From football to fashionFootball players aren't usually known for their fashion statements. Gibran Hamdan is hoping to change that with his new line of men's polos -- Alial Fital.
When the former NFL quarterback "hung up his cleats," he had an idea for a solution to a perennial problem: "Guys want to be comfortable, but ladies want them to be dressed up," he said.
Using his wife's sewing machine, Hamdan created a super-soft cotton polo shirt topped with a more formal collar in contrasting pattern. After devising the prototype, he had the hybrid polos produced in Los Angeles. (Though he was never a Viking, Hamdan moved to Edina last fall to be with his wife, Bud Grant's granddaughter Jenny Grant.)
Hamdan's football friends have been supportive of the new line. In fact, Matt Hasselbeck of the Seattle Seahawks was spotted in one of the shirts.
Naturally, Hamdan wears his own designs. "I go to my the closet and I could wear these expensive dress shirts, but they're uncomfortable compared to my shirts," he said. They work quite well with Hamdan's personal style, which he calls "classic with a twist." Despite his love of "English style, with vests and well-tailored clothes in different textures," Hamdan keeps it casual. "I never wear socks," he said.
Alial Fital launch party: 8 to 11 p.m. Fri., 110 North Loop Loft, 801 Washington Av. N., No. 110, Mpls. Full collection ($68 to $88) is available online. Trunk show: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat., Guild, 4414 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-378-1815.
Now open: beauty boutiqueHairstylist and makeup artist Julie Swenson has had a mobile bridal beauty service since 2006, but she recently decided to open a lounge where brides -- and anyone who wanted to dress up -- could come to get gorgeous and shop for top products.
The new Smart & Chic Beauty Lounge is open by appointment for consultation, styling and makeup services. (On weekends, the lounge offers regular retail hours.)
