Back to School

Throw in some clouds, angels and an immaculately dressed bearded chap in bespoke vicuna robes and I'd be in tailoring heaven.

Why? Because Michelsberg Tailoring is through to the final of the Golden Shears tailoring competition - come on!!



As mentioned in my blog in December, it's run by the Merchant Taylors Company and is basically the Oscars of the Tailoring trade.

All the young guns of Savile Row and students at fashion colleges throughout the world submit garments in the hope of making it through to a professional catwalk show which takes place on March 16 in London.

The fact that we are in the final is truly incredible and testament to the hard work of Sara and the tailors and seamstresses who have supported her.

A huge thank-you in particular must go to June Waterhouse who has mentored her as well as playing a huge part in my development as a tailor.



Over the past 4 years my tailors and cutters have been trying to teach me as much as possible regarding their craft but sadly there are no short-cuts. On Savile Row, an apprenticeship involves at least 4 years training as a tailor and then, if you have a flair for it, a further three to become a cutter.

I'd got to the stage whereby once I had done the first fitting and chalked and pinned the garment to reflect any adjustments that needed to be made, it would then be ripped down (taken to bits) and I would do the re-cuts myself (under supervision) to reflect these changes - such as reducing the width of the shoulders, shaping the coat more into the chest, allowing for a drop right shoulder etc

But like Charles Dickins' Oliver, I wanted more. But not gruel. That's not my style. I wanted the full-on degustation menu. With wine. And a cigar for afters.

So I enrolled on the Tailoring and Manufacturing module of a four year Fashion BA at Batley School of Art & Fashion with the express purpose of learning to make a garment from scratch...by myself.

It was a big commitment in terms of time, and despite the fact that I was miles behind all the other students who had used industrial flat-bed sewing machines before, I passed the course and loved every minute.

Here I am cutting out the pattern I drafted for a 'button two, show three', double breasted jacket with slanted pockets.



And despite many hours spent unpicking seams that resembled a dog's hind leg, I am delighted to say that the coat is now finished and ready for button-holing.



Doing the course has made me realise just how much work is involved in making a jacket - drafting and cutting out all the patterns for the back, front, facings, side-panels, collar, sleeves, linings and interlinings. Then the incredible number of processes and hand-sewing involved in putting it all together.

Mind boggling stuff and I can now appreciate why people who have been doing it all their life still say they are learning. I am definitely going to continue improving my tailoring skills but the thing I love most is time spent with my customers, choosing cloth, talking about the style of the garment, doing the fittings and running the business.

So yes folks, the year has got off to a rocking start - plenty of orders, new customers, the final of the shears to look forward to and even better...it's started snowing!

Thumbs up for Down Under

At the risk of coming across as rather crude, I have to say I feel simply bloody marvellous.

I've just returned from three wonderful weeks in Australia visiting my brother Edward and his growing family in Melbourne.

It's been an orgy of sunshine, three course lunches and dinners, poker nights, Bas Armagnac, Cohiba cigars, surfing, sleeping and bonding with my little nephew, Harrison.



The picture above was taken on the balcony of the Stoke House in St.Kilda, one of my favourite restaurants. If you love food then Melbourne is the place to be.

British restauranteurs could seriously learn a thing or two from our Antipodean cousins. Incredibly good service and great coffee aside, every waiter can tell you not just how each dish is cooked and every ingredient, but the name of the animal, it's age, religion, mood before visiting the butcher and what wine to quaff it with.

Whilst having dinner at Di Stasio on Fitzroy Street, my Father declared "it isn't necessary to eat this well." Rather philosophical I thought. I might even nick that line for my own business - "Michelsberg Tailoring...it's not necessary to dress this well..."

Final recommendations would be Cicciolina's on Acland Street and cafe A Taglio.

Whilst I do love my trade, it really was great to switch off for a while and leave the world of bespoke tailoring behind me, however, my trip wouldn't have been complete without a visit to Marino & Scott in the very smart suburb of Toorak.



