Author: Simon Crompton

The English nonchalance of David Hockney

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The English nonchalance of David Hockney

Friday, June 19th 2026Tags:
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By Christopher Moorby. Chris is the co-founder of Commission Studio, a branding agency in London working with the likes of Lacoste and Zegna. 

David Hockney was always a hero of mine. I first saw his work at Salts Mill in Bradford around the age of 13.

Among the overpowering scent of lilies was an eclectic body of work ranging from the exquisitely observed and masterfully drawn, to the naively and graphically painted, and then on to boundary-pushing photo montages. Here was an artist who could seemingly do it all, who attacked every medium with creative vigour and excitement.

The thing that I loved most about Hockney’s work was that once you’d witnessed his incredible ability as a draughtsman, you knew that anything you saw was exactly how he wanted you to see it.

If a painting was childishly executed it was because that’s how he wanted to convey it to you. His work was a total window into his imagination because he could realise his imagination physically. He wasn’t capped by ability. 

Experiencing the work at Salts Mill and my introduction to pop art at that age definitely helped form my own graphic eye and helped set the course for an interest in graphic design.

In later years as my interest in clothing and dressing grew, I was inspired by another example of Hockney’s creative eye: his wardrobe.

On his person Hockney wore clothes that were totally in tune with his art. In his prime his combinations of clothing were a saturated version of everyday colours and patterns. A pin stripe, but a super pinstripe. Pumped up polka dots. Jumbo windowpane plaids. Bright blues and candy pinks.

Classical choices, but the exaggerated version of them. In the 60s and 70s this approach was supercharged.

For me, his dress sense was in its prime in the eighties. He’d hit his stride. Long gone were the days of the try-hard 70s, where proving your sartorial expertise and taste was to wear everything at once. No need to peacock anymore in the 80s.

The glasses were still statemental and iconic, but more refined than the chunky rims that had overlapped his face in the sixties and seventies, when he was developing his voice and identity.

The classic British sartorial eccentricity is displayed in my favourite picture of him that leads this article: red socks and patterned slippers start the party, while up top horizontal and vertical stripes put him at risk of looking like an optical illusion. The pastel blue cardigan could be one colour too many, but Hockney’s relaxed confidence put it all at ease. An outfit that felt ‘thrown on’ by someone with a great instinct for colour and pattern. 

On to his later years and the harsh frames had been sacked, but my memory of them put them on his face regardless. The power of such an iconic look. As an old man with nothing left to prove there was little need to try too hard anymore.

Echoes of his sartorial flair were present in carnation button holes and patterned braces, but there was no time to worry himself too much about dressing when there was so much painting to do, and new techniques to embrace before his age caught up with him. Painting in fine suits had rarely looked more comfortable.

There was also something quintessentially British about his style. We see traces of these eccentricities in people such as King Charles, who has a particular panache for unexpected pattern combinations. Prince Michael of Kent has a similar eye and adds to it with his signature full windsor tie knot. We can also file the likes of Gilbert and George in this category.

An appreciation of British tailoring seems to be a fundamental part of this, but a daring approach to it comes from characters who have confidence in their own taste and creative eye. Mistakes will be made, but that’s all part of developing your sartorial voice. 

I think there’s something wonderful about getting things a bit wrong too, but done with a laissez faire attitude. This was a speciality of Hockney’s: a pocket square cascading from the chest pocket a ridiculous amount, but seemingly because it was stuffed it in without much thought.

I don’t know what we call this British nonchalance, but it’s certainly different to Italian ‘sprezzatura’. It’s not studied at all – it’s a type of flair without care. I really admire anyone who can pull off this spirit. It’s a rare quality, but certainly reflective of someone who is comfortable in their lane.

A final reason I liked Hockney’s wardrobe and dress sense was that it always reflected him and where he was in his life.

He dressed to suit his age and experience, without ever losing his flair. It was an outward reflection of personality, from an artist who always wore his imagination on his sleeve.

He put quality clothing to good use too. He lived and painted in it. Tailoring should be worn hard in my opinion – exquisite, but not precious. This is something I really value. Buy the good thing; have a good time in it.

As I enter my mid-forties, I’ve started to implement some of the lessons I learned from observing Hockney’s style over the years. I want clothing to reflect my age and how I feel, but I want to dress with the confidence of knowing more about myself and my taste and – also – not be too precious.

Maybe that means getting things a bit wrong, but it makes dressing oneself more fun; it certainly always looked like David was having a good time. 

The English painter and designer David Hockney passed away recently, aged 88. RIP. 

Dinner with Yasuto Kamoshita

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Dinner with Yasuto Kamoshita

Wednesday, June 17th 2026Tags:
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Note: The images shown are mostly from Kamoshita’s house in Tokyo, where we sent a photographer, to illustrate his style and wardrobe. The interview took place on a separate occasion, in Milan.

When we arrived, Kamoshita-san and Hasegawa-san were already there. Or to be more precise, they were across the street, peering through the window of Officina Antiquaria. “It's my favourite furniture shop,” Kamoshita said. “Vintage, mid-century.” Through the window we could all see – as we peered together now – some low tables, a set of cabinets, a rather elegant leather recliner. Nice stuff. 

Kamoshita had picked the restaurant, so it shouldn't be surprising that it was close to a favourite store, as well as, in fact, round the corner from his hotel. He's been coming to Milan for a long time. The first time was buying European brands for Japanese department store Beams in the nineties – and there is naturally a set of favourites. 

Oh, also it was 37 degrees. Milan had been throbbing with heat that day, and so we did little more than glance in the window before scuttling across the street to the restaurant. Inside Kamoshita suggested beer – just a little glass, ice cold – before we looked at the menu. Everyone enthusiastically agreed and after receiving that, as well as equally cold mineral water, we could relax. 

Kamoshita and colour

We means four. Myself and Lucas Nicholson from Permanent Style, Kamoshita and Yoshimi Hasegawa sitting across from us. Hasegawa was there to translate: Kamoshita’s English is good, but like many Japanese I've interviewed, he prefers to speak through a translator. It rules out any possible mistake, and provides more thinking (or eating) time.

Indeed, Kamoshita would give rather long, thoughtful responses to each question during our dinner, as if he had used that extra time to reflect. For example – I’ve always admired Kamoshita’s sense of colour, and remembered that he studied interior decoration at university – were the two possibly connected? 

“No, I don't think so,” said Kamoshita, or rather Hasegawa. Fortunately, we’d heard Kamoshita's long reply in Japanese, so we knew there was more to come. It wasn't a stupid question. 

“We studied the history of decoration and of architecture, so it was not that relevant. But, I loved art and I loved artists, that was why I studied it at university, and that has always been an influence. Particularly colour, particularly artists like David Hockney. The way he combined colours – you could see it in the paintings and then in what he wore.”

Kamoshita, by the way, is wearing a tan-gabardine suit, with a mustard-striped shirt and a jazzy Charvet tie of red, cream and purple. No one meeting him would be in any doubt that he likes a splash of colour. 

But, I asked, doesn’t this make it hard to work in classic menswear, given it’s so dominated by sober tailoring, by black and blue and white?

“Yes, there has always been a tension there,” Kamoshita replied. “But, I appreciate the traditions of menswear and why they exist. I appreciate the elegance of sober dressing and everyone dressing in a similar way. I appreciate the respect that comes with dressing for a particular occasion. 

Then, after a pause: “At the same time I think there is a responsibility for me to express myself. Once you know how to, I think there is just as much responsibility there to yourself as a person.”

Menswear moves with re-interpretation

I was interested whether some of that passion of colour came from Kamoshita’s love of Italian style? After all, Italian tailoring was a huge trend in Japan in the late nineties and early noughties, when he was building up United Arrows. 

“No, not particularly. A lot of people talk about colour in relation to Italian style, but I think you see it everywhere – in American Ivy style, in British style. When I was growing up American casual style was the big trend, and they have their own strong colours. Then it was French style, then Italian, and always in the background a British influence.

“Of these, the most influential for me was the French, particularly their take on Ivy style. Shops like Hemisphere, Old England and Arnys. All of them were beautiful men’s shops in Paris, all of them are now sadly gone.   

This, I suggest, illustrates one of the great drivers of men’s style in the past 50 years, and one often underestimated: interpreting and re-interpreting traditions. Classic menswear can seem fairly static, but often it’s the interpretation of one culture by another that keeps it relevant. Like Hemisphere being a French person’s take on American clothing, which then got re-interpreted when it came to Japan.  

“Yes, and it’s interesting being a Japanese person, because we are always last in this chain. We don’t have our own menswear, so from the beginning we had to learn from others – from the Americans, from the French. This is what makes us great students of other traditions, of other cultures. We want to understand everything.

What is Japanese style?

Then after a pause again, that incisive additional thought: “And under all of it, I think we want to understand what is the best combination – what is the best style – for Japanese people. Today, I think we have found it, I think Japanese people have reached that point.”

OK, so obvious question next – what is that style? Kamoshita has one of those faces that can turn from serious to smiling in an instant. He is either pondering or grinning broadly. Without wishing to be patronising, I find it very endearing. 

At my question he shrugs, his face breaks open, and he laughs. It’s infectious – we all start laughing. 

“It is very difficult, very difficult to say.” I can see why. Ask a British person to describe British style and he might mention a few specific things – suits, ties, maybe cricket or tennis – but he can rarely define it satisfactorily. A lot of it is subconscious; it often takes an outsider to see it clearly. 

“Perhaps you see it best in the clothes themselves. For example, this suit I am wearing is by a rising star of Japanese tailoring. But the style of it is a combination of English and Italian style, through a Japanese eye,” Kamoshita says. 

“I never thought it would be possible to establish a Japanese style, particularly when it comes to colour. But people say I have a particular take on colour, so perhaps this Japanese style is being expressed by what I wear, what I design – it is those on the outside that have the perspective to see that best and describe it.”

I guess that’s people like me. As I mentioned, I have always found it inspiring how Kamoshita uses colour, and if I had to describe it I’d say it has all the energy of Italian dress, with a control and precision that’s very Japanese. 

Kamoshita has appeared on the cover of one of our publications before, for example – The Style Guide in 2018 (below). In that image he wears a tan suit with a burnt orange polo shirt, similarly coloured boutonniere and brown/white handkerchief. It’s colourful, but also restrained. 

A lot of Italians I know would combine those warm colours with a pop of yellow or of green, but the earthy tones he goes for are much more satisfying. Even the shirt and tie he’s wearing today are within a similar tonal bracket.

What’s the next new colour?

“The way we wear clothes is very influenced by what we see around us,” Kamoshita continues. “Our environment, the buildings, the weather – and of course the people.

“In my case, I’ve always wanted to be different from what others are wearing. It’s still very Japanese probably, but because everyone I saw was wearing navy and grey, I wanted to wear brown. Now many years later, brown is popular too, so I have to find something else!” This remark is followed, predictably and delightfully, by a giggle. 

“I’m not sure what is the new thing for me – perhaps beige. I can’t wear a purple suit and there aren’t many other options.” Perhaps white, I suggest – he could become the Japanese Tom Wolfe? “I’m not so sure, a white linen suit is beautiful but I think it works better on a white person with blond hair – Asians can’t compete with that,” he says. 

Associations play a role as well of course. Permanent Style contributor Manish Puri was showing off a cream double-breasted linen suit earlier that day (below) – but it looked rather different on him, being of Indian ancestry, than it would on the very white and English Lucas or myself. Kamoshita nods sagely, just as the main course arrives. 

Why do PS readers worry so much?

The restaurant, Antica Trattoria Della Pesa, is one of the oldest restaurants in Milan and deliberately continues a long tradition of Lombardian cuisine: ossobuco, often with risotto, hot zabaglione for dessert. It has also scrupulously kept its old furnishings. 

There is a lull in the conversation for a good 10 minutes while everyone tucks in. Mention is made of the recent elections, but nothing else. Proper menswear talk is reserved for the end of the course.

I begin by raising a point about that urge to dress differently from others: is that a hindrance when you’re designing clothes for other people to buy and wear? “Fortunately no, I don’t think so. I design what I like and want to wear, and it has always worked,” he says. 

“However, it does vary with the size of the brand you are working for. If it is my old collection, Camoshita, then it can be more just what I like – but if it’s a bigger brand, you need to have the broader customer in mind.”

This is interesting, because I feel Permanent Style readers all exist somewhere along this spectrum – from those that want to dress quite simply and conservatively, to those that are keen to express themselves. 

This point brings a question from Kamoshita back at us: “Why do Permanent Style readers ask about what they should wear so much?” he asks. “Why do they worry about it rather than just doing what they want?”

It takes me a while to formulate an answer. I wish I had a translator to give me some thinking time. In the end I say: because, I think, a lot of men want to dress well but they don’t have the understanding of clothes to do it. They don’t have the cultural inheritance of fathers or brothers or friends who dressed in an elegant way, and they haven’t spent much independent time thinking or researching it. 

Clothes are what you eat

“But I think most people know what they want to wear – they just don’t have the confidence to do it,” argues Kamoshita, serious now. “It’s instinctive, they know what they like. Just like eating – you eat food, you know what you like to eat.” 

I like the metaphor, but I think clothes are different in at least one way – they are social, cultural. They communicate something about you to everyone around you, so they’re more complex. Most of the time people don’t see what you eat. 

Lucas chips in here to extend the analogy: you can’t always eat what you want, like McDonald’s every day, because it would make you unhealthy. In the same way, you can’t wear exactly what you want because you live in a society, where different clothes communicate different things. 

(It occurs to me, as the conversation switches interlocutors, that that’s maybe why so many people turn up to McDonald’s in sweatpants.)

“And just like healthy eating, dressing well requires a certain level of education,” says Hasegawa. 

“I agree,” nods Kamoshita. “Ever since I was a young boy I was interested in clothes and wanted to know about them. I couldn’t understand people who didn’t care. I think today I have the same problem: I find it difficult to understand that some people may not know how to wear clothes because they’ve never thought about them – rather than it being a definite decision to dress that way.”

It’s also much easier to learn when you’re a teenager, I say. You’re learning everything else, so you absorb it all very readily, and there are no expectations. When you’re a 40-year-old it’s a lot harder to learn and also to experiment, to find your style. 

“Yes – I always say that if you never try you never learn. You need to try lots of different things. Same with food,” says Kamoshita.

This is true. The big problem is that good clothes are expensive – trying a lot of them takes a lot of money. 

“And, it’s a reason bespoke is not for everyone,” he says. “Not only is it the most expensive thing to experiment with, but it requires a certain level of knowledge and experience because you’re buying something you can’t even see – you have to imagine it.”

Hasegawa chips in again, going back to the point about how much money people spend on clothes: “It’s interesting to compare Europe with Japan, because in Japan people spend a lot more money on clothing. They may have a tiny flat and they won’t own a car, but they do spend a lot on clothes. 

“So they might earn £30,000 a year, but they’re still happy to buy Yohei Fukua bespoke shoes [which cost over £3,000]. Perhaps that’s one reason the standard of dress is higher – they’re buying more, and so experimenting more.”

Are there other reasons for that different attitude to spending money, I ask?

“One reason I think is that there hasn’t been any kind of class system in Japan, so people buy things more to show their status. And it’s cheaper to do that with a suit than it is with a car.”

At this point everyone sits back, as if we’ve solved something knotty and profound. I’m not sure we have, but it certainly made the meal go quickly. At the waiter’s suggestion, we retire outside for dessert. 

It’s always shoes

It’s still steaming hot outside, at 10pm. Still, with a cold glass of wine and a little wind coming up the street, it’s a lot more pleasant than it was during the day. I kick off with a favourite and regular question: what was the most expensive piece of clothing Kamoshita remembers buying when he was young? 

“I always like golf,” he says, “I’ve played regularly ever since my twenties. Back then, Jack Nicklaus was my icon, both for his golf and for what I wore. He had some real style. Well, I wanted the same club as him but also the same shoes, from Johnston & Murphy. I remember buying those shoes and they cost me more than my month’s salary. That’s stayed with me!”

It’s interesting, I think shoes are the answer to that question about three quarters of the time. There’s something about them that appeal uniquely to men – like they’re an object that can be fetishised, in a way that a suit isn’t. “For me, they’re a complete product,” says Kamoshita. “A bag is like that too – it exists on its own, without the need for a shirt, tie, even a person wearing it.”

And what does he wear to play golf today? “Ah, no costume, no knickerbocker!” he says. Slightly disappointing – if anyone could pull off that look, with a Fair Isle vest and a pair of saddle shoes, he could. 

Frankly, after this, the conversation turns to food and reminiscing. The dessert menu prompts a debate as to the origin of île flottante – many foreigners assume custard-based desserts like this are English, even though English people have rarely heard of them. And then there is talk of the heat – what is the highest heat and humidity people have had to live through? Nice chat, but probably not worth reporting in a feature on menswear. 

Trousers over time

There is a last question that prompts an interesting answer. As grappa arrives, we ask Kamoshita what he has on his wishlist, in terms of menswear purchases. Turns out, it’s a whole new set of trousers. 

“It’s hard, because I have a lot of suits and trousers, but fashions have slowly changed over the years,” he says. “Most of my suits are 18cm at the hem, but now trousers are 20cm, even 22cm. I’d like to change them but that’s often more than is possible. And you can’t get the same cloth any more.” 

He has managed to maintain the same body size over the years, so the jackets are OK. (We tell him this is very impressive – it draws a trademark laugh, which is always satisfying.) But the silhouette with the slim trousers looks wrong today. 

We have a few suggestions – turning them into flares with a nice paisley insert; adding Adidas stripes all the way down the leg. Admittedly these are not serious – the grappa may be starting to take its toll. 

The subject is saved by Lucas, who makes the practical suggestion of wearing separates instead. Kamoshita nods, and takes out his phone. We’re shown a picture of him wearing an old suit jacket with wide Bernard Zins trousers – naturally, he makes it work. 

Lucas also suggests that the trend will come round again. “Mmm, maybe after 20 years,” projects Kamoshita. “And by that time I’ll be dead!”

The photo had been taken outside Kamoshita’s home, and that is one reason the location was chosen for the photos accompanying this piece. It looked so stylish but also, of course, an extension of Kamoshita-san and his personality. 

The evening as a whole has felt like a wonderful insight into that. Not so much about his career, with all its twists and turns, but about a man reflecting on his relationship with clothes and how he sees things today. 

“If there is one thing I would like to do in the next few years, it is help Japanese craftspeople – particularly tailors,” concludes Kamoshita, returning to the theme of establishing a Japanese style. “There is such talent there, but not always the confidence or awareness to create an identity. I feel a responsibility to do this any way I can.”

All I can say is, lucky tailors.  

Footnote: Biography

Yasuto Kamoshita has been one of the most influential figures in Japanese menswear for many years. Born in 1957, he joined the department store Beams after graduating from Tama Art University, moving from a salesperson to a buyer over the years. In 1989, he made waves by being part of the team that broke away from Beams to set up a new store, United Arrows. 

