Cheaney Shoes x Tengri Mongolian Yak Hair Collection
Tengri is a London-based design house which emphasises craftsmanship and sustainability while supporting groups like the Mongolian herders whose Khangai Mountain yaks supply the hair used in the manufacture of these shoes made in collaboration with Cheaney Shoes of Northamptonshire.
I met Tengri's founder, Nancy Johnston, to see the collection, which will be limited to 150 pairs. The shoes are undyed leather which can be stained if required. I rather liked the cream undyed finish and would probably retain that to wear them (perhaps with a linen suit or blazer) over the summer and then have them custom stained by their in-house patina artist (which can be done at extra cost) for winter use.
The yak hair replaces the cork in the midsole of these brogues and is also used to cushion the insoles. I tried the insoles in an ordinary pair of brogues and noticed the comfort that the springy yak hair brings to the design. Khangai Yak hair has extraordinary qualities of insulation and odour resistance as it has to keep the animals comfortable in temperatures plunging between -40 and +40 Celsius. Each animal is combed to produce only some 100g of hair seasonally. See the video below for more information.
The Vibram Gumlite soles add additional comfort and grip. Nancy was inspired by fell running shoes and certainly what she's achieved here are some stylish and practical brogues that could be used (as indeed were the original brogues) for walking across rough mountains and moorland. If they're right for that, they certainly work on our rock-hard city pavements. The soles not only make the shoes lighter than a traditionally made pair of brogues, but also add a contemporary touch to a heritage design.
The three shoe (brogue, brogue boot and Chelsea boots) collection is made in Britain and starts at £800 and £50 from each sale goes to Mongolian conservation. Some may baulk at this price, but given the rarity of the materials, the exclusivity of the collection (only 150 made) and the quality of the manufacture, it stands up well to many designer-name shoes made to far lesser standards. This is a genuine luxury British-made item.
Contact Cheaney/Tengri or, alternatively, go to Tengri to find out more or to pre-order.
This is an unsponsored feature. via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/cheaney-shoes-x-tengri-mongolian-yak.html April 14, 2019 at 07:07PM
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Watch Style 3: Glashütte Original Sixties
The Glashütte Original Vintage Collection includes some beautiful Sixties watches with brightly coloured dials. Last year's had an emerald green dial, this year's a beautiful black-red-orange, almost pumpkin, dial. I had to borrow one for my Watch Style series and here it is, worn with a Fair Isle jumper - here, in styling the watch, I'm complementing colour with colour.
The fiery orange lacquer dial has a beauty and depth to its crackle finish that has to be seen in the flesh to be appreciated. The reverse has a display back showing an exquisitely finished calibre 39-52 automatic movement made entirely in-house. Price £5,200.
Links
I wrote about my visit to Glashütte Original here.
For more information go to the Glashütte Original website here.
This is an unsponsored post. The watch was borrowed for the review. All views are mine alone.
via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/watch-style-3-glashutte-original-sixties.html April 12, 2019 at 06:08PM
How Long Should My Suit Jacket Sleeves Be?
An important element of a good looking suit is fit. Here we explain the proper suit jacket sleeve length so you can ensure you're looking sharp. The post How Long Should My Suit Jacket Sleeves Be? appeared first on The Compass. Via Fashion http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/how-long-should-my-suit-jacket-sleeves.html April 12, 2019 at 12:08PM
Flax London's Linen Railway Jacket: An Offer to Readers
I've introduced you to Flax London on Instagram but, inexplicably, haven't yet spoken about this young brand here on the blog. As their name suggests, they manufacture (here in the UK) clothing made from linen, a product of the flax plant. Having started out by selling with shirts, they are this week launching pre-orders for their Railway Jacket that comes in heavy textured linen in three colours - and followers of this blog are offered a generous discount on pre-orders for a limited time (see below).
Overshirt, work jacket or unbelted safari? The Railway Jacket fills all these roles. As you can see from the pictures below, I've tried it in all three colours, pale green (really cream with a slight pistachio tinge), navy blue and red. I will give details of their outstanding quality and construction on Grey Fox Blog Instagram (please follow me there). They are beautifully made (in North London), with some nice details, from 500gsm (15oz) 100% Irish linen.
