Brown Thomas

MENSWEAR Spring 2011

WhAt MEN tAlk ABout WhEN thEy tAlk ABout SPoRt

the NEW tailoring straight to the BottoM line

Chinos and jeans

the irishman abroad

everydAy at work Men on personal style

time zoNE

watch report ChARlEy BooRMAN Jason statham PiERCE BRoSNAN daniel craig BoB gEldof A

Gloss publicAtions production

The COOL EFFECT Fabric reflects the sun’s rays

A N E N D U R I N G PAS S I O N F O R FAB R I C A N D I N N OVAT I O N S I N C E 1910

zegna.com

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Anyone for the chop?

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DetAils, DetAils

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AnDrew welD-Moore’s style

Contents Spring 2011 46 004 hard as nails

034 the evolution of the Man bag

006 signature style

036 the son shines

008 dress right for your type

038 ask thoMas ... grooMing

Jason statham on stumbling on stardom and why he’ll never star in a rom com The irish men who have it new tailoring and the shape that suits you

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JrM works A look

014 the Modern MisCreant

042 inside story

016 older and wiser

044 oMnivore

Pierce Brosnan on what life has taught him

018 what we talk about when we talk about sport

no hidden agendas, just raw emotion

020 below the belt

how to wear jeans and chinos

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stock rises: the power suit

face savers and the latest fragrance

040 irishMan abroad

or a guide to justifying bad behaviour

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The mother of all relationships

012 trending

no funny stuff: subtle adjustments to an outfit make the difference

DeADly shADes

michael Chabon wears his man bag with pride

right, chArley

A destination-specific guide to what to pack in your weekend bag (and how to pack it) one man’s bolthole

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tiMe zone

foodie weekends and Death row wines

046 breakfast with

Charley boorMan

The biker is a good egg

048 ask thoMas ... style

your style questions answered

024 wardrobe news

Why choose made to measure; underwear gets technical; style shortcuts

026 watChes

The latest and greatest in the time zone

028 survival of the fittest

a new workout and the nutrition secrets of the best bodies in sport

030 the Clothes Made flesh

four men talk personal style

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MAMA’s boy: fionn DAvenport AnD his MuM, fiAMMA

Thomas magazine is published by Gloss Publications ltd, in association with Brown Thomas. PuBlisher Jane mcDonnell eDiTor sarah mcDonnell sTyle eDiTor aislinn Coffey Design James Kelleher, laura merrigan, Jane matthews suB eDiTor Catherine heaney eDiTorial assisTanT stephanie Wiehe For Brown Thomas: marKeTing manager edel Kinane Buying DireCTor Paul o’Connor fashion DireCTor shelly Corkery CreaTive DireCTor John redmond.

The title and contents of Thomas magazine is copyright gloss Publications ltd and reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission from the publishers. for details of Brown Thomas stores Dublin, Cork, limerick and galway see www.brownthomas.com or call 01 605 6666. Please see a list of Brown Thomas menswear events “masters of style” on page 45. Brown Thomas has made every effort to ensure prices are correct at time of going to press. all items featured are subject to availability. Cover: Model wears suit, shirt, tie by Tom Ford at Brown Thomas. Photograph by Andreas Pettersson. Styled by Catherine Condell. Cover retouching

by Jake Hickman at Happy Finish.

www.chanel.com

inTErViEW

Hard as nails JasOn sTaTHaM on stunts, falling into stardom and why he’ll never star in a romantic comedy.

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SPRING 2011

IntervIew by Izu mI H asegawa / tHe IntervIew PeoPle. PHotog raPH by g etty

a

s movie legend has it, the English actor and former high diver Jason Statham was working for French Connection when he was discovered by Guy Ritchie, and eventually cast in the director’s break-out hit Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. “He [Ritchie] was casting people from the street. A friend of mine, Vinnie Jones, was cast, and Lenny McLean, a bare-knuckle boxer; all people from areas that were not traditional, such as drama school or RADA. I fit the bill for one of the characters that he’d written about – a guy selling wares out of a suitcase, so I gave a certain amount of authenticity to that. [Statham’s father worked on market stalls, as had the actor himself.] And that’s how I got the part. Right place, right time.” Knowing what a lucky break he’d got, Statham seized the opportunity: “This was a career that might have ended very quickly; who knows how many films I was going to do? But I knew it was a chance to do something else.” Since then, he has gone on to land major roles in action films like The Transporter, The Italian Job and Crank, often playing strong, silent, lone-wolf types. “Yeah, I get paid by the word now,” he laughs. “I don’t know what it is, but I tend to be asked to play these parts – maybe directors see something in me that makes them come after me for these roles. I’m not as lonely as the characters that I play, thank God, I have quite a lot of friends.”

What sets Statham apart from many other actors – and makes him something of a hero among his fans – is that he performs virtually all of his fight scenes and stunts. “I’m involved every step of the way.

My opinion counts for a lot because I’m going to be the one doing them. These situations are full of adrenaline, and they’re very exciting to execute. You always question whether they’re safe. There are no guarantees that something won’t go wrong. There’s always a thrill.” The preparation is intense. “I train with all the stuntmen in 8711, their gym in LA. We’re all good friends, and everyone likes to keep in shape. We do a lot of martial arts training; a combination of everything; punching, kicking, kickboxing, jujutsu, whatever it is. The people I train with have a knowledge of all the martial arts, and it’s all put into a style that is appropriate for the situation and for the character that you’re playing.” This kind of intense physical training is nothing new to Statham, who was for many years a diver, coming twelfth in the 1992 World Championships. “I haven’t been on a high board for years. I can’t even think back to the last time I climbed on the ten-metre platform. But it’s pretty damn scary. It’s scary because you have to do three and a half somersaults, standing backwards, spinning in a direction where you can’t see where the water is. If you come out at the wrong time, there’s a horrendous slap, and you can wound yourself, you can perforate your eardrum: you know it’s going to hurt.” It sounds like there are similarities between his former life as an athlete and being an actor, both requiring preparation and performance. “I think there’s a lot to be said for that. It does force you to concentrate and focus, sacrifice and dedicate yourself to whatever it is; whether you want to learn an accent, or play a particular role.”

Recent roles have forced Statham to go to another level as an actor, most recently in The Mechanic, the remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson classic. “Obviously trying to do anything that’s been done well before has a certain amount of expectation,” he admits. “You’re only as good as the people opposite you. If I get an opportunity to work with Ben Foster or Donald Sutherland, it raises the game for sure. You have an immediate confidence; there’s nothing like it. I just did a movie with Robert De Niro and Clive Owen [The Killer Elite], and it was the same thing. You can’t screw it up with these guys, because they’re just so good.” And while determined to develop his range as an actor, he’s also realistic about the roles that come his way and is happy to leave the breezy rom-coms to others: “Usually the good stuff that comes from that genre goes to the right people; Ben Stiller, people who are so good at it. We tend to stay away from it.” In the end, Statham believes it’s all about bringing a certain truth to each character – just like he did on Lock, Stock all those years ago. “Giving the situation an authentic moment, that’s the challenge with every scene that you do. Every scene that you do, every time you’re on camera, it has to be authentic, that’s the challenge.”

masters of style

Jonathan rhys Meyers

With JRM’s face and physique, pretty much anything looks good, from the Tudor doublet he sported as Henry VIII to his low-key, LA-inspired off-screen look.

ryan tubridy

Too slim for the catwalk, Tubs is, however, a walking mannequin looking brilliant in Connemara tweed, pinstripes and black tie.

ray Stevenson

The 6’3” star of Kill The Irishman reveals he was an interior designer before he tried acting at the age of 25. Explains his good taste and eye for smart details.

Tom Campbell

Paul Kelly

Another day at the fashion flagship Selfridges, another perfectly tailored suit for the highest ranked Irishman ever on GQ’s bestdressed list.

Signature style Who’S got it

Philip treacy

While his creations are the stuff of fantasy, the Galwayborn milliner usually sticks to classic dark or pinstripe jackets, worn with an open-neck shirt and T-shirt, or a jewelcoloured shirt when occasion demands.

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lothes maketh the man and, whether you like it or not, what you wear sends signals about your beliefs, your attitude, your affiliations.

As a barometer of the economic climate there is nothing to rival the fashion of the day. Perhaps that’s why so many politicians are playing it safe (the five-way election debate sported four red ties with baby blue shirts) and why so many CEOs are embracing sartorial sobriety. It’s a smart move to cultivate a signature style – you are a marked man for all the right reasons. From wearing one impeccable suit after another (Paul Kelly) to super-suave red carpet looks (Ray Stevenson) and grungy elegance (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Irish men’s style is maturing nicely.

hugo arnold

A fondness for Jil Sander, Prada and cool boots makes this food writer a stand-out in the style stakes.

Cillian Murphy

TV3’s Director of Programming is the bestdressed man in Irish television – think immaculate tailoring with the odd natty flourish. He’s even been known to wear a kilt ...

Danny o’ Donoghue

Bob geldof

Expressive, unorthodox, Sir Bob’s style is as unique as the man himself. He has an eye for absurdity too: mustard cap and aviators?

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SPRING 2011

Playing to his strengths the Munster and Ireland lock’s casually rugged wardrobe sets off his macho good looks.

Ben Frow

When he’s not in slim-fitting suits on the red carpet, Murphy makes earthy tones and tweeds look modern.

The Script’s frontman favours the tried and tested rock star uniform – leather jacket, statement T-shirt and a rakish scarf.

Donncha o’ Callaghan

Daniel Day Lewis

Occasionally inclined to dandyish excess, Day Lewis does outdoor brilliantly: tweeds, brogues, hat.

Seán Óg Ó halpin

The Cork hurler cuts a dash off the field too in sharp suits, while a childhood in Australia brings a whiff of the surfer boy to his off-duty look.

www.canali.it

TAILORING lApElS

DRESS RIGHT

The peak or notch of your lapel should lie on your collar bone or, simply put, level with the points of your shirt collar.

FOR YOUR TYPE wHATEvER youR BuSInESS, THERE’S A SuIT ouT THERE TAIloR mADE To fIT youR nEEDS. So wHIcH TypE ARE you?

JAcKET The two-button navy jacket is a strong, classic look. Armani injects extra gravitas and sophistication to a simple shape by using the best of fabrics, keeping the shoulders lean and the lines clean. Make a statement with darker suits by choosing a crisp white, well-fitting, good quality shirt which will work as a great backdrop for a tie that says a little more about you.

#1 THE powERHouSE

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he Powerhouse is a classicist with a purposeful stride. He depends on a smart appearance to gain him instant acceptance in the business world,

a statement of his affluence and impeccable taste.

