For 40 days and 40 nights London will be transfixed by the most astounding and exhilarating egg hunt it has ever seen. Launching on Shrove Tuesday, 21st February 2012, over 200 uniquely crafted eggs created by leading artists, designers, architects and jewellers will be displayed all around central London, including our stores in Savile Row and Sloane Square.

These glamourous and ornate Easter eggs will then be auctioned in order to raise money for two worthy charities: Elephant Family and Action for Children.

Learn more about The Big Egg Hunt at:

http://www.thebigegghunt.co.uk/

Come by tomorrow to check out the eggs at our store!

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2011-07/19/savile-row-bespoke-suits-best-tailors-london/gieves-and-hawkes

After the success of our joint US trunk show trip with Gieves & Hawkes bespoke tailoring in November last year, we are thrilled to be coming ‘States-side’ again this year.

Our next trip is in March and customers are in for a treat. Not only is Gieves & Hawkes bringing some fabulous vicuna cloth (the Aston Martin of cloths if ever there was one) but – a first – they are also bringing out the made-to-measure shirts, suits, overcoats and an accessory service! (There has been some chat on men’s forums like Ask Andy’s and Style Forum about the service and whether it is available in the US. Well the answer is, yes, now it is. There is a 48 hour window of opportunity to place an order if you can get an appointment for either Chicago or New York towards the end of March).

Alongside our pared back Mayfair business shoes we will also have some lighter weight, casual styles to show – a deerskin and canvas derby, a nubuck desert boot with a crepe sole and a blue, suede casual.

And if you’re wondering whether buying bespoke is a good idea in these austere times, well here are our thoughts. In business, the recommendation is to do as much marketing as possible when times are tough to ensure you maintain good visibility in the market place. The same goes for your wardrobe. Invest now in items that have integrity, enduring design and quality craftsmanship and you won’t go far wrong whether we’re facing boom or bust.

And those are the watchwords of a No.1 Savile Row experience – whether it’s personalising the best of the ready-to-wear to create custom-made shirts and suits; bespoke tailoring for the perfect fit, a modern approach to fabric technology and an acute awareness of contemporary style; or bespoke shoes where comfort and style are paramount and where the shoes will last some 10 years or more.

Which is better? Two pairs of shoes at $5000 that are comfortable, stylish, can be repaired and which will last you at least 10 years (equating to roughly $500 a year) or two pairs of shoes at $500 every year that fit OK, but which lose their shape and look tired after three years.

What’s the old adage – “less is more”?

Tempted to blow your budget on some serious bespoke (custom made)? With just 48 hours in each city, an appointment is essential, so gentlemen please contact Mr John Blanco, General Tailoring Manager to reserve a time to see us all.

T: +44 (0)20 7432 6434
jblanco@gievesandhawkes.com

Most of us –at bare minimum– own some sort of black dress shoe, whether it has a straight cap, wing cap or plain toe at the front of it. With the exception of the wing cap, there is the possibility of making your shoe a bit more formal than it already is. And to do so, all one needs is a proper shine put on. You may doubt this, but I will have you know that when you see military gentleman with boots so shiny they could blind you if the sun were to shine in the wrong way, that this was a process created with polish and water (or spit). If done properly the shoe could become shinier than its patent counterpart. And while everyone else would be wearing a patent shoe, you would be the one with a normal shoe that has a brilliant shine that makes everyone else appear lackluster.

Let’s be honest….how many times in your life will you truly need a patent shoe? Probably not many….I won’t lie though, I do own a pair, but that’s because I am a shoe addict. But I have never actually worn them for a proper event, only to work. I can imagine that in the average man’s life, there may be one…two….or let’s just say three (to be safe) events that he might actually need to use a pair of patent shoes. Well, it that is the case, it does not actually present a good argument for owning a pair simply for those occasions that is of course unless buying a pair of £300 shoes for you is like pulling out a 5P coin for me….? But if not, I think that for most of us, a shine that looks as if your shoe magically turned patent would suffice in the utmost way.

This is where I step in. While I won’t claim to be a magician who can magically turn your leather shoes into patent, I will say that it is possible to at least make them look close to patent, by giving them a mirror shine….That being, if you are ever in a pinch and desperately need a bit of help in the shoe department (for a certain event or something of the likes), then look no further than No.1 Savile Row and I will sort you out….!

Hawkes, the famous military tailor, was for many years located in Piccadilly and in 1912/13 repaired from there to Savile Row. The company was owned at that time by the family of Henry Thomas White who had acquired the business in 1856. His grandson relates how, at the time of the move in 1912, the directors, the sons of H.T.White, decided to have a complete clear out and to dispense with most of their Georgian and Victorian records, an appalling idea by modern standards. But one of the directors did have the foresight to retain and pass on some knowledge and memorabilia to the next generation. It is therefore fortunate that we still have the memoirs of the said grandson and at least some of the customer ledgers from the mid 19th. century as well as quite a few other precious and rare volumes. We even have several of the items that were on display in the Hawkes & Company showcase at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and a photograph of the showcase to prove it. [More on this showcase in a later article].

