The Swiss Army Knife of apartments

One never stops learning

An alterante way to open a bottle of wine.

The correct post for the start of the year

Watch Straps

A trend we have seen lately, especially in light of the economic climate in Europe and the US is buy less, but better. Another World War II mantra is make do and mend (coincidentally also the name of a punk rock band).

Don't worry, this post won't be about sewing different buttons on a garment to freshen it up, but freshening up watches. Aside from a full service and clean, changing the strap of a watch is a very easy way of giving new life to a watch. There are very few places that make metal customisable watch straps but a few who make leather straps in France, Italy and Japan. The one I have most experience with is ABP (Atelier du Bracelet Paris) in Paris on Place du Marche Saint Honore just up the road from Colette. 

It is best to visit them in person as one can choose the leather, the skin and the position of where the strap will be cut on the skin. This is important in crocodile for example where I have the large scales at the case going to smaller scales at the clasp. They also have a special pin with a cut out in the strap that allows one to easily change the straps without tools. All of this does not come cheap though (a few hundred Euros...). For one of my watches it is essential though as it takes a 19mm strap versus the industry standard of 18 or 20mm.

 

 

In the words of Monty Python, "and now for something completely different."

Lapo, these are for you. One of our clients has a few matt green cars, including a Ferrari and a Jeep painted in matt camouflage. While in Bologna at a leather show, we saw English tanned hides with a camouflage print on them. Being slightly unusual, we asked if these were used for leather bags. The response was a dead pan stare back, and "no, for military sniper gloves."

The leather is not as soft nor supple as the cape skin we use from the same tannery, but we know they can take a beating. Lined with rabbit and hand stitched, no army glove was ever this luxurious.

Red

Recently One Sunday I passed a few red objects, here is what I saw.

Black Tie, not so Classic

For those who like their black tie a little different and actually involving a tie, this is our version. The piped dinner jacket is a departure from the satin lapel version, but its history in formal wear can be traced back over a century. The piped waistcoat adds an elegant touch and negates the need for a cummerbund.

The extreme cutaway collared dinner shirt grabs the headlines and can only be worn with a tie and not a bow tie. It is a statement piece and is ideal for traveling as the fly front and cocktail cuffs negate the need for studs or cufflinks. Also one doesn’t have to find someone who knows how to tie a bow tie in the last minute, even though one really should learn how. Elegant accessories such as a sting ray card holder or our folding crocodile wallet to hold one’s credit cards and cash is the finishing touch, showing both character and individuality.

Three piece piped dinner suit                                               £1625.00

Extreme cutaway collar dinner shirt                                     £  215.00

English black satin silk sevenfold tie                                   £  145.00

Italian satin silk evening scarves                                          £  135.00

Calf leather robusto cigar holder                                           £  145.00

Crocodile print folding wallet                                                 £  105.00

Stingray card holder                                                                £  195.00

Black Tie, Classic with a Twist

In our shop window now:

A certain Hollywood client wanted something refined, elegant and that would make him subtly stand out from the sea of penguins. We recreated our signature velvet jacket in this double breasted style with moire silk lapels and accents. The fitted silhouette, lapels and turnback cuffs, are a nod to the elegance of 1930s Hollywood. The Brits in Hollywood have a reputation to maintain afterall, and an ordinary dinner jacket just wouldn’t do. In the words of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale: “there are dinner jackets and dinner jackets, this is the latter.”

Paired with a simple but elegant fly fronted shirt and a self-tie bow tie (if you can tie your own shoe laces you can tie a bow tie), and patent or velvet loafers, they nicely complement the jacket. This ensemble is not for the faint of heart, but then nor is our clothing.

Be wary of women who “borrow” the cashmere scarves. They are soft and sumptuous – the scarves, possibly the women too, and probably will never be returned.

Double breasted velvet dinner jacket with moire lapels          £1075.00

Velvet and patent leather loafers to order from                         £  425.00

Marcella fly fronted dinner shirt                                                    £  205.00

Satin self-tie bow tie                                                                       £    55.00    

Onyx and sterling silver segmented cufflinks                            £  335.00

Gun metal skull and crossbones cufflinks                                  £  145.00

Calf suede bound cashmere scarves                                         £  175.00

The Economist does James Bond

Only the Economist's cold analysis and graphic department would produce a chart like this:
James Bond films are almost always the same: Bond is sent to an exotic location, meets and seduces a woman, gets caught by the villain, escapes, kills the villain and gets the girl. Known for martinis, Bond girls, apocalyptic antagonists and heavy innuendo, Bond has schmoozed, boozed and bruised his way through women and villains alike. Or not alike. Data compiled by The Economist show that of the six Bonds, Pierce Brosnan was the most bloodthirsty, bumping off an average of 19 baddies per film. The short-lived George Lazenby, it turns out, was the Bond for the babes, whereas Daniel Craig, the latest, is notably less successful. Maybe that’s because he drinks the most martinis. Still, all that risks being shortlived. In the new Bond film, “Skyfall” (reviewed here), Heineken has paid to ensure the hero only drinks beer. Neither shaken nor stirred, presumably.

Skyfall

Living in London has its advantages. One being one gets to see the new James Bond before everyone else in the world. Another advantage is that the world premiere is in London. Now if you happen to know the right people, one can see it two weeks before everyone else does. For this Bond, I was that fortunate.

How was it? Awesome.