And what could beat a sharp Italian suit? Giorgio Armani specialises in combining classic good taste with measured touches of non-conformity. Armani’s elegant two-piece affairs have trademark refined lines which create a long, lean silhouette. Slimmer fit jackets

Leather accessories – like briefcases, belts and shoes – are best kept to black with only the hardware (touches of silver or gold) providing contrast.

BAG

are usually high buttoned (two or three) and narrow shouldered with flat-front regular fit trousers with a narrow hem. The Powerhouse is confident enough to experiment with the texture and pattern of his shirts but recognises the ability of a great white shirt to elevate even the most basic suit. From micro textures to jacquards to poplins, good fabric distinguishes the exceptional from the ordinary. As for his tie (he does not feel properly dressed for business without one), it is vital to add balance to a suit. He’s happy to inject a little seasonal colour, like sunny yellow, into his neckwear. A pocket square (if he’s feeling flush) adds the finishing touch. If you fancy a made-to-measure Armani suit, visiting tailor Walter Siciliano will be in store at Brown Thomas, Dublin on Tuesday March 22. To make an appointment, call 01 617 1159.

Below: Black leather brogues, €535, by Church’s.

Right: White cotton shirt, €135, by Hugo Boss.

Yellow tie, €100, by Richard James.

Classic high-shine leather loafers or brogues work equally well with this look.

Keep yours mirrorlike by using a cream polish and bit of old-fashioned elbow grease.

SHoES

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SPRING 2011

TAILORING SHIRT Shirts must be well cut and should be classically proportioned. Find a collar shape that works for you – a good shirt maker will help with your cut and fabric choice. A medium-sized collar is modern; a large collar will make you look dandyish; too small and you may look like you shopped in the boys’ department.

#3 mR BuSInESS

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r Business means business and keeps his workwear as sharp as his boardroom tactics. He likes shape and ease in his suits, which makes Hugo Boss’s Boss Black

his go-to label, as it focuses on young, slick business attire at keen prices. With collar-and-tie formality a necesssity,

BElTS

his shirts must be well cut and classically proportioned and a narrow tie is perfect with this season’s tailored silhouette.

Make sure that the material of your belt matches the texture, finish, and even colour of your shoes. Daring details and statement buckles are best left for jeans.

His rule of thumb? The narrower the tie (he likes a classic pattern), the slimmer the knot, the shorter the shirt collar spread. Finally, on-the-go Mr Business likes to be ready for take-off at all times, with a winner capsule wardrobe always to hand – a monochrome palette makes his busy life easier.

Right: Gunmetal pattern tie, €125, by Zegna.

Below: Grey cotton shirt, €360, by Tom Ford.

Black leather satchel, from a selection, by Hugo Boss.

TIE Working the monochrome look is very this season.

Matching your tie to your shirt is a must; remember the narrower the tie, the narrower the knot.

JAcKET

Above: Stripe cotton shirt, from €165, by Zegna.

Below: Cufflinks, from €85, by Tateossian.

Black leather belt, from €108, by Paul Smith.

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The silhouette of the two-button suit is more comfortable and forgiving on a man with a broader chest.

The longer threebutton looks better on taller, leaner men.

#2 THE EuRocRAT

he well-bred, educated Eurocrat worked hard for his international lifestyle founded on job security, long lunches and a safe pension. But, always longing for a bigger bite of the cherry, he swapped the Brussels job for a more lucrative role

in a hedge fund company headquartered in the IFSC. The Eurocrat invests in quality; he loves silk and cashmere and, like all continentals, knows the value of a smart scarf, worn with flair. He works the style Eurozone – his ties are French (Hermès), his suits Italian (Ermenegildo Zegna or Z Zegna), and they are few but good. His leather soled shoes are English (Church’s) and his multi-timezone watch is Swiss.

SPRING 2011

9

TAILORING

POCKet sQUare A silk pocket square is best used to add colour but don’t be tempted to go the matching tie-andsquare route. Always dry clean and insist that the rolled edge is not pressed flat.

#5 the mOdernist

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he Modernist is all about upstart ambition and knows that a dove grey suit will make an impression (blending into a sea of pinstripe is not for him). He’s happy to invest in a suit by Ermenegildo Zegna, the master of

Italian tailoring, which mixes style, comfort and performance. Zegna is still a family-run company and this season they have focused on shorter jackets with relaxed shoulders – a great way to make a suit look young and fresh.

The Upstart knows how to suit up but still stand out, elevating his look by adding unexpected accessories to create something that feels new; he loves a silk pocket square casually hanging out of his breast pocket, or a tie-bar worn slightly askew, channelling Gordon Gekko’s 1980s tycoon. He believes that good accessories – like a colourful tie or funky cufflinks – breathe new life into the classics season after season.

CUt Look out for details like high-cut armholes: contrary to popular belief, they aren’t restricting. As well as lengthening the look of the torso, a high-cut armhole allows the jacket to hug the body and ensures that sleeves never ride up.

Some men like a classic turn-up cuff on their trousers. As well as giving structure to the bottom of the trouser, it adds a general point of interest as well as highlighting the front crease.

trOUsers Above: Navy silk pocket square, from €100, by Hermès. Blue cotton shirt, €360, by Tom Ford.

Below: Black Hulse suede shoes, €80, by KG Kurt Geiger.

sOCKs Embrace the trend for bold socks – spotty, stripy, anything but black. Nothing beats slipping on a fresh pair of good quality fine cotton or silk socks.

#4 natty dresser

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Above: Pink check cotton shirt, €125, by Gieves & Hawkes.

Far left: Orange tie, €100, by Richard James.

he Natty Dresser favours an old-fashioned style that errs on the side of traditional, but still pushes the boundaries. Italian tailors Canali make chic, stylish suits that are just to his

trOUsers

taste – an amalgam of London dandy and Italian gentleman – and their three-piece suit

is a friend to hipsters and business types alike. The Natty Dresser doesn’t over-egg the details, though, knowing that a waistcoat without lapels is best (so as not to make him look bulky – although it should also look good on its own when the jacket comes off). Armed with his suit, he finishes the look with shirts and silks, as simply or as flamboyantly as his mood dictates. If made-to-measure shirts sound like a luxury of a bygone era (say, 2007?), you might be surprised to learn that a perfectly-fitting shirt, handmade in Ireland from the finest Swiss fabric by master shirtmaker Rachel McColville, with a choice of five collars and four cuff styles, starts at €150.

The ‘break’ in the trouser is the amount of fabric that rests over the instep of your shoe, usually from a quarter to a half inch. A heavier shoe requires a longer break than a slimline shape like a loafer.

The next Made To Measure shirt event is at Brown Thomas, Dublin on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 March. For details, call 01 617 1159.

menswear PersOnal shOPPing» 10

SPRING 2011

Availing of a Brown Thomas personal shopping and styling appointment with Ann Finn (she has over 20 years’ experience) might be the best thing you’ve ever done. Finn will meet you or talk with you over the phone to discuss your needs, likes and dislikes, before

setting up the appointment. When you arrive, a selection of clothes will be ready for you to try on, and Finn will suggest accessories, belts, ties and most importantly, how to put the whole look together. Some pieces may need to be ordered specially or altered; then Brown

Thomas will deliver directly to your home or office. Contact Ann Finn in Dublin: 01 617 1159.

Brown Thomas Cork, 021 480 5555; Brown Thomas Limerick, 061 417 222; Brown Thomas Galway, 091 565 254.

dWaWb

STRAP

T H E G L O S S M A G A Z I N E | September 2009 | 15

TRENDING

HIGHER EDUCATION fAshION TIps frOm ThOsE IN ThE kNOw. MENswEaR AfICIONADOs pAUl O’CONNOr AND TOm kElly fIll Us IN ...

stock Up

A linen jacket needs a little extra TLC so as not to resemble an old rag. Steaming out wrinkles is key: hang in a steamy shower room and the creases will drop out.

▲ The sun may not be shining yet, but the shades have arrived. Black sunglasses, €209,

by Burberry. ▲ Pick up a fine gauge knit from this season’s bumper crop. Cotton cardigan, €495, by Maison Martin Margiela. ▲ Invest in a lightweight military jacket in a tailored shape; look no further than J Lindeberg’s new collection. ▲ Raise your game with Lanvin’s textured suede and patent leather sneakers and high tops. ▲ There’s no limit to our love of Chanel; join the queue for the new J12 Chromatic watch. The silvery-grey titanium ceramic bracelet is just plain sexy.

Jacket

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his season requires a re-thinking of the style rules of the 1950s, a return to all the good elements of classic dressing. “Think of it as dressing as your grandfather did, but with a modern twist,” says buying director Paul O’Connor, “a two-button suit with slim-leg trousers (Brioni, Tom Ford), fresh check shirts (Gieves & Hawkes), neat leather Italian lace-ups (Santoni, Ferragamo).

It’s not the overplayed geek look of last year, but it’s neat and groomed. There are ways of adding colour and personality to a suit – layering a fine knit sweater (James Perse, John Smedley) underneath, matching socks to your shirt, not your suit. Pocket squares and even tie pins are back and it would be great to see younger men adopting these trends.”

So how to lighten and modernise a spring wardrobe?

Change the palette, for starters. Wear the same clothes but in lighter colours – replacing your usual black trousers and sweater with a light grey version of each: layering slightly different shades is fine, as long as you avoid mixing fabrics and textures.

“This is a big season for chinos,” says menswear buyer Tom Kelly. “From classic beige to grey, to blue, to red, flat-front, slim-fit, Roll them up if you dare cropped … most men are comfortable ... but what you wear wearing chinos – now they just have south of your ankles is of utmost importance. greater choice.” Chinos (Hartford, Polo If exposing bare flesh is Ralph Lauren, Gant) are possibly the a step too far, invest in a pair of interesting socks most versatile piece of kit in a spring in a muted colourway. wardrobe. “If you work in a relatively casual environment, you can smarten them up with a good jacket, a slim-fitting sweater and brogues; at the weekend you can wear them with a T-shirt, loafers and a stripe canvas belt, with its echoes of old school ties. Loose-fitting chinos look fantastic with a sloppy linen shirt and sneakers, even brown leather sandals.”

shOE BAr // Get down with the new uppers 1

If yOU DO ONE ThINg» 1 // Carried Away How to get from A to B in the most stylish way? Invest in nice luggage – a decent overnight or weekend bag (Prada, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith) has an instant smartening effect.

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SPRING 2011

shelve IT

Use colour to personalise your look. Versatile lace-ups will take you far; keep the style classic if the shade is not and remember, above all, light colours are high maintenance.

Trousers

▼ Long, pointy-toe tan shoes that curl up at the toe the more you wear them; worn with jeans, the staple footwear of the Irish man on a Saturday night. ▼ Your favourite team jersey (except for matches, if you must); settle for a match programme instead. ▼Give the novelty cufflink a wide berth – if your grandfather wouldn’t wear them, then neither should you.

shoes

1. Eska suede lace-ups, €105, by Ted Baker. 2. Derby leather shoes, €170, by Richard James. 3. Clifford suede tassel loafers, €190, by Grenson.

