Christmas Gift List 2023: Do not read!

December 8th 2023

Permanent Style reader, this is not for you. This is intended for your wife/husband/partner/child/dog, in an attempt to help source a Christmas present for someone who, let’s face it, is very fussy in general but particularly about clothing. ...

Christmas Gift List 2023: Do not read!

Match in comments:
I'd go off the shoes primarily, and I think both suede or leather would be fine, I don't think leather would be too smart...

Belts and wallets - Black tieDecember 8th 2023

Down parka from Nigel Cabourn: How great things age

January 14th 2022

  Over the winter, quite a few readers have asked what I wear for very cold weather. If it’s formal, the answer is a simple variation on the coats we’ve already featured: a heavyweight overcoat like my 30oz from Sartoria Ciardi ...

Down parka from Nigel Cabourn: How great things age

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I have seen it and it's well made. I haven't tried anything with a wool fill like that so I don't know about the warmth side. It's definitely smarter than something like the Cabourn - I wouldnt wear it in the same way...

Casual clothing - CoatsJanuary 14th 2022

Made-to-order umbrellas at Francesco Maglia

March 15th 2021

When I visited the Francesco Maglia workshop in Milan last year, I ordered a bespoke umbrella. Why? Purely to deepen the experience of the visit. There's no other excuse really. I’m not such an unusual height that I require particular dimensi...

Made-to-order umbrellas at Francesco Maglia

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I recently left my 400 euro Francesco Maglia umbrella in the umbrella bin inside one of the most expensive restaurants in our town, only to find when I was ready to leave, that someone had taken it. I was upset and disap...

Umbrellas and glovesMarch 15th 2021

Francesco Maglia umbrellas: Past, present and future

October 14th 2020

Francesco Maglia makes some of the finest umbrellas in the world. Indeed, it might make most of the fine umbrellas, given how many it makes for other brands as well as for itself. Yet (as is often the way with luxury menswear) the workshop is prett...

Francesco Maglia umbrellas: Past, present and future

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Navy is probably is most useful for a smart, business-type umbrella. After that I'd say dark green is really useful....

Umbrellas and glovesOctober 14th 2020

Olive-green corduroy suit – from Ettore de ...

December 28th 2018

You know when you think you’re not part of a trend, and then see everyone wearing the same thing? As a clothing snob that likes to think he’s different to everyone else, it’s very annoying. I had admired Michael Hill’s green-...

Olive-green corduroy suit – from Ettore de ...

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Yes, a very dark brown...

Bags - ClothDecember 28th 2018

Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...

September 19th 2018

Samuel Gassmann Last week I was in Paris for two days, catching up with old friends and artisans, and seeing a few new ones. One of the most interesting things was an interview with Lyne Cohen Solal, the new head of the Institut National Metiers d&r...

Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...

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I think Kenjiro Suzuki has closed his business. His instagram is down, and I came by the shop the other day, it was closed at 11am....

Bags - Belts and walletsSeptember 19th 2018

Where and why I shop: Wei Koh, The Rake

July 30th 2018

Next year I will publish a travel guide to the best men's stores around the world, with Thames & Hudson. Alongside the city chapters there will be interviews with well-travelled people in the menswear industry, highlighting their tips and in...

Where and why I shop: Wei Koh, The Rake

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Tatton Baird is a fantastic hat shop and we're very lucky to have them in my home state of Utah. What isn't widely known however is that their master hatter was trained by a gentleman named James Whittington who ran his ...

Casual clothing - DenimJuly 30th 2018

Collaboration: Made-to-order Lavabre Cadet gloves

November 9th 2016

**Please note, this was a one-off collaboration and is no longer available** French storied manufacturer Lavabre Cadet makes the finest gloves I’ve ever worn - but they don’t have many outlets, particularly not in their full range of ski...

Collaboration: Made-to-order Lavabre Cadet gloves

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Yes there are lots of nice ones around - usually in other stores, rather than glove specialists. Budd are great, so are Anderson & Sheppard, and Trunk have some good ones too....

