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Why Did Tom Wolfe Wear a White Suit?

April 24, 2025 by Ville Raivio

Today’s interesting piece leads to TIME magazine’s archives where Tom Wolfe still roams free and holds sway in his own words. For the very busy, very short of concentration, here is the quotation which says it all:

“Q. Does it bother you to be called a ‘dandy’?

A. Not at all. Writers, whether they want to admit it or not, are in the business of calling attention to themselves. My own taste is counter-bohemian. My white suits came about by accident. I had a white suit made that was too hot for summer, so I wore it in December. I found that it really irritated people — I had hit upon this harmless form of aggression!”

There is no reason to stop here, though, as the piece has links to several old interviews which shed more light on the suit that reflects all back.

https://time.com/5278215/tom-wolfe-white-suits/

Category Dandyism, Reading, Society, Suits

An Interview with Shirtmaker James MacAuslan from Hume London

April 15, 2025 by Ville Raivio

VR: Your age and occupation?

JM: 35, bespoke shirtmaker/founder of Hume London (a bespoke tailoring business) /co-founder of Quailors (a community of LGBTQ tailors to improve representation and support young talent in the industry).

VR: Your educational background?

JM: I first studied at London College of Fashion before going on to study bespoke tailoring at Newham College. I then learned my trade as an apprentice at Budd Shirtmakers, where I worked for 14 years before setting up Hume London.

VR: Have you any children or spouse (and how do they relate to your artisanal passion)?

JM: My husband is an interior designer, we challenge and inspire each other creatively everyday.

VR: …and your parent’s and siblings’ reactions back when you decided to become a shirtmaker?

JM: My parents are very keen on clothes, and always used to take me with them shopping; my dad is a customer of Anderson and Sheppard, a Savile Row tailor, so I was brought up surrounded by beautiful garments.

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

JM: I love art and the passion you find in a brush stroke. I am a keen swimmer, I find gliding through the water very calming.

VR: How did you first become interested in shirts, and when did you turn your eyes to bespoke work? Why classic models instead of fashion?

JM: I knew I wanted to work in the clothing business, and at the London College of Fashion I quickly realised my real interest was not in the rapidly changing, seasonal world of couture but in making, and figuring out how things are put together. I followed that passion to the best place to learn about making high quality classic garments – to Savile Row.

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

JM: The best place to learn a craft is by watching and doing it, making mistakes, and learning from them. I learned most of what I know from my time at Budd Shirtmakers, but since setting up Quailors I have met a broad range of tailors from many different skill sets (stage costume, film costume, couture, and more) with whom we share our knowledge and expand our skills. I also love looking back at the development of shirt making over the decades, I find you can learn so much from what has gone before.

VR: How would you describe the “House Style” of Hume shirts?

JM: Being a bespoke house the “House Style” is more a suggestion than a fixed thing, but in terms of a classic shirt it lands somewhere between traditional and contemporary. I love working with a customer to discover what really suits them and reflects their personality. I am known for my silk shirts of which I have a range of exclusive colours. I like to think my shirts are born out of craftsmanship but are always alive to contemporary influences.

VR: Do you have a favourite collar model and fabric weaver?

JM: My Cassius collar is my favourite, a long spear point, a very sexy, ’70s style collar. I love working with Alumo fabrics as they do the best quality cottons that are always lovely to work with.

VR: There are several fine shirtmakers in England — why should my readers try you ?

JM: There are only a few of us who still do the cutting and making ourselves and I can count on two hands the number of us trained the traditional way, and I would like to think we all do a good job. Someone might choose me because I have many years of experience, it is my passion to make the best I can for the client.

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

JM: One that lasts 10 years or so when looked after properly. It’s all about a balance, small neat stitches but not so small it ends up ripping the fabric, a neat, sharp point on the collars but not over worked. I try to incorporate hand work into my shirts where I can without it affecting the lifespan of the shirt.

VR: Who or what inspires you?

JM: A great many things inspire me: brands with personality inspire me professionally such as Maximillian Mogg, S.S Daley and Husbands Paris. A lot of my work is inspired by fine art portraiture. I am always looking at what people on the street wear and get inspired by trying to figure out why they chose that outfit or garment.

VR: Finally, what’s the benefit of bespoke shirts over very well made MTM-shirts?

JM: With bespoke the options are endless; as long as I understand what you require, I can do it. I am not constrained by a computer system limited to its programming for economic efficiency, I will do anything so long as it’s physically possible. Not to sound un-modest but if I can’t do it, no one can!

www.hume-london.co.uk

Category Interviews, Shirtmakers

Collar Shirt Details with Shirtmaker Wil Whiting

April 15, 2025 by Ville Raivio

Category Shirtmakers, Videos

An Interview with Bespoke Shoemaker Adam Law

March 19, 2025 by Ville Raivio

VR: Your age and occupation?

AL: I’m 43, a shoemaker, and I’m running my own business.

VR: Your educational background?

AL: I took a foundation diploma in Art and Design, then went on to study Fashion and Textiles at Brighton University.

VR: Do you have children or a spouse, and how do they relate to your shoe enthusiasm?

