Marketing British brands - London Collections: Men

It seems the Italians have always had a leg up on everyone else in terms of marketing flair and enthusiasm for menswear. However, I think it must said that the British have come into their own as of late.

Led by the British Fashion Council, the British menswear industry has decided to compete head to head with the Italians and hold a summer showcase called "London Collections: Men" with a full calendar including four hour Savile Row presentation, a Tom Ford dinner and an Esquire/Mr. Porter event.




In a bit of a coup, the industry has gotten HRH The Prince of Wales to host a reception to celebrate the launch of London showcase next week on June 14th at St James’s Palace.

If I didn't have a business commitment at that time, I would be trying to find a way to attend naturally!

Revisiting Cary Grant: An interview with Richard Torregrossa

Although it's been a few years since the publication of Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style
by Richard Torregrossa, I thought it timely to revisit CG's legacy. In particular, I had recently finished reading two memoirs of CG, one by his wife Dyan Cannon and another by his only child, Jennifer Grant.

As I was reading the memoirs, I naturally noticed occasional references to CG's clothing and style and decided to check in with Mr. Torregrossa who has written the definitive treatment of Grant's status as a style icon. Below is the interview I had recently with him.

1. What was the most challenging part of researching and writing about Cary Grant?

Getting people like Tom Wolfe and Ralph Lauren and even his tailors as well as other people who knew him to talk.

2. In researching such a well-known figure like CG, every interview, biography or profile serves a purpose in rounding out nuances and filling out the person. In your mind what was the single most interesting and revealing quote, comment or interview about Grant that you came across during your research? Why was it so interesting and revealing?

Whenever he was asked about his success, he said, I was lucky. He also joked that he wanted that on his tombstone. As talented and as hard working as he was, timing in life plays a huge role and he knew it. It shows to me at least that he was a realist, that it was not all about him, that there were other forces at work and he was aware of that. His was a controlling nature but he strived to overcome that, to let go, and although it took him a long time, he eventually did, and it made him a changed and happier man, at least according to what he thought.

3. Did you leave any interesting materials, anecdotes or photos for the book on the cutting room floor due to space constraints?

Yes, I did. I've since published them in other outlets. For instance, Arnold Grayson, a Savile Row tailor, contacted me because he admired the book and told me about how he came to make a suit for CG--a yellow mohair number. He was nice enough to send me the pattern. I think the article is still on CaryGrant.net.

4. I am curious to know if you managed to view any of CG's wardrobe in person. If so, what did you see?

Just a few things like his Pierre Cardin folding reading glasses, some cufflinks, a bow tie.

5. What is the favorite photo of CG featured in your book?

I think the one on page 12 that was taken in the South of France. He's wearing an ascot and it's a very casual and elegant look. We associate CG with proper suits, very buttoned-up and almost geometrically precise, but here he shows that he can dress comfortably but with flair. He looks very relaxed but very stylist.

6. Besides CG, who else do you place in the pantheon of male style icons?

Tom Wolfe, Gay Talese—those cats really know their menswear and have been practicing the art for a very long time. They're writers of course so they don't get as much exposure as the Hollywood types but they are worth looking at because they evince a fascinating confluence between literary and sartorial style—style as an enriching ritual, a way of making life better, not just as an attention-getting pose, an act of vanity, or an act of vanity.

7. Has your perception of CG changed in any way since the publication of your book?

Not really. I'm pleased to say that I still admire him enormously. He started off poor and without any opportunities but through hard work as well as talent--but I mean A LOT of hard work--he achieved not only professional but personal success, but it took him a long time. That was a very inspirational journey to take.

8. Dyan Cannon describes CG as a "seeker". That makes sense to me based on what I've read about the man and it seems to apply even to his clothes. As you describe in your book, CG wasn't a fashion "purist" but shopped variously in Savile Row, Hong Kong as well as the Robinsons department store in Beverly Hills. To what extent do you seem him being a "seeker" as it relates to his clothes and style?

I don't really see him as a 'seeker.' He'd hate that term; too pretentious. He was a professional, a perfectionist, striving to do his best in any situation. He was very passionate about clothes, so if he saw something in a shop window, he'd pop in and have a look, maybe make a purchase. If he saw a man in a well-cut suit, he'd ask him who his tailor was and then go visit that tailor and maybe have a suit made. It was all about aesthetics, pure and simple.

9. In your book, you quote Grant citing a number of English influences on his style including A.E. Matthews, Noel Coward, Jack Buchanan, Douglas Fairbanks, Cole Porter and Freddie Lonsdale. Who or what do you think was the single most important influence on his sense of style?

