be spo ken Spring — Summer 2012 10th Edition
10 Edition th Happy Birthday!
Spring-Summer 2012 TRENDS MR. FABRIC IS BACK! a scabal i n i ti ati ve to p ro m ot e a ta i lo r - m a d e lifest y le
THE HEART OF COGNAC
Taste our know-how wisely
We work mainly with international advertisers. If you are interested in our advertising rates, please contact: Jérôme Stéfanski jerome.stefanski@scabal.com or +32 (0)475 41 63 62 Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for the views and opinions expressed in this magazine by authors and contributors. Bespoken is neither responsible for nor endorses the content of advertisements printed on its pages. Bespoken cannot be held responsible for any error or inaccuracy in such advertising material. Editor Jérôme Stéfanski Publisher Gregor Thissen Project Coordinator Kristel Geets Styling Sylvain Gadeyne Graphic Design BaseDESIGN Writers Nigel Bishop Alan Cannon-Jones Cécile de Forton Federico Grandesso William Kissel Bruno Morandi Eric Musgrave Bernhard Roetzel James Sherwood Jérôme Stéfanski Proofreading james drew for ReadRight.be Photographers Bruno Morandi Captural Photography Luk Vander Plaetse Stephen Papandropoulos Ronald StoopS
e dito ria l
Happy Birthday Bespoken!
I
t certainly does not feel like five years ago that we decided to launch our own lifestyle magazine, but it is true that you are now holding the 10th edition of our bi-annual Bespoken in your hands. Therefore, it’s a good time to reflect a little on the purpose and philosophy of this particular publication. For many years, we were quite frustrated that there was so little chance to communicate our message to a larger public. After much brainstorming, the idea of an internally edited magazine found its way into our thinking. Once the idea was born, the realization was rather speedy; first with our advertising agency, and then with our internal team, we began to compile topics and stories that very quickly filled many pages. We made the conscious choice not to turn Bespoken into a corporate brochure, but rather to incorporate content from many other sources, always being aware of our focus on personalization, the world of clothing and luxury. We have taken much pleasure and satisfaction in expressing Scabal’s ideas and philosophy, as well as researching and covering so many other fascinating topics. We are equally proud of the enthusiastic feedback that we have received from all around the world, from loyal subscribers. Bespoken has become an integral part of Scabal, and there is no question that it will continue to be so. At this particular point, we would like to extend our thanks and congratulations to our editor-in-chief and the whole team of internal and external contributors for the fantastic work that they have produced, edition after edition. Paying tribute to the increasing importance of the digital world, we have also decided to take Bespoken to the iPad – this 10th edition will be the first to be available through a dedicated app. The international expansion of Bespoken is also continuing – in addition to the usual online translations into French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Russian and following the release of two printed Russian versions, a Chinese and Korean version will also be available as of February 2012. As usual, many varied topics await the reader. Mister Fabric, our regular campaign theme, is back, in its Spring – Summer 2012 version. On the educational side you can read about the famous ‘silk road’ and an interesting training programme for young textile professionals that we have recently joined. Our meeting with one of the world’s most prominent horse-riders, as well as our collaboration with the latest Colin Firth movie Tailor, Tinker, Soldier Spy are also featured in detail. We thank you for your continued interest and support and are very proud to be able to wish you ‘Happy reading’, for the 10th time! Gregor Thissen & J. Peter Thissen
Illustrators Mohsin Ali Jean-Baptiste Biche Olivier Van Begin SCABAL Boulevard d’Anvers, 33 B–1000 Brussels Belgium Phone: + 3 2 (0)2 217 50 55
‘The international expansion of Bespoken is also continuing’
www.scabal.com Do you have any suggestions or feedback? Let us know at www.bespoken.com Bespoken is printed on environmentally friendly, fair-trade paper
Gregor Thissen, Scabal CEO
Scabal CEO Gregor Thissen and his father Group Chairman J. Peter Thissen © Scabal
This indicates a key article available in a variety of languages at Bespoken.com 1
contents 01 Edito rial Co mme n t
happy birthday bespoken! 05 Cont ributo rs
our Loyal dream team 06 Tailor’s D ictio n a ry
The very last words 08 f ro m she e p to s h o p
finest seasonal picks 10 Clot h Guide
29 Cu lt of S port
K.S. by Scabal 34 w hy b espok e n?
a dream come true 35 sca ba l across t he wor ld
a tailor by design
Merino: a fibre for all seasons
37 t i m e l ess e lega nce
13 S p r in g – Summe r 201 2 T r ends
38 sca ba l i n fi gu r es
Mr. Fabric is back 26 The Besp o ke Coac h
prepare for a lighter, fresher summer
cufflinks’ comeback
3 , 490
39 col l ectors i t e m
store your magazines in style 40 s p ec i a l t r i bu t e
the tailor and cutter 42 t em ptati ons
WHY SCABAL IS SUPPORTING THE Biella Master IN NOBLE FIBRES 49 Ge nt le me n’S Me e t i ng
born in britain, acclaimed worldwide a. Colin Firth B. Timothy Everest 55 Te e t i me
a double 10th anniversary
revisited classics
58 t hi s i s sca ba l
45 t er ra i n cogni ta
bunch production: If it works, don’t fix it
Let’s walk on the Silk Road 2
48 be t on e ducat i on
62 Past – Pr ese nt – Fu t ure
Scabal news 6 4 Sca ba l Wor ldw i d e
Linear-winding automatic movement, 18K red gold case with sapphire crystal sides and back. Engraved gold version of the first CORUM automatic baguette-shaped movement.
www.corum.ch
Established in 1929 in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world, Geretti manufactures fine jewellery combining artisanal craftsmanship, creative design and modern technology to obtain a brilliant result. Visit our boutique and discover the beauty of a natural diamond. You can choose from our permanent collection or help us create the jewel of your dreams. This season Boucheron, the famed jeweler of the Place Vendôme, creates the White Edition of the famous Quatre ring. This new item is available in four versions all using the new white céramique technique combined with the famous design of a ring first presented in 2004 and a huge success since then. Discover the timeless elegancy of the house of Boucheron from Paris at Geretti and enjoy the fruitful partnership of a legendary jewellery designer and an Antwerp diamond dealer.
Geretti Jewellery & Diamonds Antwerp
Appelmansstraat 2a – 2018 Antwerp – Belgium T +32(0)3 234 29 05 www.geretti.be
cont ributors
our loyal dream team Text by Jérôme Stéfanski Illustrations by Jean-Baptiste Biche & Olivier Van Begin
Eric Musgrave
Nigel Bishop
Alan Cannon-Jones
Eric Musgrave has been writing about fashion for nearly 30 years and is the author of the recently-published Sharp Suits, a 200-page celebration of men’s tailoring. An awardwinning editor-in-chief while at Drapers, the UK’s top fashion business weekly, he has also held senior positions at Men’s Wear, Fashion Weekly, International Textiles (based in Amsterdam) and Sportswear International (based in Milan), as well as writing for numerous other publications, including Financial Times, The Observer and Vogue.
For a large part of his career, Nigel Bishop worked in advertising in London, New York and Paris. He has been a freelance writer for the past 15 years, working with multinational companies in B-to-B communications.
Alan Cannon-Jones is a course director and principal lecturer in the graduate school at the London College of Fashion and works as a consultant for tailoring, menswear and fashion design technology in the industry. He had more than 20 years’ experience working in the tailoring industry for a number of companies, including Chester Barrie, before taking up a position at the London College of Fashion.
William Kissel
Bernhard Roetzel
James Sherwood
William Kissel is a men’s fashion editor who has been writing about the worldwide luxury menswear industry for more than three decades. A three-time recipient of both the Men’s Fashion Association’s Aldo Award and the prestigious Atrium Award for outstanding reporting on the American garment industry, Kissel’s work has appeared in more than two dozen national magazines and daily newspapers across the United States. For the past 13 years, he has served as the fashion editor for the Robb Report, the US magazine devoted to luxury lifestyles. At the same time, for nearly 20 years, Kissel has been the editorat-large for MR, an American trade magazine for the menswear industry.
Author of the popular Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion and British Tradition & Interior Design, Bernhard Roetzel has studied classic men’s fashion for more than ten years. Aside from his work as an author and editor, he also holds lectures and seminars on style issues.
James Sherwood is the author of Savile Row: The Master Tailors of British Bespoke (Thames & Hudson). He has written about men’s style for over a decade in the Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, The Spectator, The Sunday Telegraph and The Independent. For the past five years, Sherwood has been the BBC’s fashion critic at Royal Ascot and he is the curator of the Archive Room at No 1 Savile Row.
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ta i lor’s dictionary
the Very Last words
For the final time, bespoke specialist Alan Cannon-Jones provides us with definitions of the essential tailoring vocabulary and expressions you requiRe to talk intelligently with your tailor. If you would like to complete your dictionary, you can always order previous editions of Bespoken at www.bespoken.com Text by Alan Cannon-Jones Illustrations by Yoke Back
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W
whole back The back of a jacket cut in one piece without a centre seam.
wadding
A loose cohering mass of teased fibre used as padding, particularly in the shoulder pad and sleeve head of a jacket and coat. It is also used to “pad out” an area of the garment to disguise any irregularity in the figure, for example a prominent shoulder blade.
Waistband A narrow strip of fabric attached to the top of the trousers to achieve.
waistcoat A garment forming a part of a threepiece suit that is usually sleeveless and made to be worn under a jacket.
warp A series of longitudinal yarns (also called ends) in a woven material.
weasel An old term for a long thin type of pressing iron. In the nursery rhythm “Pop goes the weasel” the reference is to the tailor pawning (a monetary loan) his iron to buy beer.
weft A series of yarns (also called ends) woven across the warp of the fabric from selvedge to selvedge.
welt
Whole back: Jacket showing the whole back style without a centre back seam
woollen The system of making yarns for woollen fabrics utilising the shorter length wools within a grade. In yarns spun on a woollen system the fibres are not parallel but are crossed in what appears to be a haphazard arrangement.
wrap The overlap on the front of a jacket or coat where the buttons and buttonholes are positioned.
X x
Y
yard stick This is a measuring stick or ruler of 36 inches (imperial measurement) in length used for measuring cloth and by tailors when drafting a pattern. Today we also have the equivalent in the metre stick for metric measurement.
yarn A continuous strand of fibres, usually twisted together, used in weaving, knitting and thread forming.
yoke The upper section of a garment, front – shoulder – back, usually above chest level when it is sewn separately to the main body of the garment. For example on a shirt across the shoulders
Z
zip The zip, also known as a slide fastener is generally used as the front fastening in a pair of trousers. The zip consists of two flexible interlocking teeth mounted on a tape and a slider which joins them together in one action and parts them in the reverse action.
A chalk mark in the shape of an ‘X’ is used by tailors to mark an area of the jacket requiring extra padding and to mark the button positions on the front edge.
A folded piece of material used to finish a raw edge. The best example is the Outside Breast Pocket on a jacket formed by a welt.
X: Marked on the back shoulder to indicate more padding is required
xxx’s Welt: Outside breast welt pocket on the left front panel
The fineness of the fibre is measured by diameter and length and the finest fibres come from the longest, finest fibres. Scabal helped develop the international reference for superfine fibres which can be seen in their Super 100’s up to Super 200’s fabric ranges.
Superfine fabric gradation is defined by the fineness of the fibre.
‘I do hope that you have had as much enjoyment reading the Tailor’s Dictionary as I have had researching and writing it!’
