Henley Royal Regatta with Bremont Watches

I had a wonderful day at Henley Royal Regatta as a guest of Bremont Watches who are now an official timing partner to the event, among the first official partners that Henley has ever had (Hackett Menswear being another). For Bremont this is a logical step, as they have offices and manufacturing facilities in Henley and they also know how to time things like rowing races take.

We saw some of Bremont's collection in their stand. Their watches seem to have become cleaner in design recently, which I approve of. They had made special a edition wristwatch and stop watch to mark their involvement with the event. The wristwatch pictured below is typical of this more elegant approach. There's not really space to go into this here, but maybe I'll have a chance to look at Bremont's watches at a future point - meanwhile see the Bremont website.

Although their watches are not yet fully made in the UK, we were told by co-founder Nick English that some parts are made in Henley and that the aim is to have a British-made movement in due course. It's many years since watches were made in volume in the UK (Smiths watches were the last - see my feature here). I hope to bring you more news of this, but don't hold your collective breaths; these things take years to develop. Bremont is committed to UK manufacture with apprentice programmes and manufacturing being developed in Henley - an exciting story.

Anyway, back to the rowing. Err... well I didn't see much. I rowed at school so enjoy the sport. Sadly my school, Shrewsbury, had been knocked out of their competition the previous day by a minor school called Eton College, so I wasn't able to see the old school rowing, but at least I was able to dust off the old school tie to add to my outfit. Henley is one of the best places of the English summer season to see traditional British menswear style - that shabby yet highly stylish approach to dressing that works so well that the Italians call sprezzatura. The rowing blazers take the prize of course and I was sorry I didn't have a blazer from my rowing days to show off.

All in all, a wonderful day with the usual interesting mix of bloggers, journalists and lovely PR people to chat to. Many thanks Bremont.

Rowing Blazers by Jack Carlson: a book review for Henley

ROWING BLAZERS is a celebration of the jaunty symbols of team spirit flaunted by rowers at Henley (which starts this week) and other regattas. Written by Jack Carlson, who has rowed for the USA and Oxford in the Boat Race, so will know a blade from a rigger, the book is beautifully illustrated with photographs by F.E. Castleberry. Incidentally, although billed as a book about the blazer, it's also a fascinating history of many rowing clubs of the world.

I rowed at one of the schools mentioned in the book and remember the magnificence of the blazers sported by the 1st and 2nd Eights. Like war paint, a garish blazer is designed to strike fear into the opposition before their boats are even in the water. It does this by oozing tradition, history, club and sporting elitism and privilege - and why not; as long as it's not taken to seriously? The bright colours also helped spectators to identify crews in the confusion of a busy regatta. 

Two things struck me. Firstly, how little the blazer has changed since worn by early crews in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In this, of course, blazers reflect the slow evolution of classic menswear. Indeed, some of the blazers shown look old enough to have been worn by the grandfather of the present owner. Secondly, I had assumed that rowing blazers would be a UK and US thing. However, I was surprised how wholeheartedly they have been adopted, humour and fun included, by rowing clubs all over the world.

I particularly appreciated the note on tailoring of blazers; 'relatively unstructured, with patch pockets and a soft shoulder' just about sums it up. There is also brief mention of the adoption of the blazer by mods and the preppy movement. Today blazers form a part of menswear collections such as Hackett and Ralph Lauren - I hope they will never go away.

A big change in the rowing scene since my day is the welcome arrival of women to the sport - and they are shown wearing blazers as well as, if not better than, their male counterparts.

A book not only for every lover of rowing and its history, but for every lover of classic menswear and (of course) blazers. Published by Thames & Hudson, price £35.