CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

anthonymcgrath405 / 25/10/2013

They’ll warm the cockles of your heart – 6 of the best Cable Knit sweaters

Ahhh the nights are drawing in and its getting harder and harder to get up in mornings, Winter’s on its way and if your to believe the reports of those pesky weathermen and women, Sian Lloyd I’m talking about you its gonna get mighty cold in the coming weeks (and months). Now the style of knitwear for this season is none of this fine gauge light weight nonsense, Ohhh no. Its as though the Fashion houses around the world have been looking into their meteorological crystal balls and can see Winter 2013 is one for good and heavy old fashion Jumpers !

So we at Clothes Make the Man have searched far and wide for some of the best example of THE knitwear for the season, the knitwear in question being, the ‘Aran Jumper’ otherwise known as the ‘Cable knit Sweater’. Now there is an incredibly interesting, if not macabre, story behind this type of garment. Many moons ago the fishermen of the Aran Island, off the coast of Galway, Eire would get their good lady wives and mothers to knit them, fine sturdy jumpers to keep them warm and protect against those savage Atlantic conditions. Now the ladies would knit for their men folk jumpers but would add in intrinsic cable patterns onto them. So heres the interesting bit, every family who lived on the three main Islands which make up the Aran Islands, Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer would all alter their patterns, almost like having a family coat of arms. So if one of the fishermen were wash overboard, basically his body could be identified by the jumper, or more importantly, the pattern on his Aran Jumper, told you it was macabre !

So with thought still engrained on your minds check out 6 of the best examples, our finest retailers have to offer –

No Winter chills are gonna get past this bad boy from Reiss

Keeping it nice and simple , this fine example with go with pretty much anything. It by Remus Uomo from House of Fraser

Keeping it nice and simple , this fine example with go will pretty much anything. Its by Remus Uomo from House of Fraser

Colour my life, there’s no chance of going missing in the snow if you’re wearing this knit by Paul Smith from MRPORTER.com

Well you can’t get more authentic then an actual Aran Sweater which is produced on the Aran Islands themselves. This is by Inis Meain for galvinformen.com

This is a great example of a cable knit from high Street favourite Burton.

Channel your inner country gent in this wonderful Polo Ralph Lauren jumper from Matchesfashion.com

anthonymcgrath405 / 24/10/2013

A satchel’s not just for your school years – The Cambridge Satchel Company

We’ve all seen the Google Chrome advert showing us how the Cambridge Satchel Company started and I’d love to say, tut, it was all just a marketing ploy to target our good nature, but no its all true ! Julie Deane, the lady in the ad, founded The Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 at her kitchen table just outside Cambridge. Having invested just £600 to get the idea off the ground, The Cambridge Satchel Company is now a pioneering business employing more than 90 people and experiencing phenomenally fast growth around the world.

The company is genuinely committed to preserving British manufacturing and in 2011 set up their first factory based in Leicester, employing many locally skilled craftsmen and women. 2 years on and the company has now moved premises to a new factory, still based just outside Leicester and the company also continues to support independent UK based manufacturers who help meet the ever-growing demand.

Whilst the traditional Vintage and Red Satchels remain the firm favourites among customers, the company has kept the design fresh by adding many modern twists to the original such as the fluorescent colours and contemporary leather finishes. Collaborations with Comme des Garcon, Basso and Brooke and Christopher Shannon have seen their bags grace the catwalk in London, New York, Paris and Russia.

And so for Winter 2013 and one of the most the most iconic of British Fashion designers,Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with the brand to design and produce an exclusive collection of limited edition collector’s bags. Inspiration for this classic satchel is taken from Westwood’s infamous pirate boots first seen in her 1981 Collection entitled ‘Pirate’. The pale tan straps and buckles introduced on the satchel replicate the ones used on Vivienne Westwood’s pirate boots. For the legendary Pirate collection, Westwood and McLaren weaved a fantasy with swashbuckling clothes and highwaymen, dandies, buccaneers and pirates. It was for this collection that the Squiggle print was first used.

