Hamilton & Hare boxer shorts

One of the pleasures of writing this blog is meeting entrepreneurs. I’m not sure I’d ever have the courage to strike out on my own and found a company, confident that I was filling a glaring hole in the market. So I’m always impressed by those that are.

Hamilton & Hare, founded in 2011 by Olivia Francis, certainly seems to have found a niche for luxury boxer shorts. I don’t wear boxers (see post on my underwear here) but I’m aware that’s an area of menswear dominated by cheap production of unimaginative product. A bit like short, black socks.

H&H has attempted to produce an alternative by concentrating on various aspects of the cut and construction that could lead to a better fit. Removing the third panel on the back of the boxer, for instance, to reduce bagginess; using elastic only around the sides of the waistband to make the fit cleaner and more size-specific; and double lining both parts of the fly to make it softer and more substantial. There are many other little details, like the overlapping hemline slit on the side of the leg that aids movement without exposing a slice of thigh.

Points for style, too. Pale blues and greys, mother-of-pearl buttons and that clean waistband all make the boxers look much neater than the traditional, baggy model. The overall shape owes much to Graham Tuckett, who apprenticed at Huntsman under Richard Anderson before going to work for high-street brands.

There are a couple of gimmicks, which aren’t really me. Each pair comes in a washbag, which can be used for that purpose, and a matching embroidered handkerchief. It’s nice not to have to waste packaging, and the hank is fine as a functional rather than decorative item, but when the boxers are £42 each I think there might be a few who would rather do without those extras and pay a little less.

The boxers are made, in Portugal, from high-grade cotton and I found they wore extremely well. I’m sure readers can think of someone in their lives for whom they would be a welcome Christmas upgrade to the wardrobe.

Storing handkerchiefs: Reader question

Hello, 

I'm a new reader of your blog, and I must say I'm enjoying it thoroughly. As I read it, I realised that I had a question I haven't found a good answer to and it’s been bothering me no end: what is the best way to store one’s pocket squares? I tend to fold them loosely then roll them up, but this can often lead to an unsightly crease or fold line that I feel obligated to hide. Surely there must be a better way!

Thank you,

Ben

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Hi Ben,

Cotton or linen handkerchiefs should just be folded into quarters and kept in a draw. Nothing untoward needs to be done to them, but probably best not to roll them up.

Silk handkerchiefs can be kept folded loosely in the same way, but they are also very versatile and can be stuffed somewhere or even tied into a knot to help keep them secure. They will develop creases this way but these are usually fairly minor and won’t be seen when the hank is stuffed into the pocket anyway.

I keep my silk handkerchiefs tied and stored in a large glass jar. It makes a nice decoration and you can see pretty much all the handkerchiefs at once, just by turning it around. It was inspired by a similar display I saw at the Etro store in Milan once. Etro makes lovely handkerchiefs, too.

Hope that helps

Simon

Mario Talarico: umbrellas, Naples

One of the pleasures of revisiting Naples was catching up with friends, such as Mario and Mario Jr at Talarico. My ego has never swelled to the point where I assume such men will remember me, but this does have the nice result that I am frequently and pleasantly surprised. 

Mario Jr is active on Facebook and elsewhere, and was appreciative of the coverage the family has received on The Rake website, on Permanent Style and in The Rake magazine. My last visit, of course, was with a photographer for my book, True Luxury, which will be out next year.

Somehow I can never believe that both Marios are there in the shop every day, working away at their umbrellas, and that I can pop in unannounced. Such is the contrast between the quotidian nature of craft and the celebrity-like aura we create around them. Maurizio Marinella is perhaps the ultimate example: a genuine celebrity, friend to the rich and famous, yet always there in the store behind a cardboard box of ties.

Indeed, I think the whole of Naples has something of this humbleness to it. The crowd at the Rubinacci opening party the other week were fabulously dressed, all dark tailoring and bright-white shirts. This was the big party for the first family of the city, after all. But children were running around; elderly couples mixed with the glamourous sailing set. There were five hundred people, all perhaps with a touch of the peacock about them, but barely an ounce of pretentiousness.

