Last year we wrote about Archer Adams, a menswear designer of exceptional flair.  Archer’s studio/shop is in Chiltern Street, in classy-but-discreet Marylebone.  Archer has a unique eye and an equally unique ability to marry interesting fabrics and colours into suits that please the style sensibility and delight the eye.  His clothes are bold, young but somehow sophisticated, with a sleek Italian-American look to them.  If I was going upscale clubbing, one of Archer’s suits would be perfect.

We wrote about Archer here.

So they just sent us this announcement to let us know they were having a sale:

Archer Adams Sale, now on.

This is a one-time sale, as the store is being redeveloped to hold more clothes, with more style.  So this is a renovation sale, with up to 80% off many items instore.  This includes their suede jackets, their very high-quality silk shirts and of course, their wonderful suits.

They also tell us that their new website is almost complete (due this month) and it will show their new product range.

Finally, if the sale is not enough of an inducement, Archer says that he has got hold of some wonderful Mohair which will make up into very classy summer suits.  Anyone who orders one during the sale will get a complimentary second pair of trousers.

You gotta go… This guy has style in his very DNA….

Details

Archer is at:

Archer Adams

2 Chiltern Street,

London, W1U 7PR

Tel: +44 (0) 207 935 3582

Here is something to brighten up a dull Winter!

Gallo, upscale Italian hosiery brand, have just opened their new shop in Covent Garden, on Longacre.

For those of us who have only been able to buy our Gallo socks and ties when in Milan (great shop there, BTW) this is indeed good news.

History

Gallo are a historic name in Italian style and one of the very few companies that are famous for men’s hosiery (they also sell women’s).  They have been making hosiery in Brescia for more than 75 years, Based near Lake Garda, they have built a reputation as THE sock company, amongst well-dressed men.  Gallo built that reputation by only using the finest yarns and never compromising on the quality of their fabrics, using extra-fine merino wool, pure Egyptian cotton, linen and the best cashmere.  In my opinion what really makes Gallo great is their wonderful range of colours, thousands of bright, rich colours woven into formal and casual styled socks.  Gallo socks are a dance of visual sophistication.

So, without further ado, let’s look at the real thing.  Here are a pair of Gallo short length socks (mine), the length which British men prefer.  They are a bright red rib on a pale red matt weave, with a grey toe and heel.  They work well with casualwear and
are just structured enough that I can wear them with a suit in a casual setting.  They are made of fine merino wool and cotton.

Gallo short business sock

The feel of the sock is important to me.  These socks are really well made, you can feel the structure of them when you wear them but in an unobtrusive, well-formed way. They are light, comfortable and wear really well.

If you look closely at the socks you will see a contrast seam around the toe-piece.  This is a Gallo trademark, it adds a little joie-de-vivre to the sock (and makes it easier to match pairs up).  You could consider this an addition to your knowledge of style, the ability to recognise a Gallo sock.  This sock is actually a business sock and below you can see this model in some more conventional business colours.

Gallo business socks, colours

Fun Socks

Gallo are known for their bright colours and fun styles.  Here is the current best-seller in the Gallo range, a banded multi-colour casual sock.  This style is the Windsor Stripe.

Gallo short sock: Winter Bestseller

European generally prefer a longer sock, to mid-calf, here are some of the socks in the current collection.

Bright tie-dye sockSock Display

Gallo sell socks from both their permanent and seasonal collections.  Here is a long sock from this winter season collection.  Apparently this sock sells well in Germany.  That said I do not think it is is a style that Englishmen will like so much.  I suspect that Englishmen might prefer the socks in the new Spring Summer collection. In the last section of this article I preview the socks in the Gallo spring / summer collection.

Gloves, Ties and Scarves

Gallo sell a range of knitted men’s accessories and here are some absolutely superb knitted wool ties. A knitted tie with a white or plain colour dress shirt is a great look, recently sported by luminaries such as Tom Ford and Jude Law.  These are the perfect ties for that look.  The colours are deep and rich, the wool is a high-quality and durable Merino.  For me, these ties are one of the highlights of the Gallo range.

Those beautiful knit ties

Here is a picture of my Gallo gloves:

Gallo wool and cashmere gloves

I like this style of glove for country walks, trips to the pub, walking my friend’s dog.  They go well with a scarf and heavy sweater, in a way that my Gieves and Hawkes black leather, or my Eddie Bauer arctic thermal gloves (overkill) do not.  These gloves are fun and for fun times.  They are wool and cashmere and again, extremely comfortable.

The Shop

Here is the shop, at the western end of London’s Covent Garden, where it meets St Martin’s Lane.  The shop is in the nature of a work-in-progress.  It will be fitted out in the Gallo house style over the coming months.  For the moment it is light, bright and easy
to shop in.

Shop Exterior

In fact if you want an antidote to English winter blues, simply step in the shop for a couple of minutes. Here are some pictures of the racks and displays.

Interior view, the Gallo shop, London's Covent Garden

Gallo sell both men’s and women’s wear including sweaters, gloves and scarves for both sexes.  Just for a change, here is a picture of the women’s collection

Women’s display

Here are Gallo’s famous women’s pantyhose.  These are very stylish indeed, and beautifully made.