The diminutive dandy on my right is Frank Marino. He began his tailoring career in Calabria, Southern Italy, when he was seven and has lived in Australia since 1967. He sells Brioni off-the-peggers at just over three thousand pounds a pop and the price of one of his bespoke numbers is closer to four grand.

He does everything himself, by hand. The try-on on the dummy was incredibly soft, using very light canvases, thin shoulder pads and made-up in a devine Super 160's cloth from England. Hand on my heart he told me that he believes English cloth is the best in the world. Serious praise from an Italian!

And sadly, although my liver would disagree, all good things must come to an end.

I'm chuffed to say that the year has got off to a great start - sunshine and blue sky with frost on the ground when we hit Manchester airport, plenty of appointments in the diary and a few plans up my sleeve that will help my customers continue to out-slick lesser mortals.

Here's wishing you all a fantastic start to 2009 - let's make it a belter!

Frankincense, Myrrh & Golden Shears

It's less than a week to go before my family and I head off to Australia for Christmas to check out my brother's six week old baby boy, Harrison.

So, I thought I'd provide the chaps back home with a little something to keep the temperature up whilst I'm wallowing in the surf and sunshine.



The charming young lady pictured alongside yours truly is Sara Nicholaides, a final year student at Batley School of Art and Design.

She has won a competition to represent Michelsberg Tailoring, at The Golden Shears Tailoring Competition 2009 in London.

It's a highly prestigious national event with finalists’ garments shown by professional catwalk models to an audience at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall.

Last year the college had two of their students placed in the final twenty four entries which was ultimately won by Savile Row company Dege & Skinner.

This year, in collaboration with Samantha Hudson, Curriculum Manager for Fashion at the College, we tasked the students to come up with suitable designs for a jacket or overcoat, that reflects the Michelsberg image – “elegant, dapper, dashing and will turn heads.”

Sara's prize for coming up with the winning design is dinner for two, drinks and a night in a luxury suite at The Malmaison Hotel.

Here we have a perfect example of a win-win situation: a happy student, an even happier tailor.

In fact, looking back on 2008, it's been happy days.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas - keep warm, well oiled and be cool like The Fonze.

Steed on Speed

This weekend my wife had a girlfriend up to stay from London which gave me the chance to indulge in a spot of 'me' time.

After seeing customers on Saturday morning it was off to the David Lloyd for a swim and sauna, lunch and a cheeky Erdinger at The Reliance and then a prowl round Harvey Nichols to check out the latest threads.

Paul Smith, Prada, Giorgio Armani can all be found here and whilst they are now global brands employing thousands of people, their designs were built on the individual style and personality of their founders.

I have huge respect for Paul Smith. Unlike some of the neurotic, self-obsessed permatanned egos in the fashion business he seems down to earth and a genuinely nice guy.

He even had his suits made in Leeds when he was starting out by a company called Atkinson Rhodes who are sadly no longer around. His house style is often referred to as "English tailoring with a twist," and that has got me thinking about what I'd like my name to stand for.

Many of the big designers have been inspired by muses - Yves Saint Laurent's was Loulou de la Falaise - and I'm certain my own style has been inspired by others past and present.

I adore the old school style and elegance of the 50's - legends like Bogart, Sinatra, and Niven. All immaculately dressed with a healthy interest in women, drink, and letting the good times roll.







Close to the top of my slick-list would be Connery as Bond, however, a discussion of secret agents would not be complete without mentioning the most dapper, dashing and dandiest spy of them all, John Steed in "The Avengers."



Like Steed, I have a penchant for bowler hats, velvet collars and young ladies in catsuits. Whilst a part of me is a fully paid-up member of the 'understated elegance' crowd on Savile Row, I am just as seduced by adding details that appeal to the more flamboyant, head-turning, tequila drinking, 'come on, let's have it' crowd who frequent the naughtiest, sleaziest, vice-ridden dens of iniquity in Christendom.

Yes, whilst the coolest of cats dress in a quietly sophisticated manor, I have to admit I'm a bit of a show-off. I'd love to pull up to a certain club in Ibiza in a chauffeur driven Roller, shrug off my exquisitely tailored coat, wave my tightly rolled umbrella in the air and declare to all and sundry that James Michelsberg has now entered the building. Come on!



