Beyond Basic Black : Actor Ray Liotta Shows That Good Guys Don’t Always Wear White

Black shirts, the kind that give a man an air of intrigue, are under reconstruction. Far from “basic,” the new models have so many extras they make the others look as plain as starter homes. There’s the playful black shirt with silver airplanes for buttons; the fancy-front model with black satin braid; the romantic rendition covered with red roses. This new development in menswear has a counterpart of sorts in home furniture. Consider an armchair made of corrugated cardboard. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, it has all the features of the greats from the past: round, rolling arms, an ample back and a deep, roomy feeling. But there’s no mistaking Gehry’s model for a chair from another era. The “Sherman,” pictured here, is like this season’s shirts. It moves a classic design into modern times.

Grooming: Victor Vidal / Cloutier; stylist: Joanna Dendel