Gallo: Forthcoming Spring/Summer collection

I mentioned earlier that this article would contain a preview of Gallo’s Spring / Summer men’s range, so here they are, in all there glory;

Here are the two main ranges that Gallo will sell in England this Spring Summer season.

The first of these is the classic two-colour Gallo ribbed sock in a variety of Summer colours. These socks span the work / leisure divide.  The darker colours are perfect for the conservative English sensibility.  The
lighter colours are equally stylish and their vibrant contrast rib makes for a very stylish sock.

Here they are in all their colours (notice how they all have a crimson socktop band, it’s a nice touch);

Summer Colours

Here are some personal favourites

The Deep Red/Blue is both adult and fun at the same time.

Red/Blue Gallo summer collection sock

The Turquoise /Blue is a very much a fun sock, great
combination of colours.

Turquoise from the Summer collection

And here is the Red / Orange, just to show it off

Red/Orange, from the Summer collection

The second range are spectacular indeed.

They are a single colour socks, again fine cotton and wool, but this time with a fine metallic sheen in the weave.  Now I do not know how Gallo achieve this effect but it makes for a beautiful sock, elegant, slimming on the foot and a little glamourous.  When as the last time you could say a sock was glamourous?

Here are some shots of the range;

Gallo, summer fineweave range

Here are three of my personal favourites:

The Red (bold but sophisticated)

Gallo fineweave Red

The deep Burgundy (rich, stylish, elegant)

Gallo fineweave Burgundy

And the best of all (for me) the Royal Blue, simply style, colour, class.

Just beautiful. Gallo Royal Blue

Accessories and Style

Gallo have widened my style universe.  We all know that accessories are crucial to a man’s style.  However socks have always been a bit of a blind spot for me and I have always played it safe with conservative colours and styles.  The Gallo collection shows that it is possible to be both colourful and elegant, to have stylish socks that are also fun.

Gallo

I recommend a visit, to get a blast of warm Italian style in a cold British winter.  Gallo are at

Gallo

111 Longacre, Covent Garden (at the St
Martin’s Lane end).

They are open 10-19.00 Monday to Saturday, 12-18.00 on
Sunday.

Their email is info@londongallospa.it

Enjoy!

A while back we wrote an extended article about Savile Row shirtmakers Harvie and Hudson.  One of the few shirtmakers still owned and run by the original families.  Harvie and Hidson are now managed by the third gneration of Harvies and Hudsons, with the fourth gneration working in the stores.

Our original article, including some great pictures, is here: http://www.whatmakesaman.net/wordpress/2012/03/17/harvie-and-hudson-classic-jermyn-street-style/

Harvie and Hudson have always moved with the times, and their well-tailored English suits, topcoats and accessories are now as well-known as their shirts.  All of their clothes are available from their website, including their bespoke shirt service.  If you have always wanted to find out about getting bespoke shirts but did not know where to start, the website is a good beginning.

Harvie and Hudson have recently upgraded and re-launched their website and you can find it here http://www.harvieandhudson.com/

For our American readers, the site now has the dates of the Autumn (Fall) 2012 trunk shows, on the home page.

Here at What Makes a Man we are very pleased to provide a the transcript of a Question and Answer email correspondence with Andrew Loake, MD of Loake shoes.   Andrew is the fourth generation of Loake to helm this iconic British shoe brand.  As

Andrew Loake at the Loake factory in Kettering, England

regular readers will know, it is the suitamkers, shirtmakers and shoemaker who are our heroes so we are very pleased to be able to publish this transcript.  We asked Andrew about his shoes on the occasion of the opening of the new Loake flagship store in London.  For our article about the store and the Loake website, see the links at the bottom of this article.

Questions and Answers

Of all the classic English shoemakers, only Loake has been without its own shops, until now. Why open a shop now?

In the past we have seen ourselves primarily as manufacturers, but now it is important for a brand to engage more directly with the public.

Is the shop part of a larger retail strategy, will there be more shops in England?

Prior to opening the London store, we had no direct experience of retailing. It’s possible that there may be more shops in due course but, for the time being, we want to learn as much as we can from this one.

What are Loake’s plans for overseas, especially in the US (What Makes a Man has a large US readership).

We currently sell to over 60 countries around the world but, until recently, our priority markets have been within Europe. We would be wrong to ignore the opportunities in the US though – it’s still the largest economy in the world, and we have a common language.

During these difficult economic times, a number of brands are saying that they are seeing “a flight to quality” in menswear. Do you have an opinion on this with regard to Loake?

Definitely. When economic times are harder, people do spend less money – but they think more intelligently about the money that they do spend. People want to buy good things that they will enjoy owning. You don’t have to choose between high quality and good value – you can have both at once.

What Makes a Man articles on bench-made shoes get the greatest number of reads, especially from American readers. Andrew, what is your view on the American experience of British bench-made shoes?

We have relatively little experience (so far) of American customers , but I don’t see why they should be any different from other Loake customers around the world. English shoemakers have a well-earned reputation for excellence that is recognised around the world. Americans certainly understand about quality and value.

In the City, workers in the financial sector consider Loake to be the workhorse shoe. Though some brands have more styling (and cost more) Loake are seen as handsome, well-made shoes at a good price point. Is handsome and well-made how you characterises Loake shoes?

Certainly, our shoes are regarded as handsome and well-made, but that’s not to say that our shoes aren’t stylish. English classics are very much in vogue at the moment, but we also have a specific collection called “Design Loake”, the idea of which is to combine contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship.

How does being family help shape the Loake brand?

The background of the family business has been incredibly important for me. The business and the family have been inextricably linked and have shaped each other – we all grew up knowing what we know and doing what we do. So, the family/business ethos is heavily ingrained in us.

Are there younger members of the family being groomed to carry on the tradition?

Yes. I am 4th generation, but we also have some 5th generation in the business now, so the future is secure for a while yet. As far as 6th generation is concerned, it’s too early to tell – we’ll have to wait and see . . .

The Princes Arcade shop seems to have shoes which have a more Italian style, slimmer and with more styling than the Loakes we know and love. Are these “Design Loake” shoes? What inspired Loake to produce these shoes?

English classics are very much in vogue at the moment, but we also have a specific collection called “Design Loake”, the idea of whichis to combine contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship.

How are the new “Evolution Loake” shoes different?

Loake Evolution combines the classic styling and traditional Goodyear welted manufacturing methods for which Loake is renowned with the instant wearability of modern footwear. This is achieved through the use of a new system of construction which gives a degree of comfort and flexibility previously unavailable in a Goodyear welted shoe.

Some classic brands – Church, Barkers, have started making ranges of soft sneaker-type shoes. Will Loake do that?

We do produce a range of moccasins, boat shoes, driving shoes, desert boots, etc. under the “Loake Lifestyle” label, but our emphasis will always be on the traditional classics for which we are best known.

Grenson have made a name for themselves by very stylish collaborations with Nigel Hall, French style houses and most notably Albam. Are Loake planning anything similar?

We have no specific plans for collaborations at the moment. We want the world to know more about Loake shoes, but we have to be careful how we spread the word. Collaborating with another brand can increase the “reach”, but can dilute the message and lead to confusion.

What is your personal favourite Loake for:

Formal (suit and tie)

For a formal occasion, I would suggest a toe cap shoe: style “Aldwych” (pure classic) or “Churchill” (for a little extra style).

Loake Aldwych

Casual (chinos and a shirt)

A tan or oxblood brogue: Style “Chester” or “Royal”.

Loake Chester

In my opinion Loake Royal Brogues are one of the finest shoes in the world. And my opinion is shared by stylish men the world over . It would be good to hear your view on why these shoes are such iconic classics.

Quite simply, English brogues are probably the most versatile shoes you can find. You can wear them with suits, jeans, chinos, cords – and just about anything else.

What would you recommend to men who are new to good shoes? One pair? Two? Style? If you have a view on this it would be really useful, as readers look for guidance from style leaders.

I’m tempted to say the more shoes the better. But actually, there’s sense in this. Fine leather shoes can require a full day to recover so should be left for at least 24 hours between wears. So, if they’re worn on alternate days, they will last much longer.

Anything else you feel should be said about one of England’s iconic craft brands.

Try some Loakes and see for yourself . . . . .

Our thanks to Andrew Loake for his time and courtesy.  Our thanks also to Bridget Grey of Grey PR for facilitating our Q&A with Andrew Loake.

The new Loake store is in London’s elegant and classy Princes Arcade, just off London’s Jermyn Street.  To read about the store go to our article here.

To read about Loake’s shoe ranges, their history and why we are such fans of the Loake Royal Brogue, read our article here.

To read our articles about British ready-to-wear benchmade shoes (including Loake), go to our articles here and here

We definitely recommend the new Loake website which includes all models of Loake shoes, available to buy online. The website is here: www.loake.co.uk

Here is the second in our series of articles on Loake, one of the oldest and best–loved of English shoemakers.

Our first article, on Loake, their history and their new ranges, is here.  Our third article, a transcript interview with Andrew Loake, the fourth genration of Loakes to helm this great British brand, is here.

Loake have a long history of making the best British shoes (they established their factory in 1880).  They have a Royal Warrant (for commendable service to England’s Royal Family) and are a favourite of military men, financial chaps in the City, London’s financial district, and, even have hipster street cred.  You cannot really ask for more.  Now they have opened their first own-brand store in London.  Loake very kindly invited us to visit and this is what we found.

The Loake flagship store in Princes Arcade, off London's Jermyn Street.

Loake – London Flagship store

Throughout their long history Loake have always sold through other retailers.  Now they have opened their own shop in London.  When I saw this it was the answer to a prayer.  What London has badly needed is a Loake shop where it is possible to browse their range.  Here is a picture of their newly-opened shop, in London’s classy Prince’s Arcade, (which opens off Jermyn Street, home to some of Britain’s most upscale shirtmakers and shoemakers). The shop is a showcase for all of the Loake collections, so has shoes from the 1880 Premium collection, the Loake Designer collection and of course the classics.  If you have read our  earlier article on Loake, you will know that I have a long-standing love for the Loake Royal Brogue and that these shoes have a cult following amongst stylish men.  So here is a picture of our favourite Loake shoe in situ, in its natural habitat as it were.

Loake Royal Brogues - one of the finest men's shoes ever made.

And just by the way I was really pleased when Colin told me that The Royal Brogue was one of the most asked after shoes in the shop.