Zip: View inside the left trouser leg showing the zip fly
Alan Cannon-Jones
Zip: Trouser showing the zip inside the open fly
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from she e p to sho p
Finest Seasonal Picks
Because the return of the sun often means lighter fabrics and colourful designs, the new Spring/Summer fabric collection is always a good way to judge the technical and aesthetic evolution of a brand. Let’s see Scabal’s offerings for this appealing time of year. By Eric Musgrave
F
or Spring – Summer 2012, Scabal demonstrates all its expertise in designing and producing innovative luxury cloths. With an expanding global customer base, the company has developed an irresistible selection of new qualities in sophisticated colours. Largely using its own mill in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, the brand has again brought to its tailoring bunches an impressive array of contemporary menswear options. featherweight
As befits a company that does business in 65 countries worldwide, Scabal designs and produces luxury fabrics for all climates. Responding to consumer demand in the tropical and Far Eastern markets for ever-lighter suitings, it has taken its inspiration from the birds. Featherweight is a collection of Super 150’s qualities that blend fine wool with 15% silk yet still weigh only 160g. The silk adds a touch of stability and delicate strength to the airy weave, while also contributing to the excellent handle of the cloth. There are 25 designs in this fascinating new selection, including a full range of plains. The ground colours are notably discreet, moving from light greys to medium blues to dark blues. As befits such a delicate cloth, the patterns are always subtle. Microdesigns are very important and attractive, as are very soft stripes, especially on the lighter shades. The small but crucial element of silk is seen in the background, adding a hint of lustre. A bird’s feather is a miracle of design and natural engineering. The Featherweight collection of cloths is a miracle of human ingenuity and expert weaving skills. 8
jewel
Customers looking for a new Spring – Summer suiting for 2012 will have plenty of choice in the new Jewel collection; it offers no fewer than 51 designs. This season’s story in suitings is all about increased fineness and lightness. The brand new Jewel quality is a Super 120’s, weighing in at a mere 230gm, making it an ideal choice for a hot summer’s day in Europe as well as tropical climates that are more consistently warm. Available in a full range of shades, the Jewel range possibly looks freshest in a series of bright, intense blues. From navy to medium and on to a vivid blue, this colour is one of the most important in the Spring – Summer 2012 offer. This is a delightfully delicate collection and the patterns reflect this, with a lot of false plains and microdesigns augmented by neat and precise designs such as narrow stripes. new lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli, the noble blue gem of antiquity, has been incorporated in a new quality of beautiful and exclusive suiting for Spring – Summer 2012. Appropriately, blue is the key colour in next season’s collections. Over the past ten years Scabal has become renowned for its unique ability to weave the most luxurious cloth that contains microscopic particles of precious metals and gems, such as diamond, platinum and gold. Lapis lazuli has been chosen for its eye-catching visual qualities and for the properties that some believe it can endow upon the wearer. Formed millions of years ago by magma rising from the centre of the earth and reacting with existing rock, lapis lazuli is a rare semi-precious stone that is found in only a few remote locations, including Chile, Ba≈n Island, Siberia and, most
notably, the inhospitable mountains of northeast Afghanistan. It has been prized for more than 6,000 years, back to the days of the ancients Egyptians, Babylonians and Sumerians. Its romantic name is composed from ‘lapis’, the Latin word for stone, and ‘azula’, which is from the Arabic for ‘blue’. Among the many qualities attributed to it as ‘a stone of protection’, lapis lazuli is believed to relieve stress and to instil in the wearer deep peace, harmony and inner self-knowledge. It is said to stimulate objectivity and clarity. It inspires personal confidence and strengthens relationships. As it is thought to positively affect the throat, it is said to improve one’s willingness to communicate freely and effectively. This beautiful stone, prized for its intense blue colour, is incorporated in a luxurious Super 150’s quality suiting, weighing 280 grammes, which contains 2% cashmere. It is woven in Scabal’s own mill in West Yorkshire, England, and can be worn all year round. A unique and powerful cloth, Lapis Lazuli is available in 12 new designs, all of them solid blue or featuring blue decoration on blue background.
Featherweight is a collection of Super 150’s qualities that blend fine wool with 15% silk yet still weigh only 160g
Featherweight fabric collection by Scabal: only 160g, available in 25 designs Š Scabal
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Clot h Guide
MERINO: A fibre for all seasons
Merino wool from Australia is considered one of the world’s finest. Let’s see why this natural material is unique and ideal for the spring and summer seasons. By Jérôme Stéfanski
Australian Merino sheep © AWI
W
ool has been one of the world’s most popular clothing fibres for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, which explains why today there are more than a billion sheep grazing happily in more than 100 countries. There are many different breeds of sheep, and almost as many different kinds of wool, but Merino is generally considered to be the finest. Wearing clothes made from Merino wool is a good way to keep warm, of course but, as we’ll see, this extraordinary fibre is also a natural choice for spring and summer wear. Green Wool
Made of nothing but grass, water and sunlight, Merino wool is an entirely renewable resource, which may explain why there has apparently been a resurgence in demand.
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An Aussie Institution
Improving On Nature
Worldwide production of wool is currently 2 million tonnes per year and, while Australia provides a fifth of that total – ahead of China, Iran, Argentina, New Zealand and the United Kingdom – it still produces an astonishing 80% of the world’s Merino wool. The development of Australian Merino is closely interwoven with the history of the country. There’s no question about the huge contribution it has made to Australia’s economic development, but some would also say that more than any other industry it has also helped to forge the national character. Unlike kangaroos and koalas, however, Merino are not indigenous to Australia. The first ones were introduced from South Africa around two hundred years ago by European settlers (although the breed actually originated in Spain).
By then, Merino wool already enjoyed an international reputation, but selective breeding by Australian farmers rapidly improved the quality even further. Despite the country’s often harsh and inhospitable climate the breed thrived, and the soft, dense fleeces and long, fine fibres that resulted were ideal to meet the demands of the newly industrialised spinning and weaving processes, enabling the production of many lighter, softer fabrics. By the 1870s, Australia led the world in both the quantity and quality of its wool production, and continues to do so today. Australian farmers are justifiably proud of the two-hundred-year-old tradition they have inherited; of the prosperity it has generated for the country as a whole, of the communities it supports, and culture is has engendered. Despite the automation of many aspects
of production, there are still over 50,000 Australian Merino farmers and many tens of thousands more people employed in the industry. Most farms – or ‘stations’ as they are known – are still family owned and operated, with knowledge and skills handed down from generation to generation. What Mak es Merino So Special?
It all comes down to the fibres. They’re finer than normal, thicker wool fibres, so they bend more easily. And it’s this pliancy that makes Merino wool feel so silky soft and luxuriously gentle against your skin. Merino fibres also have a natural elasticity, which means that garments made from it tend to resist creasing and retain their shape better. And while the insulating property of all wool is well known, the exceptional fineness of the Merino fibre, in combination with modern fabric-making techniques, has allowed for the production of many lightweight woven and knitted fabrics that are perfect for spring and summer apparel. Responsible Farming
For today’s discerning customer, ethical and environmentally sensitive farming can be as important as the quality of the clothing itself. Australian Merino achieves the highest standards in all these areas – well looked-after sheep living in a good environment produce the best wool, so Merino farmers are committed
Summer suit and fabrics by Scabal, made with Australian Merino wool © Scabal
‘Merino is an extremely breathable fibre that absorbs moisture vapour next to the skin and then channels it away to evaporate into the air’
to exceptionally high standards of animal welfare, sustainable farming for the benefit of future generations and the responsible use of land and water resources. Clothes That BreathE
Merino is an extremely breathable fibre. It ‘breathes’ by absorbing moisture vapour next to the skin and then channelling it away to evaporate into the air. Merino clothes are consequently less prone to clamminess and odour. The same mild absorbency also makes it resistant to static electricity, which explains why Merino apparel always ‘drapes’ so beautifully, and why it’s less likely than synthetic fabrics to cling uncomfortably to your body. If you examined a single justsheared Merino fibre, you would see that it
has a natural crimp; a tiny continuous wiggle which, in conjunction with the crimp of the fibres around it, creates minute, insulating air pockets. This is why garments made from Merino keep you cool in hot weather as well as warm in cold weather. Think of it as a natural air-conditioning system! second skin
Wool has always been a key fibre used by Scabal, and the base of the majority of Scabal fabrics is Merino wool. No ordinary wool under the microscope, this textile fibre is much finer (12-25 microns) than traditional wool (27-33 microns). It is for this reason that this ultra-fine natural fibre never feels rough; it is so soft and silky that it can be worn even on the most sensitive of skins. The fibre, with its small diameter, also allows for the manufacture of very fine and light woolen garments, which feel like a second skin. Higher-quality wool is not treated with chlorine, but is slow washed to ensure that it remains soft on the skin and does not shrink. It was mainly with Merino wool that Scabal created its ‘Superfines’ range, fabrics that include Super 100’s and Super 250’s. More information: www.merino.com
Merino wool fibres
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The Woolmark symbol is a registered trade mark of The Woolmark Company. In UK, Eire, Hong Kong and India the Woolmark symbol is a certiďŹ cation trade mark. Photographer: David Slijper Model: Darla Baker
SPRING – SUMMER 20 1 2 TRENDS
MR. FABRIC IS BACK
For the second time, Scabal presents the finest combination of fabrics and personality, because the fabric you wear should reflect and reveal your true self… 13
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Mr. Aristocrat and Fabric N°801649 Mr. Aristocrat grew up with outstanding quality. Since his youth, he meticulously takes care of the way he walks, talks, and dresses. His love for first-grade Scabal cotton thus doesn’t come as a surprise. Coming mainly from Egypt, Scabal cotton is renowned for its finer and longer fibres which improves the cloth’s performance. A satin weave gives the cloth a particular fineness and lustre, next to impeccable drape and handling qualities. Offering comfort and a refined summer flair, a 100% cotton cloth is simply ideal to accompany Mr. Aristocrat on his summer evening strolls. His favourite cotton model is a double breasted jacket in Fabric N°801649 from the ‘San Remo’ collection. Its regatta stripes remind Mr. Aristocrat of the prestigious Oxford, Cambridge boat races, and his memorable student years there. A perfect choice to enjoy his leisure time in style, dipped in a bit of harmless, upper-class nostalgia.
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Mr. intuitive and Fabric N°801514 With a much greater acceptance of casual business wear today, Fabric N° 801514 is an excellent choice to make it through sun-drenched working days. This ‘Vintage Linen’ Scabal quality is softer and lighter than traditional linen. It also gives a relaxed silhouette with a cool and comfortable handle. Linen’s natural crease adds to this casual look and gives the fabric much flair and liveliness. The collection’s subdued shades and delavé finishing reinforce the vintage atmosphere. All this gives Fabric N° 801514 a unique and authentic character, just perfect for a man such as Mr. Intuitive, who is not into glitter or over-polished looks. Wearing a halflined jacket in Vintage Linen is his personal, modest refusal of the antiseptic perfection of our contemporary society.
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Mr. diplomat and Fabric N°752254 If you seek a suit with a luxurious handle to keep your head and body cool when on exotic diplomatic missions, head for Flamingo Bay. This collection offers cloths with no less than 60 to 80% Summer Kid mohair blended with silk or Super 130’s, both rare and exclusive combinations. Only true craftsmen can transform such a high mohair percentage into a lightweight cloth of 260 grams. By burning off all the remaining hairs during the finishing process, the cloth is softened into perfection. Let Fabric N°752254 slip through your fingers, and you will notice sunbeams shimmer through this premium light cloth. Its discerning crisp feel will help you stand the summer heat and humid well. Mohair is also one of the few qualities able to cover looks from traditional to ultra modern, with shades going from beige to fashionable pale blue or more formal darker colours. Flamingo Bay is a collection not to be missed for mohair fans looking for a contemporary, summer lounge interpretation of their favourite classic.
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Mr. entrepreneur and Fabric N°752202 Mr. Entrepreneur has set his mind on a new Super 120’s Scabal quality, made from fine Australian Merino wool. This 230-gramme cloth has been selected to create summery o≈ce wear with an urbane appearance, becoming more and more popular with businessmen of all ages. Despite its delicate nature, the wool is resistant, which makes it comfortable and pleasant to wear on a daily basis, day and night. A prunelle twill weave gives the cloth a lovely handle and a graceful, more airy drape. This raises the cloth’s level of luxury, reinforced by a subtle radiance coming from Scabal’s traditional press finish. The cloth is available in a rich spectrum of designs, from classic to modern, all assembled in the collection ‘Jewel’. Of this, a false three-button jacket in Fabric N° 752202 is Mr. Entrepreneur’s number one choice to survive sweltering business days in style.
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Mr. expert and Fabric N°752291 Living in one of London’s most prestigious areas, Mr. Expert wants a luxurious suit that allows him to do top-level business. His ideal cloth offers comfort, exquisite quality and straightforward elegance. The ‘Mayfair’ collection answers all his needs. Its ultrafine Super 150’s label comes in two weights (230 and 250 grams) to give each design its particular handwriting. This lightweight cloth quality has some volume too, which makes it a versatile gem wearable all year round. The cashmere blend has a surprisingly soft, summery touch and a fabulous drape. In Fabric N°752291, woven in Scabal’s Huddersfield mill, this quality stands out even more thanks to the discreet design. A two-button jacket of this calibre offers Mr. Expert all the means to impress with an impeccable appearance and classy maturity, and live up to Mayfair’s name.
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Mr. laidback and Fabric N°801646 And now it’s time to stretch out and enjoy summer life with Mr. Laidback. Travelling the world’s most refined holiday destinations, from the French Riviera to the vast Argentine pampas, Mr. Laidback knows how to slow down in style. His most loyal travel companion is a half-lined, ‘false’ three-button jacket in Fabric N° 801646 from Scabal’s San Remo collection, a treasure for men looking for summery comfort and modern elegance. This 100% linen quality, is one of the rare European plant-based fabrics, characterized by a special, smoother texture. The fibre breathes easily and absorbs moisture well; the irregular, slightly rough threads give the cloth a vigorous cachet. A very relaxed, cool cloth radiating rural peacefulness, ideal for long, hot summer days.
