Beautiful Summer
Neckties from Italy
(See the "Tie One On!" Links) |
|
Scottish Cashmere:
Custom Sweaters
Cableknit Beauties
for Ladies & Gents
Cableknit Cashmere Sweaters ... in
June? 'Fraid so. Why? Because each
sweater is custom-made for the wearer ... and
custom takes time. In this case, at least 12
weeks.
This particular sweater is the finest I have
ever seen. Wonderful for both men and women,
our 12-Ply cashmere - Yes ... 12 Ply! -
features a beautiful and substantial shawl
collar, leather buttons, and can be made with
or without hip pockets.
Scott & Charters
12 Ply Cashmere
Cardigan
And to further overwhelm you with choices, we
can offer this special Scott & Charters
top-of-the-line in any size and in a
selection of more than 200 colors!
And that's why cashmere in June. This is the
ideal Holiday spectacular gift for that
special someone - or even as a mid-Winter
treat for yourself.
Scott & Charters
Shawl Collar
Detail
Look at the intricate
detail of the shawl collar. Feel the heft
(well ... virtually) as the one Sarabella is
wearing comes in at just over two pounds of
the world's finest cashmere!
Priced at $1200, the 12 Ply Cashmere Cardigan
must be ordered soon to be ready in time for
the Holidays. As soon as we receive your
order, we'll send you the cashmere color
chart so you can select your preferred shade.
Then we'll reserve the time on the only Scott
& Charters machine (it's a really old
one) which is capable of knitting this
masterpiece.
Scott & Charters
2 lbs. of Cashmere Close
Up!
If you prefer, we can also
include a sample of the sweater with the
color chart so you can see it before it goes
into work. Don't wait long. Production is
limited and we cannot make very many of
these. Click
here to order.
Not quite ready for two whole pounds of the
world's finest cashmere? We will be offering
other wonderful Scott & Charters models -
these will be in-stock beginning in October.
Available in six colors, there will be a
cashmere Cardigan and V-neck
pullover available for
ordering beginning in August with deliveries
beginning in October.
Scott & Charters
Men's Oatmeal
Cardigan
Scott & Charters
Ladies' Black
Cardigan
Scott & Charters
Men's Flannel Grey
V-neck
To add to the mix you could easily pair the
12-Ply Cardigan with some of our new Black
Nappa and Rabbit gloves from Alpo Guanti,
also available in October ...
Or throw in these beautiful gauntlet length
Red Nappas from Alpo Guanti ...
Finally, not to leave the guys out of the
mix, these classic black and brown,
cashmere-lined nappa gloves, also from Alpo
Guanti, are yours beginning in October:
What would an issue of Sartorial
Excellence be without at least one pair
of socks for men and one for women?
The beautiful new pastel Cotton Lisle
Acquarelle for ladies:
Marcoliani for Women
Pink Acquarelle Knee
High
And the finest men's Sea Island sock ever
made - 100% Pure Certified Sea Island from
Bresciani available in White, Black and Navy:
Bresciani Men's
100% Sea Island
Over-the-Calf
|
|
| |
Greetings!
Summer is here. With the advent of warm
weather comes the opportunity for the more
colorful and lighter cotton socks. It's time
to don the lightweight Zimmerli men's Pure
Comfort and women's Attitude.
But with the advent of Summer comes planning
for the seasons to come. We've got most of
the cashmere in work and the gloves are being
made. Cardigan merinos are on the Zimmerli
sewing machines and Marcoliani is busy with
our own design of a new women's cashmere knee
high.
HOLIDAY SHOPPING:
We are
very pleased to be able, for the first time,
to offer custom made cashmere sweaters from
Scotland's Scott & Charters. See the article
in the left column for details.
Of Note: We've commissioned a
beautiful new Limited Edition men's silk robe
and pajama set from Zimmerli as well as an
exclusive new fashion underwear. For the
distaff we have Bresciani making a stunning
coordinated ensemble of cashmere socks and
scarf as the perfect Holiday gift set.
Many thanks to Robert Valdes Rodriguez, not
only or the wonderful Caveat Emptor
article in this issue, but for his
spectacular new tie collection!
In Response: Due to the number
of requests, we have now
made all the Sartorial Excellence News
Caveat Emptor articles
available on our web site. Click here.
Best regards,
Alexander Kabbaz
|
| |
| |
| |
Caveat Emptor
An Ongoing Series |
| |
Tie One On - A Necktie
Primer
Editor's Note:
The man behind the tie - and the author of
this article - is Robert Valdes-Rodriguez.
RVR to many friends, colleagues and business
partners.
