SCHMOOZING: GOOD TIMES WITH THE MENSWEARNETWORK

Last night, the Mansfield Hotel’s M Bar served as a new venue for the summer edition of The MensWearNetwork, hosting a friendly cluster of menswear executives, designers, buyers, press, bloggers, stylists and fashion entrepreneurs toasting the heat and the hot new products from the Liberty, Project and MRket menswear trade shows taking place this week.

Business convo highlights surrounded tidbits about a new film and television series written by a longtime industry insider being shopped around, the traffic at the Javits, potential new retail solutions, and, of course, what vacation plans many were entertaining for the rest of the summer season.

Sustainable style, fashion shoots, children graduating from high school and political topics also dominated talk from the close-knit group of approximately 50 or more who flowed through the elegant darkness of the M Bar, which served as a cool day’s end antidote to the oppressive heat and humidity of the city summer.

Surprise guests, longtime colleagues and fresh newcomers included former HartMarx PR executive Erin Gaffney, one of Badgley Mischka’s sportswear designers, Peter Catania, real estate exec Zachary Szwed, show producers and art gallery associates.