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t he b espoke coac h
PRepare for a Lighter, Fresher summer
International menswear expert Bernhard Roetzel gives us the keys to dress in style this season By Bernhard Roetzel
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Spring and summer 2012 will be a great season for all who love the Italian version of classic British elegance. We will see subdued dusty browns and beiges, lighter shades of blue and navy plus light greys with sparse injections of colour. This appeals to the man of sophisticated taste, who has a well-defined sense of ‘less is more‘. Flashiness is almost completely absent, with the exception of a few hints of aristocratic flamboyance. The key colours for next summer represent three themes that are deeply rooted in the tradition of menswear – the current shades of brown remind us of colonial times, romantically transformed and far-removed from reality. The new, lighter and fresher navy tones hint at the omnipresent pursuits of yachting and sailing, while the quiet greys reflect today‘s softer and more relaxed approach to business-wear. White and off-white are used to create freshness and contrast both with the pastel shades of beige and grey and the lighter blues. Patterns are quieter and solid colours are very often ‘false-plains’ if you look closer – we do find some larger patterns, but they are counterbalanced by softer colours. These general trends are also reflected in the fabric collections that Michael Day has designed for Scabal this season – he is rather excited about the comeback of blue in particular, although it comes as no surprise to him: “Navy has been our bestseller for years but it has always been a very dark navy. Now, the lighter navy is more popular.” Personally, he is very fond of a particular shade of blue from the Mayfair bunch. “Everybody should have a Super 150’s suit in his wardrobe nowadays. It is not yet a ‘bread-and-butter‘ cloth, but much more accessible than it was fifteen years ago.”
The key colours for summer: revisited brown, fresher navy blue and white © Scabal
To go through the Scabal bunches with the man who has designed thousands of cloths is a unique experience, especially as Michael Day seems to enjoy it just as much as the customers in the shops and the tailors all over the world. For next summer, he suggests another one of his personal favourites, the new Jewel Super 120’s. “The perfect suit for plain designs.” And for the all-important sports jacket, he recommends the Mosaic Super 130’s worsted jacketing, and would pair this with light grey mixture greys in wool for trousering, while linen jackets are best worn with cotton trousers.
says Olivier Vander Slock as he shows the details of the suit. It has narrow shoulders, a small armhole, a button front, slightly smaller pocket flaps and very narrow lapels. “We are offering this very slim model in the second season already and it is a great success.” It is also Olivier Vander Slock’s personal choice for spring and summer. He has picked for himself a two-piece suit in a lighter blue from the Mirage Super 140’s bunch. For casual wear he has chosen a very soft cotton jacket from the San Remo bunch, which he will pair with beige cotton pants.
Suits, jackets and trousers are still cut rather close to the body in spring and summer 2012. This may contradict some of the designer collections that we have seen on the catwalks, but men who actually wear the suits out there in the o≈ces don’t seem to be ready yet for double-breasted suits with wider trousers legs and pleats. Scabal also believes that the craving for slim lines will continue, as Olivier Vander Slock points out. “We know these trends of course but we have other customers in mind for our collection.” As Sales & Collection Manager, he is responsible for everything from suits to the smallest accessories. He believes that especially younger men feel more at home in close fitting, shorter jackets and low-cut, leg-hugging trousers. And they love soft jackets both for casual wear and with suits. “If you want to attract them to suits you must offer them something with a twist.”
Slim fit and soft construction are two key phrases for the upcoming warm season. Despite the general move towards more formality, men don’t want to give up the comfort that they are used to from the soft, unstructured jackets they have worn for several seasons. So, very often, suits are ordered with an unstructured soft jacket originally intended for casual wear and with slim-fitting pants that are cut like jeans. In this context, even unlined or half-lined jackets are getting more attention. Italians have always been very fond of unlined jackets, but in northern Europe, people are sometimes hesitant to buy a garment that seems not to be finished on the inside.
It is still a rather common prejudice that men who wear individually made clothes are rather conservative. But especially at the made-tomeasure end of the business many younger customers love to have their suits tailored to look super modern. “These guys love our S-Model,”
Blue, brown and grey have been stalwarts of the traditional and contemporary wardrobe for many years and from there they have conquered the world of menswear. So the new, softer and lighter shades of these colours are basically variations on a familiar theme. Still, they are important to soften up the appearance of the well-dressed men. One colour remains the same in spring 2012. Black will still be black for formal wear. 27
FIVE QUICK TIPS TO FIND THE RIGHT SUMMER WEAR 1. FIX YOUR GOAL Never forget where you will be wearing your new outfit. A classic linen double-breasted navy blazer on white linen trousers is perfect for a cocktail party on a French Riviera yacht, but might not be the best choice for a business meeting. 2. THINK ACCESSORIES Summer is an ideal period to try some creative accessories that make the difference: knitwear-polo, flowered linen pocket handkerchief and scarf, even a bow tie might work well. 3. MADE-TO-MEASURE OPTIONS The made-to-measure process offers many personalization options. Among them, the half-lining offered by Scabal is the right choice if you are after comfort and lightness. 4. FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS Some Spring-Summer fabrics’ colours and shades can be intense and design elements such as fancy stripes and big checks can be very attractive. Don’t be afraid to be creative and always be true to your personality when you choose your fabrics. 5. TALK TO YOUR TAILOR Your tailor is the best advisor to help you choose the right summer wear. Never underestimate his knowledge and added value, because he is not only there to take your measurements but also to advise on style.
Find your local retailer at : www.scabal.com
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cu lt of sport
k .s. by scabal
The world of fashion and horse-riding could not have found a better match. Kevin Staut, the horseman of the moment and Scabal have joined forces to create the innovative line, K.S. by Scabal. Launched in December 2011 at the prestigious Gucci Masters of Paris, this new collaboration promises a sparkling future – and we meet with France’s most elegant horse-rider at the stables of Ecaussinnes in Belgium. Text by Cécile de Forton Images by Captural Photography Styling by Jérôme Stéfanski
L
ocated only 50 kilometres south of Brussels in a village called Écaussinnes, the Écuries d’Écaussinnes occupy 20 hectares – a true haven in a natural setting. Animal sculptures decorate the fields that spread as far as the eye can see and, in his two private stables, Staut’s favourite horse Kraque Boom rests, while Silvana de Hus, the fabulous mare that has delivered the best results lately, prepares to be ridden by her master.
Flashback on the French champion’s career
Born in 1980 in France, Kevin Staut did not grow up in the world of horse-riding. His story began at the age of ten, when he acquired his first large pony named Sauvageon. As his passion for riding grew, he decided to stop all other sports. “At 16, I felt that I wanted to make a job out of my passion. Horse-riding is an expensive sport and I was lucky that my grandparents could help me financially. Throughout my entire career, everyone gave me a chance.” During his adolescence, Kevin needed more independence, so he decided to pack his bags and gain experience in different locations. At the age of 23, Kevin started to work with Pierre Baldeck, a horseman who played a key role in the young man’s life. At that time, Kraque Boom entered Kevin’s life, which was a real starting point in his career. Thanks to the stallion and hard work, many victories followed. In 2007, Kevin joined the French Team and became an essential part of the team’s reconstruction. In 2008 Xavier Marie, owner of the Haras de Hus stud farm, welcomed Kevin to his premises and became the owner of most of Kevin’s horses. Concerning his future plans: “In the short term, I am looking forward to attend the Olympic Games in London. In the long term, I would like to ride as long as possible and win as many titles as I can, individually or with the team. As a personal challenge, it would be a great satisfaction to improve my technique and the artistic aspect of my passion.” Horse-riding matches elegance
Today, Kevin Staut represents la crème de la crème in his field. The tall, thin and handsome man has secured partnerships with luxury brands such as Rolex. Horse-riding is an elegant sport, and Kevin is excellent at promoting its best image. “I’ve always been fascinated by authentic brands with a huge heritage and a strong image. As a horseman, I am permanently surrounded by famous brands. Personally I don’t like eccentricity or showing-off and prefer discretion and timeless style.” His desire for pure elegance was made possible through the innovative line K.S. by Scabal. This collection was presented at the Gucci Masters of Paris on the 2nd of December 2011. Kevin explains the reasons of such collaboration: “My stay at the Écuries d’Écaussinnes encouraged building this partnership with Scabal. Christophe Ameeuw, owner of the stables, is a visionary. He had the desire to dress horsemen in a different way. The project started with Jacques de Vlaminck, a major Scabal retailer and a friend of Christophe. Then, when we decided to actually go forward we contacted the head o≈ce of Scabal in Brussels and an immediate synergy was born. On the first shot, we were on the same wavelength. EEM’s Project Manager Clara Martins, who is responsible for this new range, worked in collaboration with Scabal’s Collection Manager Olivier Vander Slock. Together, they brought very positive development to the project and Scabal’s excellent know-how ensured our entire trust in them.” The masterpiece of the collection is a made-to-measure jacket inspired by the Business Class fabric collection, a Super 100’s wool specially developed for gentlemen who want to move in comfort and style. The special weaving reduces creases and the nanotechnology construction provides great protection against stains. 30
‘I’ve always been fascinated by authentic brands with a huge heritage and a strong image’ Kevin Staut
Interview Express bespoken: What is different about this new line by Kevin Staut – Scabal from what already exists in the world of riding? k evin staut : We wanted to recapture a certain elegance that has been lost somewhat in recent years. Our products are focused very much on comfort and lightweight fabrics and a 100% natural garment with maximum elasticity.
What type of riders are you targeting with this new range? ks :
From amateur to professional riders, everyone will find an image that suits. What are the values you most admire in your sport? ks : Elegance, technical quality and performance – these are the values reflected in the range we have created with Scabal.
What importance do you attach to your everyday look? ks : Self-respect also requires sartorial elegance and comfort – it is a constant search for aesthetics, either on horseback or in everyday life. I have my own style, my own personality.
Do you have a favourite ‘model’ of masculine elegance (singer, actor, sportsman)? ks : Brad Pitt and David Beckham, blonde just like me! (laughs).
What are you most proud of? ks :
My horses!
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“It took us six months to run some tests to find the best materials. The idea was to create a jacket in which the horseman could easily breathe and move, especially on the shoulder area. The material had to be resistant, solid, practical, light and dirt resistant,” explains Scabal Research & Development Manager Mario Arcuri. The collection is designed to be worn for the sport, but can also be for ‘after sport’ attire. Being a top-class horse rider means that you have to dress for sport but also for social events such as press conferences or gala parties. A cashmere colorful jacket would perfectly suit an interview, whereas a silky tuxedo made with flannel would fit in well with a chic winter party. Besides the made-to-measure jacket, the line K.S. by Scabal offers a series of made-to-measures shirts, ties, scarves and pocket-handkerchiefs. “In a few words, I would qualify this collection as traditional, young, technical and customizable. Traditional for its respect of horse-riding dress codes, young because it is inspired by Kevin Staut including buttonholes and colors, technical thanks to the revolutionary fabric quality and customizable as the client can compose his jacket as he wishes”, says Jérôme Stéfanski, who is responsible for marketing this latest Scabal collection. First launched in Paris, K.S. by Scabal will be presented at international major horse-riding events in Paris, Hong Kong, New York and more… Gentlemen, be inspired by K.S. by Scabal – put your imagination to work and create your own style. More information: www.scabal.com/ks Special thanks to: Écuries d’Écaussinnes Stelliger made-to-measure boots and shoes
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special fe ature : h a ppy b irt h day b es p o k en !
reading the past to imagine the future 34 w hy b es p o ke n ?
a dream come true 35 scaba l ac ross th e wor l d
a tailor by design 37 tim el ess e legan c e
42 t e mptat i ons
cufflinks’ comeback
revisited classics
38 scaba l in figures
45 t e r ra i ncogni ta
3,490
Let’s walk on the Silk Road
39 co ll ecto rs ite m
48 be t on e ducat i on
store your magazines in style
WHY SCABAL IS SUPPORTING THE Biella Master IN NOBLE FIBRES
40 spec ia l tribute
49 ge nt le me n’s me e t i ng
the tailor and cutter
born in britain Acclaimed Worldwide a. Colin firth B. Timothy EVEREST 55 t e e t i me
A Double 10th anniversarY 33
w hy b espoke n?
a dream come true This is the 10th edition of Bespoken, a unique international magazine dedicated to personalization. Twice a year the magazine not only presents Scabal’s latest contributions to this concept but also offers insights into the world of personalized luxury and bespoke tailoring. Bespoken is going from strength to strength. By Nigel Bishop Scabal has always tried to stay close to its customers. The company pioneered fabric sampling in the 1950s with its customer ‘bunches’ and has published a catalogue for many years. But one ambition had always eluded the company – to publish its own magazine. The opportunity came in 2006 when Scabal met its new advertising agency. The agency invited a young Brussels editor, Jérôme Stéfanski, to create a magazine for Scabal. Bespoken was born. Stéfanski was well qualified for the task: he had launched and built up his own magazine called Together, aimed at the European side of life in Brussels. One year later he sold Together and joined Scabal in-house. Modern vision of luxury
There were a number of challenges right from the start. Should the magazine use the Scabal name? And how should it balance content with branding? “We knew we had to go down the soft route,” said Stéfanski “keeping a careful balance between branding and editorial. The aim is to promote not only Scabal but also a modern vision of luxury. And we agreed early on to talk about other men’s fashion brands, even if we don’t supply to them. It’s easy to write about Aston Martin but more di≈cult to name Scabal’s competitors. But we talk about them, especially when they do great things.” There was a distribution challenge as well. The luxury magazine weighs 400 grammes, so sending 50,000 copies around the world would cost a fortune. So, Scabal chose to package Bespoken with its seasonal promotion material and send it twice a year to retailers, tailors and shop partners, who then display it in their stores for end customers.
articles available online in several languages. For this celebratory 10 th issue, Russian, Chinese and Korean versions have been printed. “We also have thousands of online readers every month, so we have decided to launch a real iPad application online in January 2012,” Stéfanski added.