Umbrellas and glovesNovember 9th 2016

Brussels craft event

October 30th 2016

At the beginning of December, there will be an event in Brussels bringing together some of the craftsmen that featured in the Permanent Style trunk show last month - Lavabre Cadet and Michel Heurtault - as well as several others. Those others are: ...

Brussels craft event

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Dear Simon, I am moving to Brussels and wanted to know if there is local bespoke tailors or if foreign ones are doing trunk shows in Brussels or other cities in Belgium. Thanks for your help KS...

Glasses and jewellery - Hanks and scarvesOctober 30th 2016

The Permanent Style trunk show

October 14th 2016

Thank you. Thank you so much on my behalf, and more importantly on behalf of the four artisans - who trusted me, and by extension you, to come over to London and do something they'd never done before, in a location they'd never seen before. Because...

The Permanent Style trunk show

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The trunk show was great...

Bags - Hanks and scarvesOctober 14th 2016

Permanent Style trunk show: Heurtault, Amoruso, C...

September 7th 2016

I am very proud to say that we have a Permanent Style trunk show organised for October 5th, co-hosted with Gaziano & Girling at their Savile Row store. This has been a good while in the making, particularly as I was keen to bring together: ...

Permanent Style trunk show: Heurtault, Amoruso, C...

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Yes, there will be a few things...

Bags - Belts and walletsSeptember 7th 2016

Lavabre Cadet glove maker, Paris-Millau

March 16th 2016

It is rare these days that I cover someone for the first time who is genuinely a step above their peers. Yet such is the case with Lavabre Cadet. I had known of the French glove maker for several years, but never met and talked to them in person....

Lavabre Cadet glove maker, Paris-Millau

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gorgeous globes!...

Hanks and scarves - Umbrellas and glovesMarch 16th 2016

Heurtault umbrellas, Paris

December 21st 2015

“The opening of the umbrella should sound like a car door,” said Michel Heurtault, looking me meaningfully in the eye. I didn’t get the connection immediately, but he slowly pushed the umbrella open, and as it locked open there w...

Heurtault umbrellas, Paris

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It's been fine, but then I have three umbrellas and don't use them very heavily. I wear hats more....

Umbrellas and glovesDecember 21st 2015

Begg and Barbour in HTSI

March 17th 2015

For those that follow my column for How to Spend It magazine (part of the Financial Times), there have been two articles in the past month – on Barbour and on Begg. We’ve stuck with this format for almost 18 months now, as resp...

Begg and Barbour in HTSI

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Many thanks Simon, I will try that combination!...

Hanks and scarves - Umbrellas and glovesMarch 17th 2015

The style of Francesco Maglia

February 6th 2013

Wearing strong colours well requires a lot of practice. The key is learning how to balance bright colours with darker, but equally strong tones. A purple handkerchief will stand out against a mid-grey flannel suit, but it will be restrained by a rich...

The style of Francesco Maglia

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Because Heurtault puts more work into the details of how the umbrella canopy is put together, mostly silk shapes or wrapping around the parts where the arms or shaft meet the canopy...

Style - Umbrellas and glovesFebruary 6th 2013

Revisiting Mario Talarico umbrellas, Naples

October 26th 2012

One of the pleasures of revisiting Naples was catching up with friends, such as Mario and Mario Jr at Talarico. My ego has never swelled to the point where I assume such men will remember me, but this does have the nice result that I am frequently an...

Revisiting Mario Talarico umbrellas, Naples

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I don't know I'm afraid, sorry, and they are pretty poor on communication....

Umbrellas and glovesOctober 26th 2012

A good, honest umbrella

February 13th 2008

The text read: “You’ll know this Simon, where do I get a great umbrella in London?” It was from my cousin Harry, but I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t know what to answer. Being absent-minded at the best of times, I’...

A good, honest umbrella

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I'd stick with the same conservative colours. You'd be swapping them based on function not on style, so they both need to work with everything....

Umbrellas and glovesFebruary 13th 2008