The shop has an easy-going masculine elegance, all dark wood and dark-green felt.  Here is a picture:

Interiors at the store

The Loake service

The store manager is Colin Austin, who has been in the game of Gentlemen’s shoes for a long time.  Colin and I talked for a long time about the importance of good fit and how it can be difficult for a customer to assess the fit of a pair of shoes when trying them new in the shop.  He talked about one of the most common mistakes men make, which is that they do not realise that new shoes are relatively inflexible, not yet having been worn in.  So when customers walk in the shoe (in the shop) the shoe does not flex much and moves away at the heel.  This causes some customers to think the shoes are too big and look for a smaller size.  So at the shop Colin and his staff are keen to ensure that a good fit is the first priority for customers.

Colin believes that good shoes need good service, to ensure that customers get the shoes they need. I tucked myself away in a corner of the shop and watched him work, for about an hour.  It was a real education, I learnt a great deal about shoe fitting, shoe types and some of the less well-known characteristics of good shoes.  It was also fascinating to see jusst how many men are Loake enthusiasts.  I was quite astonished at how knowledgeable some of the cusotmers were, and were looking to buy particular styles that they had worn previously.  What was also interesting were the number of customers who had seen a particular pair of Loakes on the Loake website and had come to the store to buy the shoes in person.

Here is Colin.  If he strikes you as a relaxed, friendly guy who knows his shoes, well, he pretty much is.  If you need to buy a pair of shoes and want some sound advice, Colin is your man.

Colin Austin, Loake store manager and men's shoe guru

Colin is assisted by Hector Ramirez, who is also a shoe guru in his own right.  Between the two of these gentlemen you are in good hands.

Hector Ramirez

And of course the shoes.  After all, their can be no better recommendation than the shoes be worn by the people who know them best.

Firstly, here is Hector wearing the slick and streamlined Sharp, from the Design Loake range.  I really liked this shoe, the design IS sharp, with a streamlined sexy look that borrows something from Italian shoes, whilst remaining quintessentially British.  A really good design and it just radiates style.  This shoe deserves to become a Loake standard.

The Sharp, from the Designer Loake range

And lastly, here is Colin, wearing the Churchill, from the Loake 1880 premium range.  The detailing on the vamp of the shoe is such a nice touch, light and elegant.  Even though I shot this photograph with a limited amount of light, the quality of the leather simply dominates the shot.  Classic and wonderful shoes.

The Churchill, as worn by Colin Austin, upscale, understated and extremely elegant.

The shop is beautifully designed, with the shoes nicely displayed all within reach and each with enough room to show them off.  It was especially interesting for me, because I was able to inspect and handle shoes from the newer Loake ranges, such as the Designer Loake and 1880 ranges. The shop adds lustre to the Loake brand.

Go visit

If you are a Loake fan or are in the market for good English shoes, I strongly encourage you to visit the shop, it is of course ideally placed in the centre of good style and very easy to get to. .  If you know Loakes, the shop is an unrivalled opportunity to browse and inspect the Loake ranges, especially the new ones.  If you want a particular pair of Loakes, give the shop a call.  If they do not have what you want to hand, they will order them in for you in just a couple of days.  If you are new to Loake my advice is to bend Colin’s ear about what you want.  That is the direct route to getting a pair of shoes that you will come to love.

Great shoes, in the setting they deserve.

To read about Loake’s shoe ranges, their history and why we are such fans of the Loake Royal Brogue, read our article here.

To read our Q&A interview with Andrew Loake, the fourth generation of Loake to manage this iconic brand, go here

To read our articles about British ready-to-wear benchmade shoes (including Loake), go to our articles here and here

Details

Loake,

Princes Arcade, London,

SW1Y 6DS.

Tel +44 (0) 20 7734 8643

Opening Times:

Mon-Sat 10.00 – 18.00

Loake – traditional shoemakers in the classic style

Loake shoes are one of the oldest of the English shoemakers.  Originally formed in 1880 by John Loake, they have long been a byword for quality English bench-made shoes for more than 130 years.  For all of that time they have been based in Kettering, in Northampton. Today, Loake shoes are run by Andrew Loake, the great grandson of John Loake. Loake is one of the best British shoemakers, they have great “heart”, spirit, skill and an enduring tradition. I believe that one of the key reasons for this is that Loake are still a family firm and they draw their strength from that proud  tradition.

Andrew Loake, the fourth genration of Loakes to head up this proud brand

Those of you who wear Loake will know that their shoes are very well-made, handsome and hard-wearing.  If you want to understand more of how they make their shoes, there is a fascinating piece on their website here.  Loakes take a good polish, are properly Goodyear-welted and with care, will last for many years.  We first wrote about Loake in our article celebrating English shoemakers, here.

Loake – City Stalwarts

Loake have always prided themselves on pricing their shoes competitively and lots of Loake’s shoes sell at very competitive prices.  For that reason and their hard-wearing ruggedness, I always recommend Loake to any man who is looking to buy good British shoes for the first time.  Loakes will take a goodly amount of hard wear, while the new quality-shoe-wear  learns how to care for his good shoes.  This piece of good sense is widely shared amongst workers in the City, London’s financial centre.  So Loake really are city stalwarts, worn by a lot of men who know the value of good clothes and good style.  But Loake are also worn by men who prize them for their style, including me.

