Geoff Stocker: The Men's Silk Dressing Gown Collection

Geoff Stocker kindly asked me to work with him on the making of a video to promote his British-made silk dressing gown collection, which I featured here on the blog.

Here's the video itself. Please visit Geoff Stocker for more information on the collection:

Sipahi Leather Belts Made in England: A Blog Competition

For the past few months I've been wearing a beautifully made leather belt by a new company, Sipahi & Co, who manufacture in the UK. You now have the chance to win some of their products in a blog competition, but first please watch this video:

As you'll see from the video, the oak bark tanned leather is from the last existing tannery of its kind in England's West Country and the buckles are made in one of England's last foundries. It's products like this that fuel my enthusiasm for British manufacture and I'm very pleased that Sipahi & Co have agreed to offer prizes to three lucky blog readers in a competition. See below for details.

The prizes, to be won by three separate winners, are as follows:

1. One belt of your choice with personal monogramming and a cardholder with monogramming

2. One belt with personal monogramming

3. One cardholder with personal monogramming

To enter the competition simply visit Sipahi & Co and sign up for their newsletter. You will be entered into the draw for one of the three prizes. Entries close Friday 8th December. Sipahi & Co will announce the winner after that date.

This is a collaboration with Sipahi & Co.

Wilson & Co: A British-Made Menswear Brand

At Best of Britannia this year I came across a recently launched brand, Wilson & Co. As they manufacture menswear in the UK, I wanted to introduce them to you as a young startup brand. I asked the founder, George Wilson, a few questions:

Please introduce yourself and the brand. How long have you been going? 

My Name is George Wilson, I am a graphic designer and I am the founder of Wilson & Co England. We are a brand that's dedicated to designing and manufacturing all of the collections in the UK. The brand idea has been in the works for around a year now but we officially launched on the 1st August 2016. 

How did you come to start up Wilson & Co? 

Around 4 years ago, when I was 18, I started designing a streetwear brand. This consisted of t-shirts, beanies, sweaters etc. But, after a few months of trying to get noticed, I realised that it was a very popular trend as I was getting at least 5 follows a day on social media off similar brands, so I parked the whole idea. Around a year later, I decided that if I was going to do something I wanted it to be worthwhile. The concept of Wilson & Co was born. With no knowledge of, or any education in fashion, I knew this would be a challenge but with pure passion and drive I learned everything about the process of designing clothes myself. Luckily enough I was able to design the logo and all of the branding myself and a couple of years later I launched the first collection.

Do you design the clothes? What is you aim in terms of style and types of product you offer? 

Every item in the first collection was designed by me. One of the main reasons I started the brand was for my love of clothes, so I base the collection on what I would like to wear. The whole aim of the brand is to provide quality men's clothing that is made in the UK. I stand by that and I will do everything I can to keep all of the manufacturing in the UK. I base the design's on traditional English fashion with contemporary twists, something that would appeal to men of all ages. Detail is a huge thing at Wilson & Co and I am a massive fan of small details that distinguish us as a brand. Our leather patch branding and pocket details are examples of this and I will continue to incorporate small details across items in the future.

What sort of man do you see wearing your clothes? 

I don't have a specific man in mind because the ethos of the brand is to appeal to men of all ages. I would say that they would have an interest in well made clothing and they like to stand out a bit, or favour items that differ from the norm. I love the idea of a younger man and older man both being able to wear the brand comfortably together. As Wilson & co progresses I would like to create a broader collection which will make it a lot more diverse, without compromising design or quality.

How would you describe you own style? 

I love to down-style with a pair of selvedge denim jeans, a pair of boots and an overshirt or work jacket. I also like to throw in a knitted jumper when its cold. I am definitely going to include similar items in future collections to make the brand more diverse. 

Where does Wilson & Co go next? 

I am currently designing the next collection for spring/summer next year. It is going to be bigger and better and we are launching a Kickstarter campaign after Christmas to help fund it. This will allow larger scale production and will also give me a budget for marketing and advertising which will really help get the brand out there. As Wilson & Co is only a few months old, there isn't anything too extravagant in the pipeline but with everyones support we can continue to grow and hopefully open a popup shop somewhere in London next summer. 

Visit Wilson & Co to browse and buy. For Grey Fox Blog readers there is an exclusive 15% discount with the code 'greyfoxblog15' at the checkout.

Mountain White: A British-Made Menswear Brand to Watch

I'm privileged to be contacted regularly by new and budding menswear businesses. Deciding which to feature is a hard task, as I haven't the time nor space to manage all. My attention is caught by British manufacture and good design and, needless to say, if they market to men of all ages and don't just use models in their twenties, they have a further advantage.