That's the interesting thing. He never aped another man's style; he cherry picked from all of them and knew what would and wouldn't work on him. That was his genius.

10. To what extent do you think CG's sense of style evolved? It certainly seems to have evolved after his arrival in the states and as he matured in his career. But one also has the sense that the public most strongly associates him with a specific range of looks, especially his Hitchcock films during the 1950s (even more specifically his suit in North by Northwest). Do you agree? Any theories on why that might be?

He said his look did evolve. Over the years he simplified things, became a staunch minimalist, and you can see that in North by Northwest. Just a very simple suit and tie but very well cut and flattering. Compare that to the 3pc suits with all the trimmings in the 1940s. It's a radical change, but a striking and successful one. And a lot has been written how he never followed the reigning fashion of the day. Well, that's simply not true. He certainly wasn't wearing those wide lapels of the 1940s in the 1960s. But whatever he wore he always maintained his Cary Grantness.

11. You write that Hitchcock trusted CG to select his own wardrobe in his films. To your knowledge, did CG have the same arrangement with other directors?

In the early days of his career Hollywood studios did not have big wardrobe departments for men. They were reserved for the women, so a man was hired in Hollywood because he was well dressed, elegant, so an aspiring actor had to know about menswear, what looked good on him, what didn't. CG had a clause in most of his contracts that the studio paid for his clothes but he got to keep them when the picture wrapped.

12. Which film or set of films do you see CG being at the peak of his sartorial powers?

Certainly North by Northwest. Notorious. To Catch a Thief. His Girl Friday. A lot of his sartorial power derives from the fact that he kept in shape, always looked remarkably fit and agile, even when he retired from movies. A lean body is very forgiving when it comes to wearing clothes.

13. Finally, are you working on any interesting book projects that you can share with my readers?

Yes, I'm speaking at an academic symposium in Florence, Italy called Past Dress Future Fashion. My paper is entitled "Looking to Past Icons for Future Inspiration: Cary Grant and the Revival of Bespoke Tailoring." I'm also still working on George Clooney: A Celebration of Style.

London visit photos

Below are photos from my recent trip to London. I stopped by the London outpost of the Neapolitan tiemaker E. Marinella and decided to pull the trigger on a bespoke tie. There is no minimum for bespoke orders but they start at 110 GBP per tie or 20 GBP more than RTW and take about 2-3 weeks. I also picked up a compact umbrella with a solid wood handle, made not by the well-known Neapolitan umbrella maker Mario Talarico but by a firm in Milan.

Continuing the bespoke neckwear theme, I also stopped by Drakes, which offers bespoke ties at 125 GBP each (minimum order of 3). In the fall/winter season later this year, they will have RTW ties cut in shorter (140cm / 55 in) and longer lengths in a limited selection of colorways.

Grenson window display

Grenson window display

Ede & Ravenscroft window display

Ede & Ravenscroft window display

Drakes window display

E. Marinella London window display

New Officina Slowear store on Molton St

Review: Sleevehead's Guide to Sicilian Tailors

Torsten Grunwald has written a nice review of my guidebook (review in English) to Sicilian tailors on his English blog, The Journal of Style, as well as his Danish language blog (review in Danish).

Coincidentally, Torsten vacationed some years ago in Sicily and came across a couple of tailors in Catania and Siracusa but decided not to pull the trigger. However, as he writes, "Sleevehead’s new excellent guide to Sicilian tailors confirms that I missed something". Thankfully, life is full of second chances!

Off Savile Row: Douglas Hayward

It was a couple of years ago when I first heard that a couple of former Kilgour cutters had decamped for Douglas Hayward on Mount Street. But it was only on my most recent London trip that I managed to finally stop by. And it was long overdue.

Hayward is located in Mayfair on Mount Street, within easy walking distance of Savile Row. There I met Ralph, who works the front of the house, and chatted with him a bit before one of the cutters, Campbell Carey walked out to greet me. Amazingly, Campbell remembered my name after having last met some three or four years ago when he and head cutter Ritchie Charlton were working at Kilgour.

Cutter Campbell Carey

I have fond memories of the previous incarnation of Kilgour when they offered full bespoke (cut and made in Savile Row) and entry level bespoke (cut in Savile Row but made and finished in Shanghai). I still think they make the best-looking one button peak lapel jackets around.