Originally intended to be its own luxury Japanese brand, United Arrows eventually became a multibrand store too, albeit the biggest in the country. Kamoshita was a buyer from the start, focusing on Europe – for many years he hadn’t visited the US, despite his fondness for their style. 

In 2007 he launched his own line within United Arrows, Camoshita (the ‘K’ being swapped for a ‘C’ to sound more Italian, less Japanese). Today he continues to run his own brand as well as being a director for other brands, including Paul Stuart in Japan for example, which has a separate collection to the United States. 

Throughout it all Kamoshita has been recognised for his easygoing, Ivy-influenced style and mastery of colour, which have made him a style icon quite apart from his role in the direction of these stores and his personal designs. 

This article was the cover story of the Spring/Summer ‘25 issue of PS magazine

Hiut: A craft-menswear brand starting a new chapter

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Hiut: A craft-menswear brand starting a new chapter

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Monday, June 15th 2026Tags:
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Hiut is a craft-centred jeans manufacturer in Aberteifi (Cardigan), Wales. They make a great product, which we’ll talk about in a moment. But their story is also one that captures a lot about the classic, heritage-focused menswear movement that’s evolved over the past 20 years.

Up until the 1990s, the factory in Aberteifi was making 35,000 pairs of jeans a week, with 400 staff. Their biggest customer was Marks & Spencer and as you can imagine, the business of denim dominated the town. 

That all ended in 2002, when M&S moved production offshore. The factory had been trying to cut costs and become as efficient as possible for years – this was not artisanal craft – but eventually couldn’t make the jeans cheap enough. 

In 2011, with an idealism that (looking back on it) was typical of the time, David and Claire Hieatt launched a new company to restart production again. It was small, but they were able to re-employ a number of people and get attention from a world that was hungry for craft-based start-ups. 

Hiut developed a loyal following, and had some notable viral moments such as when Megan, Duchess of Sussex wore a pair of their jeans. But they remained a small operation occasionally trying out new ideas, and during Covid they got into financial trouble, being forced to ask customers for investment in 2024. 

Cardigan / Aberteifi (the English and Welsh names for the town)
Houses in the town

One of those, and eventually the full owners, was the Von Loeper family. Johann Von Loeper now runs the company, and has set about professionalising many elements of it – turning it into more of a fully fledged brand. 

When you’re the kind of person that appreciates small product-oriented makers, it’s easy to be sceptical about the idea of professionalising an operation like this, but it makes a difference to lots of ways we don’t necessarily appreciate. 

The imagery on the website has improved dramatically for example, making the fits easier to understand. And the fits overall have been re-assessed, then launched as a single range rather than one-offs. On the women’s side, Johann had more than 50 customers try different fits before refining and confirming them. 

“The previous women’s jeans were straight and close-fitting, which didn’t work for that many people,” Johann says. “We’ve worked to make a range that is better for different body shapes.

“Overall, the brand had been built in the image of David and Claire, which was a more philosophical approach to business, more about story than product and style. We wanted to update the company to show we could not just make high quality jeans, but design high quality too.”

Some of the 20 workers now in the factory
Cut denim

From my point of view, the biggest design problem they had - and a lot of small denim companies have these days - was washes. 

When heritage and authenticity first became mainstream in the 2010s, the idea of buying raw selvedge denim, which was uncomfortable and the wrong size to start with, was fine because it meant a more personal, characterful product in the long term.

But people have less patience for that now, and fashions have moved towards mid-blue and light-blue jeans, which it takes years to achieve if starting from raw. 

This is a problem for a craft maker, because washing raw jeans to get to those lighter blues is a whole other type of production, requiring different machinery and skill sets. Some, such as Blackhorse Lane in London, have invested in their own machinery. Hiut started working with LaundRe, who have the expertise but wash in more sustainable ways, in keeping with the Hiut philosophy. 

The new Summer Wash Selvedge range
Summer Wash in a wide fit

Hiut just launched their first washed jeans - a pale blue called Summer Wash Selvedge - and are planning to introduce a mid-blue at the end of July. 

Denim washes involve a conscious design choice, and Hiut have gone for quite a plain version without strong fades and whiskering. This puts them closer to some mainstream brands and away from the repro brands such as Full Count, who tend to go for more extreme versions, recreating vintage pairs.

“We wanted to go for that plain wash because we want customers to still get their own fades over time on the jeans,” says Johann. 

The Jerald in the Summer Wash
Ecru denim

Most of the range at Hiut was also relaunched last year, with a particular focus on wider and higher-rise fits: more in line with tailoring styles, interestingly, from their point of view. 

Lucas and I tried a few of the models, and he settled on the wide Jerald while I liked the tapered Benjamin. 

I have been trying wider-leg jeans recently – such as the Rubato Lot 2 and Bryceland’s 133 – and was interested to try the Jerald too, but found it a little too wide for me. Lucas however, who is broader than me and wears wider fits generally, liked the Jerald. He had it made in an ecru denim. 

The new Jerald fit
The new Benjamin fit

The Benjamin I found to be between the two Bryceland’s models (133 and 133S) in terms of the leg line, but a little straighter than those through the thigh. Room in the thigh and seat is something I particularly need, and in fact this Hiut model has more space there than their previous offerings. The Hiut is also higher than both in the back rise, which I don’t find I especially need but I know some others will appreciate. 

Hiut is known for some coloured details on the jeans, such as red fly button with their owl logo on it, and an unfinished red thread on the waistband that shows the last thing the maker did on the jeans. 

Personally I'm not such a fan of the quirky details, but it is possible to have jeans made without them – and apparently customers are much more likely to request special versions using other colours, to put their personal stamp on them.

I took size 33/32, which is my regular size pretty much. Lucas took 38/38, which is also the size he’d expect to go for, although in retrospect he says he could have also gone for a 36 waist, he was a little in between.

Red details
The mid-blue wash planned for the end of July

Alongside the new mid-blue wash, Hiut (pronounced ‘high-utt’ by the way) are also going to launch a denim jacket in the autumn, and some cords in their existing cuts. 

“The plan is not to expand too much, but just to offer a few other interesting things that customers have asked about over the years,” says Johann. 

I really hope they make it work. It would be great if the next chapter of this story was about Hiut being passed successfully onto a new pair of hands, that added something essential to the long-term survival of the manufacturing here.

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales visiting
And with a pair of jeans

They’ve already had one good sign. “Just after Christmas, I got an email from this very non-descript address, asking for my phone number,” says Johann. “I wasn’t sure whether to give it at first, to be honest, but I did, and 20 minutes later I got a phone call from the assistant secretary to Kate, the Princess of Wales!”

Kate, it turns out, was on a programme of visiting British manufacturers, particularly textiles, in order to try and support them – something King Charles has always been amazing at.

“One of the nicest moments was when she met Claudio, our head cutter, who is now 76 and been cutting here since he was 16,” says Johann. “He’s now in charge of training – we have five trainees at the moment – so hopefully he’s helping create the future of denim here as well.”

A casual travel wardrobe: What I wore in LA

Posted on by Simon Crompton

A casual travel wardrobe: What I wore in LA

Friday, June 12th 2026Tags:
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As I was packing for our recent trip to LA, it occurred to me that this would probably be the least tailoring I had ever brought on a work trip. 

We were mostly seeing casual brands and vintage shops, and even our magazine launch at Buck Mason wouldn’t necessarily be smart. They’re inherently a casual brand after all, and it’s always good to dress for the people and place so a suit and tie wouldn’t have been right.

In the end, therefore, I took only one tailored jacket and pair of trousers. And given my mild obsession for getting the most out of the minimum number of clothes, both of those had to go with other things too. 

The jacket I chose was my double-breasted linen from Ciardi, which is casual enough to go with both blue and black jeans, as well as the tailored trousers I took, which were dark-brown high twists from Trunk.   

That’s the jacket with blue jeans above. The jacket was only worn with the brown tailored trousers once, but I smartened that up with a cream silk shirt, black shoes and a black belt. With those accessories and the overall high-contrast palette it felt smart enough for a cocktail at Sunset Tower (to pick an example at random...). 

The trousers were a fairly smart choice, but they still partnered happily with something like a PS cream linen overshirt (above). 

As with the tailored outfit mentioned, I deliberately smartened that up to complement the trousers – so above it’s a knitted tee rather than a regular one, and black loafers rather than something more casual.

But let's go back to the beginning. As I usually do when planning these trips, I started with the trousers. Having decided these would be the blue jeans, black jeans and brown high-twists, I then turned to jackets. The cream linen jacket went with all three, as did the cream linen overshirt. 

Next was my ever-reliable jungle jacket, which would go with both pairs of jeans and was such a reliable travel piece – so many pockets, plus a fit that goes over everything yet still looks good with just a T-shirt. 

That’s the layout on the bed below. You can imagine me laying down the trousers in the middle, and then adding the other bits around them. 

At the top of this article you can see a way I wore the jungle jacket one day – with black jeans and a black knitted T-shirt (Rubato). The light-tint sunglasses in that outfit are a good example of using an accessory to make an otherwise pretty functional outfit more interesting (they're from Jacque Marie Mage, the Zephirin model).

Having a few things like this on a trip is really useful – scarves and hats fall into the same category. The sunglasses in the other shots are less unusual (from EB Meyrowitz). They're still great, but not necessarily the first thing that gets your attention. 

I'll review the Jacques Marie Mage at a later date by the way. It's hopefully interesting given how much they’re expanding at the moment, and indeed how popular sunglasses as a whole are becoming as a male fashion accessory. 

At the last minute, I added the PS Linen Harrington to this packing list, as it’s light and didn’t take up much room. I had hesitated about taking it, as it’s not the best colour with blue jeans and wouldn’t have been great with the tailored trousers either. 

But it was very nice to wear - as you can see in the outfit above, one evening on Redondo Beach before we had dinner with Yuki Matsuda. The tobacco-suede overshirt is not pictured in any of these outfits, but was very useful, being pretty a good smart/casual crossover piece, matching with all the trousers, and as mentioned recently, being quite an LA piece. 

The shoes also had a late addition. I initially had my Alden black full-strap loafers, Superga tennis shoes, and PS boat shoes, which felt like a nice range and also versatile. But when I got to the end of the packing and found I had space, the black City-Mocs were added too. 

They were added primarily for comfort - as a back-up if any other shoes were giving me trouble. It’s a nice thing to have if, for example, you have been out all day, your feet are aching, and you want to change into something different to go down to dinner. 

The shirts and T-shirts were mostly neutrals - white, black, plus the universally useful blue denim. Those are knitted black and white T-shirts shown under the jungle jacket and suede overshirt, with regular versions stacked lower down. 

Knits were similarly tonal, shorts in beige and swimming shorts in tobacco. The only other pieces not shown here are a couple of caps, some PS chinos and a denim overshirt - basically an oversized chambray. 

Large, lightweight shirts like this are really useful on summer trips, because they can function essentially as casual jackets (particularly with a couple of chest pockets) and can be worn on their own to the beach or the pool. 

In the outfit above I’m wearing one (from Jack Fort, size small!) and it feels like a very LA look - lots of denim, very laidback, but also a little fashiony because of the matching. 

The last outfit image I have is the one above, with PS chinos in beige and a black Finest Polo. Interesting how much more dressed up the chinos feel when you put them with black. 

I think that’s it. Any questions please let me know, but most clothes should be linked to or familiar to most people. Hopefully that provides some inspiration for you during your summer jaunts. 

Photography: Kentaro Minato, or PS

The fascination of buying second hand (and how to do it)

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The fascination of buying second hand (and how to do it)

Wednesday, June 10th 2026
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The author in two of his favourite second-hand purchases, detailed below

By Erik Ostling.

Since most of my wardrobe is second hand, Simon recently asked if I wanted to write something about used clothing and buying vintage.

I smiled when he asked because most people who are genuinely good at finding second hand rarely want to explain how they do it. Every time I’ve asked a vintage dealer how they manage to find all their good things, they usually change the subject. 

Buying and selling vintage is not my livelihood, which makes me slightly less protective about sharing a few things I’ve learned along the way. But frankly, success is usually less about secret knowledge than persistence. I’ll share my thoughts today on why I buy second hand, where to look and what to look for, and in between some photos of what I’ve found over the years.

Missoni mocs from the Navigli market in Milan, €80. For years now, this is more or less the only kind of shoe I wear in summer. It started with a hand-sewn pair of Northlands I found for €20
Workwear jacket made for Bergdorf Goodman by Ascot, €50. Look at those beautifully rounded, riveted pockets

The end point of style

I started buying second hand online in the early 2000s. I had little money and wanted cool things that didn’t exist in Stockholm. Being an early adopter of mobile internet unlocked a completely new world, especially when it came to placing bids for Evisu jeans and Arc’teryx jackets on Ebay. That’s probably where the seed was planted.

Once I started earning more money, I spent nearly a decade buying new ready-to-wear pieces and, later, MTO. Then I took a senior role at a luxury online retailer, which came with a £25,000 annual clothing allowance. Oddly enough, that more or less killed my interest in buying new clothes (apart from a few pairs of John Lobb Antibes and Edward Green Dovers…)

I think the reason was that once things that had been difficult to afford became easy, they stopped feeling interesting. What became interesting instead was finding things that only exist once, which I believe is where most people with a deep interest in clothing eventually end up.

Trying on a handmade 1970s chalkstripe suit by Paul Stuart, €70. I could never have guessed that I would like slightly flared trousers
What over the years has become my favourite jacket. Bought in Stockholm for €30. Very few companies today dare to take the risk of making such bold colours. Second hand has definitely made me appreciate colour more

There are really only two ways to do that. One is expensive and one slightly less so. The first is bespoke – asking a tailor to make something completely unique for you. The other is buying things second hand.

The interesting thing is that bespoke and vintage represent two completely different forms of ‘one of a kind’. Bespoke is complete control, while second hand is discovery.

A great vintage garment can surprise you. You find proportions, fabrics, details and patina you would never have imagined yourself. A big part of the pleasure is discovering something you would not have designed on your own.

The quality of things made before the explosion of fashion brands is also difficult to ignore. Most of the time the prices of second hand are much lower, the fabrics better (due to less stress on cotton crops and the sheep) and the craftsmanship more careful than most of what is produced today.

I can't even imagine paying what a new pair of crocodile loafers would cost today. These were €49 in my local bulk-stock shop
I had owned two vintage Brooks Brothers jackets from the 1960s, one in wool flannel and one in camel hair, before finding this one earlier this year for €39. Totally unstructured, single vent, and with the best pattern matching across pockets and sleeves I have ever seen

Where to look

When it comes to physical second-hand shopping, I tend to think of four categories: markets, charity shops, bulk-stock resale stores, and highly curated boutiques or archives with hand-picked selections. The difference between them is mainly labour and price. The less work you want to do yourself, the more expensive things become.

Personally, I find markets, charity shops and bulk shops the most interesting, because I enjoy the search itself. Hand-picked stores can be particularly expensive because the owner often has a personal relation to every garment. I regularly think I could find most things much cheaper myself if I put the effort in, but I do try to support these stores when I find something truly unique, because they often have a fantastic eye and are a great source of inspiration.

If you also like the hunt, finding the stores with the best selection is not rocket science. If you travel to countries with an old upper class and a strong tailoring tradition, just go to wealthy neighbourhoods, find the weekend markets and local charities, and start digging.

A Schott flight jacket with incredible patina. This one was "expensive" at €200. Not a hefty investment if you want to find out whether you're a leather-jacket kind of guy or not. And when buying something like this, you will get your money back reselling it
Another item I would never have guessed I would love. Polo Country by Ralph Lauren, €65 from a bulk-stock store in Gothenburg

Wealthy people tend to buy better clothes, and donating to charity is common behaviour. I used to find shirts in charity shops in Chelsea and Kensington that still had the dry-cleaning tags attached. To be honest, I think taking the time to clean garments before giving them away to charity is a good metaphor for how to behave in life. 

When starting to search in your local city, visit as many of the shops as possible, then narrow them down to those with the greatest potential. Then, visit them often enough to learn the assortment – you will quickly notice the new arrivals, and visits will be quick. 

Build relationships, ask how often and when new deliveries arrive. Give them your number and bring them something nice when they help you find something you want. Pastries are always appreciated.

How to find a great jacket amongst hundreds of bad ones? They are almost always hanging with the sleeves out. This one was made in Bergamo and found at a random street market in Milan. €3
Hanging on a rail outside a shop in Brooklyn, New York. I guess nobody checked the label inside because the price tag simply said "Cashmere? $100". It fit as though it had been made for me

What to look for

The problem with charity shops is the noise. You have to be comfortable with the cognitive overload of endless bad things. It’s necessary to develop an eye for quickly identifying the exceptional pieces hidden between everything else.

When I search through rails, I’m using my hands a lot. I constantly touch fabrics and look for natural fibres – linen, wool, cotton, cashmere, silk. With jackets, I squeeze the shoulder first to feel the construction. They are usually hung sleeves out, so even just looking at buttons and buttonholes on the sleeves is a good trick. Next is lifting out the jacket to look at the lapel: unfortunately most jackets are ruled out immediately because the lapels are wrong.

Suits are difficult because they are usually separated during sorting. Trousers go with trousers, jackets with jackets. You need to identify the lonely suit jacket pretending to be a sports coat.

Most of the casual trousers I wear are second-hand Polo from the 1990s. There are so many of them around in beautiful colours with lovely patina. These were €45
The gingerbread teddy coat. Made in 1949 by Aquascutum's bespoke atelier for a hotel owner. I bought it at a market in Milan from his granddaughter for €200

Coats are probably the easiest second-hand purchase of all. There are still lots of beautiful wool coats floating around for very little money. Raglan shoulders are generally more forgiving in fit than tailored jackets. I find five good coats (if not more) for every one sports jacket.

I also buy lots of trousers from the 80’s, as they have great drape and generous fits, which makes them easy to alter – up to one or two sizes.

The greatest thing second hand has taught me is to look for potential rather than perfection. Once I find something interesting, I calculate the cost of alterations in my head – a good relationship with a skilled tailor is essential. If the fabric is good enough it might be worth changing the shoulders, even if the alteration is double the price of the jacket. 

J.Press tweed sport coat found in a charity shop on King's Road, London. £35
Brioni for Bergdorf Goodman, found in a charity shop on King's Road, London. £125

My final advice is to already think about the person who might own the garment after you. I always ask my tailor not to cut away unnecessary fabric, to keep sleeve and trouser length folded inwards when possible, and to preserve seam allowances for future alterations.

Second hand has gradually made me stop thinking of myself as the owner of garments, and more as their temporary caretaker. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to start looking. And eventually, when somebody asks how you manage to find all these nice things, you can simply smile and answer:

“The more I look, the luckier I get.”

