Brand: Hermes

Although Paris has never been a centre of menswear – unlike London or Milan – there is a surprisingly broad range of small companies and artisans worth visiting. More, arguably, than anywhere in Italy outs...

At our book launch in Stockholm last week, Konrad Olsson (above) – editor of Plaza Uomo magazine – asked some rather stimulating questions. Such as, what is quality? Well, for me quality (in clothing) is a...

Readers often ask for ‘capsule collections’ of types of clothes – shoes, suits, ties etc. There are many reasons such a list is useful. It can point to the ‘essentials’: those things that...

One of the advantages of a long-running blog, perhaps, is the ability to look back and see how purchases have performed over time. It’s particularly useful when we emphasise – as we do, day after day –...

In my review of Spanish tailor Reillo’s cotton suit last week, there proved to be only room to analyse the fit and make. Yet a reader rightly pointed out that green cotton-gabardine is hardly an everyday cloth op...

A silk scarf, tied any way, is a great way to recreate the contrast achieved by a suit and tie and keep the neck warm. The sheen of this Hermes silk scarf contrasts particularly nicely with the deep texture of a Shetland...

I was in Paris last week for a couple of articles, as well as visiting the usual suspects. Here in a green raincoat from Hermes with brown leather collar detail. Because green is the third colour. Traveller trilby from...

My latest article in the Financial Times, on luxury hiking boots, was published this weekend. If you’re interested, the post can be found here....

The growth of men’s bags as a sector is quite incredible. Menswear as a whole has outstripped women’s clothing for a few years now, as we’ve accepted the idea of buying better clothes and wearing them b...

Dear Simon, I have been wearing a messenger bag for some time for commuting as it’s a very handy way of containing all the bulk and occasional papers that I have to cart around with me. However, I have worried for ...

At the Monocle Summer Fayre this weekend. Monocle’s quirky and intelligent selection of partners and products was on display, as well as some rather fetching goats. It was also the opening day of Trunk Labs: a new ...

Hi Simon, I’ve been following Permanent Style for a while now, as well as investing significantly more of my time trying to learn more about menswear. As my style has evolved and I find myself wearing a blazer or s...

Sophie Coryndon’s toolbox for her decorative lacquer pieces These are good times for craft. Hermès is bringing its festival of artisans to London next month; Vacheron Constantin is touring Europe with a seri...

Leather bags are unique among men’s accessories. A good one will last a lifetime and, if treated well, look better at the end than the beginning of your life together. Only leather has this attribute, gaining an...

Hype iPad cover, £150 There is a surprising lack of good, mid-market leather products and bags out there. By mid-market I mean those stitched by machine rather than by hand (which adds considerably to the price) bu...

I always used to describe my style as how the Italians wear English clothes. Talking to Michael Drake recently though, (whose taste and sense of colour I respect immensely) I think the French might be a better reference ...

As the days begin to grow colder, one of the most tactile pleasures is wearing a short scarf at the neck. I’ve never taken to wearing an ascot in an open shirt collar, much as I agree with the rationale of retainin...

You could never refer to yourself as a style icon. But if someone else gives you the title, it’s alright to pass it on, right? Seriously, I was highly flattered to be asked to appear in the latest issue of PEN ma...

It’s not surprising that, given the focus on Hermès over the past week, I’ve had questions about what man’s bags they have and where they can be obtained. Hermès bags are often made in sma...

Claire Marie is the artisan in the Bond Street branch of Hermès. It is her job to make alterations and repairs to client’s belts, bags and other leather accessories. As reported in a previous post in this se...

As mentioned in the first part of this Hermès series, artisan Claire Marie was kind enough to allow me to try stitching part of the clochette that she was making. As with previous attempts at being hands-on, it of...

This week is Hermès week. There will be a series of pieces, based around the ‘expat artisan’ that sits in the Bond Street store, making repairs, embossing products and generally giving advice. Her na...

Last week a friend commented on my blue silk Hermès tie. It is a navy three-fold decorated with a faint pattern of little Hs: very practical, very versatile, a perennial favourite. Having had it for a few years, I...

Following on from my note last week on the history of W Bill, here’s some information gleaned on the history of Smith Woollens. For many, including my tailor, Smith’s is a brand they swear by. Worsteds that a...

I love my Hermes scarves. But in order for silk scarves to work as (slightly more) masculine accessories I think they need to be both dark and low on contrast. Classic polka dots or stripes are different – they can...

[Top photo added since this post was originally written, as the bottom one distorts the shape of the suit rather] As requested, here is my Anderson & Sheppard suit. A 13-ounce, grey Prince of Wales cloth with pale b...

It’s not easy to spot a high-quality tie. Most of the signs that people tell you to look for, such as the loop being sewn in between the folds rather than tacked across, have no real practical benefit. They are jus...

Ties are not easy to clean. Those made of silk, at least, are very delicate things. They are carefully folded lengths of volatile material that are sewn together with loose, sparse stitches – to allow room for the ...