Realm & Empire Re-Edition Sale: Early Access and an Older Model

Realm & Empire take their inspiration from military and outdoor wear and use the Imperial War Museum's archives for much of their collection. Affordable, wearable and well-made, I have a few of their pieces for casual wear and particularly like their British-made knitwear. 

Their mid-season sale begins on Monday (21st November) with the launch of their AW16 RE-ISSUE campaign, but you can gain early access through the link below. 

They describe the RE-ISSUE sale as:

'A selection of limited edition pieces, one-offs and re-discovered R/E classics and timeless originals....Highlights include vintage-washed artisan jackets, textured utility overshirts, smart cotton oxford shirting, British-made knits and a fresh consignment of jerseywear'. 

I wanted to tell you about it because they have earned a place as a Grey Fox Favourite Brand by advertising to the older man, as you'll see in the accompanying images, and I know they have more to come in the future. The sale starting on Monday has many items in limited supply, one-offs and rediscovered items from previous seasons, but you can gain early access today and over the weekend by clicking here.

Follow Realm & Empire:

www.realmandempire.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realmandempire 

Twitter: @realmandempire

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This feature is sponsored by R/E; all opinions are mine alone.

A visit to the Churchill War Rooms courtesy of Realm & Empire

I was recently invited to the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, London by Realm & Empire, whose menswear borrows heavily from the military archives of the Imperial War Museum, which runs the Churchill War Rooms.

Churchill's bedroom in which he would dictate and conduct meetings

During the Second World War some of the cellars and basements under Whitehall, in the centre of London, were reinforced with concrete and large steel frames to provide safe, bomb-proofed office space for the Cabinet, politicians, civil servants and military working to win the war against Germany and its allies.

I'm wearing a Realm & Empire Montgomery casual blazer in stone

We were given a fascinating private tour of the War Rooms, seeing the map room where vital information was collated about the progress of the war. Memorabilia of Churchill himself include his cigars, the chair he sat in and many of the artefacts he would have used and seen daily.

Colourful telephones in the map room

For more information about the Imperial War Museum click here, click here. To see Realm & Empire's range of clothing, click here.

I was a guest of Realm & Empire and IWM. I was not compensated for this post.

Spring & summer knitwear from Realm & Empire, made in Britain

The recent spring cold snap shows how true is the old saw, 'Ne'er cast a clout 'til May is out'. Whether 'may' refers to the month or to may blossom is unclear, but the truth is that, in the UK anyway, spring and early summer can't be trusted and a warm layer should always be on hand.

Realm & Empire's lightweight knitwear is made in the UK in merino or lambswool. Below is the denim-coloured Mona merino cardigan, inspired by the Duxford cardigan which I wrote about here, but made lighter for spring/summer use.

Realm & Empire Mona Merino Cardigan £120

Below is the Digby merino waffle crew which can be worn over a shirt or base layer. Available in denim blue or silver grey, it's designed and made in Leicestershire to be a versatile and lightweight knit for warmer weather (link to buy below).

Digby merino crew in denim blue or silver grey (below) £100

All  are ideal with jeans, summer trousers or even shorts with deck shoes, Converse or canvas shoes. Available from Realm & Empire or various stockists. 

Realm & Empire menswear: Grey Fox sponsors

I'm grateful to Realm & Empire for sponsoring the blog by advertising in the column to the right.

Realm & Empire is a British brand that finds inspiration in historical menswear. Searching the archives of the Imperial War Museums, they have created a collection that takes details and from vintage garments, photographs, documents and artefacts. 

Realm & Empire SS15

I'd be grateful if you would click on their advertisement to the right to browse their website and to show support for this blog and its sponsors. You can read my previous post on Realm & Empire here in which I review one of their British-made products.

Best of British Menswear Week: Realm & Empire "cardigan, khaki wool, other ranks" AW14 military archive inspiration

Realm & Empire is a British brand that relishes the heritage, look and feel of historical menswear, updating their finds for the modern wearer. Finding inspiration in the archives if the Imperial War Museums, they have created a collection for AW14 that takes details and from historical garments, photographs, documents and artefacts.

Grey Fox wears Duxford Cardigan and wool slim-leg Officer Trouser from Realm & Empire.
Brogues by Loake, shirt by Smyth & Gibson, tie vintage. Hair and teeth model's own

Their knitwear collection is made in the UK from British wool, so I'm focusing on one key and favourite piece for this review. The Duxford cardigan is modelled on a First World War piece found in the military archives at IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire. Made for use by other ranks, it must have been an essential part of the layering needed to keep warm in the trenches. 

Archive image of Cardigan, khaki wool, other ranks - image IWM

The cardigan has a good substantial feel and the pockets and collar are reinforced with cotton webbing, as was the hem on the original. The colour is Loden green and every garment has its own unique issue number, revealed behind a little tear-off strip in the collar label. This is my first ever cardigan and I'm enjoying it. However, never let it be said that it's a garment exclusively for the older man; this will look good on young and old alike.

The trousers are made of Huddersfield-manufactured wool (although are not themselves made in UK) and half-lined with a deep red jacquard print. They have a slightly slim fit.

I hope to revisit this interesting brand at a future date, meanwhile, see the Realm & Empire website for more of the collection, or to buy. For more on the Imperial War Museums, see here.

Jacket Required July 2014 - a few favourites

Jacket Required, a menswear trade show, took place at the end of July. I find events like this useful in providing inspiration for my search for style. Many brands attending sell streetwear or younger baseball-cap-type clothes; maybe not what most older men would go for, but there are many interesting and more classic styles to see. Here are a few of my favourites:

Sanders Shoes - an interesting brand making shoes in Northamptonshire for sale under their own and other labels. Many are classic designs, many have a colourful twist. Click here to visit Sanders -

Private White VC - Manchester-made, I wrote here about my factory visit earlier this year. Casual and outerwear with a difference, all with a very classic design basis. Click here for Private White VC -

Greatcoat - a fairly new label making outerwear and raincoats in London, England. Click here for their website -

Realm & Empire - casual wear brand, making some products (knitwear) in the UK. They base their styles on inspiration found in historic British artefacts and documents. See their website here.

Baracuta - although now Italian-owned, their traditional Harrington jackets are still made in the UK. See their website here -

Triumph & Disaster - I liked the humour and design of this New Zealand skincare, shaving and grooming brand. See their website here.