Hand-knitted intarsia by Lord & Taylor. I've never seen anything quite like it before, and it's my favourite jumper. €29
Details to watch out for: The origin

A few stores with hand picked curation I like:

  • Hornets – London
  • Crowley Vintage – New York
  • A Marchesan – Stockholm
  • Safari 3 – Tokyo
  • Rudolf Beaufays – Hamburg
  • Tartan Vintage – Florence
  • Cavalli e Nastri (mens) – Milan
  • Brut Archives – Paris

Areas worth visiting

The areas around Pimlico/Chelsea/South Kensington in London serve a good proxy for wealthy neighborhoods with many charity shops. I use Google maps and visit as many as I can, but as with all of ths it really is hit and miss.

Regularly recurring street markets

  • Navigli market – Milano
  • Portobello road/ Ladbroke Grove market – London
  • Porte Vanves market – Paris

LA menswear: People and clothes, in that order

Posted on by Simon Crompton

LA menswear: People and clothes, in that order

Monday, June 8th 2026
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The view from the Chateau

Los Angeles isn’t necessarily the first place you think of when it comes to menswear. There are a handful of good shops - Mohawk, Ghiaia, Denim Doctors - but it probably wouldn’t feature in a top list of destination cities when there’s London, Tokyo, New York and several across Europe. 

Yet there are deep menswear roots. California is the origin of denim, after all, and much associated workwear. Western clothing has always been here, and this is where it became mainstream. Sportswear, too, was arguably invented in California, when off-duty fashion first developed after the second world war. 

Then there are subcultures like surfing, skateboarding and motorbiking, all of which developed in California and had an outsized influence on the world of menswear. There aren’t many influences left in fact, outside the military and tailoring. 

The Permanent Style team spent a great week in Los Angeles recently, speaking to dozens of people about these things – vintage dealers and costume designers, craftsmen and menswear designers. I think it was probably the most productive trip we’ve ever done. 

Lunch with Cody
It's like they captured me in a smoothie

Early on, we identified some key themes. 

Vintage, for example, has always been significant. It’s closer to the spirit of the way clothes are developed in LA than the more fashion-oriented approach in New York. There’s a reason the famous Rose Bowl flea market is here, and the higher-end event Inspiration, both of which were on the week we visited. 

We managed to interview some great people such as Bob Melet and Zip Stevenson. 

Then there’s Hollywood, which has an influence on local fashion, pulls from the vintage scene, and feeds into local makers. We talked to Mark Bridges (Oscar winner for Phantom Thread) and Jenny Eagan (Knives Out and others), and heard in Anto Shirts quite how film budgets match to bespoke shirts.

Redondo beach
Lucas and Yuki

LA is by far the biggest centre for clothing manufacturing in the US, and it’s how a lot of brands get started here – doing a lot of sampling because the workshops are so accessible. Our best visit in that regard was Lady White, who have always made such a big thing about local production, especially the dye houses. 

And on retail side, we looked particularly at personal shopping. It’s a huge part of the way menswear works here - tailoring brands said up to half of their sales go through personal shoppers.

In fact, in LA it seems a bit of a flex to have a personal shopper, whereas in most of Europe you can’t help feeling it would be a bit of an embarrassment – as in, don't you know how to dress yourself?

High-level team meeting
Back lot at Buck Mason

How about LA style? Well a friend of ours, usefully, had just moved to LA from New York, and was in the process of adapting and observing the way friends and colleagues dressed. 

“The weather is the most obvious thing,” he said. “You have more sun and milder weather year round – fewer extremes. That makes things quite relaxed and easy, helped by the fact you’re rarely walking anywhere. 

“But there’s also something grander than that – the city is open, you have these big skies. It’s a particularly stark contrast to New York, which is so built up and vertical.

“If I had to capture it in one piece of clothing, I’d say I wear 90% blue jeans here, where I wore 90% black jeans in New York. Blue denim feels more natural, laid back and lighter. A T-shirt and jeans feels not just easy but appropriate.”

When we asked a shop manager friend of ours, he picked a different garment – the suede overshirt. “We sell more of that type of garment here than anywhere else, by miles,” he said. “And it makes sense – an LA guy wants a bit of luxury, a bit of cool, but also wants to be super comfortable and relaxed. Suede does that rather than leather, and an overshirt better than a jacket.”

The celebrity wall at Anto shirts
Menswear advertising

Man, it’s so fun exploring these things. When you travel and interview people, every conversation becomes about what the city’s like, because you’re seeing it for the first time. It's about where people live and why, where they hang out, whether you’d ever want to live there. It’s the same when people come to London. 

I didn’t think I’d like LA at all. I’m a cultural European at heart – I like old cities, old culture, exploring on two feet. LA is the opposite of all that. 

But the longer we were there, and the more we saw different parts, the more it grew on me. Reyner Banham, who I’ve been reading, calls it the first post-urban civilisation. Aldous Huxley said the city is “nineteen suburbs in search of a metropolis”.

However you put it, the point is don’t think of it in the same way as a normal, centred city. If you just saw Hollywood and Downtown you’d have a very different impression from if you spent your time in Pasadena or Venice Beach. The problem is that if you’re a tourist, Hollywood and Downtown might actually be where you focus.

Manish looks suave
Hiking in Runyon Canyon

Of course, I’d love to hear about all this from readers in LA, although we also spoke to scores of them while we there, at various events and just in the street. 

And of course it’s the people that make everything. Yuki from Yuketen conducting an impromptu photo shoot on Redondo Beach. Dan, Wyatt and Max from the Buck Mason design team showing us exactly 27 different types of chambray shirt. Cody Wellema taking us to where his hat shop used to be, but also the brand new (and incredible) restaurant next door, Betsy’s. 

It’s about the people, then about the clothes. OK they're a close second. 

I bought a great, knackered old Lee Storm Rider at Rose Bowl. I got some shorts at Buck Mason that I’ve been living in. I ordered a hand-knitted cardigan from Chamula that is definitely not right for the weather, but is sitting proudly in my room as a souvenir.

Over the coming weeks there will be two or three short LA articles on PS, but the main substance is being saved for the magazine in the autumn. It’s going to be very cool. 

Thank you to everyone who generously hosted us and put up with us, from all of us. We’re already talking about when we can come back. 

The Charlie Chaplin table at Musso & Frank's

Stoffa the designer Part 2: The clothes

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Stoffa the designer Part 2: The clothes

Friday, June 5th 2026Tags:
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Last week, I wrote about why Stoffa is my favourite designer brand. They're a designer to the extent that they create less-classic garments, and are design (particularly fabric) led. Yet they also have many of the characteristics that we value on Permanent Style, such as quality, craft and authenticity. 

That was more of an opinion piece. Today I’m going into more product detail, using a try-on session I had with Agyesh (Madan) and Nick (Ragosta) to talk about what makes a few pieces special, and also revealing about Stoffa. 

I hope you find it a useful extension, and nice geeky detail for all you product lovers. Note that the pieces are deliberately from a range of seasons, so some of them aren’t currently online (I’ve linked to the ones that are). But the ones that aren't are available made to order. 

Long-sleeve camp shirt

Taupe wool/silk/linen

This piece is a good example, for me, of the use of made to measure at Stoffa. I love the style of this shirt, and the unique material, but when I tried it on the length was too short and the body too A-line. This is often the case on roomier shirts, as I’m slimmer than average for my chest size, and taller. 

Unlike elsewhere, however, I could have one made to measure and add both a little bit to the length and take in the body. Interestingly, Nick said people actually sometimes have these shortened, because they want a bigger look – they go up a size or two for that really loose, 90s style, but don’t want the length down to their knees. 

It's also interesting that made to measure is being used here not to achieve precision – as you generally do with tailoring – but to create a different style, a different expression of the piece.

Suede popover

Fig suede

This popover is most useful as an illustration of what constitutes Stoffa style. But the materials are revealing too. 

Regular readers will know I have an Hermes popover that I adore. But despite its orange colour, that piece is more classic than this Stoffa version. The Stoffa piece has a larger collar, a deeper opening, no buttons and a blousier fit, combining to make it showier/sexier/more expressive. 

That style goes across the Stoffa range (the knit polos are similar – bigger opening, no buttons) and it’s something you shouldn’t really try and change with made to measure (a mistake I talked about in part one). But it doesn’t mean other pieces won’t be for you - I might not wear the popover, but I would wear the polo for instance, or the shirts, which also have a bigger collar. 

On materials, our conversation revealed a lot of the work and thought process that goes into these. “We wanted the lining to be soft enough to wear against the skin, but also slippy enough to get on and off easily,” said Nick. “You want it breathable, so it doesn’t get too sweaty, and also not too heavy; you can’t use yarn of 200g or more as it ruins the point of having lightweight suede. It took a while to find the right one, but we got there.”

Most brands would just pick a standard lining (I know, I’ve been in those conversations) and they certainly wouldn’t use a wool/silk for the ribbing. 

Double breasted shirt jacket

Chocolate tropical wool

As you’d expect, this is one I found particularly interesting because it was closest to tailoring. Talking to Nick and Agyesh about it, however, they emphasised the shirt side of things, as well as how materials can make two very different versions. 

“We call it a shirt jacket deliberately,” said Nick. “Yes it’s shown in an elegant way, but it’s not that idea you have in your head of a tailored jacket. It has no side panel, no darts, and is completely unlined. It’s made like a shirt.”

And yet, this is the first thing I’d want to have made to measure, because the style is as complicated as a jacket – the length, the volume, where the waist sits. A shirt is an easy thing to tweak remotely, but a jacket is more complicated. Apparently most agree, because most of these shirt-jackets are ordered MTM, in store. 

The second point was that the design is done that way to fully express certain fabrics. A wool is picked because it’s soft and fluffy, whereas a particular wool/silk is chosen because it’s slippy and has a lot of lustre. A lot of the point of the garment is about the fabric, which is not the way round we're used to thinking about things.

This is actually a problem I know readers have when they commission things such as overshirts from tailors. They use tailoring materials, because that’s what’s available, but those materials are not always suited to something completely unstructured. It's an area where design-led brands are nearly always better.

Raglan coat

Anthracite silk/cotton/linen

If a coat isn’t that warm, and it isn’t waterproof, what’s the point? I know it’s a question that readers think (and ask) fairly frequently. The answer I think, as with this coat, is style. During in-between seasons, some people prefer a three-quarter length piece like a field jacket, while others prefer something longer. 

In fact, London is the kind of place where an in-between coat is most useful – where it can be cold in the morning but warm in the afternoon; where you often have to layer; where there is more likely to be brief showers than the storms you get in New York. This week has been rather like that in London actually.

It was also interesting talking to Agyesh about waterproofing, as it’s a nuanced topic that often just gets reduced to ‘Is it waterproof?’. He doesn’t use treatments, but he picks materials that are more water resistant – it makes a big difference if the material is a tighter weave, a slightly brushed finish, wool rather than cotton and so on. Those kinds of things mean the water doesn’t penetrate the material instantly, and so create natural resistance. 

Lastly, I don’t own any of the current pieces above, but I do have several I wear a lot, so for greater context those are:

  • Spread collar shirt in cotton/silk slub (sand with ivory)
  • U-neck vest in cashmere (walnut)
    • Currently available in cotton but not cashmere
  • Field blouson in wool/hemp (sand)
    • Available made to measure in different materials
  • Hooded sweatshirt in cotton terry (bone)
    • No longer offered

They are all pictured below. If anyone has any other questions about these or other pieces, let me know and I can try to answer from this experience, or push them onto Nick and Agyesh. 

Maximilian Mogg made-to-measure black tie: Review

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Maximilian Mogg made-to-measure black tie: Review

Monday, June 1st 2026Tags:
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I recently had this tuxedo made by the German tailoring brand Maximilian Mogg, while Max was visiting London for the appointments he runs at Richard Gelding on North Audley Street. 

I was interested in having something from Max both because I know readers will be interested, and because I myself admired Max’s distinctive approach to tailoring – its traditional square shoulders, longer jackets, wide trousers. In fact, maybe that’s the same reason; I’m a reader too, and I wanted to know what it would be like. 

So would a Mogg suit make me ‘smexy’? (A portmanteau Max uses, combining ‘smart’ and ‘sexy’)

Overall I think Max (and it was Max each time, in person) did a good job on the fit, which is among the best of the made to measure I’ve had. But I’m a little unsure on the style, which turned out less dramatic than I had expected. 

The jacket is well balanced, with a good sleeve pitch and quite a clean back. There is a touch of wrinkling on the shoulder line where my shoulder rotates forwards, and a little bit of gaping at the back of the neck, but both are minor. Max and I actually went back and forth on whether to tighten the neck at all, and it wouldn’t be a hard thing to tweak in the future. 

The trousers are higher and wider than I would usually have (on the natural waist, hem 23cm) but I really like them with something this formal and dressy. The fit and leg line are great, and both the trousers and jacket are very comfortable. 

As regards fit, bear in mind that the best comparison for a suit like this is not handmade bespoke (which has so much more time and freedom to perfect the fit) but other MTM, and even then not the high-end ones with hand-padded chests and lapels. 

The make on a Mogg suit is actually at a slightly lower level than most of the MTM we’ve covered over the years. It’s fully canvassed but has fewer hand details and a collar attached by machine. And that’s reflected in the price – a suit bought in the EU starts at €1800 (£1560). 

There is a list of my favourite MTM tailors here by the way, which Mogg will now be added to.

In terms of style, the jacket has a padded, roped shoulder, a wide lapel, and a relatively high buttoning point (17½ inches from the shoulder seam). And when I say relative, I mean relative to particular bespoke tailors – you can see in this article that it is the same height as Ferdinando Caraceni for example, but the other tailors are all lower.

The aspect of the Mogg dinner jacket that stands out most is the lapel shape, as it is wide, bellied (curved) and relatively short (determined by the buttoning point). This is always a big factor, but particularly so on a dinner jacket where the lapel is usually in a contrasting material. 

I should make it clear that while Max and I talked about the style of the suit in detail, I always erred towards his house style in order to use this piece to illustrate the kind of look the brand favours. 

While Max is slimmer than me, we are a similar height and this is the style he wears and readers will have seen on him online. I even tried on the jacket he was wearing at the first fitting to get an idea of the cut, as it was so similar. 

The only significant change Max makes on his suits is to give some flare to the trousers. 

So if the style is standard, why does it feel less dramatic – less styled – than I expected? (Above, some images of Max online.)

I asked Max this, and he said he gets it a lot. In contrast to someone like Husbands, the shape is actually not that unusual, especially if you’ve had English tailoring, with its structured shoulders and longer jackets. 

Of course, being less unusual is in many ways a good thing. It means a Mogg suit will appeal to and work for more people, and there are very few MTM brands out there offering structured tailoring. The vast majority is shorter, rounder, softer – more southern Italian. 

Personally, I was looking for something more styled though – an unusual piece to sit alongside my tailoring from Ciardi or Assisi – and it’s why I went for a dinner suit. As a personal thing I might also have gone for a lower buttoning point, now I see the look of those rounded lapels on me. Similarly wide lapels from Edward Sexton or Chittleborough & Morgan seem to have worked on me better when they have dropped lower. And the Caraceni ones were straighter.

On the flip side, I really like the overall proportions of the jacket and trousers, with the broader shoulders being balanced by the length of the jacket, and the wider trouser feeling both relaxed and elegant on me.

The shirt and the bow tie are also Maximilian Mogg, by the way, so there is that element of his style included. 

The shirt is marcella on the body and collar, with a very light voile back. I like the collar shape a lot (slightly more pointed, slightly longer) but I think in retrospect I would have had a plain front, not studs, as with this cut of jacket only one stud shows. 

The bow tie is their house style, which is single ended. One end has the regular bow shape, the other is just a line of material (see image above). This makes it rather easier to tie, although the downside is the bow is thinner, not as full. 

The material for the tux was black barathea from Dugdale (420g/m, 3110). The facing on the lapels and elsewhere is grosgrain silk, but a lighter weight Italian one. I think I probably prefer the English I have had in the past, as it has more texture. That’s not for everyone though. 

The shoes are velvet opera pumps from Baudoin & Lange; the cufflinks are old PS ones. 

The price of the dinner suit was €2750; made to measure suits generally from Maximilan Mogg start at €1800 for those sold in the EU and €2500 for those sold outside. The ones outside include all shipping, duties and taxes. 

There is also a bespoke level of make, which starts at €5500 and €6700 for EU and non-EU. 

Maximilan Mogg has a store in Berlin, and staff in London, Cologne and New York that do appointments in other stories - in London at Richard Gelding for instance. They currently hold regular trunk shows in Zurich, Vienna, Paris, Hamburg and Los Angeles. 

The CVO canvas shoe: Part two, the brands

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The CVO canvas shoe: Part two, the brands

Friday, May 29th 2026Tags:
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The author in his shoes

By Tony Sylvester.

Last week, I cracked out some books off the shelf and had a delve into the history of the canvas sneaker, and its place in the summer wardrobe. This was a little continuation of a broader look at Riviera style that Simon and I both tackled a couple of summers ago.

This time, I thought I would take a gander at some of the offerings on the market, plus favourites from my own shoe rack.

Japan has its own tradition of canvas and vulcanised rubber shoemaking, based in Kurume, going back to the Taisho era (1912-26) where rapid industrialisation created a need for sturdier footwear and the mechanisation to fulfil it.

The MoonStar Company started making jika-tabi - split toe cotton workboots on a rubber sole during this time, and still manufacture the Moonstar, Shoes Like Pottery and Doek brands.

The Doek oxford

The Moonstar Gym Classic offers a similar silhouette to the all white tennis shoes you see in the Laurence Fellows illustrations from the 30s - sleek, plain and understated. A solid bankable model, but rather stuck in that ‘old-timey’ look in my opinion.

Perhaps the more all-round and less era-specific answer would be the Doek Oxford. As the name suggests, a clear descendent of the CVO, the more rounded last and appearance lends a broader appeal.

I've always admired the way the Beige Habilleur chaps will mix them with their tailoring from Justo Gimeno and Ring Jacket.

Sperry x Beams Plus 'Mil-Spec'

Speaking of the CVO, Sperry has produced this model since its introduction in the mid 30s. The modern iteration is a totally adequate and reasonably priced version they call the 'CVO reissue’, which they claim is based on their 1970s version. The overall quality and looks match the price tag of £65, I have tried them and I must confess comfort was largely absent.

Much more appealing is the Sperry x Beams Plus 'Mil-Spec' CVO which harks back to that US Navy connection we mentioned in the last piece.

Priced a little more in line with the current Moonstar offerings, the cotton uppers are heavier duty, and the insoles more cushioned and the foxing a little thicker. The colourways reflect the military pedigree.

Klein Blue Wakouwas

For my money, Wakouwas from Anatomica offer the best modern take on the Sperry Top Sider CVO, basing their shape on Alden’s infamous ‘Modified’ Last. Much has been written about about the last, and it makes total sense to employ it here, as it was developed for US Naval dress shoes in the 1940s, thus echoing the CVO’s martial heritage.

