Ralph Lauren Spring Sale?

Last Wednesday was very exciting. I got an email from my pal Ralph Lauren, informing me there was to be a “private sale” over the following five days – May 15 to May 19. In my experience these private sales mean that the items in the store are on sale, but not marked as such. The sales assistants will reluctantly admit that there is a sale, if pushed (see this posting).

The email promised 40% of most lines, and an extra 20% off on the Thursday. I had bought a pair of Purple Label monk-front shoes at a similar discount a year ago, and they are the most comfortable thing I have ever worn, including slippers and trainers (the Purple Label is made by Edward Green – see this posting). So I was beginning to get excited.

When I turned up on the Thursday, there were no sales signs up. No surprise there. No discounts on the price tags. Again, not unexpected. But when I asked a sales assistant which lines were on sale, he denied all knowledge of it. Given previous experience, I asked a more senior assistant, showing him the print-out of the email. This produced a sigh.

“That sale is only at stores in the US sir, and online,” he said.
“And the online sales are only available for US delivery, is that right?” I asked.
“Yes. We were going to have a spring sale here as well, but that’s been shifted back to June. Management upstairs will be pleased to know this went out to everyone, not just those on the US mailing list. I’ll go tell them now.”

Off he stomped to deliver the bad news. As I turned round I saw someone else walk into the store, clutching a print-out of the same email. I felt a little sorry for the staff. They were going to have a long day.

So, no sale for me. But you heard it here first – there will be a private sale at Ralph Lauren in the UK in mid-June. I couldn’t get them to confirm a date, but there aren’t many weekends in mid-June – my money’s on June 14/15. Also, if any US readers went to this sale on the May weekend, can you report back on what the discounts were? If I remember from last time, there was 40% off Polo and Black Label, 50% off Purple Label.

On a separate point, an article in The Times here last week predicted record discounts this summer, as stores struggle to get cash out of us before the whole world goes into recession. The sales can only be more extreme in the US. So start saving now.

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Filling the Hole in Menswear Retail

When I fantasise about winning the lottery (which is more often than is probably healthy) I wonder what I would do with my time, what small bookshop or café I would set up, to potter about in, spending the day obsessing about having the “right” clientele and making a small loss year after year.

I’ve decided now I would create a menswear shop to fill a hole in the market. Much like my desire to find or create the perfect magazine, this shop may not prove economically viable. But then if I’ve won the lottery that wouldn’t matter.

Here’s my business plan. All the suits would be made in Hong Kong by my current tailor and the facilities he uses. I can get a decent suit from him for around £150, but given that I would become a bulk customer, and I could offer him some share in the profits of the enterprise, I’m sure this amount could be negotiated down to nearer £100.

The shop would emphasise fit above all. To that end, it would carry a limited ready-to-wear line, but one with odd chest fittings as well as even – 39, 41 and 43 as well as 38, 40 and 42 – and with unfinished sleeves and trousers. The customer would pay a small surcharge on top of the suit price to have the sleeves and trousers finished for him to the correct lengths. He would also be encouraged to have the waist adjusted. All these adjustments would be done by a tailor on site, and priced at cost. If the suit costs me £100, I would hope to do this for under £200, with all the costs and overheads taken into consideration.

The ability to have a more accurate chest and shoulder measurement, and other parts of the suit adjusted cheaply, would mean that this ready-to-wear line would fit better than almost any other.

I am aware that most shops only carry even chest measurements because it is more costly and inefficient to carry them all. I would compensate slightly by narrowing the range available – perhaps going from 37 to 43 inches. Other retails outlets have to carry a wider range given their wider clientele, but the racks are always filled with 46 inch chest suits at the end of a sale. I would hopefully avoid that.

More than half the business would come from bespoke clothing – measured by the tailor in London (I might even do a little training myself in order to be able to measure customers accurately) and made in Hong Kong. Given that suits out there are turned around in less than a week, the whole process for a customer in London would not take more than two weeks.

The suit that arrives in London would be unfinished, to enable something approaching a second fitting with the customer in London. Also, all suits, particularly ready-to-wear, would be made with excess material in the jacket to allow for easy adjustments.

If the priority of the shop is fit, the second priority would be individuality. The ready-to-wear line would only include a handful of identical suits, perhaps one in each of the sizes. Each small group would vary from the others by the materials, linings and buttons, making each almost unique to that customer.

This really would be personal tailoring – unique and individually adjusted.

The shop of course would be a haven for the sartorially minded. It would include a small library of rare Apparel Arts issues and a seating area with free espresso for those who fancy hanging out, browsing the glen plaid swatches and considering their next purchase. There would likely be a shop tie and individual pattern of check, available only to the best customers.

These are more superficial considerations. But I think the business plan could work, and the shop would certainly be unique. As with my considerations on a new menswear magazine, if anyone has the money and the courage to help me launch something, do say!

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Environmentally Conscious Timekeeping

I am a watch guy; not dedicated to one particular style or maker, my tastes run the gamut. Vintage, brand new, elegant complications or chunky dive watches; I like them all. I have become a bit of an evangelist about one thing though – I think people should wear mechanical watches or watches that don’t need traditional batteries, if any.

