Introducing: The leather envelope folio
February 25th 2019Writing about this leather folio feels like a release more than anything else. It is the result of two years of work, back and forth, with the aim to produce a simple but beautiful hand-sewn envelope - in which to carry a phone, wallet, keys, headph...
Introducing: The leather envelope folio
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No, sorry...
Frank Clegg, Fall River: Factory visit
January 2nd 2019It’s not hard to spot an old mill town. Mills were large buildings and needed lots of light. In Britain, this often came in through so-called sawtooth roofs: a zig-zag shape that allowed windows to be placed in the top of the building, bringin...
Frank Clegg, Fall River: Factory visit
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Hey Sajeer, That's an old Drake's one. I'd suggest looking at Colhay's for a good range...
Olive-green corduroy suit – from Ettore de ...
December 28th 2018You 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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Hi Antoine, Two fittings, though it would have been three if it were my first commission...
The appeal of workwear, and my favourite pieces
November 12th 2018Although tailoring is my primary passion, I’ve always worn clothing that these days would be grouped under the term ‘workwear’ on the weekend. Good denim, obviously, but also sweatshirts, waxed boots and canvas trousers. Some of th...
The appeal of workwear, and my favourite pieces
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Thanks. I guess when they just feel too warm to wear. It's hard to be consistent in the UK as the weather varies so much, but probably late March some time, and usually get winter things out in October...
Should your belt match your shoes? (Or bag)
September 21st 2018This question might seem like an easy one, but I do get a lot of comments and emails about it, so I thought I’d lay it out in a post. No, in short, a leather belt and leather shoes do not have to match. But they should be closely related. So a...
Should your belt match your shoes? (Or bag)
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I know what you mean Markus. I actually tend to wear 1-inch ones with jeans and chinos too, because I like the look, but I can definitely see an argument there that something wider is a good partner to them as well (but ...
Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...
September 19th 2018Samuel 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....
Kirk Originals sunglasses, Simpson London, and th...
July 23rd 2018The two new brands at this iteration of the ‘Permanent Style presents’ pop-up shop were Kirk Originals and Simpson London. But while readers will be relatively familiar with Simpson, given I covered their new factory back in November, I&...
Kirk Originals sunglasses, Simpson London, and th...
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It is, of course, Cleverley, not Cleverly, for whom Simpson make the leather goods (though those goods may be cleverly made!)....
How leather is tanned: Billy Tannery goat leather
July 18th 2018Although I’ve visited many workshops and factories over the years, I’ve never been to a tannery (a trip to Barker’s is way overdue). It was with particular interest, therefore, that I went to see the tiny operation set up by Jack M...
How leather is tanned: Billy Tannery goat leather
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Whose the meterial are mixed in goat leather for increasing the skin and gain the layers of goat skin...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018
May 2nd 2018Last week a friend in the industry asked me what aspect of writing Permanent Style I like the most. It is always, easily, discovering a new tailor, cloth or product that is different and inspiring. That journey from discovering something new, to see...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018
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Hey Gab, They have aged pretty well, yes, though I'd say Aspesi is generally a good Italian brand but not the best quality around. The materials in the polo were good, but there was nothing that special about the make. I...
Brand round-up: Lefren, Castore, Ashmei, Jago
February 5th 2018This is the latest in a series of posts where I gather together new brands or products I've tried (sometimes outside the normal bounds of sartorial menswear) and review them. They are all based on personal experience, and I try to focus on things th...
Brand round-up: Lefren, Castore, Ashmei, Jago
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I remember Castore being excessively expensive, but if I go on their (european) website the prices now seem pretty tame as far as "premium sportswear" goes, if there even is such a thing. Change of pricing policy? Or che...
Suit-carrier holdalls and Trench coats back in stock
January 30th 2018Two of the best collaborations we did last year are back in stock this week. The Suit-Carrier Holdall (below), which combines a suit carrier and a holdall into a single lightweight bag, is available again on the Bennett Winch website. The Holdall w...
Suit-carrier holdalls and Trench coats back in stock
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Worth checking with Bennett Winch if that's OK...
Simpson London leather goods – Factory visit
November 22nd 2017Simpson London in Canning Town is one of those rare things in British menswear: a shining new and dynamic factory. I’ve visited dozens of British factories over the past 10 years, and although many of them have character in spades, they are of...
Simpson London leather goods – Factory visit
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Alas Simpson are no longer with us. They went into receivership over a year ago....
Introducing: The Suit-Carrier Holdall
November 9th 2017Although many of our collaborations have taken a while, this has been the hardest and most time-consuming ever. Perhaps because it is so different, and functionality so important. It is a bag and garment carrier in one - and it is called the Suit-Ca...
Introducing: The Suit-Carrier Holdall
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Good point Mike. I do use it a fair bit, but I travel with tailoring more than most people. I don't use it when I'm not carrying a suit/jacket...