‘We also have thousands of online readers every month, so we have decided to launch a real iPad application online in January 2012’ Jérôme Stéfanski, Editor-in-Chief
Renowned contributors
One of the main strengths of Bespoken is the journalists who write for the magazine – they are a guarantee of quality, credibility and diversity. “We always try to find the best writer for the best topic,” explains Scabal Group CEO Gregor Thissen. “And thanks to the international dimension of Bespoken, we can work with international writers, fashion consultants and journalists who are considered
as experts in their fields.” Sometimes, those writers also provide knowledge in other areas such as PR & Communication. “We are always happy when we receive compliments from readers who live in the US, Asia, Middle East or Europe. Some of them buy yearly subscriptions, which is proof that we provide more than a commercial content. Our aim is to inform the readers on timeless elegance and bespoke luxury and our valued contributors give the magazine a real added value,” Thissen adds. Without the precious contribution of these people and the creative work of our graphic design agency BaseDesign, we could not reach such a qualitative result, both on the content and on the aspect of the magazine.” Cross marketing
True to its aims, Scabal has been actively using the magazine to promote a modern vision of luxury with the creation of its ‘Bespoken Club’. Here, advertisers in the magazine join forces with Scabal to promote their products through special offers and events. “Customers invite their customers; it’s called ‘cross marketing’”, Stéfanski says. “Test drive a new Maserati and then join us for a glass of Piper-Heidsieck champagne, for example. We started this in Belgium and are now moving it out in Europe. There is a lot of potential; you can cross-market in shops, in magazines and online.” Scabal has more plans for the magazine in the future. In September 2012 when the first Scabal shop in Beijing opens, Scabal will introduce Bespoken in China. And the company plans to expand distribution, working with a specialist distributor in the USA, Europe and Asia to extend coverage to top hotels and private clubs. “There is big potential for expansion,” Stéfanski concludes, “but we never forget that quality of content is the driver.”
Local appeal
Scabal likes to think globally but act locally, and Bespoken is no exception. Editorial content is designed for well-dressed men everywhere and is presented in English. But Scabal has published a Russian version of the previous two issues and makes main 34
‘Bespoken Club’ event with Scabal Maserati, Remy Martin and Piper Heidsieck © People Attitude
scabal across t h e worl d
A Tailor by Design
Despite his famous surname, master-tailor Ferdinando Caraceni artfully created his own tailoring dynasty, in the pure respect of the tailoring tradition. William Kissel
Ferdinando Caraceni at his premises © F. Caraceni
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hen Ferdinando Caraceni launched his eponymous tailor’s shop on Milan’s Via San Marco in 1967, there were those who pounced on the seasoned suit-maker for trading on a name that had been synonymous with Italian tailoring for more than six decades. Despite his surname, his occupation and the fact he hailed from the same town, Ortona a Mare, where the more famous Caraceni brothers – Domenico, Galliano, and Agostino – had established a tailoring dynasty in the early 20th century, Ferdinando Caraceni was, in fact, no family relation, but had only professional close contact with this legendary family. The link between those men is fairly complex. In 1938, Agostino Caraceni contacted young talent Ferdinando Caraceni, aged 16, and asked him to come to Milan to work for him. Ferdinando worked nearly 30 years alongside Agostino who considered him as a son and taught him the art of Italian bespoke tailoring. Unfortunately, in 1967, Ferdinando and the son of Agostino, Mario Caraceni, didn’t find an agreement to keep on working together – Ferdinando decided to open his own shop to continue the Agostino Caraceni style. Many loyal clients stayed with him and, even if the separation proved painful for Ferdinando, he never forgot Agostino, whom he called “my master”. During his career, Ferdinando tried to pay tribute to the teaching that he had received from Agostino and endeavoured to ensure that his reputation flourished down the years. The beginning of a fascinating Italian story that was previously written in the stars: Ferdinando Caraceni was born in Ortona on 30 May 1923, in exactly the same place and on the same day as Domenico Caraceni, the founder of the “other” family business… building a strong reputation
Nevertheless, the critics were wrong to dismiss Ferdinando Caraceni as a man who traded on the glory of others. A master tailor, who actually
Nicoletta Caraceni and Sergio d’Angelo, Master-cutter born in Ortona, who learnt everything from Nicoletta’s father © F. Caraceni
mentored under the tutelage of Agostino Caraceni for more than two decades, the younger tailor rightfully developed his own definitive style that earned him a reputation as one of Italy’s finest mastercraftsmen. Among his credits, Ferdinando Caraceni was said to be so well-versed in the art of suit making that he would sometimes work without the aid of a pattern; he would simply chalk the client’s measurements directly onto the fabric and begin cutting. Such focus and precision quickly earned Ferdinando a formidable list of clients whose own names – Yves Saint Laurent, Diego Della Valle, Prince Sadrudden Aga Khan, Silvio Berlusconi, among others–read like a who’s who of international sartorial style.
‘The story was written in the stars: Ferdinando Caraceni was born in exactly the same place and on the same day as Domenico Caraceni, the founder of the ‘other’ family business…’ Nicoletta Caraceni
“My father used to tell me to ‘always remember you work for your name; your name doesn’t work for you’” says Nicoletta Caraceni, the dominant force behind the Caraceni shop since her father’s passing in 2004. “In a world where brand-names seem to be the guarantee of quality, the truth is that it’s completely the opposite,” she says, clearly 35
Ferdinando Caraceni Via San Marco 22/A Milan, Italy T. +39-02-655 42 84 www.caracenisartoria.net
Scabal fabrics from the Caraceni’s workshop © F. Caraceni
cognizant of the fact that her father spent his entire professional career ensuring that his suits, not his signature, took centre-stage. Even to this day, a Caraceni suit does not carry his signature, just that of its owner discreetly inside the interior pocket. the suit by car aceni
A Ferdinando Caraceni suit has other distinctions as well. The fabric choice and quality are very important, which is the reason why Caraceni has worked with Scabal for decades. Typically made with fine English (rarely Italian) fabrics, because the tailor considered them of superior quality, the suits feature a slightly shorter waist and vents, lowered pockets punctuated at the waist and a curved-cut lapel Ferdinando Caraceni once referred to as “a little belly”. Although Caraceni considered the double-breasted his signature, from that point there was room for inspiration. “The shoulders are typically quite natural, but it depends on the times. Shoulders saw slow evolution, guided by us and not by fashion standards,” says Nicoletta, noting how her father understood the art of producing old-world clothing with a thoroughly modern sensibility. “In the 1970s, the shoulders were a little up, like a saddle. In the 80s the shoulders were more exaggerated, about one centimetre more. So there have always been little modifications over the years,” she explains. Yet every Caraceni suit continues to be made on site, entirely by hand, to ensure the highest quality and a superior fit. That is why Caraceni’s signature tailoring shop continues to produce, as in the master’s lifetime, fewer than 400 garments in a single year. business vision
“My father insisted that I never make the business any bigger because, he would say, it’s better to make a few good suits that fit rather than a lot of suits that don’t,” notes Nicoletta, who grew up in the family business “eating bread and jackets”, as she explains it. Yet she never became a tailor herself. Instead, and over time, she developed a congenial rapport with the clients that continues to this day, and learned to run the shop with a tailor’s eye for detail. Admittedly stubborn, like her father, Nicoletta says her occasional directives to remake a collar, detach and re-attach a sleeve, or re-sew a buttonhole are not always met with gratitude by the ten cutters and tailors, some of whom have toiled in her father’s shop for 25 years and more. “When I say something has to be changed they look at me in a bad way,” Nicoletta defends her power of persuasion. But, she insists, a certain level of authority “is necessary to retain the same sort of quality my father always insisted upon”. 36
Ferdinando Caraceni’s clients testimonials © F. Caraceni
ti me l ess el ega nc e
cufflinks’ comeback White gold and diamond cu√inks by Scabal – Limited Edition By Jérôme Stéfanski Because gentlemen do not have many opportunities to wear jewellery, smart cu√inks are always much appreciated. Cu√inks were invented in the 19th century to replace the old method of binding cuΩs by tying a knot with a ribbon. In the 1970s, during the readyto-wear clothes revolution, cu√inks were quickly replaced by the traditional sewed button.“Nowadays, we are seeing a real interest in cu√inks,” says Olivier Vander Slock, who deals with the new collections at Scabal. “Not only private bankers, neo-dandies and grooms, but any man who wants to feel elegant and distinctive.” This trend is closely linked with another comeback – the double-cuΩed sleeve shirt, which is considered as being the most formal shirt to wear. Recently, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Diamond Chip collection – luxury fabrics
that are made from diamond fragments blended with Super 150’s wool – Scabal has created a unique white gold and diamond cu√ink set. These exclusive cu√inks have been designed and hand-crafted in Belgium by a certified-jeweller member of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. The cu√inks are made with 18 carat white gold and 0.65 carat diamonds of F colour and V purity. Only available by order, these masterpieces are produced and internationally delivered within 15 working days. Faithful to its made-to-measure personalization programme, Scabal also oΩers the possibility of the owner’s initials being engraved on the cu√inks. All orders must be made via www.scabal.com/shop or at Scabal’s flagship store in Savile Row, London.
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3 , 490
scaba l in figur es
That is the average number of readers that consult the online version of Bespoken magazine available at www.bespoken.com every month. By Nigel Bishop
10 iPads to be won! Do you want to read your favourite magazine on iPad but still don’t own one? To celebrate the 10 th edition of Bespoken, Scabal is offering you the chance to win one of ten new iPads by Apple, delivered with the exclusive Scabal’s leather folder. Try your luck at www.bespoken.com/ competition and answer the following questions:
1 Since its creation five years ago, how many editions of Bespoken have been published? —— Five —— Ten —— Four
Leather folder by Scabal in which you can store your last Bespoken magazine and your iPad. This limited edition is only available at www.scabal.com/shop © Scabal
“There are two main ways of considering this number,” says Scabal’s CEO Gregor Thissen. “This could appear as being small in comparison with the other magazines and newspapers that offer online options. On the other hand, it is very encouraging for us because obviously, we are not a publishing firm and Bespoken is entirely made in-house. In addition, it’s a consumer magazine and even if we always try to provide as much objective information as possible, we are also promoting our own products. For these reasons, we think that having 3,490 monthly online readers is a great result and that is the reason why we would like to thank all of them by offering a really professional online tool.” an ipad application for everybody
From 15 January 2012, Scabal has offered an iPad application for everyone who wants to read Bespoken on their tablet. To celebrate our 10th edition, the application is totally free until August 2012. Readers can download it on iTunes, on Scabal.com and of course on Bespoken.com. According to Bespoken Editor Jérôme Stéfanski: “This new application represents a great challenge and many interesting 38
opportunities. It will increase the number of readers worldwide and our content will be extended. For the current edition, we have uploaded some movies linked to our articles and even those who only read the printed magazine can find a special logo that will allow them to watch the movies online.” There is also the chance for Scabal’s partners to share multimedia information about their products. “Working with luxury brands that share Scabal’s values has always been a key aim of Bespoken. Thanks to our iPad application, brands such as Cartier, Piper Heidsieck or Maserati can now provide more information for our readers, in a creative way that complements the classic advertising page,” Stéfanski adds. “We recently advertised in the iPad application of The Economist and the result was great! We appreciated the direct link that we can build with the readership and the new way of ‘talking’ individually with each user.” In the near future, an Android application is also likely to be launched. As Stéfanski says: “This market is in perpetual evolution, and we certainly don’t want to miss it!”
