bespoke

The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from Norton MacCullough & Locke

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

In previous columns we've been known to wax nostalgic about the golden age of luxury travel, and the vintage luggage that embodies the glamour and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style. Such exquisitely crafted pieces, like the mysterious bespoke Hermès crocodile suitcases made for Out of Africa author Karen Blixen which we wrote about last week, evoke a time when the journey was as important as the destination and every conceivable creature comfort was taken along for the ride. Not everyone is ready to consign such a stylish mode of sojourning to the past, however. Hence we take pleasure in introducing Norton MacCullough & Locke, a new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury, founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe.

Norton MacCullough & Locke creates individual, hand-crafted pieces in their workshops in England, with the aim of preserving traditional leatherworking techniques and bespoke craftsmanship. Their beautiful pieces feature details such as gold plated locks and hardware, Alcantara linings, precisely fitted removable trays, and engraved mirrors on the inside lids of dressing cases. Designed and made with the finest materials available, the firm's specialist leather, metal and woodworking artisans employ traditional techniques and hand-finishings, ensuring that each piece is unrivalled in its exclusivity, aesthetics and attention to detail. In other words, the sort of luggage suitable to traveling by private jet.

By designing and creating products that are specific to the individual client's aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyle requirements, each Norton MacCullough & Locke piece is truly unique to its owner. Each bespoke order is developed through a series of personal consultations with the client; from concept and design through to personalization and material selection. The firm is continuously developing its extensive range of precious metals, exotic woods and leathers. While bespoke commissions are limited only by the imagination, some of the items they create include jewelry boxes, trunks, hat boxes, suitcases, humidors, watch cases, travel desks, attaché cases, games sets and drinks cases.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke

Tags: Berkeley Hotel, bespoke, England, exotic wood, games, gold, humidors, John Galliano, leather, London, luggage, Norton MacCullough Locke, private jet, suitcase, UK

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The Classicist: The Mystery of Out of Africa Author Karen Blixen's Hermès Luggage

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Hermès has uncovered a couple of remarkable pieces of bespoke luggage in its archives, made for famed Danish Out of Africa author Karen Blixen, aka Isak Dineson, in the 1930s. The Art Deco tobacco-colored crocodile skin cases, one ordered in 1930 and the other in 1935, contain every conceivable article an aristocratic author could need on an arduous journey to Africa. The famed Parisian luxury goods house notes that the more complex of the two took its craftsmen 368 hours to make; both feature fine inlays and engraving, with most pieces adorned with a baroness' crown and the author's DBF monogram for Dineson Blixen-Finecke, a combination of her maiden and married names (her full title was Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke).

The cases feature myriad compartments and leather boxes for spirits, smoking accessories, writing instruments, notepaper, perfume bottles, cosmetics, playing cards, jewelry, small tools, sewing items, brushes and more, with some items finished in sterling silver and tortoiseshell. However, Hermès notes the the items appear to be unused and probably never made it to Kenya, where Blixen established a coffee plantation at the foot of the N'gong Hills; and therein lies something of a mystery. Noting that by December of 1930, when the first case was ordered, Blixen was somewhat down on her luck and preparing to leave Africa, Hermès thinks it unlikely she ordered it for herself and the archives are unclear. Could it perhaps have been intended as a gift from her lover, dashing big game hunter and pilot Denys Finch Hatton?

Gallery: Karen Blixen's Crocodile Hermes Suitcases

Tags: Africa, Art Deco, author, bespoke, crocodile, Denmark, Hermes, Isak Dineson, Karen Blixen, Kenya, luggage, luxury goods, Out of Africa, Paris, suitcase, travel, vintage luggage

Continue reading “The Classicist: The Mystery of Out of Africa Author Karen Blixen's Hermès Luggage”

Alton Lane: The Modern Bespoke

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

A new online menswear brand has launched, promising bespoke clothing at an accessible price. Alton Lane seeks to be the new standard for premium custom menswear. "We aren't here to join the luxury men's clothing market. We're here to revolutionize it," says Colin Hunter, Alton Lane's co-founder and CEO. The site will offer bespoke clothing for business, social and special events, including suits, shirts, trousers, blazers, tuxedos and overcoats. Custom shirts start at $79 and custom suits start at $485. The company has a state-of-the-art 3D body scanner in the Manhattan showroom that lets clients get their precise measurements in less than 30 seconds. Then they can browse the carefully curated selection of fabrics while enjoying a drink from the Alton Lane bar. Clients can request fabric samples and personalized style advice from the website. The site has debuted as an invitation-only service and the Alton Lane showroom is open for private appointments around the clock, seven days a week. Turn around time from date of order to delivery is approximately four to five weeks. In a recent interview co-founders Colin Hunter and Peyton Jenkins said that they are hoping to change the way men view their clothes, how they should fit and their access to it.