Loake, me, and Loake Royal Brogues

Loake were the first quality men’s shoes I ever wore.  But I did not buy them to wear for work, I did not buy a pair of Black Oxfords and polish them to a high shine and wear them with a suit.  No.  My first pair of Loakes were a pair of Ox-Blood Loake Royal Brogues.  This is one of the style decisions that I am most proud of.  Like other men of flair and character, I bought a pair of these wonderful Brogues to go clubbing in.

Here is a picture:

Loake Royal Brogue - a masterpiece of shoemaking (double-click pic to enlarge)

As you can see, Loake Royal Brogues are an American-style brogue, with the full American wing-tip and a storm-welt.  Rugged, manly, yet with an elegance that’s unmistakable. Every generation of stylish men re-discovers Loake Royal Brogues anew.  They are now truly iconic shoes.  No less an authority than Fantastic Man magazine, those lordly Scandinavian hipsters, have declared that Loake Royal Brogues are masterpieces of cool. You could wear them with a suit and they look good.  But where they really shine is with Chinos or Jeans, as a classy addition to a casual outfit. I even saw a guy wearing a pair with Khaki cargo-pant shorts (in London’s Covent Garden, Summer 2011) and with a pair of thick socks. They looked superb.

I have now worn out three pairs of Royal Brogues.  I remember taking the second pair, at the end of their life, to a shoe-mender. I was hopping that he could do something about the uppers, which had cracked badly in two places.  The shoe-mender happened to be Hungarian and when he saw the Royals he exclaimed, “There shoes are so beautifully weathered!”.  He was right, Royal Brogues wear in to become distinctive and eye-catching, with a rich patina and depth of colour that is extremely elegant.  I had worn those Royals everywhere, Paris, Monte Carlo, Lisbon, they had walked me into bars and clubs, casinos and restuarants across the length and breadth of Europe.  In the end, only years of really hard wear in the rainy English weather had beaten them.  Those Royals did me proud.

You know I try never to use the word cheap on this site, because it has unfortunate connotations. But you can buy a pair of Royals today for only £150.00, from the Loake website.  Regular readers write to me all the time, so I know that you, like me, like a bargain.  £150.00 for a pair of Royals?  Is that all? You have got to have a pair!

Loake – up to date

Loake have always been their for the stylish man, producing handsome dependable shoes year in, year out. However in the last couple of years, Loake have really been making their mark anew.  Firstly they have been extending their range, drawing on their historic collection and extending their design model.

So now we have Loake 1880, a premium range of extra-specia leathers with an extensive range of handwork.

Loake 1880, premium shoe collection

Loake Evolution, a stylish range, designed for comfort, with a special comfort-layer insole, making them the preferred shoe for extended wear.

Design Loake, a simple, Italian-influenced shoe, lighter and in contemporary colours and shades.

Loake Sharp

Classics, including of course the afore-mentioned Royals.

Loake L1 Essentials, a competitively priced range which has a representative collection of good English shoes, including Monkstraps, Slip-ons and Oxfords.  If this collection does not make you a fan, nothing will.  We feature the Loake “Sharp” from this collection in our article about the new Loake shop, here.

Finally we have Loake lifestyle, a casual range of shoes, including Boatshoes, Loake’s own trainers, and others.  I really liked this Sahara Desert Boot.

Sahara Desert Boot

If you want to browse these ranges, go to the new, much improved Loake website.  I have been known to grouse that websites for English bench-made shoes do not measure up to the quality of thie websites.  The Loake one does, and is designed around the discerning man who wants to browse Loake’s shoes.  The website is www.loake.co.uk

Loake shoes are sold by good shoe retailers throughout the Uk, but if you really want to have fun and get a close-up view on Loake’s new ranges, I suggest a visit to Loake’s classy new flagship store, just off London’s Jermyn Street.

Our article about the store (including  details of their location and opening) is here.  Our Question and Answer article, talking about Loake shoes with Andrew Loake, the fourth generation of Laokes, to manage this great shoe brand, is here.

To read our review of the new Loake store and details of its services, go here.

To read our articles about British ready-to-wear benchmade shoes (including Loake), go to our articles here and here

Aspinal are an English company who make very high quality leather goods. 

I have been a fan for some years and like their men’s collection a lot.  Aspinal have put a lot of work into building up their men’s leather goods and for me they have built a distinctive style.  There is a solidity about their men’s leatherwear, a classy English ruggedness, but they also have a sense of fun, there is a lightness about their designs which prevent them being stuffy or over-traditional. 

I would like to claim that I disovered Aspinal myself (being a style genius and all) but the truth is my wife, with a keen eye for great accessories, bought me my first Aspinal piece. 

So Aspinal recently held a Press Day, centred around their new men’s bag, the Harrison.  I went along to see the current collection at their Brook Street flagship store and to take some photos of what I like in their men’s range.

But firstly, here is my first Aspinal piece, from some years ago.  My Aspinal hip flask, complete with scuffs and dings.  This hip flask has served me well, and is currently full of Bowmore 12-year old.  Gotta have some good stuff for an emergency….

Here is the front view.

John Van Rijn's very own Aspinal hip flask (click on pic to see full-size)

Here is the back view. 

Hip Dlask - back view (click on pic to see full size)

I show you this because I really like the detail stitching.  Very British, more than a bit James Bond.  Aspinal’s detailing is one of the things that make their men’s range stand out.  More on the detailing below.

