Update.   Welcome Instapundit readers, hope you enjoy our reflections on Mr Cary Grant.    

Today is the birthday of Cary Grant, who was born on the 18th January 1904 and died November 29 1986. 

Happy birthday Mr Grant, wherever you are.

For me Cary Grant is the very personification of manly style.  

He was unique and even after all these years no actor comes close to replicating his witty charm, his style or his joie de vivre.  I did not “get” Cary Grant when I was younger but started to appreciate him as my knowledge of the world broadened and deepened.  There is a great deal to Cary Grant and his style and one needs to have enough depth to appreciate him.  Here are a few of my appreciations of him.

One of the most important and most obviously manly things about him was his athletic, animal physicality.  I was reminded of this when I last watched “To catch a Thief”, which many consider his finest movie.   The second scene of TCAT introduces Cary Grant as John Robie, at home in the South of France.  Robie is a resistance hero and jewel thief.  In the scene he wears a finely woven striped crewneck pullover, grey pleated Italian trousers and tan loafers.  Around his neck he wears a red-atterned silk foulard, tucked into the pullover.  So far, so metrosexual.

Suddenly he hears the screech of a police car racing into his drive.  His walk becomes swift (but still unhurried) and as he reaches the stairs to the first floor he takes them in an effortless loping leonine run.  The change in Grant is electric and shocking.  He goes from calm to action in a split-second.  Suddenly this debonair handsome man shows the reflexes of an athlete, or of a killer.     

Cary Grant started out in showbusiness as an acrobat and that clearly helped.  But somewhere in his evolution he built a harmony of mind and body that informs all of his roles.  Comfortable in his own skin, he is capable of becoming a physical powerhouse in a moment and we, his audience, sense that.  Men particularly, sense the presence of dangerous men.  With Cary Grant there is always a sense that there is power in reserve, that this is a very dangerous man. 

He does it again in North by Northwest, in the famous crop-duster scene.  As the light aeroplance chases him across a ploughed field, he runs like an athlete (he was actually 55 at the time).  Not only that but he looks back mid-run to check the plane’s position.  Ever tried that?  We would be lucky not to fall and break our necks.  Cary Grant makes it look easy.

Strangely enough the actor that reminds me the most of Cary Grant is Clint Eastwood.  There is a similarity in their calm stillness and their confident presence.   

Cary Grant and his clothes.

The thing that everyone knows about him is his clothes.  He was always immaculately dressed.  He believed that a gentleman had a duty to dress well.  He also knew that clothes were a key facet of one’s style and he knew that women love stylish men.

Despite being born in poverty and having very limited schooling, Cary Grant believed passionately in learning.  He learnt everything he could about style.  He learnt about clothes from tailors, he watched wealthy American men to learn about manners and he made friends with intelligent learned men of all kinds.  When one stops to think, it is amazing what this poor boy from a broken home made of himself.

He learnt what clothes could do for him.  A wider, broader collar to de-emphasis his muscular neck.  English-cut suits to make his lean athlete’s body look wider across the shoulders.   Made-to-measure suits with high armholes to lengthen his silhouette and make him look taller.  He learnt this and hundreds of other details to build his style.  Like many men who start off poor, Grant prized good clothing and relished the opportunity to look good in the world.  I always felt this way and Cary Grant confirmed the feeling for me. 

Grant understood style, his clothes were classic, in proportion, colours complementing each other.  And is this not that what men of style try to do?  Don’t we stand in front of the mirror, making sure the tie complements the suit, that the cufflinks are right?  Style is also about getting the details right.  Cary Grant taught me that.

Cary Grant and women

Cary grant loved women and they loved him.  He once said “Women are one of my favourite causes!” Over the course of his life he loved many women.  This love of women informed both his style and the characters he played on-screen.   

Cary Grant was very competitive, especially when it came to women.  He would court women persistently, cleverly, with charm and good manners, until they in turn fell in love with him.  When other men tried to attract a women he was courting, he treated them as competitors to be beaten.  Which, in my view, is absolutely right.  A man does not let other men take things from him without a fight, especially intimate relationships.

In his movies he uses his competitiveness over women to good comic effect. 