4. Byron canvas boots, €55, by Fred Perry. 5. Sahara suede desert boots, €300, by Church’s.

2

2// Colour Code Mix khaki with black – both colours beloved of the Irish man – for a modern, casual look. When it comes accessorising, take the opportunity to get creative: stick a neon-bright T-shirt under a neutral blazer, or if you feel ready to turn up the brightness, add colourful shoes (KG

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4

5

by Kurt Geiger); just make sure everything else you wear with it is a shade less obvious.

Look with fresh eyes at Acne, Nudie, Replay and Diesel.

3 // Denim Rules Get out of your jeans rut: step away from the same bootlegs you’ve bought for the last five years – a subtle change can make all the difference.

4 // Suede Up Treat yourself to a good pair of suede loafers in soft green, brown or tan (Richard James, Gucci, Tod’s) for the weekend.

www.lanvin.com

THE MODERN MISCREANT OR 10 REASONS TO JUSTIFY BAD HABITS EXCUSE NO.1: EXERCISE CAUSES ONE TO DRINK MORE ALCOHOL Exercise. It’s a word guaranteed to strike terror into the heart of the average Irish male. People (probably your significant other, the Monica to your Chandler) will tell you that it’s Good For You – strike back with some science. A recent survey published in The American Journal of Health Promotion gave results that its authors noted did “not follow expected patterns”. Heavy drinkers were found to exercise ten minutes more per week than moderate drinkers, and 20 more than abstainers. The authors don’t reach a conclusion as to whether drinkers have the kind of personalities that are drawn to a “sensation-taking lifestyle” that might involve extreme or adventurous forms of exercise, engage in post-exercise social drinking or are simply driven to the treadmill by guilt and a desire to compensate for calories imbibed.

One thing’s for sure, though, it’s time to pack in the gym membership – rehab would be far more expensive.

NO.2: LOSING WEIGHT IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH The news we’ve been waiting for. A new report from Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor published in the online Nutrition Journal concludes that while lifestyle modification involving diet, exercise and other behaviour change induces short-term weight loss, it can have “unintended consequences such as food

and body preoccupation, repeated cycles of weight loss and regain, distraction from other personal health goals and wider health determinants, reduced self-esteem, eating disorders, other health decrements, and weight stigmatisation and discrimination”.

That doesn’t sound good. In fact, it sounds positively dangerous. Pass the doughnuts.

NO.3: SNOW-SHOVELLING PUTS YOU AT INCREASED RISK OF HEART ATTACKS Did you spend the snowy weather at the end of last year pretending not to notice those annoyingly civic-minded citizens digging out cars with a shovel niftily pulled from their boot and clearing footpaths for the neighbourhood? In case of a return to the inclement weather conditions, consider the observations of William Suddath, a cardiologist at Washington Hospital Centre, who sees more heart-attack and sudden death admissions during periods of snow. Exposure to cold weather can cause blood vessels and coronary arteries to constrict, which decreases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart – even as the heart is working harder due to the exertion and the need to keep the body warm. Such constriction can contribute to heart attack or even stroke, because it can dislodge the plaque built up along blood-vessel walls, enabling a clot to form. If you absolutely must go out and shovel snow, Suddath advises that you dress warmly, avoid consuming alcohol or

“ for the sake of your health, stay on the sofa

with the remote in hand ...” caffeine, stay well hydrated, warm up and cool down (as with any form of exercise) and take frequent breaks; work for only 5 or 10 minutes at a time and lift only small amounts of snow at a time. Ideally, if you have any history of coronary disease or are otherwise at risk, Suddath says, you should hire someone else to do your shovelling for you.

Please share this with your wife or girlfriend and neighbours.

the addition of fat. Adding a dollop of butter makes vegetables much more nutritious, and taste a whole lot better. The whole five-a-day day fruit and vegetable thing was started as a marketing campaign dreamt up by 20 or so fruit and vegetable businesses and the US National Cancer Institute at a meeting in California in 1991. It’s been mighty successful.

If you really must eat vegetables, make sure to add butter. You might even enjoy them.

NO.4: DRINKING BOTTLED WATER IS BAD FOR YOUR TEETH

NO.8: EATING FRUIT MAKES YOU FAT

If you’re one of those people who finds getting through those two litres a day a chore, take solace from the fact that most bottled and filtered water does not contain fluoride – the mineral that helps prevent tooth decay.

It follows that if you drink lots of bottled or filtered water, you are more susceptible to cavities. Is there fluoride in pints?

NO.5: RED WINE IS GOOD FOR THE HEART An oldie but a goody. Where would we be without this most comforting piece of medical research? Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, protect artery walls.

Alcohol also boosts HDL – good cholesterol.

It’s a no-brainer. Pass the corkscrew.

NO.6: DRINKING COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOU Ignore the green-tea sipping tree-huggers who tut tut when they see you downing your sixth (and counting!) cup of the day.

Consumption of coffee used to be linked to – among other perils – several forms of cancer, including pancreatic, and heart disease. Now it is said to help ward off Type 3 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer and new research presented by Arthur L Klatsky MD of Kaiser Permanente at a recent American Heart Association conference shows that people who drink a lot of coffee are at decreased risk of hospitalisation for heart arrhythmia. As you were, lads.

NO.7: ADDING BUTTER TO YOUR VEGETABLES AIDS VITAMIN ABSORPTION Every true Irishman loves butter. Fact. It’s in our DNA. Sometimes it’s hard to stand up for your right to real butter in the face of all those awful spreads. But the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E) in many vegetables are wasted when the vegetables are steamed and eaten without

FED UP WITH LIVING A SO-CALLED HEALTHY LIFESTYLE? HERE’S ALL THE jUSTIFICATION YOU NEED FOR A RETURN TO THE GOOD OLD WAYS.

How to be bad

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SPRING 2011

If you struggle with fruit consumption, but valiantly keep trying to get through your daily allocation, this news will gladden your heart. Fruit contains high levels of fructose, or fruit sugar. Among dieticians, fructose is known as “the fattening carbohydrate”. It is not metabolised by the body in the same way as glucose, which enters the bloodstream and has a chance to be used for energy before it heads to the liver. Fructose goes straight to the liver and is stored as fat. Fruit also strips your teeth of enamel, making them prone to decay. Unless you’re channeling a porky, toothless look, the advice is clear – stay away from the fruit bowl.

NO.9: DIY IS BEST AVOIDED Nobody actually enjoys DIY, and we all know that it’s much more efficient (and usually cheaper) to get a professional to do the job for you. Now there is medical evidence to back you up. Research by Doctors Mulvihill and Eustace into “penetrating ocular injuries” in Ireland showed DIY to be the most common cause of such injuries. When gardening-related injuries were added into the mix, over 50 per cent of all such injuries were accounted for. With bank holidays approaching, the advice is clear: for the sake of your eyes, stay on the sofa with the remote in hand and ignore any ‘lists’ that may be thrust in your direction.

NO.10: SMOKING IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU Well, not exactly. But research by Dr Stephen Heishman, a scientist with the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, published in online journal Psychopharmacology, shows that nicotine helps with fine motor skills and alertness. It also improves short-term memory for tasks such as remembering a list of items. Smokers have always claimed that one of the reasons they smoke is to help them concentrate, focus on tasks and do their work, and obviously a lot of daily work involves memory. Having a better understanding of nicotine’s effects, including withdrawal effects, can lead to more effective quitting tactics, Heishman said. If we know that nicotine is the reason why we feel more alert when we smoke, for example, developing medicines that mimic nicotine’s role can make quitting seem like less of an impossible task.

www.omegawatches.com/orbis

HOUR VISION. THEIR VISION. Daniel Craig and OMEGA support ORBIS International and its Flying Eye Hospital which leads the fight against preventable blindness.

The OMEGA Hour Vision Blue wristwatch honours this remarkable organisation which delivers eye care to some of the world’s most remote and developing regions.

OMEGA BOUTIQUE BROWN THOMAS DUBLIN, 88-95 GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 2

OLDER AND WISER

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW

PIERCE BROSNAN, 57

On grOwing up: “Being an Irish lad in a big English metropolis, being an outsider, having to play the game to get along. All those things went to make me who I am.”

On acting: “Some people have a tendency to get knocked down in this business and sulk and whine, and they just create a rod for their back, really. You have to have broad shoulders and get through it.”

On finally – at 31 – meeting his father, who abandoned Brosnan (then two) and his mother: “[He] was a stranger coming through a door. There were similarities in our features. The same squinty, flinty eyes. It was an awkward yet tender meeting. I had a cup of tea. I regret not meeting him in a pub somewhere. It would have been more relaxed.”

On death: “Cancer is a hard one to live with. [Brosnan’s first wife Cassie died of the disease.] To see someone suffer for four years, when the moment comes it’s a relief that the suffering has gone. It’s very hard to talk about death with somebody, but one day she said ‘It doesn’t look good for me’. We held each other and wept and had a cup of tea. A cup of tea always sorts things out.”

On the envirOnment: “We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? A world without whales. It’s too terrible to imagine.”

On religiOn: “[When Cassie died] I went to my religion ...

Despite the Christian Brothers. I have a strong faith in my God.” On self-criticism: “I can be really hard on myself, really hard. It’s just that Irish dark melancholia can creep in and you need to keep it at bay. Otherwise you can become unhinged. It’s not a good place. As an actor, you’ve got to be able to move in and out of darkness.”

On his rOle in remingtOn steele: “I don’t regret it. I certainly fell hook, line and sinker into that whole world. But I knew I was going to have a hard time getting out of it.”

On missing Out On james bOnd: In 1986, Brosnan lost the role to Timothy Dalton because of contractual obligations on Remington Steele. “It wasn’t meant to be. When catastrophe strikes like that, you just have to let it go. Fast.” He

On the freedOm Of success: “It’s just lovely right now to have the freedom to do anything, and I’ve said to my agent, ‘Find the most interesting roles’. I said, ‘They don’t have to be leading roles, I don’t need that. My ego is quite happy’.”

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SPRING 2011

p h oto g r a p h by ge t t y

went on to become the fifth James Bond in 1995.

Collection Villeret ( r茅f. 6664-3642-55B )

www.blancpain.com BROWN THOMAS 路 88-95 GRAFTON STREET 路 DUBLIN 路 TEL. (01) 605 6666

what we talk about wheN we talk about SPoRt JOHN O’DONNELL looks at how the patois of sport has seeped into small talk as well as the subconscious. what are we on about?