Mountain White ticks all these boxes. Manufacturing in the UK, they use tweed, canvas, Ventile and other robust fabrics to make garments which are designed principally for outdoor use. While original in appearance, they are all wearable, well-made and good-looking.

Mountain White

I've been able to examine and wear some of the clothes, a selection of which is pictured below.

Harris Tweed Outershirt

Two Tone Outershirt

Shirt Number 1 Big Button

Harris Tweed Two Button Jacket

Robert Stanwyck, founder of Mountain White, told me, "I wanted to draw from the hardwearing and functional side of traditional 'outdoor clothing' and apply it to classic fashion forward styles. I spent a lot of time working on the bold nature of the detail/styling on the plackets, cuffs, etc, to give a chunky and weighty feeling. Something that I want to be a signature and really representative of all Mountain White garments".

Trying on the Classic Tweed and Two Tone outershirts for Instagram

He's certainly achieved his aim. Another interesting aspect of Mountain White is the way in which the clothes will be sold. You select what you want to buy, pay a deposit and as soon as a minimum number of buyers has been reached he garment will be manufactured and shipped. This may not be for the impatient consumer requiring instant gratification, but for the mature and discerning, with an eye on sustainable methods of fashion consumption, it's got everything. It helps manufacturers to plan production and keep prices (which would be driven up if garments have to be made in small quantities) at a reasonable level.

Mountain White isn't quite ready to sell their products, but you can sign for further information here. I will be bringing you more about them in future. Please let me know what you think, either now or when you've had a chance to try their products.

British Boxers: An Expanding British Business Seeks Funding on Crowdcube

Regulars may recall that I've featured British Boxers several times on the blog. Their story (see the video below) and desire to manufacture here in the UK makes them a favourite brand of mine. They supply underwear and sleepwear, making about 50% in this country.

They are seeking to raise £150,000 to expand and I know that they would like to manufacture even more here in the UK. As ever, what is needed is investment and they are, at the time of writing, 75% of the way there on Crowdcube (£115,000) with under 5 days to go (closing 19th November).

Deborah Price MD of British Boxers and some fans

If you can help, please go to Crowdcube to invest.

Glenbrae: technical and stylish knitwear made in England

I am constantly surprised at the technical advances our clothing manufacturers make in the UK. Part of the reason for that surprise is that we British are often too modest about our achievements and don't shout about them too loudly. When I was offered a jumper to review by Huddersfield-based Glenbrae Knitwear I expected something nice, but not a jumper that is very special not only in the way it fits but in the fact that it can be machine-washed and tumble dried. 

Wearing lambswool crew neck by Glenbrae, Huddersfield

I still remember the angst that my mother and grandmother went through when knitwear was washed. It had to be done in soap, not wrung dry and carefully reshaped when drying. Often it was stretched and shapeless unless great care was made. But technology has changed this. Now it appears that, while detergents specially formulated for knitwear are preferred, we can sling our Glenbrae jumper in the tumble dryer - in fact we are told that this "actually helps reinvigorate the garment'.

The Glenbrae mill in Huddersfield

Image Glenbrae

A selection of the wide range of colours available from Glenbrae

The lambswool jumper I tried fits beautifully, avoiding the rather baggy and shapeless feel that lesser knitwear can have. Sleeve length is generous and there is a selection of colours for most tastes. The properties of the garments lie in the nature of the wool yarn (Spirol), created by Glenbrae at their Huddersfield mill, which allows them to retain their natural softness for longer, resist pilling, rarely crease and be machine washable. They are knitted using a 3D knitting process which helps fit and durability; all of which I can confirm from using the jumper. Jumper prices from £70.

For more information and to buy, go to the Glenbrae website.

The jumper was provided by Glenbrae for review, otherwise this is an unsponsored post.

Gloverall 1951 Collection - fifties motor racing inspired

Gloverall make their products in England. Their 1951 Collection takes inspiration from old images of of early fifties Grand Prix motor racing. As you'd expect, the duffel coat takes an important place in the collection, as do car coats and bombers in a variety of fabrics: herringbone tweed, waxed and bonded cottons, wool and chunky knits. 

Here is all that a man would need to wear to bomb over to Silverstone in his British racing green MGTD to watch Fangio, Parnell and others wresting their Alfa Romeos, BRMs, Ferraris and Maseratis around the track.