Harrison Bag

This is the new men’s bag from Aspinal.  It has a luxury, weekend-getaway-bag kind of feel about it.  Like almost all of Aspinal’s men’s products it has a functional, well-made quality about it.  You can just imagine stuffing it with weekend essentials and chucking it in the car.

Aspinal of London Harrison bag in chestnut brown (click pic to see full size)

I like that the bag is so obviously well-made, shows off its functionality and is clearly designed to be used.  I like the slight retro-look of the design, that kind of ‘fifties manly man feel.  I would like to see one of these bags after it has been knocked around a little.  I suspect that they age well, and develop an individuality all of their own. 

The leather is of course superb, it feels smooth, supple and thick.  The colours are deep and rich.  I shot this picture under the shop lighting, which is quite harsh, but the glossy chestnut colour glows. 

Here is a picture of the same bag in black marbled leather.  For me marbled leathers have a style and sophistication all of their own, so this bag looks very mature style and class, to me. 

Harrison bag in marbled black leather (Click pic for full size image)

 Other Leather men’s bags

The man-bag below has more an urban design.  There is a bit of the school satchel about it and it actually has an insert for a laptop inside.  However the graining and the gloss of the leather give it authority and class.  It is not my personal style but I think it is a well-designed bag, of its type.  As an executive bag with flair and style I think it would make an excellent gift, to the CEO/Finance Director of your choice. 

Aspinal bag (click pic to see full size)

Pochettes

These Pochettes are very fine indeed.  Pochettes are those little bags that European men carry, big enough for your passport, phone and credit cards.  These two are very stylish, for very different reasons. 

Aspinal pochettes (double-click pic to view full size)

My friend Matt liked the Navy-Blue crocodile-effect leather.  And I can see why.  It is very upscale, discreet and slightly traditional in effect.  Quietly understated, as they say. 

Aspinal Navy Pochette (double-click pic to view full-size)

I have to say I liked the bolder pochette, with the tan strapping.  The effect here is rather like the bonnet strapping on old jags and bugattis.  There is a functional, military effect that makes the bag stand out.  The bag is a bit of a contradiction.  It is quite showy but does that by drawing on some very old-school masculine iconography.  Intriguing.

Aspinal strap Pochette (click pic to see full size)

This wallet was fun, with the brightly coloured insert layers.  Studies show that women always look at what kind of wallet a man carries.  Depending on the type of wallet a man carries, women make assessments of what kind of man he is.  Apparently it’s not about the money but how you determine your style.  So a guy carrying this wallet would clearly have a little devil-may-care.  Good fun, discretely done.

Coloured layer wallet (click pic to see full size)

Portofino carry-on bag

Next up is the Portofino carry-on bag.  It has a steamer-trunk, cruise-liner glamour and carries on the strappy, overlock theme of the pochettes.  Its not for me, my style is simpler, more classic.  But if you have a glamourous style, are the star of your own movie, this one is for you.    

Aspinal carry-on bag (click pic to see full size)

Team GB!

Damn, this is a great bag.  Tough, extravagant and colourful.  This is THE sports bag.  This bag looks and feels like you could kick it off the side of Everest and it would hit bottom without getting a scuff!  This is the manly sports-bag of the Team GB patriot!

Thew big Union Jack bag (click pic to see full size)

Portofino weekend bag

Now this bag is a work of art.  A weekend bag, again the Portofino collection, this is  organic, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, it just radiates real style.  If Aspinal have any sense, they will send me one of these bags forthwith and I can wax lyrical about its virtues.  Classy colours, subtle finishing and mature style.    

Travel Bag - Portofino collection (click pic to see full size)

Fedoras 

These colourful fedoras were a real surprise!  I had no idea Aspinal made them.  And they have real bravado, the colours are vivid and lively, not simply your usual browns.  And then I found out why.  These are Borsalino Fedoras!  Aspinal are selling the finest Italian hats here in the UK.  This is seriously good news. 

In this case, I am the last to know.  Apparently the Borsalinos are amongst the shop’s most best-selling products.  Not really a surprise, these are amongst the finest of men’s headgear.  

Borsalino fedoras at Aspinal London (click pic to see full-size image)

Cufflinks

Aspinal have a wide range of cufflinks, from the slightly old-school to the chunky.  But I shot these because I really liked this pair.  They are of course gloseed enamel over gold.  I liked them because they were slightly bigger than similar fine enamel cufflinks and because the colour and finish was so very rich.  The designer had hit a moment of inspiration with these and made something very beautiful.  

Enamel and Gold cufflinks (click pic to see full size)

A treasury of cufflinks.

Just to prove that Aspinal have a wealth of cufflinks, here is a shot of their cufflink cabinet.  If you would like to see mre, go alongto the store fof the Aspinal website, which has all their cufflinks available to buy on-line. 

A wealth of cufflinks

In fact, all the products I have reviewed here today are available from the Aspinal website.  Though if you can get to the shop I would recommend it.  Aspinal products are very tactile, if you handle these bags, you will get a feel for their richness and quality of manufacture. 

There are lots of men’s accessories out there in the market but Aspinals’ products, especially their bags, have an assured manly design.  Put them on your style list, they are very good.

Details

The Aspinal London Flagship store is at

25 Brook Street (off Bond Street)

London,

W1K 4HB

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7493 9509

Their website is here

Here is our Infographic for buying Chinos in London.  Lots of websites are publishing infographics at the moment so we thought we would try to produce one that was both fun and useful. 