Kilgour's new ownership decided to offer only full bespoke as a way to move squarely back into high-end luxury. However, I think it's very commercially astute of Hayward to offer an entry level bespoke (in fact the same Shanghai program from the old Kilgour offering), given the expanding market of discerning male customers in the last few years, mostly in the younger demographic. This younger demographic typically has the will and desire but not the pocketbook for full bespoke, which smells like an opportunity to me.

In fact, Hayward offers three price levels: full bespoke (cut and made in London), entry level bespoke (Shanghai) and a MTM program (made in Portugal, and allows for modifications such as adjusting the armhole). A 2 piece suit currently costs (inclusive VAT): full bespoke 3,300 GBP, entry level Shanghai 2,000 GBP and MTM Portugal 1,700 GBP.

After Douglas Hayward passed away in 2008, Campbell and Ritchie, backed by their investors, acquired the Hayward name and store, which was redone to open up the ceilings and windows which look into Mount Street Gardens. Their cutting table commands perhaps the best view of all the Savile Row tailoring houses. It certainly has the most bucolic view.

Ritchie and Campbell have created a hybrid style amalgamating the original Hayward cut and Kilgour's, resulting in a full chest like Kilgour but a softer shoulder, less aggressive semi-slant pockets and a more "squared" notch on the lapel, which effectively makes for a fuller lapel compared to a Kilgour lapel. It's a terrific look in my opinion. When I visited, I saw two great examples: an 11oz tweed coat made of Islay Woolen Mill fabric with vintage stag horn buttons and a dark navy blue velvet jacket (in the very elusive silk velveteen weave that I had been looking for).

Hayward Islay Mill tweed jacket 

Close-up of vintage stag horn buttons

An interesting side note. When it came to pattern making, Douglas Hayward practiced a different cutting style than is traditionally taught. Both Ritchie and Campbell rely substantially on the paper pattern to create the garment, whereas apparently Hayward started essentially from scratch, relying on memory to cut and tweak the customer's pattern afresh every time. For him, the paper pattern was less important than the fitting process.

Thanks to Campbell, I also finally found a source for silk velveteen in the same 81%/19% cotton/silk composition as the old Richard James Weldon book. The key advantage of silk velveteen is that the pile is less visible than pure cotton velvet, which can look a bit dull compared to its more lustrous cousin. Incidentally, the shop uses a local husband and wife team for the special frogging and braiding required for smoking jackets.

If you're serious about a smoking jacket with distinction, I'd suggest having a chat with Campbell and Ritchie. They're also pictured in the nice Savile Row photo spread in the new Esquire Spring/Summer 2012 Big Black Book (p. 100).

Review: Salence Gantry All-Season Rain Coat

I recently received a sample coat from the new performance outerwear brand called Salence. They have a new line of outerwear that blends high spec, technical performance outerwear with the wearability and usability of daily streetwear.

The coat I received is the Gantry model in peppercorn and retails for $595. Overall, I think this hooded raincoat is a very appealing blend of form and function. On the functional side, the Gantry is made of a lightweight, breathable technical fabric (polyester twill) and conceived as a cross between a trench coat and parka. The construction is made to a high standard and the quality is reflected in features such as taped seams all along the interior as well as waterproofed buttons and sealed zippers to prevent intrusion of moisture.

There are other nice touches like a inner cuff with thumb loops to provide warmth and additional protection against the elements and pockets for the multiple gadgets we tend to carry around these days.

Sealed zippers

Taped interior seams

In terms of the form, the Gantry strikes a nice balance. On the one hand, the sleeves and body of the coat are cut reasonably full to accommodate a range of men's shapes within a certain weight and height. On the other hand, the coat's raglan sleeve has a more fitted and smaller armhole than is typically seen on raglan sleeves in RTW garments. The result is a cut that is versatile enough for a range of builds from the slim to the robust. For example, most guys should be able to layer a sweater underneath the coat if the temperature drops a bit.

You can easily wear this on a casual day hike on a misty day in the Pacific Northwest or don it on a rainy day tromping through Wicker Park in Chicago, Shoreditch in London or the Binnenalster in Hamburg. I find the versatility quite appealing, enough so that I've decided to buy the review sample!

Review: Sleevehead's Guide to Sicilian Tailors

I'm happy to report that Will Boehlke of A Suitable Wardrobe has reviewed my guide. You can read his review here. He writes the Guide is "an interesting tale of a tailoring experience far from New York, London and Rome in both space and time".

I agree most wholeheartedly. What I write about is a distinctive bespoke experience that will be appealing to a few select customers but certainly not everyone. But if you have the will and means to travel to Sicily, it's certainly worth a look.

Review: Sleevehead's Guide to Sicilian Tailors

I'm pleased to announce that Gentleman's Gazette recently reviewed my guide to Sicilian tailors and am delighted that Raphael reached out to me to review it. Raphael is the fellow behind Gentleman's Gazette and moreover he has actually been to Sicily. Needless to say, his passion for clothes speaks for itself.

Likewise, Raphael's review of my book also speaks for itself but let me leave you with a couple of highlights:

• "The information you receive in this 53 page guide is extremely valuable and I assure you it will more than pay for itself if you visit Sicily."
• "Overall, this guide to Sicilian tailoring is well written, informative, and contains beautiful pictures. In my opinion it is an absolute must for anybody who contemplates having bespoke garments made in Italy. If you are thinking about going to Naples or Milan for a bespoke suit, you may very well decide to choose Sicily instead."

Shoe refurbishing in London: John Rushton

I've always wondered how customers of Brooks Bros Peal shoes (made by Crockett & Jones and Alfred Sargent) dealt with the issue of refurbishment. I suppose many just get them resoled by their local cobbler. However, that generally precludes them from getting refurbished by the original factory. Many shoemakers - both American and British (like Allen Edmonds and Crockett & Jones) - will not refurbish shoes that have been resoled by someone else.

Naturally, if this concerns you, then the proper way is sending the shoes off to the original factory for recrafting or refurbishment. This also offers the benefit of getting them relasted on the original last they were designed for.

However, for US customers, factory recrafting of Peal shoes presents a little bit of a conundrum. Peal shoes made by C&J can be sent to the NYC C&J store, which then sends it off to the UK for refurbishing. But with Alfred Sargent-made Peal shoes it's not as straightforward as AS does not have a direct retail presence in the US. When I called a NYC based stockist of Sargent (Leffot) they basically referred me to the AS factory. So it seems the best bet is to send the shoes to the factory directly or work with a London shoe stockist.

And this is essentially what I did in my recent visit to London. I stopped by AS stockist John Rushton on Wimpole St and dropped off my Brooks Bros black slip-ons for resoling in Dainite. Factory remake is 100 GBP, while instore is 85 GBP. Sargent factory refurbishings will take a minimum of 8-10 weeks and probably longer. The lady I spoke with at John Rushton mentioned the factory was backlogged.

Benson & Clegg shirtmaking

I had the opportunity to drop by London haberdashery Benson & Clegg, perhaps more well-known for their cufflinks than their shirts. However, I learned they offer a semi-bespoke and MTM shirt service.

Here are the details:

• 150 GBP per shirt, 3 shirt minimum
• 40 GBP sample shirt (for a first time customer)
• 40 GBP optional bespoke pattern
• 2 week turnaround

I also learned that their shirtmaker is located in the East End of London. B&C make three visits to NYC per year.

Benson & Clegg covert coat

If you're visiting B&C, you might as well visit Budd Shirtmakers. Here's a bit of whimsy a la cravat if you can read the words on the tie.

Budd window display

And Loake's relatively new store in Prince's Arcade:

Loake Prince's Arcade

Welsh & Jefferies visit

I stopped by W&J and had a friendly chat with James Cottrell and Ying Mei Quan. When I visited a couple of years ago, Mei was an apprentice but she is now a full partner with James, who bought out the business from the now retired Malcolm Plews.

Mei is capable of cutting men's and women's clothes but is smartly focusing on women's clothing, bringing in a new set of clientele that normally does not frequent Savile Row. As the photos below suggest, she's creating some very smart, striking jackets inspired by the equestrian side of Savile Row's history.

Below is Mei's winning entry in the 2011 Golden Shears competition.

W&J is making their first NYC trip in a few years this March. Incidentally, we were chatting about overcoats and got on the topic of heavyweight overcoatings. In particular, James shared that the stock of traditional British warm overcoating is slowly dwindling (down to something like 30 yards if I remember correctly). Cutting this woolen fleece or melton fabric is like cutting a carpet, and rather painful on the fingers doing the cutting.

Given my recent interest in smoking jackets, we also got to chatting about velvet. Mei shared some of the challenges in working with this particular fabric. For one thing, velvet tends to be a bit shifty during fittings unlike firmer, worsted fabrics. It also needs to be ironed at a lower temperature with matching velvet underneath as the resting fabric (rather than wool). Lastly and perhaps most interesting, velvet needs to be "pattern matched" in the sense that the jacket pieces need to be aligned so that the nap of the fabric moves in the same direction. Good stuff (literally and figuratively)!