My favourites are a lurid International Klein Blue upper on black sole. They used to be made by the Asahi company in Japan, another Kurume-based manufacturer with a long pedigree – they are the same parent company as Bridgestone Tyres, although production has moved away to other parts of Asia.

Some wearers have noted a shift downward in quality following the move, something I have not detected myself. Asahi themselves offer a made-in-Japan alternative under their own banner at a slightly more reasonable price point, but I have yet to try ‘em.

Fennica’s ‘Duke’ plimsoll

Also in my collection, but with allusions toward Edward Windsor’s shoe rack, are Fennica’s ‘Duke’ plimsoll designed by Terry Ellis back in the 2010s.

Manufactured by Moonstar, they take the basic shape of the Vans Authentic deck shoe – itself another CVO descendent, but mimic the colourway of Windsor’s extensive collection as pictured in the last article – a rich mustardy tan on orange red sole.

The foxing is double wrapped around the sole, and silver proud eyelets complete the homage. Instead of the traditional ‘siped’ sole, they have the waffle sole that the Van Doran company developed in 1966, another innovation in search of traction – this time taken up by skaters rather than yachtsmen. 

The Duke of Windsor in CVOs

Next up a brace of Keds reissues from Mark McNairy from 2012. Named ‘Boosters” after a 50s rename of the Yeoman we discussed at length last time around.

These are pretty precise recreations of the era, based on the photographs and illustrations I’ve seen. Woven hessian canvas in navy and tan on red crepe soles with silver eyelets.

Originally supplied with white flat laces, I swapped those out for tonal round ones, more in keeping with the originals, I believe. Despite their unwavering accuracy, I prefer Fennica’s interpretation I think, there’s something more creative to them.

JM Weston 38 Tennis

And lastly, the fanciest of the bunch are the JM Weston 38 Tennis reissues. These came directly from a photo in French menswear magazine Adam in 1938, first posted on instagram by the ever informative Kerloazdiary.

Weston seemed to have built their new ones directly from the photo, complete with leather lined canvas uppers, stitched in rubber soles with a uniquely straight vamp seam to the side of the upper. These lads are pricy to be sure, but do have the added bonus of being resoleable by the factory.

I got the all black upper on black sole as a sort of summer formal stand in. A real point of difference to the others in my rotation.

Ralph Lauren campaign image featuring CVOs with tailoring

For styling tips, I never stray far from that David Niven image or indeed that quote from Geoffrey Wolff’s 1990 novel we opened with. Something about linen and flannel atop canvas and rubber has an eternal appeal.

Just ask Ralph Lauren, whose Bruce Weber shot lookbooks of the 80s and 90s are chock full of excellent references taking in seersucker, madras, flannels  and linens. A masterclass in all honesty.

Further Ralph Lauren imagery

*Note from Simon: I have experience with two recent releases, to add to Tony's excellent summary. Loro Piana have a CVO that is very well made and comfortable, but has a higher wrap on the foxing that I think spoils the shape somewhat. I have also tried the Anglo-Italian model, which is more similar to the Weston in being leather-lined and stitched - and on a different sole to the rest. The silhouette is great, but personally I like the lightness and unlined nature of other canvas shoes. My favourite canvas shoe overall is the Superga 1925 reissue (currently only available on the Italian website). 

Stoffa is my favourite designer

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Stoffa is my favourite designer

Wednesday, May 27th 2026Tags:
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“Special things often need explanation. Because they’re special, they’re unusual, and so not familiar. Whether through writing or imagery or trying, they need that little bit of explanation.”

I recently reconnected with the guys at Stoffa after a few years of being out of touch. I did so, partly, because my recent article on A Presse reminded me how Stoffa really is my preferred version of that kind of brand. 

Both develop unusual, distinctive products with custom fabrics. The fits and silhouettes aren’t always for me, but I find the designer-led approach consistently interesting. 

The difference with Stoffa is that in each collection there will always be one or two things that fit my style – and my particular wardrobe – in a way that doesn’t happen with A Presse or other fashion brands. They remain close enough to classic menswear ideas. 

Then the wonderful thing is how utterly unique those pieces are – whether it’s the fabric, the design or the silhouette. Stoffa is a designer brand in that sense – at least today – and in that way different to most we cover. 

It helps that Stoffa always starts with fabric, rather than the ideas of shape and silhouette that designers usually begin with. Custom fabric has always been part of Stoffa’s approach - it’s what the name means. 

Going back nine years to when we first covered Stoffa, the first piece I made was a pair of trousers in their basketweave cotton (above). It felt completely different to what I was seeing from tailors or MTM brands - matte, washed and naturally dyed, it was elegant but relaxed. 

Since then the range of fabrics has expanded considerably, and you can see them all listed on the fabric page here. There are also deep dives into them here. Stoffa is expensive, but when you read about the work that goes into that fabric (and you personally value it) it’s hard not to see the value. 

Unique fabrics means unusual fabrics, which means they won’t necessarily be for you. An example is the fig silk blouson, which I tried recently (above). As Nick and Agyesh put it: “That was our most adventurous piece of the season, the extreme version of the silhouette.” 

It’s made with a silk crepe designed for summer shirts, which means it's light and flyaway. It’s also made in a shirt workshop, which means finer needle stitching and finishing. It’s beautiful, but certainly not for everyone. 

The mistake I consistently made with Stoffa over the years, I think, was looking at the brand as a whole and assuming I would either wear all of it or none of it. It was either a brand for me, or it wasn’t. 

I loved those basket-weave trousers, and eventually had three pairs made in different colours. But I was surprised that the suede flight jacket didn’t work for me. I should have seen the difference – one was more classic, the other more unusual, too cropped and wide for the style I like in a jacket. 

This is the case with most designers I find - even the biggest fans wouldn’t buy everything. Instead, they appreciate the range and freshness of new ideas, and enjoy picking out which ones they buy into. 

Perhaps the biggest difference between Stoffa and other fashion brands is that Stoffa was built around made to order, and most clothes still work on that basis. 

This means that if you like the silhouette of a jacket but it’s a little short on you, you can add length. If you need one size in a shirt’s body but another in the collar, that can be done. You shouldn’t try and change the intended design (another mistake I’ve made in the past) but you can make the design work a lot better for your shape than at other brands. 

I might cover this more in depth in a follow-up article, as I know readers will want to know which current Stoffa pieces we recommend, and which we’d have made to measure or not. 

Stoffa have always followed their own path, yet they feel more relevant today than ever. The world has turned towards their muted colours and drapey silhouettes, and places more value on their natural processes and sustainability focus. 

It makes complete sense to me now that a reader I know would want to get married in a Stoffa suit – in a pale pistachio wool, with wide-legged trousers and a cream knitted top. It feels very much a contemporary version of elegance.  

My problem has always been that I hugely admired the people and the brand, but didn’t quite know how to wear it in my style. Seeing Stoffa as a designer for me to pick and choose from - rather than a haberdasher to fill all my needs - has made a big difference.

Quote used at the top: from Nick (Ragosta) at Stoffa, during our conversation. It summed up for me why I sometimes struggled with their designs, but also the value PS can perhaps provide in talking about them. 

Reader Profile: Matt

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Reader Profile: Matt

Monday, May 25th 2026Tags:
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Matt Barbet is a TV presenter and journalist in the UK, working for the BBC, ITV and now Sky. He’s also a keen cyclist, and we met years ago at a Rapha event, back when were both on the bike far more than we are now. 

Matt’s a reader and a menswear enthusiast. The overlap between that and his profession is something I’ve always found interesting, given it’s such an obvious arena where presentation matters - where you’re striving to give a particular impression to the viewer, whether of newsreader seriousness or chat-show chumminess.

It was great talking to Matt about the restrictions of being on TV and of presenting in the field, and reminded me of the reader profile we did with Patrick Dawson a while ago. I hope you find the perspective on menswear interesting. 

Outfit 1

  • Suit: Trunk made to measure
  • Shirt: Emmet made to measure
  • Tie: Anglo-Italian
  • Glasses: Moscot
  • Shoes: Edward Green

PS: Matt, I think you picked this first outfit to represent the kind of thing you wear on TV most of the time. Why this combination?

MB: Well, usually you want to look professional and not wear anything that distracts the viewer. So tailoring that’s muted and dark, often with a white shirt and a dark tie. Patterns can be distracting or create a bit of shimmer on the camera – I have a Prince of Wales tie I really like but that doesn’t work so well. Dogtooth in a suit is similar.

We used to be told to avoid red, as that bled on screen, but TVs are better now and it doesn’t really happen. However, it’s generally a rule not to wear green in case you’re in front of a green screen. The terminology is “it keys”, the colour does, meaning the camera doesn’t pick it up.

Some presenters have made it part of their brand to wear bold things though, such as Channel 4 anchor Jon Snow. Asad Ahmad on BBC London also wears a lot of interesting shirt/tie combinations. 

Yes, I knew Jon before he retired and those ties were hand painted, most of them. Maybe the older presenters get the more comfortable they are with expressing themselves. Certainly people are much more aware now of how much what they wear is part of their personal brand.

What else makes a good suit for TV?

Soft-shoulders are usually best, as structured ones can get a little awkward when you’re sitting down, usually with your jacket buttoned. If you have broad shoulders that can be emphasised by that position and by the structure.  

In terms of length, you’d think a shorter jacket would be better if you’re sitting, but actually you need length so the jacket drapes well. You also need to think about the battery packs that are usually clipped to the back of your trousers. 

Where is this suit from?

This is made-to-measure from Trunk, a recent commission. There’s some nice texture in the cloth - from Dugdale - and in the Anglo tie too, which also has a little spot, but it’s pretty subtle. 

The shirt is a white twill from Emmett. I’ve always loved Emmett shirts, and this is my favourite collar - the ‘Lord’. Most presenters wear spreads, so this is a little unusual. 

Do other presenters ask what you’re wearing?

Not often, though a colleague did ask recently where my shoes were from. When I told him they were John Lobb he looked them up, his response was ‘I’m not bloody paying that for a pair of shoes!’ 

Interestingly shoes are one thing people often don’t pay much attention to, because they’re behind a desk the whole time. But it feels odd to me not to consider everything. 

Ah yes, the newsreader look - the subject of a very early PS piece. Do you know anyone that does that, wearing a suit on top but jeans or something else under the table? 

No, I’m afraid not!

Outfit 2

  • Suit: Anglo-Italian
  • Knit: John Smedley, Bill Nighy collaboration
  • Shoes: Carmina
  • Sunglasses: Celine

So this outfit looks similar, but more relaxed. I assume that’s deliberate?

Yes, this is what I wear on the slightly more relaxed formats. Tomorrow I’m doing a show called UK Tonight for example, which is a little more conversational, and I might wear a navy sweater like this under a suit. 

It’s amazing how much people still hate that though – they respond really strongly when male newsreaders are casual at all. Women have it a little easier, they can wear anything from a denim shirt up to a suit and tie, and it’s fine. The flip side is they have to spend a lot more time on hair and make up though. 

You have a short beard now, was that always part of the look?

It’s fairly recent. I actually came back with it after holiday – closely cropped like this, with a shaved neck – in a previous job. Within a few minutes the controller had phoned the show to tell me to shave it off. It wasn’t really possible in the three-minute ad break though, and I seem to have got away with it since. 

Is there a someone on the channel that’s in charge of styling?

Yes there’s a stylist and she’s lovely. I’m fairly new to Sky but when she got the sense I knew what I was doing, she largely left me alone. She did give me advice like not wearing materials that crease too much, and not wearing brown suits - not the colour of news, apparently. 

Do you have a budget to spend on clothes? 

Yes although it doesn’t go far where items featured on Permanent Style are concerned. I love tailors like Michael Browne but it’s one among many things I could never afford.

Which tailoring brands have you used? 

I shopped at Kilgour a lot back in the day, when Carlo Brandelli was there. I loved that one-button look, and in fact got married in a Kilgour tux. I’ve used Richard James, Thom Sweeney, though Trunk is probably the place I go the most; I’ve known Mats and Tyler for a long time [Mats Klingberg and Tyler Brulé, founders of Trunk and Monocle respectively.]

I note the knit is from a Smedley collaboration with Bill Nighy, who’s told me he’s a reader. Do you know him well?

We’ve met a few times and I interviewed him once. I also listen to his podcast, ‘Ill-advised’, which is great. He’s obviously playing a caricature of himself, but it comes across so well. 

He was also charming in interview, which isn’t always the case. He and Mark Rylance stick out as the most genuine in interviews I’ve done. Mark was artistic director at the Globe Theatre when I met him, so not an Oscar winner yet, and I remember he was so generous with his time. At one point he showed me how to project my voice across the Globe, as we stood on the stage looking out on all the empty seats. It was such a thrill. 

Are you a watch person?

Not really, though if I had the money perhaps I would be. This watch is the only one I own – I’ve had it 18 years. I got some money from my grandparents and this is what I bought. It’s probably a little large for trends these days, but I like it. 

What would you buy if you could get a second watch?

Probably a Day-Date or a Datejust, something simple. Though I would be tempted to do a President in all gold.

Outfit 3

  • Jacket: Vintage US Army jungle jacket
  • Shirt: Kenneth Field chambray
  • Jeans: Boncoura
  • Shoes: Wakouwa
  • Belt: Unknown!

Now I know this is your off-work outfit, but it does remind me to ask what you wear outside of the studio – because you covered Afghanistan didn’t you?

I did, and the Ethiopian famine, also Haiti. That was years ago, and I ruined some good shoes by overdressing! Although the example that comes to mind is doing a piece at the King’s garden at Highgrove - I wasn’t expecting to be outside and it was very muddy. I pretty much only wear rubber soles these days. 

What did you wear when you were in the field abroad?

A dark shirt, probably navy. It’s good to wear dark materials as they don’t show sweat and dirt. Some colleagues like to wear a keffiyeh scarf, but that never felt authentic on me. Brands like North Face and Patagonia pop up a lot, though in general you want to avoid showing brands.

Everyone generally has a uniform that they keep in a grab bag at home, ready to go. Always two passports in there - as you might be in Israel one week and Syria the next.

You’d never wear a piece of military clothing like this jungle jacket though, I presume?

No, if only because it might make you look too much like military rather than press. 

This outfit is more what I wear at home, and I like to travel to the office in it too. I generally leave suits and shoes there and drive up from home in Lewes in casual garb. The last two nights have been a nightmare actually, as I’ve been doing ‘The Wrap’, which finishes at midnight, and at night a lot of the motorways are closed, so it’s taking me ages to get back. 

The other advantage of dressing casually most of the time is it makes you less noticeable. I’m probably D-list when it comes to celebrities, but I do get recognised sometimes and it’s less likely in something like this. 

What are you favourite casual brands?

A lot of Japanese ones – I’m an absolute fiend for second-hand things on Marrkt, I love their daily emails. This chambray shirt was from there, and it’s great – cheaper and already worn in, which makes a chambray look so much better. 

I’ve always been into clothes, and back in the day I was a big trainer guy. The best Nikes of all time are the AirMax 97s, silver bullets, they came out when I was 21. I think I’ve bought them almost every time they've been released actually, although now I tend to wear more canvas shoes like these Wakouwas, or actually loafers - I’m after a good pair of tassel loafers. At a certain point trainers with jeans becomes too ‘Dad’.

And a PS tote bag I see?

Yes, I love the tote you did, it’s been used so hard but looks almost new. The only stain it hasn’t been able to deal with was candle wax – though even then I don’t mind it. 

I also have your black and white donegal coat, that’s an absolute forever piece, it gets so many compliments. 

Lovely to hear. Was it hard finding the jungle jacket?

I was looking for a while, yes. I was after a Medium Regular, and of course that’s the most popular size. All I could find was Medium Long, Medium Short. Finally I found this one in a big flea market north of Paris. When you actually find them in markets like that they’re pretty cheap though. 

I also put the jacket’s label into ChatGPT to try and age it, and there was a lot of information. It dated it to 1966 or soon after. It must have been hardly worn, it’s soft but with no damage or stains or anything at all. 

Thanks Matt, it’s been an absolute pleasure. 

Same here Simon, nice catching up. 

Friday Polos restocked – with new colours

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Friday Polos restocked – with new colours

Friday, May 22nd 2026Tags:
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The Friday Polo is the longest-running product we’ve consistently done on PS, but in the past few years I’ve found I wear it in a different way to how I used to. Although it was designed to work well with tailoring, I now wear it more commonly loose and untucked. 

Perhaps that’s just a gap in my wardrobe – I particularly benefit from an easy piece to leave tucked out in the summer. And it is something I consistently take away with me when I’m travelling now, as does Lucas. 

When we were in LA recently, it was particularly striking because we were actually going from pool to bar. We stayed at the Chateau Marmont, and would often have a swim after coming back from the day’s appointments, before going to the bar across the courtyard for a drink. (I know, it’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it.)

OK, in practice we’d usually go via our rooms to drop off hats, books and other bits from the pool. But the Polo itself transitioned effectively – I could wear a black one with a pair of tobacco swim shorts (this colour combination) then swap the shorts for a pair of linen trousers - as shown below. 

Versatility has always been a big selling point at Permanent Style, and I think that must be because we deal with so many readers who are starting out on their sartorial journeys, and therefore value clothes that do more than one job. Perhaps also, because these things are all expensive, so it helps justify the outlay. 

Either way, versatility is a significant part of the appeal of the Friday Polo, and we’ve used the photography here to demonstrate that with the three colours being stocked today: black, brown and pale yellow. 

Navy and white Friday Polos have been around for a long time, and by this point I’m sure a lot of readers already have one. But black is my favourite alternative to navy, because it looks so elegant in the evening and yet looks also great with a tan at the beach. 

Brown is perhaps the most unexpected as a summer colour, but it’s a particular favourite of Lucas’s and he finds it very versatile – both because it’s softer than black, and because it goes well with lots of colours: neutrals like grey and navy but also green and beige. 

Lucas is wearing his in two combinations here: one more standard and one more unusual. 

The more standard outfit is above, with beige shorts (cord ones, from Buck Mason). The more unusual is with jeans in a different shade of brown (below, from Taillour). 

As we’ve talked about in the past, mixing different shades of a single colour in major parts of an outfit isn’t easy, but it can be satisfying when done well. It’s almost a definition of the first stage towards advanced dressing. 

I like the browns Lucas has here, broken by the black belt and with contrast also provided by the black shoes and white tee. 

Wearing a T-shirt under the Friday Polo is a little counter-intuitive, but it lends it a pleasingly sporty, preppy feel. And it adds a little warmth, making the piece more versatile still. 

My favourite colour by far, however, is the pale yellow. 

Yellows are not easy to get right – we’ve looked for a long time for a good yellow cashmere for example, without success. But the PS Oxford Shirt in yellow is good because it’s so pale, and the same goes for this version of the Friday Polo. 

