Thursday, April 28, 2011

On the Street....East 48th St., New York

George Glasgow Jr. of George Cleverley & Co. Ltd in midtown after our shoe fitting.

I still haven't been able to find the perfect (at least, for me!) pair of cordovan shoes, so George and I are working together to create them ourselves.

So are you actually, really interested in the royal wedding?

I understand the historical significance of this event, and how important it is to the UK. It's also a great story for the media.

But are you actually, really interested in the royal wedding? How many of you are going to be watching at 6 AM tomorrow morning?

On the Street....Huntington Road, Atlanta

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

On the Street....Personal Silhouette, Milan & Paris

On the Street.....via Senato, Milan

Vintage Photos Return!



I am a big fan of both your blogs. I am Alexandra, french but living in Germany, Berlin since 2000.

It was quite difficult to make a decision on which photo I should send you because I have several which could be perfect for the contest.

The one enclosed is from my grand-parents. "Biarritz_1936" They lived normally in Reims, north-east from France.

This photo was taken just before the war in 1936 in Biarritz. They are on their honeymoon. I like this photo a lot because they just feel happy and they look incredibly elegant and stylish even if they are at the sea... it would never happen nowdays ! My grand-father was half english and until his death very elegant, a real gentlman. I also like the contrast of the perfect hair for my grand-father and the wind blowing through the hair of my grand-mother.

Until their death, they had 6 children and about 35 grandchildren... they were very important to me and my family, and were very implicated in helping others who needed it.

I could not resist sending you a photo of them both in Bandol on the same vacation because I find them so beautiful even though they are just wearing the minimum: a swinsuit. The photo reminds me a little bit of Man Ray photo.

Best,

Alexandra H.


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Remember those great vintage photo posts we were doing back in the spring?

Let's start that up again!

Below are the details.

- The subject line of the email should read "Vintage Photo Contest"

- The photos will only be posted here on the blog, so the file size can be very small (no bigger than 700kb). I DO NOT need hi-res images, they take too long to download.

- Writing a little something about the image you send will make your entry much more interesting for all of us.

- Email your photos to: sartorialistvintagephotos@gmail.com

On the Street....Lafayette St., New York

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

On the Street....Bond Street, New York

Bike Chain as Chanel Inspiration, New York

Whenever I see these bike messengers with their big bike chain wrapped around their waist I always think about Karl and Chanel. I keep waiting for the day I see Chanel models racing down the runway sporting heavy chain belts with leather threaded through - a thicker version of a Chanel bag's chain. This messenger's look is just begging to be Karlized.

I know he has Chanelled other sports but has Karl ever interpreted bike messengers? Just imagine all that gear (high-heeled biking shoes as showcased earlier today) with the Double C logo.


By the same token, I would love to see a few smartass messengers turn the table and do their own version of a Chanel bike chain and lock.

I nominate this young lady to lead the charge.
October 2010

November 2010

Ok, I know Terence Koh isn't actually a messenger but still...the look is begging for the Karl touch.

On the Street....E 2st, New York

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Alessandro's Retail Adventure in New York


The other day my friend Alessandro (whom you have seen in several shots from Milan and Florence) emailed to let me know he was in New York for a shopping/inspiration trip. He was looking for shops and brands that specialize in American classic style.

He had been to all the well-known shops like Odin, Melet Mercantile, Bergdorf Goodman, etc. However, he had missed some of the smaller, cool shops that are making New York one of the best menswear destinations in the world right now.

I offered to take him on the unofficial "Sartorialist-tour-of-cool-small-shops-specializing-in-classic-American-style-and-atmosphere" and made a few appointments. This was very spur-of-the-moment and is in no way a comprehensive selection, but with only two hours to show a super-chic visitor a few shops these are the places I made the priority.

I know Alessandro has a weakness for shoes so the first stop was Barker Black. Derrick just keeps evolving his American/English-inspired shoes, furnishing each with a sinister twist.

198b Elizabeth Street
212.966.2166

Next, we went around the block to Freemans Sporting Club. I think this was the shop that really wowed Alessandro. He loved the design of the space. I think he is very impressed at the American ability to take an unremarkable space and rebuild it with character; in this case, to look like an old dry goods shop that seemed to have occupied the space for over 100 years. Keith McNally does the same trick with Pastis, Balthazar, etc.
8 Rivington Street
212.673.3209

I was going to take him to Leffot but he had already visited the day before, What he mentioned, though, was how funny it was to see Aldens done through the eyes of Americans. Right now Alden is one of the hottest brands in Italy and Japan but they are always bought with the unique perspective of buyers in each country. As I have mentioned before, Aldens here are way to clunky for my taste but I've seen them in Seoul, Milan, Florence and Japan and stores always seem to pick the perfect two or three styles that reflect the local taste.

(The one exception in the US is how J. Crew is buying Aldens right now. They're offering a very good selection.)
10 Christopher Street
212.989.4577

So, instead of heading west we took Bowery uptown to the orginal Kiehl's on Third Ave. Very cool. Alessandro loved the Indian motorcycles that share the space with creams and lotions.
109 3rd Ave
212.677.3171

Just down the block on 13th street is the new-ish vintage shop Stock Vintage. Another great location for product and layout.
143 East 13th Street
212.505.2505

Our last stop (again, we only had a very short time period) was Saturdays Surf. Alessandro got a kick out of the idea of city surfing.
31 Crosby Street
212.966.7875

I wanted to take them to see Kirk at Miller's Oath but instead.....
510 Greenwich Street
212.219.9965

...I took Alessandro for a real American meal....fajitas and margaritas at Rocking Horse!!!
182 Eighth Ave
212.463.9511
He left for the airport very happy.