2
The name Bespoken refers to the expression “bespoke” that indicates a unique British way of creating a traditional handmade made-to-measure suit. Where does this expression come from? —— London —— Paris —— Milan
3 How many competition entries will we receive between 15th January and 15th July 2012?
This free competition runs from 15 th january to 15 th July 2012. Winners will be personally contacted.
coll ectors item
store your magazines in style Scabal offers you the unique chance to order a Limited Edition of Bespoken’s first volume – the innovative and attractive Tablemag. By Jérôme Stéfanski
Only 10 Tablemags are available with the first volume of Bespoken – 10 editions
The Tablemag with the 10 editions of Bespoken magazine by Scabal, only available at www.scabal.com/shop © Scabal
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hat an elegant way of collecting and presenting your Bespoken! Tablemag is a new design of furniture invented by Antoinette Ribas, who has worked in the advertising industry as an art director for nearly ten years and is always trying to find creative solutions to make life easier. “I’m an addict. I buy a lot of beautiful magazines and I was always sad because I didn’t know how and where to file them. Hanging the magazines is a natural, practical and aesthetic way of presenting them,” Ribas explains. The design is pure and functional, and is suitable for many interior ambiences. In addition, Tablemag is hand-made at a small, traditional production facility. “It was di≈cult to find someone who could adapt his steel production to such a very limited series, but after much effort I found a craftsman who immediately understood my way of thinking. Technically, using only one steel block to build each table was a big challenge, but we have achieved it together. I want to keep my creation accessible price-wise, but also keeping it exclusive through the limited numbers available and the highly targeted distribution channels,” Ribas adds. “This is the reason why I was really happy to be contacted by Scabal. The brand is synonymous with quality and innovation, two values that symbolize my creation.” Only ten Tablemags are available with the first volume of Bespoken (ten editions). Each table is numbered and branded with a smart and discrete Bespoken logo on the side, and the owner’s initials can even be engraved on the table, as Scabal offers the same option on the lining of its made-to-measure suits. This unique collector item can only be ordered from www.scabal.com/shop Colors : Black or white Dimensions : H/35cm – W/120cm – L/55cm Price of the table with the First Volume of Bespoken (10 editions) : ¤950 Worldwide delivery : ¤150
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speci al tr ibute
the tailor and cutter It is an honour for Bespoken to pay tribute to the most valuable bespoketailoring trade magazine ever. By Eric Musgrave
F
or more than 100 years from 1866 the bespoke tailoring trade across the world took its direction from The Tailor and Cutter magazine. Originally based in Drury Lane, in the Covent Garden district of London, in 1902 it relocated to premises at 42–43 Gerrard Street, Soho, in the heart of what is now the British capital’s Chinatown district. The five-storey building was marked by a famous sign bearing the iconic image of The Tailor by Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Moroni. This was the home not only of the magazine, but also of the legendary Tailor and Cutter Academy, which was recognized globally as the pre-eminent school for the bespoke craft. Aspirant tailors from every continent made their way to the academy to learn the time-honoured skills in cutting, fitting and sewing. For those who could not afford to make the journey to London, highly prized education, information and opinion was disseminated through the pages of The Tailor and Cutter magazine, popularly accepted to be the “bible of the trade”. a devoted media
Sometimes appearing as a monthly, but usually as a weekly The Tailor and Cutter was always devoted to the progressive prosperity of the bespoke tailoring tradition. It was an intriguing mixture of what we would now call a technical journal, a business news magazine, a fashion publication and a gossip sheet. It was most revered by its many readers for its authoritative pieces on the art and science of cutting – complete with patterns that its readers could copy, or disagree with. Its Letters column hosted lively debate among its subscribers. Years before photography was normal in publications, the T&C, as it was affectionately 40
‘Our mission is to put a superior class of literature dealing with the science and art of the trade into the hands of every tailor.’ Introduction to The Tailor and Cutter, Volume IV, 1868-1869
known, carried exquisite engravings of the latest styles (including some for women as well as the men’s). Cheekily, the editors sometimes used real-life celebrities as their “models”, so in a series of issues during 1870 and 1871, the most up-to-date creations were seen being “worn” by personages as lofty as The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), W.E. Gladstone (the Prime Minister of Great Britain), Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, Emperor Napoleon III of France, Count Bismarck of Prussia, the King of Spain and the Emperor of Russia. Today’s Bespoken magazine is available online and with its own iPad application, but in its own way The Tailor and Cutter was
“fast to market” with information about new preferences it had spotted in London. In Issue 156, dated October 2 1869, under the heading Double Breasted Chesterfield, readers were informed: “As the season is advancing we are in a better position to report that the Chesterfield style of cut is a decided favourite with those gentlemen whose good taste and judgement in the character of their dress is worth following.” At its height in the post-World War II era, under the editorship of the legendary John Taylor, The Tailor and Cutter had around 20,000 subscribers and it organised a huge national tailoring competition and exhibition that was the yearly high point of the British bespoke trade’s calendar. There were 14 different classes for a variety of tailored garments. The gold “Dandy” award for the supreme prize was commissioned from Garrards, the royal jewellers. The Tailor and Cutter survived until the early 1970s, when the growth of ready-to-wear caused a fatal reduction in its target market of craft cutters and tailors. Today, in the spirit of the T and C, Bespoken and Scabal are proud to continue the tradition of serving gentlemen who display good taste and judgement, and the tailor and cutters who dress them with character.
A superb archive of The Tailor and Cutter, comprising 116 volumes covering the years 1868 to 1969, is held at The Gallery of Costume in Manchester, England. In order to preserve this invaluable resource, Scabal helped contribute to a fund to have a large number of loose copies bound. To celebrate the T&C, a reception and exhibition was recently held at Scabal’s flagship at 12 Savile Row. It was attended by many of London’s leading tailors and cutters, who have fond memories of the old title. Perhaps none more so than Scabal’s own London-based director Terry Brown, who joined the cloth trade over 44 years ago after responding to an advertisement in The Tailor and Cutter.
1879
1930
1889
1936
1935
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1948
Scabal’s clipping in Tailor & Cutter Magazine from December 29th 1961
1949
1956
1946
1960
Archive images published with the courtesy of the Gallery of Costume in Manchester
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t emptations
revisited classics
When designers and craftsmen decide to transform mythical objects into modern collector items, it’s always a sign that knowing the past is the first step to building an exciting future. Bespoken offers a selection of the most promising bespoke luxury goods inspired by this trend. By Jérôme Stéfanski
1 Made at the intersection of nostalgia and adrenaline, this bespoke model is a modern interpretation of track-racing motorcycles with their origins in the 1920s. A moto-hybrid drive train allows it to achieve fuel economy and high performances – each Derringer cycle is custom-built and, for the discerning rider, Derringer offers refined customization options such as hammered copper rivets, hand-made leather saddles and white tyres manufactured without carbon black. Price available on request www.derringercycles.com
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Imagined by American designer Matt Richmond and commercialized by the Made Craft company, this iPod & iPhone vintage dock station features a solid walnut base with a black horn produced by legendary sound specialist Magnavox. The mechanical amplification system is self-su≈cient and doesn’t require any other energy source. Only available on demand, this collector’s item requires six to eight weeks to be completely made by hand. Time is a luxury. Price: ¤400 www.made-craft.com
3 Throughout history, nobility and royalty have placed great importance in their ability to express their power and personality through personalized signet rings, calling such prowess the ‘Code Royal’. Times of course have changed, but nevertheless, the desire for individual and awe-inspiring jewellery, reflecting each person’s personality, is greater than ever. With Code Royal, modern ladies and gentlemen have the opportunity to give jewels their personality. Using materials of the highest quality, this German goldsmith offers 20,000 possible variations to create your own individual signet ring. You can even send your family crest or company logo to be engraved into the stone, for a truly unique creation. ‘Frog’ Signet ring in yellow gold: ¤1,390 www.code-royal.com 42
MASERATI GRANCABRIO SPORT. ELEVATE THE EXPERIENCE Forget everything you once knew. The new GranCabrio Sport will expand the horizons of those who seek a seductive looking, four-seater cabrio but who also want to enjoy a sportier ride with dynamic handling. The GranCabrio Sport expresses this sporty edge in its detailing: the side spoilers, black oval exhaust pipes, new Astro design rims in Silver or Anthracite Grey, the M-design seats and the new leather tints. Completing the look is the ‘Rosso Trionfale’ colour for the exterior, a hue that stirs the emotions. The Maserati GranCabrio Sport is a unique car. It appeals to all the senses to provide an all-round driving experience. Visit www.maserati.com for a close-up look at the GranCabrio Sport. To find out more about the ‘Maserati GranCabrio Sport’ world, just scan the QR Code using the camera on your smartphone. For more information on QR codes, see: mobi.maserati.com V8 4691 CC ENGINE – MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT: 450 BHP AT 7000 RPM – MAXIMUM TORQUE: 510 NM AT 4750 RPM – MAXIMUM SPEED: 285 KM/H - 0-100 KM/H ACCELERATION: 5.2 SECONDS COMBINED CYCLE CONSUMPTION: 15.23 L/100 KM - CO2 EMISSIONS: 354 G/KM
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MASERATI.COM
REAL VALUES ALWAYS PERSIST Puilaetco Dewaay Private Bankers since 1868
www.pldw.be Bruxelles | Antwerpen | Hasselt | Liège | Namur | Sint-Martens-Latem | Waregem
terra incognita
Let ’s walk on the Silk Road
The trade route linking Asia to Europe, the ‘Silk Road’, was considered the most valuable – among the many goods transported were silk. Of all the highlights of the road, Kashgar is definitely the city that has best preserved the atmosphere of a large commercial hub and seems to have been forgotten by the 21st century… Text and photographs by Bruno Morandi
Kashgar’s wonderful natural landscape
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Kashgar daily life moments
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n approaching the ‘Middle Kingdom’ from its western extreme, from one side it looks so small. Having grazed the high snowy peaks, and rolled down the slopes of the Pamir in a jeep after the meditative and peaceful highlands of Lake Karakul, here is the last great bazaar in Central Asia. But arriving in Kashgar is no easy task – there are no international flights and very few internal direct flights. The “miracle” of China does not yet seem to have reached this part of the People’s Republic. Kashgar is the most remote city in the province of Xinjiang. Further west, the maze of former Soviet republics of Central Asia begins – previously an obligatory stop on the Silk Road, the crossroads of civilizations, the oasis of Kashgar was perfectly located between the furnace of the terrible desert of Takla-Makan and the freeze of the no-less fearsome Himalayas. It was the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty who ruled this end of the Muslim world, with its predominantly Turkish-speaking Uighurs population. In the time of the emperors, Kashgar became the centre of what was called the ‘Great Game’, a rendez-vous location for undercover agents in the service of the Czars or the British Indian Empire. The two former British and Russian consulates are now a Chinese hotel, 46
but in their gardens, a 19th century ambience still prevails. Just outside the Hotel Seman and its espionage nostalgia lies the chaos of the bazaars. Stalls selling figs and watermelons, straight out of a novel by Rudyard Kipling, run by three men wearing pointed beards and dressed in long black coats, who are joined later by the barber, who shaves his head like a fourth accomplice. As often happens in the bazaars of the East, corporations are grouped according to their genre, with hatters offering a choice of fashionable headwear, then blacksmiths, cutlers and dried-fruit merchants, who open the way to the bazaar manned by women wearing shaded, shimmering silks. Khotan, to be found in the east of Kashgar, has produced silk for millennia, and still continues the traditional route from farming to spinning and weaving on looms from another age. At lunch, taverns and restaurants are filled with delightful aromas – between the smoke and smells of rice pilaf kebabs, a man juggles pasta and a long stretch of suoman, which leaves no doubt about the origin of spaghetti, namely Marco Polo! The Id Kah Great Mosque has painted yellow minarets, better to mark the centre of the old town. Dusty, narrow and undulating lanes, narrow pierce the heart of the city of Uighur, which is made from brick and adobe. Sometimes, an alley slips under a hovel, or ends in a cul-de-sac – children just
back from school play in the miniature pool, their mothers wearing a light veil of colour, while the local baker who makes sesame breadcakes in his clay oven. Meanwhile, a group of Han Chinese tourists, who have ventured thus far, are managing to fill up all the memory cards on their cameras… In Kashgar, Sunday is market day. In the warmth of dawn, a dense crowd of peasants flood the area, with women, children and cattle, converging on the cattle market, returning to the ancient trade of the Silk Road…
How to get there? Major airlines offer flights to Beijing. Once there, you should use the services of Hainan Airlines and take a second plane to Urumqi, from whence you can take a final flight to Kashar. Before planning your trip, contact the Chinese ambassy, because sometimes the political situation is critical in this district and going there could be risky.
