An Exercise in Etro

Following the last post on Italian house Etro, here is some pictorial analysis of my fascination.

As much as Etro’s originality and quality can inspire, it is often the catwalk combinations that galvanise me. Take the first image above – a pale grey suit with purple waistcoat and coordinating tie, shirt, handkerchief. Now, as a whole this is too much. Some people might be able to get away with it – perhaps Italian eccentrics who happen to be heir to an automobile fortune. I can’t.

But like much that is thrown down the runway, it is not supposed to be copied. It is supposed to inspire. I have a sweater in a dark purple from Reiss. Up till now I have only worn it with navy suits or jackets. Perhaps I will try it with a pale grey – even brown, which this suit seems to tend towards.

Equally, I would have thought the colour too dark to be worn with brown shoes; yet it works well here. And the twist of the yellow belt: perhaps too much, but it does remind me of the contrasting colours (one primary colour’s contrast is the mix of the other two – so, yellow’s is purple).

The handkerchief is too showy and I don’t like the pattern. I don’t particularly like the tie or shirt either, certainly not together. But a similar suit tone with a purple sweater, perhaps over a blue-and-white striped shirt? That could work. And yellow would be good as an accent, in a handkerchief or even a belt as here.

The image and its colours inspire in a way that is rare in menswear.

The second image above points out how well rusty reds work with brown, though I’d never go for that tie or shirt.

The third is all about combinations of pattern. The suit, sweater, shirt, tie and handkerchief all have different patterns. But they work because the wide stripes of the sweater (and its strong outline) separate the suit and shirt/tie. Equally, the tie and shirt are a similar enough density of pattern to fit well together and to slip into the background. The colours (except for that yellow belt again) are not that extraordinary, but the patterns take it to another level. I wouldn’t wear it all, but it inspires.

The next image shows how well bright colours can go together if they are balanced (either the tie or the trousers on their own would stand out too much).

The penultimate combination demonstrates balancing the strong pattern of a suit with plain, background colours elsewhere.

And the yellow sweater just seems to work here. Perhaps it’s the implied yellow in the green-tinge trousers and vest, I’m not sure.

During this same season, Fall 2007, Calvin Klein was displaying grey tonic suits, with the occasional bright yellow. Armani had quilted vests and collarless shirts, but was basically black and blue. Both seem not only dull but unsophisticated compared to the density of colour at an Etro show.

Have a flick through the previous few years’ Fall collections at Etro. Try and ignore 2007’s floppy yellow hat. The rest might just inspire you.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

I Love Etro

About two years ago I walked down a narrow street in London to visit a tailor that had been recommended to me.

I rang a buzzer on the street, which echoed somewhere on the second floor. After a couple of minutes I was buzzed up, out of the drizzle, and was led up a tightly spiralling staircase.

The tailor’s space was unassuming and sparsely furnished. But as I stood there being measured (to have a jacket taken in, having lost a little weight) I noticed a few brilliant suits among the racks of clothes lining the walls.

One Prince-of-Wales suit had a lively yet subtle lime-green stripe through it, with delicate, shell-like buttons. Another in navy had a light blue chalk stripe, wider than average but also fainter.

When I asked the tailor where they were from she came over a little glazed and pointed at a bag in the corner. Over a brown, swirling paisley was emblazoned the Etro logo – on a bright orange background, naturally.

“Oh, such beautiful suits,” she said. “When you have to take them apart every day you see. So beautifully put together.” She brought over a cashmere jacket with a check that reminded one of children’s crayons. “You see? Look at the lining and the canvassing!” I don’t know a lot about the structure of a suit now, and I knew less then. But the enthusiasm in her eyes was enough.

The tailor was Atelier Colpani (15 Avery Row, London W1K 4BF, and recommended), which does all the adjustments for Etro’s London store at 14 Old Bond Street. And that day my fascination with the Italian, family-run label began.

Now, Etro is a little quirky. You probably gathered that from the earlier descriptions of unusual suits. But there are consistently jewels in every collection, and many are conservative enough to suit anyone.

I own and treasure two Etro suits, one of which is that lime-green plaid. The belt I have in their signature paisley is probably my single favourite thing. But Etro can also be wide of the mark. Last year’s summer collection featured a rather unconvincing pirates theme. And a shirt with a pizza printed on the front. This summer’s Etropicalia theme concentrates on unusual weaves with every different material from raffia to straw. It also has too many suits with flowers printed on the back.

