar were de riguer in the early eighties.  Then the look transformed into that of the AIDS activist, which was characterized by a Silence=Death t-shirt and Doc Martens.  Come the mid-nineties and the "Chelsea Boy" look emerged, characterized by earrings, piercings, soul patch, a shaved chest and a gym body to show it all off.  And now in the 21st century tattoos and beards predominate.  But while you can take off a flannel shirt or remove piercings, that's not so easy with a tattoo.  Like a mole or birthmark, it's more or less permanent (and will likely clash with whatever new fads come along.)

 

What compels someone to adorn themselves with these irreversible markings?  Narcissism easily comes to mind, or an extreme need for attention (especially true for those sporting expansive/intrusive tats).  Probably more people observe such body art with puzzlement as in admiration.  As I see it, getting a prominent tattoo would be akin to me being so enchanted with a necktie that I never want to take it off, no matter the occasion.  I'd wear it with a suit, at the gym, on the beach, in the shower, etc. 

 

Don't get me wrong, some of the more complex tattoos are works of art, and they're further enhanced when displayed on a beautiful body.  But why would someone want to look like they should be hanging on the wall of an art gallery?  (If Michelangelo were alive today perhaps he might have chosen to etch his masterpiece on his boyfriend's muscled back rather than on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!)  I admit that some tattoos enhance sex appeal, especially if they're found at the nape of the neck, on the lower back or the buttocks (as pictured).  Understated, sparse and concealed adds to the appeal.  However, when I'm in bed with a man I prefer my mind not be distracted by an expansive tattoo covering pecs, stomach, back, neck, etc.  If I want to see a work of art I'll visit MOMA.

 

Of course, tattoos aren't a gay-only adornment.  In fact, they've been handed down to us by generations of dockworkers, sailors, boxers, Maori tribesmen and other hyper-masculine archetypes - which may be why some gay men are drawn to them (similar to the appeal of "bears" and the '70s clone look).  But is worshipping at this altar of virility worth the price?  (The same question can be asked about steroids.)

 

The gay tattoo fad seems to have lasted longer than most, probably because so many "trendsetters" themselves have tattoos.  Stuck with them, they're likely loathe to admit to being stuck with a tired look.  However, when a new generation of ink-less fashionistas annoints the next must-have look, it may be traumatic for those saddled with tattoos.  A new support group may be on the horizon.

 

 

Giving In to the Cult of Bearded Men

Watching last year's World Series I thought the bearded players from the Red Sox looked like the hillbillies from Duck Dynasty.  But I'm throwing up the white flag and surrendering to the trend.  The omnipresent beards all around has worn me down - yet, I must admit, a lot of guys sporting one look kinda hot.  I'm partial to those that are full and well groomed, not those that look like underbrush.  And bonus points go to those gents who compliment it with a good haircut.  I even find some of the bushier variety appealing.  However, a bushy beard with a big belly, a la Zach Galifianakas, is of no interest. 

 

As for me, I won't be jumping on the bandwagon simply because my facial hair grows at a snail's pace.  A mustache yes, maybe a goatee, but a beard would take months to grow - and by then the trend would probably be over.  But it's not a big deal since I have no earrings, piercings or tattoos either (nor do I use ChapStick) and I'm doing just fine.

 

Here are a baker's dozen of my bearded favorites:

 

• From Hollywood, Ben Affleck, Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman ...

 

 

 

 

 

• Michael Lannan is the creator and executive co-producer of HBO's new gay series Looking.

 

 

• The following two actors, Kellan Lutz and Richard Armitage, flew under my radar until just recently ...

 

 

 

• Carlos Villanueva, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, is one ballplayer who shows some style with his beard.  But it's his stylized mustache that really does the trick.  (For a gallery of more sexy baseball players double click here.)  Then there is adorable Sergio Romo, a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, whose beard brings to mind Al Qaeda.  However, Romo's bubbly persona erases that association. 

 

 

 

• And finally, some of the sexiest/hottest beards are, not surprisingly, sported by nameless models.  Here are five of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LGBT History: A Salute to Our Gay & Lesbian Elders (Age 75+)

This post celebrates nearly three dozen accomplished gay and lesbian individuals who are at least 75 years of age.  In their formative years, mostly during the 1950s and 1960s, life posed many challenges because of their sexual orientation.  However, they managed to excel in their careers even if it required hiding their true nature.  Most are now open about their orientation and are beacons of inspiration for young LGBTs.  What follows are some top-line findings.  (The list can be found at the end of the post.)

