Huntsman Presents: Gregory Peck - Style Archive of an Icon

Taking a great deal of interest in Savile Row its future, I am always interested to see the Row's involvement in London Collections: Men. Whilst Savile Row did not present as a collective at this seasons event, there was still plenty of activity to generate a buzz.


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In celebration of London Collections: Men, Savile Row Tailor Huntsman has launched a fascinating exhibition, showcasing five decades of tailoring for Hollywood legend Gregory Peck, one of the world's most popular film stars and style icons from the 1940s to the 1960s.


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Image Credit: Huntsman

Attending the packed launch event on Monday evening, it was wonderful to see such a star-studded turn out, and such a broad mix of ages, all united by a love of classic, timeless style and exceptional design. By the time I arrived at the event the party was in full swing with Jack Guinness on the decks, livening up the tempo with 1950s and 60’s rockabilly and dance music.


Jack Guinness

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Delving into the archives, Huntsman created 164 items of clothing for Peck during his lifetime, and every measure card has been carefully preserved. The interactive exhibition features bespoke suits made for the actor over 50 years, and key pieces include a dinner jacket worn to collect his ‘Best Actor’ award at the 1962 Oscars, the iconic overcoat worn in The Omen, a recreation of the frock coats worn to film the Million Pound Note and sports jackets for life off camera. As well as exhibiting his archive, Huntsman is introducing a new, ready-to-wear dinner suit, cut to the vintage principles of Peck’s silver screen era priced at £2,750.


Image Credit: Huntsman


Samsung tablets mounted on life-size mannequins dressed as Peck served as ‘talking heads’, allowing guests to  listen through 1950’s Bakelite telephones attached to each device, and what particularly struck me about this exhibition is the seamless connection of tradition and innovation, in which the past is celebrated and the future is fully embraced.


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The exhibition is now open to the public Monday to Saturday for one month at the Huntsman store at Number 11, so if you are around Savile Row anytime soon, it’s definitely worth taking a look!


Archibald Optics - Redefining Luxury Eyewear

What is luxury and what makes one thing more luxurious than another? I sometimes ask myself this question when I’m working with luxury brands selling luxury products at luxury prices. The word ‘luxury’ in itself seems synonymous with expense; in a world saturated with cheaply mass-produced products, you get what you pay for, right? Luxury comes at a price….

Well, this is not always the case. We may be shocked by the injustice of fast fashion when it surfaces in the media, but go behind the scenes, and many of the luxury products we so covet, are not quite as luxurious as we might think. Rarely will anyone question where products have come from or who has made them, yet with high mark ups and cheap labour, if we saw how and where these products are made, we might think twice about the price that we are willing to pay.

I tend to ask a lot of questions, and when I find examples of what I believe represents true luxury, I genuinely like to endorse it. Having been working on a project with many high-end tailoring brands recently, I have become fascinated by the bespoke tailoring process. The time and skills, which go into crafting a bespoke garment, make it the ultimate mark of luxury and worthwhile investment; a quality product that is made to last, handcrafted just for you.

Yet pulling myself away from tailoring briefly,  perhaps around eight months ago, I came across a start-up company that was beginning to cause a bit of a stir. Spreading the hashtag ‘#NeverAccept’ Archibald Optics believe that luxury should not be defined by price, but instead by superior design, material and craftsmanship. Observing as Archibald set about redefining the conventional concept of luxury eyewear, naturally, I had to find out more. A few months and many twitter interactions later, I finally met the Archibald team at their base in Notting Hill to dig a little deeper...


Image Credit: Archibald Optics

Image Credit: Archibald Optics


Speaking with CEO Rohan Dhir, I learned that the Archibald journey started with a desire to create the best luxury eyewear using the finest materials possible, but with a very fair mark up. Not surprisingly in the online space, the idea of direct to consumer brands has become increasingly popular; it’s a direct sales model where there is no need for a chain of middlemen, meaning  mark-ups can be drastically reduced. However, delving further into the eyewear industry, Rohan realised that there is a big dishonesty in eyewear manufacturing; many opticians and retail chains were making cheap products of poor quality, and there was a gap for high-quality eyewear at affordable prices. Glasses are there to protect your eyes after all; their sole purpose is not just to look good.

