Cravats and Whisky at The Park Tower Hotel

Cravats and whisky aren't obvious soulmates, but I was delighted to take part recently in 'Attire', an event at The Park Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London to celebrate two great British products. At a well-attended evening event I shared the stage with Teo Van Den Broeke, Style Director of UK Esquire, to discuss style and to highlight our pairings of whisky with cravats and bow ties. The whisky was The Macallan and I'd selected one of my favourite brands, Cravat Club, to provide their British-made silk cravats and scarves to go with a range of straight serves of this wonderful whisky. Teo had paired a range of bow ties with cocktails created by barman of the Hyde Bar, Sergio Silva.

Wearing Cravat Club's 'Blythe' cravat

For me the event was an interesting challenge. Until recently I've been wary of wearing a cravat as, for my generation, they were the preserve of the older generation. However, under the gentle guidance of Jenny Meguro, founder of Cravat Club, I've been wearing them more and now see their benefits. Not only do they offer something different to the man of style, but the huge range of colours and designs enables a men to add colour and personality to an outfit, whether formal or casual. Cravats can be worn in situations slightly less formal than ties and have the advantage in the winter of bringing some warmth to the neck.

Cravat Club's 'Coen' cravat

My serves of whisky were served straight, over ice or (my favourite way) with a dash of water. My favourite was the 25 year old sherry cask Macallan; not as smooth as some Speyside malts, but as a result bursting with spicy, smoky character and making a good, bold Scotch. The Macallan ice ball (see final image below) is a spectacular way to serve a fine Scotch on ice

While I'm not a great fan of mixing the best whisky into cocktails, Sergio did wonders for Teo's selection, the highlight being a delicious whisky sour (usually with lemon juice, sugar and egg white); ideal for those who shun sweeter cocktails.

Cravat Club's 'Sylvester' cravat

I had no one reason behind my selected cravat/whisky pairings - some echoed the colour of the whisky or displayed a warm, celebratory note that chimed with the drink. The relaxed nature of the cravat, traditionally worn at the weekend or after throwing off one's tie after a hard day at work, echoed the restful moment when we sit down to savour a fine malt. For me both products represent the very best of British, offering quality, luxury and all the pleasures of long-term ownership. The Hyde Bar at The Park Tower Hotel was an ideal, suitably relaxing, setting for the evening.

Links: 

The Park Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge

Cravat Club

The Macallan

Wearing Cravat Club's 'Coen' cravat and showing The Macallan ice ball.

This feature is a collaboration with The Park Tower Hotel Knightsbridge, The Macallan and Cravat Club. It will continue with a seasonal blog feature in December and on Instagram too.

Cravat Club - Grey Fox talks to a British-made menswear label on its first birthday

Due to a skilled use of social media (there's a lesson here for many menswear brands), I've known about Cravat Club for most of its existence. I'd been wondering how it was getting on reviving the cravat, when by chance I recently bumped into (see image below) Jenny Meguro, who runs the company. She kindly answered some questions about the business on its first birthday (see below). 

Cravats are back, with Cravat Club leading the way

I'm not yet a cravat wearer, but I'll be trying some of Jenny's lovely products over the next week or so. Will I be converted? I've tried a couple and have a suspicion that cravats will now form part of my life, but I'll let you know in a future post.

Jenny offers a very impressive range of colours and designs of cravat and pocket square - all made in Britain. See Cravat Club for more information.

Grey Fox bumps into Jenny Meguro at L'Eroica Britannia

Here is my conversation with Jenny -

I'm intrigued as to how you came to be selling cravats. How did you get started?

Initially, my business partner Julian came up with the idea of Cravat Club as a sort of side venture, as his main profession is painting restoration. He had always been a fan of cravats and he felt that there was a lack of choice when it came to designs and finding a good quality product, as most cravats he found online and in stores had a tendency to either have very uninspiring patterns or be made very cheaply abroad which lacked quality. So he decided to fill this gap in the market by sourcing silk mills here in the UK and have good quality cravats made in more interesting patterns and colours. Julian then had a simple website made as the platform to showcase and sell these products.

