For as much praise as the notion of a “uniform†receives there are few very few men out there that actually do the consistent outfit justice. Most men who wear the same outfit day in day out do so out of boredom or mere thoughtlessness, case in point Mark Zuckerberg a.k.a. “The lord of the schlubs.†As for those men that adopt an outfit that is both consistent and commendable, they tend to tire of it eventually shedding their uniform in favor of something less stringent, and therefore typically less stylish. There are a few exceptions to this cycle though, most notably the man in the oval glasses, Jeffrey Deitch.
As one of the art world’s best known (and for that matter most polarizing) curators, Deitch has developed an art specific department at CitiBank, opened a groundbreaking gallery in SoHo, and served as director of MOCA. While we’ll leave the comments on his career to the canvas critics of the world, Deitch deserves a nod from a stylistic standpoint, for his dedication to a uniform done right.
The Deitch uniform has a few central components: a two piece suit, a solid tie, a solid shirt, and his signature oval spectacles. Of course, Deitch does allow himself to mix things up on occasion: sometimes his shirt is striped, or his suit is double breasted, and yes he often does ditch the tie at night, but by and large this template has defined Deitch’s style across his career. By not treading too far from his comfort zone, Deitch consistently looks like the most comfortable guy in the room, and for the art world, that’s saying quite a lot.
Just as important he’s found a range of soothing colors that work well — blue, purple, gray — you sense that red or yellow or even green would be jarring. I’m sure he’s chosen them with an eye to putting people at ease. Whereas a more aggressive type might choose brighter colors.
This guy nearly tanked MOCA. Style matters, but not more than how a man conducts his business. You could (and should) have taken a couple paragraphs to discuss his career and why he is both a controversial and an important figure in the contemporary American art scene. You know, context and whatnot.
What Joel said.
Those lapels are out of control.
There’s no shortage of online venues to discuss Deitch’s stance in the art world; we’re talking about his sartorial choices here. He’s definitely got style.
then how desperately shallow
Shallow to discuss fashion, but profound to discuss art world politics? Sorry Tom, but you’re a cock