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Issue Date: December 10, 2006
FASHION
Khakis go upscale
The bland basic goes from blending in to standing out.
Khakis have gone the way of jeans -- pushing the price envelope.
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Consider the irony: Lowly khaki trousers -- basic, bland, bargain -- were named for the Hindi word khak, or dust. Yet suddenly the fabric that soldiers once wore to blend in with their surroundings has become a way for men to stand out.
Indeed, a twill worn by laborers, Boy Scouts and others because it's hand-washable and goes with anything is gaining a polished patina. And it's no longer cheap. In fact, Great China Wall charges $395 for its hand-embroidered khakis and $895 for its studded versions. Valentino prices its stretch cotton twill pants at $295, and Alexander McQueen asks $310 for a distinctive wide-legged silhouette.
"It seemed inevitable khakis would go the way of jeans -- pushing the price envelope,'' says Louis Terline, the co-owner of online boutique Oaknyc.com. "Many men are now reaching their limit as to how many jeans they can own, but they've proven that they're willing to pay more to not see themselves coming and going.''
Even still, Bills Khakis cost up to $185 precisely because they're so utterly predictable. "Our customer is willing to invest in them because many styles never change,'' says Ami Arad, CEO of online men's shop On the Fly (on-the-fly.com). "There's safety and comfort in knowing that.''
-- Michele Meyer
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