Tags: alton lane, bespoke, menswear, tailor

The Classicist: Dunhill Custom Tailoring for Spring & Summer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, The Classicist

Back in March we reported that London luxury goods firm Dunhill was opening a new custom tailoring floor of its Madison Avenue flagship store in New York, the first of its kind in the U.S. Now we have more details of their custom tailoring program, featuring a selection of over 250 of the finest British and Italian cloths. Clients can create suits, jackets, trousers and shirts solely designed for their individual lifestyle or demands. Overseen by Bruno Cosentino, Dunhill's resident master tailor who personally hand makes every bespoke item, the space is entirely dedicated to the brand's exceptional tailoring service. A Dunhill custom suit undergoes 165 separate, meticulous operations performed by skilled artisans, with some 200 individual pieces going into making a jacket alone. Each jacket is expertly constructed using a floating canvas front allowing it to mold to the body over time. The Custom program offers a choice of two cuts – the House's signature St James' block, inspired by the archetypal Savile Row suit with several distinctive Dunhill touches, or the slimmer Belgravia fit defined by a suppressed waist, built up chest and sharper shoulders.

A suit can further be personalized by straight or slanted pockets, center or side vents and notch or peak lapels. Distinctive Dunhill silhouettes are enhanced by the introduction of a lightly 'roped' shoulder providing a typically English outline. This additional mark of luxury raises the crown of the sleeve slightly, ensuring the purest of lines from shoulder to sleeve. High performance fabrics are available including a 3-ply high twist super 130's wool and silk fabric in a range of blues and greys. The classic Dunhill custom blazer can be created in the finest of Camdeboo mohair (above) which is lightweight, boasts great performance properties and travels beautifully, keeping the wearer warm in the cold but cool in the heat. Each Dunhill custom item will be completed and presented within two months. Once the design of the pattern is complete, it then becomes part of the Alfred Dunhill archives, kept in reserve for returning clients seeking additional bespoke services. Dunhill's custom tailoring tradition includes a tuxedo made for Truman Capote to wear at his infamous Black & White Ball in the 1960s as well as bespoke suits made for Frank Sinatra.

Gallery: Dunhill Custom Tailoring in NYC

Tags: bespoke, Dunhill, English, fabric, jacket, linen, London, mens style, Savile Row, suits, tailoring

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A Video Tour of Bespoke British Shoemaker John Lobb

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style, Video

At John Lobb, one of Britain's oldest and last remaining bespoke shoemakers, little has changed since the firm was founded in 1849. Preferring to do everything by hand, the storied London firm declines to use machines to make its painstaking production process any easier. Bootmaker to British royalty since the 1860s and fashioner of what is arguably the world's finest men's footwear, Lobb received its first Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales in 1863. Aside from sovereigns and heads of state, Lobbs have long been the favored footwear of fops including Cole Porter, Cecil Beaton, Hugh Grant and Daniel Day-Lewis. In this video produced by London's Guardian newspaper, Lobb Chairman and Managing Director John Hunter Lobb, great-grandson of the firm's founder, gives a guided tour behind the scenes, unlocking the door to "a lost world of craftsmanship." You'll never want to wear ready-made shoes again.

Source

Tags: bespoke, John Lobb, London, mens shoes, mens style, Savile Row, shoemaker, shoes, UK

Union Jack Collection from Viscount David Linley

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Decor, Men's Style

The latest design from bespoke cabinetmaker (and nephew of the Queen of England) Viscount David Linley is a line of elegant accessories featuring an inlaid Union Jack motif. Consisting of a humidor, jewelry box, tea caddy, cufflink box, and large and small picture frames, the exquisite and extremely British pieces pieces are finished in walnut with the flag artfully rendered in a marquetry of burr oak, burr walnut and ripple sycamore. Like Linley himself, the Union Jack boasts a royal lineage; the flag originated in 1606 after King James I of England was crowned, uniting the kingdoms of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The humidor, for about $2,000, is lined with Spanish cedar wood and has a built-in humidifier and hydrometer to preserve cigars. The jewelry box, for about $1,800, is lockable and lined in red faux suede with a compartmentalized, removable tray. The tea caddy, for about $1,000, is available in a limited edition of 25 pieces, and comes complete with a supply of Fortnum & Mason Royal Blend loose leaf tea. The cufflink box, for about $650, is lined in beige faux suede. The picture frames come in a large and small size for about $440 and $400.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: bespoke, British royalty, David Linley, England, Fortnum Mason, humidor, jewelry, Queen of England, tea, UK, Union Jack, Viscount Linley, walnut, wood