I

n 2006, in the middle of a furious row over the true number of Gardaí on the streets, the then Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, referred to Fine Gael’s Richard Bruton as “Dr Goebbels”. The Nazi slur was unwarranted and the subsequent withdrawal unequivocal; the following morning, after a sleepless night, McDowell apologised profusely. “I played the man,” he said on radio, in the course of his mea culpa, “and not the ball”.

What was striking (apart from the rarity value of an apology by any Irish politician) was the graphic sporting image; a metaphor at least as vivid as the picture some listeners may have had of Hitler’s Minister for Propaganda.

Our language is littered with such sporting phrases, their use by now reflexive, almost dissociated from their origin: a low blow; an own goal; a sticky wicket. If such images are less frequently employed by women than by men, it is reductive to suggest that this is because men too often struggle to express themselves outside of the argot of sport. But it’s true that sport is an off-the-peg conversational ice-breaker. How much easier and less potentially confrontational it is to ask someone you’ve never met, “What team do you support?” rather than, say, “What religion do you belong to?” (though they are often the same thing) or “Who do you vote for?”. Sport is not a secret ballot; the whole point of being a supporter is proclaiming your support. You wear the replica jersey and the scarf; you wave the flag. In advanced cases, your team’s anthem becomes your mobile ringtone. Incidentally, the arrival of the internet-friendly mobile phone is potentially lethal to the art of conversation. I have spent many hours engaged in happy, voluble, ill-informed saloon-bar debate on who scored what goal or point when and where; but now someone is liable immediately to consult the oracle that is

18

SPRING 2011

their iPhone and declaim The Correct Answer, while the rest of us (except for the smug so-and-so who got it right) sit around like punctured balloons.

But the fact that many men find sports-talk easy – and, of course, there are quite a few who don’t – doesn’t make such discussions in some way shallow or inconsequential (any more than is a discussion about chocolate or clothes). And it’s lazy, and clichéd (and patronising, and wrong) to suggest sport is a substitute for emotional engagement. Tell that to the boys and girls on their knees in desolation on the pitch after being beaten in the schools cup, or the football fans – male and female – seen on television screens each year on the last day of the season, tears streaming down their faces as they learn that a late goal scored a hundred miles away means their team has been relegated (“the drop” itself a far darker metaphor, from the lexicon of the hangman). Remember that a sports fan’s relationship with his – or her – team lasts longer than many marriages. It’s a lifetime commitment; and there’s no divorce, no guidance counselling.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s I was (in common, I suspect, with other boys my age) intrigued by Jackie, the teenage girls’ magazine bought by my sister which I read also, in the interests of research. The ‘Cathy and Claire’ page was particularly engrossing, each week featuring endless anguished letters seeking advice about parents and pals who were acting up; and, of course, about boyfriends past, present and future. By contrast, the questions asked by young readers in one of the many soccer magazines of the time (my beloved Shoot!) were more prosaic. Famous players were quizzed relentlessly about their favourite meal (“steak and chips”) or film actor/actress (“Steve McQueen/Raquel Welch”).

Admirably, Shoot! never pretended to have all the answers to life’s problems, except of course on refereeing matters, when each week it posed a hypothetical, or sometimes real, match scenario (ref ’s watch stops, ball bounces off dog into goal, linesman’s flag spontaneously combusts, etc) and tested your knowledge of the rules by asking how you would deal with this important issue, imagining that ‘You Are The Ref ’,

before revealing the referee’s expert’ verdict.

The idea of spending a weekend afternoon standing in the open air (or sitting in front of a television screen) screaming in agony – or, less frequently, in ecstasy – the names of various men in shorts whom you have never met may strike some people as deranged. The obsessive (at times psychotic) commitment of some supporters is occasionally, as Nick Hornby points out in his book Fever Pitch, a Freudian response to some early domestic upheaval or personal trauma. (Well, that might explain how some people end up supporting Arsenal.).

The atavistic allegiance to club and parish is the bedrock of the GAA. You don’t decide to follow a team, the theory goes, you are born to it. ‘Migration’ of support is frowned on. As well as gleefully attaching the tag ‘Ladyboys’ to the Leinster rugby team, Munster brethren scorned some of the province’s more ‘coiffed’ supporters (Ross O’Carroll Kelly has a lot to answer for) who seemed, to some jaundiced observers, to be strangers to the oval ball until recently. What the newcomers are trying to buy into (and the sponsors are trying to sell) is the atmosphere of what absorbs the attention of the fans in the bar afterwards. Passion. Drama. Skill. Confrontation. Physical dexterity. And human frailty: “Sport,” said the US humourist Heywood Broun, “doesn’t build character; it reveals it”.

Perhaps what appeals most of all is the anticipation. The excitement among players and supporters in the weeks before a big tournament or game is all about hopes and dreams, the prospect of success (and failure), the conviction that This Could Be The One, even though the outcome may ultimately be as disappointing as some much-vaunted tourist destination.Contrary to the chorus sung frequently on the terraces, the sports fan’s philosophy is not the fatalistic “Que sera, sera”; it is the uncertainty, the prospect of what might be.

Before the throw-in, or the first tee-shot, or the kick-off, or the first serve, anything can happen. Better than literature?

Or theatre? Well, different. As Neil Simon said, sport is the only entertainment where, no matter how many times you go back, you never know the ending. John O’Donnell is a writer and barrister. He supports Ireland, Leinster and West Ham.

illu stration by corbis

HOME ADVANTAGE

Elegance is an attitude “It’s time to give a little bit of your time to others.”

Andre Agassi

The Luxury Hall, Brown Thomas Dublin, 88-95 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01 605 6666

The Longines Master Collection

www.longines.com

Longines supports the Andre Agassi Foundation

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TAPEREd FIT & SNEAkERS This is a classic dark-rinse colour updated with a tapered fit and slim leg.

This style is good with sneakers and a T-shirt.

Dark wash jeans, €155, by Paul Smith Jeans.

Brown suede belt, €105, by Hugo Boss.

Mesh-toe cap sneaker, €335, by Lanvin.

STRAIGHT LEG & CHELSEA BOOTS Get the best of both worlds: this straightleg jean looks universally good in a mid wash and works well for smart or casual dressing. Built to last season after season.

NY standard dark wash jeans, €185, by 7 For All Mankind. Chocolate leather Naked Lady belt, €185, by Paul Smith. Tan Chelsea boots, €460, by Prada.

CLASSIC BOOTCuT & BROGuES There’s nothing more appealing than a good jacket, a great shirt, classic brogues and jeans. Guys with slightly wider thighs look good in a fuller bootleg in a dark wash. These jeans have wide-set back pockets to make your bottom look slimmer. Zatiny mid blue bootcut jeans, €125, by Diesel. Burnished yellow leather belt, €135, by Paul Smith. Tan Stanley brogues, €200, by Grenson.

CLASSIC STRAIGHT CuT & SuEdE LOAFERS Tall, skinny guys should stick with the classic straight leg – the quintessential mid-wash, five-pocket jeans. Pair them withmid a trim classic suede Viker blue polo regularshirt jeans,and €155, driving shoes polished, Diesel.Blue suede for belt,a€105, Hugofuss-free Boss. look.Tie Viker mid€270, blue regular Beige Driver, Tods. jeans, €155, by Diesel. Blue suede belt, €105, by Hugo Boss.

Beige Tie Driver loafers, €270, by Tod’s.

RELAxEd FIT & SuEdE BOOTS A cut that suits everyone. Easy and comfortable to wear, this shape is like a blank canvas and goes with most tops.

A little extra length is fine as long as there’s no bunching around the ankles.

Syrett Double Yoke mid wash jeans, €135, by Replay. Chocolate suede belt, €95, by Hugo Boss. Brown suede boots, €175, by Grenson.

HIGH WAIST, LOOSE FIT & HIGH TOPS Worn oversized with a slim-fit sweater, this cut is bang on trend. While they look loose and relaxed, the cut should not be too baggy from the thigh to the knee. The narrow ankle sits well with high tops or sneakers. Big Bent light wash jeans, €140, by Nudie. Tan belt with oval buckle, €199, by D&G. Brown piped high tops, €490, by Lanvin.

photog raphs by neil hu rley

BELOW THE BELT

IndIgO Or vInTagE WasH? BOOTcuT, sTraIgHT Or skInny LEg? FOr sOmETHIng sO BasIc, FIndIng THE rIgHT paIr OF jEans can sTILL BE a mInEFIELd. and THEn THErE’s THE sHOEs ... HErE’s Our BLuEprInT FOr gETTIng IT rIgHT EvEry TImE.

BLASTING DESIGN BY RADO

SINTRA AUTOMATIC SKELETON / HIGH-TECH CERAMICS / WWW.RADO.COM

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THE URBAN SkINNy & SNEAkERS Skinny chinos, tapered but not drainpipe, are a great urban look when paired with leather sneakers.

Canvas chinos, €290, by Dsquared2. Red stripe fabric belt, €60, by Smart Turnout.

White leather sneakers, €435, by Dior

AGED WASH & SUEDE HIGH TOPS Fancy a change from classic colours like khaki and stone? Then try less obvious ones like washed-out blues and greys. If the legs are slightly tapered you could roll them up above the ankle and show off a great pair of high tops.

Blue washed canvas chinos, €125, by Polo Ralph Lauren. Stripe fabric belt, €60, by Smart Turnout. Board Trek suede high tops, €355, by Gucci.

PREPPIE cUT & LOAFERS A flat-front, well-tailored waist (tab closure with a slightly lower rise) is a smart look. Pair with classic suede loafers. Stone Preppie chinos, €185, by Polo Ralph Lauren. Stripe fabric belt, €60, by Smart Turnout. Navy suede loafers, €415,

by Gucci.

MODERN FABRIcS & WHITE SOLES If you’re looking for a cool alternative to the classic chino, up the ante with your fabric choice. New lightweight fabrics are up for the challenge and built to last.

Make sure your boots meet their match.

Viker mid blue regular jeans, €155, Stone chinos, €115, by Hartford. Stripe fabric Diesel.Blue suede belt, €105, Hugo Boss. belt, €60, by Smart Turnout. Navy Maddox Beige Tie Driver, €270, Tods. suede boots, €195, by Mayfair.

cLASSIc cUT & SUEDE BOOTS Since World War II, when they were standard issue for GIs, khaki has remained the most popular colour of chinos. Finer twill brings them from casual to smart.

Khaki chinos, €225, by Paul Smith. Stripe fabric belt, €60, by Smart Turnout.

Navy suede boots with light sole, €320,

by Hugo Boss.

SUMMER BRIGHTS & DESERT BOOTS The trick to this summer’s colour trend is to keep it all monotone: mix your shades not your colours. If you opt for a bright chino, make sure your shoes are a shade less obvious. Sky blue chinos, €85, by Gant. Stripe fabric belt, €60, by Smart Turnout. Navy Maddox suede boots, €195,

by Mayfair.

ph otograph s by neil hurley

below the belt

Can’t live without Chinos? this season You’d be mad to trY. For those who veer awaY, think again. From the weight oF the twill to the range oF great new Colours, theY strike the right note between Fashion and utilitY.