where to stay? Seman Hotel Kashgar Seman Road, Kashgar, Xinjian, 17 China 844000 T. 0998-2582129
temper atures Jan -6°
may 20°
SEP 19°
Feb -1°
JUN 24°
OCT 12°
MAR 8°
JUL 26°
NOV 4°
APR 15°
AUG 24°
DEC -4°
Scabal’s Silk Silk is produced from the cocoons made by the mulberry tree’s bombyx caterpillar, better known as a silkworm. The silk-production technique dates back as far as 2,500 BC and originated in China. Kept secret until 560 AD, the process involves removing the cocoons from the branch on which they were laid, plunging them into boiling water and then stirring using a stick on which the silk forms and which solidifies during the cooling process. No less than ten kilos of cocoons are necessary to obtain a single kilo of silk. After weaving, the triangular structure of the fibre refracts light like a prism, which gives silk its natural ‘shimmer’ quality. Natural silk should not be confused with artificial, which comes in three varieties: viscose, Bemberg and acetate. Silk is brilliant, smooth and very fine. It is an extremely fragile fibre that must be handled very carefully. Silk’s scintillating sheen and softness make it a perfect fabric for underwear, ties, scarves and formal dress. Silk can also be blended with wool and used for smart jackets and suits. The silk used by Scabal is 100 per cent pure and natural, and the brand also uses another type, the extremely rare Dupion or wild silk. This comes from Bangalore in India and is woven in Italy, from irregular silk thread from double cocoons – Dupion’s irregularities bestow charm and authenticity.
In the time of the emperors, Kashgar became the centre of what was called the ‘Great Game’
Natural silk cocoons
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b et on education
WHY SCABAL IS SUPPORTING THE Biella Master IN NOBLE FIBRES Scabal still produces its own fabrics in Huddersfield, United Kingdom, a world-renowned region where the finest fabrics are created, and the company is very proud of its British roots. But when great initiatives are developed in other countries, Scabal is also willing to support them. By Jérôme Stéfanski Biella is a town in the northern Italian region of Piemonte that has always been considered a region with a very old tradition in producing top-quality textile products. In 1245, the statutes of Biella were already referring to the woolworkers’ and weavers’ guilds – hardly surprising, in view of the region’s high mountain pastures and copious water supply, perfect for washing fleece and powering mills. The creation of the ‘Biella Master’ was intended to hand down the “professional patrimony” of experience, management skills and entrepreneurial ability that is part of the textile and clothing industries in Biella. The aim is to attract motivated and highly educated young people to one day lead, develop and become part of one of the most eminent fields of the textile industry. It all started in 1986, from an idea by textile entrepreneur Luciano Barbera, who then successfully promoted it all over the textile world. The first ‘Master’ course began in October 1989. Since then, the ‘Biella Master’ has also flourished outside the Biella area, acquiring even greater international status. definition and goals
The ‘Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili’ (literally ‘Biella Master of Noble Fibres’) is a unique qualification, due to its basic tenant, ‘Factories as Artisans’ Workshops’. Teachers are not only education professionals but primarily top managers – future graduates acquire a thorough and specialized knowledge of the textile-clothing and retail world and are then be able to discover, select and pursue the most appropriate roles and future careers for their aspirations and personalities. Today, a ‘Biella Master’ can count on more than 100 sponsors, among them leading companies operating in the retail end of the industry, as well as large national and international groups. It is important to underline the role played by supporters, not only in the economic support of this initiative, but 48
particularly as far as personal availability is concerned, in order to train students during specific stages of their internships. the scholarship
Every year, the announcement of the Biella Master admission test is sent to all Italian universities. Advertisements are also placed in the most important national newspapers, so as to reach other possible candidates. After a rigorous selection process, a restricted number of graduates are admitted to the preliminary course, which lasts one month. It is a kind of ‘full immersion’, during which the students meet entrepreneurs and managers of some of the companies supporting the Biella Master, and they undergo tests in preparation for the final interviews that will decide their admission. The Master course lasts 12 months and includes a number of important educational activities, internships lasting two-to-five weeks, covering in logical sequence the whole cycle of the textile and clothing industry – combing, dyeing, spinning, design, weaving, finishing, cutting and sewing up to the final distribution of the finished products. At the end of each internship, every student prepares a report to be discussed with tutors in order to assess the level of their acquired knowledge. During the course all Master students also attend important events and international experiences in Europe, China, New Zealand, Australia, U.S.A. and Japan, and each student receives a ¤10,000 scholarship to finance his/her travels. The companies investing in this project operate to benefit competitiveness, and Scabal is proud to number among them. More information at: www.biellamaster.it
Biella Master in Noble Fibres Founder and Chairman, Luciano Barbera
g e nt l e m e n’s m e e t in g
born in britain Acclaimed Worldwide
Recently launched spy movie Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has been a great success. The perfect occasion for Bespoken to meet the artists who have contributed to this production. Among them Colin Firth, the Oscar-winning actor who wears Scabal, but also london tailor Timothy Everest, a Scabal-ophile who created several outfits for the film. It’s a 100% British feature.
A. Colin firth
b. Timothy everest
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A. Colin firth By Federico Grandesso
Colin Firth discards his traditional english reserve in an advertising campaign promoting Oxfam fair trade coffee © Oxfam Fair Trade Division
he is the first
tink er, tailor, soldier, spy: a spy movie with a soul
Stardust for the British actor Colin Firth; the Volpi Cup for Best Actor during Venice Film Festival (2009) and an Oscar nomination for A Single Man by Tom Ford were only a prelude to the triumph that was Firth’s Oscar-winning role in The King’s Speech. This was the result of hard work that began in the theatre and continued later when Firth won supporting roles in successful movies such as The English Patient (1996), Shakespeare in Love (1998), Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) and Then She Found Me (2007) with Helen Hunt. But the turning point was when he gained leading actor roles. In his private life, Colin is quite discreet and low profile – he is married to Italian film producer and director Livia Giuggioli and lives in London and Italy (he has also learned Italian) with his two sons, Luca (born March 2001) and Matteo (born August 2003). Not forgetting that he has also another son William Joseph (born in 1990) with CanadianAmerican actress Meg Tilly. But Colin, like many famous movie stars, is also socially and politically involved, for example with the Oxfam global campaign Make Trade Fair, in which several other celebrities have participated and with a campaign to stop the deportation of asylum-seekers. On the political side, he supported first Labour and then the Lib Dems; at the moment, he no longer supports any political party. In April 2011, Time magazine included Firth in the list of the world’s 100 Most Influential People and following his role in A Single Man he was celebrated by the international press for his British elegance and style. After Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Colin Firth will be starring in a comedy directed by Michael Hoffman, with Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman and Stanley Tucci.
Based on a novel originally written by British author John Le Carré in 1974, the story is authentic and exciting. Forget the spectacular adventures of 007 or Mission Impossible with their luxury locations, impressive explosions or beautiful ‘Mata Hari’ girls. The characters in this anti-007 movie are extremely real, as are the psychological portraits, and the gloomy atmosphere of the interiors and serious, cynical, analytical approach to the action reflects the loneliness of each. The complex story is set in 1973, with the Cold War continuing to damage international relations while Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6, code-named The Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts. The head of the Circus, known as Control (John Hurt), personally sends dedicated operative Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) into Hungary. But Jim’s mission in Budapest goes bloodily wrong, and Control is forced out of The Circus – as is his top lieutenant, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). Smiley is soon called in to see Under-Secretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney); he is to be rehired in secret at the government’s behest, as there is a fear that the Circus has long been compromised by a double agent, or mole, working for the Soviets and jeopardizing England.
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So, who is the mole?
It is either the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), code-named Tinker; the suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), Soldier; o≈cious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), Poor Man or, it could be Smiley himself…
exclusive interviews bespoken: Your char acter was already interpreted by sir alec guinness in a mini-series broadcast in 1979. How did you feel about that? gary oldman: At the end of the day, the ghost of Sir Alec was a little bit there on the set, then I approached my character in the way you interpret a classical role because in the history there was more than one Hamlet or a King Lear. In my case I welcomed interpreting a role such as this as a beautiful ‘gift’ and when they call you and they tell you that you will interpret the role of Hamlet, you immediately think of all the great actors that have interpreted Hamlet before you, and then you have to put your fear of interpreting this iconic role aside. I must say, it was beautiful to interpret some of the same scenes and words of the mini-series.
How was it to act in a spy movie? Are you interested in the topic? colin firth: A lot of what we do starts with the unknown; I was interested by fact that this topic first appeared as incomprehensible and impenetrable, and then you try different ways of understanding it. First I was interested by the mystery of this story because I don’t know anything about spies and this particular world. Then, when you start to better understand the topic, you realise that what seems to be a movie about spies is about human beings and human issues that are very specific to all these
characters but are also quite common to all of us. The story is much more about you, than you thought. This aspect was the most interesting for me, even more than to interpret a new genre, although the genre was the initial fascination. This movie has a ‘European’ character, do you think that the result would have been different if it had been made in Holly wood? colin firth: Sometimes the word Hollywood
is used in a very reductive and mythological way to explain aspects that are purely commercial. I think in the Hollywood movies, you can find interesting materials and I’m not in favour of a polarisation of the two extremes. In this movie, we had the collaboration of some Hollywood guys, so I’m against this contraposition between a blissfully and profoundly intellectual artistic world full of culture versus barbarians and philistines; it is much more complex than that. I can’t speculate about if this movie had been made by other people, I’m just very happy with the result.
John le Carré in his work, the information that people were desperately seeking and hiding was only part of a game, but the information became a worthless currency very quickly – if we want to link the two worlds, maybe sometimes it’s only a question of searching and digging in the dirt. How were you influenced in your work by the original mini-series? movie director tomas alfredson: I saw it in 1979 when it was broadcast In Sweden and I remember that it was so popular that the streets were empty because everybody was watching it. Then I saw it again and I used it to enter into the narrative structure of the story, which is extremely complex, then I distanced myself somewhat from it, because I wanted to do something different. The big problem was to represent the complexity of the story in only two hours and the reconstruction of the period. I enjoyed recreating a certain part of history, with its colours and flavours, and it was interesting how I perceived that period now, in comparison with when I was younger – it’s a kind of ‘archaeology’ of your own memory.