It has been another matter altogether with Gieves, the famous naval tailor, as was indicated in the earlier article. Generations of Gieves religiously kept records from the time that the first member of the family, the first James Gieve, entered the business in 1852, soon thereafter to take over sole ownership in1887.
They also kept the records, patterns and other memorabilia passed down from the trade that preceded Gieves ownership, in other words the naval tailoring businesses of Meredith, Joseph Galt, Seagrove, Fraser & Davis which dated back to Portsmouth in the latter part of the 18th. century.

What befell in September 1940 in the form of German firebombs, entailing the total destruction of the Gieves shop at 21 Old Bond Street, could perhaps have been foreseen by the directors as a terrible possibility during the Blitz.
What they had not envisaged , however, was that a supposedly fire proof, blast proof strong room in the sub-basement, and reinforced  by the Ministry of Works, would melt and be reduced to ashes,  resulting in the loss of the all important Nelson memorabilia along with other precious items and day books, as well as a significant number of artworks belonging to a well-known Anglo-American art dealer who also made use of this storage facility. Such was the hole in the ground that the fire services used it as a fire hydrant for the remainder of the war.

What happened next was equally disastrous, the IRA bomb attack on 27 Old Bond Street, the shop to which Gieves moved post war and where, again, customer records and heritage pieces were lost.

Thus it is that the current state of the Gieves & Hawkes archive is very surprisingly more comprehensive than one might have supposed after the ravages of war and peace over almost two and a half centuries.

Images :
- H.T.White’s grandson’s hand written record.
- One of the Hawkes customer ledgers open to entries including those for Col. the Duke of Rutland and the Marquis of Granby.
- 21 Old Bond Street on the morning after the incendiary bomb attack of September 16th. 1940.
- The basement of 21, Old Bond Street, converted into an emergency water reservoir for the London Fire Brigade for the remainder of the war.

There are many things to consider when buying shoes, but these are our top tips to help you to get a good fit.
- Never buy a pair of shoes ‘in your size’ without trying them on. (Standard sizes vary from brand to brand so you do need to try them).
- Some styles will suit your feet better than others. For instance, if your feet swell during the day, a Derby will be more comfortable than an Oxford. This is because the front laced section of a Derby can be opened up/loosened more than an Oxford which is closed at the front. This also applies when you fly or if you live in a warm climate (lucky you!)
- Suede is more forgiving – will stretch more – than box calf.
- A soft leather will be more comfortable in the short term, but will lose shape more quickly and so won’t support your foot where needed.
- Brands from northern Europe tend to be wider at the joint as standard and southern European/Mediterranean brands tend to be narrower.
- One foot is usually bigger than the other so always try on both shoes.

The check list when you try on a pair of shoes:
- Is there enough space for your toes when you are standing upright and walking?
- Does the back of the shoe feel comfortable and cup your heel without slipping when you walk?
- Is there enough room on your instep (the top part of your foot)?
- Is there enough room for your foot across the widest part of the shoe, at the joint?
- Is the joint of your big toe at the widest point in the shoe?
- Does the shoe support the arch of your foot?
- And ultimately the main question is “Does it hurt”? I can assure you, after a miss-spent youth wearing too high, too tight heels, if the shoes hurt now your feet will suffer later!

So gentlemen enjoy the sales, but choose carefully, (we always prefer our bespoke customers to come to us through desire rather than necessity), and leap into 2012 in a pair of comfortable shoes!

Gieves & Hawkes bespoke tailoring and bespoke shoemaking partners, carréducker, are now taking appointments for their USA trips in 2012.

CHICAGO
March       Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th
June          Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th
October    Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th

NEW YORK
March         Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd
June            Thursday 7th and Friday 8th
November  Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd

Please note that the team will also be showcasing Gieves & Hawkes Made-to-Measure services for the first time in the US, including suits, shirts, overcoats and accessories.

To book your appointment please telephone or email Mr. John Blanco, General Manager Tailoring.
T: +44 (0)20 7432 6434, jblanco@gievesandhawkes.com

Gieves & Hawkes Bespoke Tailoring
The perfect fit and supreme craftsmanship of bespoke combined with a modern approach to fabric technology and an acute awareness of contemporary style.

Gieves & Hawkes Made-to-Measure Services
Our finest ready to wear procedures personalized and fine-tuned, to create a custom garment tailored to you.

carréducker @ Gieves & Hawkes bespoke shoemaking
Highly skilled, traditional craftsmanship and modern design sensibilities meet to create the finest, contemporary bespoke footwear.

We look forward to being of service and extend our warmest, No 1 Savile Row welcome to you.

John Blanco
General Manager Tailoring
T: +44 (0)20 7432 6434
jblanco@gievesandhawkes.com

PART 2

Last time we looked at a serious, traditional and arguably very correct way of wearing and accessorizing Black Tie. This time we’ll look at some of the many variations.

