Style
Hand-Selecting And Hand-Cutting Silks Makes A Difference - Black Tie Peacock Bow Ties
By using see-through patterns and hand-selecting silks we are able to create unique one off and subtle silk bow ties that have an air of spunk whilst retaining the elegance of traditional black tie. They are not for everyone, nor do we wish to sell to every one.
Our Silk Eye Shades Are Still Very Much Exceptional
Last week I logged onto Mr. Porter to buy some silk eye shades. I just wanted to see what the competition was offering. You see I know where our silk comes from and I know it's from the most reputable silk mills in the world. And I know the linings we used can't be found anywhere else. I know our customers love them, I know they make for a great gift.
The Great Pleasures Of This Job...
The last customer I caught up with was Phillip Carmody in Melbourne. He is a school teacher specialising in music and when I saw him standing there in a bowler hat I thought 'no, that can't be him'. We'd spoken on the phone but I'd never managed to get an image of him. He has a radio announcers style of voice, one which did not befit the eccentric tartan suited bow tie wearing beard loving bowler hatting man in front of me. And what a pleasure it was to sit down and just talk. Such a pleasure and I am so glad he let me take this photo of him. Mission documented. Now to the next eccentric!
Oliver Rose - What A Way To Do Three Piece Suits
This week it has been all about The War Of The Roses. I watched it mid week in the evening and I was struck by how elegant the clothes were on Michael Douglas' character, Oliver Rose.
If You Watch One Menswear Turtorial This Autumn / Spring - Make It This One By He Spoke Style's Brian Sacawa - Who Has Mastered Our Groomsmen's Knot
This is a great video and he's made a fine job of our groomsmen's knot and kudos to you Brian. I've never made a video even remotely as well crafted!
Beware The Ties Of March - The Latest Window From Australian Artist Peter Howard
Peter Howard is a local resident of Vaucluse, Sydney where our Studio is situated. Every now and then, perhaps two to three times a year, he paints a canvas for our window. This is the first canvas for 2019. The theme I asked him for was The Ides Of March but switching out Julius Caesar for Donald Trump. The result was so intelligent and so amusing that it's caught the eye of many local residents. Yesterday morning I heard some chatter outside of the Studio and a grandfather was telling his grandson what was depicted in the painting. I walked outside to talk to the person, thinking that I ought to explain what it was, only to find it was one of Australia's more well known businessman, David Gonski . I presumed to not having anything more insightful to add than he'd already know and he turned to me and said "it's very clever" and kept moving. It was not of course my painting, I merely instructed Peter with the theme. Later still in the afternoon, another well known lawyer and one of Sydney's more prominent journalists were guffawing in the window and also found it amusing. So it was worth a blog post. I wish to thank Peter, over the years he's done so many wonderful canvases for the window but this certainly is his more amusing. You can follow him on www.instagram.com/peterhoward1000 - and yes, he loves taking new commissions.
Robb Report Australia : The Nicolas Bijan Interview - Out Now On Newsstands
The article is now out in Robb Report and you need to go down to your newsagent and get a copy. I have already bought out most of them in the eastern suburbs of Sydney to hand out to friends.
I thank again the editor, Michael Stahl, for green lighting the interview. As is with our agreement, the the original text will be posted to the blog in three months time. But I suggest you get a copy of the Robb Report, it is jam packed with great content.
Bespoke And Custom Made Bow Ties In Australia - It's What We Do
The other evening I got a call from a customer in Adelaide requesting a white bow tie for an orchestra commitment on the weekend. It was Wednesday. So I cut a white grosgrain straight away, had my seamstress sew it an hour later and had it in a TNT bag by 10am the following morning and delivered to Adelaide by Thursday.
A Cream Tie On A Navy Suit Is Super Elegant
For me the double four in hand on a silk twill tie is about as close to WASP as I ever get, especially when paired with a blue suit. I don't do it often, but since the school is Church Of England I felt compelled to appear the least flamboyant as my flamboyant self could be, even choosing my suit with the most British cut of them all.
Charvet Of Paris - Second Shirt Fitting - What An Experience! Thank You Jean-Claude For Sitting In On It
A year on I was ready to try on my mock up shirt. This time I had established a relationship with the head of Charvet, Jean-Claude Colban, and I had asked him to lunch so that I might be able to talk to him about things other than business. It was a privilege I won't forget any time soon - what began with me reading out a small passage of text I'd written into Google Translate and then written out by hand, was met with that general mirth of the French who love it when you try your very best to be one of them and is reciprocated with good will towards the tourist. You see, in all my years of going to Paris as a tourist I had learned one thing - do not approach the French with your guns blaring English like the Americans, for you will be met with resistance. Show a deference towards the language and culture and you may very well be met with a congenial Frenchman who speaks English perfectly well.
Meeting Andy Poupart In Milan - Another Great Chance Encounter With A Patron Of Le Noeud Papillon
I had arrived in Como and unpacked my bag, I lay down in a towel on my bed after a shower and checked my Instagram to see I had a direct message from Andy Poupart - known on Instagram as Style After 50). He was in Milan, could I meet with him during the week.
The Looms Rarely Stop Working
I stumbled upon this concept when I was speaking to a silk merchant who works with multiple looms. Over coffee I was asking him about the cost of capital associated with each machine and he was referring to one particular weaving company and their equipment when he explained that a deal was done between the owner of one company and another to merge all the equipment into one building.