The London Lounge

I MIGHT have a way to get Holland and Holland clothing items cheap. Don't get me wrong, I for the most part eschew all RTW now except underwear, socks, and shoes, but I am curious, are there RTW items that meet the standards of the most demaning connaisseurs (except shoes)? An example might be Barbour coats. No one would get such a thing custom-made but they are irreplaceable in the man's wardrobe.

Arnis coats are a half-example. I would never buy them, but their designs inspire me to get something custom made to imitate them. Another post paid tribute to Hermes leather bags. Again, I would not buy one, but I would not hesitate to commission a copy, for example from my difficult leather artisan in Romania (or that California woman who is a Hermes refugee). I know these are only half-ecxampoles, and I invite responses along these lines too, RTW that inspires.

H&H is really nicely made stuff, accepting any particular design, cost is the only fault that i've found. If you have a pipeline into their goods, I'd participate.

For English country that seems a bit more honest or at least a shoppinbg experience that is a little more old fashioned, take a look at William Evans on the corner of St. James and St. James Place in London. Although they are building out a clothing line, their shop is the last really honest London sporting shop now that H&H and Boss have gone to the farthest end of the cost+quality distribution. Purdeys on S. Audley has abundant charm and, sometimes, value as well.


DDM