Monty duffel coat - Gloverall 1951 collection

I first saw this collection earlier this year and was impressed by its classic feel; my favourite piece was the herringbone tweed bomber (the bomber also comes in a waxed and quilted rally jacket style finish). For more information and to buy, click on Gloverall 1951. There is a partner collection for women.

Why Meet the Manufacturer is so important & a documentary: The True Cost

This week has seen two events which highlight important issues at the heart of the clothing industry. The first is this week's Meet the Manufacturer, the second the release of the documentary, The True Cost. My conclusion from these two events is that we, consumers, need to take more pride in the skills that we have in this country and be prepared to pay for them by buying high quality British menswear. If we do not, and we buy only cheap clothes, we run the risk of funding unethical, unsustainable factories that are dangerous for their workers.

Meet the Manufacturer

Meet the Manufacturer finishes tomorrow at The Tobacco Dock in East London. This event brings together buyers and manufacturers of British-made textiles and clothing. An excellent conference schedule has seen Patrick Grant, Caroline Rush, Christopher Nieper, Nigel Cabourn, Emma Willis and many others discuss the challenges and delights of making in the UK. If you don't know who these people are, don't worry, they are the top of their game in making and exporting British-made fashions and textiles.

Turnbull & Asser in Gloucester

To make a financial success of such a business is a challenge. What was common to many of the speakers was their pride in making in Britain, their pride in the skills of their workers, their care for their workers and their belief that British products are top quality. Some advocate managing higher production costs by making and selling the high end products that we have the skills to make in the UK.

All put a very high priority on their workers' welfare and training. By buying good quality British clothing we support this country, maintain skills, can take pride in our clothes and (in general) know that the people who made the clothes have been fairly paid and treated.

For more information, see Meet the Manufacturer

The True Cost

This brings me to the second event of the week, the release of the documentary 'The True Cost' which asks who really pays the cost of our buying cheap clothing. The collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, in which 1100 workers lost their lives, highlights the problems; with some British high street retailers using factories with questionable employment safety and welfare practices. These retailers buy their clothes from such businesses so that they can meet the demand for cheap clothing here in Britain. 

Consumers want cheap clothes so that they can fill their wardrobes, give themselves choice and save money for other things. We need to promote the sustainability of buying clothes which last and have been made by well-paid workers. This is a question of education and documentaries like The True Cost will help to bring about such changes of attitude.

Meanwhile, we should try to buy British-made clothing (or from US, Australian, Italian, or wherever we live) so that we can be sure that most workers are well-paid. Their welfare is worth paying for.

For more information, see The True Cost

Video: Peregrine Clothing made in England from British wool and fabrics

Knowing my love for British-made menswear (and factory visits), family-owned Peregrine Clothing, founded in 1796, have kindly given Grey Fox Blog readers an exclusive preview of this video showing their clothes being manufactured at their factory in England using British wool and fabrics. For more on their innovative ranges of men's and women's knitwear see Peregrine Clothing.

Country Attire - outdoor clothing made in Britain

It's always a pleasure coming across a supplier of British-manufactured menswear. Country Attire sells a wide selection of brands which importantly include its own range of country wear (marketed as Country Attire) made in the UK from Scottish tweed and British Millerain waxed cotton. They sent me a few jackets to try and I took them up to Cumbria, in north west England, to see how they got on in the environment for which they were designed. 

The weather veered (as it does up there) between pouring rain, sleet, mist and glorious sunshine. I found that all the waterproof jackets kept out the water and all were well-designed and made. Careful thought had gone into placing zips, poppers, buttons, neck closures, pockets and belts to ensure the best fit, practicality and closure against the elements. Some are at reduced prices at the moment and offer excellent value (see below).

Crosby Slim-fit Jacket - Country Attire

The Crosby slim-fit jacket (shown in the above two images) was one of my favourites. Designed in that popular motor bike jacket style so favoured by Steve McQueen, it's stylish, comfortable and useful for town or country. Reasonably lightweight, the exterior is made from waxed cotton with a waterproof lining, Milair 5000, made by British Millerain.  It would be ideal with a vintage Tootal spotted scarf, jeans, boots and a thick roll-neck jumper on colder days. The sizing is surprisingly small on this one; check carefully as you may have to order a size or two higher than normal. I'm wearing a 40" chest (normally 38") and it still only just takes a sweater underneath. Price: £155.97 (reduced).

Ventile Shooting Coat - Country Attire

More practical in style, the Ventile Shooting Coat is a serious country jacket (above) with huge pockets, knitted cuffs, detachable hood and a wonderful robust construction. While this was designed as a shooting jacket, I'd wear it on a cold day on the hill, in the forest or walking the dog in the park. Made from Ventile, the historic fabric originally designed for RAF pilot survival suits, the closely-woven cotton is water proof but quiet, so you can move more quietly that when wearing many modern waterproof fabrics. This is a great, classic jacket for any outdoor enthusiast. Wear with wellies, tweed cap and robust trousers. Price: £389.97 (reduced).

Corby Wax Jacket - Country Attire

Next, the Corby Wax jacket (above) is made in the traditional British outdoor waxed cotton style, but with Milair 5000 waterproof lining. A huge corduroy collar, detachable hood, good-sized pockets and a robust feel mean that everything is as it should be for this country classic. I suspect this is a coat that will last many a decade. Price: £155.97 (reduced).

William Clean Tweed Jacket - Country Attire

Finally, I was very impressed by the William Clean tweed jacket. I wasn't sure how to classify this one. It's not a blazer-style sports jacket, nor purely a tweed country jacket, but it has all the makings of a Harrington-type tweed/outdoor/casual coat which would be suitable, properly layered, for colder weather in town or country. An interesting one this, and one I liked for being a little different. Wear with jeans and brogues, Red Wing style boots or desert boots. Price £329.95.

It's good to see such well-made classics manufactured in the UK and following a long tradition of durable British outdoor wear. See Country Attire for their range of men's and women's wear. Country Attire stock many other brands, including Barbour, Hackett, Loake, Drake's, John Smedley and many others.

[Note: Prices are current at time of writing this post. Country Attire has given me some of these jackets.]

Many thanks to Kirsty and Tom for helping with this post. 

The Onesie from The All-in-One Company: "all you need in your wardrobe"

After three years of blogging I've realised that this clothing thing is slightly ridiculous. Each day I put on a vest (if it's chilly), shirt, tie, waistcoat, jacket, underpants, trousers, socks and shoes. I've had enough and, from now on, will be wearing a onesie. How much simpler! It's socks, the onesie and (unless I'm going commando) underwear. Simple, quick, stylish, and with no gaps there are no draughts and they are snug and comfortable. Why don't we all wear onesies?

And did I mention that it's made in England? And mine was bespoke. With many thanks to the good people at the The-All-in-One Company where you can design your own onesie and have it 'ethically hand-made with love'. I know mine was.

Shirts Made in Britain from Susannah Hall now include Liberty print fabrics

Susannah Hall has been selling her high quality British-made 'Office Smoothie' shirts for a while in a wide choice of plain and stripes. But sometimes a man wants to break out from the conventional office shirt with designs more colourful and interesting. To cater to these, Susannah has added shirts made from Liberty prints, available off-the-peg or bespoke.

Susannah Hall told me: 

'I designed the Office Smoothie fit to be slightly neater that your average shirt with the collar that works well both with and without a tie. It sits proud when undone, which is very important! 

We have been making the stock shirts in Northern Ireland and originally started with some classic colours and designs. This year I decided, at last, to go ahead with the Liberty print shirts. We have four fabric designs and only two in each size available to make them more exclusive. We have 15" to 17.5" collar sizes in stock.

When Dauvit Alexander (pictured above) saw them he immediately got in touch and asked if I could find a specific Liberty print to make up a bespoke shirt. I managed to find the cloth and, as you see, has the fabulous shirt pictured above, bespoke-made in Manchester.

Liberty prints £150.  Office Smoothie stock shirts £95. Bespoke from £130. Available from Susannah Hall, Clerkenwell, London.

Kingsman: Mr Porter's first own menswear collection - Made in UK for spies of all ages (and film trailer video)

One of the highlights for me of London Collections:Men this week was the launch of Mr Porter's first menswear collection, Kingsman. I liked what I saw; not only because it's made in the UK and is linked to the film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, but because I would wear any of it.

Colin Firth in Kingsman: The Secret Service outside fictional Kingsman in The Secret Service.  Photograph: Allstar/20th Century Fox

The collection launch took place at Huntsman, Savile Row. The store had been transformed into a traditional London tailors as a set for the film. Early in the life of Kingsman: The Secret Service, the film's writer, Matthew Vaughn, and costume designer, Arianne Phillips, liaised with Mr Porter to produce the menswear collection. (Images below from Mr Porter).

The sixty-piece collection is inspired by the Savile Row tradition, and made by the best of British production including: Bremont timepieces; Cutler & Gross eyewear; Drakes ties and pocket squares; Corgi knitwear; George Cleverley footwear; Mackintosh outerwear, Swaine Adeney Brigg bags and Turnbull & Asser shirting.