You could almost call it cream it’s so pale, but a light or pale yellow is probably more accurate. It’s certainly a shade more yellow than the oxford. 

Yellows like this are especially nice with blue denim, and that’s how I enjoy it most. But in a casual mode, worn with shorts, it’s also wonderful with beige, navy, green, brown. It has that faded upper-class vibe that’s so key to many Ivy looks, and indeed has become more trendy in recent years as ‘old money’ style.  

With tailoring, I like the pale yellow under a grey jacket, a light green or navy. A nice navy cotton Harrington in particular is excellent. 

The Friday Polo is in stock now in black, brown and pale yellow, plus the existing colours of navy and white. I am wearing a size medium in the pictures, while Lucas is wearing a double-extra large. 

For all other details on the Polo, see the product page here. 

The other clothes shown are:

On Simon:

  • Vintage Ralph Lauren cap
  • Vintage Levi’s 501s
  • EB Meyrowitz ‘Hardy’ sunglasses
  • Rubato brown pigskin belt
  • Edward Sexton Hollywood-top trousers
  • Baudoin & Lange ‘Sagan’ loafers

On Lucas:

The CVO shoe: Part one, a brief history

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The CVO shoe: Part one, a brief history

Wednesday, May 20th 2026Tags:
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In a two-part series beginning today, Tony readies himself (and us) for summer with a look at the enduring style of the CVO shoe. In part two he will give an overview of his favourite contemporary models; today he looks at the history, pinpointing when the canvas sneaker became the leisure footwear of choice for a burgeoning middle-class.

—

By Tony Sylvester.

“Booth’s houndstooth, cut for his father on Savile Row by Huntsman during the Battle of Britain, was pinched at the waist; the boy rescued his presentation from foppery with a black knit tie and faded blue canvas Top-Sider sneakers, spattered by specks of bronze boat-bottom paint.’”

- Geoffrey Wolff “The Final Club”

It was a long winter down here on the coast. Interminably grey flat skies punctuated with false springs that got chased off after a couple of hours. No storms, no snow, just endless drizzle and sunless vistas.

Now the sun has come out, the big coats have gone back into the under-bed storage boxes, and I’m minded to take stock of my summer wardrobe.

A couple of years back, I penned a little piece here at PS Towers reflecting on interwar style on the French Riviera; how the expats and emigres brought a new style into being, creating the very idea of a summer season in the process. 

Simon followed up with more specificity, laying out some practical options for sartorial holiday-making, and there’s one particular item I wanted to revisit and hone in on: the rather mechanical sounding Circular Vamp Oxford, or CVO for short.

It was a very dashing photo of David Niven (shown top) that prompted a deep dive. Snapped in 1956, one hand on the handle of his Bentley S1 Continental Coupe, Niven is the epitome of that Riviera elan I spoke of in the earlier article. 

Pale odd jacket with contrasting double pleat trousers, dark shirt and wide striped repp tie, all atop a pair of canvas shoes with distinctive rubber soles. The image is made all the more powerful by the exact echoing of the outfit to the motor: the two-tone Bentley astride whitewall tyres. He couldn’t have planned the shot any better if he’d tried.

The history of the canvas and rubber shoe goes back a century before that to the introduction of the ‘Sand Shoe’ from the Liverpool Rubber Company. As the name suggests, it was designed as a beach boot, to accompany the brand’s full range of overshoes, ‘wellies’ and other rubber goods.

At the end of the 19th century, rubber coat magnate Charles Mackintosh bought the company and amalgamated it with John Boyd Dunlop’s eponymous brand. In the 1870s Scottish inventor Dunlop had patented the pneumatic tyre and together they brought the world a low top proto-sports shoe in the same canvas and vulcanised rubber, quickly dubbed ‘the Plimsoll’ by the British public. 

The trademark dark line around the white rubber sole mimicked the safety line for loading goods painted onto the side of ships, brought about by MP Samuel Plimsoll in 1876’s Merchant Shipping Act. A century later, British school-kids still referred to any white canvas sports shoes as Plimsolls; not sneakers, trainers or tennis shoes.

Although these new innovations seemed perfect to mirror the emerging pastimes and activities, it took a while for these canvas and rubber creations to be adopted by sportsmen at the more aristocratic end of the spectrum. In fact, thanks to the benefit of the men’s fashion press of the time, we can almost pinpoint the exact moment. 

American trade magazine Apparel Arts’ Summer 1932 ‘Fashion Forecast - Shoes’ features a two page spread of suitable footwear for gentlemen of leisure (above). Yachtsmen are advised toward white buckskin derbies with rubber soles; budding tennis players toward two tone ‘sports shoes’ - Goodyear welted toe caps in brown calfskin and white canvas - “widely accepted for torrid weather by international sportsmen”. 

The closest we come to an all-canvas number is the summer espadrille whose form and function differ greatly, a topic suitably covered by Manish in a previous post. Glossy ads for Conrad Shoe Co and Friendly Five Shoes back this up with their white, cream and two tone leather or suede offerings; perforated leather and “flexible” soles their only concessions to sportiness.

The following year’s summer guide is a different story however. “Activities of the Summer Months - As Observed by Apparel Arts” features a series of illustrated fellows decked out in their finery. The tennis chap is resplendent in ribbon trimmed blazer, spotted muffler and white flannels and “white canvas shoes with crepe soles”. Jackpot. 

The introduction of Esquire Magazine in the autumn of 1933 heralds the first time these illustrations and guidance were made available to civilians outside of the menswear trade, and again, summering gents are drawn atop canvas shoes. 

“Court Costume For The Season Of 1934” (above) reports on “white canvas sneakers” despite noting that “Cuban Jai Alai shoes are smarter in appearance”. “On The Trail Blazed By Bunny Austin” from 1935 reports on said English tennis player’s influence, pointing out that alongside “white sneakers”  are “new blue canvas sneakers that have been taken up by many well known professionals”. Canvas sneakers had arrived in the country clubs and resorts of the high and mighty.

At the same moment, amateur sailor and duck-decoy inventor Paul Sperry falls arse over teakettle on the deck of his schooner, ending up overboard in the rarefied drink of Long Island Sound. This starts him thinking about the possibility of a non-slip shoe. 

Inspired by the sight of his cocker spaniel’s ability to remain upright in the icy conditions of Connecticut winters, Sperry experiments with cutting patterns into the bottom of rubber soles, emulating the rough leather of his dog’s foot pads. 

By 1937, he has sold his patent for non-slip soles to the Converse Rubber Company, ensuring they manufacture the herringbone patterned ‘siped’ soles for him exclusively and the ‘Top Sider’ is born, proving an instant hit with his fellow members of the Cruising Club Of America. 

By 1939, the United States War Department made a deal to supply the canvas shoe to its sailors (above), and it became a crucial piece of working kit and an official part of the casual uniform of the US Navy. Post war, the yachting connection remains strong. How many summer fit moodboards don’t contain at least one photo of JFK aboard his boat ‘Manitou’, shaggy dog sweater, ray bans and white Top siders all present and accounted for?

Simultaneously, the US Rubber Company’s brand Ked’s launch The Yeoman (above). The company had been making athletic shoes with such Olympian names as ‘Triumph’ and ‘The Champion’ since 1916, but the Yeoman is fascinating to me as it appears to be the first canvas shoe marketed strictly for leisure rather than sport. 

Its inspiration is clearly a series of canvas and crepe walking shoes that Edward Windsor was fond of. In the famous photos of his wardrobe and shoe racks, you can see them lined up on the bottom row, tan derbies on red rubber (below). 

Accepted wisdom has them as bespoke creations from a London shoemaker, but origins remain opaque. Keds spun an entire line of footwear from this model which remained in their catalogue for at least the next two decades; a wonderful embodiment of the midcentury middle classes’ aspiration to leisure. Adverts see them accompanying beach visits, BBQs and lawn mowing.

I first became aware of them long after the fact. By the 1980s, the shape was borrowed by cheap shoemakers in Asia, sold back to the US under the brand name Zig Zag.

Affectionately named as ‘Winos’, they became prison issue in the California penitentiary system, and sported by Mexican gang members and musicians. You can see them in cult gang films Colors (1988), American Me (1992) and Blood In Blood Out (1993), in the street portraits by Meririck Morton, and on stage with Venice crossover legends Suicidal Tendencies. All of these elements would be a big wardrobe inspo for me. 

Talking of wardrobes, I’ve heaved my shoe boxes out from the dark corners, and in part two we’ll have a look at some of the contemporary options that keep the same spirit alive.

How to wear a camel-coloured jacket

Posted on by Simon Crompton

How to wear a camel-coloured jacket

Monday, May 18th 2026Tags:
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I was going to refer to this as a camelhair jacket, but camelhair comes in a few colours, including navy, black and brown. The camelhair shown here is perhaps the classic one - the best known - so referring to that as camel-coloured seems accurate. But let me know if that doesn't make sense. 

So, camel. A light yellow/brown colour that is usually harder to wear than similar colours we’d normally recommend such as:

  • Biscuit, like my jacket here, which is equally light but browner and less saturated
  • Tobacco, like my suit here, which is orangey and saturated, but not as bright
  • or Oatmeal, like my jacket here, which is basically the same as camel but washed out

It helps that we’re familiar with camel from polo coats or from other coats like this one. But in a blazer it’s slightly showier, and this particular (beautiful) camelhair from Piacenza is also a slightly lighter shade. So it needs a little thought.

I had the jacket made by Sartoria Ciardi a couple of months ago - not the best timing for the summer perhaps, but then English summers are still very unpredictable. So far my favourite things to wear it with have been light-blue jeans, washed black jeans and mid-grey flannels; with white, cream or black on top.

Above is my favourite of the lot: wider, light-blue jeans with a white western shirt from Bryceland’s and on the feet snuff-suede boots from Ugolini. 

I like the more casual look of the western shirt with the jeans, and the extra visual detail of the snaps. A white oxford button-down looked a bit plain by comparison. 

The boots seem similarly casual - a better fit than loafers - and the snuff suede picks up some of that yellowness in the jacket. 

Equally attractive on top is a cream knit, like the Rubato one above. Knitwear like this is especially complementary when there’s a melange of yarn colours - different shades of cream and white and grey.

Below the waist, washed black jeans work nicely although an off-white shirt (I wear the Rubato ecru work shirt) is better than pure white.

By contrast, mid-grey flannels are the easiest colour of tailored trouser but they suit a white oxford shirt or even a long-sleeved white polo - there’s something pleasingly country-club about the polo shirt with camel.

On the feet, brown suede works well - best as a boot with the jeans, but as a loafer or derby with the flannels. 

The overall outfit remains showier than most of those alternatives we listed earlier. But on a sunny day it really feels like a celebration of the sun, and it's still less showy than bright summer options like a light green or baby blue. 

The cloth from Piacenza proved to be a good choice - I haven’t used them much before, but the cashmere and camelhair jacketings are really lovely. This one is from the Dunes book and they’re all mid-weight (340g) with a luxurious-feeling brushed finish. 

We tried our best to get that across in the some of the imagery, such as the high-contrast one below, as it doesn’t always translate online.

Sartoria Ciardi did a great job with the make, but they did suggest widening the shoulders by 0.5cm compared to my previous piece from them - the tobacco-linen suit - and I think that was a mistake. Not the end of the world to have them narrow it again though, and not the kind of thing most people would notice either.

When I was thinking about how to wear the jacket, I had the idea of searching women’s sites, as I recall seeing camel pop up quite a lot on women in recent years. 

That proved fruitful, and I’d recommend it for anything where you feel there’s that crossover. It doesn’t work with subtler menswear colours (shades of brown tweed for example) but where there's the connection, it’s worth exploring. 

A search online quickly established that women style this jacket in only a few ways - most notably the white shirt or light knit with blue jeans that we discussed first, double denim, and variations on black (very occasionally dark navy). 

Some womenswear combinations will often be too showy - as women can and do that more often - but it’s easy to whittle them down, and good to start with more options rather than less. 

Also, trying them can lead to other ideas: I tried a black knit with black jeans and found it wasn’t for me, but with the off-white shirt it worked, and charcoal was OK in the trousers. Dark navy didn't work for the bottoms, but it was OK as a knit on the top.

Pinterest can be good too, but I find the quality varies more - great when you do more digging and the site learns what you're after, but not so effective for a quick snapshot.

Clothes details:

  • Bespoke jacket from Sartoria Ciardi in Piacenza 1733 camelhair, 340g, 4/01 in the Dunes book
  • Bryceland’s white sawtooth shirt
  • Vintage Levi’s 501s
  • Bespoke suede boots from Roberto Ugolini
  • Vintage tan-leather belt
  • Rubato summer knit (no longer available)
  • Bespoke Fox flannel trousers from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury
  • Shanklin boot in mink suede from Edward Green

The case for cowboy boots – and where to buy them

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The case for cowboy boots – and where to buy them

Friday, May 15th 2026Tags:
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By Nico Lazaro (above).

At first glance, cowboy boots seem an unlikely candidate for the classic men’s wardrobe. They’re bold, regional and carry with them a strong cultural identity – one that can feel unfamiliar, especially to readers outside the American Southwest.

But beneath the surface, cowboy boots share many of the qualities that define the clothes we so often celebrate: honest construction, historical purpose and a slow, considered beauty that comes with wear.

Like penny loafers, khakis or denim, cowboy boots have become a distinct and timeless American garment. And while they may not have the universality of English benchmade shoes or Italian loafers, they offer something different: a grounded and more democratic elegance, particularly when styled with care and restraint.

I believe, and will attempt to make the case, that cowboy boots – when chosen thoughtfully – can integrate seamlessly into a modern wardrobe, regardless of geography. Not as a novelty or a costume, but as a serious and enduring piece of craftsmanship.

Design and intent

Originally designed for horseback, cowboy boots were developed for function: the high shaft protected the legs from brush, while the angled heel helped secure the foot in the stirrup. Decorative details – contrast stitching, inlays, the ‘toe bug’ – evolved from functional reinforcement and became iconic motifs.

The toe bug, or toe flower (above), is one of the most enduring. Among aficionados, the most famous version is credited to Ray Jones, a mid-century maker whose stitch pattern became instantly recognisable – a sort of logo or signature that collectors admired for its individuality.

What’s remarkable is how little the core design of boots has changed. Most today fall into two camps: the traditional Western boot, with a tall heel and pronounced shape; and the roper boot, developed for on-the-ground rodeo work, with a lower heel and more forgiving profile.

The latter is often easier to wear, especially for those new to the style, as it behaves more like a Chelsea boot and can disappear into a well-cut trouser. (See Simon's coverage of a pair here.)

Wearing cowboy boots today

The challenge isn’t finding a pair, but figuring out how to wear them without looking like you’re in costume.

When I first tried cowboy boots with a full suit, I thought it would be easy – the formality of the suit would offset the boots’ ruggedness. It didn’t work. The proportions felt off. The energy wasn’t right. 

What eventually clicked was that every cultural icon I loved – young Dylan, Springsteen, Redford, Ralph Lauren, Kevin Bacon at a 1990s airport, even Anthony Bourdain – wore the boots casually, with worn denim or loose tailoring in a muted color palette.

John Mayer in Visvim ropers with jeans and a tee, and Austin Butler in a chore coat and vintage Levi’s, were more contemporary cues that affirmed this. I just needed to bring it down to earth.

These days, I wear honey-suede Tecovas Johnny boots with 1950s US Army chinos or my straight-leg High Slim jeans from There There, usually with a Buck Mason Toughknit tee (above). My Gardian boots from La Botte Gardiane (a waxed crust roughout leather roper) are more everyday-friendly for sport coats and denim, where a true cowboy boot might push the look too far.

My go-to layers are military jackets, chore coats, denim jackets or softly structured sport coats with textures and silhouettes that match the rugged elegance of a cowboy boot.

William Yan of No Man Walks Alone had a similar evolution. “If you told me 10 years ago I’d be wearing cowboy boots, I would’ve laughed,” he told me. But now they’re in daily rotation. His entry point was a pair of suede ropers from Wythe: “The rounder toe and low heel made them feel like a familiar desert boot or Chelsea.” 

From there, he graduated to a snuff-suede Western pair. “At first, the heel took some getting used to, but now it feels like second nature.” He styles them with pearl snaps, ribbed tanks and denim – 501s, 517s, Wranglers and even five-pocket cords. “You want the leg opening wide enough to go over the shaft. If it’s too tight and you see the imprint, that’s not a good look.”

Ethan Wong (above) takes a more conceptual approach. “When you’re wearing Americana pieces – sawtooth shirts, chore coats, leather jackets – cowboy boots are like the final word,” he said. “They affirm the theme.”

Ethan often wears boots with tailoring, but only when there’s already a Western or workwear anchor: a denim shirt, a textured tie or casual trousers. “It’s no longer a ‘menswear fit with Western elements’. It’s a Western fit that happens to include tailoring.”

That’s the trick, as hatmaker Cody Wellema of Altadena in California illustrates (below). Boots should affirm the point of view of the outfit, not challenge it. When the pieces already speak the same language – earthy colours, tough fabrics, relaxed proportions – the boots feel like they belong. 

Makers and craft

Unlike many other footwear traditions, cowboy boots are still largely handmade in small workshops throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico and beyond. While a handful of factories have industrialised, many makers still make every pair by hand.

Zephan Parker’s bespoke tier at Parker Boot Company is one of those. Crafted one at a time, the brand promises lifelong repairs and resoling for every custom pair. “We want them to last through every mile of wear,” Zephan told me.

Graham Ebner, an Austin-based maker, views his boots as “translating cowboy boots into modern language – more Bourdain than Tom Mix”. He works one-on-one with clients to understand how they’ll wear the boots.

“If you’re working in a courtroom every day, maybe that means kangaroo leather and a higher pull, so nothing shows when you’re seated. Or maybe we do the opposite – something special hidden low, just visible when you sit.”

Graham’s top priorities are design and construction: “I want the boot to look beautiful, but also function perfectly. If the straps rip after a year or the fit is off, what’s the point?”

He added that while there are fewer traditional makers each year, the next generation is strong: independent bootmakers across the US – many women, notably – are continuing the craft with new perspectives and remarkable skill. Here’s who he recommends keeping an eye on:

A place in the wardrobe

I’ll concede that cowboy boots aren’t for everyone. They ask for confidence, and sometimes a bit of humility. But for those drawn to garments with cultural weight and integrity, they can be a surprisingly satisfying addition.

In Texas and other parts of the West, it’s common to own two pairs—one for ranch work, one for dinner. In my own wardrobe, my La Botte Gardiane and Tecovas boots are all-arounders, though I tend to forego boots entirely when formality is required. When I want character, posture and presence, I reach for cowboy boots.

To me, they are a piece of working heritage that, in the right context, can stand proudly next to any Northampton brogue or Neapolitan loafer. All it takes is confidence, good trousers and the willingness to stand a little taller.