As a former Wall Street executive, Robert had
a 'lucky' tie, one that he always wore to
important meetings and client pitches. After
twenty successful years with his 'lucky' tie,
it got old and frayed. Robert's fruitless
search for a replacement led him to design
his own tie. It quickly turned into a
passion, ultimately resulting in a stunning
necktie collection simply named RVR. We, and
our faithful "tie testers" have found the RVR
ties far exceed our expectations. As the head
of M&A for a top U.S. bank put it, "It ties
the most spectacular knot I have ever
experienced. And the feel? It's simply ...
like butter!".
Robert's new 'lucky' tie:
Signature, Oxford Blue #9996 ... you can
see it below.
Exclusive silks, woven by the world's most
heralded mills, are hand folded and stitched
to perfection. The results are ties that have
been so carefully crafted, you can't help but
see and feel the difference.
We are pleased to be able to offer not only
this wonderful necktie primer by RVR, but
especially to be able to offer the
RVR Introductory Collection. Many more
will come this Fall ... including the
spectacular 24kt gold (yes, really!)
and navy ... so stay tuned.
Tie One On - A Necktie
Primer
by
Robert Valdes-Rodriguez
It's all
about the knot and dimple.
Oscar Wilde said, "A well-tied tie is the
first serious step in life."
Having withstood the test of time, over
centuries of changing menswear trends, the
tie continues to be the one accessory that
men depend on for that special meeting or
event. I always say that you can hide a bad
belt or even a bad pair of shoes, but you
can't hide a bad tie.
So you are getting dressed for that special
meeting and reach for your favorite tie.
Assuming you have read previous Sartorial
Excellence articles, I suspect you are
comfortable with coordinating ties and pocket
squares with shirts and suits.
< Signature, Oxford Blue #9996
Make sure it is a well-made tie. You can find
good machine made ties, but the finest ties
are tailored by hand from beginning to end.
Look for the following details of a tie
before deciding to loop it around your shirt
collar or to start replacing your tie
collection. The width of most ties is 3 3/8
to 3 7/8 inches, although some manufacturers
also make narrow ties at about 2 inches in
width. The standard length of a tie is 56 to
59 inches, while an 'extra long' tie measures
over 62 inches. The construction of a well
crafted tie consists of an external fabric,
tipping, interlining(s), tie keeper, two bar
tacks and a slip stitch. The external fabric
should be all natural silk, wool, cashmere,
cotton, or any combination of such. The
finest fabrics are woven in Italy and
England. Stay away from man-made
synthetics.
After the "look", the most important feature
of a tie is its feel, what experts refer to
as its 'hand'.
The 'hand' of a tie is what you can touch and
hold, comprised of the fabric, construction
and craftsmanship. The best ties will have a
perfect combination of texture, weight and
drape (how it hangs). You will often hear an
aficionado say "It has a good hand." When
you handle a tie, it should feel rich and
soft, yet substantial and not bulky. Once
you feel the luxury of a tie with a 'good
hand', you will want no other.
The "tipping" of your tie is the two showing
pieces on the back of the large and small
ends. It should be constructed of two pieces
of silk sewn onto the back of the external
fabric. The finest ties have tippings of the
same premium fabric as the external fabric.
Other fine tipping fabrics have a unique
design or
color in a similar premium quality as the
external fabric. To cut costs, mass neckwear
producers have moved toward an acetate
tipping, which is an inferior fabric and not
recommended.
The interlining is what gives your tie its
weight and enables it to keep its shape. The
perfect interlining depends on the weight of
the external fabric. When the external
fabric is light-weight, the tie will have a
heavier weight interlining. When the
external fabric is heavy, such as wool or
cashmere, the tie will have a lighter weight
interlining. The finest silk ties will
usually have a double interlining: an all
wool interlining and a light weight all
cotton interlining. The wool holds the shape
and "bounces back" from the folding inherent
in knotting the tie. The cotton, a
dimensionally stable fabric, keeps the tie
from stretching. The classic American
seven-fold tie is made and lined with all
silk, no interlining.
The tie-keeper of a tie is a loop that holds
the narrow end of the tie in place after the
knot has been tied. On better ties it is
made of the same fabric as the tie. Lower
level manufacturers often use their label as
the tie keeper.
The bar tack is a small stitch just above the
inverted V on both ends of the tie. The bar
tack keeps the tie together and maintains its
shape.
The slip stitch is probably the most
important and differentiating feature of a
fine hand tailored tie. It is hard to find,
located on the back side of one of the tie's
ends. It is a small loop, which is the end
of the tie-length thread used to sew the tie.