Solito jacket, Naples

I love Gennaro's cutting board, by the window looking out into the square

This was the second fitting on a Solito jacket in Naples. Luigi, the son, was there the first time earlier in the year, and as he speaks some English we could ask rather more questions. But Gennaro (the father) and I managed just fine, with a few facial expressions and a the occasional "poco, poco".

The cloth is a deep green wool with a red and navy check, from the Cacciopoli jacketing bunch. The colour was deeper than I remember, which was good as it will make it more versatile. It will have three patch pockets, four buttons on the sleeves, be half lined and feature a 'spalla camicia' construction on the sleeve. 

Although Neapolitan tailors are known for this 'shirt sleeve', as it is rarely done elsewhere in the world, they also regularly make suits with the seam turned in as on a regular suit. A reader was asking about this recently as regards Caliendo, another Neapolitan tailor I have featured. About half of the jackets on the rail at Caliendo I saw during this visit had a regular shoulder, half the spalla camicia. Solito was nearly all the latter. Businessmen sometimes prefer the regular shoulder because it is cleaner and more international.

The Solito fit was good, with just a little lifting of the sleeve required and a little cleaning up through the chest and waist. Ideally there would be a final fitting, but as I don't know when I will be back in Naples again (and I will miss Luigi when he is in London at the end of the month) it will be finished off and sent. I can always have small tweaks made in London.

Satriano Cinque: bespoke shirt, Naples

In Naples last week, I was able to have a fitting on the shirt I ordered from Satriano Cinque earlier in the year. As neither Luca nor Gabriella travel to London, this was the only opportunity to get a fitting done - indeed, in the end we had two fittings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 

I have high hopes for Satriano Cinque. The make is good, with all the practical handwork in a Neapolitan shirt but fewer of the frills that push up the price of a Kiton shirt, for example. (For more on the background to Satriano, see my post on The Rake here.) I'm hoping that Luca could become my shirtmaker of choice, starting to replace the Turnbull & Assers that currently occupy most of my wardrobe. Once the fit is established, as it should be after these fittings, I can order shirts fairly easily through pictures of potential cloth sent by email, or swatches sent by post. And there's nothing to compare to the make in England.

The fit shirt is made out of the actual cloth but merely basted at the seams, and with plenty of excess on those seams so that the shirt can be adjusted out as well as in - something that cannot be done on a finished shirt. The collar and cuffs are made from waste cloth. 

The fit was good but the right-hand side had to be picked up a little, the sleeve lengthened a touch and the waist taken in slightly. On the second fitting, the chest was cleaner but still needs a tiny bit of excess taking out of it, and the seat was a little tight. It's very hard to see this on a photo - much harder than a suit, and that is rarely accurate - but the difference was marked.

The final shirt will now be made up and sent along with the Solito jacket mentioned earlier in the week. More photos then. 

WW Chan in London this week

Just a quick note to readers that WW Chan is in town later this week, from the 25^th to the 27^th, as part of another Armoury trunk show at The Rook & Raven gallery, 8 Rathbone Place.

Although Chan has been around since the 1950s, they have developed significantly in recent years to become more than just the well-made, well-priced British-style garments that they built their name on. Lighter constructions, a trimmer silhouette and a shirt-shoulder option have been introduced by Hong Kong head cutter Patrick Chu – though the latter are made with less excess at the top of the sleeve than most Italians.

On the opposite end of the shoulder spectrum, Chan roped shoulders have also been popular with the guys at the Armoury. Ethan is wearing one on his Chan suit below, while Mark at top has a shirt-shoulder. Although I haven’t tried Chan myself, I have seen the work and have no hesitation in recommending it. It's great value. 