Accessories for holiday
August 7th 2017Following my post two weeks ago on what I pack for travel, a reader asked about non-clothing items - electronics, toiletries and so on. So here are a few of my favourite things, which will certainly be going on holiday this summer. 1 Bower &...
Accessories for holiday
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Yes, I think a tote of some sort is the best option. And yes, I'd carry it all day...
What I pack when I travel
July 19th 2017As I return from two summer trips – one for a week in Florence, the other a week in Naples – it seems a fitting time to run through what I pack for trips such as these. I know readers have asked about it in the past. Of course, an...
What I pack when I travel
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I highly recommend the unlined Duke from EG. Supremely comfortable and stylish, if you like a more classic / robust shape than B&L and something more substantial than the Polperro. I have a lovely biscuit coloured pa...
Connolly: Style and fashion meet on Clifford Street
July 14th 2017Connolly, which opened on Clifford Street at the end of last year, is one of the most interesting new menswear stores London has had for a while. It offers luxury clothing, both under its own name and a few European brands ( Charvet, Car Shoe, Stile...
Connolly: Style and fashion meet on Clifford Street
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My please Scott, really pleased it's worked well for you, and you appreciate the quality...
Brand round-up: Rubinacci, CQP and Carl Friedrik
July 3rd 2017A slightly smaller set of reviews in the brand round-up this month, with more focus on the details. Rubinacci suit carrier, £1200 therake.com/brands/rubinacci/bags First up is this leather suit carrier - or garment bag - from Rubinacci, being ...
Brand round-up: Rubinacci, CQP and Carl Friedrik
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Sure Nathan. I haven't tried Carl Friedrik I'm afraid, so can't speak to them. But I do hope those influencers are talking about them after bashing them around on a few journeys, rather than just new. I use Rimowa, which...
Stòffa: Beautiful, refined, made-to-measure (and ...
March 15th 2017Last week, Agyesh Madan of Stòffa visited London for the first time, in a trunk show alongside Marcus Malmborg (Swedish agent for Eidos made-to-measure, among other things). Eidos is more of a known entity, and we will cover the service more ...
Stòffa: Beautiful, refined, made-to-measure (and ...
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I can't remember seeing that shade in person. If it is any lighter than that, it wouldn't look great with grey trousers, which is a bit of a limitation. In the image it does just about, but also with particular things el...
Robb Report: The beauty of bags, and Japanese art...
March 14th 2017The most recent issue of Robb Report UK included a couple of my pieces: a column singing the praises of good leather accessories, and a feature highlighting the Japanese artisans we visited last year. I have reproduced the column below. The detail ...
Robb Report: The beauty of bags, and Japanese art...
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Definitely dark brown... I know tan is tempting, but brown will be so much subtler and still have a nice deep colour over time...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
March 1st 2017For many reasons - personal, business, product, sheer beauty of execution - I’ve long been a fan of The Armoury. They were therefore one brand I was particularly excited to get into our Savile Row pop-up shop. However, the things I wanted to f...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
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Yes, should be fine. No worries - any relevant post is good. Basically, it's nice to post questions somewhere wear another reader might have the same question in their mind...
A pale-grey jacket with green corduroy
November 14th 2016This outfit was used in a piece written recently for Drake's regarding corduroy. The piece mentions some of the associations that corduroy often carries, and ways to avoid them; basically, keeping the colours dark and the fit contemporary. But you...
A pale-grey jacket with green corduroy
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Yes, it probably would, and wouldn't wear them together today - see article here on outfits I'd wear differently...
Ethan Newton’s Tokyo store – Brycelan...
November 4th 2016I was quite intrigued to see Ethan Newton’s Bryceland's store in Tokyo when we visited a few weeks ago. In particular, how he is presenting his view on tailoring and how that mixes with the more casual americana side. The tailoring is essentia...
Ethan Newton’s Tokyo store – Brycelan...
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A vintage backpack, and a collaboration Brycelands did years ago with Frank Clegg, using some vintage cloth....
Ortus bespoke leather goods, Tokyo
October 26th 2016Ortus leather goods are run by Naoyuki Komatsu (above) from a small leather workshop in Tokyo, just around the corner from Clematis shoes, where Komatsu was based until he set up his own company in 2012. They are entirely hand sewn, often rather or...
The Permanent Style trunk show
October 14th 2016Thank 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...
Serge Amoruso leather goods, Paris
September 19th 2016Of the four makers featuring in our Permanent Style trunk show in a few weeks, the one least likely to be familiar to readers is Serge Amoruso. So, some background. Serge is an award-winning leather worker and designer; born in 1959, he trained at ...
Serge Amoruso leather goods, Paris
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Wow looks really well made and thought out. Need to go Paris...
