Destination Jawnz
July 2nd, 2024
Text: Bryan Law
Text: Bryan Law
Source: The New York Times
Few things are more appealing to me than an object that is relatively rare and hard to acquire. Some may say that I enjoy the hunt rather than possessing the thing itself. I would say that rings rather true.
Today I would like to touch upon the “Destination Jawn”. A Destination Jawn is something I’d like to describe as an article of clothing that can only be acquired if one makes the pilgrimage. It acts as a sort of signifier that you’ve physically traveled all the way to this special place and acquired a tasteful object to help you remember the experience - and to let others know that you are in the know. A rather expensive souvenir - if you will.
An example would be the institution that is Belgian Shoes - located in the heart of New York City. This is literally the only place in the world where you can get a pair of Belgian Shoes, except eBay. But that would mean you’d have to buy someone else’s special pair - and what’s the fun in that? The loafers in question are made in Belgium but for some reason are not sold in Belgium. That really just adds to the allure in my opinion. I was in the city in March and visiting the famed store was on my list. I scooped up a pair of Mr. Casuals - a soft-soled slipper that many treat as their go-to summer shoe. A simple thin Vibram sole will launch this seemingly daintily-designed footwear into pavement stompers. I proudly wear these weekly, barefoot.
Source: Condé Nast
Other examples of Destination Jawnz include hotel caps (think hotels and resorts rich in heritage, history, and street lore - like Chateau Marmont), shirts from the famed Charvet in Paris, and bespoke tailoring from Liverano & Liverano in Florence. And let me tell you, there are not many things in the world that can evoke a level of taste and luxury as well as a nicely tailored shirt from Charvet complete with initials.