A London haberdasher, James Hetherington,caused uproar and was arrested in 1797 for wearing the first known top hat, in the Strand, London. He was charged with causing a breach of the peace by “appearing on a public highway wearing a tall structure of shining lustre and calculated to disturb timid people”!

These beautiful top hats are no longer manufactured as their long grain silk is not available, the last mill closing decades ago.

They are guaranteed to stand out in a crowd, timid or otherwise.

2011 marks the centenary year of two of the most celebrated polar journeys in the history of exploration – those of Captain Scott and Roald Amundsen in their race to be the first to reach the South Pole. The outcome is well documented; Amundsen arrived first claiming the South Pole for Norway beating Captain Scott who arrived three weeks later, 17 January 1912.  All five members of Scott’s party perished during their return journey.

In honour of that great event and this tragic sacrifice, six serving soldiers from the British Army retraced both the Scott and Amundsen routes in two teams of three – an event never undertaken since the original in 1911/12. Gieves & Hawkes were proud to have been asked to sponsor this historic journey as after all No1 Savile Row was the original home of the National Geographical Society who appropriately provided Captain Scott with expedition maps and territories information.

Back in Oct we presented Mr. Henry Worsley who lead the expedition, with a special Gieves & Hawkes union jack flag so that when they reached their finale mark at the Pole they could mark their  truly memorable and inspirational achievement with the iconic flag.

Last night Mr. Worsley returned to our Savile Row store not only to share with us tales from this incredible journey but also to remind us why he and his team wanted to take part in this extraordinary venture.

All money raised from this expedition will be donated to The Royal British Legion to aid their £25m project to build four Personnel Recovery Centers to rehabilitate wounded servicemen and women through sport and adventurous training.

For further information or to donate please visit www.scottamundsenrace.org

One of the easiest ways to do this without going over the top is to add a bit of colouring to your socks and shoe laces. I know that all year round we see gentlemen who love to add a dash of the classic red or purple to their ankles, but when the sun is shining, there isn’t much better than a bit of bright pastel-like colors to liven up your Spring look. And luckily for you, we have now started offering an assortment of flat, waxed dress laces (in all kinds of colours) for the individuals that wish to do just this!

Let’s be honest, a black shoe is indeed elegant, but when the sun is out and things are brightening up, it’s a bit boring to be monotonous. A splash of colour here or a dash of colour there does wonders to set one apart, and I am not talking about the tie/hankie region. A bright red lace on a clean black shoe looks amazing, as it does in the picture shown. And that is just the beginning of the trillion amounts of combinations that one could conjure up from shoe lace to shoe colour. For instance, I have 4 different shades of blue, and they all look lovely on a brown shoe, whether it is a tan, mid-shade or dark brown, and not to mention the purple that has been a favourite with the customers thus far.

Nevertheless, I know that deep down, everyone has the desire to be a bit daring sometimes, yet may or may not be able to find the proper ingredient to their wardrobe to do just that. But I assure you, in the daring region, there isn’t anything much more subtle than adding a dash of colour to your sock and/or shoe lace in order to take that first baby-step!

If you can believe this, Britain over the last few years has seen the world’s biggest increase in cases of skin cancer! How is that possible? A cursory look at any public park or beach when the slightest bit of sun hits will normally answer this question: we Brits strip off at the merest sign of sunnier climes and don’t seem to think of the consequences. Even in our current nanny, health and safety prone state, the government, unlike other governments around the world, doesn’t seem to be too bothered but there are a few things we should be doing to protect ourselves while also preserving our youthful glow.

Truth: sun damage is a form of extrinsic ageing. What does that mean? Frequent exposure to damaging ultra-violet rays, which are an undetectable form of radiation emitted by the sun, penetrate deep into the skin and causes our skin to prematurely age. This type of UV ray is called UVA and can also be a major source of skin cancer. Another type of UV ray is UVB which hits the surface of the skin and is the source of sunburns. Whether we’re walking to the car (or more likely walking past the car as we’ve run out of petrol in this country!) or simply sitting near a window, we’re exposed to harmful UV rays and this kind of contact is called secondary UV exposure. We all get about 10 hours of it each week. Add that to the approximately 7 hours of direct UV rays we also get per week and it’s the same as spending the entire week-end on the beach without sunscreen.

But why is it that certain people run greater risks than others in relation to the sun and also seem to age more as a result. The reality is that everyone’s skin ages more quickly the greater amount of time they spend in the sun. Other factors include how close you live to the equator and at what altitude you live at, any medication you may be on, and simple genetics: if you’re fair skinned, have light, red or blonde hair or freckles, you run a higher risk of sun damage long term and skin ageing.

So how do I maintain my youthful looks and avoid sun damage? There’s the obvious steps:

* Always use a cream with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher

* Apply it to the face, ears, lips, and neck. Do not forget to protect your scalp if you have bald spots or your hair is thinning.

