Paris: A sartorial shopping guide – 2019 up...
There are some interesting things going on in French menswear. Although France has generally been the poor cousin to Britain and Italy here, in the last 30 years it seemed to get worse. Most of the good shops closed (Old England, Arnys) and accordin...
Paris: A sartorial shopping guide – 2019 up...
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Hey Mo, I would be suspicious about bespoke at that price point, yes. To be honest, I think you're better off going for really good MTM at that price, rather than risking bespoke and it not turning out as you expected. I...
My Corthays – colours, issues and pleasures
I've always had a problem with Corthay shoes. Not so much the style - while many of the designs and colours are too brash for me, I've consistently found interesting light and dark browns to keep me interested. No, the big issue has been the last ...
My Corthays – colours, issues and pleasures
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It's been more comfortable, but to be honest no, they haven't become part of my regular rotation....
Clothing is not important
Perhaps the thing that makes me happiest about writing Permanent Style is when it kindles a love of clothing in readers. Men come up to me in the street, or at events, with a twinkle in their eye that says they have discovered the pleasures of goo...
Clothing is not important
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Why don't you think style is important Gus? You mean compared to bigger things like poverty, human rights, climate change?...
Change your laces
Laces are to a shoe what buttons are to a jacket. Often ignored, but with a disproportionate important effect on the overall look. The most attractive buttons, for me, are always matte horn with a touch of contrast in their colouring. They produc...
Change your laces
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That might be ok, but keep them the same thickness as the sneaker laces - thin ones would look out of proportion...
Bespoke shoes event: the speakers
Pierre Corthay Well, you asked for more pictures… First, the speakers. Tony Gaziano Tommaso Melani Phillip Car Norman Vilalta John Carnera Dean Girling Andy Murphy
Bespoke shoes event: the speakers
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1. Partly, I'm fairly well into my career and earn decent money now - I couldn't have afforded anywhere near as much 10 years ago. And partly, prioritisation. I know people (particularly women) who buy even more clothing...
Biggest month ever
Last month was our biggest ever on Permanent Style, with just over 330,000 pageviews on the site. Of course, numbers only mean so much – it is the quality of the readers that counts. So I’d like to say thank you to every last, b...
Biggest month ever
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Thanks P. Pieces actually coming very soon on Edward. Hopefully I cover quite a few tailors without any PRs - Chittleborough, the three Spanish ones, pretty much all the Italians except Rubinacci etc. But yes could do mo...
Pierre with his Fender
Pierre Corthay takes around an hour every day to play guitar. Impressive dedication, given the pressures on a growing company. But then there’s something about shoemakers – as I’ve mentioned before – that oft...
Pierre with his Fender
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Pierre should discover the works of Steven Severin. Impressive bassist with the Banshees....
Bespoke is the future
During a sunny, late lunch in Madrid last month, Norman Vilalta and I spent some time talking about his experiments with new materials, and ideas on working with high-technology companies like Nike. It occurred to me that one of the reasons I enjoy...
Bespoke is the future
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I completely agree. The only other thing to say is that almost anything can be a luxury. It's just a question of choice. A night of drinking in London at £5 a pint is also a luxury......
Five tips on bespoke shoes
I do like it when readers suggest posts. You feel you’re fulfilling a need. Two weeks ago, on Five Tips on Bespoke Suits, a reader requested a similar post on bespoke shoes, so here it is. 1 Be conservative I know it’s the same as the f...
Five tips on bespoke shoes
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Absolutely Lindsay, there's lots of coverage around the site. Perhaps start with the post 'The bespoke shoemakers I have known' https://www.permanentstyle.com/2014/10/the-shoemakers-i-have-known.html...
A bespoke tour of Paris – Corthay, Cifonell...
Read my one-day guide to bespoke operators in Paris in the latest article for Essence Lifestyle. Pictured, Pierre Corthay in typically playful mood.
A bespoke tour of Paris – Corthay, Cifonell...
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Your beautiful photos conjure memorable prose: "The French term for window shopping is 'leche-vitrines'--licking the plate glass. This requires perfect leisure, and our breakfast had used up most of the morning. Still we...
The art of shoemakers
Wall art from Corthay in Paris. I never tire of talking to Pierre about his creative endeavours, or his collection of the endeavours of others. In fact it’s interesting how much more creative bespoke shoemakers are, in general, than their t...
