HAPPY PRIDE!

To all our clients, employees, and friends, we wish a very happy 2013 pride! We love all of your stylish selves.

DEAL OF THE DAY - GRAVATI SLIP-ON

Gravati slip-on shoe- was $595, now $149

This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity - a handmade Gravati slip-on shoe for under $150...over 70% off! Hurry and snag this terrific loafer while it's still here - size 8.5 only! 

CHARLEY'S PICK - MARTIN MARGIELA KNIT COWL DRESS

Silk/merino ultrafine knit dress - Maison Martin Margiela - $1075
Tulle floral print legging - Jean-Paul Gaultier - $335

I think this dress is so chic, and there's so many places I'd want to wear it...to work, to a dressy dinner, to a fun party, under a jacket or on its own...I feel like I'd be constantly reaching for this! The fabric is super soft but not flimsy - the merino in the knit keeps it strong and neat, it should never pill. 

Charley Locking
Sales support

DEAL OF THE DAY - COPPLEY 2-PLEAT TROUSER

Coppley super 120's trousers - were $245, now $69

This DEAL OF THE DAY is for the conservative fellow who wants a great wardrobe basic in a classic style. The beautiful taupe wool is an Italian Super 120's weave, and the high quality construction will ensure these last beyond the whims of fashion.  Available in size 30

CELEBRITY SIGHTING - CHANNING TATUM IN CITIZENS JEANS

Channing Tatum stepped out in Citizens of Humanity jeans yesterday morning for an appearance on "Good Morning America," in a wash called the "Ultimate" - for good reason! This terrific dressy wash is a great staple for a business-casual wardrobe, equally beautiful with a sport coat or a knit polo or tee. 

DEAL OF THE DAY - BUTCH BLUM FORMAL SATIN TIE

Butch Blum - was $135, now $39

This necktie, manufactured in the Dion neckwear factory in Canada, is an outstanding fancy-weave silk satin, woven in Italy. It's a deep burnt umber shade with miniature black stripes, and perfect with a charcoal grey, brown or black suit. Additionally, we have 3 pieces in this style at this price, perfect for a groom and two of his best men!

DADS & GRADS WINDOW

Outfits by Closed, Trussini, and Armani Jeans

Our DADS & GRADS window, in tones of blue and gold, cheerfully announces great ideas from this Father's Day, as well as options for a fashion-loving lady grad.

DEAL OF THE DAY - D'EXTERIOR PEACHED DRAMA-BACK TOP

D'exterior - was $285, now $149

We LOVE the fabric on this top, a lycra/cupro blend that has a 'peached' or sueded finish which feels great against the skin. The tunic length hits mid-thigh, and is perfect with a slim pant or a legging. Available in lime, watermelon (pictured), and black.

DEAL OF THE DAY - AIREHEART FRESHWATER PEARLS

Aireheart by Sydney - was $325, now $149

This necklace is a wonderful, modern component to any woman's wardrobe - dressy enough to double on itself with a little black cocktail dress, and fun enough to layer with 2-3 chains with a pair of jeans. The authentic freshwater pearls are beautifully matched, and dyed a subtle blush color, with a fun vintage "Moroccan Box" dangle.

MANNEQUIN MOMENTS - JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER

Find gorgeous styles from Jean-Paul Gaultier's SS13 collection on sale now, at markdowns of 30-40%!

DEAL OF THE DAY - ROSSO PURO CASHMERE CREW

100% 2-ply 12gg cashmere crewneck - Rosso Puro - was $425, now $149

There's a lot of cashmere out there in the world, but not a terrific selection of high quality, long-fiber cashmere sold at THIS price point! When 'pills' form on a cashmere sweater, it's often an indication that the yarn is composed of the shortest fibers, known as "Floor sweepings" as they are left over from the first combing of the raw material, and sold at a cheap price. Those tiny fibers work their way out of the yarn, and make the little pills you hate so much.

