Good After-Sales Service at Ralph Lauren

The crotch on these trousers seems to be wearing through. That’s not good – I’ve only had them for nine months and worn them 15 times or so.

Grey flannel, too. You wouldn’t expect thicker material like that to wear through so fast. Indeed, I remember the Ralph Lauren salesperson telling me that the thickness of the material meant they should last, and consequently the trousers could be worn on their own occasionally. I’ve got to be in the West End anyway tomorrow; I’ll take them in to the store and see what they say.

I was pleasantly surprised. The after-sales service I received in the Ralph Lauren flagship store on Bond Street was impressive. So impressive, indeed, that I thought it was worth writing about. After all, if anything is going to distinguish a designer boutique from RL, which consciously tries to emulate the best traditions of British menswear, it should be its service.

The first sales assistant directed me to the manager, Adam. That entailed a five-minute wait while Adam was located, but then I’ve never objected to five minutes browsing in RL on Bond Street – did you know they now make that cable-knit cashmere into throws and cushions? Lovely stuff.

Adam was considerate, understanding, and said I had two choices. Either I could try and have it repaired by a tailor (mine own or theirs) or I could have a credit note for the whole suit. As the suit was sold as one item, it would have to be returned as a whole.

The problem with a credit note was that it would be for the price I paid in the sales (around £600), whereas the full-priced suit would be more like £900. But a new suit in January is better than a holey suit now, so I took the credit note. Adam was conciliatory, friendly and helpful again, suggesting I should ask the menswear sales assistants what they could do.

Which was where it got exciting. Upstairs, there were still some of the summer suits on sale – on one rack, at the back on the left, rather less prominent than the new stock. The ever-helpful assistant Gregor proceeded to dig around in this rack and produced a better suit for less money. Now that’s service. It was a Black Label suit that had been reduced from £1100 to £550 by this point in the sale. Given that the suit being replaced was Polo, this was an upgrade. Fortune smiles on the blogger.

The £50 saved will probably go on alterations, but the result was still very satisfactory. Good after-sales service and a little luck produced a great day of shopping, for free.

The Rules and How to Break Them. No.2

Rule 2. Do not wear brown in town

It’s worth repeating my maxim from the first instalment in this series: “Rules are there for a reason, but there is nothing wrong with breaking them. These statements are not contradictory. Once you understand the rules, you can work out how to break them effectively.”

So, why does the rule ‘no brown in town’ exist? Because brown was the colour that a gentleman working in the city wore when he returned home, or on the weekend. During the week he wore black, blue or grey, all in suitably dark tones. Brown was the colour of the country, of tweed and felt hats; of shoes more than anything.

The colours of hats and shoes demonstrate this rule most effectively.

Shoes show how English the rule is. For decades other countries have worn shoes other than black for business without any implied lack of decency or formality. The Italians wore little other than brown, the French (though fairly conservative themselves) strayed into other colours, and the Americans developed a fondness for oxblood – as well as a love of brown in some areas.

But for the English, business meant black. They were therefore free to characterise anyone in brown shoes as off-duty, casual, and come up with a rhyming code like ‘no brown in town’ to remind anyone who was tempted to stray.

Hats show how practical the rule still is. Even today, most lovers of hats would say they do not wear a brown hat for business, sticking to blue and grey. In this slightly antiquated item of dress, therefore, the rule continues to be relevant, reminding people that they should treat business with the dignity it deserves (as the Austin Reed maxim goes).

However, the most important thing to realise about this rule is that it is out of date. Brown shoes, suits or jackets are no longer forbidden for business in England, or anywhere else. It is the spirit of the rule that is still relevant – wear business attire for business. In any office there will be items that would be considered unprofessional to wear. For some, that would be trainers, or jeans. In my office, unfortunately, the only thing that would probably be unacceptable would be shorts.

That is what the rule means, and understanding it allows you to break it intelligently. Wear brown, but make sure your attire is always and everywhere appropriate to the work you are doing.

