Tête-à-Tête with Nicholas Storey

[storeynicholas]

The future of bespoke, especially London bespoke, is largely in the hands of the present customers and depends on their ability and the ability of the makers themselves to bring more people into bespoke - both makers and customers. Something needs to be done to make youngsters at school aware of the high value that skilled trades really have and of the satisfaction that may be derived from creating first rate material objects. This means that the teaching of crafts needs to be addressed - as classes in them have been nearly entirely replaced with classes in 'computer and media studies'. Similarly, the firms need to be able to appeal to the young men and women who have the buying power and demonstrate that they offer better goods and higher value than the glossy labels peddled by the men in black. I think that it is plain that, if it had not been for American business, certainly after 1945, the London trades would, probably, all have gone by now - although, curiously, it was Peal & Co that was one of the first very successfully on the American circuit that folded in 1965. As it is, the USA has kept the faith and there are now other emerging markets too - BRICS countries and others - I understand that the Russians are especially keen on London bespoke and have brought significant additional custom - and so too have other countries in the former eastern bloc. British Commonwealth countries, Japan, parts of South America and certain west European countries also supply custom.

I think that the current trend towards very casual clothes for the general population will continue but that there will remain a citadel within which bespoke clothing will continue to be produced; largely based on patterns that were established about 100 years ago. If the example of Brummell's full evening dress is anything to go by - or even the top hat - the business is good for at least another 100 years. This site, providing information, even goods and materials by special order, and provoking debate plays an important part in defending the citadel against the onslaughts of the people whom P G Wodehouse would probably have called the Black T-Shirts.
NJS

[alden]

NJS

As a response to my chic article, Mr Shredder asked for a definition and discussion of the word "class." Will you dip your plume in the ink and have a shot at it for us?

Cheers

Michael

[storeynicholas]

NJS

As a response to my chic article, Mr Shredder asked for a definition and discussion of the word "class." Will you dip your plume in the ink and have a shot at it for us?

Cheers

Michael

Why is it that, just as the new tie always attracts the sauce so powerfully , on its first outing, so too do the shortest questions (on anything) always demand the longest replies?

Many nouns, adjectives and verbs exist about the elusive quality that we seek to define; in one word, 'elegance'. Yet it remains: the watched pot that never boils; the misplaced key that will not yet be found; the lovely girl, glimpsed - and then lost in a crowd. It is often only when we stop watching the pot that it erupts and when we stop seeking that the key or the girl turns up...

However, for what they are worth, these are my thoughts.

We may be chic but may not have it - or do anything with it; moreover, as you said recently, even a place may be chic.

We may have style or do an action with style but we can never be style. If we are stylish, it suggests that, maybe through a happy aberration, we have executed something admirably.

We may have charm or be charming or doing something charmingly but, again, being and doing might also be temporary. But to have elegance, charm or style or to be chic are permanent characteristics. They have to be a part of our thinking and attitude and necessarily instinctive, but susceptible to training and enhancement through education.

'Smart' doesn't cover our case as a column of ordinary soldiers may be smart.

We can appear debonair or dapper but we cannot give them any particular action.

We can only do something with panache - which suggests adroitness, timing,accuracy and piquancy; lifting your hat, entertaining or playing cards can all be done with panache and, if it is habitual, it can hint at elegance and style.

We can have class but, once we are described as 'classy', we know that we have failed - as it also suggests a temporary exhibition of the characteristic of having class.

Plainly, we cannot be class as having class suggests membership of a real or notional group.

Everything known to us is classified; including: flora and fauna, fish, school children, yachts and sportsmen.

The notion to which we refer is a natural capacity for apparent, but unobtrusive, superiority over the commonplace. But according to what standard?

Class was originally referable to social orders that became monarchies (with their attendant courts) and, lower down, feudal overlords, with their pretty extensive local jurisdictions; importantly, over taxes, land holdings and general disputes. This hierarchy derived from the spoils of war and rewards for service - in the form of lands and titles and rights and jurisdictions. Because, until America decided to lose him, even George III had been its king, America shares in this inheritance. Proof of similar hierarchies in other societies is everywhere - one - King Cetewayo's sceptre - is touchingly displayed on the wall of Nottingham Castle museum - surrounded by the decorations - including several VCs - of some of the men who brought him down.