Some of the many Cravat Club designs available

After 5 years in Japan, I came back to the UK last year, and while I was looking for work in marketing, I came across Julian’s business venture and was really intrigued by his idea of bringing the cravat back into fashion. I have always been interested in fashion; had previously studied textiles, and men’s fashion was always something I was curious about. It was eye-opening to experience the varied fashion trends in Japan and I also observed how the majority of men in Japan dressed so well and immaculately; a little different to here in the UK! It’s about paying attention to the smaller details and presentation is paramount in Japan, which is where a little accessorising comes into play.

I was keen to ensure that Cravat Club’s image steered away from the stuffy and outdated undertones that cravats have traditionally had, and that a slightly edgier and more contemporary touch would be ideal for today’s market and to appeal to a wider audience, not just for the more mature gentleman! So I revamped the website using more ‘off-the-wall’ imagery, I then had a plethora of designs made up to appeal to both the younger and older target market, and took over the online and social media marketing side of the business. 

Pocket squares

Has there been a revival in the cravat? 

There has been a huge resurgence of the well-dressed modern gent in the last few years, and popularity of men’s accessories have escalated hugely with the bow tie, pocket square and boutonnière being part of a man’s wardrobe, and cravats are steadily emerging onto the scene too. Cravats are the perfect accessory to complete an outfit for the sartorial chap bearing comfort and style at the same time, and as every woman knows, a well-dressed man is certain to stand out from the crowd and turn heads at social events! 

British manufacturing has also been increasingly sought-after as consumers in the UK are striving for well-made products from artisan and independent specialist businesses, as opposed to products being constantly churned out on a factory line abroad in order to cut costs, meaning quality and heritage becomes diluted; thus losing its charm and calibre. And so for us, the concept of a British made silk cravat was the epitome of quality and heritage rolled into one.

Where are your cravats made? Please tell us something about them and their design.

All of our products are manufactured across England. We have two types of cravats and pocket squares; jacquard woven silk and printed silk.

The woven silk is made in the Midlands from high grade raw-yarn silk. After we have requested and selected our designs and colourways, the silk goes through preparation, dyeing, and weaving stages to create intricate, lustrous and colourful patterns.

The printed silk is produced in the North of England from the finest raw-yarn silk, which undergoes various processes, and is then treated with steaming and stenting after being printed with our carefully chosen eye-catching designs and colours.

The material is then cut and made into cravats and pocket squares in the Midlands and the South Coast of England before ending up at Cravat Club HQ!

 Who and where are your main markets? How would you like to see these develop?

Even though our main market is in the UK, we offer free worldwide delivery so we are also popular across the globe, and have sold to over 30 countries so far, including all across Europe, the US, Canada, Brazil, Northern and South East Asia, Australia and the Far East, (and to my delight, this includes Japan)! It’s quite exciting for us when we receive an order from a country we haven’t sold to before, so each time we put a flag pin in our world map on a cork board in the office – it looks a bit like we’re planning for world domination! 

Our target market ranges from men in their late 20s/early 30s to, shall we say, the more mature gentlemen! There is a generation gap between Julian and myself, and I think that works well because we see fashion and designs from two very different perspectives. That’s why we have over 100 products on our site ranging from traditional to contemporary patterns, to classic designs with a twist - so there’s something for every gentleman’s taste!

We would like to see more men who haven’t tried a cravat before take the plunge and go for it, they would be surprised how comfortable it is to wear, and paired with the right outfit, how stylish it looks. You don’t have to make a huge statement wearing a cravat, you can show as little or as much as you like depending on how you tie and position it under your shirt, and there are a variety of ways you can wear it for different occasions, so you can dress it up or down. 

What inspires you in driving the business? What are you favourite moments in running the business?

Well, we’re only officially a year old but a lot has happened in this year!

Apart from wanting to see more and more men dressing well and taking pride in their appearance, I relish on the exciting thought that the cravat is on the precipice of flooding the men’s fashion scene. It feels like Cravat Club could potentially, or is already starting to have an effect on today’s fashion. 

I thoroughly enjoy running the business as it’s so varied, from planning and co-ordinating photo shoots, having input with the designs, communicating with customers and people via social media, to researching what’s trending and constantly thinking about the business and coming up with new ideas…and I love being my own boss, that helps too!

