Two events to detail today.
First, a competition is running this week to win a collection of menswear items - featuring ourselves, Leffot, Optimo, Frank Clegg and The Hanger Project. I don't normally take part in these promotions, but it's a really nice collection of brands.
The prizes are a collection of vouchers, bags and signed books - all details on the dedicated page here. Closing date is the 9th.
You need to sign up to one of the mailing lists to enter, whether that's a newsletter, a YouTube account or an Instagram account. One entry for every sign up.
Separately, I'm contributing a collection of shoes and clothes to a Pre-Worn Sale, taking place in the Fox Brothers shop on Savile Row this week.
Kicking off tomorrow, the sale will include clothes from myself, James Girdwood, Douglas Cordeaux and other friends. I will have a few pairs of shoes, a handful of jackets and suits, plus some knitwear and Japanese denim.
Some are new, but most are lightly worn. Discounts are around 65%-70% of retail value - though with bespoke things, it's more like 90%.
For those that are interested, my tailoring will fit between a 38 and 40-inch chest, the jeans (Full Count, Kapital) vary from 31 to 33-inch waist, and the shoes are around 8.5/9 in size (42/43).
Others are a little bigger and a little smaller, so there should be a good range.
The sale will run until December 15th, and I'll be popping in most days.
If only I worked nearby!!!
What is the background to the Pre-Worn Sale? I assumed it was going to be a charitable event but you don’t mention anything of it and therefore is it just liquidating some assets?
Hey. No, it’s aim is to give a better home to things that we love but never wear. See comment reply below.
Having talked about I think we’re going to tie up with the Shelter event actually. Thanks for the suggestion
Sounds interesting. Which charity are the prceeeds going to out of interest?
Thanks Leonard. They’re not – the aim is to pass on things we love but never wear to others, to give them a better home. Hence reductions are very large – it’s not about raising money. I’ll be involved in a separate event on the Row raising money for Shelter later later this month with the opposite aim.
If its not about raising money for you or the other providers of clothes then why not donate the net proceeds to a charity?
We just hadn’t thought about it to be honest, but talking about it now I think it would be really good to tie up with the other Shelter event on the Row. We’ll plan to do that
Why should they have to? It can be part of Simon’s business model to sell what he commissioned for us to read about.
They don’t *have* to . But given the great wealth of Mayfair juxtaposed with the large number of homeless people you see around Mayfair/Piccadilly – I think it’s a nice idea.
Daniel, that new angle makes it a nice idea indeed; but why should the buyer expects the seller to finance it all? After all, buyers will be getting bargain prices, if they want generousity out of it, they are welcome to give part of their saving of the evening to those homeless people or to whichever local charitable organization.
Let us not also forget we are all getting Simon’s input for free.
Interesting to know -> which bespoke pieces did you chose for the Pre-Worn Sale.
I suppose some Graham Browne stuff. What else?
My Kiton suit in the pale grey; an old Vergallo houndstooth-check jacket that I really like but just never, never wear; my Brian Manning suit; a Timothy Everest which again is a lovely make but I picked the wrong cloth.
Tried on that Timothy Everest jacket today, Simon ?. Lovely piece but just a tad too small across the shoulders for me.
Damn
Is there anyway to participate in the preworn sale online or over the phone?
No, sorry
I’d like to swing by before work, what time will it open?
11 I’m afraid
A good idea but all a bit last minute? Re. the wardrobe sell-off, rather than expecting readers to trek into London to view why not place some tantalising morsels on the site so that we can see what might be on offer? I suggest this as this time of year we all get a bit pressured for time…
Partly because sizing will be such an issue. Given much of it is bespoke, and there’s only one size in anything
A shame, seeming each of your measurements described is an exact match for mine. London is a bit of a distance to travel just to see if there is anything I am interested in.
Hi Simon,
This is a great initiative! Encouraging to know that you’re never short of good ideas!
John
Hi Simon, I live in Los Angeles and therefore have very little access to great tailors. I recently had a traditional sport coat made by Henry Poole, and was wondering if they would be appropriate to make me a summer travel wool/silk/linen unstructured sport coat ? My only other option would be MTM from zegna or the like. I appreciate your advice on this matter.
It’s not the kind of thing I’d recommend getting from an English tailor to be honest. You want a southern Italian really
Hi Simon,
Why not sell your pre-owned items on the website? It’ll give everyone a fair chance to purchase these items given a majority of your readers are international and have lusted after most of your commissions. I’m guessing you do pay for a majority of them, so you’re not obligated to donate anything to a charity. The money raised could go into other things you might want to buy and write about, which will keep the website going.
Regards,
Joe
Hi Simon. Sounds a great idea. Also quite right to keep it simple, just a pop-in if one can make it.
Also it’s a good cause too (however you shouldn’t feel compelled to do so) .
Looking forward to a post on winter coats at some point.
All the best.
Hi Simon, could you please share the address?
Of the sale? 37 Savile Row
it simply amazes me that anybody would be interested in buying somebody else’s clothes.
Surely it’s no different to buying vintage clothing?
Picked up a lovely Vergallo houndstooth jacket at the sale yesterday for less than a hundred quid. Getting it altered and dry cleaned – make that another 150£ max.
All in that’s less than what gets sold RTW , for a lovely piece of clothing and cloth that has a good many years life in it left.
It simply amazes me that one would prefer either paying multiples, or buying ‘fast fashion’ that just adds to landfills and waste a few months later?
Taking time and real effort to make a good post. Cool! Thank you for sharing this post.
Simon
Given your last RTW shoe post was years ago I am afraid I am posting here… Foster & Son RTW oxfords? Worth a go? Looking for some black shoes for wedding and need some advice! C&J are only ok (the handgrade are all quite pointy…) As you won’t have a morning suit post in time for me (I don’t think????) then some advice here is very much wanted!
Very best
No worries.
Foster’s RTW is all made by other English factories as far as I know – used to be Crocketts and Cheaney, though that’s probably out of date now.
So yes, worth a go and will be similar value/quality to other English makers around the same price.
Hello Simon,
for those living abroad, what about offering items which don’t need to be tried on, such as bags for instance, on your website?
Cheers
Yes that would a good idea, perhaps next time. Most things went to walk-in people on day one though. And part of the reason we can do it in the Fox space is because they want people coming into the shop