Treasured Items... Rhamier Auguste

Having missed Tim Coppens and Siki Im present their SS13 collections last week due to a planning error on my front, my menswear design dreams rested in the accomplished hands of Patrik Ervell. Thankfully, the last of my favoured trio of talent did not disappoint. Adopting a Californian mindset, he appropriated, explored and reimagined technical leisurewear to stunning effect. We've come to expect a utilitarian and elegant parade of boyish tailoring from Ervell but people often overlook his fascination with experimentation and fabric development. In recent seasons we've been seduced by his use of gold foil, vintage parachutes, fabrics died with oxidised iron and copper, handmade rubber raincoats, horsehair and most splash dyed silks.

Seasons on, I still dream about finding a club collar rust shirt from SS10 in my size. My hunt is ongoing and my longing indefinite. There is always hope. Yesterday I met up with freelance fashion assistant/stylist and Opening Ceremony family member Rhamier Auguste for a beer and a spot of show and tell. Here, he retells the story of his sample sale snatch, turning my eyes green in the process...

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Rhamier Auguste and the sample sale snatch...

"Last summer a good majority of the Opening Ceremony NY team (including yours truly) were setting up for the sample sale we have every once in a while. Opening up boxes filled with merchandise from the past seasons is always a treat for me because you never know quite what you'll find but hold hope for uncovering certain pieces. I was in the right place at the right time when one of the boxes we opened had left-overs from Patrik Ervell's S/S 2010 collection. 

Anyone that knows me knows that Patrik Ervell is my favorite designer. Frantically combing the rack for my size in any of the rust-printed jackets, I finally came across a size 40. I'm usually a 38 but being the die-hard fan of his that I am, I knew the sizing ran a bit small. I tried it on and it fit like a glove. At the end of the day, I had it booked out, and the rest is history. I've only worn it about three times but each time I wear it, anyone, whether it's the elderly or a member of fashion's elite, have made it a point to compliment me on it. The process in creating this jacket was a pain-staking one, and I believe this was one of the collections that solidified Patrik Ervell's place among the better menswear designers in NY." Rhamier Auguste.

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