Permanent Style is the UK's leading website on luxury, craft and classic style. Run by British journalist and stylist Simon Crompton, it has been at the forefront of modern menswear for over 10 years. More details on its coverage and millions of readers at PermanentStyle.com
Hello from the U.S. 👋 I do typically follow what you have done, with a few exceptions. 1) I use these wonderful laundry flakes with 4 ingredients, 2) I rinse until my water is clear - using the same method, 3) I don’t worry about spots or stains, except to blot what I can, then wait to wash, which sounds crazy, but different stains & fabrics require different removal methods, 4) I will never go back to any dry cleaner, 5) If I’m trying to dry on a towel, I use a fan or ceiling fan. If it will fit onto a flat rack, that helps. My 100% wool fisherman’s sweaters, and all else, are dry within 24 hours. I will switch towels & positions to prevent mildew. THANK YOU!
I have admired Savile Row tailors for years. I was in London about a year ago and decided I was going to pull the trigger and commission a suit. As an American I have to admit entering the shops was a little bit intimidating, at least the first time. Because I was on vacation, I wasn't wearing a suit but I put on the best clothes that I had brought with me, which were still vacation casual. The shops are all so historic and so authentically British. I wondered if the sales people would take one look at me and say, "I'm sorry sir, but we obviously have a dress code here and you don't measure up. Leave before we call a Bobby to remove you. Besides, you're obviously an American. Get out." lol Thankfully, my concerns were completely unjustified. I ended up stopping in a number of shops, including A&S, and the staff in each one could not have been more warm, welcoming and gracious. I ended up narrowing down my choices to the shops that do Trunk Shows in Seattle as it's the closest to my home in Portland plus my son and his family live there so it's a good excuse to make the trip. I've now commissioned not only the suit but a blazer as well. Ms. Rowland strikes me as an incredibly bright, charismatic and inspiring leader. I'm sure A&S will do well with her at the helm. I'll have to pick up some items at the Haberdashery.
Constructive criticism....Simon has a very regular bad habit of asking his guest a question, then as they pause midway through their answer, he butts in, and answers it for them. Very unprofessional, very rude, very arrogant. If you read this Simon, rewatch any of your interviews, and stop doing it....! The real art of conversation is learning to listen.....
In a world where quality and standards are declining, it is vital that companies like Gaziano and Girling survive and thrive. They are easily the best shoes I have ever owned.
Wonderful interview, I thought it was a very honest and real take on the industry. One minor point I take some issue with is the implication that Brexit has impacted the availability of skilled immigrant workers in the UK. If you look at the actual numbers however, the UK let in twice as many immigrants last year than they did the year prior to Brexit.
Thank you. Yes, obviously a complex subject, but I think those numbers have largely been an increase in non-EU that outweighed the decrease in EU - eg from Hong Kong. Workers can of course come from anywhere, but generally the easiest has historically been from locations inside the EU.
What a fascinating conversation. From someone who has just commissioned a suit for the first time, it is very interesting hearing both your reflections on the industry and tailoring in general.
Wonderful interview. Would love to have been there in person. Interesting and concerning issue tony raised regarding the scarcity of qualified staff and training. Hope this precious craft and indeed equipment finds a way to sustain.
The guy in the video is not pressing properly or using the sleeve board properly.... a sleeve board should be inside the dam sleeve....a 2x4 covered in cotton felt with the corners sanded smooth can be placed inside the sleeve to press easily.... make your own tools .... and you get exactly what you want ..... use 2x4 that is low in pitch content or use hardwood or even plywood
Take a pressing cloth I use flour sack material... fold it several times to get a gentle roll start with more thickness of press cloth at first being careful not to press hard and make a crease.... you can take a piece of 1/8th inch plywood covered with felt or thin cotton batting.... you can have a straight edge plywood or concave or convex... just steam the edge more than pushing down with the iron use plenty of steam or spritz the press cloth or plywood press board batting.... you can shape the lapel to take your desired shape.... using plywood (sand the edge to a nice roundthen cover with cotton felt/batting) covered with cotton batting or felt... this board will make pressing lapels easy make 2 one with convex lapel one with concave and both with a straight edge in the other side you can make this narrow so it fits into sleeves and it will speed your pressing... when you steam let the moisture dry thoroughly and the lapel will take a nice set without a crease or sharp line which runs the drape.
You could also use a small dowel inside a folded press cloth and bend the dowel to the curvature you desire... use bigger dowel for more roll or thin dowel line a bamboo skewer for tighter roll...