In His Girl Friday (1940)  he plays hardbitten newspaper editor Walter Burns, who is still in love with his ex-wife Hildy Johnson, played by Rosalind Russell.  Russell turns up with her soon-to-be new husband in tow.  She wants to move to the quiet of the country and be a stay-at-home wife.  Burns (Grant) takes them both out to lunch and proceeds to slyly mock “life in the country” to ribbons.  It is one of the funniest scenes on film.

He did it again later that year in The Philadephia Story, one of those perfect Hollywood movies that define American cinema.   He plays C.K. Dexter Haven, a debonair man-about-town who is obliged by circumstances to attend the forthcoming wedding of his ex-wife, played by Katherine Hepburn.  Haven (Grant) still loves his wife and dislikes her nouveau riche husband-to-be, who he suspects is marrying her for her position and money.  Grant plays this out to perfection in a scene where he quietly skewers the husband-to-be for his pretension, pomposity and niggardly ways.    

Incidentally if you want to see great actors playing off each other, get this movie and watch the scenes of Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart together.  Pure cinematic genius.

 The other, more important aspect of Cary Grant’s love of women was his respect for them and his interest in them as people.  In an age when women were treated as less than men, his enlightened understanding stood out.  Almost all of the women in his life remained his friends and they all had something good to say about him.

In the movies the fact that he was listening to his leading ladies made the dialogue seem more real and the scenes more alive.  If we go back to ”To Catch a Thief” again, Grant’s jewel thief plays opposite Grace Kelly’s spoilt little rich girl, Francie.  Francie is often arrogant and snippy but Grant’s John Robie listens to everything she says, with courtesy and consideration.  The end result is that Grant’s character looks even more manly and assured and Kelly’s Francie becomes more real and touchingly vulnerable. 

And all of this rings true today, in real life as in the movies.  Women love men who hear them, men who have the courage and gravitas to engage with them honestly.  Cary Grant was the pioneer, the model to copy and the man who made loving women central to a man’s style.

So much of Cary Grant’s charm lies in his good manners and his consideration of others.  Everyone who knew him talked of his respect for other people and his simple joy in talking to anyone he happened to meet. 

 You know, I think that is the secret of his style, his joy in life.  His joy in clothes, women, movies and anything else he came across.

When he is onscreen he is alive in a way no other actor has every been.  His good humour, his confidence in the fundamental goodness of life is transmitted from the screen to us.  The great film critic Pauline Kael said that just by appearing he makes us smile.  Well, yes.  He is telling us that manliness is good and graceful, that a sense of humour and consideration for others is style and that it is a joy to be alive. 

There is so much more that I could write about Cary Grant but everything has to end somewhere.  However, there is one really important thing to say. 

Thank you Mr Grant, for  everything.

For those readers who want more of Cary Grant (and who would not?) here are my five favourite Cary Grant films.

To Catch a Thief

Stylish caper about a jewel thief on the French Riviera whose robberies are being blamed on Cary Grant’s John Robie.  Robie is obliged to catch the thief in order to clear himself.  Grant plays opposite Grace kelly who never looked more beautiful than in this film.  Her flair for dialogue and Grant’s generous and subtle acting make their interaction crackle and the jokes pop and there is a real erotic charge between them.  Directed by Alfred Hitchcock with consummate care and perfect timing.  

The Philadephia Story

 Cary Grant gives a wonderful performance, by turns tricky, funny, loving and kind.  His stylish socialite anchors this tale of a rich cultured American family beset by celebrity hunting media in the approach to a divisive wedding.  Katherine Hepburn is the bewildered patrician bride and Jimmy Stewart the smart-but-stupid reporter.  The repartee is sharp enough to cut paper with.

North by Northwest

Hitchcock again, placing Grant in harms way as communist assassins mistake him for an American secret agent.  The mood of the film becomes very black towards the end, with Grant having to draw on all of his resources to survive.   

Only Angels Have Wings

This really is a man’s film, with Grant as the lead pilot for a small air service that flys dangerous mail runs across the Andes.  Directed by Howard Hawks, it focuses on the bravery and professionalism of men in dangerous jobs, whose pride and ingenuity enable them to make near impossible flights.  The film is an emotional cauldron, with Grant’s Geoff Carter trying to hold onto the ruthless discipline that enables him to do his job, in the face of Jean Arthur’s love for him. 

