CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN
The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Richard James – All done, in the best possible taste – Textual Conversations

Richard James, celebrates 20 years, this year, as a resident of Savile Row. The ever sartorially Nick Sullivan, now of US Esquire, wrote in 1992 for it’s British counterpart, of James. “There’s a new boy in the Row and he’s causing quite a stir. What’s more, he’s not a tailor. Richard James is too busy to worry about his neighbours”.

Ever since then Richard James has been both too busy and causing quite a stir in equal measures on what has to be the most famous of streets on the face of the Earth, when it come to matters of the cloth, scissors and chalk. He first caused raised eyebrows for, bless yourself, introducing Saturday Opening on Savile Row !!! But maybe a few more browed were raised when his Ad campaign back in 1996 featuring a man dressed impeccably in one of his suits is seen throwing himself off a building, resulting in it being banned, OK moving on.

The philosophy of this man is to produce classic clothing of unsurpassable quality, but to push the boundaries through design, colour and cut, which has resulted in Richard winning many awards from the British Fashion Council’s Designer of the Year & GQ’s Man of the Year.

Over the years he’s dressed everyone from Tom Cruise, Mr James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, both Liam & Noel Gallagher for their wedding days, Robert De Niro, David Beckham and even SpongeBob Square Pants, kinda.

Even the old school of Savile Row have softened to the charms of Richard as he was made one of the founding members of the Savile Row Bespoke Association, which is formed by the Row’s tailors to promote and protect the traditions of bespoke tailoring on Savile Row.

Recently, as the more regular readers of Clothes-make-the-man.com will know, he has worked with that bastion of British retailing on an inspired by Savile Row suit range for Marks & Spencer. But amongst all of this he managed to answer a couple of questions for our good selves, enjoy.

If you could have invented anything what would it be?

The suit. A perfect piece of design, the detail of which affords endless opportunities to express individuality. 

 

If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret?

That I haven’t traveled more. It’s such an inspiration and there are too many countries that I haven’t seen. Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador…

 

What would be the one piece of clothing you would rescue from your home in the event of a fire?

A floral Mr Fish shirt from the late sixties. The shop was on Clifford Street, just a couple of doors away from where Richard James Bespoke is now.

 

Who is your style icon?

Tommy Nutter. He made Savile Row so exciting in the 70s.

The tailoring icon Tommy Nutter

If you could only wear one brand for the rest of your life who would it be? 

It would have to be Richard James. I get a discount!

 

Tell us something no one else knows? 

If you make suits, you can only call yourself a tailor if you work for yourself. If you’re employed by someone else you’re a cutter.

 

What piece of style advice do you live by? 

Dress for yourself, not for other people.

 

Have you ever bought a piece of clothing and regretted it? 

Stunning vintage Cazal sunglasses. Too bling for me. But I still put them on from time to time and try to convince myself that they’re not.

 

What do you have to do after this conversation? 

Have a cup of strong coffee and work on the very exciting show we’re doing for London Collections: Men in June.

 

What would you like to be doing after this conversation? 

Exactly what I am doing. I love my work.

 

Who would be your ideal dinner party guests ? 

Tommy Nutter, The Queen Mother, Lady Gaga, Les Dawson and Greta Garbo. That would be interesting.

Images from the Spring/Summer 2012 Richard James Collection

www.richardjames.co.uk

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Lovetting your work ! – Jonathan Lovett

Today’s textual conversation is with Jonathan Lovett,Head of Design at Burton Menwear London. The Brand has been through somewhat of a change in image recently with the launch of such brands as Drift King and Montague Burton and with the website having a re-design to clean it up and make it easier to navigate. Captain Lovett has been at the helm of the SS Burton keeping it steady as it goes.

Before turning his hand at Burton, Jonathan oversaw menswear at Debenhams and his CV also includes Marks & Spencer and Tu at Sainsburys. He lives in East London and LOVES the east end way of life, his favourite cafe being Fix, on Curtain Road, as for its people watching ability and favourite shops in the area are Anthem on Calvert Street and HUB off Broadway market for divine inspiration.

If you could have invented anything what would it be ?

Invented……I don’t think I could invent anything apart from a good story however I would of love to have come up with the idea for the Bobble Hat, I love them right now and can’t stop wearing one with, literally, everything!

What inspires you ?

Its less about who more about whom, what, where and when. I am so inspired by what guys are wearing in London right now, it just seems to have come into its own again. Its part of my job to monitor trends and make them happen at the right time, London is where you see things emerging.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing ?