Such a brilliant interview and fireside chat as always, Tony Gaziano really comes across as an immaculate, thoughtful and articulate gentleman, the perfect ambassador for both his brand and products.
If someone watched the entire coronation and only looked at the shoes the whole time I'd suggest they immediately get to an analyst because there is something seriously wrong with them.
Such a big G&G fan generally; but also for Tony himself. It's skill, personality, quality, team, belonging - which you are paying for. I've only met Tony once (had a good chat about Cheltenham races), but have met the rest of the guys loads. There is a thread of humbleness and class that runs through them all. And what an honour to make something so personal and tactile for the King.
I wear orthotics due to an old army injury and told Tony I needed a pair of fairly traditional bespoke Oxford style boots making which would accommodate my unusual feet shapes (with a soft, low cut ankle section - something I could discreetly wear in wet weather under black tie or white tie trousers), but still I wanted to see something of a modern twist to the old-fashioned plain Oxford vamp. In thirty seconds he interpreted my thoughts and sketched on a sheet of paper a lovely twist on the traditional design - exactly what I was looking for - remarkable. I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished product.
I always like monochrome and multiples for travel. (Admittedly, that's my go-to in general, but I like it even more for travel.) It's easy to pack a bunch of pieces in different weights that all work together. If you end up with weather that's not exactly what you expected and you end up having to re-wear something constantly It's not so obvious. Like, I just got back from Helsinki. It was supposed to be in the forties and fifties, but I brought a knee length gray cashmere coat just in case. (It's nice to have a luxe, elegant option for colder nights that's not formal if nothing else.) It was blizzarding almost the whole time we were there, so I basically wore it for a week. I was super happy to have a whole suitcase of black and gray separates to coordinate with it. Keeping it all monochrome reads more "signature look" and less, "this is the only jacket I brought that works."
As someone who is putting in the work to start a Menswear brand, love hearing these conversations. Gives some outside perspective for someone who is very sartorially isolated in the mid-west US. Any advice for trying to find/source manufacturers?
Good question. Partly it's because once the garment has been shaped by the iron, the stitching holds the shape in place. With other areas, like the trousers, the pressing needs to be redone when the suit is cleaned. But then, tailoring should only be cleaned very rarely. Unless you spill something on it, brushing and other care at home is sufficient, and better for the cloth
Well explained and in such a way that an individual might easily modify the choices, based on the underlying logic (for instance, I don't really use t-shirts for general wear).
That's a little narrow minded, if only for the fact that it certainly has been cool at points historically. And if you think the buttons are there for a reason, the logical conclusion would be to do them all up all the time?
@@PermanentStyleLondon That's like saying, every button on a 3-piece suit must be buttoned. Nobody thinks the top button of a dress shirt must be buttoned, but if you wear one and expose your chest hairs down to your frieken navel...aside for the fact that, frankly, nobody sane is interested, you are also not cool or hip or stylish. Just a wannabe loser desperate for attention that will expose anything for to get it. Why not wear a tux without a shirt once your at it?
@@PermanentStyleLondon that's like saying a 3-button suit must be fully buttoned. Nobody says the top shirt button must be buttoned, but if you wear one and expose your body hair down to your frieken belly, aside for nobody sane being interested, you are not cool or hip or stylish. Just a wannabe desperate for attention that will do anything crass to achieve it.
Hey Tony, Yes! I usually have one pair of shoe trees with me, but a plastic one so it's not too heavy. But that's just for use when I'm at the destination. Socks are fine to put inside the shoes in the suitcase. Unless you're really over packing, they're not going to get crushed.
Delightful to catch up with contemporary evolution of Anderson and Sheppard since I first acquired my bespoke suits from them over the course of 35 years. Their attention to detail is absolutely top drawer.
Have just tried this step-by-step on a merino/cashmere blend, a fairly thicker knit. There is a kind of mildew smell however, not far from a wet dog (sheep) smell. Is this normal, does it go? Does it need air or what? Hope you can help. Was quite therapeutic but definitely a skill in there!