Charade

Made in 1963 when Cary Grant was 59, Charade was a light thriller with Nazi gold and devious criminals, set in Paris. Charade proved that Cary had lost none of his magic.  Hugely successful when it was released, not least because Grant’s leading lady was Audrey Hepburn, who was the perfect foil for his sophistication and charm.  Grant plays a character who may be a thief, a spy or a bureaucrat and has enormous fun inhabiting each of these roles.  Audrey hepburn summed Grant up for all time with the following lines:

Reggie (Hepburn):  “Do you know what’s wrong with you?”

Peter (Grant):  “What?”

Reggie (Hepburn):   “Absolutely Nothing”

Books 

There are also two books that I like about Cary Grant:

Graham McCann:

Cary Grant, a class apart

Excellent on Cary Grant’s life, if sometimes a little light on his movies.

Richard Torregrossa

Cary Grant, a celebration of style.
Now this book is invaluable.  Do you want to know how Cary Grant looked so stylish?  Would you like to be like Cary Grant?  This book tells you where he bought his clothes, how he had them cut and how he customised them.  Torregrossa talks about Grant’s style and his life with insight and real information.

Currently reading the latest (3rd) issue of Paradis Magazine. 

A magazine for worldly men, it provides information and entertainment in richly detailed articles by knowledgeable writers.  Paradis’ creators are also connoisseurs of fine photography.  They fill the magazine with captivating images and intensely erotic phootgraphs.  In the first issue (still available from their website) they featured the work of two of my favourite erotic photographers, Sante D’Orazio and Nobuyoshi Araki.

Paradis is a statement of contemporary style. Each issue is designed to be strikingly original, strongly visual and contain definitive articles and images about it’s chosen subjects.  In my view they are very successful at this.  The design echoes this, a thick glossy brick of a magazine with fine printing on photographic quality paper.  Now three issues in, it is still finding its voice.  But the voice it has is manly, strong, cultured and sexy. 

The current issue has (amongst others) a fascinating article on ultra-marathon running, something which I previously had no interest in.  There is also an article on Ruprt Murdoch’s Newscorp which is remarkable for its inside knowledge and even-handedness.  The writing in this magazine is consistently excellent and I find myself reading all the articles regardless of subject.

This issue also includes a portfolio of black and white erotic nudes of Reon, a japanese actress, by Kishon Shinoyama.  By contrast there is Miles Aldridge’s “Midnight”.  Notionally a photo-gallery of antique watches, it comes across as a dominant man in sexual battle with a ripe expensive blonde.  Raw, subversive and dirty.

Paradis is very difficult to find in England.  I bought a copy retail at Magma, 8 Earlham, Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9RY Tel: 44 (0)207 240 8498 

If any of our readers know where else it is sold retail perhaps they would be kind enough to email the details and I will publish them here.

It is also possible to buy from the Paradis website here.  The website has a short manifesto of what these gentlemen are about and also allows one to preview earlier issues. 

Enjoy. 

Jermyn Street again 

Here is my second post on the Jermyn Street January sales.  As I recounted in Part 1, Jermyn Street is an epicentre of English style.  Traditionally Englishmen buy their suits in Savile Row and their shirts and accessories in Jermyn Street.  I go to the Jermyn Street January sale because there are some superb bargains to be had.  

Just as in Part 1, this is a report on the brands and stores I recently visited.  This is not a comprehensive guide to menswear stores in Jermyn Street, I hope to produce that at a later date.   As with Part 1, my apologies to those great brands and stores I did not get to write about.

The brands I am writing about in Part 2 are:

Foster & Sons 

Full disclosure, I really like Foster’s shoes, in fact I like everything they make.  Traditional shoemakers and leatherworkers, they have been in business for over 250 years.  Fosters make bespoke and ready-to-wear footwear that is superb.  The shop is an experience in itself, permeated with the smell of good leather and polish, and hung around with every kind of beautiful thing you can make from leather.  

Shoes are classic styles, oxfords, brogues, townboots and casual shoes.  There are some very fine handcrafted brogues in the sale at excellent bargain prices. There are also reductions on some of the leather goods they sell.  Amongst other things Foster make and sell superb wallets, leather document wallets and briefcases which are distinctive and of course beautifully made.   Like the other footwear shops here, their sales stock goes quickly and now is the time to pick up a bargain. 

Fosters still offer many of the traditional shoemaker services.  They will repair quality shoes and they will re-create a pair of shoes based on the originals or on your designs.  London needs more stores with this type of craftsmanship.