Spring looks: Updated American trad

How about kicking in the spring with an updated take on American trad or Ivy League style?

Below are some photos to whet the appetite and imagination. Let's first start with the attitude, then the kit (think plaid).

Rothmans grand opening featuring the Cavemen

Hamilton plaid shirt

Rothmans plaid shirt rack

Rancourt 4-eyelet ranger moc with natural rubber soles (or "lactae hevea" if you want to impress someone with your Latin and/or botanical knowledge)

Just pick your trousers and you're ready to rock, roll or stroll.

You know you are in London when...

...you see men wearing covert coats. I was in London recently and saw half a dozen covert coats in traditional fawn with velvet collar in the span of an hour around Mayfair and Piccadilly. It's a reassuring sight if you still believe in the importance of geographical distinctions in an age of globalized fashion.

New & Lingwood window display

Below are a few observations from my recent London visit. I will follow-up separately on Savile Row tailor Welsh & Jefferies, Benson & Clegg MTM/semi-bespoke shirts and John Rushton's shoe refurbishing.

Richard James Weldon. One of my goals was to visit the English trimmings merchant RJW but I was surprised to hear their London office has been closed since August 2011.  I was interested in visiting specifically to see their velvet selection for a smoking jacket. Their old book contained some wonderful silk velveteens (81% cotton and 19% silk) in ruby, wine and blue. These were the best velvets I had come across thus far. Alas, I also learned that RJW no longer stocks silk velveteens. Now they offer just cotton velvet in black and navy. As I wrote in my recent "state of textiles" entry, it's worth considering purchasing a great cloth sooner rather than later as the certainty of its production is simply not guaranteed these days.

Davies & Son. I stepped into this Savile Row tailor and chatted with Graham who handles the front of the house. Alan Bennett is the head cutter and a few years ago they incorporated Peter Harvey who is still active. Speaking of smoking jackets above, Graham showed a lovely bottle green smoking jacket complete with simple frogging and braiding. With Richard James Weldon no longer offering their old silk velveteen, it looks like Holland & Sherry might be the next best bet in velvet. Interestingly, Davies also sells fabrics by the yard to consumers.

W. Bill. I also stopped by woolen merchant W. Bill in their new location. I chatted with Robert who showed me a few Shetlands and Irish linens and I left with a nice set of swatches to consider for upcoming jackets. One could easily wile away an afternoon perusing their wonderful Saxonies and cheviots, Superfleece, Lamlana and overcoatings.

Hackett bespoke tie service. While on Jermyn Street, I visited the Hackett store, and picked up a spring/summer silk and flax tie (one of the few Italian made products they sell). I also went to the back of the store to their MTM area and saw their swatch book for bespoke ties. The fabric selection is somewhat limited, with mostly solids and conservative patterns (fine pin dots), but suitable for the weddings that their bespoke tie service is geared toward. The customer can specify tie and width length and the tie is then made in Italy. Price is 90 GBP and will take about 4 weeks.

Kent Haste & Lachter

Hardy Amies

George Cleverley

George Cleverley

Crockett & Jones Burlington Arcade

Sicily and Milan visit

I recently returned to Sicily for follow-up visits to tailors in Catania and Messina, whom I write about in more detail in my guide to Sicilian tailors (see links at the top and right).

In Catania, I picked up a glen plaid sports jacket (in Zegna's 15 milmil 15 fabric) made by Palmisciano. More specifically, I dropped by on a Friday afternoon for a final fitting (everything finished except the buttonholes and buttons), and then visited again the following day to pick up the completed jacket. During my visits, I met Palmisciano's sister who does the finishing, specifically the buttonholes.

Palmisciano sports jacket

Palmisciano sports jacket

I also traveled to Messina to pick up a sports jacket from Arrigo, as well as drop off several shirtings at one of the few shirtmakers I found in Sicily.

Arrigo sports jacket

During the same trip, I also managed to spend an afternoon in Milan. I wandered mostly around the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which houses a Rizzoli bookstore, Church's and Borsalino. It was bitterly cold when I was there so I enjoyed a hot chocolate and mille foglia at Bar Si and did a bit of people watching.

About a 10 minute walk from the Galleria is an outpost of the Neapolitan tiemaker E. Marinella, and across the street from Marinella is a nice RTW menswear store called Ader.

Ader window display

Mystery bespoke Los Angeles tailor

Thanks to a tip by a contact in the apparel trade, I got in touch with a tailor currently located in Hollywood but who originally had a shop in Beverly Hills. Let's call him Mario. Now he works out of a converted garage behind his home serving as his workshop. He is originally from the Basilicata region in Italy, next to Calabria.

