Liberty Department store Archives - CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

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!”

Welcome to a new section for the new look Clothes make the man, The Buyers Guide will seek the advice and guidance of some of the best qualified and most respected figures in the industry, who lets face are so good at buying the right product they are employed to do it for a living. These figures are going to tell us what they see as being the top 10 pieces for the season so if your think of buying a winter coat, scarf, gloves, jumper even T-shirt, hang fire and have a read through this post first.

The first guru I called upon to offer his learned opinion was Mr Stephen Ayres, Head of Fashion Buying at the temple of all things British and retail, Liberty.

Everyman should have a navy blazer in their wardrobe but the level of blue used by Martin Margiela for this blazer is fresh and would be a great versatile addition to any wardrobe.

Oliver Spencer is one of the UK’s best casual wear designers and this modern take on the traditional pea coat is just one example why. Not double breasted but not single breasted either makes it a great coat for over a suit or with some jeans at the weekend.

I love the simple colour contrast on this YMC two tone scarf – a great way to wear a bit of colour but not feel overwhelmed by it.

Fair Isle knits were huge last winter and there’s no sign of them slowing down this year. The king of outdoors, Barbour have mixed a great palette of blues and burgundys to give this one a rich feel and a very competitive price.

The team behind Folk are fun and playful and this jumper shows just how much with a great colour to brighten up any winter’s day.

Canadian born New Yorkers, The Burkman Brothers, travelled around Asia for inspiration for this collection and the Dobby embroidery on this pop over shirt was inspired from their finds.

Swedish brand, Our Legacy, is quickly becoming one of the hottest brands to wear. Their use of jacquard and print mix with understated design gets them the right balance to dress guys from head to toe. I love this tonal Polka dot shirt for its statement and subtlety at the same time !

Print is everywhere for Spring/Summer 13 and being a brand steeped with a heritage and history in print this paisley short from our own collection is great for picking up on the trend now.

British time piece brand Uniform Wares overs clean sophisticated watches, with quartz movement, the ultimate in cool for you or to receive some brownie points and give as a gift.

Canadian brand WANT Les Essentiels de

la Vie offers the best in luxury leather goods and accessories. This organic cotton tote has their signature leather handle and is great for your gym kit.

AskAnt had a bit of a hiatus over the summer months and we’ve had quite a few enquires asking about it’s whereabouts and well being. Fear not dear reader the sword of damocles has not fallen on this feature, not by a long chalk. So not only is a new season upon us but also a new quandary to test my retail knowledge and sartorial skills. So without further gesticulating, who’s the next subject please ? ;

Ahmed, I like your thinking, I’m currently in the process myself of sorting out new business cards & I can’t tell how mortified I feel when asked for a business card & I have to explain the situation. This instance is unforgivable and shows you in a negative light from the off set and in my mind is an immediate red card and something I need to amend post-haste. So without further ado, lets give you your options.

Now, I’ve decided not to go for the more contemporary metal or plastic business card holders as I personally feel they upset me & the line of your jacket in the same way as a mobile phone would, they have a tendency to drag things down, a look which is amateur and unflattering. However, if this is what you are after the least offensive can be found in Muji or Amazon.

So, my choice of business card holder, I would go with something a little more traditional, but that can show off a touch of your personality and something that can say what you are about and what you want to put out there, ideally a professional persona.

Mulberry @ Harrods

1) First up is this beautiful option from Mulberry, it says traditional, aspirational, style savvy and masculine. This chic Mulberry business card holder is a sleek staple accessory that will see you through each season in businesslike style and is available from Harrods the height of unique sophistication.

Smythson @ mywardrobe.com

2) Option 2 is something a little more colourful, this Azure blue leather card case with one slim internal slip pocket and one gusseted pocket for business cards is by Smythson, if you want to display your creative, artist side and something a little left field that can be a good conversation starter, this is your boy and is from mywardrobe.com

Liberty London collection @ Liberty

3) Now your final choice is a bit of a trump card as it has many (many) options all from the under the same roof or platform depending on your preferred preference of purchase. The department emporium Liberty has literally oodles of business card holders and covers every personality from flamboyant statement to conservative classicism.

Acne @ Liberty

Lastly, as requested all of the above are all under the stated budget of £100, actually well under, so enough for another sneaky purchase or even a good night out, sir.

So Ahmed my friend, all that is left for me to do is to advise you, the choice is yours ??? Do let us know what your decision is and join us again soon for another style clinic.

Please remember, if you have any Sartorial stuppers and are in need of a little stylish advice PLEASE don’t forget your not on your own just email us here at Clothes-make-the-man.com @ askant@ymail.com and we’ll answer your problems practically.

Liberty – There aren’t many other stores that can boast shopping in such a beautiful environment

Many things are described as a British institution, everything from Bruce Forsyth to Eton Mess have at some time been cited as one. However one such institution that is undoubtably British through and through, as the afternoon teas they serve in their café is, Liberty. Nonetheless, dear reader, there is something distinctly Un-British at the heart of its corridors of power…..

Since, joining as buying director, from luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman, Ed Burstell was promoted to Managing Director in June 2010 and is now responsible for overseeing all buying functions and marketing at Liberty. The larger then life and surprisingly funny New Yorker, has blown off all trace of cobwebs from the traditional department store and transported Liberty well and truly into the 21st Century and placed it back on the international fashion map as a shopping destination for not only the local consumer but the cosmopolitan tourist to boot. Burstell, has been highly instrumental in the recent launch of the new Liberty Westfield Stratford City store, just in time for the all important Olympics. In this period Liberty has collaborated with such brands as Nike, Barbour & even the international value retailer Target, taking full advantage of the legendary floral print. There is no possible doubt that Burstell has taken Britain to his heart, but at the same time it’s very clear the UK and Liberty have adopted Ed too. Now a man this busy you would have thought wouldn’t have time for interviews and yes he doesn’t but when Clothes-make-the-man.com call you, its hard to say to no;

Ed Burstell – The Managing Director of Liberty

What piece of style advise do you live by ?

Never dress or admit your age or you’ll become your age.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing ?

My Miguel Adrover cashmere column top coat – years before Twilight or True Blood…

Who is your style icon ? Why ?

Steve McQueen. Hot, in absolutely anything.

What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe ?

A hoodie. Cotton for the kids and cashmere for the rest of us.

If you could have invented anything what would it be ?

The airplane or space ship. The mystery of flight still amazes.

How did you get into the industry, what was your big break ?

After my gap year of living on the beach in Florida and doing what one does when living on a beach in Florida I found myself back in New York with no money and no job.

It was November and I went to Macy’s. They had two jobs – Santaland or a fragrance sprayer. I chose sprayer and worked my way up from the very bottom.

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

That I had given up any vices.

What do you have to do after this conversation ?

Boring meeting with a supplier.

What would you like to be doing after this conversation ?

Pimms o’clock with a cigarette

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

Rick Owens, for his consistent original vision over time.

Who would do you ideal diner guest and why ?

Grace Jones, 64 and still kicking ass.

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

The Buyers Guide to Autumn 12 – Stephen Ayres, Liberty

In the business of – Ask Ant

Taking Liberty’s – Ed Burstell

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