Marcus Wainwright (left) and David Neville have become one of the hottest teams in fashion. Pats quarterback Tom Brady owns one of their leather jackets.
G FORCE | MARCUS WAINWRIGHT AND DAVID NEVILLE
From rag trade to riches
Marcus Wainwright (left) and David Neville have become one of the hottest teams in fashion. Pats quarterback Tom Brady owns one of their leather jackets.
The story of how Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, the duo behind Rag & Bone, found themselves in the fashion business is a curious tale that involves a chance meeting at a British prep school, a gorgeous model on a Mexican beach, and, finally, a visit to a denim factory in rural Kentucky. How those elements combined to create one of the hottest teams in fashion is an alchemy best attributed to extraordinary talent.
In less than five years, they’ve shot to fame - Rag & Bone is one of the most sought-after names in premium denim - and they’ve become darlings of the fashion press. They’ve also expanded their lines to include more than jeans. Their fall 2009 lines for women and men are tough, elegant, and sexy, and feature everything from armor-inspired dresses and chainmail slips to black leather fencing jackets and Savile Row blazers. Their recent spring 2010 show in New York favored tailored, military-inspired pieces that draw on their British roots.
For all their success, Wainwright and Neville never expected to end up in fashion - not when they studied at Wellington, outside of London, nor when they headed to college in Northern England. After school, Wainwright made his way to Mexico, where he summoned the courage to chat-up a beautiful young woman. One thing led to another and he followed her back to New York. Soon after, Neville decided to give the Big Apple a try as well.
All was good, apart from the fact they couldn’t find a decent pair of jeans. The quest brought them to Kentucky, where, in a now-defunct factory, they learned everything they could about denim. They knew immediately they weren’t interested in making cheap, disposable fashions. They cared about the design, the process, the places where the clothes were born.
“It really gave us a point of difference,’’ said Neville, adding that the majority of Rag & Bone’s clothes are made in the United States. “It’s developed into the philosophy of the company.’’
Fans of the line are legion, and include a certain Patriots quarterback. In a recent photo shoot for Details magazine, Tom Brady wore a stylish leather Rag & Bone jacket - his own.
“He got it at our store on Christopher Street [in New York],’’ said Neville, who, as a dyed-in-the-wool Pats fan, keeps track of such things.
Perhaps No. 12 will be among the admirers on Wednesday when Wainwright and Neville visit Saks Fifth Avenue from 6-8:30 p.m. for a stylish evening to benefit the Institute of Contemporary Art. Sounds like that’d be just fine with the Rag & Bone team, several of whom hail from the area.
“Jennie McCormick, our managing director, is from Fall River,’’ Neville said. “We have some strong ties to Boston.’’
Open to the public, but an RSVP is required. Please call 617-937-5382.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