But when the Etro family get it right, you realise quite how dull every Armani, Gucci and Boss you’ve ever seen is. Those boring grey tonic suits, or the announcements of a new line from Giorgio with – shock – higher notched lapels.

You wouldn’t wear Etro head to foot. Or I wouldn’t. And you won’t like at least half of the stock. But the pieces you do like will truly be a breath of fresh air.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Tips on Stuffing a Handkerchief

As a follow up to my last posting, here are some tips on stuffing a handkerchief.

The golden rule: a silk handkerchief should always look as though it is in use, though this is patently not the case. It should be casual, and not appear overprepared or constructed. If you are lucky this may counterbalance the fact that you are wearing one. And no one else is.

The easiest way to achieve this casualness is to hold the handkerchief in the centre, let the four ends drop, and stuff that centre into the bottom of the pocket, letting the points poke out of the top. If the points poke out further than desired, try folding over the other end an inch or two first.

If you prefer a rounded finish to a handkerchief (and it does look rather less outspoken) then reverse the process. Gather the four corners together, perhaps fold them over an inch or two as above, and then stuff into the pocket so the centre protrudes. This may also be useful if you wish to display the centre pattern, rather than a differently coloured border.

The other alternative is a mixture of these two, gathering the four corners and then folding the length in half. That way both the centre and the corners protrude, with the centre acting effectively as a fifth point. The disadvantage of this stuff is that there is no handkerchief at the bottom of the pocket and, unless the pocket is tight, it may slip down during the day.

I would also recommend trying a no-nonsense stuff, particularly if you feel the other suggestions don’t work. Push the handkerchief into the pocket. If the protrusion at the top is too large, fold the excess silk back into the pocket and behind the handkerchief. This rarely results in the same display twice.

Finally, the second golden rule: always go for casual. Don’t over-think it and, whatever you do, don’t adjust it constantly. There’s nothing worse that someone fiddling with a pocket hankie, drawing more attention to an already unusual decoration. Clothes should look, to quote Hardy Amies, as if you had forgotten all about them.

Cotton handkerchiefs are different. Some of these pointers apply, others don’t; more on the folding options for a cotton handkerchief at another time. As to which you should wear, though, bear in mind that a silk tie or handkerchief works well because of its contrast in texture, between the rough wool of a suit and the smoothness of silk. Silk therefore goes best with most suits, particularly flannel. Some modern worsted suits reverse this relationship: they are so smooth that cotton or even wool is more of a contrast.

(Remember the philosophy of Permanent Style though: you don’t need to follow the guidelines, it’s just worth being aware of why they are there. If you wear a wool tie or handkerchief with a sports jacket it might get lost because of the lack of contrast. A silk tie with a shiny suit might be too much. But then you might want that.)

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

The Handkerchief as Tie

Men rarely get to wear silk without appearing foppish.

So it’s a shame that so many decline to wear a tie. It is pretty much the only opportunity a man has to decorate himself with a length of patterned silk.

Some prefer not to wear a tie because it seems uncomfortable. Others because they associate it with school or with dull, office work (the ‘noose of the Man’). Still others dislike wearing one because it appears too formal – in an old office of mine the appearance of someone in a tie was always greeted with the question “got a meeting today?”

Now if wearing a tie is uncomfortable, your shirt is probably too small. But there’s nothing to be done about the psychological scars of school days or a hatred of the Man. I would suggest instead the addition of a silk handkerchief in your breast pocket.

A good guideline for wearing a handkerchief is to think of its colour in the same way as you would that of a tie or a shirt. If it is there for background, for reinforcement but not to catch the eye, then go for a plain colour picked out from the rest of the outfit – blue or white from your blue or white shirt, for example. This is nearly always the best option if you are also wearing a tie, but may also be useful if you already have a surfeit of pattern elsewhere.

The alternative is to treat the handkerchief as a tie. This is where it gets fun. Select your blue serge suit and a pale blue shirt, and then pick out a handkerchief with the same colour harmonies in mind as with a tie. A burnt orange pattern might go well, or perhaps a dark, paisley purple. Pale green can go well with the right tone of blue, and a patterned burgundy will look smart.

If you feel conformist one morning, opt for a sharp white cotton square. If you’re feeling a little crazy, select a pink foulard handkerchief, overflowing from the breast pocket.

The handkerchief is the replacement for the tie. It is the same opportunity for decoration, shifted across your body and stuffed in a pocket.

Your neck is free and it’s unlikely you look like a schoolboy; yet you have retained that avenue of expression. You look smart, perhaps even more conservative; yet you can still wear silk.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment