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Interview: Jean-Claude Colban, Charvet
On Monday my latest column for How to Spend It was published, in which I talked to Jean-Claude Colban (above) of Charvet in Paris about the state of the cotton and silk industries – and his project to...
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Salvatore Piccolo – bespoke and RTW shirts
Salvatore Piccolo is best known as a Neapolitan shirt brand – his shirts and accessories are stocked in a few leading stores, including Trunk in London and United Arrows in Tokyo. But he started as a...
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Charvet ties: the cost of choice
The cost of variety is rarely appreciated by consumers. Among all the things that make up the price of a piece of clothing – materials, labour, rent, tax, marketing, R&D – the waste implicit in a...
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D’Avino bespoke denim shirt
This is the final shirt from Neapolitan maker D’Avino. It is, as I expected, absolutely beautifully made, and a very good fit for the first order. Neapolitan shirtmakers vary both by their price and...
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Consider a charcoal tie
Conservative accessories are a great thing to master. First, because the acquisition of unusual clothing – such as cord suits or purple jackets – requires something effective to balance it. And...
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Shirt cuffs and watches
A reader recently asked whether he should have his shirt cuffs made bigger – or the sleeves shorter – in order to accommodate a watch. This is relevant to anyone buying a shirt, not just those...
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Green, shantung, club (tie)
Dark green is a subtle and versatile tie colour. You’re not surprised I think that, right? After all I sing the praises of green at every opportunity. But broad truths bear repeating. With an outfit...
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Bespoke safari jacket – part 1
This safari jacket, made by London shirtmakers Budd, was born out of a desire for a soft, unstructured layer I could wear over a shirt or T-shirt in the summer. Often such things are referred to as...
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What makes a quality shirt?
Dear Simon, I believe that I’ve read every post you’ve written about shirts. Italian, Spanish, British, even the one on Charvet in How To Spend It. I’m always looking for the same thing but still...
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Luca Avitabile replaces Satriano Cinque
Customers of Luca Avitabile – the superb Neapolitan shirtmaker introduced on this site – will already be aware that he has split from Gabriella, his partner at operating company Satriano Cinque.As per...
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Black tie for New Year’s Eve
Dress way the hell up, as our American cousins might say. New Year’s Eve is a special event, and it deserves a special effort where our clothes are concerned.That doesn’t have to be black tie, as...
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Coats, gloves, shirts and jeans: Reflections on bespoke
Last year a reader commented – quite rightly – that there is a tendency here to cover freshly received suits/shirts/shoes, but not follow up on them later, when they have bedded in.He was right also...
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How to wear a black necktie – reader question
Dear Simon, Following your Calvo de Mora combination [above] What are your general guidelines to wearing a black necktie? Most of the time I see it paired with the classic ensemble of white shirt with...
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D’Avino shirts – the zenith of visiting Italians
D’Avino is a small Neapolitan outfit run by cutter Fiorenzo Auricchio (above). He has no website, an abandoned blog, and little used social media. Email is the best contact option.But he visits London...
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Jean-Claude Colban of Charvet, Paris
I am in Paris tomorrow, and one of the highlights will be catching up with Jean-Claude Colban of shirtmakers Charvet. A scholar and a gentleman, Jean-Claude is both one of the most knowledgeable...
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Siniscalchi bespoke shirts, Milan
Siniscalchi is one of the world’s best-known shirtmakers. Based in Milan, it has made for celebrity and royalty alike since it was founded in 1948. It is also, however, bizarrely expensive.We visited...
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Zampa di Gallina: Neapolitan retail
Zampa di Gallina (‘chicken feet’) is a menswear site set up recently specialising in Neapolitan makers. At least one of them has a connection to Naples, so it’s nice to have slightly more local...
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Brio menswear store – Beijing, China
Last month we had a book launch at the Brio menswear store in Beijing. It’s worth running through a few more details of the shop – because the stock is interesting, and because it is part of a...
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Simone Abbarchi shirts, Florence
Simone Abbarchi is a Florence-based shirtmaker that has made for my friend Tommaso Capozzoli for a long time. He has always said that they have a very good relationship between price and quality, and...
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Little things every day: How to maintain clothing
When friends ask me about looking after their clothes, it always strikes me that their questions come too late. They’ve trodden down the heel cup of a shoe, and want to know if it can be repaired; a...
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