The Tee Shirt. I have loads of them, a drawer for casual, a drawer full for going out and work and a drawer for the gym and lounging around my flat in. I will spend anything from a fiver to a hundred quid on one if I really love it.

If you could only wear one brand/Designer for the rest of your life who would it be ? 

That’s a tough one, I am not a big follower of any particular brand I just buy what looks good on me. However if I really had to it, or could afford to, would be Burberry because it offers such a wide selection from Porsum to Brit that I could still look cool when I am seventy in it.

Who is your style icon ? 

Sorry I don’t have one and never will, I take a bit of inspiration from anything I like but ultimately I can style myself.

Can you tie a bow tie ? If yes, who taught you ?

Yes, you did Anthony when we worked together on a shoot!

What piece of style advise do you live by ?

Have a style and buy around it rather than going off on tangents, those garments never get worn.

What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe ?

A pair of vintage jeans, I cannot remember not having at least one pair in my wardrobe and they are a failsafe solution to anything apart from formal of course. I don’t do holes though, its too eighties and I was there first time around.

Have you ever bought a piece of clothing and regretted it ? 

So many over the years especially when I was younger. The last real disaster was a Burberry tee shirt with gold brocade running down the front, I think I thought I looked hot in it but every time I put it on I felt like Adam Ant. If it’s a fashion piece now I always get a second opinion.

Who would do you ideal diner guest and why ?

It would be old friends that I worked with when I lived in Hong Kong, one’s president of Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, another Design Chief for Playboy in New York and couple of others doing interesting things. We used to have a riot and I bet we could still now if we all got around one table.

These are a few of my favourite things – Summer 2012 Burton

Polka dot shirt £28

City Trekker Rucksack £28

Carrot fit Chinos £32

Fisherman's jacket £45

Montague Burton Collection suede shoes £46

burton.co.uk

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A real man for all seasons – Bill Borrows

Mr William Borrows Esq, BAHons, MA, TCP, ABC

Author, journalist, raconteur, man about town, Man City fan (don’t hold it against him), general big mouth, Professional Manc, Friend of Hunter S Thompson, the list could go on and on, Bill Borrows has written for The Guardian, Loaded, L’Uomo Vogue,  Esquire, TalkSport Magazine once again the list could go on and on. And God Bless him amongst all of that he made time to answer a couple of questions for your truly at Clothes-make-the-man.com

1)What would be the one piece of clothing you would rescue from your home in the event of a fire ?

I don’t suppose I’ll be allowed to save my snakeskin Doc Martens as, technically speaking, they are not an item of clothing (although I was granted a free run of the store in Covent Garden and, faced with entire range, chose them anyway) so for sheer comfort, familiarity and the memories it brings it would have to be a plain v-neck long-sleeved white Banana Republic white top I bought in Aspen. Or a sky blue crew neck jumper I grabbed off a rack in Salzburg airport.

 

2) If you could have invented anything what would it be?

Invent or discover? If it’s the latter then either electricity or tortoises. If it’s the former then I’ll go with the Kinder Egg – genius. Wrap a cheap difficult-to-assemble toy in shit-tasting sickly chocolate, put it in a yellow canister and bingo! The world is your bi-valve mollusc.

 

3) If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret ?

She knows.

 

4) Who is your style icon ? Why ? 

Big question. I’m going for a top three.

iii) James Garner in the Great Escape. Whether in denims (at the end of the film) or uniform with a chunky white polo-neck he rocks Steve McQueen off the screen

ii) Chet Baker. Lived fast, looked good the whole time. Even at the end when it all caught up with him.

OR 

i) Johnny Cash outside Fulsome Prison. Black three piece suit, no tie, leather trench coat. Just off to work love.

(See images below) 

5) Tell us something no one else knows ?

I’m thinking about buying a shed

 

6) What piece of clothing best describes you ?

A battered old Thin Lizzy tour t-shirt

 

7) Have you ever bought a piece of clothing and regretted it ? If so what & why ?

Anything other than something black, blue or white – nothing else ‘goes with’ me. I’ve tried. So, to that end, it would be a bespoke green tweed three piece suit I bought in several moments of madness. I could have said no at the fitting

 

8) Who would do you ideal diner guest and why ?

Alive or dead? Alive? It would be Jessica Alba for reasons that need not detain us here. Dead? It would be Lyndon Baines Johnson so we can sort out who killed JFK once and for all. Alive and then dead? It would be George Osbourne so I could poison the shiny-faced little twat’s mulligatawny and watch him plead for the antidote as I crush the phial beneath my foot

 

9) What track would always get you on the dance floor ?