BOSS Black

HUGO BOSS UK LTD. Phone +44 207 5545700 www.hugoboss.com

weddings SHaRon wau c H o b

JAS ON L LOY D-E VA N S

Wool blend piqué coat, alexandeR mc Queen, ¤2,395; www.net-aporter.com.

Nude marabou feather gilet, Haute Hippie, ¤645; www.neta-porter.com.

Nude leather sandals, RupeRt SandeRSon, ¤685, at Brown Thomas.

Etneu Etneu slingbacks, cHRiStian louboutin, ¤625, at Brown Thomas.

Something New Ivory Victoria clutch, ¤120, at ReiSS.

Ivory taffeta maxi skirt, lanVin, ¤2,750; www. net-a-porter.com.

If you really love fashion, choosing a wedding dress in the traditional way may be a frustrating experience.

A beautiful off-the-peg dress can be so much cooler.

Dresses by Irish designer Sharon Wauchob, above, may be ordered from Liberty, London.

Cream Donatella lace dress, ¤185, at ReiSS.

Nude lace dress, iRwin & JoRdan, ¤510, at Diffusion.

Butterfly earrings, cHanel, ¤190, at Brown Thomas.

Oyster Ocean silk dress, HoSS intRopia, ¤315, at Style Tonic.

Silk jacket,¤550; black silk dress, ¤550; both at YaSmin Velloza’s Dublin boutique. Velloza has an extensive collection of cool bridesmaids’ dresses.

White Peacock cotton dress, ¤245, at ReiSS. Vintage starlet hairband, ¤79; at www.glitzYSecRetS.com.

louiSe KennedY has a beautiful bespoke bridal collection at her Merrion Square boutique, but we just loved this less formal look from the main collection. Champagne hand-embellished dress, ¤3,900; white cashmere duster coat, ¤1,795; both Louise Kennedy.

For stockists, www.thegloss.ie.

24 | April 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

www.lacoste.com

UNCONVENTIONAL CHIC

*chic non conventionnel

Brown Thomas DuBlin, Cork , limeriCk anD BT2 GrafTon sTreeT

WARDROBE NEWS

LET’S gET TECHNICAL HIgH pERfORmANCE UNDERWEAR? IT’S NOT AS STRANgE A CONCEpT AS IT mIgHT fIRST AppEAR. ERmENEgILDO ZEgNA’S mADE TO mEASuRE TAILORINg SERVICE COmBINES ATTENTION TO DETAIL WITH ARTISAN CRAfTSmANSHIp.

T

Carlo Baretta, of the Zegna team, backstage at the Ermenegildo Zegna S/S 2011 show.

SHORTCUT // The perfect pocket square The Two-Point Fold

This fold is deceptively tricky to fold because it’s off centre.

2.

Right: Year of the Rabbit cotton pocket square, from a selection,

by Paul Smith.

NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS … NEIL BARRETT»

24

WHO? Devon-born fashion designer

WHY NEWS NOW? His new menswear

who worked for Gucci, then became Prada’s first menswear designer.

In 1999, launched the Neil Barrett brand with a menswear collection. An Italophile, he is based in Milan and the proud owner of his own factory in Tuscany.

collection is stocked exclusively for the first time in Ireland at Brown Thomas, Dublin.

SPRING 2011

INFLUENCES? His father and grandfather were both military tailors – hence, perhaps, the rather soldierly

Fold the sides and the bottom points towards the middle.

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attention to detail seems to chime with customers’ expectations. “We have seen a ten per cent growth in made-to-measure; it’s an integral part of our success,” say the folk at Zegna. Nice to know too that measurements are centrally recorded so no matter where you are in the world, you can have a Zegna suit made to measure and in your wardobe in four weeks. From around €1,700 at Brown Thomas, Dublin.

Fold the square down until it’s a four and a half inch square. Rotate until one of the points is up (make sure you don’t overlap the point onto the top point). Fold the bottom right point slightly off centre (to the left) of the top point. See diagram for clarification.

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he advantages of a tailor-made suit over pret-a-porter? Superb fit, choice of fabric (over 450), style and detail and the pleasure of a unique experience – especially when the process is the “Su Misura” or made-to-measure service from the familyowned Zegna label. When Ermenegildo Zegna first created fine wool fabrics at his mill in 1910 in the Italian Alps, the first seeds of the made-tomeasure service (launched in 1970) were sown.

Now, all the sartorial attention of a customtailoring service, with critical measuring carried out by master tailor Antonio Sanna, takes place by appointment in the Brown Thomas menswear department. (The next session is on March 25 and 26; call Ann Finn on 01 617 1159 for an appointment.) Detailed measurements are computerised and sent to Italy in advance of the cutting phase, followed by sewing, finishing and inspection, with the suit delivered to the customer four weeks later. According to Zegna’s design team, “a trained eye can tell the difference, and so will the wearer.” As the suits are created using traditional Italian artisan methods and the made-to-measure style has a natural silhouette, reminiscent of Neapolitan tailoring. The client’s name is hand-embroidered on the inside of the jacket, further conveying its uniqueness. This

We’ve had performance art, performance drinks, so it was only a matter of time, since women have long extolled the virtues of shape-enhancing underpinnings, before us lads confronted performance underwear. These days, it’s not enough to keep your closed assets covered with a simple pair of pants – you should really be lifting and shaping, enhancing or concealing what the good Lord gave you. The vocabulary of performance underwear, its ‘fabric engineering’, ‘control panels’, ‘precision fit’ and ‘technical development’, is reassuringly masculine and a rummage amongst the racks and packets is no more alarming. By and large, these pants and vests still look like pants and vests, but their effect can be magical – flattening a flabby gut, for instance. Look out for elegant Equmen and cheeky AussieBum, nestled amid the Armani and the Dolce & Gabbana (those Italians don’t need any help), the Paul Smith and the Diesel, in the menswear department at Brown Thomas.

demeanour of the chaps modelling his clothes, although this season is his most relaxed yet.

THE LOOK? Masculine proportions, narrow bottom halves and sharply tailored parkas and elongated shirts and tees – Orlando Bloom is a fan.

3.

Tuck into your suit pocket with the tips pointed upwards, slightly off centre from each other.

AVAILABLE AT BROWN THOMAS DUBLIN, CORK, LIMERICK AND GALWAY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.BROWNTHOMAS.COM

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WATCHES

Time Travel

FACT

I

: At the Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie, Cartier unveiled its Rotonde de Cartier flying tourbillon watch, the 9455 MC calibre. Only 100 watches will be made. www.cartier.com.

n just a couple of weeks, Giovanni

Broccardo, fine watch manager,

at Brown Thomas, will be setting off for the International Watch Fair in Basel to select the watches which will feature in store in 2012. Twenty-eight years’ experience in the business of fine watches means he knows exactly what he’s looking for – the fashionable, yes, but above all, the unusual, the unique. Real watch lovers (and Brown Thomas counts many among its clientele) are always seeking the limited edition piece, the numbered re-issue, the rarer the better. And Broccardo has had the pleasure of buying – and selling – some of these ‘exclusives’. “One client, a real connoisseur, flew in from the Far East when he heard we had a particular piece, and we often have clients from the UK flying over for a day to get their hands on something we have. It’s difference that fuels interest in watches for men – you only need to read the online watch forums to understand that.” And does, ahem, size matter? “It’s not all about the mega price tag. We have a classic quality Swiss brand like Longines, which starts at €500, all the way up to a watch for €40,000. Customers love Rado for its involved technical spec and we stock Italian brand Panerai exclusively in Ireland. Customers are really embracing ceramic watches (like Chanel’s J12) and there’s a rush on rose gold.” And, when he’s looking into a glass case at Basel, what is he thinking? “I’m not thinking, I’m feeling,” he says, “it’s instinct that drives me.”

ICON /

SELECTED / SPRING 2011

OMEGA SEAMASTER

The Seamaster Plopfof was launched in Basel in 2009 and has become an iconic piece for watch collectors. With its self-winding movement and a power reserve of 60 hours, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, steel case and rotating bezel, as well as smart coloured details, it has the appearance of a classic dive watch refined for urban wear. €6,250 at Omega.

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SPRING 2011

BLANCPAIN FIFTY FATHOMS

Three Fifty Fathoms models – the original automatic, a new flyback model and a flying tourbillon have the signature features that forged the reputation of the original Fifty Fathoms. Water-resistant to 300 metres, oversized hour-markers and hands add to its rugged charm. A black dial and rotating bezel, crafted from scratch-resistant sapphire, are key elements. From €8,210.

CARTIER CALIBRE

This classic, elegant watch (with calibre movement) has a polished, satin-brushed steel bracelet and bezel, a heptagonal steel crown and a black dial stamped with white Roman numerals and white hourmarkers. Hands are sword-shaped in rhodium-plated steel. The open steel caseback has a sapphire crystal and it’s water-resistant to 30 metres. €5,125 at Cartier.

PANERAI LUMINOR

Made with the exclusive chronograph Panerai calibre movement the new Chrono Daylight has a power reserve of 46 hours. With a brushed steel case and bezel and a black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers, it has a leather strap and large brushed steel buckle and is supplied with a second interchangeable strap. €5,950; from April.

DANIEL CRAIG

Right ABOUt nOw, actor Daniel Craig is filming the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (he plays investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist) and flexing for his role in the 23rd Bond movie, to be directed by Sam Mendes.

As ambassador for Omega, Craig is lending support to ORBIS International, an organisation founded in 1982, which delivers eye care to some of the world’s most remote regions, and its Flying Eye Hospital programme.

Omega has produced a special watch – the Hour Vision Blue – to celebrate the partnership, and has guaranteed at least one million dollars from its sale to ORBIS. The Hour Vision Blue wristwatch (price on application) is a special edition of the elegant Hour Vision, with a classic 41mm stainless steel case. Omega’s Co-Axial caliber 8500, the movement that signalled a revolution in series-produced

mechanical watchmaking, is visible through the sapphire crystal on the caseback. The blue dial has 18-carat white gold hour, minute and second hands and features a date window at 3 o’clock. Craig will visit ORBIS’ Flying Eye Hospital later this year. “I think it’s important to do all that we can to draw attention to the work that ORBIS is doing. By visiting them in the field and seeing their team at work, we will be able to make more people aware of their work,” he says. Since it was founded in 1982, ORBIS has carried out work in 88 countries to provide medical training, tools and technology for local partners to address blindness in the community. So far, more than 12 million individuals have received medical care.

Listen out for Craig’s Red Rackham character in The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, an animated adventure, due for release at the end of the year.