If you like this, want to see more, or think we could do it better, let us know in the comments. 

Double-click on the picture to enlarge the infographic to full size.

Below the picture are the websites for the brands listed in the Infographic, running from top to bottom, left to right.  Starred brands are recommended by us, see the comment for the relevant brand.  Enjoy.

Infographic: Chinos in London by style and store

              

I stopped, dead in my tracks. 

I did not even know the shop was there.  What stopped me?   There, in the display window, was a beautiful suit.  It had a colour and cut which were striking, stylish and bold.  I was truly intrigued, because one does not  come across original menswear designers every day.  So I introduced myself to Archer and asked him about his business

And the suit?  More about that below.

Designer and tailor

Archer has had his shop for two and half years, he also sells his clothes and accessories on his website.  He sells his own shirts, suits and accessories.  Archer showed me around his store, which is a thing of beauty in itself.  The store, designed by Archer, is cool (in the jazz sense), male, (in a kind of New York club sense) and a great showcase for his clothes.  The store has a presence all of its own, calm, stylish, an exhibition space for premium quality clothes.

Here is a picture:

Archer Adams store, from rear to front

 Clothes

Archer sells both ready-to-wear, made to measure and bespoke shirts and suits.  His ready-to-wear clothes are notable for their elegant cut, clever use of good fabrics and really careful attention to detail.  However what really appeals to me is Archer’s use of cut and colour to bring beautiful fabrics to life. 

Here is a picture of some of Archer’s ready to wear shirts.  I really liked the red dot-pattern shirt.  The shirt is a heavy luxurious silk and slightly retro-sixties pop-art pattern makes it perfect to sit under a suit and really lift up your look.  For me it is special for several reasons.  Firstly, the quality and weight of the silk.  So often tailors use very thin silk and the effect can be a little feminine.  This shirt has mass and real presence.  Secondly the cut.  Using such a good silk means that Archer can give the shit a tailored structure, so it is a million miles away from those floppy unstructured silk shirts you can buy from big menswear brands.  I think that it is marvellous that there is a designer in London producing such original shirts.

Archer Adams shirts

Archer’s philosophy

Archer’s is that menswear should be simple and elegant, but show its style through attention to fabric, colour, cut and attention to detail.   In talking to Archer I realised that he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of fabrics. His depth of knowledge was only matched by his enthusiasm for good fabrics and elegant design.

Jackets and Suits

Archer’s use of slim cuts, good fabrics and really fine finishing is evident in his jackets.  Here is a picture:

Ready-to-wear jackets, Archer Adams

I think the Glen Plaid jacket on the right (rightmost jacket in the shot) is superb.  Glen Plaids are often woolly and thick.  This one is sleek and has a glamourous sheen to it.

Here is another picture.  That is one sharp-cut lapel.

Archer Plaid Check

Made-to-Measure

The majority of Archer’s customers come to him for made-to-measure.  Archer’s simplicity of cut and great eye for colour means that men come to him for a suit that is something special.  Archer designs around the customer’s requirement, so suits can be full or half canvas, fused, as structured or as simple as the customer wants or needs it.     

Fitting Room, Archer Adams

Here is Archer wearing one of his suits.  Once again the fabric is silk, in a pale gold.  I did not pick up the fabric as well as I would have liked, there was a marvellous fine slub in the silk that made it look truly stylish.  I like the fact that the silk is good enough to take a well-structured suit cut.  Overall it is a simple yet intensely stylish suit.  Fine details, such as the silk covered buttons make it an elegant, even showy,  design, whilst being modern and urbane.  And you have it from me, it is ok to have movie-star style.

Archer Adams silk suit

Accessories

Archer sells a variety of accessories.  The most striking of those are a range of silver- animal-headed walking canes.  Apologies for the lack of photograph, but if you go to the store (or website) you can see them in all their glory. 

Rounding out the range

Archer is in the process of adding to his range.  Coming soon are a custom cufflink service and a new range of ready to wear shirts.  I am keen to see the shirts.  They will be hand-made in London and it is a long time since anyone was able to make that claim.   The shirts will retail from around £140.00, which seems to me to be a competitive price for a hand-made shirt.  More details from Archer’s website, soon.  Again the emphasis is on very good fabrics and quality professional tailoring.         

That suit

Here is Archer wearing the jacket of the suit I liked so much.  It is an iridescent green, in a wool, trevira and cotton mix fabric.  I really like this suit, it has enough iridescence that it could do double duty, as a day suit and as a fun suit for the evening.  I also like the cut, the way the jacket sits on the shoulder.  The secret is that it has an inverted pleat in the back, which makes it even more original and different.   

Archer Adams in green jacket (part of suit)

There is an upscale club sensibility about this suit that would make it great fun as a social/clubbing suit.  The fabric comes in several other colours and Archer would be happy to show you the swatch book.   

Vision

This has been a difficult article to write.  This is because Archer’s clothes have a unique quality to them, his “look“ is both stylish and urbane and informed by his wide understanding of fabric and colour.  Some of this is indefinable (in an article) because it is Archer’s vision that makes these clothes real and I cannot photograph that.  The acknowledged wisdom is that the beauty of men’s clothes is in the details.  If that is true that Archer assembles the details so that his clothes are true originals. 