For Those About To Rock – AC/DC

 

10) What do you have to do after this conversation ?

Finish editing a book

11) What would you like to be doing after this conversation ? 

Finish editing a book. And then get on a plane to Greece and sit by a pool for three weeks before having a mad one in Chicago with Jessica Alba for a few days

The Great James Garner in the Great Escape

Musican Chet Baker

The unmistakable Mr Johnny Cash

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Olie Arnold – Oki-ni

The subject of today’s textual conversations is the unbelievably creative and talented Olie Arnold, currently Fashion Director of the trial blazing, trend setting and far beyond a retail concept Oki ni. Oki what, I hear you under your breathe, shame on you ! Oki-ni, who celebrate their tenth anniversary this year, initially grew out of a gallery space/store and a global online destination, it was created to work with brands and progressive designers, to offer innovative products to style conscious consumers offering exclusively limited-editions or  also collaborated with brands to produce unique pieces.

Mr Oliver Arnold

But before all that, Olie cut his creative teeth as Style Director of FHM & Mens Health, both bastions of Mens magazines, which lead to him contributing to The Guardian, Shortlist Mode & The Telegraph’s ST Magazine plus has worked with such diverse clients as Nike, C.P. Company & Levi’s to name literally but a few. Having left the rat race of the capital metropolis to live an idilic life in Cornwall, not jealous at all, and is studying a degree in Performance Sportswear Design (errrr where does he find the time ????) and if that wasn’t enough he managed to squeeze in a chat with yours truly to answer a couple of Clothes-make-the-man.com style Jeremy Paxman-esque questions;

1) If you could have invented anything what would it be?

I’m not very mechanically minded, so pretty much everything amazes me when I start thinking about how it was constructed! Honestly, I can only just get my head around how paper is made, let alone a microchip. But if I could have invented anything existing today it would probably be the Ford Mustang. If it’s good enough for Steve McQueen, it’s good enough for me.

 

2) What inspires you? 

Ok, ready for the cheesy answer? Nature, creative people and those that do what they want regardless of whether its cool or not. People who work hard and who strive towards an end goal. My dad.

 

3) What’s your favourite piece of clothing?

I have a vintage leather jacket that I bought almost 10 years ago that always makes an appearance every now and again. I had some McQueen jeans once that I wore to death and to this day have not got a pair that were as good a fit as those. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

 

4) If you could only wear one brand/Designer for the rest of your life who would it be? Why?

I want to say Jil Sander as absolutely loved what Raf Simons did there, or Marni, but I’m more of a casual kind of guy. I would probably say Margaret Howell. She knows about beautiful fabrics, proper construction and timeless design. I could wear it from now till an old age and always look appropriately stylish. That or someone like Bernard Wilhelm! Imagine going to your wardrobe every day and having to choose what to wear! It would be so much fun.

 

5) Who is your style icon? Why?

I always say my dad here as he’s consistently looked great ever since I’ve known him and the pictures I’ve got of him as a younger man puts me to shame. I’m just starting to design and make clothes, but he was doing that for years and was customizing Levi’s for people before most knew they even existed in the UK. Every time I go home, he swans in with a new piece and gives a twirl before opening thejacket and saying something like “Moschino, don’t you know!”. He’s got more designer branded pieces than me and always at a bargain.

Him and William Gilchrist. There’s a man who has such a distinctive and cool style and who knows his own mind (and wardrobe).

 

6) Can you tie a bow tie? If yes, who taught you?

The truth is I can, but if you gave me one right now it would take me about an hour to remember how. I taught myself once for a shoot, but never really used it again.

 

7) What piece of style advice do you live by?

Never spend more than 5 minutes deciding whether an outfits doing it or not. If its not working after that, it never will.

 

8)  What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe?

I know this is so practical, but Merino wool base layers. I’m obsessed with them and have a few in different colours from a brand called Finisterre (finisterreuk.com) who get their own blends. They are super comfortable, will keep you warm when its cold and cool when its hot. They also look great, obviously.

 

9) Have you ever bought a piece of clothing and regretted it? If so what & why?

When I first started assisting I went to an Etro press day that a friend was doing and saw this multi-coloured dressing gown with paisley lapels. I was still a little tipsy from the night before and put a personal order in and then forgot all about it. A few months later I got a phone call saying it had arrived and that I needed to collect it. I was so embarrassed I paid the £80, which at the time was probably a month’s food. The irony was it was so bright that it made me feel sick every time I wore it with a hangover.

