| OCR Text |
Show ij Ujc i f ifi C 'V A0 JLJiJLCOI, gait fake tribune Section Friday, March A 16, 1984 Page iS Pure American prep from designer By Carolyn Monson Tribune Fashion Editor Ford Beckman, 31, round of body as well as face, and with thinning hair, has a strong Southern accent. Strange, since he was born and reared in Florida and resides in n what he called country, Connecticut. My accents sort of Southern redneck, he said, and the only way I can account for it is my nine years in Tulsa, Okla. New Yorkers consider it almost foreign, he laughed. Mr. Beckman laughs a lot. He has a lot to make him happy. He was in Salt Lake City recently, talking to the Nordstrom people. It seems that Nordstrom stores all over California, Washington and Utah will be carrying his womens and menswear clothing. He wanted to look over the stores that would be selling his designs. His womens wear is in the stores now. His menswear will be there in the fall. He liked what he saw. Chain of Stores This is Mr. Beckmans third year as a designer. Selling his designs to a chain of large specialty stores is a big step for the designer who has limited his clothing to what he calls small, exclusive shops throughout one store to a city. the country My overall approach to design is pure American, rooted in the '60s, a time during which I strongly believe the true American prep look was red-bar- I.' 1 : vf Finland Art Shirt by Ford Beckman, has contrast collar and patch pocket. born. S He likes color. A womans blouse might have as many as four colors, but without pattern. The color is in blocks. seem to use color differently, always stressing it to its extremes until it pops, creating a visual simplicity that can only come from experimentation and strong decisiveness within myself. My palette contains no I like womens wear. Women are attuned to something different from men. Women account for 60 percent of my business and its getting closer to 70 percent. Locked Into He said that women have been locked into a prissy preppy look too I mid-tone- s. long. They need something new a new shape, wider, with less fit. The woman who wears my clothes is confident. Shes old money. She wouldn't care whether she was invited to join the elite clubs. He was a clothes horse in school. I mowed lawns so I could buy clothes. By the time I was 13, 1 had bought every shirt that Gant made and was concerned about not owning any real alligator belts. I was voted Best Dressed in high school. I grew up in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. My favorite years were spent surfing and playing golf. The only other thing that was important to me was clothes. Penny loafers, madras watchbands and khakis. I was influenced during the 60s; the true American prep. Thanks to a college golf scholarship, he studied design and would welcome him in the Lauren organization, but that he would do well on his own Other friends were Alan Flusser and Alexander Julian. In the midst of all this, he married his college sweetheart. They refer to me as Pat Boone in dont drink or smoke. I dont play games and I guess thats a bit strange for a clothing designer. Most "lothing designers, I guess, are known to be a bit weird. New York. I Those dress shirts bring a smile with the pocket of color. The pocket is double layered and individually hand set onto the shirt to eliminate pocket seams and achieve opaqueness. He prefers heavy-dut- y oxford cloth in his shirtings with a collar thats pure 60s prep, a pieced-i- n work sleeve last seen in the 30s and a larger fuller shape to the body. Add a double front placket adding visual acd actual strength for the type of shirt he likes to wear and sell. In 1982, CoxMoore of Nottingham, one of Englands oldest and most prestigious knitwear firms, licensed him to design and create a line of sweaters for the American market. Mr. Beckman is probably best known for his sweaters. In a preview of whats to come for fall, he showed an elongated cardigan with a body of many colors, a button band of a contrasting solid color and pockets with an argyle pattern. Michaelsons of London asked him to do neckwear for America. "I still laugh when I remember those men asking me to do neckwear. I never wear a tie. Italys Manufacturers He was commissioned by an Italian manufacturer to go to Milan and create a complete mens and women's collection for Europe. In America, Norman Shirtmakers licensed him to develop an extensive line of mens dress and sportshirts in addition to a collection of womens sportswear. "You know you have good preppy when a store in New Haven, Conn., close to Yale University, has the shirt in every color in stock. Natural Fibers He used only natural fibers in his designs. Mr. Beckman was one of three nominated for most promising American menswear designer by a board of media and press persons for the Cutty Sark Award. Hell be on hand when the awards are announced in New York in June, in conjunction with the Mens Fashion Association press previews for fall menswear. Dressed in his favorite outfit, a pair of his own '60s era inspired khaki trousers, a white shirt and one of his own cotton sweater vests, he admitted to preparing for the event. Im having a black, flannel tuxedo made. But I plan to wear no socks and a pair of pink top siders. He opened a mens specialty shop called Clancys in Tulsa. He ran the store for nine years, filing it, he said, with both classics and directional merchandise. What I couldnt buy, I began to design and have manufactured $ S Line of Sportswear He was asked by a company to design a line of sportswear. He used his own money, he said. He liked the results so much that on his next trip to New York he took his new designs to show to friends and peers in the industry. Advice from friends and from some of the industrys leading designers convinced him it was time to design clothes professionally. Among the advisers was a man Beckman referred to as Ralph. The world knows Ralph as Ralph Lauren. Mr. Lauren told him he v Ford Beckman, left, designs what he calls, the true 60s prep clothing. k Her Workshirt has a button-dow- n collar and a colored pocket. his St. Patricks Day SUPER FAN SALE SAT. ONLY Say Top 'o the Mornin' with a wee bit of green from Huddart's Shamrock Plante Boutonnieres Shamrock Mug $2.50 & $5.00 $1.50 Each Irish Bouquets $ 1 5, $ 1 7.50 & Up Irish Green Carnations $18Doz. Arrangements ... $5.75 & $ 1 5, $ 1 7.50 & Bud Vases hSSSSd'W top 2 mmtxK c Open a special purchase of childrens athletic shoes 52 Wood Cane Blades move more air with less energy $20 $4.50 & $6 Designed for flat or vaulted celling SEALED BEARING NO OIUNG I fuddcirt most credit 1 BIG 5 BLADER $15 Satisfaction Guaranteed Order Early chemise dress, DKICREIDDISLE GREETINGS Corsages. contrast-pocke- t varsity sweater, by Beckman. 73531-790- 0 Since loaf B OG A M P M - kV RtAK Electronically balanced 52' wood blades 10 Year Warranty Complete As Shown Reverse Air flow for Winter energy Savings Reg. 1 1.99 compared to $20.00. Not all sizes in all styles, childs 8'2-- 3 sizes VALUE TO $399 10 5-- 8, DOWN HOLDS FOR 90 DAY LAYAWAY SEVERAL STYLES TO CHOOSE FROM OSAGA JOGGERS For Boy . $ . . ON SALE 12 90 Reg $25 Durable nylon and suede uppers, white with blue tnm & soles, boys sizes 2 2'i-6- . 11-- cs BLADES ONLY 6Vb INCHES FROM CEILING! IOCAL FOR LOW AMO VAUCTEO CEJUNO SPEED CONTROL ALL METAL CONSTRUCTION X e broods for Mu LIGHT ADAPTABLE SYR WARRANTY REVERSE FOR WWTER A SUMMER SALT LAKE SEWING & CEILING FAN SALE & SERVICE Lejieeiatlhn uortcfcutd While They Last 3679 So. State 262-008- 1 .Open 10-- 5 5 Points Mall Bountiful 295403, Family Cantor 5626 So. Rad wood Rd. 967 1311 Ogdon 1 15 Harrisvillo Rd. 393 1841 t 1088 E. 7200 South 566-218- 1 |
