INHERENT (www.thisisinherent.com) Founder, Designer & CEO, Taylor Draper, debuted his full collection of custom-made tailored sportswear at this latest NYFW. By “tailored” we mean a pleasing mix of well-cut men’s suits in preppy tweeds & even a double-breasted black watch plaid three-piece suit. 70s tailoring such as the double vent on the back of the jackets & the matching vest professional men wore back then prevailed. Draper also used a lot of brown, one of the suit colors of choice in the 70s.
While there were some nice women’s looks (shown on female models), like a black & gray letterman’s jacket accessorized with an artfully draped cashmere cardigan & beanie, the focus of the collection was strongly directed on the men. What Draper showed went deeper than just great clothes for the modern man. The collection was not solely about how men can put themselves together in the morning to face the day. Draper was intent on getting an important & highly personal message across – that of men’s mental health. The designer has long endured a personal battle with mental health issues, namely, depression. Draper found the personal courage to express this in a very public forum, his first NYFW show.
My mission will not be complete until phrases like ‘walk it off’ or ‘man up’ are redefined in our vocabulary to mean that a man is in touch with his feelings and can communicate them in a healthy way. Every man’s first instinct should be to open up about feelings of overwhelm or depression without shame, guilt, or fear.
Taylor Draper, Designer
To help men feel good about themselves, Draper made sure that his men have some great options to feel well put together not just for work, but also for play/time-off & special occasions. For downtime, there were some collegiate letterman style jackets worn with the requisite (worn backwards) ballcap, sneakers, & an elegant burnt sienna cashmere vest & brown trousers.
For dressier occasions, there was a navy suit accessorized with a tartan watch plaid scarf, orange tee, and a fantastic charcoal gray overcoat with matching orange lapels & bands at the wrist. The coat is one of quite a few pieces that women are sure to “borrow”, & never return.
To conclude, INHERENT is more than just another well-executed sportswear label. What began as a small on-line store in 2020, thanks to Draper’s efforts, has moved quickly forward. After expanding into a flagship boutique storefront in Colorado Springs, CO only a year later, the designer can check the box of showing at NYFW off his list. His alliance with dynamic branding guru, Myrdith Leon-McCormack, founder of MLM Represents helped Draper launch INHERENT at NYFW, & together, they continue to move forward with their plan to grow the brand far beyond its Colorado roots until it is a truly global presence.
Instagram: @Thisisinherent
-Vivian Kelly (@thefashionhistorian)