So there you have it - the very essence of Michelsberg Tailoring - banging bass, hot women and cool threads. In a nutshell, "Steed on speed."

Nobody does it better..

I remember it like it was yesterday. I'd just finished watching the Dukes of Hazard on the telly and my Father came into the lounge and told me a Bond film was about to start and I'd enjoy it. Understatement at its finest.

Watching your first Bondy is as much of a rite of passage into the world of manhood as loosing your virginity, except it lasts a bit longer. I popped my 007 cherry to 'Goldfinger'.



Sean Connery in my opinion is, and always will be, the ultimate Bond. That deep Scottish bur, the way he moved like a cat, nonchalant with confidence oozing from every pore.

Here was an Alpha male who was as smooth as the mink glove in his overnight bag and twice as hairy. An Aston Martin DB5 and Pussy Galore on his arm was always going to help, but it was the cut of his grey three piece suit that nailed it.



Check out the line of the shoulders - masculine, defined, wonderfully imposing. Armani might be famous for 'ripping the stuffing' out of English tailoring but here is an old-school English constructed garment at its finest.

His tailor was Anthony Sinclair, who pioneered "The Conduit Cut" after the address of his Mayfair studio - slimline, single-breasted, two-buttoned. I try to incorporate many of these Conneresque features into my suits - narrower shoulders, slimmer sleeves, skinny lapels, ticket pockets and side vents.

I'm also a big fan of the two 'forward' pleats on the trousers, which is very British and favoured by the chaps on the Row. This is as opposed to 'reverse' pleats which are preferred by the Italians.

Connery played Bond with a steely intensity and his suits, in subtle shades of grey, blue and brown were understated and reflected his serious, business-like approach to saving the world.

This is in sharp contrast to Roger Moore who brought a lighter, laid back approach to the debonair 007. Polished, refined, effortlessly charming, he had the British thing down pat, but the raised eye-brow, bouffant hair, shocking one-liners and silk cravats made him as menacing as a Chiwawa and as camp as Christmas.



Roger Moore's tailor for his Bond films was Doug Hayward in Mount Street, Mayfair, who sadly died this year. He was regarded by many as a genius and customers included the likes of Michael Caine, Patrick Lichfield and Michael Parkinson.

He offered them a glass of bubbles when they arrived, was great fun, a good listener and like all good tailors was discreet. A working class lad made good, he deplored the stuffiness of some of the Savile Row institutions and describes his place as "relaxed, nice and easy. And besides, I get a lot of birds in."

The Seventies was certainly not my favourite decade when it comes to matters of style. It was a time of Disco and the Bay City Rollers. Platform shoes, kaftans and kipper-ties were worm with impunity, so the odds of coming out of it with your sartorial dignity intact were always going to be stacked against you.

I think Roger managed to keep his head above water, and even cut quite a dash in the number below - the 'superfly' bell-bottom trousers, wide lapels, flared waist and slightly raised shoulders have a touch of the 'pimp daddy' about them.



In fact, I have a friend in the South who actually commissioned a Roger Moore style light-blue Safari-Suit to be worn on a night out in Leeds, after a day of drinking and watching the cricket with the lads at Headingley.

And so to Mr. Brosnan.



Excessive pouting aside, I thought Piers did quite a good job of Bond. Quite smooth, well spoken, could probably take a punch and was no doubt a hit with the ladies the world over.

Of all the Bonds, I think a suit actually suited him the most, whereas Connery would be more at home in a rugged cable-knit sweater, and Roger, a silk dressing gown and calf-skin slippers. Piers was born to wear a three piece, but at the end of the day, neither he, nor his chest wig, came close to matching the true might of Mr. Connery.

His suits, including the one below, were made by Brioni. It has to be said these guys in their factory in Abruzzo can give the chaps on the Row a serious run for their money. The jackets are sewn by hand and then finished off by machine, take about twenty hours to produce with an off-the-pegger costing over five thousand euros.