If this article whets your interest, I urge you to go to the store/studio.  These clothes need to be seen and handled.  

Bold

Archer Adams is bold, knowledgeable and stylish all at the same time.  His understanding of menswear is a real talent.  If you wanted to really express your own style this is a tailor I would use.  If you wanted fabrics that few other people could get for you and you wanted them tailored to bring out the very best of their qualities, I would suggest Archer Adams is your man.  If you wanted original clothes, Archer would be your tailor-partner, he would be the man to facilitate your ideas and make great clothes.     

Archer Adams really understands menswear and is an original designer.  It does not get any better.

Details

Archer Adams made-to-measure suits start at £999. 

Archer Adams

2 Chiltern Street,

London, W1U 7PR

Tel: +44 (0) 207 935 3582

Archer Adams website has a lot of examples of his work (and an online shop) as well as articles on his style philosophy.   You can find it here.

Carolina Herrera are of course famous for their women’s wear.  Their elegant, classic womenswear has just a touch of couture luxury about it.  Herrerra is most often seen as a luxury lifestyle brand for women.  It doesn’t hurt that Carolina Herrerra herself is an extremely elegant, beautiful woman and that she has established her clothes through season after season as  sophisticated tailored womenswear.  Carolina Herrerra  is a byword for upscale classic cosmopolitan style.

Carolina Herrerra also make and sell menswear.  Two things prompted me to write about Herrerra menswear.  Firstly, their classic men’s fragrance Carolina Herrerra Men 212 was rated very highly in our recent article about men’s fragrances (article is here).  Secondly the menswear range has just released a new brand CH Men Sport, a range of sporty summer clothes, aimed at the stylish younger man. 

So with these things in mind I went along to Carolina Herrerra’s store in London’s Mount Street to catch up on their menswear.

Carolina Herrerra store entrance on Mount Street, Mayfair, ondon

It’s quite a store.  Carolina Herrerra herself is originally from Venezuela and the store embodies that plush, dark-wood lush comfort that one associates with South American luxury.  As soon as you step over the threshold, the outside world disappears and you enter a very quiet, very tactile world of superb fabrics and classic designs.  Here is what you experience when you enter the store.

Carolina Herrerra, stoe interior, Mayfair, London

And the service here matches the store.  Softly spoken and courteous.  On a previous visit I was struck by the willingness of the staff to order in clothes that were in the look book but not available in my size.      

Menswear is mostly in the downstairs of the shop, which is laid out is a combination of racks and artful displays, which lend themselves to being picked up and inspected.  Again very tactile.  Here is the view along the racked collection.  At the moment the summer collection is in store, so there is a selection of well-cut jackets, slim-cut casual trousers and the CH take on classic soft-cotton shirts. 

I also like Herrerra’s Winter collections, for their topcoats.  Last winter they had the a wonderfully soft grey wool herringbone single-breasted topcoat.  I did not buy it but now often wish I had.  It was classic and to be truthful it was rather regal, quite showy (the Herringbone was a rich pale grey) and really drew the eye.  Very forties movie-star.  However at the moment that is an aside, as the winter 2012 collection will not be in stock for a little while.             

Menswear tends towards beautifully tailored classics.  I think this season’s standouts have to be the soft, buttery suede jackets, in various shades of tan.  The suede is of really good quality and the finishing on these jackets is tailoring perfection.  Here is a picture of one style.  

Suede summer jacket, Carolina Herrerra, summer 2012

Also good are this summer’s knitwear and shirts.  I like the fact that CH actually chose a colour palette for their collections and stick to it.  So this season it is all Summer shades, sage greens, warm dusty lavenders and summery reds.  So if you are a chap who has had his colours done and knows that Summer colours suit him, this is the perfect collection for you.  There is an end-of-a-very-still summer’s day about this collection.  There is a great deal to like about it.

Here is a picture.

Carolina Herrerra, summer colours, 2012

Here are two shots I had to include:

The first is a shot of one of the accessories cases.  I really liked the red-brown wallet at the lower right.  The colour makes it a different, original, without diminishing it’s classic allure.

interesting leatherwork on the wallets

The second were these men’s silk squares.  I think nothing says Carolina Herrerra more than the navy and white lined square.  Classic, crisp, elegant. 

Classic silk squares

Carolina Herrerra Men Sport

I mentioned earlier that Carolina Herrerra has a new range, more casual than their classics, fun and a little bit younger.  Here are some images from the capsule collection. 

CH Men Sport 2012, Blazer and shorts

 The blazer is casual but quite smart, with the white piping.  The sort of jacket you could wear in over a coupel of summers and make it your own.    

I included this picture because I liked the hoodie top.  Substantial, well-tailored but fun with the corded tie.   

Reds and Navy predominate here and of course the impeccable tailoring that distinguishes Carolina Herrerra is still evident.  So though it is a fun sport collection, it retains the classy elegance of CH and that is what makes it stand out.  The collection was released last week.  The collection will be in the London store within the next week, so go browse it, its good stuff. 

The Carolina Herrerra store is in Mount Street in Mayfair at this address:

Carolina Herrerra

120 Mount Street,

London, W1 3NN

Phone +44 (0) 20344 10965

The Carolina Herrerra website is here.