About two years after the project was first discussed, and a year after I finished writing the thing, my first book is finally out. It is part of a series of books called ‘Le Snob’, with expert views on such hedonistic hobbies as whisky, cigars, champagne, lingerie and tailoring (with only the latter being written by me).

It is being published in a handful of countries, with Germany coming first (out now, in German, on www.amazon.de) and the UK and Australia coming in August.

Le Snob: Tailoring is a small, pocket-sized guide to all aspects of buying suits, from finding quality ready-to-wear to selecting cloth for a bespoke linen jacket. It covers having suits altered, the advantages of made-to-measure and tips on visiting a proper tailor for the first time.

I’m also glad to say there are personal contributions from many of tailoring’s leading lights, including Pat Murphy from Huntsman, John Hitchcock of Anderson & Sheppard, Antonio de Matteis from Kiton, Patrick Grant and Michael Drake. In a ‘Words from the Wise’ section in each chapter, they give their advice on cloth, colour combinations and standing naturally when you’re being measured.

There are chapters on style icons, black tie, maintenance, and something brief on accessories. There is also a short glossary and a list of recommended tailors around the world.

For those that are regular readers of this blog, much of the information may be familiar. And it is not as comprehensive as Flusser’s Dressing the Man. But it is, I hope, a good introduction to those wanting to explore the world of tailoring for the first time.

I hope you like it. I would say look out for number two, but that’s only just been started and it might be another couple of years before it sees the light of day.