From what I saw he cuts a straight shoulder but also appears to be flexible. For example, he showed a jacket with rounded jacket fronts, which a customer requested and is de rigueur on Styleforum, as well as a more traditional jacket front. Although he doesn't do manica camicia, he showed a soft open seam shoulder jacket.

Most of his clients order from books but he is open to CMT which is priced by removing the estimated fabric cost. Hence a CMT sports jacket is priced very favorably, more comparable to MTM pricing in the US.

To my pleasant surprise, I saw a picture of one of his customers on the wall - a talented, prize winning concert pianist who also happens to be a friend of mine. I was surprised because I did not know he was a customer. When I asked my friend about it later, he said Mario made the best fitting dinner jackets and formal tailcoats (white tie) out of all the tailors he tried.

Mario was expecting a customer when I visited so I didn't have time to clarify my next point, which is that he appeared to be semi-retired or limiting his work to existing clientele and referrals. Hence my caution about publicizing him without his consent.

Hamilton Shirts 1883 spring/summer

What I love about shirts and shirtings is that they are and should be an easy source of inspiration. In other words, one should feel an extra degree of freedom with which to pick and choose novel patterns and distinctive colors. As a rule I think it's fair to say that men should be experimenting more with colors and patterns in shirts than with suits or jackets.

If you tend to be a "classic" dresser, give this a shot. Experiment with your next shirt or shirting with something sharper, more vibrant than your usual safe choice. In particular, I especially like the new plaids in the upcoming spring/summer delivery of Hamilton Shirts 1883 (see below).

These are not just casual shirts worn with khakis, chinos or jeans. Actually, I would wear the first two plaids with a seersucker or solid cotton suit and pair them with a dark brown tie and black (or navy blue) tie, respectively. In particular, I think solid cotton or silk knit ties work very well here.

Update: Sleevehead's Guide to Sicilian Tailors

The paperback version of my guide to Sicilian tailors is now available, as well as the original e-book. The guide has been reviewed by noted style author Bruce Boyer and Hugo Jacomet of Parisian Gentleman. Both versions of the book now include additional photos for one of the Messina tailors, a few minor typographic corrections and more information on shopping and restaurants.

At the moment, the paperback edition ($69) can be ordered below through Lulu and will be available through Amazon.com in a few weeks. The e-book ($49) can be ordered through the buy now link on my blog. If you are an iPad user, the e-book is definitely the way to go for reasons I lay out in the FAQ. Otherwise, the paperback works very well too.



In particular, in this new update I provide further editorial commentary and information on one of the cities, Messina. There, within a three block radius, you'll find a fully stocked fabric shop featuring well-known Italian cloths such as Drapers, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Cacciapoli and others, as well as a trimmings/linings shop and a button shop. Once you add a few tailors located nearby, all you need to do is mix and stir and you're all set for a complete tailoring experience. All within a few minutes walking distance of each other.

This miniature, walkable ecosystem of tailors and suppliers used to be commonplace in small towns and cities across Italy but now is very rare. It's actually difficult to find this configuration anywhere else in the world (in the West especially) with the exception of Savile Row. Mentioning Messina and Savile Row in the same breath is certainly not something I would have imagined before I had written this book.

The state of textiles and new cloth ranges

While in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, I got a chance to look at several new cloth books for spring/summer for 2012. I came away very impressed with the new offerings by Italian and English mills. To boot, I saw the following:

• Halstead Explorer fresco with weights going down to 7.5oz
• Halstead bespoke offering. A customer can order a length of suiting cloth from a choice of stripe colors and widths, as well as personalized selvedge if desired. 
• Drapers bunches for linen/silk/wool blend, "Solaire"(similar to solaro cloth) and cottons. The Solaires come in lightweight reds and nice blues with the extra vibrancy of solaro-style cloth. 
• Drapers summerweight mohairs. These are terrific mohairs. I saw 7oz striped mohairs that could serve as seersucker substitutes in grey and brown, as well as great solid browns and blues including a dark, inky brown that I call a “midnight brown”.  

I also happened to meet the new Gladson representative during a visit with LA tailor Enzo Caruso. Gladson has acquired a couple of storied names in British cloth - John Hardy and JJ Minnis - from Huddersfield Fine Worsteds. I saw the new Minnis fresco and the bunches seemed fine. But anyone taking a look at the Minnis fresco book should compare it with the Halstead Explorer range. The range in the new Minnis fresco book seemed a bit smaller than previous years - fewer blues in particular.