Click here to go to Cravat Club's blog.

Cravat Club: Made in England cravats and pocket squares and new Blog Sponsor

I'm delighted to welcome and thank Cravat Club as a sponsor for the blog as I look for funds to improve the blog for readers and brands I work with. They will be no strangers to readers as I've mentioned them before. Their cleverly-curated range of English-made cravats and pocket squares appeal to all tastes and styles and are well-displayed on their brand-new website here.

Please support Cravat Club and Grey Fox Blog by clicking on Cravat Club's advert on the right or by visiting their new website to browse and buy.

Cravat Club Printed Silk Ties Handmade in England

I recently heard from Jenny Meguro at Cravat Club who's updated me on their ever-broadening collection of neck ties. All British-made, they now offer ties from both woven and printed silk in a very wide range of colours and designs from tartan, paisley to textured plains and skulls (yes, skulls). Price between £85 and £95, they are, as we expect from Cravat Club, both well-made and beautifully designed. See Cravat Club.

I was sent a tie for review, otherwise this feature is unsponsored and all views are mine

Cravats are back and available from Cravat Club

A fellow can always look dapper in a cravat, even if his choice of socks embarrasses his bulldog -

Image Cravat Club 

I remember my father wearing cravats in the sixties. They make a lot of sense, keeping shirt collars clean, providing a smarter casual finish to an open shirt and of course keeping the neck warm. It's not surprising they're making a comeback.

Here's a selection from Cravat Club's website - ideal British-made seasonal presents for a man or a woman. They come in a wide variety of silks, colours and patterns.

A Festive Pairing: Whisky and Silk at The Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel

With seasonal festivities upon us I was looking for ways to dress with a bit of panache for a Christmas or New Year party or meal. If you're wanting to add a celebratory note to a suit or your daily look, perhaps for an event after work, the simple addition of a colourful silk scarf will add a spark of colour and individuality.

Image by Kris Piotrowski

Following on from my cravats and whisky blog feature from The Park Tower Hotel, I wanted to show you a final image in which I impart a festive feel to the pairing of a beautiful silk scarf 'Hidden Curiosities' from Cravat Club with a seasonal straight serve of whisky (The Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Cask). 

A bright scarf or cravat such as this brightens up a sober look, adding a celebratory air to an occasion. Standing on its own it makes quite a statement; don't undermine its impact with a clashing tie or pocket square, or too bright a shirt. What works is the contrast of pattern and colour with the otherwise restrained colours of the outfit.

This scarf is designed and printed on silk in England. The founder of Cravat Club, Jenny Meguro, recently developed a delicious gin which she has named 'Hidden Curiosities' and which I reviewed on the blog here.

This feature is a collaboration with The Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel, The Macallan and Cravat Club.

Cravat Club pocket squares

Cravat Club, so well-known for their made in England silk cravats, has introduced a range of pocket squares. Available in a wide range of tempting colours, there is something here for everyone, from traditional to more modern designs.

Every man should own a pocket square; they are no longer the preserve of the dandy. They add a splash of colour to a suit or blazer and enable you to send out a signal about your mood and tastes. Used to pick out colours in socks, tie or knitwear, a well-chosen hank will pull together an otherwise diverse outfit. 

In the image below, I've selected my favourite purple, orange and green Paisley design, the Romain. Priced from £30, they come in woven and printed silk and make excellent Christmas gifts. 

See Cravat Club for more information and to buy.

Hidden Curiosities Gin: From the Founder of Cravat Club

Jenny Meguro is owner of the successful Cravat Club. Featured several times on this blog, she provides British-made silk cravats, ties and pocket squares to men of discernment. However, not content with this, Jenny has now developed a gin, working closely with a small local distillery in the Surrey Hills. 

Jenny Meguro proudly shows off her Hidden Curiosities gin

In the name of research Jenny tried 100 gins (over the course of a year, she's quick to point out) in order to develop her distinctive and delicious product. She's used 20 botanicals to produce an aromatic gin that I found delicious with a drop of water, but it's also goes well with a high quality tonic water, perhaps (as Jenny recommends) with pink peppercorns and green cardamom to enhance the subtle flavours. This is a truly outstanding gin.