EXCLUSIVE: St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Head Paul James' Ten Essential Luxuries

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Timepieces / Watches, Books, Men's Style, 10 Luxuries

Paul James is the Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and The Luxury Collection, Starwood's two world-renowned, luxury hospitality brands. Under this role James is responsible for providing the overall strategic and creative direction for St. Regis, the legendary hotel brand committed to excellence and bespoke service at the best addresses in the world, and The Luxury Collection, a glittering ensemble of one-of-a-kind destinations and indigenous experiences designed for the global explorer. Over the last year, James has been instrumental in creating a long term strategy of meaningful growth for both St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brands in the world's most enviable destinations. Since taking on his current role, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection have successfully debuted properties in new markets including Atlanta, Indonesia, Mexico, Moscow, Peru, and Scotland. Over the next five years, James will oversee their continued expansion with the opening of properties in Abu Dhabi, Bermuda, Buenos Aires, Cairo, China, Japan, Jordan, Peru, and more.

James has more than 20 years experience in hospitality, serving most recently as Starwood's Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, NW Europe. In that role, he was in charge of the sales and marketing teams of 35 hotels in nine countries across seven brands, with revenues in excess of $1 billion. This fall, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will continue its extraordinary global expansion by opening four world-class properties in Puerto Rico, Osaka, Bangkok and Lhasa, solidifying its position and the leader in luxury hospitality and doubling its footprint in just two years. This global growth will expand the brand's footprint to include the Caribbean with The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, and continuing its growth in Asia with The St. Regis Osaka, The St. Regis Lhasa Resort and The St. Regis Bangkok. Offering the St. Regis' iconic bespoke services and amenities, unrivalled luxury and refined elegance, the spectacular new properties join the brand's distinguished portfolio of quintessential addresses around the world. In the gallery are images of James' essential luxuries; continued below you'll find his explanations about what makes them a must.

Gallery: Paul James' 10 Essential Luxuries

Tags: Bahia Beach, bespoke, Butler, Cole Haan, Dunhill, hotel, Maserati, polo, resorts, Savile Row, Smythson, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach, Starwood, stationery, The Luxury Collection

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Hardy Amies Returns to Its Savile Row Roots

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Hardy Amies, the firm named for the British couturier who opened a shop on Savile Row in 1946 and went on to design gowns for the Queen of England, is returning to its men's tailoring roots. The move comes after the company nearly went bankrupt in 2008 following an ill-timed expansion into ready-to-wear women's clothing and accessories, while the original bespoke business was neglected. On Monday the company announced that in a bid to avoid further financial problems it was returning to its founder's original purpose, and wwill now concentrate on being "the quintessential English tailor" providing fine tweeds and bespoke suits to well-heeled gentlemen. A bespoke suit, the company said, would start from about $5,400. The company's new owners are the investment arm of the £8 billion global trading company run by brothers Victor and William Fung. Sir Hardy Amies himself died in 2003 at the robust age of 93.

Source

Tags: bespoke, Hardy Amies, London, mens style, Queen of England, Savile Row, suits, tailoring, UK

Ildikó Gál Bespoke Exotic Leather Shoes from Hungary

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

Hungarian bespoke shoemaker Ildikó Gál, which handcrafts exquisite footwear from exotic skins, makes its American debut this month. The brand has opened a new showroom in New York at 501 Fifth Avenue showcasing its first collection of men's handmade dress shoes, all constructed by third generation Hungarian cobblers. Ildikó Gál combines modern technology with Old World craftsmanship to produce luxurious products of unsurpassed quality. Constructing the perfect shoe starts with a state-of-the-art scanner that measures each foot from all angles. The foot scan data is instantly transmitted to the last makers, who create lasts that reflect a customer's unique feet.

