Store Profile: Kesner

524 Hudson Street

Style: Fashion forward cuts with an artistic European flair.

Known For: Bring up-and-coming brands to New York before anyone else.

Walking into Kesner will make you feel like you’re on the cutting edge of fashion. You’ll be drawn into the store by the creatively designed windows that feature many brands you may not have heard about. You’ll see polka dot tassel loafers by Vivienne Westwood sitting next to the latest ventures by Jean-Paul Gaultier. It’s this eclectic mix that brings you into the West Village boutique, but it’s the surprisingly wearable and affordable pieces that keep you in it. Sure, they’ll have some high fashion labels that may scare away the average man, but they curate their selection in a way that allows guys to get into these names without being overwhelmed.

Kesner houses Burkman Brothers' full collection

The store interior is very clean and well organized with collections hanging from racks that line the walls. Stone interiors do a great job of keeping the focus directly on the clothing in a creative way. And you’ll love what you see.

Kesner is in its 6th season, and they’ve housed every line of Burkman Bros since the brand’s inception. They carry the whole collection at once, so, rest easy knowing your Burkman Bros search stops here. The always elusive Neil Barrett for trendy yet wearable suits, shirts, and shoes will easily get your fashion forward juices flowing. And the absolutely awesome Wings and Horns for some of the best chinos and shirts around. Alexander Olch ties, our favorite Parke and Ronen swimsuits, and the rising child Caulfield Prep.

In many ways, the place is like a museum. You can spend hours eyeing up Vivienne Westwood’s artistic shirts. They may be tough to wear, but they’re damn fascinating to look at and think about. You can check out Jean Paul Gaultier’s more ridiculous pieces — like a reversible stripe blazer made of transparent cloth selling for over $3,000.

But what we find is the best about Kesner is when the items strike a killer balance between the fashion forward and the brilliantly wearable. It takes the keen eyes of their buyer, Thomas Trube, to seek out brands that both set the trends and design to be worn. The selection of Wings and Horns is particularly successful in this regard.

Oxford Lads Yellow Oxford, $145

But a relatively new and truly unknown brand from the west coast, Oxford Lads, really caught our attention for striking that balance between trendy and wearable. Gents, Oxford Lads may be one of the next big things. It’s a tiny company basically run by one guy. The product is beautiful — incredibly gorgeous and interesting fabrics. Consider a pair of their silk check shorts. They’re thoughtful and a bit on the edge of fashion, and yet totally doable in an outfit with a nice fitted polo. The brand does put out print shirts that still aren’t quite our aesthetic despite the endorsement of print by the high and mighty of the industry. But Oxford Lads’ tamer products are absolutely killer. The beautiful yellow oxford will run you $145 — an investment to be sure, but with this kind of fabric, and the innovative detailing, as well as a proper fit… it’s just plain hard to beat.

And it’s all because of the watchful eye of the guys in Kesner that we’re able to find brands like Oxford Lads. Mr. Trube described his experience of finding Oxford Lads as having literally stumbled upon it out of the blue. That is the kind of gift that a store like Kesner is able to offer.

Oxford Lads Silk Check Shorts, $135 — an awesome fit in a unique fabric with fun but wearable print

Beyond that, the service is wonderful. They don’t like to be too hands on, which is comforting in a sometimes intimidating fashion forward environment, but when you get their help, they know what they’re doing. Their employees have mind-boggling credentials — Mr. Trube does styling on the side for publications like Vanity Fair, while another employee does design here and there, and still another works with Dior. Makes sense considering A-List celebrities walk in on a regular basis.

And by the by, if you’re ever uneasy about shopping there, just head downstairs and grab some booze. You can snag Johnnie Walker Black Label and Woodford Reserve and take a seat on a plush velvet sofa in the basement.

So stop in, or check it out on the net at Kesner-NY.com

What to Get Here: Unique Shirts, Shoes, and Accessories

What Not to Get Here: Business Clothing

Price Range: Tops $70-$570, Bottoms $100-$590, Outerwear $420-$3,375, Shoes $300-$545, Accessories $25-$385

Overall Rating: 9/10

Oxford Lads Black Polo, $75; a beautiful fabric at an all too reasonable price

Caulfield Prep Black Heavy Weight Cotton Jersey Cropped Peacoat, $598; a super soft cotton piece that makes for one of the best plays for a brisk summer night on the beach, or an early fall day.

Parke and Ronan Stripe Trunks, $85; our favorite trunks in the business

Wings and Horns Red Oxford, $160