Hidden Curiosities gin is already stocked in several bars and is making a name for itself early in its career. To buy and to find stockists, both shops and bars, go to Hidden Curiosities website.

For more information here on the blog on Cravat Club, click here.

I was sent a sample of gin to try. All views are my own.

A Summer for Stripes

Summer and stripes seem to go together perfectly. Is it stripy deckchairs on the beach, Breton sailor's jumpers, seaside rock (candy), rowing and cricket blazers, or maybe the striped awnings of summer marquees that form the association? Certainly there is a strong link to the sea, making stripes perfect for holiday and casual wear. [Links to suppliers at end of this feature]

Summer stripes

Shirt from Grey Flannel (also in yellow). 'Harry' pocket square Geoff Stocker

I love blue stripes in particular - they go well with whites and creams of course, but best with summery yellows, reds and oranges. A red striped shirt I own is also a favourite - for summer any bright candy colour suits the clear brightness of the light. 

The broader the stripes the more impact they have - they are less serious, more playful: the formality of the city stripe combining with the sunny cheerfulness of a yacht's spinnaker. Finer stripes are more restrained but still add a slightly flamboyant feel to a look.

Shirt (right) Community Clothing Co. Cravat Cravat Club

Fine stripes - L: Seersucker suit Grey Flannel. C: Shirt Connolly. R: Workwear Jaeger

The summer is a time to celebrate the sun and warmth with colours that reflect the fun of holiday pastimes: beach swimming, barbecues, surfing and reading in the shade. 

Shirt CEO's Legacy Shirts. Watch Tudor Heritage chronograph on striped nylon strap

Multicoloured striped lightweight scarves from Wallace Sewell

Shirts CEO's Legacy, seersucker suit Grey Flannel

Merino polo shirt Connolly, hat Tom Smarte, shorts Grey Flannel, slippers William Norman London, denim jacket vintage Lee Riders

Suppliers

[Note some of these products were loaned, some bought and some gifted for review]

Grey Flannel

Geoff Stocker 

Cravat Club

Connolly

Wallace Sewell

CEO's Legacy Shirts

Jaeger (at Marks & Spencer)

Tudor Watches

Tom Smarte

William Norman London

Hidden Curiosities Gin: Another Award Winner

It's over three years since I've talked about Hidden Curiosities, the Surrey Hills (just south of London) distillers' excellent gins. Jenny Meguro, of Cravat Club and gin-making fame, has created another delicious small batch gin; Batch no. 7.

I drink the best gins as I do malt whisky: just with a dash of water. I know tastes vary (luckily) but I don't like to drown a beautifully crafted spirit in tonic water or whatever (although a good cocktail does make a  welcome change it can be made with indifferent gin - a controversial comment no doubt). I also do this is memory of my wonderful father-in-law who, after decades in the Royal Navy, drank his gin only with water.

Hidden Curiosities Batch no.7 starts on first sip with a host of botanicals (there are twenty) in which, for me, pepper, lavender and dry florals dominate. The juniper jumps into the picture with a hint of mandarin, grapefruit and more.

Delicious - what more can I say? From Hidden Curiosities Batch No.7 £36 a bottle.

My previous post about Hidden Curiosities

And see Cravat Club who make superb cravats, face masks, pocket squares, ties and scarves from English printed silks

Grey Fox British Menswear Competition for London Collections:Men (Day 2)

Today's #GreyFoxLCM outfit again features products made in Britain. The trousers, from Spoke's summer collection, and Cravat Club pocket square add colour to a look for a milder day (Spoke manufacture in both Portugal and the UK), with a lightweight wool jumper from Realm & Empire and a linen/merino blazer from Dashing Tweeds. Details of suppliers of the items shown are given below. For information on the competition, see yesterday's post

Blazer - Dashing Tweeds (Grey Fox's own)

Jumper - Realm & Empire

Shirt - Triplstitched

Boxer shorts - British Boxers

Pocket Square - Cravat Club

Trousers - Spoke London

Socks - Pantherella

Shoes - Joseph Cheaney & Sons (Grey Fox's own)

Bag - Tusting

Pocket squares: where to find well-made and original designs

Pocket squares make excellent gifts for a man. They add colour and style to an outfit and the greater the choice the better. A man can never have too many pocket hanks. But unless you look carefully the selection can be a little uninspiring and unoriginal. So here is a brief round-up of some of my favourite designs that are just a bit different.