AL: I’ve got two daughters, 12 and 9. I’m divorced but in a happy relationship now—nearly three years together. My kids think what I do is boring. They reckon my shoes should be more colourful, more exciting. Maybe they’re right—maybe the market does want rainbows and stars on bespoke shoes.

VR: How did your parents and siblings react when you decided to become a shoemaker?

AL: My dad worked at Sheerness Docks, and my mum was disabled and so a housewife. I have an older brother who studied maths and is now working in banking. Creativity wasn’t really a thing in our house, so I had to figure it all out myself. But they were proud I found something I loved, even if they didn’t fully understand it.

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

AL: Painting, music, and generally getting obsessed with things. I’ll fixate on a song, a film, or an artist and just disappear into it. The way a painter uses a brushstroke to suggest something instead of spelling it out—that’s magic. I try to bring that same energy to shoemaking. Less is more. How can I be conservative with my knife cuts and get it to flow seamlessly, effortlessly?

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

AL: It all started during university. I did a sandwich degree, so my third year was spent doing work experience. I ended up at Paul Harnden Shoemakers, and that was my first real taste of shoemaking—it stuck. When I went back for my final year, I told my tutors I was focusing on shoes. They weren’t happy, but it didn’t matter—I knew what I wanted to do.

As for why classic shoes instead of fashion? Classic is rebellious in its own way. It’s about doing something so well that it doesn’t need to change.

VR: How did you acquire your knowledge of the craft—through books, in-house training, workshops, or something else?

AL: After graduating, my first job was working on leather interiors for Rolls-Royce—nearly two years making the Phantom. Beautiful work, but every car was the same, just in a different colour. So I left, intent on getting into shoemaking. I moved to London and spent six months knocking on doors before I got offered a place to train at G.J. Cleverley. I stayed there for nearly 17 years, learning the art of bespoke shoemaking the old-school way.

I learned by watching, by doing, by cutting things apart to see how they were made. Learning the details that make a shoe last decades instead of just seasons. I’ve read a lot of books, but books can’t teach you how leather moves, how it breathes. You have to feel it.

VR: How would you describe the house style of Adam Law Footwear?

AL: Right now, I make traditionally built English shoes—classic, but never boring. I’m also working on designs that reflect more of me—shoes with character, with a bit of soul.

VR: Do you have a favorite shoe model and leather type?

AL: I don’t have a favourite model—what I love is when a shoe just works for the person wearing it. That moment when they put it on, and you can tell it’s theirs. That’s the best part. For myself, I live in Chelsea boots. Easy to wear, comfortable, and a great way to show off toe shape and leather quality.

VR: There are several fine shoemakers in England. Why should my readers try you?

AL: If you want to order from a company where you’re just another name in the book, I’m not your guy. If you want someone who actually listens, who takes the time to understand what you want, then we’ll get along just fine.

Shoemaking is a relationship. The first pair is just the beginning. Each one after that gets better because we learn more about what works for you. It’s a process, and it should be fun. I want you to love wearing your shoes, not just admire them from a shelf.

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

AL: Longevity. Fit. A shoe you actually want to wear, not just something that looks good in a box. A well-made shoe lasts, but more importantly, it lives—creases in all the right places, molds to your foot, gets better with age.

VR: Who or what inspires you?

AL: Anything and everything. Paintings, music, film, food. I collect records—I love Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine, ESG, Liquid Liquid. Post-punk, no-wave, rare gems nobody knows.

I remember the first time I saw Pulp Fiction—it blew my mind. The way Tarantino plays with structure, the way the dialogue crackles. The way an old piece of furniture has been worn down by a hundred years of use. The way a single brushstroke can suggest an entire figure. That’s the stuff that gets me. The details.

VR: Finally, what, in your view, is a British shoe? How does it differ from a handmade French, German, or Italian shoe?

AL: A British shoe is solid, structured, and built to last—welted, refined. French shoes have a similar construction but tend to have rich patina finishes. Italian shoes normally look longer, narrower, flashier—usually Blake-stitched, which makes them lighter but not as durable. German shoes tend to be Heavy-duty, double-stitched, built like tanks.

British shoes have that balance—elegance, but with substance. That’s what I make.

www.adamlawshoemaker.com

Pictures: Adam Law

Category Cordwainers, Footwear, Interviews

Pukimo Raivio: Men’s Used Quality Clothing and Tailoring

February 16, 2025 by Ville Raivio

My long-time readers must have noticed the lack of updates. There have been no laurels to rest on, rest assured, as I’ve set up a company and a web store called Pukimo Raivio. The store has finally been translated into English and I ship inside the EU currently. My store’s premise is simple: very good tailoring interests enough men, but remains costly and with limited availability. Buying them used solves many obstacles. I’ve been at it for myself for some 17 years now, so it was high time to serve others.

Pukimo Raivio, or Clothier Raivio, is a web store which specialises in men’s high quality, traditional clothing. This means no skinny cuts, bum jackets or pieces made in dubious factories. European makers are favoured as well as full canvas jackets and suits. The company has no retail space or high expenses, so the prices can be kept low. The range varies according to what I find used or what my readers list on their sales accounts. All clothes are cleaned with a steamer, trousers pressed, shirts washed, and so on, before listing.