How cordovan is made, at Horween tannery, Chicago
Why should you care about a factory visit? Why care what the place is like where something is made - compared to say, the quality of it or how to wear it? Does it matter whether the place is clean or dirty, old or new? What the atmosphere is like,...
How cordovan is made, at Horween tannery, Chicago
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I'd go with the Alden, personally. I love that model, and great with jeans...
Yves Salomon: re-using, remodelling fur
Following our discussion before Christmas about waste in the clothing industry, I was interested to learn about the remodelling and re-use of fur at Yves Salomon. Yves Salomon is one of the best fur workshops in the world. Based in Paris, it makes c...
Yves Salomon: re-using, remodelling fur
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Impressed that you had this done for under 300Eur. I was inspired by this post and went to a furrier in NYC to have a mink liner made for a gabardine coat. Cost: $1200 including the second-hand mink and labor....
Frank Clegg, Fall River: Factory visit
It’s not hard to spot an old mill town. Mills were large buildings and needed lots of light. In Britain, this often came in through so-called sawtooth roofs: a zig-zag shape that allowed windows to be placed in the top of the building, bringin...
Frank Clegg, Fall River: Factory visit
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Hey Sajeer, That's an old Drake's one. I'd suggest looking at Colhay's for a good range...
Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...
Samuel Gassmann Last week I was in Paris for two days, catching up with old friends and artisans, and seeing a few new ones. One of the most interesting things was an interview with Lyne Cohen Solal, the new head of the Institut National Metiers d&r...
Paris: Lafayette Saltiel, Kenjiro Suzuki, Atelier...
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I think Kenjiro Suzuki has closed his business. His instagram is down, and I came by the shop the other day, it was closed at 11am....
Ring Jacket, Japan – Factory visit
Given Japan’s reputation for quality and craft - particularly in denim and bespoke menswear - it would be natural to assume its suit manufacturing was of the same level. But until recently, most factories in Japan produced at a fairly low qual...
Ring Jacket, Japan – Factory visit
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The Armoury was never exactly the agent for RJ in Europe, as it was done by Taiwa, which no longer exists....
The Dunhill archive
As 'heritage' has become more popular in recent years, brands have increasingly emphasised their longevity, their history and their traditions. This has several issues. Most obviously, the brands that push this hardest often have the least to shout...
The Dunhill archive
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Over the years I've bought a number of pieces from Dunhill and enjoyed them. That said, my experience of them since their acquisition by the Richemont Group has been at best, variable. There seems to be a lack of consist...
Johnston’s of Elgin: Factory visit
The following is an extract from my book Best of British: The Stories Behind Britain’s Iconic Brands , published by Prestel. Dedicated copies are available to buy here – Johnstons of Elgin It has survived two world wars. It has survived ...
Johnston’s of Elgin: Factory visit
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Johnston's of Elgin are simply the best! That's why I have entrusted to them the making of the new 'Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Khaki' Tartan for T E, 'Lawrence of Arabia' available soon in cashmere and lambs wool....
Sheep to shop – Private White in Manchester
This is a nice little video by Private White VC, the superb British brand and manufacturer. It’s heavy on atmosphere rather than craft details, but there’s a lot in there readers will identify with. It also reminds me how stark...
Sheep to shop – Private White in Manchester
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Ha. I write pieces for the Rake that I like - I don't think it really matters what I think about the rest of it...
Barbour: Factory and repairs
Barbour is not quite the level of craft or quality that we normally feature on Permanent Style. However, rather like US brand Filson that we covered recently, they deserve mention for the beautiful way they age and their commitment to service and r...
Barbour: Factory and repairs
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Hey Spencer, I think it depends on the style you want, especially the length. If it's going over a taiored jacket ever, I'd actually say a Border (or of course our Wax Walker to upgrade). But of those two I prefer the Be...
Quality, embroidery and mechanisation – at ...
The video above shows the key aspect of quality control at most weaving houses. Workers quickly scan the cloth for faults, then either snip off the stray end or – much more laboriously – manually reweave the thread back in. The...
Quality, embroidery and mechanisation – at ...
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It's true, though a huge amount of it is the inertia of labour force...
Begg & Co: luxury scarves, Ayr
Begg & Co is not in the most prepossessing location. Ayr is far from a glamorous location anyway, but the factory itself is down a side street, opposite several blocks of council flats. Still, that’s often the way with British fac...
Begg & Co: luxury scarves, Ayr
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Ah, ok thanks...
How a Mackintosh is made
How is a Mackintosh made? With an odd, perhaps appealingly simple process: cut out pieces of bonded cotton and stick them together with blobs of glue, using your fingers. A few weeks ago Luke and I visited one of the two Mackintosh factories. This ...
How a Mackintosh is made
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Trying to find a source for khaki rubberized fabric to make a small run of WW2 replica foul-weather uniform bits. Anyone know the name of the mill in Oldham they mentioned int he article?...
Robert Noble mill, Peebles
We visited Robert Noble in Scotland last month on the strength of its archive. But while that was impressive, perhaps more interesting was the company’s history and perspective as a mill weaving almost exclusively for RTW brands. Robert Noble...