Besides cloth, Gladson distributes buttons (London Badge & Button), socks, ties, custom cufflinks. It is also distributing a new ready-made and MTO luggage from Vitale Barberis Canonico, which I saw. The leather pieces are made in northern Italy. Very nice stuff.

In addition, many bespoke customers already know that Lesser was acquired last year by Harrisons of Edinburgh. Lesser was widely regarded for maintaining superlative quality and oversight of the cloths it sold. Many tailors seem happy with the cloth under the new ownership, others less so. I was fortunate enough to purchase a Lesser 16oz mid-grey suiting (29600 for those who are familiar with the book) produced under the old regime, pre-Harrison. This is discernible by the particular numbering on the piece or lot number associated with the cloth length.

In other news, the December / January issue of Monocle has a small feature on Cotonificio Albini, a family-run weaver. Their new Millennium Star shirting is a three-fold yarn creating both resistance to wrinkling and fineness of hand. Albini acquired British weavers Thomas Mason and David & John Anderson in the 1990s.

Change is afoot in the textile industry and the pressure from globalization is probably accelerating consolidation. The implication for the consumer is clear enough. If you see a great cloth, buy it now because it may not be around next season in the same weave, color or finish.

2012 greetings

Happy new year to readers of my blog and e-book and fellow bespoke travelers. Best wishes for a successful and satisfying year ahead.

Last year I plowed through the design, writing, editing and publishing of my first e-book on Sicilian tailors. This year I'm looking to make additional progress on another project, namely, a book I've always wanted to write. It's been simmering for quite some time as I've been researching and writing it off and on the last few years.

It's a book with a completely different take on style than anything else I have seen or read. Well, so much for setting low expectations. But I do think it will provide a fresh, novel approach to men's clothing and style. Perhaps even insightful if I'm lucky. Stay tuned.

Update: Sleevehead's Guide to Sicilian Tailors

I've updated my e-book to include additional photos for one of the Messina tailors, a few minor typographic corrections and more information on shopping and restaurants. The link above also quotes or references a couple of reviews of the guide by author Bruce Boyer and Hugo Jacomet of Parisian Gentleman.

I also provide further editorial commentary and information on one of the cities in particular, Messina. There, within a three block radius, you'll find a fully stocked fabric shop featuring well-known Italian cloths such as Drapers, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Cacciapoli and others, as well as a trimmings/linings shop and a button shop. Once you add a few tailors located nearby, all you need to do is mix and stir and you're all set for a complete tailoring experience. All within a few minutes walking distance of each other.

This miniature, walkable ecosystem of tailors and suppliers used to be commonplace in small towns and cities across Italy but now is very rare. It's actually difficult to find this configuration anywhere else in the world (in the West especially) with the exception of Savile Row. Mentioning Messina and Savile Row in the same breath is certainly not something I would have imagined before I had written this e-book.

I'm also looking into making available a print version of the guide (likely through a print-on-demand service) in the near future.

Holiday shopping and bespoke at Alfred Dunhill NYC

Building on my recent holiday shopping post, let's continue with the holiday shopping theme but this time for the tycoons and captains of industry among us. I'm no tycoon but democratically ventured into Alfred Dunhill's only store in North America this weekend. Immediately I was drawn to a terrific car coat with a removable beaver fur lining and stand-up collar ($4,750). If the world of beavers is not enough for you, there's a mink version for the 1 percent of the 1 percent among us. I didn't bother checking the price but I can confirm to my readers that mink is indeed softer than beaver.

I also chatted with Frans who heads the MTM/custom department and took me downstairs for a tour of their custom department. Bruno Cosentino is the head tailor and has been with Dunhill since 1986. Jackets start at $3,500 and suits at $5,000, which is very reasonable for the top tier of NYC bespoke (e.g. Nino Corvato, William Fioravanti, Raphael, Nicolosi and Len Logsdail). Bruno hails from Calabria and makes a soft natural shoulder with a light pad. My tailor in Los Angeles is also from Calabria and I certainly saw similarities in the shoulder line.

Although Bruno wasn't working on Saturday, I saw one of his basted jackets in progress and noted the fine handpadding of the lapels. Bruno constructs much of the jacket himself but the buttonholes for example are done by a specialist.  I also saw a superb traditional DB overcoat in progress made in a formidable heavyweight wool (easily in excess of 20 oz).

Interestingly, Frans mentioned his challenge is convincing customers to step up to the more leisurely tempo of bespoke. Instant gratification is the norm among male customers. I certainly think men need to be heavily reeducated on this very point. Gentlemen, have you heard of the saying that the good things in life take time?

