Boris is right to want to transform London into a city-state | City A.M. April 5, 2012 BORIS is right: London should keep more of its tax money. Too much of London’s GDP is transferred via the tax system to other parts of the UK, a situation which is bad for both sides. Londoners pay too much tax, and those in receipt of the cash become too dependent on it. The Mayor’s [...]
OZWALD BOATENG The man who made tailoring cool again March 29, 2012 Frankly, unless you’re wearing Ozwald Boateng then you’re not dressed properly.” It’s a bold statement, made by the actor Paul Bettany in new documentary A Man’s Story, which follows the Anglo-Ghanaian designer through 12 turbulent years at the top of the menswear industry. There is some truth behind the hyperbole. The rude health men’s suiting [...]
THE LOWDOWN ON TAILORING March 29, 2012 Hugo Boss employs a modern travelling tailor The idea of the travelling tailor is hardly a new one, but it’s an interesting development when it gets embraced by one of the biggest menswear brands. Hugo Boss has launched an exclusive made-to-measure service for its luxury Boss Selection line, with its experts making brief stops in [...]
The best way to fit P Diddy’s suit? Keep him relaxed March 29, 2012 I have recently been over in LA fitting various people for the Golden Globes and the Oscars. The most frequent question I was asked was “what makes the perfect suit?” The first step is finding the right tailor. It needs to be someone you can relate to. They must understand your personality and how to [...]
NEWS from the SHOP March 29, 2012 Ted Baker quick to the draw with its new Spring/Summer menswear collection Ted Baker launched its menswear Spring/Summer collection this month, rather grandiosely dubbed The Great Exhibitionist and His Private Views. Its business-wear range focuses on suits in taupe, silver and navy jacquard, with a tendency towards lustrous material – very indicative of the bolder [...]
Blaze a trail with these great jackets March 29, 2012 It wasn’t so long ago that a blazer was the brass-buttoned item your dad wore to the golf club dinner. It was Alan Partridge’s jacket of choice, a garment wheeled out for occasions demanding that dreaded “smart-casual” dress code. Its rehabilitation has coincided with a blurring of the lines between smart and casual. In the [...]
THE LOWDOWN ON TAILORING March 29, 2012 Ozwald Boateng “You must always wear a suit that’s flattering to your form. You need to educate yourself and understand your form – it’s all about proportions and balance. Each designer or tailor has an approach to that question, and you must find the one that works for you. Or make a visit to Savile [...]
Get shirty with ill fitting shirts. Try going bespoke March 29, 2012 Buying a shirt to wear with a suit should be a straightforward process. It’s the item of clothing most men possess more of than any other – but getting the right one can be vexing. Given the complexity of the human body and the variety of physiques out there, the chances of finding a shirt [...]
Add a dash of colour to your life – but not too much March 29, 2012 Buying a suit is easy. Any idiot can do it. Wait, hear me out. With a suit comes a tailor who, in theory, should stop you going home with something you’ll come to regret. At the very least it should fit. But there is no such luxury when you’re in House of Fraser contemplating a [...]
Don’s as sharp as ever. Are you? March 29, 2012 The wait is over – the suits are back. Mad Men started up again this week, gently lowering us back into a world of lunchtime whisky, indoor smoking and suits so sharp they could do some serious damage. But Don Draper isn’t the only sartorial heavyweight gracing the small screen. From Harvey Specter’s effortless cool [...]