Kirby Allison’s Hanger Project: The Olden Days

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January 30, 2022 by Ville Raivio

Just a little snippet featured in a men’s magazine from years back, showing the style of The Hanger Project’s older advertisements. A hung-dinger, if you may.


A Short List of Men’s Vintage Reproduction Companies

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January 27, 2022 by Ville Raivio

I’ve recently developed a case of vintage clothing-fixation. As with most things in life, there is a rub. Few pieces from the 1920s and 1930s, which I most admire, have remained and most of those clothes have not survived in great condition. To top this off, most men in that period were much shorter and slimmer than today. The most convenient way, then, of getting some good pieces in hand are reproductions. The rub with this route is that few companies offer them. Out of those, several have opted for poor materials or modernised too much. Thus, I’ve been searching for the best kind of makers and offer a short list today.

Darcy Clothing

Darcy is not named after that heart throb character but after the lady who founded the company in 2004. They offer a wide range of repro designs and have plenty of business from theatres and film production companies. Well, at least had before this whole thing with the Corona. DC is a boon for the man who wants to wear detachable collar shirts.

 

Oldfield Outfitters

Oldfield was founded in 2009 and has a special focus in British menswear from the 1920s to 1940s. Their pieces are made from British cloths in the UK, mostly using authentic patterns from the heydays. Such dedication leads to higher prices than what most repro companies ask for. The selection is small and true to the times.

 

Cousin Jack

Cousin Jack is a small range of men’s clothing made by the parent company 20th Century Clothiers which runs several companies. Currently they offer a few models of fishtail back trousers, always difficult to find, as well as collar shirts. These are peppered with a small selection of accessories. Here’s hoping that they find enough customers to widen the range.

 

Simon James Cathcart

SJC was founded by its namesake in 2013 and offers a wide range of clothing from head to toe. Produced in limited numbers, many pieces are snatched by long time fans when a new batch of goodies are added. Mostly manufactured in Asia, Cathcart has recently had new designs made in the UK from British cloths. All designs look the part from the 1920s onwards and some pieces are made from fabrics made only for the company. Many use original patterns. That’s dedication.

 

Pike Brothers

Pike Brothers was originally a small English tailoring company that went defunct in the 1960s. After half a century, one Fabian Jedlitschka found an old uniform made by the Pikes for the American army. He was struck by the piece so much that he decided to start designing similar pieces with his wife, Anna Schäfer. Today, Pike Brothers is a German company that designs a wide range of clothes using original patterns. The manufacturing takes place in Portugal and Turkey, and cloths are woven in Portugal, Turkey, Germany and Japan. The oldest repro pieces hearken back to the first decade of the 1900s, while most designs are from the ’30s to ’60s. Pike is devoted to denim and workwear and gruff vests, so there’s a special place in their heart for Rock’n’Rollers and bikers. Army repro is another popular offering. Still, there’s always some pieces that suit the tailored chap as well.

 

Chester Cordite

Chester Cordite has poor info about the company on its site. Still, their suits and shirts and jackets have that wonderful vintage look, and are apparently made in England. The company was founded by Stuart Emmerton who runs things with a sharp eye. Regrettably, several shirts and suits use polyester mix materials so it’s best to read closely all item descriptions. The cuts are mostly inspired by the 1930s and 1940s. The company has supplied repro clothing for several theatre productions.

 

Thomas Farthing

Thomas Farthing was founded in 2012 by Adam Skyner and Thomas Russell, and the owners have a soft spot for the 1920s to ’40s. The collection is large from head to toe and all pieces are made in the UK or EU. TF specialises in tweed clothing and most of their range is made according to house designs. While caps and accessories and shirts mostly look the part, I feel that the cuts of several of their jackets would need some tweaking to match that ’20s to ’30s look.


Thomas Mahon: 30 Years of Cutting and Tailoring

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January 27, 2022 by Ville Raivio

Few artisans share stories of tailoring as naturally as Thomas Mahon. This piece is one hour well spent for anyone with an interest in British crafts.


Simon James Cathcart in Quote

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January 16, 2022 by Ville Raivio

“The issue for me is that young people are at a stage of freedom in their youth to experiment and to explore life in all shapes and forms before they get old. For the past 100 years this was expected of them, yet they are for the most part wearing very basic, dull and predictable clothing. What ever happened to rebellion, to expression, to being yourself? The lack of thought behind what the young in London are wearing is staggering – it is like The Matrix where they are being spoon fed nylon and rubber. It’s as if they are prisoners in their own overbranded clothing – overly sensitive to others in a critical and aggressive way and underscoring in style and courage so badly.”

– Simon James Cathcart


An Interview with Shoemaker Karol Stanios

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September 25, 2021 by Ville Raivio

VR: Your age and occupation?

KS: I’m 36 and I run a workshop in Krakow, where one can order bespoke handmade shoes crafted solely by me.

VR: Your educational background?

KS: If I were to do a job connected with my educational background, I would be a car mechanic now. I have never worked in this profession, though, as I got into the hobby of shoemaking, which then became my chosen job.