Quality tailoring and British made

The film has its première today and is released by 20th Century Fox later this month. It stars Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Michael Caine and emerging-actor Taron Egerton, is based on the comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X-Men First Class). It tells the story of a secret spy organisation that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training programme just as a global threat emerges from a twisted genius. 

The collection is being sold through Mr Porter online. And I can't resist including the trailer for the new film, enjoy it:

Gloverall AW15 at London Collections:Men

Gloverall is a truly British company making its products in the UK, many in London. I intend to cover them at a future date, so will just show some images here. Well known for their duffel coats and other outer wear, they also produce casual wear in the form of jackets and knitwear.

The favourite piece for me in their AW15 collection was the quilted grey herringbone check Abraham Moon & Sons tweed jacket (above and detail immediately below) that would be ideal for those chillier days when you don't want to carry a coat. More to come. See Gloverall.

Private White VC at London Collections:Men

Readers with good memories may remember how much I enjoyed my visit last year to the Private White V.C. factory in Manchester. A dyed-in-the-wool British manufacturer, PWVC quickly established itself last year with a factory shop and a new store in London's Duke Street to join that in Lamb's Conduit Street.

(All images Grey Fox Blog)

Under the design direction of Nick Ashley, it has developed its collection rapidly from being an outerwear specialist to selling a wide selection of casual wear and has collaborated with other British manufacturers to produce knitwear and shirts. 

Due in AW15 too are unstructured suits (above), slightly more formal in nature than the work wear suits they sell at the moment. The collection for AW15 varies between work wear, through military and country-inspired outerwear to smart casual suits and jackets.

I think the future looks good for PWVC and the cherry on the icing is that they make in Britain. The company has deserved the royal recognition it received when The Princess Royal visited last year.  See Private White VC.

How would the James Bond of 2015 live and dress?

How would James Bond of 2015 live? The real 007, of the books rather than the films, was an affluent man in his thirties living and working fifty to sixty years ago. He wore a Rolex Oyster, drove a supercharged battleship-grey 'Blower' Bentley, was a member of Blades (a fictional gentleman's club) and probably bought his suits and shirts around Savile Row. He gambled, womanised, ate and drank in the best establishments. Could a contemporary Bond, faced with the spectre* of public spending cuts and political correctness, afford such a lifestyle?

Bond of the books and films - how close is Craig's portrayal to what Bond would be today?

The Bond in the books was a public school boy (Fettes in Edinburgh) who had joined the Royal Navy. His pay as a naval officer wouldn't have funded his lifestyle and I suspect he supplemented this and his Secret Service pay with a private family income (although he no doubt had a generous expenses account with Her Majesty's Secret Service). 

James Bond of the films is shown by Daniel Craig as a modern version of the original, affluent and well-dressed. But how realistic is this interpretation? Nowadays, public spending cuts would have capped his expenses claims; hotels would be Travelodge rather than The Ritz. Any family income will have been eroded by years of recession and taxation. His salary would be within fairly modest civil service pay-scales.

Sean Connery - the film Bond closest to the book original?

On top of these financial considerations, operational, EU, health and safety and equality regulations make it unwise or impossible for the field operative to stand out through excess consumption. Car chases are strictly forbidden by M following recent costly litigation after Bond spun his pool car, a Nissan Qashqai, into some prized topiary during hot pursuit. Even his relationships with women have been curtailed after Ms Moneypenny's successful workplace harassment claim.

Bond must now blend in with the crowd. No more gambling, expensive dining or driving expensive cars. Given these financial and operational strictures, how would a modern Bond live and dress? He is, of course, a patriot who likes to buy British. Bond keeps an eye on Grey Fox Blog for new and interesting British menswear brands. He needs durable, comfortable yet smart clothes that won't shout 'spy'. He must also be careful in his choice of cars and equipment. Here is my idea of the modern Bond.

All British smart

All Made in Britain casual/work wear 

Some of the British-designed and/or made content of Bond's Tusting holdall

British-built transport

Suppliers

Albam - Johnstons of Elgin - Private White VC - Edition Scotland - Cheaney - Marks & Spencer - Loake - Drake's - Grosvenor Shirts - Patey Hats - Spy Equipment UK - Fan Optics - Tusting - D R Harris - Dents - Age of Reason Scarves - Bremont Chronometers - Land Rover - Nissan UK - Norton Motorcycles - Roberts Cycles - (Barr & Stroud no longer make binoculars in the UK)

*I promise that this isn't a pun as I didn't know the name if the new Bond film when I originally wrote this piece.