From small towns and villages in rural Hungary where shaping leather into shoes is an art form handed down through generations, the shoemakers produce stunning, handcrafted footwear. Each shoe design is executed completely by hand using traditional methods and the finest skins, and takes about six weeks to complete. Each finished pair is stamped with the artisan's signature and delivered in a custom fitted wooden box with custom made shoe trees, silk shoe bags and special polishes. Prices start at about $2,500 per pair and exotic skins on offer include stingray (above), sharkskin, alligator, crocodile and ostrich.

Gallery: Ildiko Gal Bespoke Shoes

Tags: alligator, bespoke, crocodile, exotic leather, Hungary, Ildikó Gál, mens shoes, New York

EXCLUSIVE: Fine English Company Founder Benedict Wormald's Ten Essential Luxuries

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Cigars, Luxury Cars & Autos, Writing Instruments, Men's Style, 10 Luxuries

Click above to see Benedict Wormald's 10 Essential Luxuries

The Fine English Company is a recently launched line of luxurious furniture, luggage and lifestyle accessories reminiscent of Britain's colonial past with a contemporary flair, founded by former financial consultant Benedict Wormald. The company was born out of a desire to trade in his City lifestyle in London and turn a lifelong passion for classic British design and antiquities into a business. The Fine English Company's products combine traditional craftsmanship with detailing of exotic animal skins, rare and native woods and veneers to create a range of collectible and desirable objects betokening the best of bespoke British luxury. "I am a great devotee of simplicity and pared down restraint in luxuries," Wormald tells Luxist, "simple items that are executed very well. Luxury to me is not necessarily about adornment or precious materials for vastly inflated prices. I demand a very tactile and aesthetic element from the things I deem to be 'above par'. There is a very definite trend for this that we are seeing in bespoke commissions where people are making much more considered purchases and investing in the construction and execution of the item and not just materials."

Wormald is very passionate about exquisitely made goods and those that are true to the term bespoke, which is increasingly taken in vain. "If you choose to go bespoke from an early age, the lifetime cost is more than borne out in comparison to a larger number of machine made and mass produced brand led products," he notes. "I only wish someone had told me that aged 18! I have Savile Row suits that are as good now at 15 years old as they were new and a good pair of bespoke shoes, a made-to-measure shirt and a bespoke suit will feel more comfortable than any other choice all day and every day - suits only irritate if they don't fit properly and a good suit and shoes will help your posture and the way you comport yourself." Wormald points out that "bespoke need not necessarily be expensive. The power is coming back to the customer to demand something different, something unique to treasure for generations." In the gallery are images of his essential luxuries; continued below you'll find his fulsome explanations about what makes them a must.

Gallery: Fine English Company Founder Benedict Wormald's 10 Luxuries

Tags: Aston Martin, Benedict Wormald, bespoke, Fine English Company, Holland Holland, JaegerLeCoultre, Kilgour, London, Savile Row, Turnbull Asser, UK, Vertu

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Fine English Company Founder Benedict Wormald's Ten Essential Luxuries”

The $90,000 Macallan Linley Whisky Cabinet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Spirits

A one-of-a-kind bespoke cabinet designed by Viscount David Linley containing six extremely rare bottles of vintage single malt whisky from famed Speyside distillery The Macallan is on offer at Harrods in London for about $90,000. Macallan commissioned the royal cabinetmaker to produce the exquisite piece solely for Harrods, designed to be ultra luxurious and unique in every way. The six precious bottles are Macallan's prized 1937, 1940, 1948, 1955, 1966 and 1970 vintages. Handcrafted in Linley's workshop from solid English Burr Oak with mirrored interior panels the cabinet also includes six bespoke Linley-designed crystal whisky tumblers as well as a cigar humidor in the fold-out side compartments.

[via BornRich]

Tags: bespoke, cabinet, cigars, David Linley, DavidLinley, furniture, Harrods, London, Scotch, single malt, SingleMalt, whisky

Louis Vuitton Casino Trunk

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

For the opening of its newest boutique in Macau, one of the largest in the world, Louis Vuitton has unveiled an exclusive collection headlined by a bespoke Casino Trunk. The three-story space is part of the famed French luxury label's planned expansion across the Asia Pacific region. Available by special order only, the luxe Casino Trunk contains special drawers and compartments housing a roulette wheel, green baize game table cloths, playing cards, poker chips, gambling dice and a banker's briefcase. "The opening of this store and the investment it represents reflects Louis Vuitton's confidence in this market and the appreciation by the local customer of the quality and craftsmanship of Louis Vuitton's product range," declared Vuitton Chairman and CEO Yves Carcelle.

