FROM TOP: Courier cargo ($59), Motocross ($295), straight-fit in smoke ($395) and straight-fit in turf ($295) jeans, Ralph Lauren Black Label Denim. Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.; ralphlauren.com

When Ralph Lauren revealed it was debuting a new collection of luxury denim, we knew that would mean more than just a few pairs of dungarees. As suspected, the result is a complete lifestyle collection, including everything from denim-inspired knits and outerwear to jeans styles ranging from skinny leg to straight, motocross to jodhpur. The ultimate in suave, masculine styling, the Ralph Lauren Black Label Denim collection uses innovative dye and wash treatments to create the pieces while incorporating signature RL accents. The gauzy knits are great investments for the still-warm Miami fall, and the surplus of styles will take you through the season with straight-leg kick-arounds and the perfect razor-skinny pair for a night out on the Beach. Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.; ralphlauren.com

	The most popular men’s fragrances around town these days are (from top left) Creed Royal-Oud, Bleu de Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme, Terre d’Hermès and Tom Ford Neroli Portofino.

In a city where year-round suntans are the status quo and off-the-charts humidity reigns supreme, it’s no shock that men’s scents in Miami remain light and airy. Blame it on the rainy season or El Niño, but South Florida’s subtropical climate has a tremendous impact on what men spritz before heading off to work or a night on the town.

The most en vogue aromas among Miami’s most dashing? At Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, Bleu de Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme and Terre d’Hermès all fly off the shelves, while just a stone’s throw away at Neiman Marcus, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino and Creed Royal-Oud are big hits. The common denominators? All boast fresh and pleasant citrus top notes, and all demand erudite tastes. We caught up with a few of Miami’s movers and shakers to revel in the aromas stirring our senses in today’s men’s fragrance market.

It appears that all men remember their earliest cologne acquisition distinctly, much like a first love. The Forge owner Shareef Malnik’s first purchase was Aramis, at age 17. “I’ve used the same cologne since 1990, however—the original Versace Pour Homme,” he says. “It’s hard to find, so when I do locate it, I purchase the entire stock. And because I’m paranoid that I won’t be able to buy it one day, I keep as many as 100 bottles at any given time.” Ken Gorin, president and CEO of Coral Gables automotive dealership The Collection, recalls that his first cologne was Zizanie, while for Steven Giles, owner of chic Miami Beach retailer Base, it was Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior.

The trio of trendsetters agrees that Miami has its own signature scent style. As Malnik says, “One man’s rose is another’s repellent. But due to Miami’s rich diversity, the air here is perfumed with an exotic blend of smells from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean to the Jersey Shore.” Giles suggests that, with Miami’s climate, it’s best to avoid anything too heavy or cloying. Gorin adds, “Judging by the city’s love for fancy and fast cars, we have expensive tastes!” We can’t disagree with the latter.

When asked about the most seductive scents around town, Malnik unsurprisingly discloses, “The scent of my woman [actress Gabrielle Anwar] is completely irresistible.” For Giles, meanwhile, it’s jet-fuel vapors. “It means I’m about to travel somewhere,” he says with a laugh. Gorin’s tastes here run more commercial; he covets the scent of his go-to cologne, Polo Black by Ralph Lauren, thanks to its popularity among the company he keeps. “I am constantly told by others how much they like it,” he says.

And as in fashion, there are definite fragrance faux pas to be committed. “Do not use your spray bottle with the enthusiasm of a garden hose,” Giles says. “Less is always more.”

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Serpente minaudière, Bulgari ($4,600). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins. Ave.; bulgari.com

 

A look from Proenza Schouler’s Fall runway

 

V diamond resin tabletop necklace in ruby glitter washed watersnake, Kara by Kara Ross ($240). Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.; neimanmarcus.com

 

Suede cut-out wedge with ankle strap in khaki green, Yves Saint Laurent ($995). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.; ysl.com

 

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Though pops of color and animal textures flooded the Fall 2011 runways, there’s another trend angling for our affections: geometry. This season’s graphic lines stood out in collections from Prada, Proenza Schouler (pictured) and Mara Hoffman, which touted trendy triangles, chic circles and hip squares.