This cashmere, however, is an incredible quality for its price. Rosso Puro favors the best, longest fibers in its sweaters, which are knit in its factory in Italy (which has been open since 1957!). You'll enjoy this beautiful sweater for years, secure in the knowledge that not only did you get a terrific quality garment, but you got it for a bargain price with today's DEAL OF THE DAY!  Available in a Rosso Puro 3 and 6 (IT 48 and 54).

BLUMARINE ANNOUNCES CARPI F.C 1909 SPONSORSHIP

 Blumarine just announced their sponsorship of the Carpi F.C.1909 football club, a group of players located in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna. This is the first such partnership for Blufin S.p.A (Blumarine's holding company, which it shares with Blugirl and Anna Molinari) which is led by head designer Anna Molinari's son Gianguido Tarabini. Pictured above is the team in their home uniform, and pictured below is Tarabini (left) with Carpi president Claudio Caliumi and team manager Cristano Giuntoli holding the team's red "away" uniform.

PHOTOS FROM THE SUMMER SOLSTICE PARTY

 Thanks very much to everyone who attended our Summer Solstice Spectacular on the 16th! We had tons of happy shoppers, great discounts, new merchandise and yummy cheese, berries, wine spritzers, and more. Watch the blog for more exciting events this summer!

NEW ARRIVALS - VARVATOS LINEN/COTTON CHOCOLATE SLACK

Cotton/linen slack - John Varvatos Collection - $315

Who says you can't wear a cotton/linen slack during the fall?! John Varvatos Collection just sent us this incredible pant, which is a soft, textural (but not papery-wrinkled) fabric and a medium-slim leg, perfect for year-round wear in Seattle. Pair this with your favorite unconstructed jacket from LBM 1911 for a casually tailored look.

SKIN GAME OF THE WEEK: BRONZE BAR

CUSTOMIZE YOUR TAN | 5,000 BB SKINS

Our professional airbrush technicians provide a customized sunless tanning experience for every skin tone. Whether you want a sun-kissed glow or a deep bronze, get beautiful color at Seattle's premier airbrush bronzing salon. Since opening in 2003, The BRONZE BAR has become recognized as the premier destination for professional airbrush tanning. The BRONZE BAR has been featured in Allure, Allure Bride, Lucky, The Seattle Times, and Seattle Weekly. Citysearch.com ranked it at the top of its list of local tanning salons in 2004. The BB Skin Game participant will receive a gift certificate toward the tanning service of their choice. More information at The Bronze Bar. ($250 value)

CONGRATS TO BUTCH!

Congrats to our fearless leader emeritus - Butch Blum - who, along with Eric Jensen, won the Best of Bend golf tourney this past weekend in the Senior division - note not only did they have lowest gross score - which is the pure win - but they had the second lowest net score too - must have been the pants! Click the 3rd day final results link to see who else competed....

DADS AND GRADS CUSTOM SUIT PROMO - ONE DAY ONLY

Create a beautiful new suit or sport coat from ANY of our custom MTM collections for Dad (or the first suit in your Grad's wardrobe) with a special one-day-only 20% discount, June 16 only! Made-to-Measure specialist Kent Rogers is taking 3 1.5 hour appointments that day for fitting, selecting fabric, and styling your new custom garment.

Please email promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com to RSVP. 

FATHER'S DAY VIRTUAL GOLF!

On Sunday, June 16 (Father's Day!), in addition to our Summer Sale offerings, we will be hosting a drawing for a Hotel 1000 virtual golf experience. Three lucky winners will get to spend the day with a craft beer and an electronic golf game, the perfect indoor relaxation for our rainy city.

You don't need to be present for the drawing itself to win, but you *DO* need to stop in on the 16th to enter - email promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com to RSVP and for any questions. 

