Meet The Tailored Man: Horacio Nieto of Arlo Menswear

 Hey, you DO know that AFM is not just about women's wear and woman designers, don't you? Well if you didn't, it's high time that you learned that it is also about cutting edge men's fashions and up-and-coming male designers. And we are pretty lucky to have some amazingly talented men on board this year!

We are pleased to announce one of the AFW menswear designers, Horacio Nieto, who was named by Michigan Avenue Magazine in 2012 as one of Chicago's "Top 12 Noteworthy Men" in the fashion industry. Nieto started Arlo Menswear in 2007 as a small line that made custom jackets for private clientele. Since that time, his line has expanded to include shirts, pants, vests and will soon feature underwear and handbags.

All photos courtesy of Dean Paul

Originally from South Texas, Nieto was always the 'arts and crafts' kind of kid, loving to sketch and think outside the box. In middle school, he began watching fashion programs on TV and designing. By high school, the fashion design bug was pretty much entrenched in his psyche. A Chicago design school was his next destination. After graduating in 2004, he worked for 10 years at a number of companies such as 1154 Lill Handbags, Ultimate Bride, and Souldier (they make guitar straps for bands like Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, and many more). This diverse background is what he believes sets him apart from other designers and has helped him in developing his own line.

His design aesthetic is very tailored and detailed, yet wearable. He loves fabric with texture, pattern and color. He always keeps his customers in mind, wanting to provide them with fashion pieces they'll want to wear on a daily basis.

He describes the man he designs for as:

"A man that wants to express his personality and emotions with his clothing. We have a range of men that purchase the clothing, such as the man that wants the more minimalistic pieces, to the man that is really fashion forward and wants to stand out. We always want to keep our customer in mind yet still stay true to the brand."

Inspiration for his designs come from just about everything: a leaf on the street, fine art, music, food, culture. He also states that making mistakes while creating is inevitable and should be not be viewed as a negative, but rather as a means to improve upon skills to reach the desired end product. 

Q&A:

Why Columbus and AFM?  

I moved for a job opportunity and then found Highball where I met the AFM folks and loved them.

What is your favorite aspect of fashion?

It's never boring...whatever we hate stays and what we love will be transformed!

What's your goal for Arlo Menswear? 

I would like for Arlo Menswear to become a brand that men across the nation will recognize and want to wear.

Considering how innovative and snazzy his clothes are, the fashion-minded man would be crazy not to help him make this dream come true!

~~Vicki Oster

http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki

Contact for readers: 

www.arlomenswear.com         

arlomenswear@gmail.com        

Twitter, Instagram & Tumblr: @ArloMenswear