Prices start at £1000. Contact for appointments is sales@wwchan.com. Chan is in the UK three times a year. Also in attendance at The Armoury this week will be Nackymade bespoke glasses and Carmina MTO shoes. 

Elia Caliendo: tweed jacket

After months of indecision, I finally decided to have my length of Permanent Style tweed made up by Elia Caliendo in Naples. Every time I have been to Graham Browne recently, I see another length being made up for a reader. It looks beautiful, such a nice pale grey from a distance but with subtle colour up close. I finally cracked and gave the cloth to Elia when he was in London recently (he visits at least once a month). 

Interestingly, Elia thought it was cloth for a woman's jacket, as it was made on a single-width loom up in Lewis and was therefore half the width of regular jacketings. He says only women's jacketing is ever made at that width in Italy. For men, only the Riva cotton shirting is made single width, as it too uses old-style looms. 

I reassured him that this was a manly material. Given where it was woven, looking out onto the Arctic Ocean, it has to be.

I'm hoping that the softness of the Neapolitan construction and having the jacket half lined will enable me to appreciate the weave of the Permanent Style tweed. On the first fitting, pictured, in Naples, it certainly looked great, with the overlapping seams on the shoulder and down the back emphasising the texture of the material.

It will be made up, as with my first jacket, with three patch pockets and the 'spalla camicia' shoulder. I was a big fan of that first jacket and have recommended Elia to everyone I know since. It is the best fitting and among the best-made Neapolitan jackets I have seen. In particular, the collar hugs the neck very well, something I have seen other Neapolitan makers fall down on.

A search on Permanent Style and The Rake online will give more background information on Elia. I should say as well, by way of recommendation, that Elia's English and age mean he is someone I can see myself establishing a relationship with over the years - something I only see with Luca Rubinacci elsewhere in Naples.

Postcard from Naples

In Naples last week for the Rubinacci new-store party, staying in Casa Rubinacci. Expect plenty of Naples-related posts. Below, my second-oldest pair of shoes, Edward Green Malverns.

Bespoke box from Linkson Jack

 

When a man has collected a few nice things, his thoughts turn to nice things to put things in. And of course it’s a good excuse to learn about how something else is made – in this case, bespoke jewellery boxes.

The model here is sold by Linkson Jack on his menswear retail site. The boxes are all made to order by a one-man operation, and one of the virtues of this arrangement is a pictorial record of the box being made. For geeks like us, of course, this hugely enhances the experience.

The process begins with a discussion of the style, size and overall look. This can be done with sketches, answered questions or a phone call, but as with many things the most useful starting point is another design you like. Which you can then tweak. 

The design is confirmed with computer-generated images, before work begins. I picked a walnut, which comes as a long plank of the wood and must be sliced up to produce the main carcass of the box as well as the veneers. The lid and base are veneered for stability. 

The ripple sycamore that I selected for the border and the two panels – top, with initials, and front, for the keyhole – is then also sliced up and sent away to marquetry company for those initials to be cut in.

The main body of the box is made in one piece and then separated on a band saw, to be reassembled later. This is more expensive but means the grain of the wood flows naturally from one side to the other.

 

When the marquetry is received, it must be inlaid into the lid and the borders added. Together with the inlaying of the escutcheon (the panel around the keyhole) this is the most fiddly and time-consuming part of the work (see image at top of this post).

Where the various pieces have been inlaid, they must be scraped flush with the rest of the lid or side of the box.

A few other finishing touches, including the assembly of the interior tray and dividers, and it’s ready. I had sections here for cufflinks, for general things such as collar stays, and four rows underneath for watches. My only regret is the initials – I think I had them too big, bold and serif.

It is a beautiful piece, and during the long process (it takes 8-12 weeks) I learnt a lot about working with wood and about the industry in the UK.

Although some of the items on Linkson’s site are of categories available elsewhere, he seems to have a genuine desire to seek out and sell unique pieces, which is very welcome in a rather homegenised market. There are plans to expand the range of products offered. In the meantime, among other things he sells EG Capelli ties, leather portfolios and some nice enamel cufflinks.

