Dex, in effect
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Menswear designer Tara St. James knows what the boys want
by SIOBHÀN O'CONNOR
The sprightly, articulate Tara St. James is what some people might call a details person. Hailing from Montreal, this 24-year-old Dex menswear designer cares as much about the basic shape of a shirt as she does "about the fine little details that people will either flip over or totally ignore." No stranger to the international design circuit, St. James has paid her dues designing flamboyant, outrageous Mardi Gras costumes in Australia, helping create one-of-a-kind, made-to-measure ballgowns and suits, as well as designing for another well-known Montreal clothing company. Now with Dex, St. James is pleased with her full-time gig designing menswear.
"It's true that men are very picky about what they'll wear, which makes it more challenging for me, but that's why I like it," admits St. James. "You can only go so far with a men's garment; you can't cut off one sleeve, call it fashion and expect people to buy it in mass quantities. So my job is to make things that men want to wear, but also to add a little something to make it unique."
Dex is most known for its classic, sporty threads, easily likened to streetwear stylings but more tapered and detail-oriented. There's no doubt that Dex is more wearably trendy than it is couture--witness their spring collection featuring the ubiquitous camouflage print, retro '70s prints and cargo galore--but that's beginning to change somewhat. "We're getting more oriented toward things like speciality fabrics," she explains, "adding qualities to make Dex recognizable."
Since there are more fashion mags for men than ever before--and trendspotters are harking the beginning of a new wave in menswear--the recent boom in men's fashion has the designer excited. Despite widespread whispers of an impending recession, St. James insists, "People have more disposable income and men are beginning to spend some of that on themselves. If you look at really high fashion, everything is getting way more luxurious. The minimalist look is out, again, and men are dressing up. It also has to do with men being more body-conscious, working out more and being healthier. Where that extends to fashion is that men want to show off all the hard work they've been doing," she laughs.
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