VR: Have you any children or spouse (and how do they relate to your shoe enthusiasm)? How about your parent’s and siblings’ reactions back when you decided to become a shoemaker?

KS: I’ve got a lovely wife, Monika. It’s because of her that I still do this job. My wife is always there for me, she supports my decisions and believes in me when I’m too critical of my work. When it comes to the rest of my family, making traditional, hand made shoes is such an unusual activity that it took some time for my loved ones to get used to it. However, now, when they praise my achievements, it is truly rewarding.

VR: What other hobbies or passions do you have besides footwear?

KS: Besides spending hours designing and crafting footwear, I try to find some time for cardboard modelling of Japanese fleet, and also road cycling. Shoemaking and cardboard modelling have something in common: unique shapes, impeccable proportions and a high degree of workmanship. Still, it’s easier to find time for road cycling than modelling since I go to work by bike almost every day.

VR: How did you first become interested in shoes, and when did you turn your eyes towards artisanal shoemaking? Why classic models instead of fashion?

KS: It started with a Slavic re-enactment group. Back then, we didn’t have any shops that would supply craft products and replicas of items from a chosen time period. Consequently, we had no other choice but to simply make everything by hand, including shoes. With every pair, my skills got better and better and there was this hunger for knowledge, so I read every book on shoe design that could be found. I got hooked and began to make replicas of more complex, and therefore more interesting, footwear from various periods and eventually also modern shoes. I strongly believe it was that path which lead me to choose classical, elegant footwear as my field. Natural materials, leather uppers and hand-sewn soles, that’s the traditional way of making shoes, and we should cherish tradition, shouldn’t we? Also, the methods of making elegant footwear are more precise, detail-oriented and that’s an asset. Such intricate craftsmanship gives me a good degree of job satisfaction and a lot of opportunities to grow.

VR: How have you gathered your knowledge of the craft — from books, in-house training, workshops or somewhere else?

KS: It took me 8 years and, in fact, I am constantly learning. The difference is that now it’s about little details and not making milestones, as it used to be. In the beginning, I was learning from old books on shoemaking, and then I spent hours and hours looking for more details on the Internet. I gained practical knowledge on my own, without apprenticeship. In retrospect, I feel that it took longer than it could have but this way was quite good too. Thanks to that, I have developed my own style.

VR: How would you describe the “House Style” of Stanios shoes?

KS: What I love about shoes are finesse, neatness and elegance, and that is why I make shoes with a fiddleback waist. It makes them look unique, weightless and sleek. That is the essence of my style. Moreover, the shape of a heel, cut diagonally, beautifully harmonizes with the fiddleback waist. Finally, shoes made in my workshop are easily recognizable for their very good fit and they look as good on a foot as they do on a last.

VR: Do you have a favourite shoe model (eg. monk, derby, oxford, balmoral boot) and leather type?

KS: Two models of shoes are my favourites, the first one is a full brogue oxford in cognac shade and the second is a seamless oxford wholecut. With wholecut shoes, the colour is not that important since it’s all about the shape of the shoe which is not disrupted by anything, so the main focus is the shape itself. Apart from favourite models, what should be mentioned is leather. I enjoy working on the best materials, so I choose d’Annonay, Weinheimer, Zonta, Horween, Rendenach, and Baker. Thanks to them, each pair of shoes looks luxurious.

VR: There are several fine shoemakers in Poland — why should my readers try you?

KS: I reckon it’s good to have footwear from various workshops. Every shoemaker has their own style, their own way of conveying classic beauty and elegance. What’s more, I believe both the shoemaker and the customer can benefit from sharing their previous experience as then the most beautiful and unique footwear can be created.

My style is different from most European studios. It took me many years to refine a fiddleback waist, which I consider to be the biggest asset of the shoes made in my workshop. On top of that, they are made entirely by me, so I design them, make shoe lasts, sew the uppers, form leather heels, and then put everything together to make a shoe. When a client places an order, they can be sure that it is made solely by an experienced shoemaker, who has spent hours of painstaking work on their unique pair of shoes.

VR: What is your definition of a well-made shoe?

KS: When it comes to the structure, all the parts that are not visible once the shoe is ready, so a well-made insole, proper heel counter, and a well-balanced centre of gravity are the most important aspects. On the other hand, from a visual point of view, I can say that shoes are well-made if, after a long while, I see a client wearing them and I still like them. Thanks to such moments, I know that it was worth devoting those hours and demanding more of myself.

VR: Who or what inspires you?

KS: I’ve mentioned one word a few times in this interview and  it’s ‘shape’. Mastering it, following the lines that complement each other, forming refined curves, that’s what drives me every day.

VR: Finally, would you say that Polish shoemakers have a style of their own, or is the work close to German or British shoemaking?

KS: Polish craftsmanship draws from the same sources as Austrian or English ones, so their work may seem similar. However, as I said before, each studio has its own style that a trained eye can easily notice.

www.stanios.pl




Copyright © 2013 Ville Raivio





Pukimo Raivio.

Only a beautiful life is worth living.


"If John Bull turns around to look at you, you are not well dressed; but either too stiff, too tight, or too fashionable".

Pukimo Raivio.
~ Beau Brummell

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