Anderson & Sheppard, Clifford Street is open

The new Clifford Street store for Anderson & Sheppard opens (quietly) today. It's stunning inside, and I challenge you not to want the Ineas Meain knitwear, worn with one of the cashmere hanks around the neck. Just the thing for a cold October morning.

Go, and browse.

Calvo de Mora: bespoke tailor, Madrid

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Calvo de Mora has a reputation for being a little younger in style that other bespoke tailors in Madrid, such as Reillo and Larrainzar. It lacks Larrainzar’s royal and political client list as well, but is the tailor for the famously well-dressed Jaime de Marichalar and Prince Kyril of Bulgaria.

Some of those younger touches were on display when I visited, including work in jersey cloth, some unusual horn buttons and half-lined jackets with orange binding. There is also a lot of traditional work, however, such as a shooting outfit including the trousers pictured and a beautiful morning coat.

Calvo de Mora is a little bigger than Reillo, with two cutters – Manuel Calvo de Mora and his son Alberto. The other son, César, also works at the firm. The premises are expansive, with a large cutting room, two large fitting rooms, one for storing the patterns (unusually, not made of paper) and a large back room shared by seven tailors.   

Alberto Calvo de Mora

Manuel Calvo de Mora

As with Reillo, the standard of make was very high and things we think of as Neapolitan in style – the ‘spalla camicia’ and soft, 3-roll-2 cut – were also in display. “We’ve been making soft, lightweight jackets like this for years,” says Manuel. “It gets just as hot here as in Italy.”

Calvo de Mora also has a shop, selling rather lower end shirts and accessories. So make sure you get the address right – Calle de Ayala not, as listed on the website, Calle de Claudio Coello.

Reillo: bespoke tailor, Madrid

Jose Maria Reillo was one of the tailors I visited recently in Madrid. As elsewhere in the city, I was impressed by both the standard of work – which rarely gets any attention – and the innovative attitude.

The Reillo style can be seen from the side-on picture of Jose Maria below: soft shouldered with a large sleevehead but minimal drape. I love the sweep of the collar up his neck. 

As to innovation and versatility, there is a pretty stark contrast between the formality of the morning coat on display and the half-lined sports jacket next to it – featuring a ‘spalla camicia’ or shirt shoulder. The waistcoat of the former is delicately made, with the inset in the corner of the hip pocket giving it that touch more prominence. The feel of the latter, with tab collar and loose-weave fabric, is of a knitted cloak about the shoulders.

Reillo also does ready-to-wear, all made to the same specifications as bespoke, and there are other innovative touches there, such as the patch ticket pocket below. RTW starts at €1500, compared to €2500 for bespoke, though the RTW line may be stopped when Reillo moves location shortly. “The future is definitely in bespoke. People are starting to understand,” he says.

The innovations are particularly appreciated by English clients – he travels to London occasionally to see them. The Spanish tend to be too conservative. And younger clients are pushing the presumptions of a tailor that has been working for over 40 years. “They want to raise the gorge, to work with lighter fabrics and have casual jackets for Fridays,” says Jose Maria.

“But it’s all good. You have to change, you have to provide what the new generation wants. That’s how you establish a relationship, the most valuable thing about bespoke. You can’t do that if there’s no conversation.”

A warm man, quick to smile, and a lot younger than his years suggest.

Photos from Permanent Style drinks

 

 

Me and Theo, in Cifonelli jacket and Paul Stuart shirt

Thanks to everyone who came along to drinks a couple of weeks ago at The Armoury trunk show. It was to meet everyone and it looked like the prosecco went down well. A few shots of people below, and apologies to others who we didn't get photos of.

Joseph

My brother, looking particularly shaggy

Theo's lapel pin, part of a set of waistcoat studs

David

Cuff detail on a Liverano overcoat

Fitting on a Liverano jacket