Instead of replicating the existing system, Archibald have taken inspiration from more boutique brands to disrupt the entire eyewear industry, placing honesty, affordability and quality the forefront of their aims. Order from most direct to consumer online luxury stores and your product is sent straight from a warehouse. Order from Archibald Optics and your intricately handcrafted product is shipped to you directly from the hands of a highly skilled and fairly paid craftsman in Japan.


Image Credit: Archibald Optics

Image Credit: Archibald Optics

The search for manufacturers for Archibald began in China, however, as with many things that don’t turn out as you hoped, but in fact lead you to something better, following an unexpected conversation, Rohin found himself in Fukui, Japan. This small town about six hours outside of Tokyo happens to be at the heart of the finest eyewear production in the world, and partnering with Japanese artisans who are masters in their craft means that every pair of Archibald frames are characterised by a skill and passion that has been passed down for generations.


Image Credit: Archibald Optics
Image Credit: Archibald Optics


Not surprisingly Archibald’s profile is rising; the day I visited was just a few days after a mention of Archibald in the Sunday Times Style supplement, and their home try-on kits had taken quite a hit. The frames really are attractive; inspired by post war British design of the 50s, 60s and 70s, a time when London was the epicenter for innovation, the Archibald silhouettes represent the best of beautiful British design, and classic cars remain a big part of the design philosophy. I mean, when Tinie Tempah picks up a pair of Archibald glasses on a photo shoot and says he wants to wear them, you know they’re cool and everyone is going to be wearing them soon. Labrynth wore the popular Ambrose frames at the Brit Awards earlier this year, and both Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nicholas Hoult recently wore Archibald frames for shoots in issue 6 of Rankin’s Hunger Magazine.


Image Credit: www.becauseiamfamous.com


But which frames to choose? We all want to try before we buy, so Archibald’s free home trying kit allows customers to choose three favourite pairs of glasses to try on at home. Keen to assess the quality frames myself, I had a lot of fun trying on some of the different styles, and with summer fast approaching, the sunglasses I am wearing in the images below are definitely on my wishlist. Whilst this is not something that Archibald make a point of shouting about, their business is committed to social responsibility, and for each pair of frames sold, Archibald donates a cut to the Eyes For Africa Charitable Foundation, which provides sight-restoring cataract surgery to rural villagers across Ethiopia. I am a big believer that responsible luxury is the greatest form of luxury.



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Image Credit: Archibald Optics

So what is in store for the future? Well, pop-up stores, brand partnerships and new customizable sunglasses lenses are just some of the exciting things that may be on the horizon for Archibald, so you’ll have to keep an eye on them to see what’s coming next. I was also lucky enough to get a sneak peak of an amazing video in the making, which Archibald will be revealing soon…

To find out more about Archibald visit their website https://www.archibaldoptics.com/uk. Here are a few more images of the magic that happens in Japan:



Image Credit: Archibald Optics
Image Credit: Archibald Optics
Image Credit: Archibald Optics
Image Credit: Archibald Optics




Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal - Mori Art Museum Tokyo

Andy Warhol famously coined the phrase ‘everyone will be famous for 15 minutes’; so far Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame has lasted for over 25 years.


© The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./ARS,
NY and DACS,London 2009

Whilst in Tokyo, Japan, last month, I visited the world renowned Mori Art Museum to see the most comprehensive retrospective of Andy Warhol work ever presented in Japan. Located on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Mori Tower, the museum itself offers spectacular views of Tokyo from the panoramic observation deck; that's before you even get to the exhibition space.



Image Credit: Mori Art Museum Tokyo

As a versatile multi-creator whose work includes commercial design, painting, filmmaking and sculpture, Warhol became a leading artist against the backdrop of American consumerist society and mass culture, and I have always been fascinated by his thought-provoking work. The ’15 Minutes Eternal’ exhibition uncovers archives from the very start of Warhol’s artistic career through to his final years as an artist, showing an extensive retrospective of almost 700 pieces from every major series Warhol has ever done. There are also a number of works, which are being shown in Japan for the very first time, bringing new discoveries for even the most dedicated Warhol fanatics!