WHERE TO BUY COWBOY BOOTS

Here are some trusted names across tiers:

Entry-level and ready-to-wear

  • Tecovas (Austin, Texas/León, Mexico): Clean design, great price point, ideal for first-timers. The Timex of cowboy boots, designed in Austin and made in León.
  • Wythe (New York/León, Mexico): Faithful vintage-inspired silhouettes at accessible prices. Great gateway option with plenty of clothing options to match.
  • Lucchese (El Paso, Texas): The Heritage line is refined and quality-driven. A household name for good reason.
  • Anderson Bean (Mercedes, Texas): Known for bold, functional boots with authentic flair.
  • Chisos (Austin, Texas): Excellent build quality and comfort. A step up from most direct-to-consumer brands.
  • Zerrows, Clinch, Rolling Dub Trio (Japan): Zerrows offers a tasteful reinterpretation of Red Wing’s now-defunct Pecos – a roper-style work boot; Clinch offers their own simplified cowboy boot; and Rolling Dub Trio’s Loro is somewhere in between with a modern side-zip option available.

Made-to-order and custom

  • Rios of Mercedes (Texas): RTW maker with a deep archive of leathers and patterns, and a reliable MTO programme.
  • Zephan Parker (Houston, Texas): The MTO line from Parker Boot Company offers clean, classic styles made entirely by hand.
  • Houston Boot Company (Nevada/León, Mexico): Custom options alongside a limited RTW selection made in León, with good quality for the price.

Bespoke

  • Parker Boot Company (Houston, Texas): Fully bespoke with lifetime service and refined, minimalist designs. (Below.)
  • Graham Ebner (Austin, Texas): Elegant hand-welted boots with a sharp eye for proportion and wearability.
  • Texas Traditions / Lee Miller (Austin, Texas): Legendary boots, revered for traditional handwork.
  • Lisa Sorrell (Oklahoma): Sculptural, highly detailed boots made with artistic vision and obsessive craft.

Nico Lazaro is a writer based in Los Angeles. He is @nickelcobalt on Instagram

The problem with quarter zips 

Posted on by Simon Crompton

The problem with quarter zips 

Wednesday, May 13th 2026Tags:
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A shirt collar getting crushed by a quarter zip

Recently a few readers have asked about my dislike of quarter-zip (and half-zip) sweaters. This is probably, at least in part, because they've become so popular – both as a finance-office staple and as fashion. 

In the same way as navy chinos, my objection to quarter zips is narrower than people often remember. The issue is also partly a result of that popularity (again like navy chinos). Men think they're the answer to everything because they go with everything; but they're not, because they don't. Just with some things. 

The idea is that a quarter zip is great because it can be worn with a shirt, but also with a T-shirt. Thus you can wear the same thing at work and at the weekend, and not have to think about it. 

Unfortunately, most of the time a quarter zip doesn't look great with a shirt. The sharp collar of the shirt points downwards, diagonally towards the arms, and the soft collar of the knit points upwards, diagonally towards the ears. The two are always going to butt against each other, and not sit together effectively or elegantly.

It probably doesn't help that the knit is so tight, but still, crushed
The quarter zip as roll neck, under a coat

The quarter-zip sweater was originally a piece of sportswear, and it works best today over something like a T-shirt, with free rein to be zipped or unzipped. In that position it is both functional and flattering – framing the face nicely when it is open, and having an effect akin to a roll neck when zipped up under an overcoat.  

A collared shirt has other knitwear that’s designed to work with it – a crewneck or a V-neck – and generally they sit much better with the collar. 

The only issue with a crewneck or V-neck is that it’s harder to wear with a T-shirt – a topic it’s probably worth doing a separate article on at some point. And, a little depressingly, sometimes people say they’re too much fuss. 

Andreas showing how to wear a quarter zip, with a T-shirt
Ghiaia one in typically rumpled style

This came up recently in another article, where a reader was saying a crewneck is too hard to take on and off in the office, and so he wears a gilet. 

Now, I get that some people are working very hard, are very tired, and clothing is nowhere near the top of their priority list. But it seems a little odd to take the time to read a niche blog about menswear, yet feel that taking off a crewneck is too much of a faff. 

There’s perhaps another article here at some point – taking the time to enjoy, experience and maintain good clothing, in proportion to the time shopping for it. It’s something I’m certainly guilty of – I should spend more time having my clothes altered and cleaned, and in fact polishing my shoes, and less time browsing the internet in search of something new. 

A shirt with a crewneck, embracing the collar
A shirt with a V-neck, complementing the shirt

But I digress. I was saying, quarter zips can be great but they should be thought of primarily as sportswear. Now here come the caveats. 

First, some shirt collars work better than others. A soft button-down oxford will roll outwards more with the neck of a quarter zip, and be a better partner than a stiff dress shirt. But still, I usually prefer a crewneck or a V-neck. 

Second, sometimes the point of wearing a quarter zip with tailoring is the contrast with a sports wear. This is common in Ivy clothing. But, the point is that clash of ideas. If a clash is not what you’re going for, don’t wear it. 

Third, wearing a quarter zip with a tie is in some ways better, because the shirt collar is tied down and flatter. It's how they were worn originally, as ski wear and then for sports like golf. But still, these are different times and I'd prefer a V-neck. 

The very Ivy look of a quarter zip with a tie - but Ivy's about mixing formal and sportswear
The big collar that doesn't really zip up (at least not comfortably)

Modern office uniforms are a little trickier than the suits and ties we had in the past, but not that hard. 

Wear a soft-collared shirt, a nice crewneck sweater, a pair of chinos or tailored trousers, and a loafer/boot/derby. Just like a suit and tie, focus on good quality and a small number of pieces that go together. Top it off with a lightweight coat or jacket, and a heavier one. Sprinkle with accessories for interest.

A quarter zip is a great thing for the weekend, over a T-shirt, even if I personally wear collared knits like the Cashmere Rugby. And indeed prefer half zips to quarters - the latter can seem a little like V-necks that have all become too shallow, at least the shorter ones. 

Lastly, there's a current trend for extra-tall zipped collars, which fold down over the shoulders. I’ve tried this (above), and eventually found it too annoying that it doesn't actually zip up, at least comfortably. There’s lots we can take from women’s fashions when it comes to half zips (see Chanel, below) but I don’t think that’s one of them. 

Half-zip inspiration from Chanel. Take the colours and the vibe, not the tucking in
And another. Note the effect of the deep half zip, rather than a quarter

A coda on clothing etiquette, from Bruce

Posted on by Simon Crompton

A coda on clothing etiquette, from Bruce

Monday, May 11th 2026
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During discussions for our recent article on clothing etiquette, I spent some time talking to my good, old friend Bruce Boyer. (Not that either of us are old, but rather that I have known him for a good few years.)

Bruce, as expected, was both eloquent and erudite in his thoughts, and rather than build them into the article, I thought I'd simply share some of them here, as a little coda to our discussion in last week's article. 

-

Hello Simon,

Clothing etiquette and manners for me is wrapped historically in class distinction, sumptuary laws and economics.

Historically when the late medieval world shifted into the Renaissance in the 14th and 15th centuries, men went from being feudal warrior knights to courtiers in a polite society of court life, and we begin to see a 'civilising process',  books of instruction about how a courtier should represent himself in this new world.

It's there that we get the first studies and guidance on manners. I think Baldessare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier is not the first but the best book of the period.

Later it was the fluidity and porousness of class that occasioned more and more books of manners. The 19th and 20th centuries are awash in them, and what they show is the tension between what is considered elite and what is considered mass culture.

Sumptuary laws, whether written or unwritten, tell us what is both prescribed and proscribed.

All guide books can be said to be on middle class virtues in a bourgeois society. All of it caused when individuals move more freely up the ladder, between what Chris Breward calls "a controlled exercising of restraint and an abandonment to conspicuous consumption. Think of Donald Trump: the most derisive thing some of his critics say about him is that he's gauche and vulgar; that's his great sin to the upper class Republicans.

To be just a bit more specific. The old rule was that we should be appropriate to the occasion, the audience, and the purpose: you don't wear torn jeans to a fancy dress ball. You don't wear a business suit and shirt without a tie. Formal dress was of course shot through with rigid rules.

Today all those thoughts of appropriateness seem laughable, and I suppose that the history of dress will be seen in future as a democratic movement towards a homogenisation. Logically that will eradicate most of the rules regarding class, sexual orientation and ethnic concerns and we'll all be able to concentrate on sustainability.

Particular rules from my childhood:

1. Polished shoes. We were always told that was a sign of 'character' and that a personnel manager always looked at the prospective employee's shoes immediately.

2. Always carry a clean handkerchief.

3. Men's jewellery should not go further than a watch, wedding ring and perhaps cuff links, collar bar and tie clip for dandies.

4. Hats were never worn indoors, never.

5. It was expected that men would wear tailored clothing and tie to a place of worship, festive occasions such as dances and parties, weddings, funerals, and anywhere else you were expected to show respect.

6. If you were with a lady, you removed her outer coat first, then yours.

7. Shoes, whether being wore or not, were never placed on furniture.

I don't think any of those matter these days; many women resent them as patronising, and nostalgie de la boue has taken hold everywhere it seems; class is more and more determined solely by economic status, which makes the porosity of class even greater.

Spring/Summer Highlights 2026: De Bonne, Allevol, Oak Street

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Spring/Summer Highlights 2026: De Bonne, Allevol, Oak Street

Friday, May 8th 2026Tags:
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This is our seasonal piece covering the best things I’ve bought recently, with comments on fit and views on style. A useful round-up, a gear review in brief: they’re all things I’ve bought and worn already so I can help out with any more detailed questions as well. Just ask in the comments. 

The last two are from Lucas, as noted. It’s so nice having a plethora of views (and wider range of styles) in the team. In fact on that subject, we recently hired our third member of staff - Bao - whom readers will have already started to meet on the support emails. He's been an absolute godsend. Welcome Bao!

1. De Bonne Facture ‘Artist Shirt’

Size: Medium

€271 

The two notable things about this shirt from De Bonne Facture are the lightness of it, and the colours. It’s made in a washed cotton voile that’s really lightweight, yet not see-through. It feels very cool on the body and I can’t wait to wear it in the summer when I really feel the benefit. 

And the colours are great - unusual but subtle. I took the ‘rosewood’ (shown on me, top) which is nice with blue jeans as well as brown trousers. The dark brown shirt (above) is also really nice - slightly purply. And there’s a standard navy if you want something safe. 

2. Buck Mason ‘Hollywood Trousers’

Size: 32

$298

When Lucas, Manish and I went shopping at Buck Mason in LA last month, the one product we all walked away with (in different colours) was the trouser from the Hollywood line of suiting. 

They’re a really nice cut - wide but not exaggerated, tapered slightly through the thigh, and a comfortable true high-rise fit. Having met the Buck design team now, I can understand why the cuts are so good. Few brands at this price level are doing all their own pattern work. 

I took the linen herringbone in natural. It’s a lightweight linen so wrinkles a little more, but cooler too. 

3. Allevol quarter-zip sweatshirt

Size: Large

£195

I like a sweatshirt with a collar where I can, because I find it more flattering around the neck. The issue is I rarely like the collars on them - the McCoy’s one I have is a bit tiddly. So I was pleased to try this from Allevol at Clutch Cafe. 

The collar stands up a bit more and rolls down quite nicely too. The material is soft and light as far as most Japanese sweatshirts go, but I’m tending more in that direction - a bit like not having the patience for raw denim anymore. 

4. Vicki Turbeville southwestern jewellery

Size: N/A

My cuff: $400

We met Vicki and her partner, Steve Nelson of Mountain Lion Trading, while we were in LA. They’re both wonderful people; Steve in particular is a legend of trading in southwestern art and artifacts.

Vicki handles the jewellery side and that’s the most obviously shoppable: Lucas and I both bought simple necklaces for our partners, and I bought a beautiful vintage cuff. Highly recommended as an online source, or as a lovely place to visit. A couple of minutes from Redondo Beach. 

5. The Anthology ‘Dress Chinos’

Size: 50 

$325

There have been quite a few questions from readers about these since The Anthology launched them, so apologies for not including them in anything sooner. To be honest, I’ve just started to wear them with a few things. 

I’d describe them as a really nice smart chino - the kind of thing I’m most likely to wear with tailoring, if I did so. The material is a soft, slightly peached cotton, and they have dressy details like lapped seams as well. The fit is a fairly high rise, slightly more than I usually have, and flat so the same rise in the back. 

6. Strapateer camera strap

Size: N/A

£125

I recently bought a Fujifilm XE-5 camera, and obviously wanted a good strap. Our photographer Alex recommended this one and it’s proven a very good purchase: a little vintage in look, which is of course welcome, but very functional as well. 

I haven’t found I use the ability to wear the camera under a jacket, then unsnap the strap in order to pull it out, but that’s probably because I’m too precious about the fit of my outer layer. It certainly does work if you want it to - and I shorten the strap to use it more around the wrist.

7. Dalmo cotton/linen knitted polo

Size: Medium

£331

Dalmo, the Italian hand-framed knitter we've featured a few times on PS, have just launched a website for the first time. They're a small operation, and in the past have concentrated on made-to-order (which they still do) but the site will hopefully now make their products much more accessible.

I tried a couple of things on the site recently, and I'd recommend the knitted polos in a linen/cotton mix. I've never particularly liked pure linen knits, despite several attempts over the years (eg the green here). They're just a little too heavy and lose shape. But a cotton/linen mix is a great idea, and the 'Patrizia' in brown has been lovely to wear.

8. Rubato short-sleeved linen shirt

Size: Medium

£285

Rubato did a different version of their pop-up in London this week, where they came over for just a day, with a few appointments for people to see just the new releases. I tried all of them (of course) but my favourite was this short-sleeved shirt, because I find it so hard to find one of those in a cut I like.

This one is a little higher in the neck which is good, and while the sleeve is a little square (which I know some readers will actually prefer) a little fold back of the end produces a perfect taper on me. Happy to answer questions about anything else in the range (which I think launched for everyone yesterday.

9. Oak Street ‘Rowing Oxford’

Size (Lucas): 11(US)

$372

This is one I haven’t actually bought myself, but Lucas has been wearing a pair for almost a year now and I’ve seen them age really nicely. They fall into a category of shoe that you could think of as a boat shoe with a chunky sole - that same rounder, casual look, but with a sole that can cope with walks in the countryside. 

It’s not a category I’ve explored yet, as I’d usually wear a boot in that kind of scenario. But if I do, these are definitely the ones I’d go for - more than the others from Timberland, Paraboot, Sperry or Yuketen that Lucas has also tried. 

10. Lady White ‘Band Pant’

Size (Lucas): XL

£255

While we’re talking about Lucas, let’s include this one as well. I wrote about my lazy travel clothing recently, and the controversial thing was the Bryceland’s sweat pants. Well this is what Lucas wears: a cotton trouser with a pin tuck from the great LA brand Lady White, whom we also visited on our recent trip. 

The material has more clean drape than a sweatpant, and the appearance of a crease helps too. They have nice natural stretch - you’d almost think they had some elastane or something in there, but they don’t. 

Top and bottom pictures: Eoghan Gilmore

Review: Stone Island linen jacket

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Review: Stone Island linen jacket

Monday, May 4th 2026Tags:
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I met a man on the stairs the other day. He was leaving the pop-up as I was entering, and he stopped to tell me how much he enjoyed the website, as consistently generous and well-mannered PS readers often do. 

Then he said something that surprised me: he thanked us for covering Stone Island, which he had never considered before. Like many others, he had assumed it was a streetwear brand and as cheap and synthetic as the rest. 

But he’d visited, bought a raincoat, and was pleased with it. “There’s a lot in there, of course, and a lot of it isn’t for me,” he said. “But there are some real gems - once you know what you’re looking for.”

I don’t think he’ll mind me quoting him - PS readers are universally generous, as mentioned - and it stuck with me, because that was exactly the message I wanted to get across, to that type of person. 

Having explained the virtues of Stone Island a few months ago, and then Tony writing more on the history of the company, I thought it would be good today to focus on one piece I bought recently, and why it’s special. 

The piece is a cropped, black jacket redolent of denim jackets, or more closely, old M43 HBTs with their big chest pockets. 

It’s made of linen, but the linen is bonded to a lightweight jersey on the back in order to give it more structure. It means you get the firm shape of a denim jacket (and less wrinkling) but the coolness of linen. 

I tried a lot of things on in the Stone Island shop when I visited a month or so ago - mostly in the Ghost and Marina lines - and this jacket was the one that stuck out, because it typified the kind of fabric innovation Stone Island is good for. 

There are pure linen and pure cotton versions of this kind of jacket. Blackhorse Lane does a great Type II denim jacket in linen; and over at Clutch Cafe, they’ve got Full Count jackets in some new canvas colours, alongside the usual blue and black denim. 

But linen will always crease, and cotton will never be as cool. With the SI version in some ways you get the best of both worlds - and no one in the classic-menswear world is going to do that kind of bonded material. 

The jacket is also double dyed, in a process they often use on cotton and linen that produces distinctive dark colours; and then garment washed, giving it some nice fading. 

These dyeing processes are not something that makes the jacket necessarily better than a regular linen, but it does make it distinctive - something else that a reader might particularly like about Stone Island. 

There are also a few other nice design details, such as a hidden internal pocket on the left side (shown below) that's so subtle it's easy to miss.

The jacket is expensive even for Stone Island at £1,180 - a price that's probably more than double what a PS reader would usually spend on such item.

Some of that is down to the technical aspects of the jacket mentioned above. Some of it is down to the fact SI is a bigger brand with shops and advertising. And some of it is down to the frequency of collections, which is an interesting topic we haven’t really covered much on Permanent Style. 

Most of the time, we dislike brands that change everything every six months. It means you can’t go back and buy the same thing in a different colour a year later, or indeed replace something five years later. 

But the flip side is the volume of new, interesting ideas. New designs, but also fabrics and cuts and colours. Not great for assembling the building blocks of a wardrobe, but enjoyable and fascinating. 

When you start exploring designer brands like this, you begin to understand why someone might talk about following the work of a particular designer, and buying into collections as they're released if something particularly speaks to them. 

They identify with that creative mind, follow it on its journey, and mark the experience with pieces from particular points in time. To me it makes particular sense with someone like Stone Island, given so much is built around innovation. 

This is a very different way of shopping to the one we normally discuss, but once you have a lot of your normal wardrobe filled out, it can be both interesting and stimulating. 

And of course it also helps with the price if you only buy occasionally. 

Since first covering Stone Island last year, I’ve picked up one or two other new pieces, and a vintage piece from a friend - a cord popover from back in 1992. 

I’ve started to appreciate in the wearing what I previously only really saw at a distance, and it's reinforced what I wrote about in that first article: the quality, the natural materials, the fact that every collection has something interesting (even if it’s only one thing). 

