The London Lounge

I am wondering how you store your bespoke clothing both in the short and long term. What drew my attention to this question was the setup of the Duke of Windsor portrayed in the catalogue of his items -- his trousers, for example, were folded over and hung from what looked like the back of the door of a closet (if I recall correctly).

My specific questions are this:

1. If you were building a custom closet from scratch, how would you design it? What setup? What materials? Line it first in cedar to prevent moth damage? I rather like the look of the wooden drawers in mens shops for shirts, for example, but it might be better to hang them.

2. Assuming that one's primary closet isn't large enough to contain his whole wardrobe, what would be the ideal setup for storing off-season clothes?

This is a most interesting problem. I have never given it a second thought, although I should have. I have designed a few homes for myself and friends without considering closets very much. Yet for a London Lounger this problem is worth some extra thought. I would alow ample space for sure, 4 inches per suit,1.5 per shirt. The cedar(eastern red,Virginiana Juniperus) lining is a fine idea. The cost would be less than a bespoke suit and it would protect everything you have for several lifetimes. Add some hardwood shelving and antique lighting for aesthetics. Your clothes will look almost as good in storage as they do on you.

I've been toying with the idea of a bespoke closet for a very long time, but can't afford it. Maybe in the future I can.

I've always wanted a room just for accessories such as CUFF LINKS.

A number of things to consider is where you live and what you can do to the place, also how much will it cost, how many closets do you want to have bespoken, and how much space is around?

If you're building the entire home from scratch you might want to build the home around the closet.

Good architects and contractors can also help you in your planing as well.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

A whole room for cufflinks? Oh there's an idea! Depending upon the available space you have, you would be better off with a stack or two of Bisley file cabinets. Made in England, these diminutive units with shallow drawers are favored by artists and just what you need to house your collection of cufflinks. Although made of metal in a variety of colors, the drawers can easily be partitioned with velvet-lined jeweller's trays, each section of which can easily hold a pair of links. And as your collection grows, say, to add dress sets or vintage wristwatches, it's easy to add more Bisley cabinets with different shaped velvet inserts. Google Bisley.

JMB

One cheap improvement to most closets is to replace the normal lightbulbs with "daylight" bulbs, i.e., lightbulbs that are engineered to produce a neutral light.

Thanks for the tip on Bisley JMB. About nine years ago in NYC, I saw a wood cabinet with the thin drawers like Bisley makes.

Hmm.... Maybe a room full of wooden cabinets to store my cuff links.

Ok, maybe I better seek some help.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

Cufflink79:

Those wooden storage units with shallow drawers to which you're referring are called flatbed files.
You often see banks of them in art galleries and the lofts of artists and designers. Very attractive
in wood, but a good deal more expensive than their metal counterparts. There is another possibility
worth considering for an extensive collection of cufflinks, namely a chiffonnier, which is a narrow high bureau or chest of drawers. Collectors of one kind or another are always fascinated by cabinetry of this type. If you're willing to haunt flea markets and estate sales, you might find a chiffonnier before the antique dealers arrive.

JMB

I remember reading somewhere that Cary Grant had a room just for gold cigarette cases (whuich he continued collecting long after Betsy Drake persuaded him to give up smoking).

Nicholas, Cary Grant's penchant for smoking was replaced by dabbling with LSD. Again, thanks to Betsy Drake. Yessiree, nothing like trading in genuine talent for a mind-altering glimpse of stupidity.

JMB

Thanks for sharing the term Chiffonier with me JMB. I've seen them before, but never knew what to call them.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79