LADY GRADS CAN DRAW FOR AN EXTRA 10% OFF

Build a workable college wardrobe for your female graduate on a budget! Come in for a 45 minute appointment  on Sunday, June 16th with Savvy Stylist Cameron Levin, who will show you which categories are important in a modern woman's wardrobe.  Available times: 12:15, 2:30,  or 4:15. 

You can also draw for additional 10% off summer sale styles from designers Martin Margiela, Blumarine, Armani Jeans, Jean Paul Gaultier and more. Each appointment includes a $100 gift certificate for services at Salon Divas.

Reserve your spot - promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com - only 3 appointments are available for this event! 

HUGE MAJESTIC SHIPMENT

Assorted styles from Majestic Filatures

We have just received a large shipment from Majestic Filatures, a fabulous resource for fashion-conscious ladies looking for the best underpinnings, cardigans, light jackets and leggings in ultra-soft viscose, cotton, cotton/cashmere and linen fabrics.

Check out this fabulous line while the selection is still good, and find out why we go back every season for more!

THIS JUST IN - FREE GARDEUR SCARF

The first 20 RSVP'd clients for our Summer Solstice party this Sunday will receive a free Atelier Gardeur cotton scarf! This cotton scarf is a lovely palette of marine blues, lavenders and purples, and is perfect for men and women.

Hurry and RSVP to promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com and drop in Sunday, June 16 to find out if you're among the top 20! Only 35 lucky guests will be allowed in to participate in the special savings, cool giveaways, and delicious treats.

SUNDAY - JUNE 16 SUMMER SOLSTICE SPECTACULAR

Put Father's Day - June 16 - on your calendar as the perfect day for stylin' Dads and Grads. The Summer Solstice Spectacular includes special discounts, one-day-only giveaways, and rare styling opportunities with your favorite associates. Additionally, enjoy festive beverages and bites, and party games to earn additional savings on Summer sale merchandise.

Reservations are limited to 35 people - RSVP to promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com and get your foot in the door early!

NEW MARKDOWNS FROM ARMANI

Silk/Cotton ultrafine cardigan - was $525, now $395

Stop by and check out some of our excellent Armani items, marked down for Summer! Lightweight silk, linen, cotton, and more, in the Master's signature neutrals.

Silk/linen casual pant - was $365, now $270

NEW MARKDOWNS FROM CULTURATA

Assorted styles from Culturata - were $195-225 each, now $145-170

We just recieved a huge shipment of styles from Culturata - over a dozen new colors/patterns each in 5-7 sizes per style - which we've marked down an instant 25%! Find everything from dressy solids and micro-checks to bold, fun madras plaids - in linen and in cotton.

NEW MARKDOWNS FROM SAMUELSOHN

Assorted Samuelsohn sportcoats and suits in wool, silk, etc blends

We just received a huge shipment of Samuelsohn merchandise for immediate markdown! Each suit and sportcoat is marked down from their original $1295-1895 pricepoints between 20 and 40% off.

For those of you who haven't tried one of these excellent garments, Samuelsohn is a Canadian manufacturer based in Quebec, that produces a hand-finished, machine sewn garment similar in quality to Ermenegildo Zegna or Canali, but is priced anywhere from $500-1000 less at full retail.

JOHN VARVATOS USA LEATHER JACKET

Leather and canvas jacket - $845

This lightweight calfskin jacket from John Varvatos' "USA*" collection features an intriguing contast lapel - linen over leather - that gives an extra little touch of texture.

AMERICA'S BEST SHIRT

Since 1883 the Hamilton family has been crafting America's finest men's shirts. Each is made in the workshop in Houston, where every detail is overseen by skilled technicians. Every Hamilton shirt is hand cut according to a paper pattern, custom drawn for each individual client. Fabrics are sourced from the finest mills in Switzerland and Italy, and include sumptuous long-staple cotton, summery linen, and cotton/linen blend materials perfect for any season. Hamilton's unique collars and cuffs feature captive canvas inserts with no fusible interfacing (glue used to stiffen most shirt collars), which helps prevent shrinkage. 