Here's something that made me smile:

After the release of Die Another Day (2002), Piers Brosnan was approached by a man in a Dublin bar who asked to shake his hand. He complied and the man said, "That's the closest my hand will ever get to Halle Berry's arse."

And finally to our current Bond, Daniel Craig. In Casino Royale, he was often in t-shirts, jeans and a leather jacket (Armani), but when a suit was called for, he was also kitted out by Brioni.



I must say I loved the film but he just wasn't Bond. Or at least he wasn't my Bond. The Bond with the Scottish accent who had me spellbound after I'd finished ogling Daisy Duke in those jean shorts.

He was just another Jason Bourne type character with a chest the size of two terrace houses in Barnsley, tearing it up with a multi-million pound budget and awesome production team behind him. Hard, tough, gritty, credible - yes. Suave, sophisticated, hairy - no.

I am really looking forward to Quantum of Solace. Craig is a cracking actor and I'm pleased to say his tailor (Tom Ford, former creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Lauren) managed to find enough cloth to cover his torso, after he reportedly ruined over forty suits during its production.

I am confident if will be a block-busting, action-packed, edge of the seat, extravaganza, with perhaps a few scenes dedicated to showing us his sensitive side. And chest.

When it comes to being 007, Roger, Daniel and Piers have all done well, as have Hayward, Brioni and Ford in dressing them.

But like Michelsberg and Tailoring, when it comes to Sean Connery, nobody does it better.

Wrist Candy

On my twenty first birthday I was given an Omega De Ville watch by my parents and have to say it is one of my most treasured possessions.

I've spoken with people who have said they don't bother with a watch as they have the time on their mobile but to me this is madness.

A watch is so much more than a timepiece - it can be a thing of beauty, an investment, a mechanical marvel, something deeply personal with a wonderful story and history attached to it, a statement about who you are and what you stand for.

Like a bespoke suit, choosing the right watch is totally dependant on the personality of the person wearing it and what turns them on, what they are wearing it with and naturally the environment in which it is being worn.

Take for example, Elton John. He's on stage, tinkling the ivories in a velvet frock coat, purple sequined hot pants and theatrical wig. The camera does a close up of his hairy little fingers running up and down the keyboard and there it is - a pink, jewel encrusted, platinum Chopard monster, flashing away in a sea of dials, buttons and swarovski crystals. It kind of works for him but if I spotted such a number on my accountant, I'd run a bloody mile.



The modern day watch was born in the early 16th century when a German called Peter Henlein invented a portable mechanical clock called the "Nuremburg Egg" with just an hour hand on the face.

Watches that do more than tell the time are said to have a number of "complications" and include things like showing the date, the moon's phases, a chronograph (stop-watch), repeaters (which strike the time using dings and dongs) and a tourbillon (a complicated rotating cage that contains various parts of the working mechanism and as it rotates makes the watch more accurate).

Although some time-only watches are worth a fortune, those with many complications tend to be more expensive, however, they cost far more to service and because they are delicate are not for crashing about in every day.

Watches, such as the Breitling Navitimer, are an orgy of complications and dials, and whilst no doubt the toast of airmen the world over, are not for me. I don't have a pilots license and think they look busy, fussy and messy. My bet is they are predominantly worn by people who want to flash their cash, or who were good at science in school and played Dungeons and Dragons in lunch break.



As far as size goes, I have nothing in principle against large metal watches and think they can look far better on chaps with a bit of meat on them, rather than a skinny strip of leather with a slimline gold face. All I would say is that whilst big has become fashionable over the past few years I would question the longevity of this trend.

So who makes the best watches?

If you go to the websites Equationoftime.com, ThePursistS.com and TimeZone.com you will find a number of forums debating this question. What counts as the 'best' is a very subjective question and depends on how much weight you give to the quality of the movement, the number of complications, the rarity of the watch, the historical importance, the accuracy, efficiency and value for money.

That said, it is widely accepted that the following companies are regarded as the mighty stallions who graze and rule the top meadow of the watchmaking world:

Patek Philippe of Geneva, founded in 1839 is 'the king' of the watch industry and it's Calatrava is it's most famous line. It makes some of the most complicated watches in the world, has what is regarded as the most magnificent museum in the industry and does not bend to fashion.