It should be fine, yes. Has it entirely dried out yet? If it hasn't, do that first. If it has, try airing it outside or put some steam through it with an iron (hanging the knit on a hanger)
Thanks so much - this is incredibly helpful. People often talk about pressing in the context of why not to take a Jiffy steamer to a suit jacket, or simply allude to its mystique. But seeing the stretching and shrinking actually done clarifies the sculptor-like aspect of the craft a lot and makes it very clear what's at stake when it's time to clean a garment or take some wrinkles out. And of course it's invaluable to watch the workers' hands as they manipulate the fabric. This part will hopefully rub off a little as I maintain my own suiting at home. It may even help as I slowly graduate from a very basic level of sewing (basic hems and plans seams, mostly for home decor) to more challenging pieces.
although it was mentioned in passing, I would be interested in asking how is global warming affecting the types of fabrics used for suits, and how it affects the quality of the garment? I guess it's always been a consideration in warmer areas such as southern italy, france etc, but technically there's been developments also in fabrics, so I wonder how suit making will adapt.
I really enjoyed your interview! My wife and I are coming to England next year and since your interview was so down to earth I will certainly stop by Anderson and shepherd! You do an excellent job!
I wish I could have been there. Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing. I would have asked her 4 questions. But chief among them (and perhaps you could answer), she has an economics degree with an MBA (albeit in marketing), why doesn't AS buy a building on Savile Row? And I would ask this of all tailors on that street. Your company has been around for 100 years, 125 years, etc. Control costs. Surely as a business trained (and very smart) person, there has got to be a simple answer. I think I would like to buy the whole block and lease it back. Your thoughts?
I can see how that would help a business, certainly, but two major issues. One, it would be incredibly expensive and no tailor I know could afford it. And two, the buildings are all controlled by big estates that own a lot of properties - they are unlikely to want to sell such prime assets. It would be much easier if there were independent landlords, smaller ones, as there are more in Paris and New York
What a wonderful interview. I love how Anda keeps raising the points about the importance of welcoming all people to bespoke and championing young people's tailoring skills. A very engaging interview! Thanks Tony
Typical mindless talking points. Go back and look at older photos and you will see West Africans, Poles, etc… working as tailors. And the customers have always come from far and wide- India, the US, Africa, etc…
Very interesting thanks for doing this. Really living the dream! I went to Anglo Italian when I visited London and got a few pieces. Thanks for the guidance. Wondering, does made to measure have a measure have a bad association? She seemed to refer to mtm negatively.
Compared to bespoke clothing, yes it's a lower quality. MTM can still be very good, but if you're a storied bespoke tailor, doing MTM as well with your label in could be seen as diluting what you do
@@PermanentStyleLondonyeah that makes sense. That landed when she was talking about not being able to put their label on mtm tailoring. An anderson Sheppard grey herringbone spot coat is a grail. Excited to visit next time to London. I spent all time at drakes end Anglo Italian last visit
Eddie Hayes has a stake in A&S? Very cool, I see him often as his office is right by mine. I’d love to hear about the recent presence of a side body on A&S. Obviously people want trimmer suits, but what makes their house style unique these days?
I'd say quite a few things make their style unique, or at least the drape cut generally that is practised by a handful of tailors. If you're not familiar with that then maybe have a look at the A&S section of the Tailor's Style guide on PS - there's a whole breakdown there
@@PermanentStyleLondon my point is that their drape style is so dialed back they aren’t cutting like the used to, rather similar to every other house on the row, less maybe Richard James or huntsman
Thank you Simon, so interesting especially Anda's father's days. I wish them every success for the future. I've just looked through her website,such beautiful clothes. I agree with her to show the clothes on models. What a great asset Anda is to the industry. I wish her every success.
If it helps, I live in a very casual coastal area and I wear suits to nice dinners/restaurants, art openings, performing arts events like symphony/ballet, more formal social events. Typically, my suits are for evening-wear and I do more smart casual items during the day.
If you wear a business style formally cut suit with shirt and tie then you will stand out as maybe an anachronism. Wear a more casual suit with a t shirt and basketball boots. Try a black suit rather than business associated colours like navy or charcoal. Check the buttoning point on the suit jacket. (How high/ low the top button is placed.) If it's low it will look like the suit is meant to be worn with a shirt and tie. 2 buttons definitely not 3 on your jacket. No gold buttons unless you want to look like a retired admiral. In summer linen/cotton suits with a t shirt and driving shoes or white trainers won't look out of place in a coastal community. Don't advise pure linen as it will crease massively.
Simon, you look so dapper, love your style, socks, shoes, how you sit even. If only i could dress the same, where i live in southern uk its very chavvy and scruffy dress. Do i just wear as you do because i like it?
To be honest, no I'd say you should always fit in with those around you to an extent. Perhaps have a look at the article 'Dress for others or for yourself' on the website. Also at the casual clothing section (in the menu) to see if there are any outfits that resonate with you and allow you to wear tailoring in your locale