 

• The oldest of the group is gossip columnist Liz Smith, who is 91, ten days older than director Franco Zeffirelli.  Prolific composer Ned Rorem is 90.  (Deceased gay icons who lived beyond 90 include architect Philip Johnson, who died at 98; actor John Gielgud, who lived to 96; and artist Paul Cadmus, who was 95 when he died in 1999.)

• Probably the most famous are composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim (84) and fashion designer Giorgio Armani (78).

• Only four of the thirty-four persons on this list are women: Liz Smith; same-sex marriage activist Edie Windsor (84); director/producer Jane Wagner (79) and author Patricia Nell Warren.

• Only one person on the list is Black, singer Johnny Mathis (78) and just one is of Asian heritage, actor George Takei.  None are Hispanic (the oldest is Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez, who is 66).

 

Johnny Mathis

 

Edward Albee

 

Larry Kramer

 

Tommy Tune

 

• This seasoned group has worked in sixteen different occupations, with fashion designers and playwrights represented the most, by four names each.  Arnold Scaasi; Valentino; Karl Lagerfeld; and Giorgio Armani are the designers (all foreign born), while Edward Albee; John Glines; Mart Crowley; and Terrence McNally are the playwrights.   In addition, there are three directors, three composers and three authors.  

• Ian McKellen will join this group next month when he turns 75 on May 25 ) and Lily Tomlin on Sept. 1.  Three more will turn 75 next year: author Edmund White, fashion designer Bob Mackie and former Congressman Barney Frank.  The most recent death of someone in the 75+ group was pianist Van Cliburn who was 78 when he died in February of 2013.

• If there lives weren't cut short by AIDS some well-known gay men would no doubt be part of this group, including choreographers Robert Joffrey and Alvin Ailey; athlete Tom Waddell; dancer Rudolf Nureyev; actors Rock Hudson, Anthony Perkins, Larry Kert and Robert Reed; pianist Liberace; and French philosopher Michel Foucault.

 

NOTEWORTHY GAY PERSONALITIES AGE 75+
(Ages as of May 1, 2014)
	Profession	Age	Best Known For
Franco Zeffirelli	Movie & Opera Director	91	Worked with Maria Callas
Liz Smith	Gossip Columnist	91	New York Post
Ned Rorem	Composer	90	Prolific composer of 300+ pieces; Fullbright Scholar; Pulitzer Prize for Music
Edward Albee	Playwright	86	"Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?"
James Ivory	Director	85	Merchant Ivory Productions has produced 50+ films
Arnold Scaasi	Fashion Designer	84	Designed gowns for four First Ladies
Stephen Sondheim	Composer/Lyricist	84	8 Tony Awards, 8 Grammys, 2 Oscars, 1 Pulitzer Prize
Jasper Johns	Artist	84	"Three Flags"/Partnered with Rob't Rauschenberg
Edie Windsor	Mathematician/Activist	84	Lawsuit led to Supreme Court striking down DOMA
John Rechy	Author	84	"City of Night"/"Numbers"/"The Sexual Outlaw"
Martin Duberman	Historian/Professor	83	Founded Center for Lesbian/Gay Studies at CUNY
Paul Taylor	Choreographer	83	Worked with Martha Graham
Clive Davis	Record Executive	82	Managed Whitney Houston
Jerry Herman	Composer/Lyricist	82	"Hello, Dolly!"/"Mame"/"La Cage aux Folles"
Tab Hunter	Actor	82	Blonde/"Polyester"
Valentino	Fashion Designer	81	Last name is Garavani/Documentary: "Valentino - The Last Emperor"
Jim French	Photographer	81	Founder of Colt Studios
James Hormel	Diplomat	81	1st openly gay US ambassador (Luxembourg)
Richard Chamberlain	Actor	80	"Dr. Kildare"/"Shogun"/"The Thornbirds"
Don Bachardy	Portrait Artist	80	2008 documentary about life w/Christopher Isherwood: "Chris & Don:  A Love Story"
John Glines	Playwright/Producer	80	Tony winner for "Torch Song Trilogy"
Karl Lagerfeld	Fashion Designer	80	Chanel/Fendi
Jane Wagner	Writer/Producer/Dir	79	Partnered w/Lily Tomlin for 40+ years
Mart Crowley	Playwright	78	"Boys in the Band"
Larry Kramer	Writer/Activist	78	Co-founded GMHC/"The Normal Heart"
Giorgio Armani	Fashion Designer	78	Personal worth of $8.5 billion
Johnny Mathis	Singer	78	"Chances Are"
George Takei	Actor	77	"Star Trek's" Mr. Sulu
Patricia Nell Warren	Author	77	"The Front Runner"
David Hockney	Artist	76	Born in England, fell in love with So. Calif.
Tommy Tune	Choreographer/Director/Actor	75	Nine Tony Awards/Twiggy/Known for his height (6'6")
Terrence McNally	Playwright	75	"Love! Valour! Compassion!"/"Master Class"/"Ragtime"/4  Tonys
Rex Reed	Film Critic	75	Lives in The Dakota/pals with Liz Smith
Jonathan Ned Katz	Queer Studies/Historian	75	Created OutHistory.org website
Source:  Wikipedia