Dancys

I love the originality of the fresh printed cotton designs from this small, young studio in Norfolk. Making ties and hanks in England, this is just the sort of business that deserves our wholehearted support. Dancys -

Drake's

One of my favourite stores, Drake's products are so eclectic, mixing traditional English style with Italian verve. These pocket squares are among my favourite designs. Like those from Dancys, the patterns are different enough to make them stand out from more traditional designs. See Drake's -

Age of Reason
I couldn't write about pocket squares that are original in design without mentioning the Age of Reason/Grey Fox limited edition collaboration squares, made and hand-rolled in England. If you haven't got one already, you must do so now from Age of Reason scarves. Available in blue or rust -

Cravat Club

A wide range of Made in England squares can also be found at Cravat Club, about whom I wrote recently here. The designs range from the traditional to more modern, so there is something for all -

The Merchant Fox

A good place to find all sorts of well-designed British-made gifts, The Merchant Fox has a small range of pocket squares which, like that pictured below, combine humour and style. Click here to buy -

Helen Ruth

Helen Ruth's scarves are 32cm square, printed on 100% silk twill in Glasgow and finished by hand with a rolled hem. The designs start off as Helen's hand-drawn illustration and artwork and then developed into digital prints. She also makes silk bow ties and you can get matching sets made to order. See Helen Ruth on Facebook and see about her scarves on her website here -

Marie Antoinette - contact Helen Ruth for more information

Christmas Gifts for Him or Her: A Grey Fox Guide

Christmas approaches with alarming speed and you're thinking about Christmas presents. Here are a few ideas for the man or woman in your life priced from under £20 to four figures:

Thomas Clipper Tuscan wash bag (below). Made from beautiful Italian leather, this bag will only improve with age. £149. 

Akhihiro Woodworks Jincup Urishi from Kinoko. Japanese handmade wooden cup from Kinoko (below). £125

SirPlus makes all manner of clothing in this country, some from the leftovers from other manufacturers. This grey marl submariner rollneck is a favourite of mine and is made in England from British wool. A snip at £85.

Pantherella personalised monogrammed socks (below). From £19.00:

Cravat Club Haruki pattern tie (below). £95:

Donhall & Bell, formerly Dapper England, make luxury footwear such as these bespoke Grey Fox slippers. Ideal as a gift, they also make sneakers. £190 - £395.

Hemingway Tailors bespoke shirt gift (below). Select a fabric and it will be sent with a voucher for a bespoke shirt fitting session (5% of revenue donated to Macmillan Cancer Support). From £250:

Bailey of Sheffield stainless steel cable bracelets and jewellery engineered in Sheffield (below). £various:

Mühle Glasshütte Terrasport IV GMT watch for travellers (below). From £1910:

Frances Nutt Hackney Empire silk scarf, made in Britain for men or women (below). From £220:

British Boxers men’s Hartington Royal Satin Stripe Pyjama Set. (For women too) £79.00 (below):

Penrose bow tie. Penrose make a good range of silk products (ties, squares, scarves) made in England's oldest silk mill, Vanners (below). See here for stockists. Bow tie £75:

Black.co.uk navy and tan driving gloves (below) £75.

Cravat Club Hidden Curiosities scarf (below) £160.

DR Harris Arlington cologne, from a range of largely British-made products at this 1790 chemist and perfumer (below). One of my favourites. From £15.

Johnstons of Elgin cashmere dressing gown. Beautifully soft. £1495 (hers) £1695 (his).

Mia Sabel bespoke watch strap. Give your watch a new lease of life with a custom-made strap. Give a Redeem Me voucher for delivery early in the New Year of a bespoke watch strap. Some made-to-measure belts and personalised card cases available before Christmas. £various.

This feature is unsponsored and is a selection of my own from some of my favourite brands.