Robert Noble mill, Peebles
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Hi Eva, Yes, there are lots. I'd suggest you start with the Guide to Tweed article. And then look at mills such as Abraham Moon....
The inside line: Gaziano & Girling in How to...
It has been a year since I began my column with How to Spend It looking at value in menswear. Nice as it was, we had covered most of the basics – so the editors and I decided recently to change tack. The new column, The inside track, wil...
The inside line: Gaziano & Girling in How to...
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Sorry. My bad. Harrow it is....
John Smedley: the factory
Last week I visited the John Smedley factory in Matlock, and it has quickly become my favourite anywhere. The oldest factory in the world still in production, it is nestled in between Derbyshire hills, with a babbling brook (the Lea) running through ...
John Smedley: the factory
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Dear Luke, would it be possible to use your pictures of John Smedley for our display. We are a little store selling John Smedley. If yes, it would be great to have get them in higher resolution. Best regards Peter...
Barbour video: the factory and the aftercare
I love this video made in the Barbour factory and the homes of some of its long-term customers. Barbours are great for patination – a fancy word for ‘dirt’ in this case – and I didn’t realise how much...
Barbour video: the factory and the aftercare
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My father bought me one when I was sent off to school. I grew out of it and my brother adopted it, and then two cousins did the same. I have had the same one I purchased while at uni fifteen years ago, and it feels even ...
Alfred Sargent factory
I was recently contacted by photographer Steve Lancefield, who is in the process of visiting various British factories and took these of the Alfred Sargent factory in Rushden, Northampton. I’ve visited many in Northampton myself, but never ...
Alfred Sargent factory
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You might think they would, but I live in Northampton, and the answer is no. Most of the factories have factory shops where one may buy heavily discounted unsold stock (substandard, or sample shoes etc) but most of the c...
Corgi: The machines
There are three types of knitting machines at Corgi: old, domestic models; double-bed machines; and single-bed machines. All require hand framing – that is, the worker must pull the carriage up and down by hand. The domestic machines are whit...
Corgi: The machines
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I used to own a small handflat knitting firm,and was taught how to knit at 14 mainly to earn a bit of pocket money .We used mainly 4gge universal or 4.5 gge Dubied's and also 2.5 gge, my mum and dads knitwear firm also h...
Corgi: Factory visit
Corgi is a lovely little company, just outside Swansea in south Wales. It’s been around since 1893 and has the Prince of Wales’s royal warrant. But, more importantly, it’s one of only a few companies left in the UK doing hand-framed...
Corgi: Factory visit
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Corgi tend not to make to the same fineness, but they do some great thicker socks, and some great hand-framed pieces too - or at least they did when I was there...
Fox Flannel: Factory visit
When you approach the town of Wellington over a rolling Somerset hill, you are greeted by a row of chimneys silhouetted against the horizon. This is the outline of the old Fox Brothers facilities, which at its peak employed over 5000 people and prett...
Fox Flannel: Factory visit
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Sure. They've been covered a fair bit as the producers of pieces I've had made, and as featured in our pop-up shops. But another factory visit would be nice at some point. Let me know if you need links to those pieces...
Postcard from Spirano
At Bresciani today, in Spirano just outside Bergamo. Lovely socks, and some nice sheep too. They’ll be the socks chapter of my upcoming book. More photos on www.andybarnham.com
Postcard from Spirano
At Bresciani today, in Spirano just outside Bergamo. Lovely socks, and some nice sheep too. They’ll be the socks chapter of my upcoming book. More photos on www.andybarnham.com...
Postcard from Switzerland
In Coldrerio and Mendrisio, Switzerland, today to visit Zimmerli underwear. That’s the cloth being cut in Mendrisio. Zimmerli will be included in The Finest Menswear in the World as the producer of the best underwear. More photos on www.a...
Postcard from Switzerland
In Coldrerio and Mendrisio, Switzerland, today to visit Zimmerli underwear. That’s the cloth being cut in Mendrisio. Zimmerli will be included in The Finest Menswear in the World as the producer of the best underwear. ...
Postcard from Quarona
Quality control that resembles an odd art installation at Loro Piana’s knitwear facility in Sillavengo, down the road from the Quarona headquarters. In the area this week for three chapters in my next book: The Finest Menswear in the World....
Postcard from Quarona
Quality control that resembles an odd art installation at Loro Piana’s knitwear facility in Sillavengo, down the road from the Quarona headquarters. In the area this week for three chapters in my next book: The Finest ...
Hawick, Vanners and Robert Noble – Duchamp ...
Good friend Eric Musgrave – author of Sharp Suits among other things – has got a great job, going around the country making films of all the factories where Duchamp has its products made. It’s almost as good as my excuse...
Hawick, Vanners and Robert Noble – Duchamp ...
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No, unfortunately not...
Breanish Tweed: Unique luxury
Breanish Tweed has all the hallmarks of a Harris tweed weaver: old single-width looms stored in draughty sheds; decades of experience in hand weaving; a stunning but hostile location that constantly reminds one of tweed’s insulating properties....
Breanish Tweed: Unique luxury
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Terrific post. This is the kind of detail on specific topics that keep me reading your blog regularly. Thank you. Very much looking forward to the book!...