The A+ List of Well-Known Gay & Lesbian Celebrities

As I perceive it, Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Ryan Murphy and Rachel Maddow are today's most overexposed gay personalities (or, as Barbara Walters might refer to them as, the most fascinating).  However, a Google search I did on more than 300 gay celebs turned up many others who seem equally high profile (the top 50 can be found at the end of this post).

 

 

20 years ago there were very few "out" celebrities so it made sense that the token few, e.g., Harvey Fierstein, Melissa Etheridge and kd lang, received extensive media coverage.  Since then there's been a proliferation of openly gay celebs (a good thing), but an inordinate amount of attention still goes to a rather select group. 

 

 

Of the 300+ included in this analysis, the typical celeb had 500,000 search results.  They ranged from 16,000 (for Steve Kmetko - remember him?) to 19 million (Calvin Klein).  There were thirteen well-known LGBTs whose names each generated more than 5 million search results - I guess you can call them the gay A+ List.  At the other end of the spectrum, there were 50 celebs/former celebs with fewer than 100,000 mentions.  (For some perspective, I, a mere gay mortal, had 5,000).

 

 

Naturally, some of the names among the top 50 have been in the news of late, including newly out actress Ellen Page, figure skater Johnny Weir and stats guru Nate Silver (pictured, far left).  (Surprisingly, neither Michael Sam or Jason Collins were in this select group, ranking 59th and 61st).  By age, six of the top 50 were older than 65, with Giorgio Armani, at 78, the oldest.  Seven were younger than 30, with Tom Daley (pictured) being the youngest, at 19.  Ellen DeGeneres had the most search results for lesbians, but only ten others joined her.

 

 

Actors, singers and fashion designers dominate the upper echelons of gaydom, comprising two-thirds of the top 50.  (The designers were, no doubt, boosted by their eponymous clothing labels.)  Outside of these fields we have  statistician Nate Silver; personal trainer Jillian Michaels; Apple CEO Tim Cook; photographer Annie Leibovitz; blogger Perez Hilton; interior designer Nate Berkus; and drag performer Ru Paul. 

   

 

And where do the five I thought were most overexposed rank?  Neil Patrick Harris is second; Ellen is fifth and Anderson Cooper, 30th.  Rachel Maddow and Ryan Murphy, however, are further down the list at 65th and 68th, respectively.  Still respectable but not nearly as high as I expected.

 

 

Who was I surprised to see among the elite 50?  Besides Calvin Klein at #1, I was also taken aback by the inclusion of singers Robbie Williams (pictured, far right), George Michael, Mika, Tracy Chapman and Boy George; Jillian Michaels fom Biggest Loser; fashion designers Alexander Wang, Jason Wu (pictured) and Zac Posen; and British actor Steven Fry.  And those who I was surprised to see lower than the top 100 include ABC's Robin Roberts (#112); fashion guru Tim Gunn (#142); sexy Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters (#164, pictured near right); diving legend Greg Louganis (#177) and gay blogger Andy Towle (#294).

