"When Moses went up into Biblical Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12-18), he left the Israelites for forty days and forty nights. The Israelites feared that he would not return and demanded that Aaron make them "gods" to go before them (Exodus 32:1). Aaron gathered up the Israelites' golden earrings and ornaments, constructed a "molten calf" and they declared: "These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." (Exodus 32:4)"
Le Noeud Papillon Life & Style
The #SALE codes are live.
The basic philosophy is this - we cut a range of bow ties each week, many of them one-off pieces, then we load them up onto the website and sell them down by Monday morning. If I have done my work correctly, you will pay the RRP I have put on them. If I haven't, you will pick up what I personally think is a bargain. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. If I haven't done my job then I lose. It's that simple. And by the time I have finished packing the bow ties to be shipped Monday morning I am after lunch able to start cutting again. Some people I know think I am in idiot for doing this, that I am ruining my brand - I understand their perspective. But from mine, we don't wish to hold onto silk and the cash we generate simply gets plied into new designs. It's why we will run three to six to ten times the amount of designs on our website that our nearest competitor is able to offer. The one off pieces, all finished with rose gold hardware, are, in my opinion, some of the best if not the best bow ties in the world today. None of them are perfect. My ultimate goal is to hone my craft over time and keep exploring new textiles, new designs, new knots. Like the Japanese woodblock artists, I never seek perfection, I seek excellence over time. For custom work please Whatsapp me on +61413140994.
The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread - Superfeet And Other Luxury Insoles
It came about quite randomly, I was on Murphy Street in South Yarra, Melbourne. I was strolling around in a pair of penny loafers I had sourced on Ebay to patina. I always take the chance that they won't fit properly, I always have. I'd love to buy great English shoes in Australia but outside of Double Monk the number of stores that sell them are few and far between, what is on offer is limited. I wish I lived in England, just kidding, but for shoes it would be a great place to live. You have Cleverley there, Gaziano & Girling, John Lobb, Foster & Son, Churches, Crockett & Jones. No matter how hard those poorer nations try to catch up, the English keep their edge in style and construction.
The penny loafers were slipping. I stopped in at the bootmaker and asked him if he had good quality insoles. He did. He had German ones. I put them into the shoe and boyakasha, it was a perfect fit. That was March. Since then I have done some research and I wish to report back on my overall experience of the insoles I have played with.
It is worth noting that the average sports shoe company spends just 6 cents on your insole. So getting additional ones that are made of quality materials and have supportive functions can increase the longevity of the shoe, improve your ability to run or walk by up to 25% per day and, most of all, give you a more comfortable journey.
The penny loafers were slipping. I stopped in at the bootmaker and asked him if he had good quality insoles. He did. He had German ones. I put them into the shoe and boyakasha, it was a perfect fit. That was March. Since then I have done some research and I wish to report back on my overall experience of the insoles I have played with.
It is worth noting that the average sports shoe company spends just 6 cents on your insole. So getting additional ones that are made of quality materials and have supportive functions can increase the longevity of the shoe, improve your ability to run or walk by up to 25% per day and, most of all, give you a more comfortable journey.
There Is A Reason We Are So Fond Of Goldmember
I cannot tell you how often one of my friends will quote Goldmember at any given opportunity - you only need give him the slightest window and out it comes "I loove Goooold, the look of it the shmell of it". Humans love gold - our obsession with it is biblical - think of Exodus.
The Political Landscape 2019 - The New Window Painting By Peter Howard
I'd like to think I was apolitical - but if I had to place myself somewhere it would be to the right of the spectrum. My father once gave me the compliment of being enterprising - and I would like to agree - I don't think I would make much of a communist factory worker. As we approach the Australian federal elections I asked Peter Howard, the local Vaucluse resident painter, to paint something with political comment (I did not care to ask him if were left or right) in time for the election. This was a fabulous outcome, totally irreverent and as one Instagrammer commented - "it would be funnier if it weren't so true". Bravo Peter, another great job on the window.
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.