Source

Tags: Asia, bespoke, casino, gambling, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, luggage, Macau, poker, trunk

The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from the Fine English Company

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Cigars, Decor, Art, Sports, Men's Style, The Classicist

The Fine English Company is a recently launched line of luxurious furniture, luggage and lifestyle accessories reminiscent of Britain's colonial past with a contemporary flair. Founded by former financial consultant Benedict Wormald, the company was born out of a desire to trade in his city lifestyle in London and turn a lifelong passion for classic British design and antiquities into a business. The Fine English Company's products combine traditional craftsmanship with its detailing of exotic animal skins, rare and native woods and veneers to create a range of collectible and desirable objects betokening the best of bespoke British luxury,

With 15 years of experience sourcing unusual items and commissioning bespoke products, Benedict worked tirelessly to create the Fine English Company's first collection, a selection of which is now available at Holland & Holland, the famous London gunmaker established in 1835 and holder of the Royal Warrant. The core range includes steamer trunks finished with exquisite detailing and exotic zebra and giraffe skins, for £2,750 - £5,750. Larger furniture pieces include traditional leather armchairs, sofas and footstools, and club-style fireplace fenders upholstered in tweed, zebra and giraffe skin giving them a contemporary flair.

Fine English also has range of smaller items for sporting gentlemen including traditional handmade slippers with leather soles in a range of animal skins, bold tweed, and for the pocket pirate, a skull and crossbones. Also available are a number of iconic humidors for the busy plutocrat with rich wood finishes such as ebony, macassar and walnut, some decorated with the skull and bones (£2,500) or iconic Union Jack. Also a collection of stunning bespoke pocket knives featuring William Morris acanthus engraving, 18k pink gold with gold lipped pearl details, Damascus steel blades and ivory from the woolly mammoth, rivaling creations from the world's finest gun and watch makers.

Gallery: The Fine English Company

A well-curated collection of fine antiques is also on offer, drawn from military, architecture, automotive, aeronautical and sporting pursuits and restored to perfection. Of course the company offers a complete bespoke service as well; if you can conceive of it, Wormald promises to make it happen - he claims to have never turned down any client's request. From unique taxidermy - one recent example being the finest Van Ingen Tiger to be seen in Europe - to whole games rooms, gun rooms, dramatic architectural statement pieces and even a mahogany WC seat with the skull and bones motif, Fine English will furnish it to your requirements.

Tags: antiques, bespoke, exotic animals, ExoticAnimals, Fine English Company, FineEnglishCompany, furniture, Holland Holland, HollandHolland, humidor, hunting, London, luggage, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, shotgun, sporting, trunk, UK, zebra

Bespoke Hermès Luggage & Wardrobe Gift Package

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style, Wealth

For our final installment on the eye-popping holiday offerings from that glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report - following the matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million and more - we have a bespoke basket of goodies from famed French luxury goods house Hermès. Starting at $215,000 depending on what exactly the recipient chooses to indulge in, the gift includes: a custom eight-piece luggage set handcrafted by a single Hermès craftsman in Paris from their incredible range of luxurious, exotic leathers (above) including crocodile, alligator, ostrich and lizard, dyed in any of 300 shades; consultation with a specialist from Hermès to create a bespoke suit, topcoat, shoes, and leather and knit accessories, all of which will be made to the recipient's specifications; and a private tour of the Hermès leather atelier in Paris for the recipient and a guest. Some luggage items, like the portable alligator skin bar trunk the firm once made for Sammy Davis Jr., may take up to a year to complete.

Tags: alligator, bespoke, Hermes, luggage, Paris, suit

Gangster Chic Ties from Duncan Quinn

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Duncan Quinn, the London-born, New York-based menswear designer whose Savile Row-with-a-twist togs are favored by the likes of Sean Combs, Entourage star Adrien Grenier, LeBron James and alt-rockers Green Day among others, has come out with a new line of silk ties sporting gangster chic motifs to complement his killer new fall collection we previewed here. The designs (above) are partially inspired by Russian prison tattoos - think Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises - and are made of 100% silk handwoven in England, cut, stitched and finished by hand in New York City. A lot of Quinn's inspiration comes from the "long and well-recorded history of members of the criminal fraternity frequenting Savile Row for their sharp suits and other attire," the designer notes - the ones played by Michael Caine at least.

Tags: bespoke, Duncan Quinn, DuncanQuinn, Savile Row, SavileRow, suits, tattoo, ties, UK, Viggo Mortensen, ViggoMortensen

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