 

TOP 50 GAY PERSONALITIES
(Ranked by # of Google Search Results)
		Search Results
	Profession	(In Millions)
Calvin Klein	Fashion Designer	19.1
Neil Patrick Harris	Actor	14.6
Elton John	Singer/Songwriter	12.7
Marc Jacobs	Fashion Designer	11.0
Ellen DeGeneres	Talk Show Host	10.8
Michael Kors	Fashion Designer	10.6
Robbie Williams	Singer	10.0
Ricky Martin	Singer	9.8
Tom Ford	Fashion Designer	9.4
Mika	Singer	7.1
George Michael	Singer/Songwriter	6.7
Pet Shop Boys	Pop Music Duo	5.8
Adam Lambert	Singer	5.4
Giorgio Armani	Fashion Designer	4.6
Tegan & Sara	Pop Music Duo	4.5
Rosie O'Donnell	TV Personality	4.3
Alexander Wang	Fashion Designer	4.3
Ellen Page	Actress	4.2
Frank Ocean	Rap Singer	3.6
Portia de Rossi	Actress	3.4
Tim Cook	Business Executive	3.0
Johnny Weir	Figure Skater	2.5
Jillian Michaels	Trainer	2.4
Jason Wu	Fashion Designer	2.4
Zachary Quinto	Actor	2.3
Don Lemon	News Anchor	2.3
Jodie Foster	Actress	2.3
Tracy Chapman	Singer/Songwriter	2.2
Perez Hilton	Blogger	2.2
Anderson Cooper	News Anchor	2.2
Jean Paul Gaultier	Fashon Designer	2.1
Zac Posen	Fashion Designer	2.0
Lily Tomlin	Actress	2.0
Nate Silver	Statistician	2.0
Andy Cohen	Cable TV Executive	2.0
Ian McKellen	Actor	1.9
Annie Leibovitz	Photographer	1.8
Jesse Tyler Ferguson	Actor	1.7
RuPaul	Drag Performer	1.7
Boy George	Singer/Songwriter	1.7
John Galliano	Fashion Designer	1.7
George Takei	Actor	1.7
Nate Berkus	Interior Designer	1.6
Graham Norton	Talk Show Host	1.6
Matt Bomer	Actor	1.6
Wentworth Miller	Actor	1.6
Stephen Fry	Actor	1.6
Diana Nyad	Swimmer	1.6
Tom Daley	Diver	1.5
Chris Colfer	Actor	1.5
(For period 3/20-24/2014)

 

Tim Gunn Urges "Project Runway" Competitors to "Make it Work!" (Dec. 1, 2004)

On Dec. 1, 2004 the fashion-design reality show Project Runway debuted on Bravo and its viewers were introduced to the debonair, yet avuncular, co-host, Tim Gunn, and his catch phrase - "Make it work!".  (Not to be confused with RuPaul's catch phrase - "You better work!", from 12 years earlier.)  A few years later the show moved to Lifetime where it still airs - and Gunn is still part of the show.  Like the cast of another Bravo that debuted the year before, Queer Guy for the Straight Guy, Gunn distinguished himself with his approachable nature.

 

At the time he was hired for Project Runway Gunn was dean of New York's Parsons School of Design.  Since then he has hosted another reality show, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style; left Parsons to become chief creative director of Liz Claiborne; was hired as a spokesman for Macy's; and has published four books, the first which was titled Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style.

 

 With all of this professional success, it came as somewhat of a surprise when Gunn revealed that he has been single and celibate for nearly 30 years, ever since a relationship ended that he never got over.  Reading this, I thought of a friend of mine who lost a partner in a car accident and another whose partner was murdered.  Both bounced back from these crushing losses and started new and successful relationships.  So when I read how Gunn has chosen to deal with his heartbreak I wanted to slap him like Cher did Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck and scream, "Snap out of it".  

 

 

"Jingle Bells" or "Jingle Balls"? Kmart Decks the Halls with Charmingly Risque TV Ad

Now this is some "ballsy" advertising!  Kmart recently unveiled a holiday ad for the 2013 season for its Joe Boxer line of men's boxer shorts (titled "Show Your Joe").  In it six studly bell-ringers go from ringing traditional bells to shaking their balls while showing off their boxers in a quasi Chippendale's production.  Although risque, it's also charming, and Kmart maintained some dignity as the bell ringers kept their tuxedo jackets on throughout.  Gay apparel indeed - and a delightful ad you don't want to fast-forward through!  Double cllick here to view it.

 

Here are a few other holiday-themed posts you may enjoy:

A Salute to Ads that Spread Holiday Cheer 

Bette Midler Spreads Holiday Cheer in Honda Ad

Martha Stewart's First Christmas Special Airs 

 

 

The Fashion World Mourns the Death of Perry Ellis (May 30, 1986)

Although many of us lost close friends and lovers to AIDS in the early years, it was the death of "names" that communicated the seriousness of AIDS to the general public.  This first happened in the fall of 1985 when Rock Hudson died.  Then less than a year later Perry Ellis, a well known fashion designer in the prime of his career, was struck down at the age of 46.  His death on May 30, 1986 came five months after his partner of five years also died from AIDS-related complications. 