 

10) What piece of clothing best describes you?

I don’t know. Right now I’m in the process of replacing most of my wardrobe as there’s some tired pieces in there. I’ve decided that from now on I’m only going to buy from brands that build to last and know what they’re doing and not from fashion brands that sell things just for effect or trend. Maybe that says I’m getting more discerning and that I want more security in my life, or maybe it means I’m getting old before my time.

Olie Selects a few of his favourite things currently from Oki-ni.com

Image from the new FOCUS channel featuring product The Soloist, Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens and Acne
Jil Sander Snakeskin PRINT Derby Shoes
Image from Night Birds Shoot featuring shirt from Alexander McQueen
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He’s a TOPMAN – Gordon Richardson

He's a very nice man, don't you know.

Today is our first venture into “Textual Conversations” and what better way to kick things off with a bang then speaking to Gordon Richardson, the Design Director for TOPMAN and ohhhhh so much more. Not only is he one of the nicest men in Fashion, hand on heart, and truly a pleasure to interview, but has been responsible for creating a whole new level in, not just the British Menswear market but, increasingly the world. TOPMAN has long shook off the image of the place you’d buy your first suit to attend a job interview. Designers want to work with them, Mr Hare, Kim Jones, Oliver Spencer, Markus Lupfer to name but a few and well heeled celebrities openly wear TOPMAN with pride, even honour.

With TOPMAN spearheading the re-launch of, a stand alone, London Menswear Fashion Week in June of this year, Gordon has been the driving force behind this, dreaming up the TOPMAN Design range, shown yesterday during London Fashion Week(see the image below) and more about that tomorrow, the launch of a premium suiting range (see image below) the transformation of the flagship store on Oxford St, London, the opening of the flagship on Broadway, New York, the continued expansion into Canada, Japan, Russia, Malaysia etc etc. Surely, world domination can’t be far behind ? And amongst all that he made time for Clothes-make-the-man.com to ask him a couple of questions regarding his life and times.

1) If you could have invented anything what would it be ?

It would have to be the Ipod. Being a ardent music lover I cant think of anything else that is as well designed , mystical, and equal parts wonder and enjoyment. The design of an old Gibson ES 335 Guitar would come a close second though.

2) If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret ?

Never having made it as a musician. As much as I now live and breathe fashion I would really rather be up on that stage guitar in hand, I think it’s the performer in me

3) What would be the one piece of clothing you would rescue from your home in the event of a fire ?

I would rescue a blazer of some description as I feel under dressed without one. If I could, I would sneak a patterned scarf of some description into one of the pockets I’d be even more happy!

4) What inspires you ?

People who go against the odds who swim upstream. Pioneers in all walks of life from ancient explorers to modern entrepreneurs. People who through their beliefs and endeavours have changed the pace of life.

5) Who is your style icon ? 

I have several ranging from rock royalty, Keith Richards, to real royalty, Edward the 8th, with a lot in between. A look I’d summarise as Dishevelled as opposed to Distinguished Gentleman.

6) Tell us something no one else knows ?

For someone who’s in fashion you wouldn’t necessarily have associated me with a sporting past. I did however get all 10 wickets in a school cricket match once, a record at the time and who knows it may still stand.

7) What piece of style advise do you live by ?

Don’t be lured by fashions vagaries, establish your own style and work newer fashion pieces as and when they fit.

8) What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe ?

That’s a hard question as by singling out one item it suggests no other existing wardrobe pieces. But the one item would have to be a well cut blazer of some description. Something versatile enough to wear dressed up or down.

9) What piece of clothing would you relegate to Room 101 ?

Something along the lines of a baggy parachute silk pant a la MC Hammer. even worse in a bright colour.

10) What is you most memorable moment ?

Aside from obvious family events I’d say on the fear factor side when i went up in small plane with no actual proper sides to it with some parachutists. Once they’d jettisoned, so to speak, unbeknown to me the course of action is for the plane to nose dive at insane speed towards earth to save fuel. There weren’t enough bits of my body with which I could hold onto the seat. Complete terror!

 To watch yesterday’s TOPMAN Design A/W show click on the link below or cut & paste –

http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?catalogId=33056&storeId=12555&langId=-1&viewAllFlag=false&categoryId=432491&interstitial=true&TS=1329127422376&cmpid=em_y12&_$ja=tsid:19897

topman.com

TOPMAN's Premium suiting range (£175 for the suit) - maybe try it without the bobble hat, but hey knock yourself out.

Something of the night about TOPMAN Design for Autumn Winter 2012