Starting with the Jacket, a White DJ [ in reality cream ] in lightweight wool is good for summer, with white silk Grosgrain on the lapels and worn with the usual black trousers. You could also wear a Velvet Smoking Jacket, in black, midnight blue or even aubergine, again with Grosgrain on the lapels and worn with black trousers.

An alternative to the peaked lapel would be a Shawl Collar which is less formal but should not be too narrow and is best styled to balloon nicely as it progresses downwards. Again, finished with Grosgrain.

As for colour you could opt for a Midnight Blue instead of black – indeed some people claim that black can look greenish under certain lights.

And there are some good alternative cloths, particularly mixtures with Mohair, which are lightweight and comfortable to wear.

An alternative to black trousers would be some bonny Tartan Trews which look great with a traditional black DJ and cummerbund or waistcoat.

As far as the Shirt is concerned, while still keeping to white, you could have a Pleated Front and you could also opt for a Wing Collar although this is really more traditionally worn with White Tie and Tails.

A Fancy Bow Tie could possibly replace the traditional black but you could certainly wear a Fancy Waistcoat or Cummerbund. But do one or the other and avoid matching the Tie with the Waistcoat or Cummerbund which looks as contrived as a matching tie and handkerchief.

More unconventional would be to wear a Chinese Tang Style Jacket with stand collar, in black, midnight, red or even emerald but always worn with black trousers, a white dinner shirt and black bow tie. A Nehru jacket would work similarly. If you kept both these jackets buttoned up, you might get away with wearing only a T shirt underneath. Another stylish possibility would be a military style tunic instead of the dinner jacket.

As an alternative to the classic black trousers you could also wear smart jeans, in a dark blue or black. Best to wear these with a white dinner shirt and black bow tie to keep it classic.

In fact these varying combinations of jacket and accessory will really look best if you stick to the basic black and white theme, i.e. white dinner shirt and black bow tie and, in most cases, black trousers. Then you’re not likely to go too far wrong.

A final thought : Black Tie does surely mean what it says – a black tie !

Over and out,

Tom.

I’ve never taken up smoking but I have every antique accessory available and if I did smoke I’d strike a match on an Edwardian silver topped match striker and puff away on a thought provoking Robusto, keeping it alight using a silver gimbal mounted table lighter with a century old Black Buck antelope horn handle made in London in 1911. I’d really enjoy the flickering light the flame spills over the Chess board and I’m likely to drift into a restful snooze before my King is captured. A good excuse when you struggle to beat your teenager at his favourite game.

I’d like to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Antique Staunton chess set and board £4850
Antique silver mounted locking decanter £3900
Antique silver mounted Black Buck cigar lighter £4200
Antique silver topped large match striker £2400

All available from Bentleys at Gieves & Hawkes

As far as the Duke of Wellington is concerned, the relevant Hawkes customer ledger covering the years 1832 to 1849, thus post Waterloo, has several lengthy entries where it is clear that he was purchasing accoutrements for himself as well as for the regiments of which he was colonel-in-chief.
The association with Lord Nelson is rather more difficult to establish as very little original material survives in the company’s records apart from, notably, a dispatch signed by him in 1794.
This is due to much of relevance having been lost during the blitz in September 1940 – to be covered in a subsequent article, as mentioned above.
There are also, of course, the company histories handed down by successive members of the Gieves family.
But the Gieves connection with Nelson, although in some sense conjectural, is nevertheless entirely probable.
The company which eventually became known as Gieves was the end result of acquisitions or mergers during the period from 1785 to 1887 when the first James Gieve, and also the first member of the Gieve family to have entered the business, became sole owner.
The original naval tailoring business of Mel Meredith in Portsmouth, established in 1785, was probably the one which supplied Nelson and, indeed, the company record also relates that Hardy took rooms above Meredith’s shop which might lend extra credence to this.
The business was inherited by Meredith’s son, Augustus, in 1814 on the death of his father and was then taken over in 1839 by Joseph Galt, another naval tailor in the town.
It was this Joseph Galt with whom the first James Gieve went into partnership in 1852, thereafter becoming sole owner in 1887.
This business was later acquired, in 1904, by a Charles Matthews who already owned two other Portsmouth naval tailors, Messrs. Seagrove and Messrs. Fraser & Davis.
The company after the Matthews takeover was called Gieve, Matthews & Seagrove and was eventually styled Gieve’s Ltd by about 1912.

Thus it appears that the present day Gieves is at least the amalgamation of no less than four original Portsmouth naval tailors.
So one could say that there is a strong likelihood that the Gieves antecedents did in fact supply Nelson and other notable naval officers in the Napoleonic Wars.

Images :
Nelson’s signature on a naval despatch, dated the 28th. of October, 1794
Pages from a Hawkes customer ledger showing entries for the Duke of Wellington