A cloth-hunter’s cautionary tale

[Melcombe]

Some years ago (ok, make that, over a decade ago) I convinced myself that I needed a not-quite-formal overcoat and settled on the idea of an overcheck tweed made up as a covert coat. In a Dugdales book there was a John G Hardy tweed that appealed fine green check mix with an orange overcheck. Choice was made without hesitation and the commission was realised without a hitch.

The finished coat has been a joy to wear and is definitely a go-to from autumn to spring – and I was especially delighted to receive many positive comments when I wore it during a visit to Italy lately.

Imagine my surprise (putting it politely) last year when I noticed a colleague wearing a hacking jacket in that very cloth. Closer inspection revealed that it was from a well-known tweed emporium on Piccadilly. And – horror of horrors – it’s not a short run or a one-off, but instead is presented as their “in-house” “sporting check” pattern. And they do the whole gamut of garments in it – trousers, waistcoats etc. It’ll be everywhere.

Oh well.

The moral of the story? If you do happen to come across a chance to acquire a truly exclusive cloth, offered by an expert in the subject, that will only appear on gents of the most discerning turn of style… grab the opportunity! – or face the threat of meeting a doppelganger who’ll wink at you, assuming a mutual enthusiasm for bargain tweed.

[aston]

I had my tailor make me a jacket in an H&S Harris tweed. Imagine my horror when I went for drink with a pal who turned up wearing a jacket made of exactly the same cloth, which he had bought OTR in M&S!!