I can also navigate the brand better, knowing that the Marina collection for example - being the most traditional - is the most likely to have pieces that appeal. After that I look at the Ghost collection, which is less traditional, more urban. And I really only look at the mainline for technical things (such as a rain jacket).

Stone Island has become one of a small number of designer brands I regularly check for occasional, beautiful pieces, alongside the likes of Hermes and Loro Piana. And the prices always seem reasonable after visiting that last one. 

Coach jacket with anti-drop, size medium, shown with vintage US Army fatigues, a black Rubato knitted T-shirt and EB Meyrowitz 'Californian' sunglasses.

How to dress like Luciano Barbera

Posted on by Simon Crompton

How to dress like Luciano Barbera

Friday, May 1st 2026Tags:
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Luciano Barbera is a menswear icon for many reasons. For me, however, the most important is that he always emphasised dressing comfortably, appropriately and in an understated manner. 

Dressing comfortably means eschewing the uber-tight suits or uber-pointy shoes that still plague some areas of menswear. Dressing in an understated manner means avoiding the extremes of fashion. And dressing appropriately means many things, but one of them is not cosplaying - not trying to force a three-piece suit into a time, place or occasion for which it is not appropriate.

“The most forceful statement is understatement. It is the philosophy behind everything I do,” he once said. 

These are all powerful, practical things to remember - and I think they should remind us that even if we wear less tailoring than we did 10 years ago, there is still much we can learn from those Italian icons, which would also include the likes of Simone Righi, Mariano Rubinacci, Sergio Loro Piana or Matteo Marzotto. 

But today we’re here to talk about Barbera, and there are a few more specific and tailoring-related things I think readers can learn from his style. 

1. Try contrasting shoes

Barbera was a great fan of tan-coloured shoes, and took every opportunity to wear them. A lot of the time that made sense because his suits were light in colour, and the shoes were still darker than the suit material. 

But he also wore tan shoes with slightly darker grey trousers, doing the thing we discussed last year of wearing shoes a little lighter than the trousers, for a touch of visual interest. (Anyone that has yet to understand why that’s unusual, read the article.) 

I suggest that readers can take this from Barbera, even if they would never wear the ties, hanks or other more formal elements. 

2. Wear a very soft hat

God knows, brimmed hats are hard to wear. But if there’s one thing that makes them easier, it’s being soft and worn in. Barbera’s always looked as though he’d been sitting on them for half an hour, and as a result often receded into the background. 

How do you get that type of hat? Well, you buy one in a soft, unlined felt and you treat it like crap. One of Locks’ rollable hats will look like that the quickest - all it takes is being kept rolled a couple of times. And a stiffer felt will look like that over time if it’s not babied. You can also soak a stiffer felt in water, but I confess I’ve never had the courage to do that. 

3. Or a beanie

Barbera also wore a flat cap, even a beanie or a baseball cap, as trilby alternatives. But the flat cap always made him look older and less stylish to me, while the baseball cap looked like a joke. A beanie, on the other hand, gave him a cheeky just-put-together look that was quite appealing. 

The cap may actually have been a joke for all we know, or at least some kind of commercial stunt. But it is good to see how a small wool beanie can flatter someone so elegant. 

4. Learn colour combinations

Barbera was a master of colour pairings. It helped that he wore quite rural ones - greens, beiges, browns - that were easier to wear with other bright colours, but he really made the most out of it. My three favourites are shown above, in order: yellow and mid-brown; red and green; cerise and dark brown.

All these are combinations you can work into your wardrobe in different ways to the ones shown: a yellow scarf with a mid-brown suit; a red-striped shirt under a green jacket; a cerise knit with a dark-brown coat. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie to be inspired by these outfits. 

5. Have fun with mixed patterns

We have to go back almost 20 years to find the first mention of pattern density on PS, but it hasn’t lost any of its appeal. There’s something about seeing a tie, shirt, jacket and pocket handkerchief in different patterns - yet all working together - that still stirs the soul of a tailoring enthusiast. 

The secret, of course, is to keep the densities of neighbouring patterns sufficiently different from each other. A big check in the jacket, a small stripe in the shirt, a club diagonal in the tie, and so on. You can also deliberately flirt at the edges of this; I like a striped shirt with my striped DB suit, for example, but then keep the thing balanced with a dark, solid, anchor of a tie in the middle. 

I rarely wear a patterned handkerchief today, but I do like to play with this interaction between suit, shirt and tie patterns. It’s a good way to add interest without resorting to bold pattern or colour. 

I have also learned over the years, by the way, that Barbera’s colour of glasses only works on ruddier or more Italian-tanned individuals. It took me a long time to make peace with that - as you can see here. 

Like all the most iconic dressers, Barbera never seemed to striving for style in any way. It helped that he dressed within the relatively narrow confines of classic menswear, but even so. 

It is him I often refer people to when they abuse the term ‘sprezzatura’. It means the opposite of what they think: “It literally means detachment, but a better way to think of it is quiet confidence or low-key style,” he said. “Style is having people noticing you without struggling to do so.”

Whenever I read Barbera’s interviews and quotes, he inspires me to look at fabric more closely. Fabric was his heritage of course, and he always talks about hating ‘flat’ fabrics, those without character - and how natural fibres are best for that. He makes me want to feel cloth in my fingers, rather than ever click through it online. 

Below are a few more of my favourite Barbera pics. Remember, all it takes is one element to be inspiring. The point is not to recommend whole looks. It never is, really. 

Thoughts on A Presse (and fashion silhouettes)

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Thoughts on A Presse (and fashion silhouettes)

Monday, April 27th 2026Tags:
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I’ve found the recent growth of popularity in Japanese brand A Presse quite interesting. Because while there are lots of things I like and admire about the brand, it feels like it’s often misrepresented.

A Presse is sometimes described as heritage menswear. People see the denim jackets, chinos and other pieces created by the founder Kazuma Shigematsu and describe it as a modern take on the familiar idea of a Japanese designer doing Americana. 

But A Presse is more a fashion brand than a heritage one - something that’s clearest in the silhouettes. 

Yes, Shigematsu is a vintage collector and inspired by a lot of the same pieces as someone like Kinji Teramoto of 35summers or Kentaro Nakagomi of Coherence. And yes, he is obsessed with production details and creates some beautiful, organic and aged fabrics. 

But the fits push the brand much more towards fashion, and are the reason most of the clothes don’t work for me. 

I’ve tried A Presse clothes a few times in recent years. I’m always interested in menswear brands producing at a high level of quality and would do the same with The Row, Lemaire or Visvim for example. It’s stimulating; it broadens your perspective.

But while I often love aspects of the A Presse clothes - and price wouldn’t be a problem if something felt special - the silhouettes are too exaggerated. 

On the most recent visit, I tried several pieces in Selfridge’s after seeing them on our friend Chris Moorby at the PS pre-owned sale. I tried an overshirt, a knit, some chinos and a canvas jacket, getting a good range of pieces. 

The knit (above) was made from a gorgeous silk material that felt more like a dry wool, with just a hint of unexpected luxury. The dark olive colour was perfect, and the Henley neckline was something I don’t already have, and looked great over a shirt. 

But the sleeves puddled over my hands (as you can see on the model above, in a medium) and the body dropped down to cover my bum completely. They don’t carry smalls, and in any case this was clearly the intended fit. 

The bomber jacket (above) was the opposite - short to the point of rising easily above my mid- to high-rise jeans, and with blousing in the back that was more than you see on even the biggest old-school Valstarinos.

There's nothing wrong with this type of look, and I love it on other people, but these are not classic shapes - they are deliberately exaggerated, deliberately far from the norm, and as a result more fashion. 

Fits like these are often the reason a brand is described as being a ‘whole look’. As in, you need to buy the whole look for the clothes to work. That isn’t necessarily the case, but it can feel like that because the exaggerated shapes don’t work with the rest of your wardrobe. 

There’s a spectrum here, and brands sit at different places on it. 

Stoffa (above), for example, is a brand we love and have covered frequently over the years. Agyesh and the team often design clothes with slightly less classic shapes, inventing and playing with them in the same way they do with textiles. 

But they’re subtler, and as a result most things work with other parts of my wardrobe. Luke at LEJ plays around with this a little too, but in an even subtler way. And brands like Rubato vary in very small ways - and indeed have become more classic over time, as the knits have got a touch longer, the trousers a bit slimmer. 

Now, two other points on exaggerated silhouettes: one, they tend to work on certain shapes of people; and two, they tend to date quicker. 

Big, drapey clothes look great on bigger guys - particularly tall and wide. It’s a good look on Chris, and indeed it’s one reason Adret clothes look so good on Adam Rogers (their founder). But they’re not for everyone. 

Big looks are also more likely to look dated in, say, 10 or 20 years, than more moderate ones. That’s not a problem if you update your wardrobe that often anyway, but it’s not what most people are after. 

Those two points come together when you consider something like the Hedi Slimane skinny tailoring that dominated menswear looks in the early 2000s (below). They were exaggerated and so dated quicker; and big guys struggled to wear them - the opposite of the fashion today. 

I really love A Presse - its fabrics, even tiny things like its tiny label. It feels refreshing compared to a lot of the fashion we’ve had in the past decade. 

People that criticise a brand like A Presse based on something like make quality, are also missing most of the point. Unique fabric development is much harder to do, and often more expensive. 

Finally, I should say that the fits do vary at A Presse - some are straighter and more classic than others. But a lot of it falls into this bigger category, and the broader point is also more important: that thinking about clothes from the point of view of silhouette is a useful perspective - one we haven’t talked about enough on PS over the years. 

This is Spring/Summer 2026: Superga, Chan Luu, Patagonia

Posted on by Simon Crompton

This is Spring/Summer 2026: Superga, Chan Luu, Patagonia

Friday, April 24th 2026Tags:
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In every issue of the magazine, we include a list of things to team are looking forward to wearing and buying in the season ahead. Here's the one from this issue, as a little taster. We always include a guest contributor as well, and this time it was the French creator and stylist Cléa Carlier (above).

Manish's seersucker suit awaiting its owner

Manish Puri, Deputy Editor

Top of the wishlist:

I’m travelling to Japan for the first time this spring and one of the things I’m most excited about (that doesn’t involve food) is visiting shoemaker Seiji McCarthy to hopefully commission a pair of MTM shoes.

Looking forward to wearing:

New York tailor Ralph Fitzgerald has gone from strength to strength since we first met in 2024. My first suit from him, a DB in a vintage navy wool seersucker (above), is nearly ready and will be worn at every occasion this summer.

Favourite spring/summer outfit:

A guayabera from Katab in Mérida, some espadrilles from La Manual Alpargatera in Barcelona and an ice cold beer brewed in whichever country I’m lucky enough to be on holiday in.

Elliot's favourite travel bag

Elliot Hammer, Creative Director

Top of the wishlist:

A ticket to Spain for a week or two. I’m looking forward to good food and beautiful countryside. I’ll be taking my trusty Patagonia Black Hole Duffel (40L is ample, above). All I need now is a pair of sandals…

Looking forward to wearing:

The Real McCoy’s Cotton Pile Skipper entered my wardrobe in the last days of summer. Roll on the terry cloth days.

Favourite spring/summer outfit:

Living in New York I’ve reached a point in my life, both in terms of age and geography, where dressing like a Soprano’s character makes sense. Step forward the vintage short-sleeved shirt, tailored trousers, one-inch belt and a pair of loafers. Bada bing, bada boom.

Cléa's preferred DB cut

Cléa Carlier, creator and stylist @classic_nonchalance

Top of the wishlist:

Alessandro Gasparini ‘Mocasso’ loafers in chocolate brown suede. The white stitching on top definitely reminds us of the Native American origins of the shoes and they are, of course, very low-cut because I’ll always find more excuses to show off my socks. To be worn with loose jeans, a nice pink shetland jumper and a film camera filled with pictures of landscapes, blurry.

Looking forward to wearing:

A linen double-breasted suit in lovely tobacco, courtesy of Fratelli Mocchia di Coggiola. With a roped shoulder however, because I want to be able to dress it up, and an adventurously large leg-opening (27cm) because quite frankly, I just like it. It’s currently being made, but you can see some inspiration for the cut above.

Favourite summer outfit:

Springs are quite cool in the morning and evenings, but warm in the afternoon, in my part of France. So I’d love to get my hands on a woollen knit long-sleeved polo from William Crabtree or John Smedley that I could wear, collar up (yeah, we’re criminals around here) with a silk neckerchief, and a good old navy blazer and grey trousers combo (although the grey trousers can easily be replaced by light-wash jeans). Very comfortable, very simple, perfectly adapted for strolling in the sunlit park with a guitar and a wife after work, without throwing a fit because you don’t want to ruin your super 130’s trousers by sitting in the grass.

Top of Lucas's wishlist from Stone Island

Lucas Nicholson, Publisher

Top of the wishlist:

A light harrington jacket, currently eyeing up a sand-coloured ‘smerigliato’ model from Stone Island. Recycled nylon tera, and garment dyed, as you’d expect from Stone Island. Also potentially a made-to-order one from the Korean brand Jack Fort.

Looking forward to wearing:

In the summer I often add more jewellery to my outfits – I got a red beaded necklace from Chan Luu last summer which I really enjoy using to add some additional colour.

Favourite spring/summer outfit:

People often associate Ivy style with Autumn/Winter, but I think the summer looks are underrated. A pair of wide leg, pleated chino shorts, a boxy oxford shirt with a big pocket, on the feet either white canvas trainers, leather fisherman sandals or deck shoes, and all topped off with a pair of sunnies: one of my favourite summer looks, clean and smart enough to deal with the city and what it throws at you.

The Superga 1925

Simon Crompton, Editor

Top of the wishlist:

A cropped Hermes jacket in wool gabardine. I saw this recently come in for Spring/Summer ‘26, and it is the most perfect summer blouson, in this pale mushroom colour. Expensive of course, but this is called a wishlist for a reason right?

Looking forward to wearing:

Superga 1925 canvas trainers (above). At completely the opposite end of the price spectrum, but this special edition Superga did last year was a beautifully simple trainer in raw canvas, and only £125. Fingers crossed they bring it back for everyone else.

Favourite spring/summer outfit:

Relaxed linen trousers, tailored but fairly wide, with a tee and a PS Linen Overshirt. Chic and simple and cool (as in fresh – I’m English, I’d never presume to say that I looked cool).

Simon's favourite summer outfit

Introducing: The Boat Shoe with August Special

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Introducing: The Boat Shoe with August Special

Wednesday, April 22nd 2026Tags:
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The shoe will be available to try on in all sizes at the London pop-up, starting tomorrow. All details on that here. 

A couple of years ago, in an article about the appeal of Riviera style in the summer, we wrote about the need for a soft but elegant shoe that can accompany everything from tailored linen trousers to shorts. 

It’s a category that quite a lot of brands have explored, but they can be a bit too smart (eg Belgians) or too chunky (eg regular boat shoes) to bridge all these uses. It's something we mentioned to Joseph Pollard - the ex-design head at RRL who now runs shoe brand August Special - and that started a conversation around developing something together. 

To fit the brief, the shoe had to be soft enough to wear without socks - to simply slip into at the back door of the summer house - but also elegant enough to wear with our beloved bespoke tailoring. 

It would be unlined, in a mouldable veg-tanned leather, but designed to look slim on the feet and made to a high quality, with fine stitching and construction. Inspiration came from traditional boat shoes, but also the kind of low-profile, laid-back shoe Ralph Lauren did particularly well in the nineties (below) and I've worn vintage versions of. 

The nice thing about those shoes was they were casual in design (leather lacing, hand-stitched apron) but the low vamp and slightly elongated last made them elegant as well. 

For our summer version, we took that idea and an old pair of boat shoes I had, and created a new, custom last that emphasised comfort in places like the width at the joints, but used elements like the shape of the apron to push the more refined style. 

If you look at the shoe below, it’s interesting to compare the shape of the apron (that ‘U’ of stitching on the front) with the width of the shoe overall. It’s the apron that catches the eye and makes the shoe look elongated, but the shoe itself is actually fairly wide and comfortable. 

During the design iterations with the shoemaker in Italy, Joseph helped us push that shape of the apron, to make it slimmer and longer, moving the point of it right to the end of the toe. It wasn’t a standard design but it really helped drive the overall look. 

Other aspects we worked on consistently were creating a larger heel cup - wider and roomier but not big at the top - and lowering the toe spring to give it a really flat, laid-back feel. 

“There’s a lot in the dynamism of a shoe that comes from these decisions,” Joseph told me. “Trainers are angled forwards, for example, to give the impression of speed. By contrast, I like how low and still this shoe feels, like it’s not in a hurry to go anywhere.”

So, the shoe is an unlined loafer in veg-tanned leather, made in moccasin style with self-tying leather laces. The vamp and counter are hand sewn, and there is a Maine-guide style seam as an extra design detail. 

We used a small, family-run shoemaker in Italy that Joseph has worked with in the past, and actually used to make some of the Ralph Lauren shoes we were inspired by. 

They make at a higher level than most of the similar shoes you see outside Italy, with finer finishing, more stitches per inch, and details like a rounded edge to the sole through the waist. 

The sole is blake-stitched, which for me is the best in this kind of lightweight summer shoe. They can be resoled fairly easily as a result, at least two or three times. 

The leather is deliberately left with minimal finish, so it will age quickly and beautifully. The shoes will noticeably acquire scuffs and marks, but these mellow and become part of the patina, making it feel like an old favourite. 

Interestingly, the rubbing on the inside of the shoe can also cause the leather to darken slightly with friction, but this fades. You can also use a waterproofing spray if you might wear them in the rain; more generally, a little clear or tan shoe cream will be useful every few months. 

Style-wise, we find the shoes can be worn with everything from jeans to tailoring. During our recent trip to LA myself, Lucas and Manish all wore the shoes, and you can see the variety of outfits in the images in this article. 

At the top, Lucas is wearing them in a semi-smart outfit with white jeans and a navy cotton sweater (our hand-framed model). Above, Manish is wearing them with a linen suit (Art du Lin from The Anthology) and a white linen shirt, so an elegant summer look. 

And I’m wearing the shoes with blue jeans, but with both a very casual look on top (untucked chambray shirt, below) and a smarter one (tailored linen jacket, further above). I’d wear them, personally, with shorts as well.

Fit

I know the first question readers will have will be about sizing. We’ve tried to break this down as fully as possible below, using all three of us as examples, as we all have slightly different shapes of feet. 