White hit the runways in every shape and form for fall, from heavy overcoats at Band of Outsiders to soft felt suiting at Ferragamo. Dressing up your winter whites for a balmy southern autumn has never been easier. “It’s such a clean, strong, fresh and powerful thing to wear a white suit, and absolutely perfect for Miami’s weather and ‘yacht’ feel,” says Laure Hériard Dubreuil, CEO and founding partner of Miami’s The Webster boutique. We couldn’t agree more. While the trend is a national hit from New York to Los Angeles, white seems to feel most at home in Miami. Dress it up as a full suit for hot, breezy nights, or dress it down with jeans and a T-shirt for a weekend lunch.

White linen and Tencel jacket, Armani Collezioni (price on request). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.

Age: 36
Provenance: Biella, Italy

Traveling Act: Fiammetta (Italian for “little flame”) DiMauro enjoyed a peripatetic existence from childhood. At age six, her family moved from a town outside Milan to the United States and settled in Miami for a few years. But by her late teens, Fiammetta—Fia, for short—struck out on her own, playing in a San Francisco punk band and publishing fanzines in Madison, Wisconsin.

Sweet Home Miami: Throughout her nomadic years, two true loves always lingered: fashion and the Magic City. “It dawned on me that this was the place I felt most comfortable,” she says. “My friends were here, and I was drawn to the culture, the warmth.” After returning in her 20s, the self-taught designer scored a job creating private-label accessories for major department stores. When her original creations for the company began selling briskly, she decided to start her own business, for now operating out of her Shenandoah home.

Bold Bags: Launched this past February and available online at fiastyle.com, DiMauro’s line, Fia, is a well-edited collection of handbags, clutches, satchels and totes boasting unexpected colors, supple leather and fun details like studded hardware and contrasting lining. “They’re edgy and sophisticated at the same time,” she says. “When you carry a really great accessory, it’s a conversation- starter.”

It’s rare these days to find a high-end Swiss watchmaker not owned by a megabrand, but that’s what we discovered in Carl F. Bucherer. This third-generation company keeps things in the family, preserving a legacy of top-tier quality while constantly updating technology and designs. “The timepieces are handcrafted in their workshops for the kind of classic, refined watches that become heirlooms,” says Carlos Fernandez, general manager of Coconut Grove’s exclusive H&H Jewels. Our favorite is their best-selling Patravi TravelTec GMT model (shown here in silver with a black face and strap). The design evokes a classic sensibility with a modern twist, and has a leather strap ideal for accessorizing sleek, dark suits.

Patravi TravelTec GMT, Carl F. Bucherer ($10,900). H&H Jewels, 3434 Main Hwy., Miami

Colombian-born designer Silvia Tcherassi was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and runs a retail store and a bridal atelier in Coral Gables. In 2009 she launched the Tcherassi Hotel + Spa in Cartagena.

10 AM: The Fresh Market, Coconut Grove
I find Tcherassi in the flower department as she prepares for the monthly luncheon she holds for friends and special clients. She’s wearing her own designs, in a style she calls “casual chic,” with espadrilles, a comfortable but shapely skirt, loose blouse and necklace made of fine leather rope and a sculpted buffalo horn—rustic, visceral elegance reminiscent of Latin America itself. She sifts through the flowers, finding the ideal batch. Does she feel pressure, as a designer, to be visually perfect? “Well, I am a perfectionist, but it’s for me that I have everything beautiful, not for the guests,” she says.

NOON: Village of Merrick Park Boutique 
Tcherassi styles the window displays in her Coral Gables outpost, then sends photos to her eight other retail outlets (scattered throughout Colombia) so they can emulate the look precisely. The current mannequin is dressed in a silk tunic—one of only 10 made—printed in Italy and constructed in Colombia, where all her production occurs. Her first shop was in Barranquilla. “I remember giving fashion advice to my friends when I was in school,” she laughs. “When I was in my 20s I designed a beautiful embellished white T-shirt. All my friends were in love with it. That was the beginning of my career.”

