A Little Deeper with SAVAS: Fall Collection Preview
Redefining Luxury One Jacket (or Hoodie) at a Time
No stranger to the Commonwealth, SAVAS is a friend and supporter of this community. Ever since I came across Savannah and her work years ago, I’ve been a complete fan of what she does. A consummate professional mixed with extreme badass is how I would describe her and her atelier.
A little background about Savannah Yarborough; originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she launched SAVAS in Nashville 2015. If you think that this brand and business that she is rapidly and strategically scaling is a fly-by-night operation, you’re sadly mistaking. She graduated from Central St. Martins in 2012 with Honors in Menswear Design and led the Billy Reid menswear collection before starting SAVAS. She is truly set herself apart from much of the competition here in Nashville and globally and how can you not if you call yourself
“the rock ‘n’ roll country club.”
As you enter the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood on Merritt Avenue, you will notice a brick edifice with the black facade and unique signage. But that is just the beginning of your experience with owner, Savannah Yarborough, and her team. From the moment you enter the space, you are greeted with colors, shapes, and combinations that one wouldn’t normally think of when it comes to a leather jacket or any garment of the sort. In her own words, the goal is “the feeling of European materials mixed with the tactility of Americana.” In short, a luxury feel coupled with approachability.
Each corner of the showroom space feel carefully curated to create a full experience that feels like you’ve been transported out of Nashville for the minutes that you spend there. Bespoke garments, shoes and boots, small accessories, t-shirts, and more - with details that wouldn’t believe like custom embroidered linings.
Though not an exclusively men’s brand, you can’t deny that the feel and smell of the leather, her moody imagery, her background and training, and silhouettes scream #menswear from the rooftops.
I recently has the opportunity to preview the newest collection from SAVAS in her Nashville showroom (she recently opened an operation in Los Angeles). One of my favorite things about her clothing and how she describes what she does is that she wants people to know that leather is not some delicate, lace-like fabric that you have to protect at all costs (grossly paraphrased). But the more it looks lives in, the better. If you’re anything like me, you need to change your perception of how it looks to interact with leather goods, and she is presenting how to do just that.
The entire collection is filled with neutrals as well as some surprises (like MINT) that will keep you on you toes. Textures galore and silhouettes and lengths for every preference.
A standout item in the collection is the Black Dinner Jacket - but I know what you’re thinking before you say it. Will we have bunch of three-button, 90’s Grammys, oversized blazers running around?
I can guarantee you that this is nothing like that - at all. SAVAS’ version feels elegant, soft, but masculine and nuanced enough for most any wardrobe. This is also the piece that I plan to sink my teeth into in the coming months; a piece that I will wear for years and will be excited to pass on as I progress.
Others were the hoodie and leather pants (pictured above). I truly love how SAVAS is redefining what we know and feel about leather. According to her team, “…the materials lead the conversation; they blur the lines between fabric and leather. We’re changing the narrative to incorporate leather and suede into the daily wardrobe. Instead of being stiff and rigid, they are soft and malleable.”
I have personally seen cashmere hoodies and trousers of all kinds, but again, these have a certain refined appeal that is sure to stand out in the most delicate of ways.
If you were present for our gathering at Imogene + Willie where Savannah joined our panel and spoke about the idea of “Redefining Luxury”, you would know that her perspective and commitment to quality is second to none. The Nashville menswear ecosystem may seem sparse at times, but gems like SAVAS and OG’s like Emil Irwin are not to be overlooked. There is something to be said about artisans in our community whose brands are consistently offering exceptional products and offering clients the ability to directly access them many times. You won’t get that at your traditional luxury outlet and many times, the quality that they offer will be worse than that which is headquartered a stone’s throw from our homes.
As the owner of a cashmere suede Jacket from SAVAS, I can’t urge you enough to explore what she offers a bit more closely. If you’re worried about the price point, run the numbers of how long you’ll wear the garment, the investment in the local economy, and the investment in yourself. When you go, tell her I sent you.
“The materials lead the conversation; they blur the lines between fabric and leather. We’re changing the narrative to incorporate leather and suede into the daily wardrobe. Instead of being stiff and rigid, they are soft and malleable. Instead of screaming for attention, they exude nuance and subtlety.” - SAVAS
