Sartorial is probably not the first word or image that comes to mind for tourists visiting Honolulu or Hawaii. Beaches, swimming and surfing are the more likely associations. Other easy associations would be the savory local island cuisine (poke, plate lunches, shave ice and much more) or the open air shopping at Ala Moana and …
Sartorial Honolulu part 1: can sartorialism & tropicalism mix? Read More »
I first learned about Sicily through its tailoring. There are other more accessible paths to discover Sicily such as its cuisine, wine, literature, history and of course its Mediterranean climate. Yet another avenue is the Targa Florio, one of the world’s earliest sports car racing events when it started in 1906. I recently caught part …
This is a very personal list of menswear brands that I believe offer unalloyed authenticity and remarkable value. These are brands sharing a few common threads. They are not overexposed or over-retailed and have not grown unwisely for the sake of growth or pleasing investors. Nor have they expanded leaps and bounds overseas chasing the…
“For me, clothing is more cultural. It’s about how these things came to be used, designed and created. I’m basically an anthropologist in the supply chain of menswear.” Quoted in Deni Bechard, “The Accidental Maven of Menswear”, Stanford Magazine (July 2019) I learned that this summer’s issue of Stanford Magazine has just been published, featuring …
An American in Sicily – what I did after discovering Sicilian tailoring Read More »
Last month I had the great pleasure of reconnecting with shirtmaker Freddy Vandecasteele who recently retired from a 40+ year career as a shirtmaker in Los Angeles. We met in Brussels where he is enjoying his retirement. When I was living in LA about a decade ago, Freddy made the bulk of my dress shirts …
An afternoon with shirtmaker Freddy Vandecasteele Read More »
I first came across Silvio Fiorello at last year’s winter Mrket menswear trade show in NYC thanks to the deft introduction by Gigliola at the Italian Trade Agency. She introduced me to Gregory Colaco who was representing the brand at the show. I quickly learned from Gregory that Silvio Fiorello makes their neckwear in northeast …
Both Sicilian Reserve (SR) & Sleevehead’s Guide to Sicilian Tailors (SGST) are platforms to help connect Sicilian artisans to new customers. They make it possible for a Sicilian tailor or artisan organize a trunk show in your city. In particular, you can help artisans like Sartoria Arrigo visit your city by engaging with them in …
Spring is in the air as the saying goes. That sense of freshness can also be discovered in a pair of shoes made just for you. With bespoke, you could say it’s always spring time. For all these reasons, spring seems a fortuitous time to launch a new bespoke venture. It is with profound pleasure …
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