MR PORTER Comes Calling, Making Dallas’ Most Fashionable Men Swoon

I‘ve wanted to get married for a while now and have maybe met my perfect mate. His name is MR PORTER and perhaps one day my name might be Mr. MR PORTER.

One of my favorite online fashion resources, MR PORTER, recently came to Dallas for a visit. For those who aren’t in the know, MR PORTER might be called the brother to sister powerhouse Net-A-Porter.

The site sells more than 450 brands including Gucci, Brunello Cucinelli, Balenciaga, Stüssy, A.P.C., Birkenstock and Thom Browne. New products are generally added three times a week and the company offers express shipping to more than 170 countries (with same day service available in New York and London if you simply must have that pair of Prada brogues in time for an evening cocktail party).

I’ve never had anything but an extremely positive experience and love when a delivery comes with the distinguished packaging (white boxes with business card type inserts found within and all with the brand’s chic minimalist logo). MR PORTER also offers excellent online editorial content in the form of The Journal, the brand’s weekly magazine. I generally find every story fascinating, insightful and potentially helpful as topics range from “How to Wash Clothes That are Made From Wool” to “Why Prosecco is Rivaling Champagne This Winter.”

The MR PORTER team was in Dallas and had set-up a swank trunk show of sorts in a suite at The Ritz-Carlton. The whole experience was nothing less than what I would have expected from MR PORTER. A black-suited (cut razor-sharp by the way) young man was in the lobby to greet me (as well as the numerous local clients that they had invited up for various fitting appointments throughout the day) and escort me up to the suite in the elevator.

Inside the MR. PORTER Suite

A room filled with dapper gentleman (many who could have had a side hustle modeling for one of the lines carried by MR PORTER) were ready to show me around as to what fineries they had brought with them to Texas. (An interesting side note, this team had been in Austin for a few days prior since apparently that has become a big market for the company.)

A vast assortment of their in-house line, Mr. P, was along almost two walls. This lower-priced line is meant to be the staples that every man should have in his closet. Some might not consider this “lower-priced” given that T-shirts go for anywhere from $75 to $100 and sweaters start around $250.

However, when compared to the racks of Tom Ford that was directly adjacent, Mr. P. seems quite reasonable. The quality is impeccable in the namesake line and the designs are definitely classic and are worthwhile investments for any Dallas guy looking to up his sartorial game.

Also, a team from Sid Mashburn was on hand to assist with items from their collection that are found on MR PORTER. In fact, the site will be the only authorized destination beyond Sid Mashburn’s own channels where shoppers can purchase the brand.

I’ve long been a fan of Mashburn’s clothing since I lived in Atlanta and he was the go-to for many stylish Georgia boys. The line which is steeped in American traditionalism was launched in the capital city in 2007 by Sid and Ann Mashburn after the husband-wife team had stints working for design powerhouses J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren (all labels that lean into a preppier aesthetic).

Based out of MR PORTER’s London headquarters, Sam Kershaw is responsible for the buying strategy for the luxury department, as well as overseeing the strategy for casual wear, underwear, accessories, lifestyle and fine watches. First off, he looks like the English actor Paul Bettany. You know, the incredibly handsome gent seen in movies such as The Avengers and A Beautiful Mind who also happens to be married to equally gorgeous, style icon Jennifer Connelly.

Kershaw began his career at the London department store Harvey Nichols as an assistant buyer on casualwear and contemporary before becoming a buyer on designer and formalwear. I was so relieved to hear that when posed with the question, have you made fashion missteps in your own wardrobe, he responded with a wholehearted “Yes.” However, he did share that many of his choices in the past he still stands by and in fact has to keep a separate storage unit in London for clothing he has amassed over the last 20 years.

As he pointed out, so many styles (particularly from the 1990s) have come back into vogue.

First on my mind was what brands was he excited about this fall. Below is his list of things to look for on the MR PORTER site.

BODE

Emily Bode, is sourcing antique fabrics from all over the world for her designs. Bode’s FW19 collection, which we’ll soon be selling on MR PORTER, stays true to the brand’s unique aesthetic with handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces. It also remains on trend, serving up a camp-collar style with perfectly placed patches of embroidered florals.

Connolly X Goodwood

Connolly has been an integral part of the story of the Great British automobile for most of its illustrious history. The independently owned brand launches a capsule collection of 27 pieces, incorporating leathers and cashmere knits, inspired by the spirit, romance and history of the Goodwood Estate, forever synonymous with British motorsports.

District Vision

Founded with a wellness-focused philosophy, holistic label District Vision develops streamlined gear and apparel with input from elite athletes. The innovative eyewear is handcrafted by an engineering team in Japan.

Later that day a festive cocktail party hosted by the MR PORTER team ensued at Park House. Craft cocktails and canapes flowed as my favorite artist, Kris Ammon did portraits of guests. It was a stylish scene populated by the likes of Fort Worth photographer Rambo and Tim Elliott, HGTV darling Joanna Gaines, Doniphan Moore, Zoe Bonnette and Will Kornegay.