The recent marriage of classic button-downs and mother-of-pearl collar stays with the in-your-face attitude of Vice magazine is well, yes, an unlikely match. But walking into Seize sur Vingt this week, there it was, worlds colliding, or, rather, converging. For the next few weeks as you peruse the wares of this NoLita mainstay, you can do so in the company of naked girls and roadkill. But for Seize sur Vingt founder James Jurney this is the "archetypal collaboration because it's taking totally opposite ends of the spectrum and making something new and fresh out of it. It's the beauty of the high-brow/low-brow concept."The opening reception in honor of Vice's new Photography Issue fittingly had two parts. Opening ceremonies were held early in the backyard at Jurney's main shop, Seize sur Vingt. The store, which has created a largely unchallenged niche of ready-to-wear and custom classic menswear, has consistently refined its personalized merchandising, old-school customer service, and a constant well-edited stock of sumptuous wares for over seven years.
After swilling pretty little cans of Sofia in Seize's garden, guests switched over to PBR at Jurney's newest retail outlet, Groupe 16sur20, another collaborative effort with Vice. While sticking to the tried and true has always been Seize for Vingt's true north, Groupe16sur20 builds on that classic approach, embellishing it with logos, emblems, and other accents of pure distinction provided by Vice artists. The all-concrete space houses a rotating collection of slick '70s and '80s Ferraris and Lotuses fit for action heroes. And though there might not have been any in attendance (action heroes, that is), there was a distinctive star quality emanating from the party's well-dressed crowd that mingled happily well into the wee hours.
Refinery29 is excited to announce a new addition to our distinctive roster of independent shopping venues. Seize sur Vingt is boldly taking men's and women's wear where it's already gone before. But this time around, the classics are infused with a few twists, making traditional tailoring a whole lot cooler.