THE LOOK
American Trench is embracing “refined casual”
looks for those who are going out more but still want to
remain comfortable. 
Courtesy of American Trench
the introduction of mismatched
patterns and interesting textures
on sweaters.

Once an “old-man look,”
the sweater vest is making
a comeback appearance at
American Trench.

“The ’90s are having a
nostalgia moment,” Hurwitz
said. Perhaps it’s Hurwitz’s
way of harkening back to the
good ol’ days, but wider-leg
trousers and even cargo pants
are making their return in the
name of comfort, but certainly
not to the JNCO jean-level of
years past, fear not.

Hurwitz has noticed an
uptick in the number of suits
he’s selling, hinting at the return
of wedding celebrations.

Henry A. Davidsen, Master
Tailors & Image Consultants,
has certainly felt the demand for
suits increasing, having already
made 40 suits this year, said
Brian Lipstein, the company’s
president and CEO. Lipstein has
wedding fittings booked as far in
advance as February 2022.

The increased demand,
however, has put an unexpected
strain on the business, as COVID
continues to put strains on the
supply chain of fabric. Lipstein
said there’s a labor shortage
of tailors not interested in
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Tina Dixon Spence believes that autumn is an
ideal time for layering clothing.

returning to work if unemploy-
ment benefits pay more than a
position in the clothing industry.

That is a national issue,
according to Rachel Mednick,
c i rc u l a r it y/s u s t a i n a bi l it y
committee head at the
Philadelphia Fashion
& Garment Industry Task Force
and an adjunct professor and
fashion educator at Drexel
University. “COVID has exposed the
disaster which is our current
fashion system,” Mednick said.

“And people have really become
aware of the supply chain, and
that your clothing doesn’t just
come from a store, but it starts
several miles away, with several
people involved.”
That increased awareness,
along with the global climate
crisis, gives designers the oppor-
tunity to become creative with
upcycling clothing, turning
fabric from old garments into
new ones.

At the first annual
Philadelphia Circular Design
Competition organized by
Mednick, designers created
an upcycled puffer jacket and
patchwork jacket with recycled
materials. Schwartz has seen similar
garments growing in popularity
at his store, including a
Courtesy of Buddha Babe
patchwork jacket made with
upcycled scarves.

In addition to being more
environmentally-friendly, they
are a one-of-a-kind garment,
making them even more
appealing to consumers.

“It creates a little bit of excite-
ment because you can’t come
back and say, ‘I want to order
that in a year,’” Schwartz said.

Also thinking about sustain-
ability, Dixon Spence has focused
on designing and creating
clothes meant to last that can be
passed down after a toddler has
outgrown them, another fashion
philosophy Mednick believes
designers can adopt to become
more sustainable.

Consumers can do their part,
too, Mednick said.

By only buying what we really
need and finding brands that
pay workers living wages and
use natural materials instead of
synthetic ones, the buyer can
make a difference in making the
fashion industry greener, she
said. “If we want to live on a planet
still, we need to do things differ-
ently,” Mednick said. “It really
comes down to protecting our
human race and our earth.” l
srogelberg@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0741
JEWISH EXPONENT
THE BEST OF THE
IN YOUR EMAIL INBOX
ONCE A WEEK.

Sign up at the bottom left hand side
of our homepage.

jewishexponent.com Don’t Schlep It, Ship It! Free Pick Up Available!
No matter whether it’s golf clubs, good china,
priceless art, oversized luggage –
if you can point to it, we can ship it!
If it’s valuable to you, it’s valuable to us. The
US Mailroom picks up, packs, and ships items
of all shapes and sizes, getting your packages
from where they are to where they need to be.

We cater especially to “snowbirds” as the cold
weather approaches.

Call us today at 610-668-4182
or visit our store in Bala Cynwyd, PA.

For more information,
email info@usmailroom.com
or go to www.usmailroom.com
Est.1988 SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
17