Just a quick note to readers that WW Chan is in town later this week, from the 25th to the 27th, as part of another Armoury trunk show at The Rook & Raven gallery, 8 Rathbone Place.
Although Chan has been around since the 1950s, they have developed significantly in recent years to become more than just the well-made, well-priced British-style garments that they built their name on. Lighter constructions, a trimmer silhouette and a shirt-shoulder option have been introduced by Hong Kong head cutter Patrick Chu – though the latter are made with less excess at the top of the sleeve than most Italians.
On the opposite end of the shoulder spectrum, Chan roped shoulders have also been popular with the guys at the Armoury. Ethan is wearing one on his Chan suit below, while Mark at top has a shirt-shoulder. Although I haven’t tried Chan myself, I have seen the work and have no hesitation in recommending it. It’s great value.
Prices start at £1000. Contact for appointments is [email protected] Chan is in the UK three times a year. Also in attendance at The Armoury this week will be Nackymade bespoke glasses and Carmina MTO shoes.
Dear Simon
I was lucky enough to make it to the Armoury Trunk Show on Thursday but could not get my head around it. The Armoury staff were very pleasant indeed, the champagne flowed but what was the real purpose of the show i asked myself.
My friend i went with wanted to know more about the Knacky glasses but he was no where to be seen when we decided to ask for assistance. We were told after being there about an hour – oh he has just left.
There was no-one there to discuss fabrics, techniques and the shoe display, although lovely was once again unsupervised.
Everyone i spoke to was asking ‘i wonder how much the shoes are’ and ‘can the glasses be done like – and like that’. A real missed opportunity for whomever shelled out to pay for the venue which could not have been cheap. Oh, and with only two jackets on display (both which were identical in style) – it all left very little to the imagination.
It was an incredible disappointment especially since i love looking at the photographs on their website.
The other disappointment i encountered was the attack on british clothing, Saville Row and the english by a representative of the Armoury, whom themselves is English. Very bad manners and very unprofessional.
For this post i will remain anonymous on this occasion.
Regards
Mr Anon
What a strange evening!
Dear Anon,
Thank you for being a reader of the blog and for coming to the drinks evening.
We are sorry that the evening was not up to expectation, we were indeed understaffed at the time. Patrick of WW Chan and Naoki of Nackymade left early because of severe jet lag and did not want to be in poor shape for their appointments the next day. Betty of Carmina had prior engagements leaving only Jake to answer inquiries. You are right, it was an excellent opportunity for customers and suppliers to mingle that was unfortunately missed.
As for any comments that may have been made about British clothing, we bear no ill will against any British tailoring and as enthusiasts of tailoring in general, we recognize British style as a cornerstone of the classic menswear aesthetic.
Every member of our team is entitled to their personal opinion no matter how controversial. Style is our lifeblood and as individuals, each holds their view quite strongly. However, if one of our colleagues did express himself in an unprofessional way, we sincerely apologize for the offense.
If you would like to discuss anything further or wish to inquire about any of our offerings, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Regards,
The Armoury