1:30 PM: Luncheon at The Atelier
Bridal mannequins are spaced like gallery sculptures, their textured gowns sprawling over the floor. Thierry’s Catering and Event Design sets out a compelling spread of cured salmon, pastas and salads in the dining area while in the rear design space, Tcherassi’s head seamstress painstakingly hand-paints fabric flower petals onto a gown for an upcoming wedding. Before long Tcherassi comes in to consult on a diaphanous aquamarine dress that will soon go into production, adjusting the look and scale of the ruching.

One by one, the dozen or so guests arrive to hugs and kisses. Among them are Uchi Botero (Tcherassi’s best friend from Colombia), Monica Lei and Claudia Ammirata from Venezuela and Puerto Rican Barbara Serrano (Miss World 2001). They sift through the Resort collection before sitting down. Someone mentions the “terrible twos” and a chorus of “ahhh, si” arises. There’s talk of how divorces and second weddings are good for Tcherassi’s business. Uchi jumps in. “Barranquilla produces strong women,” she says. “Sofia Vergara, Shakira and Silvia are all from there.” She then regales the table with a tale of schoolgirl Vergara slapping a boyfriend who was chatting with a few too many girls. The table is charmed. The food is delicious. But soon the guests must return to their lives. It’s hugs and kisses again, and Tcherassi heads home to prepare for a month-long trip to Italy, sourcing fabrics and fun.

Before his impeccably made shoes became the darling of New York’s runways, Alejandro Ingelmo strutted the halls of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School. This fourth-generation shoe maestro is known for his classic silhouettes in exotic materials. Last year he opened his first boutique in Soho, New York. 

Emerging designer to watch: Damir Doma

Sunglasses: Dior

Brand you’d love to work with: New Balance

Style mantra: Dress around your accessories.

Fashion faux pas: Anything that sparkles

Favorite boutique: Alchemist

Substitute career: If I wasn’t a designer, I’d probably be an agriculturist.

Favorite hangouts: Soho Beach House, Puerto Sagua

The shoot was very Mad Men, as I feel like the aesthetic of the series has had a strong impact on fall fashion this year. The contrasting dark and light fabrics seen here lend themselves to a little time traveling with a hint of mod, and crisp lines help update the looks for the 21st century. The black and white Chanel dress is from the Paris-Byzance collection, but it made me think of Luis Buñuel’s 1967 film, Belle de Jour. As for the man, a vest over a white shirt and tailored pants is classic and masculine, and a very powerful fashion statement.”

ON HER: High-collared crepe cress, Chanel ($4,835). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.. Pointed-toe pumps, Céline ($650). Bal Harbour Shops; celine.com. Gold nugget and ruby earrings, Wendy Mink ($120). The Standard Spa, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach

ON HIM: Gray three-pocket vest ($830), white dress shirt ($325) and Morgan moccasins ($650), YSL. The Webster, 1220 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Wool-blend suit pants, Prada ($2,875). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.

Photograph by Joseph Montezinos; Styled by Laure Hériard Dubreuil; Produced by John Joseph Lin; Hair and makeup by; Danielle Weldon at Artists by Timothy Priano; Modeled by Shardea at Wilhelmina Models and Noah Knight at Ford Models

As the senior vice president of guest operations at Carnival Cruise Lines, Mark Tamis practically lives in business attire. He sports Sebastien James suits (“They fit me right off the rack!”) regularly, but while relaxing with family on his 26-foot Formula Bowrider powerboat, he prefers Lacoste, Levi’s and Adidas. We caught up with Tamis to talk style, and his most adventurous forays into fashion.

How would you describe your style?
MARK TAMIS: Age-appropriate. Casual but put-together.

Do you ever choose style over comfort?
Never.

What are the most comfortable outfits in your closet?
Levi’s, Havaianas and a T-shirt. For going out: jeans and a blazer with Gucci loafers.

Who are your style influences?
It’s a cross between Tom Ford and Tom Hanks.

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever worn?
I love my purple suede Dolce & Gabbana blazer that I wear on New Year’s Eve, or my retro Nicole Miller “Fourth of July” shirt that I like to bust out every July—always against the wishes of my wife, Amanda.

What’s your personal philosophy on style?
Just be yourself, be comfortable and, when in doubt, wear the Dolce blazer with Levi’s and Gucci loafers.