I'm wearing a brand new medium in the images and the fit is excellent. Linen has the property of softening with wear and improving in looks. The heavier weight (by which I mean heavier than shirt cloth) linen gives the jacket great versatility for all but chilly weather. Linen's comfort, breathability and attractively textured appearance makes it useful for both both casual and formal wear: try it with a linen shirt and chinos, t-shirt and jeans or tailored trousers and a tie (I'll be wearing it that way).
Flax London's Railway Jackets will have a retail cost of £235. However, Flax London are offering Grey Fox readers a 15% discount on pre-orders until 16th April 2019 (discounted cost £199.75). Discount code FLAXGFB at Flax London's website. Pre-ordered jackets will be delivered during the first week of May.
Note: I was sent a jacket for review and am uncompensated for this post. I support selected young British brands like Flax London at my own expense. You can, if you wish, support Grey Fox Blog by contributing through Paypal greyfoxblogATgmailDOTcom
via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/flax-londons-linen-railway-jacket-offer.html April 08, 2019 at 06:00PM
Bremont: A Visit to a British Watchmaker
Bremont Watches seem to have been around forever, but were founded by Giles and Nick English in 2002. The two brothers, aviation mad, fuelled by a love of making things and the untimely death of their father in an air accident in 1995, decided that their interest lay in mechanical watches.
Today, Bremont is based in Henley in Oxfordshire and is investing heavily in a large facility which will open next year. This will be the base to further an ambition to revive the British watch industry by making movements of their own. I recently visited and was shown round by Giles English.
It's often forgotten that the British watch industry led the world. It was here in the seventeenth century that Harrison developed the first accurate marine chronometer and by 1800 some half of the world's watches were made in the UK. The last mass-produced English watches were made in Cheltenham by Smiths Watches and you can still pick up a good quality Smiths watch, containing an English-made movement, for a couple of hundred pounds.
Today only a few small, specialist watchmakers are making movements from scratch in this country. A larger number assemble watches from imported Swiss, Japanese and Chinese movements and parts. To bring back an industry making large numbers of movements is a huge undertaking involving major investment in reviving watchmaking skills (which take years to acquire) and buying the latest machinery to enable watch parts to be engineered to tiny tolerances. Despite the challenges, Bremont are up for it, as I found out when I met Giles English in Henley.
Bremont already make some of their own components and I saw watch cases being made on hi-tech tools which accurately cut and shape the highest quality steel. Alongside this, developmental work is being carried out to manufacture the first movements will form the basis of their high-end watch production in a few years time. A modern state of the art building will be completed next year to house all the facilities now in different locations around Henley and where watches are at present designed, assembled, repaired, serviced and some parts manufactured from scratch.
It's quite clear that very serious investment indeed is being put into this effort. But an ambition like this requires more to succeed. Talking to Giles English I was struck by his passion and determination to revive the English watchmaking industry. The singleminded resolve of the English brothers will, I am sure, drive this dream to success. In so doing Bremont will be bringing skills and jobs not only to Henley on Thames but also, who knows, laying the foundations and skills needed for a wider return to the glorious days of British watchmaking.
Bremont recently launched a military-inspired collection of watches (see above) designed in collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence. Borrowing from the simple and robust designs of military timepieces of the forties to sixties, they carry the symbols of the three armed forces.
See the Bremont website for more information.
Click here for a feature on a Bremont Endurance watch which I used on a trip to Antarctica.
NOTE: Supporting Grey Fox Blog: This feature is unsponsored. I incurred travel and other costs which I funded from my own pocket. As this blog is not a commercial enterprise I welcome contributions through Paypal on greyfoxblogATgmailDOTcom - many thanks.