The Old Favourite: That Overcoat

One of the most irksome hypocrisies of female fashion journalism is the approach to wardrobe ‘repeats.’ A recent article on celebrities ‘exposed’ several stylish females, women who had made a name for themselves as trendsetters; possessed with gargantuan wardrobes, these women were often seen in four or five different outfits in one single day. The exposé was simple; they had been spotted wearing something that they had been seen wearing before. Oh the horror, the unbearable embarrassment! That they should reveal such a limit to their wardrobes; wardrobes which had once seemed, to the salivating reader, to be of an infinite capacity. Where exactly is the shame in wearing something you are supposed to love more than once? Why do these muckrakers prettify and puff-up only to tear down rashly and irresponsibly; continuing the taboo of re-using clothing will only serve to promote and sustain this current culture of disposable fashion: a culture which is frankly, unsustainable and reckless.

Perhaps it is because I am a sentimentalist that I am so adverse to the concept of throwaway wardrobes, or that I am infinitely more interested in style than fashion but I happen to adore old favourites. I like reusing items that have been handed down to me, or that I have purchased in vintage stores or on auction websites. I have, according to a friend, the apparent lifestyle of a profligate. However the reality is I am approaching parsimony. I do enjoy buying clothing but I am not one of those who stops using something because it happens to be a little ‘old.’ Clothes should be kept pressed, clean and mended – the condition of clothing is very important – but I dislike, and disagree with, the disposal of clothing for the sake of a little evidence of age.

I ‘dislike’ because throwing perfectly good items away is wasteful and rather sad; if anything, items should be handed to those who can put it to greater use which is why eBay is such a wonderful marketplace. On eBay, the coups are more than financial; knowing that someone else will make better use of something you have ceased to find useful is spiritually rewarding.   I ‘disagree’ because I happen to believe those who immediately turn their nose up at an old item are missing out; old items have character. They have stories and history and a remarkably positive feeling can be derived from appreciation of this.

Rather like antiques, in which I am also interested, there is that glorious imperfection; with an old overcoat it might be that it is a little rough around the edges: a well used cuff, a creased and unpretentious lining, a general lack of product ‘glitz.’ I happen to find that such items, when used in conjunction with items of more modern a vintage, have a fabulous effect.

Prince Charles often wears a wonderful woollen overcoat (pictured), especially when stepping out into the country. The effect of seeing this substantial and faithful item, something which has the character of a World War Two relic, together with his superbly crafted suits, is splendid.

His overcoat may look weary and overused to some but to me it heightens my opinion of his understanding of style. A favourite item such as this reinforces a sense of humanity; our needs of familiarity and comfort. It looks cosy, trusted and reliable: most importantly, it looks loved.

The Allure of Sterling Silver Accessories

Gold may be having its heyday in the markets right now, but silver still holds an unmistakable sway over man. The English are renowned for their penchant of silver collecting and companies like Tiffany have built their reputations on it. Silver, sterling silver in particular – which is nice parts silver to one part copper – has a personality and warmth that is difficult to deny.

The scratches and nicks which over time come to define silver objects tell their own story; the patina softens and takes on a unique personality. This trait makes sterling silver an excellent material for special and cherished items. Unlike gold which can seem ostentatious and showy, silver is approachable and more relaxed, perfect for the treasured accessories in your life.

Because I like to travel light whenever possible, a money clip or pen knife is about all I want in my pants pocket. Such personal objects should never be disposable; they are with us each day and become talismans that grow in value beyond currency. Rather than shove spare cash into your pocket or toss any old pen into your bag, why not consider investing in one or two elegant little treasures that have meaning?

For those loose bills, opt for a sterling money clip; add a monogram and make it an heirloom. Yard-O-Lead makes some wonderful sterling silver pens that will stand out from the conference table crowd – the Viceroy is a favorite model of mine.