RADO CENTRIX

LONGINES TwENTY FOUR HOURS

Simple and elegant, this new collection from Rado (best known for its striking black ceramic collections and high technical spec) is an interesting one. The automatic is sleek with a silver finish (above) and also comes in a jubilé version with eight single diamonds set on the black polished dial, protected by the edge to edge sapphire crystal. From €640.

A limited edition re-issue from the mid-1950s, this aviator stainless steel watch has a matte black dial with 24 white Arabic numerals.

A transparent caseback with its own cover reveals the details of the movement. Engraved with the watch number and water-resistant to 30 metres, it comes with a black alligator strap.

From €1,200.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

STREngTH NUmbeRs IN

POweR, sTamINa, sPeed aNd agIlITy: IT’s all abOUT TRAInIng SmART aNd eaTINg well.

Be careful about reading health books.

You may die of

a misprint.

Get youR kettle oN

TRAIn // lIke a pRO dr CIan O’nEILL is Course director of the department of Physical Education and Fitness at the university of Limerick and is in charge of the fitness programme for All Ireland Senior Hurling Champions, Tipperary.

How do you approach pre-season training? “As the players return after some time off we try not to give them too much, too soon. We split most sessions into gym work, using weights and fitness machines, and field work, which is all about running and building stamina and speed.

Players have two gym-based sessions and two field-based sessions a week for this 6-8 week training period.” What happens in the gym? “The gym work is largely based on compound exercises: dumbbell pressing exercises – chest, shoulder and jammer press – and pulling exercises – pull-ups and bent over rows – as well as lower extremity exercises such as single lunges, step-ups and single leg squats. Plank exercises progressively develop the core muscles in the abdomen.” And in the field? “The field-based work must also be structured and progressive, taking into consideration the players work on their own or in small groups all over the county. We first establish a cardiovascular base, which starts with some steady running over time periods of 10-30 minutes, with the intensity increasing as fitness improves. We include interval training: four runs of 800 metres with three minutes recovery between each rep, followed by two runs of 600 metres with two minutes recovery. As sessions progress, the volume and distance decreases while the intensity and speed increases.” as the championship draws near, how does training progess? “The players need to be peaking in terms of match fitness at this stage of the season. In the gym, the focus becomes explosive power or speed-strength: explosive bench pressing, medicine ball throws, explosive jammer pressing, modified Olympic lifts, and lower extremity exercises such as squat jumps, explosive leg presses and concentric squats.

On the field, the focus is now on speed-acceleration and speed-reaction: speed challenges over very short distances of between five and 15 metres.

Preliminary rounds of the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship begin June 18.

See www.gaa.ie for details. Rory Egan

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Stuck in a training rut? Find you can’t get to the gym more than a couple of times a week? Recoil at the thought of plodding on the treadmill or cross trainer for an hour? Then a kettlebell workout is the answer. A short, explosive workout with traditional Russian cast iron weights, which look a bit like cannonballs with handles, whittles away stubborn fat, tones and strengthens flabby arms, abs and legs, strengthens the core and back, and improves heart and lung fitness. Repetition kettlebell lifting is one of the best tools for all-round physical development, as proved by a Soviet study which observed two groups of college students over a period of a few years. A standard battery of armed forces physical training tests was used, which included pullups, a standing broad jump, a 100-metre sprint, and a one-kilometre run. The control group followed this military fitness training programme. The experimental group just lifted kettlebells – no other training of any kind. Despite not having any practice in the military fitness drills, the kettlebell training group scored better in every one.

Former Russian Special Forces soldier and strength and flexibility coach Pavel Tsatsouline introduced kettlebell training to the United States, where he helps train the armed forces, police and fire fighters. Now English Premiership clubs Liverpool and Chelsea, MMA world champions, athletes and Hollywood stars are all lifting, snatching, swinging and windmilling. The beauty of kettlebell training is that you don’t have to spend hours at a time. Each session can last from 10-30 minutes and once you’ve been shown how, and provided you have your own set of kettlebells, you can work out at home.

Just avoid small children and highly polished wood floors.

See www.kettlebellsireland.com for a class (outdoor or indoor) near you.

NUTRITION // fuel for life Emma mcCruddEn is the principal nutritionist for Leinster rugby and also advises the English Institute of Sport.

She is a passionate believer in the power of diet and nutrition, which plays an important role in allowing players to train hard and play hard over the competitive season. “Nutrition has a very important role in enabling the Leinster team to withstand the demands of professional rugby. The players’ main energy and nutrient requirements are met through a healthy, high energy diet. This means they eat lots of carbohydrate to supply energy, protein to replenish and repair muscles and fats to support their immune function and health.” Live like the Leinster pack by doing the following:

1

MINIMISe youR uNhealthy fat INtake. Keep intake of high fat foods to a minimum. Cakes, biscuits, chocolate, buns, bars, deep-fried foods, takeaways and full-fat dairy are out. It is important that fat features in the diet but nuts, avocados, low-fat dairy products, seeds, rapeseed oil and oily fish are better sources of fats for player performance.

2

ReMeMbeR to dRINk lotS of fluIdS. Dehydration can

result in poor concentration and players may find training more exhausting. You should be going to the loo approximately every three hours during the day and having 500mls of fluid with each meal, not only water – you can use skimmed milk, no-added-sugar squash and herbal teas.

3 4 5

eat 5 PoRtIoNS of fRuIt aNd veGetableS each day.

I know it sounds like a cliché but it works. Fruit and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants and low in calories. Great snacks for any players are raw vegetables and fresh, tinned or dried fruit. It’s important to include salad or vegetables with each meal.

fuel well befoRe tRaINING. Focus on carbohydrate-

rich foods such as bread, cereals, pasta and rice prior to fitness and skills sessions. Before any strength or power work, protein and carbohydrates should be eaten. You could try a low-fat milkshake, or white bread with a lean meat filling.

RecoveR PRoPeRly fRoM tRaINING SeSSIoNS.

It is vitally important to consume protein and carbohydrates within 20-30 minutes after training in order for your body to recover quickly – so arrive at training with food to eat directly afterwards. This is particularly important when exercise is vigorous and lasts longer than 30-45 minutes. To replace energy used during training try: a large bowl of cereal with milk, low-fat yogurt with fruit topped with cereal, a milk and cereal bar or poached eggs and wholemeal toast. Rory Egan

DUCHAMPLONDON.COM

THE MAVENS

‹‹ JaMie hElly, owner of

Jamie wears black threequarter length wool coat, €770, by Burberry. Royal blue cardigan, €325, by Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Pinstripe shirt, €230, by P.S. by Paul Smith. Jeans, €205, by Diesel. Boots (just seen), €255,

by Kurt Geiger.

design consultancy Dynamo, is as single-minded, creatively driven and commercially grounded as he was back in 1992 when he established his graphic design agency, which now employs 19 people. Always performance-orientated, he believes the economic climate has forced design businesses to be even more accountable. “The youngest guys here know to think about the endcustomer first and the design process after. We continually assess the results of our work.” He is positive about the prospects for Ireland, a feeling backed by track record: “We have sold seaweed to the Arabs.” [He was responsible for the re-branding of the successful Irish business Voya, which now exports to 22 countries.] Working with brands like Tayto, Superquinn, Kilbeggan and Bulmers, he is acutely aware of the challenges faced by indigenous business. “It is important to be optimistic, enthusiastic and open to ideas.” Helly loves clothes and in the past had somewhat of a reputation for being a stylish man around town. “I’m conscious now, at 44, that I can’t go round looking like a DJ, but I don’t wear suits. I just buy flattering clothes, good jeans

by Dsquared2 and Diesel, shirts by Prada; nothing too expensive or fashionable – just simple things that will last.”

Photographed on location at the Dynamo offices, Dublin 1.

T h e C loTh e s

P hoTograP he D by AN D R EAS P E TTE RSSO N / / / / / / / /

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?????????

No Mere CloThes horses These – irelaND’s MosT sTylish MeN briNg seeMiNgly eFForTless sTyle To The workPlaCe aND beyoND.

MaDe F l es h / sTyl eD by CAT h E R I N E CO N DE l l

aNDrew wears grey suit, €720, by Paul Smith. White shirt, €145; navy wool cardigan, €200; pink pocket square, €40; spotted scarf, €185; all by P.S. by Paul Smith.

‹‹ aN Dr ew wE l D- m OORE ,

36, is manager of the Nordic markets online sales operation at Facebook’s Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dublin’s Hanover Quay. There are more than 200 employees and plans to take on 100 more.

“There’s a cross-section of people from all over the world, working collaboratively and speaking many languages. It’s no place for shrinking violets – it’s fast-paced and dymanic.” Weld-Moore’s background in traditional media involved a lot of external presentations but now, with Facebook’s large advertiser base to be supported, there’s a truly global aspect to his role. American in ethos, international in outlook, the company allows plenty of room for self-expression on the style front. “I wear everything from Paul Smith to Diesel, suits to skinny jeans – no rules. I like to look good at work and wear suits that are relaxed but smart.”

Photographed on location at the Facebook offices, Dublin 2.

SPRING 2011

31

THE MAVENS WILLIAM WeArs navy double-breasted wool cardigan, €260; blue silktrim shirt, €260; both by Lanvin. Navy and green plaid trousers, €250; paisley bow tie, €60; both by Gieves & Hawkes. Stripe socks, €25, by P.S. by Paul Smith. Blue suede driving shoes, €310, by Gucci.

‹‹ W illiam P e at

, scion of the Peat electronics family and latterly of Bang & Olufsen, is an anthropologist who has recently joined www. gatewayireland.com, the digital portal being developed by a group including John Colgan and Dermot Desmond, to connect the world to Ireland and Ireland to the world. It’s a massive undertaking which arose from one of the Farmleigh think tanks. For Peat, it’s a fascinating project: “I spent some time when taking my Master’s to research the Silicon Valley Irish,” he says.

“My role now is to research and map Irish communities around the world, from those who have established a Gaeltacht in Canada, to the Cork emigrants in San Francisco and groups throughout Africa, Asia and Australia.” From this a database will be established.

“Being Irish is a billion and one different things ... we want to recreate that online.” At 25, Peat’s sense of style is assured. “I learned early on, with the encouragement of my sister, to explore my own sense of style. At 23 I thought I was old enough to get a fedora. I describe the look as 1950s dapper – I like cardigans and bow ties.”

Eatery 120, the popular Ranelagh haunt, is a family business, the quirky interior designed by sibling Joanne Peat. “I worked in the bar there and wearing a bow tie suited the vibe so it stuck.” He shops in vintage shops and at Brown Thomas (“the staff know what I like”) for Gieves & Hawkes shirts and ties. “I even wear a cardigan and bow tie with my Hugo Boss suit.”

Photographed on location at The Westbury Hotel, Dublin 2.

