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:

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 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

Adamley Printed Silks: a Macclesfield industry

I recently visited Adamley Printed Silk of Macclesefield in Cheshire to see how an old industry has adapted to the modern world and markets. Macclesfield, in England's north west, just south of Manchester, is on the edge of the Pennines, where plentiful water powered mills and fuelled the industrial revolution. The town has been famous for its silk industry for over 300 years. Now, even if water no longer powers the mill, it is still used in the manufacturing process as silks are printed using traditional and modern processes

David Evans (no relation) is a famous silk name and now part of Adamley

Adamley uses traditional screen printing alongside digital printing. The very slight imperfections and variations in the older method give the finished product a charm and beauty that, some say, the digital finish cannot match. However, the digital finish has other advantages, not least lower cost, so Adamley sensibly cover all the options here.

Screen printing at the Adamley mill

The mill houses a wonderful archive of designs, many originally owned by the famous David Evans silk works. The library dates back to the 1800s and contains quite breathtaking designs, many of which are still used to inspire modern designs at Adamley.

Digital printing at Adamley

Part of the David Evans archive

Below are some images from the wonderful archive:

For more on Adamley, their history and products, see their website here.

Rampley & Co pocket squares: Macclesfield silk

One of the pleasures of curating this blog is coming across another young, entrepreneurial, British menswear business committed to manufacture in the UK. Rampley & Co fits this mould, making a variety of pocket squares from Macclesfield silk and other materials, such as Harris tweed.

They have produced several designs and it initially was their Fine Art Collection that caught my eye. Developed in collaboration with the Tate in London, they reproduce dramatic works of art by John Singleton Copley, J.M.W. Turner and John Martin (seen in that order below).

The Death of Major Peirson 6 January 1681 (at the Battle of Jersey)

The Battle of Trafalgar, as Seen from the Mizen Starboard Shrouds of the Victory

The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum

The squares are made of high quality silk with hand-rolled edges and are ideal for folding or stuffing into your top pocket. At 42cm square, they are an ideal size, not too small, not too large. The benefit of a large, colourful and irregular pattern, such as these, is that you can fold it in many ways to create a wide variety of top pocket looks.

There is much more to come from Rampley & Co. This collection and others can be found on their website here.

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.

Augustus Hare ties and Grey Fox interview

I had the privilege of being interviewed on the Augustus Hare website this week for their Autumn Interviews series. I'm a great admirer of their English-made silk print ties, Italian knitted silk ties and pocket squares. The green/blue Zola knitted tie in the image below is one of my most-admired ties.

To read the interview and see their selection of beautifully-made products, go to Augustus Hare. Jacket - Hackett, shirt - Smyth & Gibson, chinos - Lyle & Scott, belt The Worcestershire Leather Co.

Age of Reason: deliciously naughty pocket squares - Made in Britain

Browsing round the Best of Britannia exhibition recently I came across Ali Mapletoft and her Age of Reason silk scarves and pocket squares. Each is designed by Ali using coloured inks on watercolour paper. These images are then transferred to high quality silk and each piece is finished by a skilled seamstress. The designs are striking and all have more than a little humour, mischief and, some, a naughty (but nice) streak.

These wonderful British-designed silk squares are real works of art and are available online here and at various stockists (including the Tate shop) in a variety of sizes (the pocket squares are 45cm square). A fun alternative to the usual polka dot or paisley-design pocket square.