Down parka from Nigel Cabourn: How great things age
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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Hey Chip, I like Nigel Cabourn, and like many of things they do. I think the answer is partially (a), but more the fact that the quality is quite variable between the different parts of the brand, and because some of the...
Made-to-order umbrellas at Francesco Maglia
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...
Francesco Maglia umbrellas: Past, present and future
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....
Olive-green corduroy suit – from Ettore de ...
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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Okay, I will be looking forward to it....
Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...
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....
Where and why I shop: Wei Koh, The Rake
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 ...
Collaboration: Made-to-order Lavabre Cadet gloves
**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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Lavabre Cadet are certainly among if not the best. I haven't had any interaction with them for a while, but there's certainly no one else I would recommend more highly...
Brussels craft event
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...
The Permanent Style trunk show
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...
Permanent Style trunk show: Heurtault, Amoruso, C...
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...
Lavabre Cadet glove maker, Paris-Millau
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!...
Heurtault umbrellas, Paris
“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....
Begg and Barbour in HTSI
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!...
The style of Francesco Maglia
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...
Revisiting Mario Talarico umbrellas, Naples
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....
A good, honest umbrella
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....