Audemars Piguet founded in 1875 is still family owned and is one of the most respected brands with a vast selection of sports and dress watches, some simple, some incredibly complicated. It's Royal Oak luxury sports watch was introduced in 1972 and was made of stainless steel - a big risk at the time, but one that paid off big time!



Vacheron Constantin claims to be the oldest watchmaker since 1775 and initially pioneered using machines in the watchmaking process to produce better quality parts at a lower price. Their watches can be quirky and their detailed enamel work on the Mercator series shows the time quite uniquely.



Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) is the man when it comes to technology and it's manufacturing ability is unrivalled. Often supplying the movements and parts for it's 'rivals' it is known as the watchmaker's watchmaker. It's Reverso model is its best seller with a watch case that flips over to show a protective back, or the insides.



The list goes on - Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega, IWC, Lange & Sohne (one of my favourite,), Blancpain, those who are often regarded as jewelers such as Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard and new brands such as Frank Muller, RGM and Jacques Etoile.

A finally I'll touch on the Swatch. The mechanical Swiss watch industry was batterd by the introduction of quartz watches by the Japanese companies Seiko and Citizen in 1969 which provided incredible accuracy at a fraction of the price.



The Swiss responded with a better and slimmer movement produced by ETA that was introduced into the plastic Swatch watch in 1980. Slim, fun, funky, with some designed by the likes of Vivienne Westwood, sales went mental and they continue to innovate to this day (some have computer microchips that can access the internet) selling more than 20million a year!



The watch you choose to wear will of course be dictated by what you can afford but with a little effort it is possible to find something fabulous and very 'you' at the right price.

I would say that a watch is with you wherever you go and is worth investing in. As guys, we don't spend our money on 'it' bags, jewelry, or, ninety quid hair cuts from a bloke called Kiest, so why not treat ourselves to something that is useful, beautiful and can be passed down to our children?

After all, time is the most precious commodity we have so why not keep it in something a little bit special.

Savile Row - highway to sartorial heaven

For my friend Gullers, it's the sound of a Ferrari engine. For my brother Edward, it's a bottle of Château Latour or Penfolds Grange. We all have things in life that make our eyes sparkle and grin from ear to ear and for me it's always been clothes.

From my silver "Miami Vice" / Don Jonhnson number at the age of ten to my first Savile row suit from Chester Barrie at twenty one, threads just simply do it for me. Can't explain why, they just do and they always will.

No matter what your passion is in life, you can always find like minded people to share the buzz with. There is also, often a home, or, birthplace where that passion is nurtured, and held as something special, magical, almost sacred.

If writing computer-code causes peaks in your pyjamas, then you should go to Palo Alto. If it's cooking that sets your heart on fire, then like Gordon Ramsay, you need to make that pilgrimage to France. And if it's tailoring that flicks your switch, then I've only two words to say to you and that my blog reading buddies is Savile Row.



Located in Mayfair, it has been home to tailors since the early nineteenth century, who could see the value of being close to the townhouses of wealthy chaps like Beau Brummel who had developed a taste for looking good.

A stroll down this "golden mile" is truly a sight to behold yet the vibe, history and values of the players along it varies enormously. Let's start with the the big boys, the godfathers of this Mayfair mafia - Henry Poole, Gieves & Hawkes, Dege & Skinner, Anderson & Sheppard and Huntsman.

Henry Poole, founded in 1806, is considered the founder of Savile Row. He was a legendary front man who was financed by his father and Baron de Rothschild to move in the highest of social circles and dress the great and the good. It worked and they kitted out the likes of Napoleon, Churchill, various Prince of Wales and European Royalty. Sadly, Henry was not the greatest of businessman, extended too much credit and hospitality to all and sundry and his shop nearly went under. Today, the firm is led by Angus Cundey, who spent part of his career in Yorkshire at the mill Taylor & Lodge in Huddersfield - must have been the best years of his life! Like myself he is reluctant to name his customers, but it goes without saying they include the English aristocracy, Moguls, Magnates and International Royalty.