anthonymcgrath405 / 23/10/2013

The Hunter Gather of the Fashion pack – Huntergather

Huntergather is a new concept in fashion retailing, based around a creative hub assembled by fashion legends David Bradshaw, with founding partner Chris Bailey. Bradshaw has operated as Huntergather for 15 years during which time he has been creative director for a couple of brands you may have heard of, called, Prada, Calvin Klein, Versace and launch editor of British GQ Style. He is currently reinventing Versace’s diffusion label, Versus, turning it into the first digital brand with an international network of integrated concept stores. As for Bailey not to be mistaken with Fashion’s other Mr C. Bailey, has an envious pedigree with includes revolutionising the menswear market with his trailblazing Jigsaw Menswear brand which created a new level between designer and high street.

Huntergather is a collective; a repository of ideas; a gathering of minds and a fashion label. Beginning with a men’s capsule collection, the brand has expanded to include womenswear as well as numerous collaborations and special projects. A flagship store in Marylebone as well as huntergather.com – an ecommerce site complete which– aims to be an editorial hub, interactive gateway and forum for discussion. Gathering film, photography and the finest writing and in turn showcases the full creative concept of the brand.

Huntergather’s debut men’s collection contains everything he desires from the perfect white shirt, a statement bomber jacket, to classy cashmere and a contemporary pea coat. Neither high street nor haute couture, it is affordable luxury for the modern man. Collaborating with iconic brands, items that take a novel approach to classics include a partnership with iconic shoe label Grenson to create an exclusive brogue.

anthonymcgrath405 / 18/10/2013

Great British Shoes – Grenson’s pop up in Liberty Menswear

I love it when two great brands, no matter what the industries, come together to produce something a little different, but overall great. In today’s instance, it’s the genuine National treasure Department Store Liberty and the Brilliant British footwear brand Grenson.

So if your planning a little jaunt to the nation’s capital or even better if you have the pleasure of living here, ensure you plan a trip down to Liberty between now and the 3rd of November to experience the Grenson Lab. Situated in the Men’s shoe department, you can choose your own shoe and have it made specifically to your own tastes and requirements and with your own choice of colours and soles. Your shoes will be handmade in the Grenson UK factory and you can even have your own name or a message handwritten on the lining.Prices start from £380 and your shoes will take approximately fourteen weeks to make, so not only an ideal Christmas gift but will lift your spirits from that post Yuletide lull.

Tim Little Owner and Creative Director Grenson had this to say of the project when we recently bumped into him;

“We first ran our Lab back in April on the womens floor at Liberty and it was a huge success. People were coming in and getting pretty creative with their shoes, in fact the factory floor looked very colourful in May. Because of the success Liberty asked us to do it again as part of their “Get Creative” promotion, but this time to extend it to a full-up Lab in the Mens shoe department too. Once again we are looking forward to seeing some of the exciting shoes that people will create, and who knows, maybe one or two of them might end up in the collection!”

anthonymcgrath405 / 17/10/2013

Tales of the Unexpected – Tails, Place of Origin concept

One of the most interesting aspects I’ve found since undertaking this odd concept of starting Clothes Make the Man, is how many interesting brands there are out there. Doing really interesting things that go completely under the radar of some of the bigger publications. One being Tails, Tails Clothing is run from a small premises just outside Cardiff by an entrepreneurial bunch with backgrounds as diverse as international relations, languages, photography and copy writing. What they all have in common is a shared love of sourcing of niche brands from around the world that speak to them because they have great style, but also because of their authenticity. On their website you’ll find pieces that you’ll invest in and wear for a lifetime. They pride themselves on tracking down manufacturers that have been doing what they do in the same place and in the same way for decades, if not hundreds of years.

Heading up Tails is Joshua, whose father Mark started the business in 1979 as Tails and the Unexpected Ltd., a vintage clothing stall in Jacob’s Antiques Market in Cardiff. Mark actually began trading while still at art college, out of the back of his 1961 Riley. This year though, has ushered in an overhaul of the brand identity, including a change of name to simply ‘Tails’. For winter 2013 the brand are developing the Place of Origin concept – that is where their clothing comes from. But also its about the journey to find it. The accompanying photography for the campaign strifes to capture the feeling of exploration and to some extent man’s relationship with landscape.

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