 

In the early years of the health crisis, the cause of illness and death of many gay men in their 30s, 40s and 50s was wrapped in mystery and denial.  Because of the stigma attached to it, someone's death from AIDS was often attributed to conditions other than AIDS.  (In most cases, these other illnesses were caused by an AIDS weakened immune system.)  Six weeks after Ellis' death, New York Magazine ran a cover story about him that discussed his career and the downturn in his health that was whispered about but never openly discussed. 

 

There was concern that the Perry Ellis label might not survive because of its association with AIDS.  Happily, that wasn't the case and hiring up and coming talent like Marc Jacobs (pictured below) insured that creative inspiration remained.  However, since the fashion industry employed so many gay men, the impact of AIDS posed a serious challenge.  The implications were reported in detail in an article in the NY Times from 1990. 

 

 

 

Ellis' was just the first notable AIDS death to shake the fashion industry.  Two months later, famed make-up artist Way Bandy (far right) died at the age of 45.  The next year, Willi Smith (center), a designer just hitting his stride, died at the age of 39.  Then 31-year-old Angel Estrada fell in 1989, followed in 1990 by 57-year-old Halston (near right).  

 

 

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The Sex Appeal of Men Wearing Glasses

The right shoes, wristwatch, pocket square or necktie can certainly draw attention to a man when he enters a room, but I'm of the opinion that eyeglasses are the only accessory with the ability to add sex appeal.  And sunglasses add an aura of mystery and celebrity.  However, when it comes to the advertising of eyeglasses or sunglasses there's not a lot of creative ways to show them.  For the most part the ads are simply a close-up of a sexy face where jawline, stubble, lips and coif enhance the product.  But these ads demonstrate how sex appeal can be communicated without the need to show off pecs, washboard abs or bare butt cheeks (but there are exceptions).

 

It appears Armani dominates the fashion frames category, or it could just be that it dominates ads that appeal to me.

 

 

 

 

   

 

Here is what a few other labels have to offer (Dolce-Gabanna, Teatree and Tom Ford).

 

 

 

 

This ad for Arnold Brant is a case where eyeglasses are used as an effective prop.

 

 

Tom Ford, Guess, Notorio and Emporio Armani added skin to the equation, moving beyond the "monotony" of focusing on a handsome face ...

 

 

 

 

  

 

Instead of skin, suits ...

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, some of the best advertisements aren't ads but, rather, celebs or public figyres photographed wearing glasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Men's Fashion Ads That Tease & Tantalize

The old trope about a picture being worth a thousand words is especially true when it comes to fashion advertising.  In fact, the six ads I've chosen here rely entirely on photographs - there's not one line of copy.  And upon looking at the selection of ads below the first word of each readers' thousand is likely to be "wow".

 

MIGUEL CRUZ

Famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe snapped this breathtaking photo for this short-lived (and not very highly regarded) apparel company which flamed out in the late 1980s.  It hit the skids when its financial backer, a notorious personal banker, art connoisseur and social climber named Roberto Polo, was jailed in Italy for misappropriation of client funds.

 

 

 

ROCKPORT

If you didn't know that Rockport sold shoes you'd be hard pressed to figure out what this ad was selling.  But it's a pleasure gazing upon the ad and trying to figure it out.  In business for more than 40 years, Rockport, based in Massachusetts, is now a subsidiary of Reebok International.

 

 

 

 

LEVI'S

Sex appeal conveyed in a gritty, blue collar setting.  Part of this ad's appeal is guessing what the model looks like from the front.  (And why is he looking down?)

 

 

 

VERSACE

Ladies and gentleman, introducing the Versace iron!  Wait, I think it's the shirt that has the Versace label!  This ad is a classic from some 30 years ago.

 

 

BOTTEGA VENATA

Most likely the carefree model is skipping off to some oh-so-fabulous destination.  BV is a nearly 50-year-old luxury brand best known for its leather accessories.  The company is a subsidiary of Gucci and is headquartered in Italy.

 

 

ALEX CANNON

Nothing brings attention to a shirt like one that is unbuttoned and opened wide (or, as in the case here, almost off), affording a view of a beautiful chest.  (However, a warning label should be at the bottom of the ad that reads: your results may differ.)  Alex Cannon is a menswear company that's been in business since 2003.  The label is sold at Lord & Taylor and a number of specialty stores across the U.S.