I happen to wear both RTW and bespoke as well as some MTM. Yet for most men, even those who can easily afford the next step up, the balance in their wardrobe is grossly skewed in favor of RTW. Next time you visit Dunhill, may I suggest picking up the beaver lined car coat and picking out a hale and hearty tweed jacketing for Bruno to make up? Why not have the best of both worlds - instantaneous, card-swiped "luxury" and handsewn "heritage" requiring just a modicum of effort and taste?

The case for rehabilitation: Saving misfits and rejects

Let's talk about criminal matters for a moment. Perhaps controversially, I happen to believe in rehabilitation for the incarcerated and those who have offended the public good in some form.

I mean of course those pieces of clothing relegated to the darkest corners of the wardrobe - the sartorial misfits guilty of crimes and misdemeanors regarding fit or finish or, alternatively, pieces that have been auctioned, thrifted or abandoned for some reason.

A few resolute individuals have preferred to mete out draconian punishment to such miscreants and outcasts, grimly putting them under the executioner's blade (or scissors in this case). I refer exhibit A to the jury: Manton's medieval drawing and quartering of a suit jacket made by NYC tailor Nicolosi. I've met Manton and he's a nice fellow but these post-quartering pictures of a bespoke jacket are a bit gruesome if you are the sensitive type.

Others, under the aegis of scientific research, have offered up their sartorial orphans, outcasts and donated specimens to established tailors for step-by-step clinical dissection. I refer exhibit B to the jury: Jeffery D's dissection of a jacket by Savile Row tailor Maurice Sedwell.  If you believe in the betterment of mankind through basic research, this is an option worth putting on the operating table, so to speak.

On the other hand, I think there is also a third option, namely, progressive rehabilitation of a garment under the hands of an able tailor. The goal is gradual re-introduction into society and one's wardrobe.

I offer up exhibit C: a Brioni single-breasted, two-piece suit in a lovely chalkstripe flannel. It features a straight Roman shoulder but soft canvas in the chest and light padding on top. Unfortunately as seen below, I purchased this RTW suit at the beginning of my sartorial journey and committed the rookie mistake of buying the suit sight unseen. I ended up with a suit whose proportions are excessively elongated for my build.

The photos are a bit blurry but they convey the seriousness of the sartorial infractions - excessive jacket length, seriously oversized chest, shoulder and back dimensions and of course the trouser length which is the only thing that is easily fixable.

Brace yourself. Much like Manton's pictures, the photos of an oversized Brioni hanging off my frame are not for the squeamish.  

Original Brioni - front view

Original Brioni - back view

As a result, the suit has been sitting in storage (i.e., the isolation ward) for a number of years now. But this year I felt it was time to seriously consider parole conditioned upon successful corrective surgery or alteration.  But which tailor? Most alteration tailors are not capable of re-cutting a suit and many bespoke tailors are not willing to re-cut someone else's work.

But I knew one tailor who might be open to the challenge - Los Angeles tailor Enzo Caruso. So I dropped by one day this summer and casually brought it up. Interestingly, he was up to the task, mainly I think due to the lovely flannel fabric which was languishing away in storage.

Below are the initial fitting photos after the re-cut of the jacket (with the trousers still untouched):

Fitting stage for re-cut Brioni

Fitting stage for re-cut Brioni

And below are photos of the end product (sans trouser belt):

Finished Brioni (sleeves lengthened from fitting stage)

Finished Brioni (shortened and trimmed back and shoulders)

So what did Enzo do? He essentially raised the body of the jacket, taking in from the top (i.e. shoulder) to remove the excess fabric, and raising the armholes. In so doing, the patterns on the cloth shifted and in order to rematch the patterns Enzo re-cut and reset the collar, as well as the sleeves.

For your viewing pleasure, I include intermediate, fitting photos of a different MTM sports jacket from a well-known brand which also needed to be re-cut:

Fitting stage for re-cut MTM jacket

Fitting stage for re-cut MTM jacket

If you are interested in the rehabilitation option, you should reserve it only for the most worthy cases.  Enzo is not going to spend time re-cutting any and all suits, certainly not a $199 suit from Men's Wearhouse.  Nor would it be worthwhile for the customer since the re-cutting charge will easily exceed the cost of a cheap suit.

Finally, from a material standpoint any ill-fitting suits will need to have excess cloth (i.e. be oversized) in order for this to work.  So save this option for the most worthy cases. I'm happy I did.