Anderson & Sheppard, moved to the Row in 1913 led by a Swede, Per Anderson and his partner Sidney Sheppard. They are known for their "limp look," a style of tailoring that is softer, less structured than those tailors such as Gieves & Hawkes and Dege & Skinner who come from a more military background, and this style remains today. As a firm, they are associated with dressing the legends of Hollywood, including Fred Astaire, and today many of the leading lights of the fashion world are their customers, Valentino and Tom Ford to name a few. Now based on Old Burlington Street after a fall-out with landlords their offering is purely bespoke.

Dege & Skinner went into business together in the late nineteenth century and their families have been in business together ever since. Through their respective military histories, love of equine pursuits and more importantly the acquisitions of respected firms such as Wilkinson & Son and military tailors Rogers, John Jones, they are the boys to see when it comes to getting something made-up for a weekend in the country.

Gieves & Hawkes background is in the Navy, has a string of Royal Warrants and currently resides on No.1 Savile Row - nice address I'm sure you'll agree! It is run by Mark Henderson and I take my hat off to his team and the way they have leveraged their bespoke tailoring roots to made-to-measure, off-the-peg and accessories. Kerrching!

Huntsman came to the Row in 1919, and are often regarded as tailor to the stars. I think I am correct when I say everything is still done in-house and work is not sent out to various outworkers. They are regarded as the most expensive tailor, not necessarily a bad thing, their construction (like ours) is structured and builds up a chaps shoulders and chest, whilst emphasising the waist. Alexander McQueen trained here but it didn't last....maybe he was a bit OTT, even by my standards!

And then we have the New Establishment, the young guns who like many of the founders of the firms above, and others such as Tommy Nutter, have achieved success through their ability as front-men. You've got Ozwald Boateng, Richard James, Spencer Hart and Timothy Everest. Clearly they know what they are doing when it comes to PR, marketing, building a brand and social networking. Some of their tailoring credentials are a little bit fuzzy but like myself, I consider that acceptable if you have the right people behind you and a genuine passion to delight the customer.

After Chester Barrie, Spencer Hart was the first place on the Row I visited and I can actually remember saying to Nick Hart how lucky he was to "be living the dream." You can imagine how chuffed I am now to be running my own show - who knows, in five years time we might even be neighbours.

And then there are others who must be mentioned. Kilgour and Norton & Sons - two firms who are steeped in history and through the re-positioning of their brands and acquisition of celebrity customers like Jude Law, are now attracting younger clientele.

In SOHO, there's John Pearse who fully embraced the excesses of the 60's and 70's and Mark Powell, once referred to as "the best dressed man in Town."
Edward Sexton in Beauchamp Place kitted out Mick and Bianca Jagger in matching white suits on their wedding day, although I felt the lapels on her coat were gaping a touch.



And last, but by no means least there are those who are tucked away from the bright lights of London but still have a reputation for some of the finest tailoring in the world. Thomas Mahon, of Englishcut, left Anderson & Sheppard to return to his roots in Cumbria and as ex-cutter to Price Charles has built an incredible International client base with regular trips to the US and even further afield. I bumped into Tom in Scabal on Savile Row as I was just starting out and his advice, encouragement and genuine passion for the trade has been an inspiration to me. I have made several visits to Warwick Hall to see him and the rest of his team and after a few beers in one of the local pubs recently offered to make a coat for him as a token of my thanks.

In the cold light of day, I realized what I'd done. It was a bit like asking Marco Pierre White if he'd like to swing by my place for dinner. No pressure then - yeah! That first fitting, I was sweating like a Scouser at Dixons but am thrilled to say that Tom is chuffed to bits with his Michelsberg special (pictured below). Thanks must go to the craftsmen and ladies behind me in Yorkshire who actually put the thing together.



So to all you guy's and girls who are tucked away in basements, attics, sheds, and workrooms throughout the country, working wonders with needle, thread and sewing machines, I'd like to raise a toast to you all who so often don't get (and don't want) the acknowledgement and praise you deserve.

Savile Row would be nothing without you.