Hamilton's library of thousands of patterns

Hamilton Bespoke
Butch Blum is proud to feature Hamilton Shirts' bespoke product, their most custom, labor-intensive shirt. Butch Blum staff will photograph you in one or more sample shirts, and make notes about the fit. The photos and notes are sent to Hamilton's master pattern maker, who draws a custom pattern to your specifications. Bring us your style ideas for the perfect shirt, and Hamilton can often make them happen - right down to copying a favorite shirt, or using details from something that you've seen in a magazine. 

Hundreds of fabric options

For more information, or to make an appointment with one of our skilled made-to-measure specialists, please call 206-622-5760 or email promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congratulations to Mihyon and her new hubby Robert! They happy couple just celebrated their nuptials in a destination wedding in the Bahamas.

SPRING SCARF WONDERLAND

Scarves from Blui, Luisa Brini, Faliero Sarti, et al - $165-495

 Our spring scarves are incredible this year...featuring linen, silk, modal, baby cashmere, and more, we brought in every pattern and texture conceivable to make your outfit unforgettable.

AGAVE SUPIMA DENIM

Agave Indigo-wash pima cotton denim - $265

In addition to the special-order options we are featuring this weekend, we also have a great assortment of Agave stock product in our spring selection. This denim is literally one of the softest fabrics we've ever come across. A 10oz Japanese Supima cotton denim, it's hand sanded and stonewashed to break down the fibers, reducing shrinkage and creating a lovely feel against your skin. The cut is great for men who want something current - but not trendy/skinny.

MORE FROM THE MAJESTIC SHIPMENT

Left: Stripe linen tank - was $145, now $116
Center: Open front blazer - was $225, now $180
Right: Silk trim linen stripe boatneck - was $195, now $156

The wonderful shipments from Majestic continue, and just in time for summer, they're all an instant 20% off! Find fun colors and neutral basics, in innovative, trend-right shapes.

SUIT CONSTRUCTION 101

We are often asked why our suiting costs what it does - particularly with the preponderance of "buy-one-get one free" mass market retailers. To answer that question, one needs to understand how a mass-market suit is constructed. The Discovery Channel video above takes you inside a typical American suit factory, and shows how mass-production churns out thousands of identical suits.

After you watch the video, consider the following:

Our Italian handmade suiting, like Sartoria Partenopea, requires many of these steps to be completed by hand, with a single needle and thimble. Automation is virtually nonexistent in these factories, and a garment can remain on a single tailor's worktable for multiple workdays, sometimes requiring over 24 hours worth of work.

Even our high quality machine-made suiting requires more steps than shown in the video. While some parts of the construction - like a pant's tab waist or the jacket's skirt pockets - are rapidly constructed by machine, companies like Coppley and Samuelsohn eschew glue-based 'fusing' to construct the chest pieces of the suit, preferring to loosely baste (a long, temporary stitch) in canvas pieces to give the suit its shape and fullness. The Samuelsohn factory takes construction a step further, hand-basting the chest pieces in order to ensure an individualized fit. The looser hand-stitches tend to conform to an individual's shape better than tighter machine stitches.

The next time you browse through Butch Blum's impeccably curated collection of suiting, stop and think about the steps it takes to create a suit worthy of hanging in our store, and of the incredible value of your investment.

CANTARELLI SUMMER NAVY

Matte 130's wool - Cantarelli - $2195

This season, in addition to the Cantarelli Jersey Planet soft jackets, we are featuring Sartoria Cantarelli, a lightweight suit with a hint of traditional Sartorial construction. Each Sartoria Cantarelli jacket is made with the lightest canvas and just a sliver of shoulderpad, while maintaining their legendary feather-soft feel. This particular suit, though it doesn't read well in the photo, has a beautiful micro-stripe in the fabric, which adds some interesting 3-dimensionality to the material without clashing with your shirt or tie.