General advice:

  • The shoes are listed in US sizing, as per August Special’s other shoes 
  • Generally US sizes are a half or full size above UK sizes. These are generally a half size bigger, so a UK 9 or EU 43 equates to a US 9.5
  • The shape is moderately slim, an E width, but the unlined construction means they mould easily and can expand to wider fits
  • The laces are functional and can be used to tighten the top line of the shoe slightly. We wouldn’t recommend doing so by more than a centimetre, but it does make a difference. If the laces then look a little long they can easily be cut shorter

Our sizing:

  • Simon is a size 9E in Edward Green and Crockett & Jones, a 43 in European brands, and a 9.5D in Alden. He has a slim, long foot and often struggles to get loafers that fit around the toes but hold the heel in the back
    • In this shoe he takes a 9.5. He considered a 9 as the heel held a little better, but tightening the laces slightly made a difference and 9.5 was the right choice
  • Manish has a wider foot so is usually between a 8.5 and 9 depending on width. He wears a 9.5D in Alden’s Aberdeen last and a 9E in their Van last. He wears a 9 in Edward Green and his August Special Augie shoes are US 10.
    • For the boat shoes, he considered a 10 again but had some heel slippage, so the 9.5 was best overall for him
  • Lucas is a 10.5E in Edward Green, 45 in most EU brands, 11 in Barrie/Trubalance and 11.5 in Aberdeen last from Alden.
    • He normally takes an 11.5 from August Special but he took an 11 in these, as he plans on wearing them mainly without socks and found the 11 gave him a snugger heel grip which was his priority, with still room at the front

Care

  • The boat shoe is made in a soft calf leather with only a light wax finish. It is intended to age noticeably and quickly, creating a personal patina
  • If there is a chance of wearing it in the rain, a waterproofing spray such as Saphir Super Invulner is advised
  • Shoe cream will be useful in the long term to maintain the leather. Perhaps once or twice a year depending on use
  • Use of shoe trees will keep the shoe looking smarter, if that’s desired. The team have not been using them
  • The shoe is blake stitched and so the sole can be replaced at many shoe-repair shops. If done carefully, this can be done two or three times

Product details

  • Boat shoe made in Italy with hand-stitched apron and counter
  • Italian veg-tanned calf leather
  • Blake-stitched leather sole
  • Unlined, but with full leather sock lining
  • Functional moccasin-style leather laces
  • Made in coordination with the US brand August Special
  • Available only at Shop.PermanentStyle.com

NB: When trying shoes on at home, please only do so on a carpeted floor. Shoes with scuffed soles cannot be accepted on returns or exchanges

Permanent Style magazine Spring/Summer ‘26 is live!

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Permanent Style magazine Spring/Summer ‘26 is live!

Monday, April 20th 2026Tags:
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The third issue of Permanent Style magazine is now live, and is available on the Permanent Style shop as well as at the retailers listed at the bottom of this article. 

The thing I’m most pleased with in this issue is the way the magazine has developed its own personality - because so much of the content is now written specifically for that format, and only appears there. 

In this issue, those are the longest and best pieces and they include:

  • The history of Parisian tailoring, by Marcos Eliades 
  • How America lost its ability to mend, by Derek Guy
  • The remnants of British craft, by Ian Leslie
  • An insider’s style journey, by Aleks Cvetkovic
  • The psychology of men shopping, by Nico Lazaro
  • And Louis Cheslaw, Elias Marte and others telling André Larnyoh which women inspire their style

We’ve also continued the expansion into some lifestyle pieces, which sit particularly well in the magazine format. These include Bent van Looy on his favourite Parisian restaurants, and Simon de Burton on culturally significant car designs. 

And that’s without the cover story, which leads the French flavour of the issue. 

The cover is a day with the L’Etiquette team in Paris - Gauthier, Marc and Basile - talking about the nearly 10 years they have been running their magazine, and the significance of the way they have approached menswear. 

Why write about another magazine? Because magazines - at their best - are just as interesting as brands and often more influential. They also tend to have a broader impact across styles and groups of men than most brands. 

The French theme is continued elsewhere with: our favourite French gentleman, Jean-Manuel Moreau; a personal Parisian shopping guide; Cléa Carlier as our guest at the front of the mag; and that tailoring history and Bent’s restaurants. 

We’ve also settled into a rhythm where the back of the magazine has a focus on another topic or area of the world. In the first issue it was Japan; this time it’s India; for Autumn/Winter we’re looking at Scotland. 

These sections are done on a different, glossy paper that feels like a refreshing change as you’re browsing through the issue. And for this India focus, it also means Jamie’s wonderful photography from the trip can be blown up into beautiful full-page or even double-page images. 

It’s how photography like that deserves to be presented. 

This does feel like the best issue so far, particularly for the depth and quality of the content. I really hope you like it. 

By the way, please buy from your local stockist rather than the PS Shop if you can. It’s cheaper,  quicker and means fewer air miles. Remember they don’t have to be in your city to order online from them. 

We appreciate all the support from the stockists, particularly as they carry on ordering more copies each time - and most are now also reordering back issues, so you can fill up. It doesn’t surprise me that PS readers are the type to want to collect them all. 

For those that are ordering from the PS Shop, note that there are some cheaper shipping solutions now, such as a road option in Europe - it takes a little longer, but it should be significantly cheaper. 

Oh and for anyone that hasn’t seen, we’re having a launch party at Cifonelli in London this Wednesday April 22nd, from 7pm. There will be cocktails and lovely people. Please swing by. 

Stockists

Below is a list of all the menswear stores that have bought the new issue so far. If you have a local store that you think would like to stock it, please get in touch with us or suggest it to them. 

The magazine is also sold in over 50 selected newsagents and bookshops around the world, which is handled by an agency (as everyone else does). We’ve learnt that it’s a fools errand to try and list them all, as some won’t get it for a month or more after publication, and in some areas the stockists are handled by a sub-agency (in France, Japan, Spain, Korea, Northwest USA etc) that doesn’t say who took it for weeks. 

However, as an indication, some of those 50 include:

  • Good News in London
  • Shreeji in London
  • Casa Iconic in New York
  • Tsutaya in Tokyo
  • Monocle cafe in Zurich
  • Papercut in Stockholm
  • Issues in Toronto
  • Palm Grove Social in Los Angeles
  • Athenaeum in Amsterdam
  • Coffee Table Mags in Hamburg

The menswear shop retailers:

Australia:

  • Informale, Melbourne
  • Double Monk, Melbourne
  • Trunk Tailors, Melbourne

Canada:

  • GS Douville, Montreal

China:

  • The Anthology, Hong Kong
  • The Armoury, Hong Kong
  • Bryceland's, Hong Kong
  • Principle M, Beijing

France:

  • Lafayette Saltiel Drapiers, Paris
  • Second Spin, Oberhausbergen

Germany:

  • Massura, Munich
  • Maximilian Mogg, Berlin
  • Michael Jondral, Hannover
  • stuf-f, Dusseldorf

India:

  • Madras leatherworks, Chennai

Indonesia:

  • Soroi, Jakarta

Japan:

  • Bryceland's, Tokyo
  • THE BEIGE STORE, Osaka

The Netherlands:

  • Besnard, Haarlem

Norway:

  • Andreas Feet, Oslo
  • Cavour, Oslo

Singapore:

  • The Decorum, Singapore

Sweden:

  • Skoaktiebolaget, Stockholm
  •  Vangelis, Stockholm

Switzerland:

  • Trunk, Zurich

Taiwan:

  • Oak Room, Taipei

Thailand:

  • The Decorum, Bangkok

United Kingdom:

  • Anderson & Sheppard, London
  • Arterton, London
  • Bowhill & Elliot, Norwich
  • Bryceland's, London
  • Campbell's, Beauly
  • Marrkt, London
  • Myrqvist, London
  • Natalino, London
  • Richard Gelding, London
  • The Shopkeeper Store, Norwich
  • Trunk, London
  • The Local Merchants, Southend-on-Sea
  • The Valet, London
  • William Crabtree, London

United States:

  • The Armoury, New York
  • Beckett & Robb, Boise
  • Beckett & Robb, Salt Lake City
  • Beckett & Robb, San Francisco
  • Beckett & Robb, Seattle
  • Buck Mason, Berkeley
  • Buck Mason, Chicago
  • Buck Mason, Los Angeles - Abbot Kinney
  • Buck Mason, Los Angeles - Hancock Park
  • Buck Mason, Los Angeles - Silverlake
  • Buck Mason, Nashville
  • Buck Mason, New York - Flat Iron
  • Buck Mason, New York - Soho
  • Buck Mason, San Francisco
  • Canoe Club, Colorado
  • Claymore Shop, Birmingham, Michigan
  • Dashing Chicago, Chicago
  • Old House Provisions, Alexandria
  • J Mueser, New York
  • Junior's, Philadelphia
  • Leffot, New York
  • Smoke Signals Newsstand, San Francisco
  • Tailor's Keep, San Francisco

Rome: A sartorial city guide

Posted on by Simon Crompton

Rome: A sartorial city guide

Friday, April 17th 2026Tags:
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||- Begin Content -||
The ancient forum, at the heart of Rome

By Andrew Borda.

Rome is often a first port of call for visitors to Italy, due to its history, beauty and climate. I’ve had the great fortune of spending a lot of time there over the past three years, and can only agree that the moniker Roma Caput Mundi (Rome, capital of the world) is largely deserved. 

However, from a sartorial point of view Rome is usually overshadowed by Naples, Milan and Florence. While there are certainly fewer famous menswear brands here, I’ve discovered a lot of relatively unknown gems and believe that Rome can easily hold its own from a sartorial point of view. 

The workshop of Tommy & Giulio Caracani

Tailors and other artisans

As mentioned above, Rome does not have the same reputation as Milan, Florence or Naples as a bespoke destination. This is somewhat unfair, as Rome may have more high-quality tailors and shoemakers than any of those cities. 

I believe this is partially due to the fact that Rome is the capital of Italy, and institutional political and business settings in Italy are still very formal; partially due to the sheer number of well-off tourists who come to Rome with money to spend; and partially due to the fact that Rome is very large and so there are some neighbourhoods where lower rents mean artisans and independent retail can still survive. 

Tommy and Giulio Caraceni
tommyegiuliocaraceni.com

My tailor since 2023. There is probably little that I can write here about T&G Caraceni that has not been written already. For anyone who is interested in a deep dive, please read the review published here in PS. 

A bespoke tailor of the highest quality, T&G offers a cut that sits somewhere between the strong and square Milanese and the soft and rounder Neapolitan, which has changed little since Domenico Caraceni founded the house almost 100 years ago. 

The house has dressed some of the most famous Italian and European actors, politicians and businessmen of the 20th and 21st centuries, and is probably the best representation left in Italy of the ‘Italian Industrialist’ look that many people such as me so desire. 

Gaetano Aloisio
www.gaetanoaloisio.com

Aloisio is a famous bespoke tailor reviewed in PS by Bruce Boyer here. Aloisio is one of the few high-end Roman or Milanese tailors who travels and is known to serve an international clientele, especially in the Middle East and Asia. 

Aloisio also has a ready to wear offering of casual clothing and accessories made of the most luxurious materials. 

Sartoria Ripense
www.sartoriaripense.com

Ripense is a bespoke tailor located near Piazza del Popolo, loved by Manish Puri and my friend Paul Fournier. Readers who are interested can read a full review here. I have not tried anything myself, but with those two vouching for their work I can only trust that the product is excellent. 

Manish (right) at Sartoria Ripense

Stivaleria Mercurio
www.mercurio1932.it

My shoe maker since 2022. Stivaleria Mercurio is a third generation bespoke shoe maker run by the father and son team, Antonio and Lorenzo Mercurio. 

Antonio Mercurio was trained by his father and the Roman shoemaker Angelo Gatto, and is the official bootmaker of the Italian Carabinieri’s mounted regiment and the Corazzieri honour guard of the President of the Republic. Among Italian lovers of bespoke footwear, Gatto’s shoes are considered legendary and Mercurio is known to be his rightful heir. 

Mercurio is the first bespoke shoemaker I have found who manages to combine a deep knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the foot with an aesthetic sense of beautiful shoes. They literally saved my feet and I would not go anywhere else to have shoes made. 

The workshop is located in the barracks of the Carabinieri mounted cavalry regiment, which is worth a visit on its own. 

Marini
calzoleriamarini.com

Gianni Agnelli’s shoemaker, who has a beautiful shop on Via Francesco Crispi. I have not personally tried them but the product looks to be of very good quality. Marini were mentioned previously in PS here. 

Bocache & Salvucci
bocachesalvucci.com

Very beautiful shop with locations on Via Sistina and Via Francesco Crispi offering RTW of the highest quality, as well as bespoke shoes and tailoring. Due to the largely international clientele, much of the offering won’t be what PS readers are looking for, but one can be sure that the materials used are exceptional. B&S were reviewed in PS here.

Teodori Brothers
teodoribrothers.it

A superb value, family-run shirtmaker which is favoured by Douglas Cordeaux of Fox Brothers. They carry a wide range of cloths and have some great collar styles - all inspired by film and TV - to chose from. Manish is currently in the middle of a commission with Teodori, and a review is expected later this year.

Simone of Teodori Brothers

Shops

Rome, like Paris and London, is a massive city and very spread out. Given that size, it isn’t possible to list all of the interesting shops in one article. I have tried to mention a few which are mainly clustered in a few areas away from the usual designer shops on Via Condotti and Via del Babuino, and the high street offering of Via del Corso.

Cruciani & Bella
www.crucianiebella.com

A lovely small shop on the first floor of an apartment building on Via Bocca di Leone. Cruciani & Bella specialises in men’s accessories and has a nice selection of ties, socks, pocket squares, scarves and braces from English and Italian makers.

Giki
www.giki.it

The elegant Trieste-Salaria residential area has a number of nice independent menswear shops, of which Giki is one. Probably the best independent shoe store in Rome, selling brands such as Edward Green, Baudoin & Lange and Alden. 

Gentleman
www.gentlemansabatello.it

A menswear shop from another era on Via Po, offering a great selection of cashmere and shetland knitwear made for them in Italy and Scotland. Villa Borghese is another interesting multi-brand shop offering brands such as Valstar and is not far away.

Schostal pyjamas

Schostal
www.schostalroma.com

Schostal needs no introduction for PS readers, as it was reviewed here in the past. The best location in the city for socks, pyjamas, underwear and other basics. There are other Schostal businesses in Rome, but the location on Via della Fontanella di Borghese is the best and most central for visitors.

Eurotex
www.eurotex-rome.com

Eurotex is a cloth merchant that is relatively unknown to tailors outside Italy, located a short walk from the Vatican. Their range is small compared to larger merchants such as Harrison’s or Drapers, but a few of their bunches such as cashmere jacketings, cotton drill and worsted cashmere suiting are exceptional. 

Typical of many more traditional Italians, they have a preference for English wool and Scottish cashmere and much of their selection is made to their own designs. 

Huit Cinq
huitcinq1988.bigcartel.com

Huit Cinq is a bespoke maker of watch straps and other small leather goods, owned by Federico De Peppo. I've had a few straps made by him in a broad range of more and less exotic leathers and have been very satisfied. Huit Cinq works with clients around the world and ships globally. 

Inside Gammarelli

Gammarelli
gammarelli.com

An ecclesiastical tailor and the provider of socks to members of the clergy, Gammarelli is a gorgeous little shop and worth a trip. They make lovely cotton lisle socks in many colours, other than the red, black and purple they are most famous for.

LGR
www.lgrworld.com

LGR is an Italian eyewear brand founded in Rome with shops in Milan, Florence and Venice. While the quality is not at the levels of bespoke artisans such as Maison Bonnet or EB Meyrowitz, many of the designs are interesting and LGR provides a nice, discreet alternative to ubiquitous luxury branded sunglasses.

Atelier Bomba
atelierbomba.com

Atelier Bomba is a lovely shop near the Piazza del Popolo making hand made knitwear and tailoring for men and women onsite. It is a true artisanal shop, a wonderful place to spend time and a group of people who are really passionate about small-scale production. Simon covered them previously in PS here.

Michele, Bomba

Chez Dedé
www.chezdede.com

Chez Dedé is a multibrand shop on Via Monseratto selling accessories, books, and furniture. It has real character - as the best multibrand always do - and it’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re part of someone else’s world. Also a nice street to wander away from the crowds. It was covered in more depth on PS here.

Ottica Astrologo
otticastrologo.com

Ottica Astrologo is an independent optician on Via della Fontanella di Borghese, virtually next door to Schostal and LGR. Manish featured three pairs of sunglasses recommended by Astrologo in his article in PS. Astrologo also has a location on Via Po, very near to Gentleman and Villa Borghese, for readers who venture in that direction.

Giuliva Heritage
www.giulivaheritage.com

Giuliva Heritage is a very interesting brand making men's and women's tailoring founded by Margherita Cardelli and Gerardo Cavaliere that was featured in PS here. The look is a bit stronger than many PS readers would naturally gravitate to, but is certainly very cool. Giuliva has an atelier than can be visited on appointment on Via Monserrato, close to Chez Dedé.

Giuliva Heritage

A Sartorial Roman Holiday

For readers who want an alternative to visiting the usual sites in Rome, I have provided some suggestions below for a sartorial ‘Roman Holiday’. I assume that many who don’t live in Rome will stay somewhere in the centre and my Holiday has been designed for everything to be within easy walking distance from Piazza del Popolo or Piazza di Spagna.

Breakfast at Rosati

For me, the best way to start the day in Rome is with coffee at Rosati, preferably early before the Piazza del Popolo starts to fill up with people. Looking towards the Pincio from the Tiber side of the piazza on a sunny day never ceases to put me in a good mood.

Before Lunch

From Piazza del Popolo, many of the shops and ateliers mentioned above are within an easy walk. I would suggest focusing on a few streets that have a high concentration of independent retail and artisans, such as Via Ripetta (Sartoria Ripense), Via dell’Oca (Atelier Bomba), and Via della Fontanella di Borghese (Schostal, Ottica Astrologo, LGR). 

Lunch at Settimio all’Arancio

After all that walking, readers will have worked up an appetite. Settimio all’Arancio on Via dell’Arancio is a family-owned restaurant serving a mainly Italian clientele of politicians and businessmen that is hard to beat. 

After Lunch

In order to work off the calories ingested at lunch, I would suggest readers carry on towards the Regola neighbourhood, which has a high concentration of interesting independent retail. Via Monseratto is particularly interesting, with Chez Dedé, Giuliva Heritage and Le Tre Sarte (https://www.letresarte.com/, for PS readers’ better halves) representing highlights.

The Aperitivo

The aperitivo before dinner is an institution in Rome. It is worth noting that meal times in Rome are later than Northern Europe or even Northern Italy, with most locals not meeting for the aperitivo before 7pm or dinner before 8.30pm. 

Some of my favourite places for the aperitivo are Salotto 42 in Piazza di Pietra, which is particularly beautiful when the bougainvillaea are blooming, or the roof terrace of the Hotel Locarno, the hotel which is said to have provided inspiration for Wes Anderson’s film the Grand Budapest Hotel. If readers are looking for something a bit more laid back, Enotoca Buccone on Via Ripetta is a very nice wine bar.

Dinner

If any readers are still hungry after all of that walking, one cannot go wrong with dinner at Al San Lorenzo, which offers some of the best fish in Rome.