Below is a picture of Foster’s shop window.  I liked the brown-red town boot almost in the centre of the picture.  It exemplifies the fine British craftsmanship which can give Italian shoemakers a run for their money.

The sale continues until the end of January 2008 

Foster & Son,  83, Jermyn Street, St James’s London SW1Y 6JD England

Tel:  44 (0)207 930 3803

http://www.wsfoster.com/

Hudson and Harvie  

These gentlemen produce classic English clothes that one can recognise a mile off.  Their shop is full of fine shirts in two-fold cotton, classic English suits with the traditional tight-waisted, square-shouldered silhouette and heavy overcoats in tweed and scottish wool.  Their sales are always excellent value and at the moment their shirts are selling at bargain prices, as are their suits.

Once again my apologies for the quality of my picture, as it does not do the clothes justice.  To take one example, the gray suit in the far right of the picture is a work of art.  It is a slim-cut, (English cut) suit, in a charcoal glen-plaid wool.  A thing of beauty and in the sale.

 The sale continues until the end of January 2008.

Harvie and Hudson,  77 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6NP England

Tel: 44 (0)207 930 3949

www.harvieandhudson.com

Daks 

Like Dunhill, Daks are another brand who have revamped themselves in recent years with better designers, more exciting clothes and the recreation of an integrated Daks look.  Though I did not have a lot of time to spend here, I thought that Daks clothes are attractive, with classic English styles (sports jackets, casual trousers) married up to bright luxurious fabrics.  The overall look is kind of Anglo-Italian, light and sporty in the broadest sense.  They seem to be targeting the man in his thirties and they have clearly focussed on the smart-casual market.  I liked the knitwear here, which was adventurous and really well-priced (in the sale).  In fact the discounting here seemed to be particularly competitive. 

The shop is attractive and easy to be in, the staff are friendly and the atmosphere unpressured.  I look forward to visiting this store again and understanding the brand better.

The sale continues until the end of January 2008.

Daks,  101 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, SW1y 6EE England

Tel:    44 (0)207 839 9980

 www.daks.com

Charles Tyrwhitt

Charles Tyrwhitt sell very competitively priced mens dress shirts, mainly serving the office worker market.  Like their competitors T.M. Lewin, they produce respectable shirts and they do this by keeping their costs of production down and by sourcing their cloth as cheaply as possible.  They also make leather shoes in classic styles, once again with the emphasis on competitive pricing.  On the day I was there the sale was doing big business and the store was very crowded.  This brand has stores across London and a strong mail order and internet sales service.

Charles Tyrwhitt,  92 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6JB England

Tel:  44 (0)207 839 7272         

 www.ctshirts.co.uk

John Bray

Now this is a funny juxtaposition.  John Bray are situated opposite Dunhill’s stylish flagship store.  It’s funny because John Bray have a nasty 70’s (earlier?) storefront that is as tired as it is ugly. 

However those of you who are in on the secret will know that John Bray is an Aladdin’s cave of fine menswear designed by Bray and sourced from the finest italian mills and design houses.  In Bray’s mini-warehouse of a shop handcrafted suits made from superfine italian wools fight for space with knitwear woven for Bray by Ermangildo Zegna.  Their own brand  shirts are high quality, made in Italy and very competitively priced. 

Add to this the fact that the staff here are the Jedi Knights of menswear retail and have forgotten more about style than you know.  If you shop here, listen to them and let them help you.

The sale is on until the end of January and there are superb bargains to be had, especially the handcrafted suits.  Make the most of your money and make a killing here. 

John Bray,  78-79 Jermyn Street, St James’s London SW1y 6NP England

Tel:   44 (0)207 839 6716

Piccadilly Arcade

Piccadilly Arcade is a small arcade of shops situated two-thirds of the way down Jermyn Street.  The arcade cuts directly north and connects Jermyn Street with Piccadilly, one block to the north.  The arcade was built in the 1860’s and is simply two rows of beautiful little shops engineered out of glass and brass fittings.  From Victorian times, this arcade and others like it were the places that wealthy folk from all over England went to shop for high-class goods.  There are a number of tailors still working in the arcade and I have written about two of them below.

