The London Lounge

Gentlemen,

Often when I read some of the internet sites dedicated to clothes and the like I am reminded of a 1970s TV show called "The Hollywood Squares." Now those of you who were not fortunate enough to miss this great triumph of the American entertainment industry will know that in the show C level celebrities try to trick unwitting contestants by telling tall tales, fibs and outright lies to beguile them. The celebs are asked questions, sometimes they actually do know the answer and most of the time they do not. Whether they know the answer or not, they enchant the contestants with some sort of an answer. I mean it would not be much of a game if they said something like "actually, I do not know." So instead they whimsy, chuck and jive up an answer that is somewhat plausible or not. Contestants earn points by either agreeing or disagreeing with the celebrity answers.

Does this sound at all familiar to you?

Well since I was musing about games, I thought I would make one for you.

We are going back to school.

Below you will find two lists. List #1 contains the names of famous or infamous men of history. List #2 contains the names of famous tailors.

Please match the famous client with the appropriate tailor.

Cheers and good luck to you!

List #1

David Niven
Fred Astaire
Laurence Olivier
Cassius Clay
Anthony Eden
Von Ribbentrop
Beau Brummel
Madame Tussaud
Captain Bligh
Napoleon III

List #2

Huntsman
Alan Bennett
Cifonelli
Leslie and Roberts
Henry Poole
Stovel and Mason
Gieves and Hawlkes
Anderson & Sheppard
Helman (now Dege)
Meyer and Mortimer

I can only get four.

Astaire = A&S
Nap III = Poole
Bligh = Gieve
Beau = M&M

I think Eden went to Stovel & Mason, and that von Ribbentrop was a client of Leslie & Roberts (who I think made for Bing Crosby, among others). I'll take a stab, and say I seem to remember hearing or reading that Helman made for Ali.

Niven got me curious, and my searches only found Norton&Sons referenced.

http://www.nortonandsons.co.uk/index.htm

http://contessanally.blogspot.com/2007/ ... _3501.html

http://www.hantmans.com/pages/newsroom/ ... 15-16.html
Found lot #143 to be facinating, no mention as to what tailor these books come from.

But it fetched 6000$ in 2004 none the less.

Interesting, but who was Sydney Greenstreet's tailor?

^^^ Nino Corvato.

Nino Corvato

I disagree.

Sydney Greenstreet was an unusual case. He actually required a team of tailors working in tandem with the appropriate scaffolding etc. He is best known for developing the "Zeppelin cut" in the early 30s with a famous tailor from Vienna. And the production of his wardrobe is known to have kept the English cloth industry in the red for decades. He was however never a guest celebrity on the Hollywood Squares, if that was your point.

Astaire = A&S
Nap III = Poole
Bligh = Gieve
Beau = M&M

I agree.

I think Eden went to Stovel & Mason, and that von Ribbentrop was a client of Leslie & Roberts (who I think made for Bing Crosby, among others). I'll take a stab, and say I seem to remember hearing or reading that Helman made for Ali.

I agree. (Well done Masterfred.)

Shall we proceed...

manton wrote:^^^ Nino Corvato.

Yes, you answered as intended, though I could have also been referring to a comment by Douglas Hayward:

''People always want to know who Cary Grant's tailor was or Fred Astaire's,'' says Hayward. ''What I'd want to know is who was Sydney Greenstreet's tailor? He was a large man who always looked good.''

I thought that Lesley & Roberts was absorbed by Welsh & Jeffries.

The two most well dressed "big guys" of all time -- Sidney Greenstreet and Jackie Gleason. Great dressers and the fit was impeccable.

Gleason used both Kilgour and Fioravanti.

The two most well dressed "big guys" of all time -- Sidney Greenstreet and Jackie Gleason. Great dressers and the fit was impeccable.

I agree.

But when you play Sartorial Squares you are supposed to come up with inventive answers that defy reason but guarantee entertainment. A simple, correct and straightforward answer is a bit boring.

Cheers

The answers:

Alan Bennett clothed the wax with suits.

Laurence Oliver liked Huntsman

David Niven was a client of Cifonelli

smoothjazzone wrote:The two most well dressed "big guys" of all time -- Sidney Greenstreet and Jackie Gleason. Great dressers and the fit was impeccable.

I thought I remember reading that Kilgour made for Greenstreet. Of course, their contumacious PR would make anyone who ordered once appear to be a lifelong customer.

Alden, you appear to have left out Noiret...

...and I believe Cifonelli clothed Omar Sharif... although Turnbull & Asser made the Cossack shirts in Dr. Zhivago...