With all the talk about going green, we should each take along hard look at ourselves; at our wrists, specifically. Are you still wearing one of those battery powered timekeepers? Well, shame on you. Just think about what it takes to manufacture, ship, store, replace and throw out millions of those little batteries each year. It’s enough to make a Swiss master watchmaker cry.

These days we have some great high-tech and low-tech options for marking time in an environmentally friendly fashion. Mechanical watches in particular have made a big comeback in recent years and they are the perfect investment if you’re looking for something to pass down to your kids. You can find quality mechanical timepieces in a range of prices, from $500 to $50,000.

Leaving aside the $25,000.00 Patek Philippe that most of us will not be acquiring in the near future, there are many affordable mechanical watches that will last a lifetime and remain stylish through most any trend.

The Rolex Submariner is a classic sports watch and at around $5,500.00, while not exactly cheap, it is a possible choice for many professionals. If you are looking for one “good” watch, you can’t go wrong with at Submariner. A very affordable alternative is the $375.00 Seiko “Orange Monster.” Yes, I said Seiko; watch aficionados know that they make some of the most reliable mechanical movements in the dive industry and the Orange Monster has its own cult following.

Want microsecond accuracy without having to shake your wrist? Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology transforms your watch into a big solar collector. The watch’s face and crystal absorb all types of light and convert it into the energy that runs your watch indefinitely. One of the most popular is the Citizen Skyhawk Black Eagle which lists around $475.00. It’s tough enough that no one will make fun of your social consciousness.

If you’re a fan of the unstoppable Jack Bauer from the TV action drama “24”, check out a favorite of mine, the Blackhawk by MTM. This is the very one Jack wears and it has a cool illumination feature that can be used to signal commandos, blind an assailant or just track down your car keys. The company’s revolutionary rechargeable lithium ion battery is good for 10 years and the watch needs only an overnight recharge every three months or so to keep it running strong. And don’t worry; the Secret Service and Delta Force have already tested it for you, so it’ll survive a rough afternoon on the back nine.

These are just a few of the hundreds of watches that can help you look sharp, telegraph your values and interests, and take a small but important step to reducing you personal carbon footprint. They also give you an excuse to add to your own collection.

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How to Buy Luxury: Hermes

There is a saying that the most luxurious items you own will probably be those you wear least. While I can see why this may be the case (your black tie, patent shoes and dress studs are unlikely to be cheap) it is depressing.

I have always liked a little touch of luxury. But I am at heart a cheap man. So I go to every effort to eschew this rule and buy quality items that I will use frequently. The principle can apply to, for example, a work bag that you use almost every day. To your luggage. To one dark brown belt and probably one dark brown pair of leather oxfords.

If you are going to buy a luxurious suit, why not make it a mid-grey flannel one with two pairs of trousers? The jacket will always be useful to wear with odd trousers, even jeans (normal, worsted suit jackets never look right in this regard). And the flannel trousers themselves are the standard for odd, patterned jackets.

My latest discovery in this spirit is a reversible Hermes tie. Obviously, an Hermes tie is an aspirational item. But the printed variety never really appealed to me – there’s something about a grown businessman wearing flamingos on his tie that smacks of infantilism rather than elegance.

But this one, found in the Sloane Street store, is knitted silk. Most importantly, it is reversible. Twice. The two blades are of identical width, and each has one colour on either side. The brand offers various colour permutations, but the most practical – and the one I ended up buying – is black/grey/light blue/dark blue (see picture).

These are surely the four most useful solid ties a man can have. And while you can’t wear a knitted tie on more formal occasions, these are fewer and further between today. I end up wearing this tie once or twice a week, which is a lot considering that I don’t wear a tie every day.

It’s satisfying wearing something luxurious so often. As Will on asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com is fond of saying, the real value of an item is its price divided by the number of times it is worn, plus some multiplier for the pleasure it engenders in the wearer. Which makes this Hermes tie, despite being twice the price of any other tie I have ever bought, pretty good value.

(One last tip – if this sounds like a good idea then try and find the line of ties in duty free. I bought mine in Heathrow airport, and saving 17.5% softens the impact on the bank balance a little.)

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One Thing: The Lightweight Macintosh

As things warm up here in the nation’s capital and spring weather becomes the norm, I like to put away the cold weather clothes and get ready for the new season. Even though I won’t need the heavy barn jackets and top coats, there is one piece of outerwear that stays in the front hall closet – my lightweight macintosh.

A good raincoat is a wardrobe staple for every man. It keeps the water off your back and, if you chose wisely, will impart a certain film noir-like finesse to your movements. But rain protection in warmer months requires a specific type of raincoat. Lighter and shorter are the code words for a warm weather macintosh. The lightweight mac quickly becomes a fashion accessory on those days when the rain may be spotty but you still have to wear it around town, waiting for the few drops that will justify your wardrobe choice.

As opposed to the typical double breasted trench coat models that anonymously roam the rain soaked streets, a macintosh will give you a bit more of a modern swagger. Named after the inventor of the first waterproof raincoat, Charles Macintosh, this style of rain coat is often single breasted, unbelted and knee length.

This coat’s classic design makes it just right for when you’re dressed up, dressed down or just want a little James Bond appeal. Because of its inherently versatile nature, pretty much anyone can carry off a lightweight macintosh. It also travels well, which is another key criterion for justifying a major wardrobe investment. Traditional khaki colors ranging from light stone to British tan work best. For a more urban feel, try navy and black.

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