Benson and Clegg

Situated halfway along the arcade on the eastern side, these distinguished tailors (they have a royal warrant, by appointment to Prince Charles) make shirts, ties cufflinks and bespoke shirts and suits.  They also produce heraldic shields and buttons.  Apart from anything else this makes them interesting chaps to talk to while you buy your shirts.

 Here I saw one of the best bargains of the day, Benson and Clegg dress shirts, made in England of excellent cotton, for £40.00.  If I had to pick the best bargain in the sales this would be it. 

Benson and Clegg,   9 Piccadilly Arcade, Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6NH England

Tel:  44 (0)207 409 2053

 www.bensonandclegg.com

Budd

Budd are also in the arcade on the eastern side towards Piccadilly.  They also make classic dress shirts.  Their styles are quite distinctive, for example they have an English long-point collar style of shirt.  These shirts have a long collar which comes to an acute point, yet they are cut to accomdodate a tie and be worn as an office shirt.  They are strongly reminiscent of a 1940’s RAF collar, very striking with the right combination of suit and tie.   These and other styles are in the sale and their prices are as keen as those of Benson and Clegg.

They also sell Webster Brothers ties, a brand that was prominent in the City, London’s financial district, up until the early 90s.  Webster Brothers had a range of ties designed around animal motifs and woven in a rich heavy silk. I believe Budd still sell some of those.  They also have a bespoke shirt making service.

Budd,  1a&3 Piccadilly Arcade, St James’s, London SW1Y 6NH England

 Tel:  44 (0)207 493 0139

New and Lingwood 

One of the most famous and venerable of the English tailors, New and Lingwood are always surprisingly daring in the design of their shirts.  Back in the days when big checks and bold stripes were fashionable, New and Lingwood produced some of the best of their kind. 

Now they have some really good looking dog-tooth check shirts in pastel colours, a very clever variation on a classic English pattern.  Similarly they have some tattersall check shirts which are a nod to the old pattern but updated for the modern man.  Very clever and stylish stuff.  Add to this some good knitwear and ties and you can put together a modern but distinctly British look from these chaps.

They do of course offer a bespoke service.    

New and Lingwood, 53 Jermyn Street, St James’s London, SW1Y 6LX

Tel: 44 (0)207 493 9621        

www.newandlingwood.com

Thomas Pink

Pink are the favourite shirtmakers of workers in London’s financial sector.   In terms of quality they sit in the middle of the retail ready-to-wear market.  They produce very well-made shirts in good-quality cloth in deep rich colours and good finishing.  I particularly like their cotton twill shirts, which are enduring and retain their colour and  shape even after many washes and wears.  They become soft and comfortable, whilst retaining their wearability as a business shirt.  With a little care, these shirts retain their finish and can last for years. 

I also like their designer collections, which are short runs of shirts launched and sold several times a year.  Because Pink are able to make a smaller investment in these collections, they are able to be more adventurous in their designs and colour combinations.  So you can get some very individual and sophisticated shirts this way.  However one needs to be quick.  These collections sell quickly and I have missed the boat several times by not buying a shirt on first sight.          

Thomas pink have a large shop in Jermyn Street and it always does good business in the sale, which is on until the end of January 2008. 

Thomas Pink, 85 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6JD

Tel:  44 (0)207 930 6364

www.thomaspink.com

Jermyn Street is always worth a visit, there are shirtmakers and shoemakers here for every taste and pocket.  If you are thinking of changing your style or revamping your wardrobe, this is the place to browse, all the menaswear you could want in one short streeet.  Jermyn Street is shopping with elegance, for men who know about style.  If you have any comments or questions feel free to post them and I will do my best to answer them.  

As I mentioned in Part 1, there is a Jermyn Street Association which provides information about events and celebrations and has a guide to some of the other interesting stores in and around Jermyn Street.  Details are here.                

Jermyn Street is the counterpart to that glorious English institution Savile Row.  Traditionally the stylish man had his suits made in Savile Row and his shirts made in one of the shirtmakers of Jermyn Street.  Over 300 years of shirtmaking history have made it the place to go for bespoke and latterly, ready-to-wear shirts.  In that time it has also become the place to buy fine English footwear and other accessories.  So, suits in Savile Row and shirts and accessories in Jermyn Street, a simple rule to follow. 

I always enjoy Jermyn Street for its understated elegance and good taste.   I had some free time earlier this week and decided to have a look at what was on offer in the traditional January sale. 

So here are some impressions and tips on the sale. I did not manage to cover all of the shops in Jermyn Street so my apologies to the excellent brands/shops who I have not written about.  I hope to catch up on them in a later article.  

For the sake of readability this article is in two parts, part two following shortly.

The shops I visited included:

Turnbull and Asser

When I first started working in Banking in the City I met lots of Englishmen who swore by Turnbull and Asser shirts.  Turnbull and Asser do indeed make a great shirt, with a carefully tailored structure and very fine finishing (stitching).  For ready-to-wear I think Only Charvet in Paris can compete with them for the quality of their manufacture.  Turnbull and Asser shirts may just have the edge on Charvet in terms of modern patterns and exciting colour combinations.   

Browsing the sale I noticed that there are lots of shirts in the bigger collar sizes (English sizes 18,19) for the larger man.  Lots of fine stripe patterns and fine checks reflecting the current passion for striped shirts and slightly subdued patterns.  Lots of blue/white combiations for matching up to business suits, all at bargain prices. 

City legends 

I had heard it said in the City that if one has a Huntsman suit from Savile Row that one should wear a Turnbull and Asser shirt to set it off.  When I mentioned this to one of Turnbull’s staff his response was that the ultimate rig-out was a Huntsman suit, a Turnbull shirt and a Hermes tie.  I was impressed by this because a lesser store would promote their own ties without regard to the integrity of the discussion.  But the gentlemen at Turnbull have that quiet confidence that comes from selling some of the finest English menswear.

 It goes without saying that the service here is immaculate.  These gentlemen could give Jeeves the butler lessons in discreet and helpful service.

Below is a picture of a wool topcoat in Turnbull’s window that caught my eye.  It is modern and colourful yet quintessentially English.  I think it defines Turnbull and Asser. 

Their sale is on until the end of January 2008.

Turnbull and Asser, 71 & 72 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1 6PF England

Tel: 44 (0)207 808 3000  

http://store.turnbullandasser.co.uk/Home

Edward Green

An ultra-cool modern storefront hides the fact that this is one of England’s oldest and finest shoemakers, founded in 1890.  Green are in the first division of English shoemakers and like their peers Crockett and Jones, have adapted very successfully to the modern world of ready-to-wear shoes whilst remaining a byword for quality. 

They have done this by producing a wide range of ready-to-wear shoes while retaining classic English styling.  They still make shoes of superb leather but have made a few useful concessions to the modern age.  For example it is possible to have synthetic or leather soles on many of their classic styles.

 Monks and Colonials 

Green make some finely styled shoes, like their “Monks” (Monkstrap shoes, which have a single or double strap across the bridge of the shoe, in lieu of laces) which are particularly handsome.  They also sell colonials, linen and leather wingtip brogues designed to be worn with summer suits or trousers.  Colonials manage to look both English and Italian simultaneously and add a worldly, wealthy touch to a summer outfit.    

I saw some very handsome wide-grain tan shoes in a variety of styles, which had a finish unlike anything else in Jermyn Street.  The sale is on until the end of January but it is clear that stocks will not last.  If you want them go buy them now.

While the manager and I were talking he gave me a small booklet about Edward Green shoes.  I did not look at it until I returned home.  It opens out into an A2 poster with a grid of small photos of all of their shoe styles.  It is a small work of art and I intend to frame mine.  The photographs, printed on good paper, are superb, as are the summary written guidelines to the shoes.  This is a small thing but important.  It absolutely pinpoints the excellence of this company, they get every small thing right.     

For more information Green also have a beautifully designed website, see the URL below.     

Edward Green,   75 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1P 6NP, England  

 Tel: 44 (0)207 839 0202

www.edwardgreen.com/

Emmett

Emmett are a favourite of mine.  They are a new company of shirtmakers who make both bespoke and ready to wear shirts.  They mainly compete in the same ready-to-wear space as Thomas Pink, who are the largest of the retail English shirtmakers.  Being much smaller than Pink they strive to be distinctive by making bolder, more distinctive shirts.  I also like the fact that their staff are often passionate about their shirts which makes for a more engaging buying experience than some other shops. 

 Currently Emmett have some striking dress shirts in unusual colours and patterns.  They fit really well with the current trend for wearing a suit for leisure activities.  Emmett shirts really bring a suit to life, making them look less formal and more colourful.  Personally I am a sucker for their ties, (also in the sale) which are often bold designs and striking colours and very distinctive.    

The sale is on until the end of January 2008

Emmett, 112 Jermyn Street, St James’s London SW1Y 6LS, England

Tel:   44 (0)207 925 1299

www.emmettlondon.com/

Hilditch and Key 

Another iconic British brand, whose superb cotton shirts are on sale.  They are selling classic dress shirts with full and cutaway collars.  When I was there they still had some solid colour shirts in the sale in the most beautiful pinpoint oxford cotton.  There is nothing more flattering on an older man than a good oxford cotton shirt.  

Hilditch and key have lots of other products in the sale including their much prized ladies pyjamas.  If your favourite girl has that classic style, then these are just the present for her.  They are sexy in the own right (think Grace Kelly in a Hitchcock film).  If you cannot do sizes, do not fear, the staff here can help.

The sale is on until the end of January 2008

Hilditch and Key,  73, Jermyn Street, St James’s London, SW1Y 6NP, England

Tel:  44 (0)207 930 5336 

www.hilditchandkey.co.uk/

Herbie Frogg

An iconic brand from the swinging sixties, when Herbie Frogg dressed pop stars and photographers in velvet suits in primary colours.  Unfortunately the brand now looks very tired and relies on selling luxury brands such as Boss.   That said, there are some excellent suit bargains in this sale.

The sale is on until the end of January 2008

Herbie Frogg, 21 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, Sw1Y 6HP

Tel: 44 (0)207 734 2992 

http://www.herbie-frogg.co.uk/

Alfred Dunhill 

Alfred Dunhill have put a lot of work into their brand after it fell into the doldrums in the early 90s.  Never having been in the “new” store in Jermyn Street I was not sure what to expect.   

My first impression was of a beautifully designed store.  It feels manly and is really easy to shop in.  The store look is reminiscent of Ralp Lauren but brighter and lighter and in my opinion much better.  The look is less cluttered and emphasises the clothes more.  The staff are friendly, knowledgable and efficient.  

This store personifies a complete Dunhill “look”.  If you want know what it feels like to be a wealthy man of the world, try strolling around this store for a few minutes.  I defy any man to walk around here without feeling prosperous and powerful.

I liked their belts and men’s jewellery, particularly the cufflinks.  The belt buckles were strikingly original, stylish and beautifully crafted.  Dunhill have a belt customisation service which can give you an even more original belt, though I did not have time to find out what this entails.  Hopefully I will find out how this works on another occassion.

The cufflinks are very classy, with some beautiful work in carved glass and semi-precious stone.  Many cufflinks look unremarkable and designs can be very similar between brands.  The Dunhill cufflinks are striking and radiate style.

Dunhill suits

To my mind the greatest improvement has been in Dunhill’s clothes.  My memory of their clothes were that they were old-fashioned.  Their current collection is adventurous without being too young, with lots of fine cloths and expensive-looking knitwear.  The suits are particularly good.  They have a range of single-breasted peaked-lapel suits in pale bold colours and luxury lightweight wools.  Also I really like their take on the three-piece suit.  Dunhill have used a combination of high quality silky wools, dark colours with a warm sheen and sharp italian-style tailoring.  Many three-piece suits look heavy and bulky but the Dunhill design looks slim, sleek and sharp.  It is a very flattering look. 

Go and browse and if you buy nothing else buy a copy of Dunhill’s “Real Man” diary.  By buying this you are supporting Dunhill’s preferred charity, the “Prostate Cancer Charity”.   I applaud their support for a charity that helps men deal with a serious health problem, one that strikes more than one in five men in England.

This visit to Dunhill opened my eyes to their uniqueness as a brand.  I cannot really classify them as being English, Italian or American, just “Dunhill”, an international brand in the best sense of the world.  Unclassifiable brands are rare and worth having.  I will return to Dunhill in the future.

 The sale is on until the last weekend in January 2008.

Alfred Dunhill, 48 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6LX

Tel: 44 (0) 845 4580779

http://www.dunhill.com/en

This concludes Part 1 of our visit to Jermyn Street.  If you have comments or questions please leave a comment after this post. 

The Jermyn Street Association promotes its brands and stores and offers an email newsletter of information and events.  It can be found here. 

Part Two will look at some more Jermyn Street brands and one or two less well-known but interesting (and stylish) English shirtmakers.