Can we tr ace a link between the spies in this movie and the world of Wikileaks and news of the world? colin firth: The theme of Wikileaks is not my topic [laughs] but I think that in the world during the Cold War, and it’s acknowledged by
‘A lot of what we do starts with the unknown’ Colin Firth
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: elegant and traditional garments produced by British tailor Timothy Everest Colin Firth— left, Gary Oldman — right © Focus Features
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B. Timothy Everest By James Sherwood the row renegade
Timothy Everest is a maverick of British bespoke tailoring and the most dynamic talent of his generation, who has applied the Savile Row aesthetic of quality, craftsmanship and excellence to a global portfolio of interests including a robust ready-to-wear business in Asia, collaborations with great British brands such as Marks & Spencer and a blue-chip film costume portfolio. But for Everest: “Bespoke is the core of everything that I do. I think we’ve shown that tailoring has a continuing relevance for people. There’s really nothing more rewarding than the whole bespoke process for our clients and for us.” Everest is something of a Row renegade. “When people ask me where I’d position myself on Savile Row, I say somewhere along the white lines in the middle,” he says. “I appreciate Henry Poole and Huntsman. I appreciate Richard James and Ozwald Boateng. We are somewhere in between.” Everest inherited his subversive attitude to the Row from the late, great Tommy Nutter for whom Everest apprenticed in the late 1980s in the twilight of Tommy’s career. In 1991, he fell in love with a derelict house on Princelet Street in the Spitalfields quarter of London’s East End. His decision to work off Savile Row was pragmatic: “Wanting to build my own ladder not climb up someone else’s.” As he explains, “Two decades ago, it was the early 90s and everybody had gone through the whole designer and brand thing. I felt like I could introduce a new generation to the joys of handmade clothing – investment pieces that were built to last. We are for people who’ve gone beyond the dictates of high fashion and want a modern, invigorated, very British and not too reverent take on contemporary tailoring.” a tailor who designs, not a fashion designer who tailors
The most idiosyncratic of the ‘New Establishment’ tailors, Everest attracts a customer to bespoke tailoring who would otherwise shop at Comme des Garcons, Paul Smith or Martin Margiela. He insists, however, that he is a tailor who designs rather than a fashion designer who tailors. But instead of imposing a strong house style like Spencer Hart or Boateng for example, Everest can be as traditional as Henry Poole or as flamboyant as his early mentor Tommy Nutter depending on the customer’s vision. Today Everest trades from a Georgian townhouse in the East End’s Elder Street and a West End atelier in Bruton Place. His portfolio of interests for 2011 include styling Mick Jagger for his Grammy Award appearance, a limited edition collection with British cycling saddle and accessory house Brooks, a collaboration with Korean label Cambridge Members and tailoring for one of British film’s most famous franchises. Perhaps the most intriguing adventure in modern bespoke tailoring to come out of Everest’s townhouse populated by bright young things is his Bespoke Casual collection. Bespoke Casual is Everest’s groundbreaking concept of taking the most adventurous, exuberantly patterned cloths produced by the world’s finest mills and placing bespoke firmly at the vanguard of creativity and fashion. Of his own future in bespoke, 52
Everest says: “You have to think of a tailor for more than just your suit. We are now considering the bespoke wardrobe. I like our customers to feel like they are making the decisions. They are leading the dance. That is the true beauty of bespoke”. If Everest’s customers lead the dance, he is quite the virtuoso conductor of the orchestra. from the tailor’s workshop to the big screen: confidences
“One of the nicest recent compliments I had for my work in films was from Gary Oldman who I dressed for the 2011 film adaptation of John Le Carre’s spy film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Gary said that the suit was the key to the character he was playing. The clothes became part of his character. Leading actors tend to have quite strong views on what their characters should be wearing. Tinker, Tailor is set in the 1970s so I was keen to revisit the authentic fabrics of the period; heavier worsteds that had a bit of guts to them and would hold the shape and form of that 70s clerical style of tailoring. I think we dressed Gary Oldman and Benedict Cumberbatch the best in Tinker Tailor. I believe one of Gary’s suits has been borrowed permanently from wardrobe and that’s a lovely compliment.” He adds: “Fortuitously, what we were doing for the guys on Tinker Tailor was something we’d been doing in the last season or so: neater on the waist, stronger in the shoulder and with broader more heroic lapels. You do bring a little of yourself to film projects. There are elements that are not technically correct for the period but enhance the character. For example, I was fitting Ralph Fiennes at Pinewood today for a new film. It was clear how he wanted the character to look but I added subtleties to the garment – cutting the front edge away and putting a little more shape in the coat – that won’t be immediately noticeable but make the garment contemporary.” “I think Tinker Tailor will inspire other people because it is a highly stylized look at 70s tailoring interpreted from a 2011 perspective. It’s a point of view not dissimilar to Ralph Lauren’s costumes for The Great Gatsby (1974). I adore those suits but they aren’t correct to the 1920s. Ralph Lauren’s was a very 70s romantic view of the 1920s.
‘The nicest recent compliments I had for my work in films was from Gary Oldman who I dressed for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Gary said that the suit was the key to the character he was playing.’ Timothy Everest
British tailor Timothy Everest
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Similarly, when I was called in to dress Tom Cruise for the first Mission: Impossible film in 1996, at the time we were cutting things a little neater and more body conscious. So we decided to dress Tom in soft schoolboy grey chalk stripes and a pale blue tone-on-tone shirt and tie that I think influenced the direction of men’s fashion.” “When you’re designing for film, you have the opportunity to stylize and exaggerate. When I was asked to make suits for James McEvoy in Atonement (2007), it was great to revisit pre-war dinner suits and lovely tweeds in the spirit of Brideshead Revisited (1981) but with a dash of Tommy Nutter for whom I worked with towards the end of his career. The fabrics we used in Atonement were wild: peppermint green cashmere and lambs wool checks and a lovely baby blue Prince of Wales check. I do think taking the bespoke approach to film costume is correct. I like dressing different characters to my old shop floor days when you would have to dress a wedding party. The groom is clearly the star and has to go out with a fabulous suit but you also have all the other key characters in the party who have to support and look appropriate.” “The challenge for a bespoke tailor is to cut a suit that doesn’t necessarily make the actor look better but immediately tells the story of a character without a word being spoken. I’ve just worked on a Sci-Fi film dressing a character who is the oldest and richest man in the world. The actor playing the character is extremely fit and good looking but we had to make the suit for an old man. That’s the compromise but you are dressing the character not the actor.”
Mr. Everest’s workshop in Elder Street, London
scabal on film In 2012, Scabal will celebrate 40 years of creating exceptional fabrics for Hollywood movies that have inspired fashion, film and fine tailoring. These are some of Scabal’s greatest fashion moments on the big screen in films starring the sartorial heroes of modern movie history. 1972 — The Godfather / Francis Ford Coppola Marlon Brando and Al Pacino 1987 — The Untouchables / Brian de Palma Sean Connery, Robert de Niro and Kevin Costner 1987 — Wall Street / Oliver Stone Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas 1991 — Bugsy / Barry Levinson Warren Beatty and Harvey Keitel 1993 — The Firm / Sydney Pollack Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman 1995 — Batman Forever / Joel Schumacher Val Kilmer and Chris O’Donnell 1997 — Titanic / James Cameron Leonardo di Caprio and Billy Zane 2001 — The Tailor of Panama / John Boorman Geoffrey Rush and Pierce Brosnan 2004 — The Aviator / Martin Scorsese Leonardo di Caprio and Alec Baldwin 2006 — C asino Royale / Martin Campbell Daniel Craig 2011 — Wall Street II / Oliver Stone Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: elegant and traditional garments produced by British tailor Timothy Everest Tom Hardy – above © Focus Features
“I think film costume designers who collaborate with bespoke tailors are pleasantly surprised that we can work to the impossible deadlines demanded. For Tinker, Tailor, Elder Street (Everest’s East London townhouse/workshop) became wardrobe central for a week. We had a very good relationship with the costume designer and we are used to working very fast on films. We can put stories together quickly and get to the juice of what is wanted by the production team once we’ve been briefed. I think that’s why Timothy Everest has such a good relationship with film. Because we have cutters and tailors on site, we can meet the mad deadlines that directors and producers expect us to.” “One of my most amusing experiences in film was a conference call between Stanley Kubrick, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise during production of Eyes Wide Shut (1999). It was a Saturday and Tom needed an overcoat cut for a very important scene that the costume designer said couldn’t be delivered until Thursday. Could they have it on set on Tuesday? It was quite surreal to be speaking to Kubrick, Nicole and Tom. Similarly there was a scene in Mission: Impossible shooting in Prague that the production team decided that John Voight needed a single-breasted dinner suit rather than double and we turned it around in 24-hours. We delivered. Mission: Impossible was the first film we worked on and I think we did four movies on the back of that project”.
tee tim e
A Double 10th a nniversary
The Mercedes Golf Trophy, as well as Bespoken magazine, is preparing to celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2012. A year of surprises is expected! For the second time, Scabal will be one of the official sponsors during this exclusive golf event. By Cécile de Forton
The Mercedes Golf Trophy © Mercedes Golf Trophy
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T
he Mercedes Trophy, a worldwide famous golf tournament, gathered more than 58,000 players from more than 43 countries in 2011. Among the countries, Italy and Belgium, where golf is still considered as a privileged sport, were the most dynamic – they welcomed more competitions than their European neighbours Holland or the UK. During this international final, stars from the professional circuit offered advice to participants, and the competition symbolises values such as prestige, quality, fair-play, quality of life and a passion for the challenge.
‘A jury elects the most stylish players in the contest and the most elegant golfer wins an exclusive, fully made-to-measure Scabal suit’ Celine Van Cauwelart, Scabal
Successful, as usual…
The 9th Belgian edition of the Mercedes Golf Trophy was a real success, not only for the luxury car manufacturer, but also for its partners such as Deutsche Bank Personal Banking, Bang & Olufsen and Callaway. The event, also sponsored by Scabal for the first time, began in spring and took place in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Participants could not have been better treated. A warm welcome was provided, with gastronomic food served by Le Pain Quotidien and champagne from De Castellane on the menu, and two competitions were organised – the Mercedes-Benz Trophy and the Mercedes-Benz Star Trophy. The first was open to all Mercedes concessionaires’ guests and partners, and winners received tickets to the new Italian resort, Verdura Golf & Spa, which offers amazing natural landscapes, while the second was organised for all visiting clubs’ members, with three finalists per country given the chance to enjoy a journey to Mercedes’ headquarters in Stuttgart.
Surprise, surprise in 2012!
“A 10th anniversary full of surprises!” promises Dirk Platteeuw. Di≈cult to get more information about the novelties to come in 2012 but once again, players are unlikely to be disappointed. “We are still brainstorming and everyone is full of ideas for this next edition. There should be the same numbers of qualifying tournaments but with even more players and new clubs. It will certainly be a beautiful year living up with our green passionate players’ hopes,” the Belgian organiser adds. “Scabal, for its part, will try to sponsor the tournament at an international level”, says Gregor Thissen. “It should reflect our international strategy and activities. Contributing to the next German and Swiss Mercedes golf competitions should be the next steps, because those two countries have always been key markets for us”. Bringing timeless elegance to the green seems to be natural and promising challenge. Golfers, be prepared!
Business bonus
The Mercedes Golf Trophy is a perfect event to create and reinforce business-to-client links. Dirk Platteeuw, organiser of the competition, explains why the event is such a success: “It is a great opportunity to invite clients and potential customers in a particular context. It is a special occasion to cross clients from the brand Mercedes with clients from all the partners who represents potential clients on both sides. It’s a good way to secure loyalty of clients and get new ones!” A perfect recipe, that still works after ten years. For more and more brands, golf is part of their commercial strategy. Gregor Thissen, CEO of Scabal, insists on the importance of golf in business and networking: “For many years, the sporting world and the world of business have linked up more and more. In the area of sport, marketing golf has always played a predominant role. Based on the assumption that golf players and fans are all part of the 56
most a√uent socio-economic groups, this particular sport has proven to be particularly attractive. There is also another dimension to the golf-business relationship. It might sound like a cliché, but it is certainly true that a lot of major business deals have been concluded on a golf course. In many parts of this world, it is even considered as a problem not being able to play golf, if you want to be part of the business elite.” Golf, standing for ‘Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden’ in the old days, is a perfect activity for the chaps to demonstrate their elegance. Of course, Scabal could not miss out! During the event, a Scabal retailer was linked with each golf club. Each retailer chose to invite three of his best clients to join the tournament. Through this parade of well-dressed golfers, an elegance contest was organised. However, although golf used to be a gentlemen-only sport, let’s not forget that the elegance competition was originally set up for ladies sponsored by a famous jeweller from Antwerp. Celine Van Cauwelart, who is responsible for the project at Scabal, provides details about this original challenge: “Throughout the competition, a jury elects the most stylish players in the contest. Following a draw, the most elegant golfer wins an exclusive fully made-to-measure Scabal suit in collaboration with authorized resellers.” O, lucky man! In addition to the competition, Scabal also shows part of its collection in a high-class corner in every club house.
More information and the competition programme is available at: www.mercedestrophy.be Scabal’s elegant corner in the Club House
Mieux que la chaussure : le compliment d’une femme sur la chaussure. e r i k v a n l o o y , cinéaste : l a mémoir e du tueur , l oft
www.ambiorix.be
Naamsestraat - Rue de Namur 72 / 74, 1000 Brussels, Belgium www.ambiorix.be
t hi s i s scabal
bunch production: If it works, don’t fix it
Sometimes, the old way is best. The internet may have revolutionized design and production but when it comes to showing customers your new fabric collection, there’s no substitute for providing samples that they can see, touch and feel. By Nigel Bishop
Scabal pioneered fabric sampling back in the 1950s. Producing small ‘bunches’ of fabrics from the latest collection and sending them out to tailors around the world became the established way of doing things. And very little has changed since: at Scabal, the detailed assembly by hand of thousands of bunches is still the best way to put a new collection in customers’ hands, wherever they are in the world. hand produced in-house
Bunches production is part of Scabal’s formidable department, located with the cloth cutters, stock managers and delivery specialists on three floors of the Scabal warehouse by the canal in central Brussels. A loyal team of ten oversees the process, which is managed in-house from start to finish. 58
“Producing a new season’s bunches takes time. You should be definitively patient and passionate to work with us,” says Production Manager Bertrand De Baere, who has worked 27 years with Scabal. The nine Scabal collections for Summer 2012 will require a total of approximately 12,000 bunches to be produced. “That’s around four months of work for the team,” says Bertrand. Many days are necessary to create the perfect Scabal bunch. Among the many steps of the production process, we can extract 6 main chronologic stages that we explain here:
The bunches production team, from left to right: Brigitte Eischen, Brigitte Waucampt, Diane Lignier, Anne-Marie Legros, Benjamin Verstraete, Mady Vanderstukken, Bertrand De Baere, Awatif Amrani, Johny Azzi.