H oWar d Be GGS ››

Since 2006, CEO of Helix Health, Howard Beggs has presided over a strategy of acquisitions and consolidation of the medical software business that is now the largest of its kind in Ireland, responsible for more than 80 per cent of the country’s software systems in doctors’ surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals. Already a significant player in the UK market, new territories being explored include the UAE and Kuwait. “There’s a big focus on the Middle East, partly because of the College of Surgeons and the impact of the doctors who have trained here in Ireland,” Beggs explains. The emphasis on exports means a combination of long-haul stints and shorter business trips. “I’ve learned to pack efficiently.” A confirmed workaholic, there’s very little emphasis on the casual in Beggs’ wardrobe: “If I don’t have a suit and tie on, I don’t feel properly dressed – I think this stems from the traditional view in my family.”

Beggs laughingly describes his wardrobe as “modified clothing”. “At my height [he’s well over six feet], I can’t buy off-the-peg; that’s why Ann Finn at Brown Thomas is so great. She sorts out all the measurements and gets me the right suits.”

Photographed on location at The Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin 2.

32

SPRING 2011

HOWArD WeArs his own three-piece suit, by Armani, shirt, by Brioni and tie, by Hermès. His cufflinks are by Mont Blanc.

Photographs by Andreas Pettersson, assisted by Phillip White Styling by Catherine Condell.

Grooming by Naomh Kirwan.

SPRING 2011

33

MANHOOD FOR AMATEURS

THE EVOLUTION OF

O

THE MAN BAG

ne of the fundamental axioms of masculine self-regard is that the tools and appurtenances of a man’s life must be containable within the pockets of his jacket and pants. Wallet, keys, gum, show or ball game tickets, Kleenex, condoms, cell phone, maybe a lighter and a pack of cigarettes: just cram it all in there, motherfucker. When I was a smoker – a long time ago – I used to predicate every purchase of a shirt, tee or button-down on whether or not it featured a front pocket to hold my pack of Winston Lights. Take away everything, cigarettes, phone, even keys, a man remains a man so long as he keeps his wallet pressed up against his body. A wallet is a man’s totem, his distillation. It pockets his soul as surely as he pockets it.

The necessary corollary to this inviolate principle is that no man, ever, ought to carry a purse. Purses are for women; a purse is basically a vagina with a strap. If you have diabetes, let’s say, it is permitted to carry your works and your insulin around in a leather zip, but as soon as you start shoving your keys, Altoids, and above all your wallet in there, too, it’s over. You are a man with a purse.

As firmly – as manfully – as I always adhered to this absolute prohibition, I suffered from its tyranny. I sat on my wallet (a behaviour so harmful to the sciatic nerve that it can lead to a diagnosable syndrome called piriformis, or fat wallet syndrome), got raked repeatedly across the thigh by the mace of my keyring, bulged all over in unflattering ways like Wile E Coyote after he swallows a live Roman candle. I was tormented by that household devil of every pocket, the Hole, an anarchic character whose satanic powers include the ability to cause you to forget its existence every time you put on the pants or the jacket it has chosen to haunt, right up to the moment that all 96 cents of your change go skittering and windchiming across the bus-station floor, or your Bic lighter slips down into the secret lining of your blazer.

Nevertheless, I adhered rigorously to the way of the pocket for the first few decades of my life as a would-be man. For years I wore a sports jacket wherever I went, no matter how unseasonable or inappropriate to the occasion, simply to take advantage of the additional pocket-space it afforded, a strategy whose reductio ad absurdum is the photojournalist vest, the kind they used to advertise in the old-school Banana Republic catalogues. There was a period during college and graduate school when I dragged around a knapsack, but even then I never relaxed my grip on manhood enough to carry anything other than books, pens and maybe one of the elephantine Walkmans

34

SPRING 2011

by MICHAEL CHAbON

of that era, impossible to pocket – the only storage alternative was the dreaded belt clip, a kind of prosthetic penis, in its own inverse way as emasculating as a purse.

Saggy-bottomed and stained from sitting around in puddles of beer, the knapsack is – along with its sober older brother the briefcase – one of a limited number of stealth purse strategies by which men routinely attempt to circumvent, elude or transcend the cruel code of the pocket. The advent of the laptop computer has led to a kind of renaissance in the category of luggage formerly occupied by the satchel, an all but forgotten item just a few years ago, now more commonly designated a messenger bag and hybridised in leather, nylon and plastic, leading to all kinds of knapsack-cum-attachés and tote-cumbriefcases. And there are the gym bag, and the paratroop bag, and the flight bag, and those other hopeful attempts to provide a man with a rugged GI Joe kind of place to carry around his Walther PPK, his cyanide pills, his safecracking tools and his Kiehl’s lip balm. But check your pockets, or the pockets of the man standing next to you, the one with the command kit-cum-road warrior carryall.

I will bet you a cyanide pill that he’s still packing his wallet, keys and spare change in his pants. Otherwise, that rugged satchel becomes, by definition, nothing but a purse.

It was the diaper bag that broke me. When my first child was born, the idea that a bag intended for the transport of bottles, ointment, nipples and Huggies ought not to emasculate its male bearer was a propsition only slightly more devoid of sense than at the present time.

Furthermore, it was not merely a feminine aesthetic that guided the design of available diaper bags, but the same bizarrely infantilising principle that prevailed in maternity wear – bears and balloons and cheerily ersatz gingham – as if it were the baby herself and not her adult parents who would be schlepping the thing around. In the end I found a number in plain black nylon, disguised as a knapsack, with a zip-down changing pad. It still had the

nipples and the ointment, but I hoped that in its blackness and angles, it might possess certain properties of stealth.

I carried that diaper bag until it became so saturated and coated with dairy and excretory residue that it needed to be disposed of by a hazmat team and a federal clean-up superfund. Three children followed the first, each with his or her diaper bag, and as fatigue, inattention and habit took over, I stopped noticing if I was carrying the Esprit or the Kate Spade or the (forgive me) Petunia Pickle Bottom in embroidered lime green Chinese silk. I had the diaper bag over one shoulder and a kid in the opposite arm, and I was pushing a stroller full of groceries, and some other small child was dragging along behind me hanging from the back pocket of my jeans, and at that instant as I left the store, I felt like it would be a lot easier just to drop my wallet into the diaper bag with my keys, and my cell phone and my New York Review of Books than try to shove it down into my pants.

After that I got into the habit of carrying all my stuff around in the diaper bag. As my youngest kid got older and the need diminished for the full armamentarium – for the boxes of UHT milk, the Aquaphor and the baby wipes – I broke down and bought a nice Jack Spade knapsack, black and slick, lined with sky blue. I tucked a couple of diapers and some wipes into it with my wallet and iPod and keys, and I set out.

But a knapsack is such a defeated thing, sitting there slumped and baggy-assed on the floor at one’s feet. One sheds it wearily, with a beaten-down shrug of his shoulder.

What’s more, I was 40, and there was something at once preposterous and dismaying about returning after so many years to the accessory of my PBR and Nietzsche days. So I tried a satchel, a messenger bag, and a couple of those outsize hybrids thereof. But whatever themed adventure these bags attempted to suggest – soldier, spy, piercetongued tattooed bike messenger, laptop slacker – I felt like an imposter, a boy playing dress-up. I just wanted a

“Saggy-bottomed and stained from sitting around

in puddles of beer, the knapsack is one of a number of stealth purse strategies by which men routinely attempt to circumvent, elude or transcend the cruel code of the pocket.”

MANHOOD FOR AMATEURS bag that wasn’t too big or too small or too heavy, one that would carry the things I needed – and inevitably some of the things my kids needed – without making me look too much like one of those Germano-Scandinavian tourists you see walking around New York in the summer with their zipper packs and clogs. I needed a purse. A man purse. A murse.

One day I was telling all this to a female friend of mine, an adventuresome shopper with a taste for the fabulous in men’s clothing and a boyfriend who refused to wear anything but the most routine garb. She had already bestowed on me, because her man would not be caught dead in it, the gift of a silk multicolour-pin-striped Paul Smith muffler, and I could tell that the murse question piqued her interest; indeed, she seemed to take an almost philisophical interest in the problem.

“You don’t want too mursy of a murse,” she said. “You don’t want to look like one of those Swedish guys.”

“No.” “Next thing you’ll be wearing clogs.”

“God forbid.”

“It has to be sort of masculine somehow, but not goofy.

Not army surplus. Not Jamaican bike messenger.”

“You echo my thoughts exactly.”

“I mean the thing is, it’s a purse. You are going to be carrying a purse. I don’t think you can really get around that or try to hide it. Nor should you.”

“Nor do I wish to hide it,” I said. “If people want to mock me or think less of me or just laugh their asses off when they see me walking around with a purse, I am prepared to face their scorn.”

“Kind of like the Jackie Robinson of purse-wearing men,” my friend said.

“Kind of just like that,” I said.

There is nothing brave or courageous or remotely Robinsonesque about my contemplating the carrying of a purse, any more than there is in my taste for pink shirts, though I was once informed by a mother of my acquaintance, half disapprovingly, that wearing a pink shirt was a brave thing for a man to do. It’s simply the case that as I get older, I seem every day to give a little bit less of a fuck what people think of or say about me.

This is not the result of my undertaking to exercise a moral programme or of increased wisdom or of any kind

of willed act on my part. It just seems to be a process, a time-directed shedding, like the loss of hair or illusions. I am a husband, a father and a son, whether or not I think, ponder or worry about gender, sexuality, my life as a man; and maybe there’s a kind of pleasure to be taken in simple unconsciousness, an automatic way of moving and being and acting in the world. And maybe for an instant here and there, in the taking of that pleasure, I partake of a grace like the grace of Jackie Robinson.

A week after I talked to my friend, a purse came UPS. It’s a square of fawn-coloured suede, about the size of an extra-small pizza box, trimmed in brown leather with white stitching. It has a strap of cotton webbing, dark brown with a tan stripe running down the centre. It’s handsome, soft and rugged at the same time the way only suede can seem. And it’s definitely a purse. It holds my essential stuff, including a book – but no more, and so I can wear it, and my masculinity, and my contempt for those who might mock or misunderstand me, very lightly indeed.

This essay, I Feel Good About My Murse, is from Manhood For Amateurs by Michael Chabon, published by Fourth Estate.

bAG MEN

dAVId bECkHAM’S Louis Vuitton, stuffed with all those unworn Calvin Kleins. RObERT dOwNEy JUNIOR is never without a man bag of some description: this one is oddly feminine in style and appears to contain Not Very Much – why, then, one wonders? As if a lady fur was not enough to ruin his hard-man reputation, rapper kANyE wEST succumbs to the lure of a dinky python tote.