Via Fashion http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/bremont-visit-to-british-watchmaker.html April 06, 2019 at 02:21AM
What To Wear Under a Dress Shirt — Our Guide to Undershirts
It may not seem important, but adding an undershirt under your dress shirt is going to help you both look better and feel better. Don't believe us? Well, here are the two main reasons you should be wearing an undershirt beneath your dress shirts. The post What To Wear Under a Dress Shirt — Our Guide to Undershirts appeared first on The Compass. Via Fashion http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/what-to-wear-under-dress-shirt-our.html April 05, 2019 at 02:21PM
Billy Tannery Goat Leather Brief Case
I first mentioned Billy Tannery on the blog nearly two years ago when they launched on Kickstarter to create a tannery to make leather from goat hides which were otherwise going to waste as a by-product of the meat industry. Their bags and sneakers have introduced many of us to the supple, robust delights of kid leather and their recently introduced brief case makes good use of this attractive leather.
Made in Somerset, the brief case is 40cm wide by 30cm deep (plus the handle) and it really benefits from the soft and nicely textured goat leather. Accessible through a wide opening with a copper zip, the interior will hold a 15" laptop (sorry to be mixing unites of measurement here) and has been well-designed with cotton padding and several zipped or open pockets for all the all you need. Outside is a pocket for a phone or notebook and a pair of robust bridle leather handles.
Over the years I've tried many bags as part of my blogging life. Most are fine for the job, but a few stand out as being perfectly designed for the job. It's these that become the grab-and-go choice if I'm going out for the day. The Billy Tannery brief case is perfect for those days when you just need to take a few items and I find I'm using it now for most of my visits to town. It will take a mid-sized camera, my pens and notebooks, something to read and an iPad and still leave room for a tweed cap and pair of gloves in the winter.
Priced at £450 and available in black or chestnut, it's competing with many similar products at lesser prices. But it has to be remembered that this is a beautifully designed British product made from the best kid leather which has been been produced sustainably here in the UK. Nobody has been underpaid, the bag hasn't been flown around half the world to get here, you're not going to see everyone else using one and it will outlive you. Compared to many lesser quality products with international designer names stamped on them, this is a shrewd buy.
I was sent a brief case for review but was not compensated for this feature. All views are mine alone.
via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/billy-tannery-goat-leather-brief-case.html April 03, 2019 at 08:21PM
Presidential suite views. @grandhotelriverpark...
Presidential suite views. via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/04/presidential-suite-views.html April 01, 2019 at 09:56AM
Alistair-R Jewellery Cuff Links
In an era when many jewellers outdo each other to create increasingly outrageous novelty cuff links, it's refreshing to find a more classic approach. I was recently sent these beautiful agate cuff links by Robbie Wright of Alistair-R Jewellery who contacted me to introduce me to his products.
Robbie told me the thinking behind his brand:
"The keys influences were: 1. A set of 1920’s 18ct gold and moonstone dress studs and cufflinks given to my grandfather and later passed on to me; sowing the seed of a desire to create jewellery of simple, elegant and timeless quality. 2. A boyish enthusiasm for collecting natural artefacts and beautiful stones in my native Wiltshire 3. An awareness that the mid market for men’s jewellery appeared dominated by themes of novelty, technology and metal - and those of more classical design tended to be chunky and have a manufactured look. Pieces of classical elegance were hard to come by other than in antique jewellery outlets and then only rarely. After 8 years of training and experimentation in my lapidary and silver workshop I launched a range of 40 cufflinks in late 2016".Robbie makes cufflinks in a variety of designs - all, as he says, of a classically refined nature. Prices from around £150. See Alistair-R website here. I was sent the cuff links to try. This is an unpaid feature. All views are mine alone. Via Fashion http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/03/alistair-r-jewellery-cuff-links.html March 31, 2019 at 05:54PM
What do you guys think? Rate 1-100 #outfit #outfitoftheday...
What do you guys think? #outfit #outfitoftheday #photography #photooftheday #sport #jeans #shoes #streetstyle #fashion #style #art #me #likeforfollow #likeforlikes #instadaily #blackandwhite #followme #cute #follower #instagood #happy #studio #model #haircut #hairstyle #work #passion #instagood #gentleman Via Fashion http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://franciscomperez.blogspot.com/2019/03/what-do-you-guys-think-rate-1-100.html March 31, 2019 at 09:54AM |