The art of shoemakers
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RTW yes, but not bespoke. I like them, but prefer G&G and EG...
Me in Dartmoor; Michael in suede; Thomas joins G&...
These photos were taken at the Gieves party for Rose Callahan’s book I Am Dandy last week. Michael ( Browne, Chittleborough & Morgan) and I were rather underdressed, perhaps deliberately so, for an evening of fops and costume drama. Mi...
Me in Dartmoor; Michael in suede; Thomas joins G&...
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much obliged Simon. A...
Hidetaka Fukaya, Il Micio
Hidetaka Fukaya, also known by his nickname Il Micio, is as much artist as artisan. Shoemakers tend to divide into two groups: those that are primarily driven by the artistic side of their work and those that are motivated principally by th...
Hidetaka Fukaya, Il Micio
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According to me specially my taste your are one of the best quality shoe and very remarkable...
Postcard from Paris
In Paris this week visiting all the big tailors, interviewing Jean Grimbert of Arnys and looking at slightly odd watch straps. Look out for posts over the next few weeks. Below, my Wilfrids from Pierre Corthay (slightly dusty from the Tuileries Garde...
Postcard from Paris
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A humble pair from Corthay....
Leffot shoes: New York is hooked
My first visit in New York was, naturally, to the shoe store Leffot. When I was in New York four years ago, I stumbled across Steven Taffel’s new shop the month it opened. At that point you couldn’t get half the brands that he stocked &nd...
Leffot shoes: New York is hooked
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Thanks Simon...
Pierre Corthay, London glaçage evening
I had a lovely evening last week at the first of Corthay’s glaçage events – that’s a high polish to you and me. Myself and three Frenchmen, quietly polishing our Corthays and getting tips on technique from maitre patineur, ...
Pierre Corthay, London glaçage evening
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Surely "maître patineur" is a masterful skater? skating is difficult to master, but probably not much use for shoe polishing. Agreed that the title has a great ring about it, though....
Welcome Hugo Jacomet, Parisian gentleman
At last, after many rounds of correspondence by email, Hugo and I had a chance to meet at Anderson & Sheppard last week. Hugo was over in London for a couple of days, touring the Savile Row houses for the purposes of his own excellent blog P...
Welcome Hugo Jacomet, Parisian gentleman
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Give me the A&S shoulders and silhouette any day....
Expansion and melting shoes at Corthay
Pierre Corthay’s little atelier is growing, with a bigger space for ready to wear, an office across the courtyard and a new home for the workshop just across the hall. Add to that the underground caverns that house the lastmaking and last stora...
Expansion and melting shoes at Corthay
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Wow, amazing works of art!...
Leffot: A sign of US shoe trends
In New York this week, and I popped in to see my good friend Steven Taffel, founder of Leffot – far and away the best shoe store in the city. In fact probably anywhere in the US outside Hawaii (the competition there being Leather Soul). Since S...
Leffot: A sign of US shoe trends
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I just purchased a pair of Alden Indy’s here in Honolulu from a nice guy, Matthew from Leather Soul. So far, so good:-) I also have a pair of 1908 Centennial Red Wings. I’m glad I have both....
Sporty, monochrome wedding
Here’s a thought on wedding attire. It’s not really traditional and it doesn’t really fit with the rules. In that sense I suppose it is a way to break the rules. Anyway. I’ve written before how the default attire at a wedding ...
Sporty, monochrome wedding
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Permanent Style in French and Russian
Permanent Style has expanded its reach to other languages, with articles on the site translated into both French and Russian for a foreign audience. This week Hugo, who blogs at Parisian Gentleman, translated my interview with Patrick Grant of Norton...
Permanent Style in French and Russian
Permanent Style has expanded its reach to other languages, with articles on the site translated into both French and Russian for a foreign audience. This week Hugo, who blogs at Parisian Gentleman, translated my intervie...
A few new gems at Leffot
Leffot, the shoe store I described as “a gem in New York” almost a year ago now, is going from strength to strength. Back then it had only been open a month and was still finding its feet. Now it is expanding its offering (quite impressiv...
A few new gems at Leffot
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When I saw this it made me want to go out and buy five pairs of shoes immediately....