1.
First, the cloth is cut. Automatic rollers deliver 4.60m by 1.50m pieces (‘mattresses’) of fabric onto the cutting table, 30 or so deep. There may be between five and 60 samples in a bunch, but on average there are only 30 samples per bunch. The layers of cloth are then cut into 250 pieces of 12cm by 19cm, the optimal format for a fabric sample. 59
2.
Each bunch of samples is then glued to a small pre-cut wooden block and allowed to dry for a few hours.
3.
Small labels with Scabal branding and the collection name are now stuck to each of the fabrics in each bunch. The fabric number is also pasted on the backside of the fabric. This stage is subjected to a strict quality control and all bunches are now checked to see that the labels are correct.
4.
The nine collections are then placed in their personalized covers made of Pellaq – a 100% recyclable paper-based coated material that gives a prestigious feel.
60
the Scabal bunch in figures 1938 That’s the year when Scabal was established. 1950 That’s the year when Scabal invented the bunch for promoting its fabrics. 10 That’s the number of people who work on bunches production. 250 That’s the number of hours spent to produce the smallest bunch collection.
5.
The cover is now hot-stamp foil printed with the Scabal logo and the collection name. The block of wood with attached fabric is then ‘hot-melted’ onto the reinforced inner sleeve of the bunch cover. A short cord is added for easier customer handling.
45 That’s the average number of different design offered in a bunch. 30,000 That’s the average number of bunches produced per every year. 5,000 That’s the number of fabrics offered by Scabal. Each fabric belongs to a specific collection that is filed in a special bunch. More than 100 That’s the number of bunches currently proposed by Scabal. 1,000 That’s the zip code of Brussels, Belgium, where Scabal still produces all its bunches. Between 300 and 600g That’s the average weight of a bunch.
6.
The bunch binder is cleaned and boxed for shipment. By the time bunches of the new Summer 2012 collection are on their way to customers, Bertrand and his team will be ready to start work on the next Winter collection. It’s a sampling process that has proved its worth, time and time again.
6 That’s the number of different materials used for producing a bunch. Each bunch contains: paper, Pellaq, fabrics, iron, wood and cord.
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past — pr ese nt — f u t u re
novelties, now By Jérôme Stéfanski
More than 8,000 kilometres
based in Moscow. M. Vladimer has been a long time supporter of Scabal fabrics and was delighted with his purchase of the limited edition Scabal cu√inks, launched on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Diamond Chip fabric collection.
Shall we dance?
www.solstudio.ru
mister president
This is the distance that will separate the two new stores to be opened by Scabal in September 2012 – one will be located on the most prestigious boulevard of Brussels, Belgium, while the other will open its doors in the heart of Bejing. These luxury stores will be decorated in the same way as was recently developed for Scabal’s flagship store in London, and the next edition of Bespoken will feature an article to celebrate the openings.
Scabal has developed a partnership with the young and talented Belgian singer Stromae, the author and performer of the famous hit Alors on dance, launched in 2010 to worldwide acclaim. Both the preppy style and soul of this young talent have convinced Scabal to back him – the collaboration begins with the promotion of Capella, part of Scabal’s next winter collection, which will be based on 1970s British clothes archives. www.stromae.org
www.scabal.com/store_locator.php
The very first diamond cufflinks set
Thanks to the initiative of its valued local distributor, Sol Studio, represented by the owner Alexandra Kaloshina, Scabal was pleased to present the very first set of diamond cu√inks to M. Vladimer, a Russian property developer
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Soft evolution Recently, through its exclusive distributor in Bulgaria Agressia Group by Carlo Caddeo, Scabal has provided fabrics to create a bespoke suit for the new President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev. Mister President chose three fabrics from the Royal Ultimus collection – this exclusive range offers Super 150’s wool and cashmere fabrics developed in collaboration with Torquhil Argyll, the Thirteenth Duke of Argyll. In 1983, the first Ultimus collection was launched in partnership with the father of the Twelfth Duke of Argyll. Torquhil Argyll is the head of the Campbell Clan, one of the most influential families in Scotland’s history. To promote Scabal’s fabrics, Agressia Group has also launched a massive national billboard advertising campaign in Bulgaria. www.agressia.com
Every day, thousands of people enjoy Scabal’s communication materials – fabric bunches, brochures, websites on the 5,000 fabrics, garment collections and accessories. Each represents the image of the company and therefore must be clear and consistent – the logo and style guidelines unify Scabal’s communications and help the brand to be even stronger. Now, Scabal is pleased to announce the introduction of an updated logo for all fabrics and finished product materials. The new sign is a soft evolution, a mix between the historical lion monogram
(which represented the fabrics division) and the modern logo used for finished products. Scabal hopes that the new marque will be distinctive, inclusive and identifiable. www.scabal.com
back the right horse
sold in more than 65 countries, it is not always easy to cover all markets. Step by step, the company is trying to reinforce its visibility in the local press in order to give support to its local agents, business partners and retailers. Following the conviction that objective articles written by independent journalists are the best way of promoting the brand, Scabal has now invested in several countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France and China. The results are already encouraging and the international press coverage is wider, month on month. www.scabal.com/press_journalists.php
Bespoke bathrobe
www.scabal.com/ks
Scabal has always invested in building strong relations with the media, but with products
Scabal is happy to announce the opening of a second store in Venezuela. The shop will be located in a luxury shopping mall situated on the well-known Isla Margarita island, 30 minutes flight from Caracas, where the first store was opened seven years ago. www.scabal.com
City smarty party
Scabal was very proud to launch its new collection K.S. by Scabal, on the occasion of the last edition of the prestigious International Gucci Masters in Paris. Among the VIPs who attended this event, Monaco Princess Charlotte Casiraghi seemed very impressed with the new made-to-measure range. This collection has been designed by Scabal for the French horse-rider champion Kevin Staut and will be presented in the next months in horse-riding challenges of Hong Kong and New York.
International PR network
Scabal Island
After the success of its diamond cu√inks, Scabal is launching a new luxury item that’s only available for a limited period. The bespoke dressing gown by Scabal can be ordered in all Scabal’s outlets worldwide, and will be delivered within four weeks. Made only from the best cashmere fabrics, the dressing gown is based on Scabal’s personalization program that allows you to create a garment to suit your measurements and personality, thanks to various customization options such as embroidered initials. It’s a must-have, developed from an original idea by German retailer Stephan Görner.
To celebrate the end of the 2011-year in style, Scabal has invited his privileged clients to its Savile Row flagship store. There, they discovered the finest gentleman’s attire and accessories offered by Scabal and in particular the 10th Anniversary Diamond Chip fabrics collection. Guests also had the chance to see the finest bespoke sleepwear created by Derek Rose and enjoyed a ‘fragrance profiling’ from Penhaligons. A smart London party in the heart of the City! www.scabal.co.uk
www.scabal.com/shop
63
SCABAL WORLDWIDE CLOTH
GARMENTS & ACCESSORIES
EUROPE SCABAL BENELUX – HEADQUARTERS & INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTRE +32-2-217 98 49 www.scabal.com AUSTRIA +43-1-533 61 29 nkuntschik@scabal.at
Scabal’s flagship store in Savile Row, London
SPAIN +34-93-726 00 99 brautex@brautex.com +34-93 726 00 99 unikman@unikman.es
SWITZERLAND +41-61-261 25 79/80 scabal_suisse@scabal.com
TURKEY +90-212-282 71 93 info@yeniimalat.com.tr
bulgaria +359-2-936 03 70 bvangelov@votan.eu
visit SCABAL’S fLAGSHip Store at 12 SAviLe roW, W1S 3pq London, pHone +44-20-77 34 89 63, hazel.edmonds@scabal.com tHe SCABAL CornerS in Le printempS de L’Homme, 4tH fLoor, 61 rUe CAUmArtin, 75009 pAriS, pHone +33-1-42 82 55 33 or +33-1-42 82 40 32, scabal.printemps@scabal.com KAdeWe, 1St fLoor, tAUentZienStrASSe 21-24, 10789 BerLin, pHone +49-30-219 18 530, andreas.oltmanns@scabal.de
CYPRUS +90-392-228 33 40 akfinans@akfinans.com FRANCE +33-1-42 33 08 93 scfr@scabal.com GERMANY +49-681-9871 0 info@scabal.de +49-211-497 6840 info@westtuch.de GREAT BRITAIN +44-207-734 1867 hazel.edmonds@scabal.com
GREECE +30-210-67 27 431 dcon@otenet.gr
ITALY +39-02-407 80 27 scabal_italia@scabal.com POLAND +48-61-436 79 69 info@scabal.pl
AMERICAs
BRAZIL +55-11-362 041 044 erlutecidos@sti.com.br
CANADA +1-514-335 35 11 info@hersh-rsd.com
CHILe +56-2-638 14 72 c.rubio@holmes.cl
RUSSIA +7-495-660-7163 ag@gatex.ru +7-495-730-2010 sol@solstudio.ru
COLOMBIA +57-1-256 30 77 marsanti@etb.net.com
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC +1-809-562 4416 laronde@codetel.net.do
MEXICO +52-55-5515 8433 gillybru@prodigy.net.mx
PORTUGAL +351-275-954 827 jvi@jvi.pt ROMANIA +40-21-311 56 46 showroom@casafrumoasa.ro
ARGENTINA +54-011-4371 6467 scabal@cipaz.com.ar
Scabal Made-to-Measure +52-55-5660 75 40 cincu@prodigy.net.mx or alejandrocarreon@prodigy.net.mx
U.S.A. +1-212-764 8580 scus@scabal.com
VENEZUELA +58-212-264 6914 inversionesmarumi@gmail.com
REST OF THE WORLD AUSTRALIA +61-3-5989 8601 a.wain@bigpond.net.au BRUNEI – CAMBODIA – INDONESIA – LAOS– MALAYSIA – MYANMAR – PHILIPPINES – SINGAPORE – THAILAND – VIETNAM +65-6336 0070 heefabricagencies@hee.sg HONG KONG +852-23-762 535 fbfhk@fieldingbrownfinch.com.hk INDIA +91-11-23 26 45 00 bindragroup@vsnl.net IRAN +98 55611469-55614137 tehranivahid@hotmail.com JAPAN +81-6-6232 2755 scabaljapan@scabal.co.jp KUWAIT +965-243 36 85 bennekhi@hotmail.com NEW ZEALAND +64-9-828 06 74 velvetfabrics@clear.net.nz SAUDI ARABIA – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES +44-140-375 27 16 faris@fmmercie.com south korea +82-2-2285 6230 dnjyoo@yahoo.com SYRIA +963 - 11 2233986 +963 - 11 2222784 akkad-sons@gmail.com
NEXT I SSUE: AUGUST 20 1 2
Now that you are familiar with our traditional ‘Misters’, who wear Scabal’s made-to-measure suits created with fine fabrics that reflect their own personalities, in our next edition you will have the chance to discover no fewer than six new characters, who will sport the very best winter qualities such as 100% worsted cashmere, winter cotton and Super 150’s light wool. Reserve your copy, which will be delivered to your home, at www.bespoken.com 64
Maison fondĂŠe en 1785 Taste our know-how wisely
www.cartier.com
ballon bleu de cartier EXTRA-FLAT 430 MC
CARTIER’S PASSION FOR DESIGN INNOVATION IS BROUGHT TO THE TRADITIONAL ROUND FACE WATCH. THE EXTRA-FLAT BALLON BLEU DE CARTIER’S CURVED FORMS ARE AS SOPHISTICATED AS THEY ARE ORIGINAL: THE SAPPHIRE-DECORATED CROWN AROUND WHICH THE DIAL ORBITS, FEATURES UNPRECEDENTED DETAILS. ONCE AGAIN, CARTIER’S UNIQUE CREATIVITY TAKES A STEP FURTHER WITH DESIGN. 18K PINK GOLD 46 MM CASE. MANUFACTURE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT WITH MANUAL WINDING, CARTIER CALIBRE 430 MC (21 JEWELS, 28,800 VIBRATIONS PER HOUR, 2.10 MM THIN). ALLIGATOR BRACELET.