* A Cream or lotion should be applied 20 minutes before you go out. For extended or intentional exposure when you are working, exercising, or relaxing outdoors, sun protectant should be reapplied every 2 to 3 hours.

*Avoid UV rays when they’re at its strongest between 11am and 4pm.

Now for a couple of special tips- when buying any sun related product always ensure it contains as many of the following ingredients as possible:

1. Retinol- it’s pure Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to form and maintain healthy skin. Retinol encourages the production and elimination of skin cells and stimulates the renewal of keratinocytes, which are the cells that synthesises keratin. Keratin is also the protein that makes up the skin, hair, and nails. The effects of retinol include softer skin and reduced appearance of fine lines.

2. Copper/Copper Peptides- a necessary trace metal in the body that is responsible for power and flexibility of the skin. Copper is added to specific anti-aging formulations to enhance the skin’s elasticity and strength.

3. Alpha Hydroxin Acids – AHAs remove dead skin cells from the upper layer of the skin. This increases creation of new skin cells and controls moisture levels, resulting in smoother, healthier skin tone. AHA’s result from natural sources, such as fruit, milk and sugar cane.

4. Antioxidants Vitamin C + E – oxidative stress, primarily caused by sun exposure, damages the skin’s support formation, the collagen matrix, Vitamin C + E, fights oxidative pressure and helps cells mend prior damage. When applied to the skin, antioxidants can lower the appearance of wrinkles and skin discoloration, and enhance skin vivacity.

5. Soy- the effective components of soybeans are mild and efficient additions to numerous skincare preparations. The benefits of soy consist of smoothing and moisturising the skin and evening the overall skin tone.

I hope I’m wrong and we’ve only just had a taster of the sort of weather that lies ahead but even in snow, sleet and rain, a little protection will really help the skin keep that youthful glow longer. It takes 30 seconds but could keep us 10 years younger in appearance as a result!

Just back from our second trunk show to the United States with Gieves & Hawkes, it is fair to say that very little has changed in more recent times. Our ‘trunk’ may now be shipped out ahead of us; our hostelry may be a beautiful hotel; and – thanks to planes, trains and automobiles – we may be able to cover more ground in a shorter space of time, but those are the only differences. Oh yes, that and the fact that our clients are now international so we had a client fly in all the way from San Francisco for a fitting!

Gieves & Hawkes have been travelling on trunk shows to the US for many years and we were pleased to be able to add bespoke shoes to the bespoke tailoring, made to measure shirts, suits and accessories that they are now offering on their trips out. It has been a delight to meet some of their customers out here and to help them to finish off their look with bespoke shoes.

As one of the new generation of English bespoke shoemakers, we know that we have a long way to go to build up a client base that will see our order books full on every trip, but we do think that this is a great way to start.

The luxurious, but relaxed hotel suites where we showed on this trip – at the Waldorf in Chicago and The Pierre in New York – created such a convivial atmosphere for conversations about leathers, linings and toe shapes. There is the added enjoyment of watching Lee Webb, senior cutter at Gieves & Hawkes, working his magic with the tailor’s chalk on each customer – transforming unruly cloth into a well-fitting, second, much more forgiving skin… and as we watch the chalk fly, contemplating what style of shoe and leather would work best with their chosen cloth.

But for now, it’s back to the ‘goldfish bowl’ and the shoemaker’s bench, busily making the necessary adjustments to client’s lasts and making their shoes so that we can deliver their completed orders on our next trunk show in June.

David Hicks and Tommy Nutter are the source of inspiration for the Gieves & Hawkes Autumn – Winter 2012 collection. Both pioneers in the graphic 1960s style, they were confident about playing with colour and geometric print in a traditional setting. The boldness of that point in the sixties has been referenced by updated classic garments that the brand is famous for, keeping them relevant for today’s gentlemen. This Autumn – Winter collection acknowledges the companies past but aims to look to the future.

The collection features English made fully canvassed suits, with widened lapels, lowered notch and a raised first button. Worn with one of the major elements of the collection: printed ties, it encapsulates the energy that is so apparent in the UK in the late  1960’s.  Another very important garment in this collection and for the company is the peacoat. This classic piece, with its naval and historic connotations is inextricably linked to the Gieves & Hawkes heritage, is updated for the season using engraved horn buttons with a delicate signature rope motif and the house Art Deco G and H logo. For colder weather something altogether more robust has been proposed: a cashmere/wool hooded coat, lined with technical nylon and natural shearling.

Luxurious cloths are key to the company’s ethic, most of them are exclusively developed in England. Perhaps the most indulgent this season is a cashmere and mink blend jacketing cloth. It is this attention to detail, design and quality which achieves the distinctive and traditional style that Gieves & Hawkes is known for.

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….!