Sterling cufflinks are an obvious option. Silver knots or classic monogrammed ovals are always in style. Another wonderful use of sterling is the classic monogrammed engine turned belt buckle. Paired with an alligator strap, there is nothing quite as elegant.  For smokers, or merely those wish to be prepared for a chivalrous flourish, a silver Dunhill lighter is indispensible.

Other individualistic options include the silver tie bar, once an obligatory sartorial tool and now enjoying a resurgence of sorts. And, as long as you don’t let it look like a building superintendent’s, a simple silver key chain makes a functional utensil a little more stylish.

A silver card case can be quite sharp and I’ve seen a few people use vintage cigarette cases to hold their business or calling cards. Match the case to your own personality and tastes – either very elaborate or simple in design.

Silver, I know, is not everyone’s cup of tea. To my mind, there are silver people and there are gold people. Usually, it’s fairly easy to figure out who is who; for example, I am a silver person. Apart from a general love of sterling, when it comes to personal accessories, I naturally lean toward silver and stainless steel.

Most of my watches are stainless steel and my wedding band is platinum. Through frameless, the small amount of metal on my glasses is silver colored. I just prefer silver more than gold – the one exception being my signet ring. Bearing my family’s crest, it is my one regular gold accessory.

It’s not like I’d turn down some gold cufflinks or a vintage gold Seamaster, but as a general rule, I find it too showy and formal for my taste. I have inherited a number of lovely gold items – cufflinks and notably a wonderful pocketknife that once belonged to my great grandfather. They are special to me because of their personal connection, but when I look to my current wish list, sterling silver is still where my heart’s at.

I Want to Browse Your Brand

One wise old editor at my company is sceptical about websites. Whenever he gets into a discussion about redesigning, upgrading or reformulating a magazine’s site, he always asks “do you really want a website?” This is, of course, a rhetorical question; it does not expect a response. It is therefore quickly followed by a similar question: “Why do you want a website?”

If the first question befuddles the colleague he is addressing, the second stops them dead. For the first answer seems obvious; the second has never really occurred to them.

Few magazine editors ask themselves why they want or need a website. And this leads to muddled approach when they put their magazine online. Fashion brands are no different.

Most brands’ websites will tell you where their shops are, how to contact them and give you a flavour of the collections. But often the collections are merely represented through advertising campaigns – which can be obscure to say the least. Kilgour is a good example: beautiful, shadowy images, but little clue as to what the clothes look like. An online shopping element has been added recently, but this is just accessories.

Some brands happily display their wares, attractively photographer, but stop there. Many of the classic shoemakers do this. Edward Green, for example, will take you through a small number of shoe models. But there is little beyond a short biography to give you a sense of what Edward Green is or what it stands for.

You may argue that this suits Edward Green – simple, modest. But even a display of the major lasts, or of the elements of shoe quality, would help (both of which you have been able to get at various times as leaflets in the shop). And luxury brands suffer from the same problem – Dunhill.com is dull, pedestrian, communicating nothing of its rich history and philosophy to those shoppers who are not within easy reach of a store.

The fact is, a modern brand’s website needs both these things – stock and philosophy. Just like in a store, I need to be able to see the merchandise easily, attractively, and get a sense of the brand. The designers of luxury goods stores spend a lot of money making sure the décor, the staff, the mannequins and everything else in a shop tells the customer what this brand is, what it stands for.

Because they are just brands. More and more today these companies are simply brands that one associates with a package of images, ideas and aspirations. To make them unique, to make sure people know the difference between Canali and Corneliani, to make sure they know why John Lobb shoes cost so much more than Gucci, to make sure no one thinks Sartoriani is a Savile Row tailor, each one has to differentiate in every way they can. And websites are one of the most important ways to do this – particularly today, when brands want to reach out to consumers scattered across the world.

You need to be able to browse a website, like you do a shop. Gucci is quite good, with videos and runway shows. But Hermes is the best in my opinion. Go to Hermes.com and click on the on-line boutique to brose products, or travel the world of Hermes to browse the brand. It makes Hermes seem unique, playful, luxurious. All brands need a site like this you can browse.