March of Penguin

A retro brand moves upmarket

July 21, 2006—Everyone has to grow up sometime, even hipster kids. At least that's the idea behind a smartly executed new line from Original Penguin. Debuting for Fall 2006 and just now hitting shelves, the company's new Black Label is aimed at "this group of hip customers in their thirties and forties that's emerging," says president Chris Kolbe. "We're a different generation," he adds, which is why he and his team are offering something "a little fresher" than the traditional options confronting men trading up from streetwear to suits. Read sharply tailored pieces with rakish checks and stripes, all at an easy-to-swallow price point of less than $800.

Not that the upscale upstart is forgetting its roots in fifties-era golfwear. The line's "1955 Polo" is a "to-a-T replica of the original golf shirt we first produced [that year], but much more intricate and special," Kolbe says. In addition to the ribbed fabric under the arms that adorned the Arnold Palmer–endorsed original, the updated shirt features Pima piqué knit and fancier mother-of-pearl buttons. Sounds like the kind of fall item one could put to good use this weekend.
Penguin Black, available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 5th Avenue, NYC, (212) 753-4000, shirts $95–$125, suits $600–$800. Want to see more? Click here for pics from GQ.