The earliest leaders of society in Britain came to acquire knowledge and learning through education and travel (later on embracing the Grand Tour of Europe). They brought back ideas; importantly on architecture and design and established settled standards for houses, food, drink and clothing which, to some extent, endure - certainly the archictecture endures.

British society has never been as closed as some might suggest: although it always took beauty or brains or other talent to rise unassisted by riches. The list of people who rose is enormous - some examples are: the 16th century Thomasine Bonaventure shepherdess (through exceeding beauty); the 17th century Nell Gwynne (beauty and other talent) and, during the Belle Epoque, Rosa Lewis (hard work, ambition and wit). Humbly-born Admiral Lord Collingwood led Nelson's second column of ships into the battle of Trafalgar, in HMS Royal Sovereign, and engaged the enemy long before any other ship; indeed, within minutes of engagement, disabling the Spanish flagship Santa Ana, with close, accurate broadside fire, causing Nelson to exclaim: 'See how that noble fellow Collingwood takes his ship into action!'

The family of great shoemaker Joseph Box sold the business to enable the daughters to be presented at Court. Ambition, aspiration, hard work, talent, beauty, opportunism - all often found a place. Brummell's grandfather had kept a lodging house and sweetshop in Bury Street and lodger Lord North gave his patronage which gave the Brummell boys an Eton education and George admittance to Oriel College Oxford and then the Prince of Wales' Own regiment of Hussars. In his heyday, he commanded the attention of leaders of society and was sought out for advice - one of the first outsiders to dicate to the haut ton if he beckoned, they obliged; if he condemned a consignment of snuff, they shunned it - enabling him, on one occasion, to take his pick of the jars for himself - whereupon, everyone learning of the reprieve, Fribourg & Treyer sold out.

FE Smith's father had been an estate agent in Birkenhead; gave his son an education which launched him on a spectacular career - not until Duff Cooper's maiden speech in the House of Commons was his performance in his own matched in acclaim. If Churchill was Britain's Last Lion, I have a sense that FE was its Last Tiger and, had he not died so soon, the alliance that he and Churchill would have made could have averted the Second World War. In the Spy cartoon on the cover of my book (after his maiden speech), he looks as noble as 'The Ancestor' Lord Ribblesdale in the Sargent portrait of him but the intellect that took FE there is also evident. Also a generous man, once he gave his fur great coat to an opposition Labour Party MP whom he learned was undertaking a tour of Russia - he seems to have accepted the gift with a good enough grace to suggest that he must have worn this badge of class very well. But the story shows that if FE had acquired class, he had had style first.

Class in dress denotes the natural use or adoption of dress appropriate to the top drawer of society and wearing it well as part of the act (I do not mean pretence) of belonging to that class. In some indefinable sense (there we are again!) it also suggests style. But 'chic' 'style, 'charm' and 'class' are words that have been Shanghai'd by the marketeers who suggest to wannabees that they can buy these qualities as though they were commodities on a shelf.

The USA's starting place in dress was, probably, largely British and this has continued but the apprentice has come to help the old master out - not least with essential custom and, also, the inter-marriage between the rich blue-bloods of the USA (Churchill's mother had been Jenny Jerome) and the British sristocracy continued the trend of comity of social purpose. So there is a similarity in the concepts of class between these countries - even now - sharing, along the way, the British move from flamboyant attire to the more sombre dress of the shires - adopted in Britain, probably, largely to avert some uprising similar to the 1789 French Revolution. So, with Britain's increasing influence in the world (apart from the Boston Blip), the British template for first rate bespoke clothes became the changing template over 200 years and just about remains to this day; even as the very notions of cohesive society and class are withering on the vine.

Class in dress has to satisfy some basic prescription of appropriate, well-made clothes which are carried off at least reasonably well: there may be style and elegance in the wearer too but these cannot be seen at a glance. 'Chic' to me, brings some sense of amusing audacity into the equation. I suggest that Jack Buchanan and Maurice Chevalier both had elegance and style but only MC was chic. JB was slightly (charmingly) reticent - nearly bashful - in the words of one of his songs [/i]Like the girl in the Yashmak, who wanted her cash back - I'm shy. Possibly JB had charm and MC was chic - although both were debonair, dapper, suave and carried off their acts with panache.
NJS

[storeynicholas]

I am still expecting the photograph of Buchanan and Chevalier and will post it as soon as I get it. Meanwhile, I have just had an offer on a further book, inspired partly by MA's noting that the current book is light on grooming - so it's a miscellany, including grooming - but it will have to stand the test in due course.
NJS

[NJS]

Having opened my big mouth - I decided to decline the offer as the current publisher decided to offer me half the advance for the first book despite its recepton and reviews and then started calling the shots on the title and telling me that I can't have pictures of Holland & Holland Royals and Cohiba cigars on the front as tobacco and guns are not 'PC'. I told them where to go. What is this world coming to? I see that the new James Bond is a non-smoker (presumably for the same 'PC' reason) and these film-makers would take the smoke out of Casablanca - but I see that, according to the film Casino Royale it is perfectly in order for Bond, recently drugged and having downed several large shots of spirits, to hop into his Aston Martin, drive like a fury and turn it over. Unbelieveable. Or is it just that the distillers have a bigger lobby than the tobacco companies?
NJS

[le.gentleman]

Don't you know anybody at Barnes & Noble or another major book store? Because if they agree to sell your book you could publish it yourself...

[NJS]

Yes, thank you, le gentleman. Self-publication is a possibility and I am considering, as part of that, the production of a downloadable e-book - but I am not sure whether a miscellany is the type of book that people would like to buy in this form; although there are electronic 'notebooks' available for reading e-books. The merits of e-books are that one can have as many colour pictures as one likes and make the book as long as one likes and call it what one likes - ah, yes, and the costs of production are low. I should, actually, be glad to hear members' views about e-books. I am sure that our children are not shy of this concept.
NJS

[le.gentleman]

Dear NJS,

Personally, I have a bunch of scanned books because I like to have access to all the information even when I am not at home. However, I also do appreciate a real hardcopy especially when the book has a larger format. Moreover, I think ebooks are more likely to be bought by people who look specifically for some kind of information whereas a hard copy which is nicely presented in a book store might draw the attention of numerous people who did not know anything about the book when they entered the store.
In addition to that, even printing costs can be very low nowadays. Of course, quality paper and binding has its price and that would be the risk you or an investor has to bear.

[NJS]

Thank you for these thoughts. I think that you are right: people still like actual books. Samuel Johnson said that books are the best furniture and who am I to contradict him? I think that reference books, especially large and great works, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, are usefully presented in internet form but books to browse still have a place in our hands.
NJS

[radicaldog]

There is a middle-way between traditional book publishing and e-books: 'print-on-demand'.

[NJS]

There is a middle-way between traditional book publishing and e-books: 'print-on-demand'.

I have been looking at that LULU et al - it does seem interesting but, in my case, it's a bit like asking a song-and-dance-man to portray King Lear!

[storeynicholas]

As it turns out I have just got a two book deal from my original publisher. The next is nearing completion. I have been asked by several people when Book I is going to be available in the USA. In fact, it has been available on http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184468 ... d_i=507846

for some time. It is also available on most of the amazon sites and should be obtainable anywhere in the world. As far as bookshops are concerned, I do not know the specifics but I do know that it is for sale in shops as far away as KL.
NJS

[couch]

Congratulations on the new deal, NJS! Welcome news for us as well. Please keep us posted as matters develop.

[storeynicholas]

Thank you very much, Couch. The first draft of Book II is nearly completed and I shall certainly keep you posted! I had forgotten what hard work it is.
best,
NJS