Its purpose is to maintain the seam and keep
the linings in place. Another important
function is to allow for 'give' when tying
and untying your knot. If you were to pull
on the slip stitch, the tie would scrunch up
like an accordion. The slip stitch can only
be made by hand. Find it and you have a well
tailored tie.
A great test for checking the craftsmanship
of your tie is to hold it by the narrow end,
with the wide end almost touching the floor.
It should hang perfectly straight. If it
turns, with a slight screw-like twist, it
means the fabric was not properly cut on the
bias, a sign of a poorly tailored tie.
It's all
about the knot ...
Now that you've got a good tie, it's time for
the perfect knot. Your knot should be
proportioned in size to the shape of your
face and your shirt collar. Once tied, the
tie length should go to the center of your
belt line. Practice makes perfect.
Remember the dimple, the finishing touch that
will set you apart. Once you have set the
knot, press your index finger directly below
the knot at the center and squeeze both sides
of the tie with your thumb and middle finger.
Then tighten and pull up to your collar.
Directly below the knot at the center, you
want to create a deep dimple. If the dimple
leans to the left or right, play around with
it to make sure it is at the center directly
below the knot.
Most men lift their collars up while tying a
tie. Don't do this. Tie your tie with your
collar down as you would wear it. Lifting
your collar up will cause excessive wear and
will shorten the life of your shirts.
We all know the three basic knots:
Four-in-Hand; Windsor; Half Windsor, but
there are also many variations of these. One
such variation is a knot that I call the RVR
knot, which is a variation of the Windsor
knot, but with less symmetry. You should
experiment with many knots to see which suits
you best. If you have a lean, structured
face, fuller knots and spread collars work
best. If you have a full face, narrower knots
with straighter point collars work best. Try
each knot for a full day before deciding if
it's for you. Get used to the look. Here are
a few you can try:
The RVR Knot
This is simply a variation of the Windsor
knot. It is my favorite knot because it
combines the fullness of the Windsor with the
asymmetry of the Four-in-Hand. You start the
knot just like the Windsor (unlike the Half
Windsor) and loop on only one side of the
knot.
Many men before me have worn this knot, so in
naming it, I do not claim to have invented
it. I call it the RVR knot because it's my
favorite. I started tying it in high school,
about a week after my father taught me the
Windsor knot. Searching for the fastest knot
to tie, thirty seconds before ringing of the
first bell, I started tying my knot just like
the Windsor and skipped the second loop. It
worked like a charm. I've been perfecting it
ever since.
It is also one of the fastest and simplest
knots to tie and works well with most collar
styles.
How To Store
Your Ties...
When you take off your tie, never pull it.
Gently loosen and reverse the steps to your
knot. Some men store their ties rolled up and
some like to hang them on a tie bar. The best
way to maintain the shape is to fold them
twice over (about 15 inches long) and place
them on a flat surface, similar to the way
you see them displayed at stores. Since most
of us don't have the shelf space to keep our
tie collection laying on a flat surface, the
next best way is to hang them on a tie rack.
While rolling them up and placing them in
separate cubes may look neat, it causes
excessive wrinkling of your ties.
You are now ready to "Tie one On!"
Great Tie Movies
North by Northwest, 1959 Director:
Alfred Hitchcock. Cast: Cary Grant, Eva
Marie Saint, James Mason.
American Gigolo, 1980 Director: Paul
Schrader. Cast: Richard Gere, Lauren
Hutton
Wall Street, 1987 Director: Oliver
Stone. Cast: Michael Douglass, Charlie
Sheen, Daryl Hannah.
Question for Robert? Email
him.
|
| |
|
| |
Zimmerli Girl Friendly
Guy Stuff! |
| |
Did You Know ...
That the famous shirt worn in the
Wolverine
movie is actually our one and only Zimmerli
Richelieu tank shirt?
What's more ... more than half of these are
being bought by women!
Thank you, Hugh Jackman.
F.I.Y.: Our Zimmerli of Switzerland
styles have recently been worn by Harvey
Keitel in Life on Mars, by Denzel
Washington in American Gangster,
Nicole Kidman in Invasion, Will Smith
in Seven Pounds, and many more.
Zimmerli ... On Screen.
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Our Website is running on
wonderful new
software ... and we're still learning. There
may still
be a few errors. If a price is stated
incorrectly, we apologize, but at this low
discount we cannot make allowance for
errors.
FYI: Forward
Sartorial
Excellence News to
a friend. Email
us their
name. When
they order you'll
receive a $100 Gift Certificate. Click
to Forward.
|
| |
|
| |
|