© 2014 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society
(ARS), New York

Image Credit: The Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York /
DACS, London 2011

A brilliant selection of Warhol’s signature masterpieces are on show; iconic pieces from his Celebrity Portrait series including Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, and of course that incredibly famous Campbell’s Soup tin. Some of my favourite Warhol pieces are silkscreen portraits of celebrities such as Mohammad Ali, Sakamoto Ryuichi and Madonna produced during his ‘business art’ period in the 1970s and 1980s, and perhaps his lesser known but equally inspiring work encompassing drawings for product advertisements and illustrations in top fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.



Image Credit: Vogue Paris 1983


Other highlights of the exhibition include iconic pop art sculptures, which shook the boundaries of art, and a dynamic multi-screen presentation showing around 25 of Warhol’s experiential films and videos shot throughout his career. Warhol began to collect Japanese-related items following a visit to Japan in 1974 and visitors can also see a number of Warhol’s personal ’Time-Capsules’; intriguing collections of personal letters, gifts, magazines and objects that captured his eye in everyday life.



Image: Warhol Time Capsules

Such is the enthusiasm for Andy Warhol in Tokyo, to celebrate the Museums 10th anniversary, a pop-up cafe is opening inside the museum today, with a menu inspired by Warhol’s work. Warhol- themed burger, anyone?



Image Credit: Freshnessmag.com


This is only a very small glimpse of ‘Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal’, the exhibition continues at the Mori Art Museum until May 6th 2014 and must be seen by anyone visiting Tokyo! The 30 ft Sculpture 'Maman' by Louis Bourgeois can also be seen at the base of the Mori Tower, just outside the museum.



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All images sourced for this post online are credited in as much detail as possible.


The English Gentleman at The Cabinet War Rooms

Working on a project in which I have been living and breathing everything luxury, menswear and bespoke for the last six months, London Collections Men Autumn/Winter 2014/15 had been highlighted prominently on my calendar since the Spring/Summer 2014 event. The amazing biannual array of shows, events and parties at LC:M are always exciting, however, for A/W 14/15, The English Gentleman Presentation in collaboration with The Woolmark Company was my most eagerly anticipated invitation!


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After a spectacular S/S14 presentation at Lords Cricket Ground in June, what was Savile Row going to do next? The top secret letter I received a few weeks before the event soon revealed all...


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Presenting the modern face of timeless British elegance, the presentation showcased a selection of the finest tailors of Savile Row alongside London’s best shirt, shoe and hat makers. However, set in the warren-like Cabinet War Rooms, 20 feet beneath Her Majesty’s Treasury, this was no ordinary presentation; models acted out live wartime scenes inside the museum exhibition rooms and corridors to create a truly one-off experience.


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman
Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Not only could the audience of international buyers and journalists admire the beautifully crafted creations from Savile Row tailors such as Anderson & Sheppard, Chester Barrie, Gieves & Hawkes, Henry Poole, Huntsman and Richard James Bespoke to name a few, guests were also immersed in the fascinating history of the War Rooms themselves.


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

As the location where Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, sheltered during the Nazi bombing raids in London during the Second World War, the rooms have scarcely changed since late March 1945. Such was the authenticity of the presentation, I half expected to walk around a corner and see Winston Churchill himself plotting and planning among the immaculately dressed models...


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman
Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

What is so wonderful about LC:M is the breath of talent on show; from the world’s most innovative emerging designers and global menswear brands to the traditional tailors of Savile Row, each celebrating and contributing to the rich cultural landscape that is fuelling the growing inspiration and success of the luxury menswear sector.


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman
Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Much of my recent work has explored how traditional tailoring brands can build on their heritage to find innovative ways of connecting with the younger generation and communicating tailoring to the modern world. By playing a key part in the LC:M schedule, Savile Row continues to assert its relevance in the contemporary menswear market, and the presentation acts as a strong reminder that London remains the world capital of masculine style, as it has done for over two hundred years. After such an engaging combination of classic fashion and vivid history, I cannot wait to see what Savile Row has in store for Spring 2015.

All images credited to photographer George Garnier. Here are a few from behind the scenes:


Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman

Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman
Image credit: George Garnier. The English Gentleman