Last week at the Men.Style.com Women of Fashion party I had a chance to catch up with Eddy Chai, one of the owners of the popular men’s store Odin. There are a lot of interesting things happening with Odin and their gallery-esq boutique Den. I found out that this fall, GQ’s favorite label Engineered Garments will be taking over the Den space at 330 East 11th Street. The announcement is exciting news for someone like me that loves 1. classic American things 2. work wear 3. things made in the USA 4. Japan 5. Den. I also heard that Nepenthes (the Engineered Garments Japanese parent company) is launching an entirely new brand under a different name and that the company is introducing an Engineered Garments womens collection in the near future. Sounds like Nepenthes is on a roll. Previous occupants of the Den space have been fashionable brands like Robert Geller, Karen Walker and Cheap Monday.

This past weekend I stopped by the Odin Lafayette Street store to do a little shopping. Much like one of my other favorite stores, Odin stocks a strong mix of my favorite brands. Companies like the Maine-based Rogues Gallery, Robert Geller, Common Projects, Rag & Bone and of course Engineered Garments.

I was taken by the Shipley & Halmos collection, especially the woven shirts which are very nice. I have seen the clothing before at places like Barneys Co-Op, but the wovens really resonated with me on this particular outing. There were some great bathing suits from Nepenthes and two especially nice seersucker options (a traditional blue pair and a slick black-on-black version) from Rogues Gallery. I was also excited to see offerings from Cory Gomberg’s newish line Bureau. The collection looks wearable, well-made and definitely worth a closer look. Another line I have been interested in recently is John Patrick Organic. The clothing – which is also sold in some of the country’s best boutiques like By George in Austin – is basic and essential but interesting. I don’t think the company is talked about enough in the press, or maybe I just haven’t noticed. Getting back to Odin, in addition to the solid clothing offerings, the store carries some great accessories like a huge selection of he ubiquitous Comme des Garçons wallets (including the new cool plaid versions), grooming products, scented candles and a big selection of footwear from Common Projects. I think it goes without saying that Odin rivals any boutique in the city for selection and designer mix. It is unquestionably one of the best shopping destinations for fashionable men.