SPRING 2011

35

relationships

ThE sON shINEs IT’s TRuE whAT ThEY sAY, ThE IRIsh mAmmY Is TO BlAmE FOR All ThAT cONFIDENcE, AmBITION AND GOOD mANNERs. IF hE cAN’T DO hIs lAuNDRY, cOOK suNDAY luNch OR mEND A FENcE ThAT’s hIs FAulT. BEhIND EvERY GREAT GuY ThERE’s A supER mum, As RoRy eGaN DIscOvERs

BRIAN[and] O’DRIscOll GERAlDINE O’DRIscOll Geraldine o’Driscoll is mother of international rugby player and captain of Ireland’s national team, Brian O’Driscoll. She’s a doctor, although just works parttime now, and shares a practice with her husband Frank. “I have a great relationship with Brian. I think he likes to bounce things off me. We talk a lot on the phone and then we’ll meet for lunch and he will use me as a sounding board. He’s his own man but we always found it easy to talk to each other. He’s a really nice guy, quite shy and retiring and very family orientated, and very close to Frank and I and his two sisters. We’ve had an amazing twelve years following him around the world. I told Brian that I still get a lump in my throat when I see him with a mascot, leading the team out and he said that he still gets an incredible feeling when he pulls on the green jersey.”

“I still get a lump in my throat when I see him with a mascot

leading the

team out.”

FIONN DAvENpORT [and] FIAmmA DAvENpORT Broadcaster and travel journalist, Fionn Davenport’s mother, Fiamma, is Italian and lives in Florence with his father, Bernard, a former Irish Ambassador.

“I always knew Fionn was going to be a success at whatever he put his mind to – I just didn’t know when that would be. He is fluent in Spanish, Italian, English and French. It’s quite funny, but he speaks Italian with a rich Tuscan accent and slips into it straight away when he’s there.

We went on a wonderful holiday together to Thailand and Cambodia. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I suppose it was the time at which I finally got to know my son had grown up. I was surprised when he finally went into radio as I am very shy but I am very proud of him. We keep in regular touch over the phone and he visits us in Italy when he can.”

36

SPRING 2011

JOhN AND EDwARD GRImEs [and] susANNA GRImEs

S i obha n by rn e

Susanna Grimes is a teacher who has

“They both

make me

JODY FANAGAN [and] BRIDGET FANAGAN Walker Cup and international amateur golfer Jody Fanagan’s mother Rhona also represented Ireland as a senior international in golf. Jody is now a director of the family business – Fanagan’s Funeral Directors. Speaking about how she feels about her son, Rhona says: “I’m so proud of Jody in every way but particularly the way he deals with people. People come up to me to tell me how good he was to them just when they needed it most. He is very natural with everyone; he’s a genuinely nice person.” On Jody’s golfing career: “I remember when he beat Padraig Harrington to win the South of Ireland Amateur Championship, it was the win that really secured his call-up for the Walker Cup. I thought that I would just feel proud at that moment but I was more happy for him, rather than proud, because I really felt he deserved it.”

renato g hiazza

laugh.”

suddenly found herself the mother of two superstars, John (far left) and Edward (left).

The twins, better known as Jedward, will represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf in May. “The two of them are very kind and considerate, understanding and generous. I think that shines through with the amount of time they give their fans. They both make me laugh and they sometimes have a lovely way of showing that they love me. I like the way they work as a team but they are very different individuals. Edward would be more into art and is very creative and John is the doer – he gets things done. They’ve never had a stylist and have made all the choices about their look themselves, and I really admire them for that.

“I also admire them for the way they handled the initial criticism. At one stage it seemed all the papers were saying bad things about them, but before they went on The X Factor, John [their father] and I spoke to them and said, once you put yourself out there you are opening yourself to criticism. Even though they were very young, they made the decision that this is what they really wanted. It’s difficult when they’re away – we miss them dreadfully but they ring me whenever they can. It’s important that you allow your children to move on into adulthood and let them leave the nest. It happened a little quicker for us in that Edward and John were only 17.

“We were very excited about the Eurovision – it’s such a great honour to represent your country. A lot of their fans see John and Edward as superstars but I see them as my sons.

I try to keep life very normal for them when they come home.”

renato g hiazza

TOm D’A[and] RcY KAThlEEN D’ARcY Tom D’Arcy is a consultant gynaecologist/obstetrician in the Coombe and St James’s hospitals.

His mother, Kathleen, still lives in Dundalk where he grew up. “Tom is a great son and I’ve never stopped being proud of him. I always knew he’d make a great success of his life because he was always good at whatever he turned his hand to. He is constantly making sure that I am alright and I stay with him most weeks. Tom was the eldest and I depended on him a lot. When he went away to university I thought I was lost but he came back every weekend and I used to look forward to that. He has a very good way of looking at things from every angle and will always see both sides of a problem, and is very patient.”

SPRING 2011

37

GROOMING

THOMAS C o m i n g

S o o n

WRINKLES D

o you feel smug in the knowledge that you use half as many creams as your partner, yet have significantly fewer wrinkles? The reason is that we age later and more gradually than the fairer sex. Your time will come: one day soon, you’ll look in the mirror and see a face that looks less like a few disconnected Luas lines and more like a map of the London Underground. Sisley skincare has long been the secret weapon of the smart woman but you can’t start snatching hers – your thicker (by 20-30 per cent), greasier skin demands a different type of moisturiser. In fact, it’s this oiliness that has helped keep ageing at bay. The big news is that Sisley has created skincare for men: S I S l e ÿ u m (€170, available in Dublin and Cork) is a ‘does-it-all’ cream (also in a gel) that soothes, softens and strengthens skin, helping to shield it from free-radical damage. Skin looks firmer and less weathered. And if people keep saying you look tired, add an eye cream to the mix. Exhaustion, and too much wining and dining, can lead to dehydration, which manifests itself in some gnarly looking lines around your peepers. Check out l a b S e R I e S m a x l S I N S t a N t e y e l I f t (€46), a gel-cream that de-puffs the eyes and tightens the skin, lessening the dramatic look of lines. After just one week, 82 per cent of users said the area around their eyes looked “renewed and refreshed”. But guess what, it’s not just those crows’ feet making you look old: that sun damage and acne scarring isn’t helping either and uneven skin tone can add up to 20 years to your perceived age.

“When skin is more even-toned, you look younger,” says Dr David Orentreich, Clinique’s Guiding Dermatologist.

If patchy skin tone is a problem, pick up C l I N I q u e e v e N b e t t e R (€58), a treatment serum (to be used before your moisturiser). If you need evidence of its efficacy, ponder on the fact that one sells every 9.8 seconds …

ThE REcENT GIORGIO ARMANI show in Milan was characterised by its palette of grey, grey and more grey. But that’s not to say one should match their wardrobe to their pallor; we never see Mr Armani himself any shade lighter than mahogany. We’re never going to be a nation of men that goes in for ‘tinted’ or ‘bronzing’ moisturisers but some carefully selected skincare can brighten you up a bit. Try Clinique Scruffing Lotion (€22), followed by YSL Healthy Look Moisturiser (€38) or Clarins Revitalizing Gel (€41).

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If you’re already a fan of CHANEL BLEU, you’ll be delighted by these fragrant extras: Shower Gel, After Shave Balm and Deodorant Stick, from €26.

Inspired by Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander The Great, you can hardly go wrong with the latest from the House of Creed, AvENtUs. 75ml, €156.50.

ACqUA di PArmA CoLoNiA EssENzA Reminds you of your garden in Lake Como. Ahem.

50ml, €68.

dior EAU sAvAgE ExtrêmE You’re perfectly confident making big, bold, masculine statements.

50ml, €53.

candle acceptable for a man to burn. tom Ford PrivAtE BLENd oUd Wood. €60 (Dublin only).

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SPRING 2011

www.lacoste.com

UNCONVENTIONAL CHIC

*chic non conventionnel

Brown Thomas DuBlin, Cork , limeriCk anD BT2 GrafTon sTreeT

travel

IrIshman abroad

tim magee Is on a mIssIon to change the way IrIsh men dress on holIday, one dodgy sandal at a tIme.

// there are few better spots

for checking out national stereotypes than the queues at airport departure gates. Guessing the provenance of passengers is something that I have unfortunately had the time to do all too often. I start by distilling the airline’s obvious home team, then move on to the destination nationality, possible connections and finally some savage pigeonholing – it throws up few surprises. The Japanese are the funkiest dressers until the age of 20, and then overnight they start hitting the streets as Swiss management consultants. American apparel is even easier to call: peg trousers, button-down shirts with the ubiquitous polo player and BlackBerry holsters. French women dress like their grandmothers, and French men look like they’re dressed by them – seeming, for the most part, to wear a uniform that is just shy of saying “if lost please return to...” Even for a tiny country like ours you can still usually spot the Irish man abroad. When dressed well we can take the Pepsi challenge with any nationality but that’s a disappointingly uncommon sight, and for a race that’s so comfortable being abroad we really need to improve our own international uniform.

london

f

amsterdam

w

ortunately the heterosexual Irish male still generally earing helmets for cycling and possibly for the takes less time to get ready than his partner, but we evening ahead is a sensible piece of advice still share many fashion faux pas with our nearest for many who weekend here but Amsterdam, neighbours: the too-tight tops that marry moobs and which has always felt more Scandinavian than western paunch as a centrepiece which neither nationality has European to me, is too often misunderstood. There is the lifestyle to carry off; the nought to Jedward hair; no need to ever see the red light district or the cafés, that ageing A&R man look. You know the one – it and every need to soak up one of the most distinct starts with pointy shoes, flows up through the skinny city cultures in Europe in one of her prettiest capitals. jeans and fills out the blazer (the Santa belly at the Amsterdam is a city of contradictions: tolerant top of Mrs Beckham’s legs), and the scarf with, of yet still safe, the people are insular but friendly and course, the de rigueur knot du jour. Saying that, eccentric. It’s the norm to showcase their homes with London is the best-dressed town in the world and open drapes and pristine sitting rooms. The Dutch, in it’s also one of the best in which to eat. The last year my experience, seem to mostly live on fast-food but are has been celebrity chef-hunting season but the two rediscovering their food heritage and with a vengeance. biggest guns are being rolled out this month: And as the mother of all trade nations, some of their Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Fergus ethnic options are sensational – the best Indonesian Henderson’s St John Hotel. food in the world is in Amsterdam – or go for the new The hotel will be relaxed i.e.

Dutch cuisine in a really old Dutch house at d’Vijff won’t be the edible toys-forVlieghen, the Five Flies. The city itself is one happy, boys room that Henderson’s walkable, concentric circular street flagship is, but Fergus has after another. There is an easily always been about commonidentifiable Dutch dress sense, tradition and comfort. code of jeans and puffy To dress accordingly, think jackets but when they make quality straight jeans, an effort it’s more punky – plain shirts, Missoni knits military details, bright and heavy boots. Dinner colours and drama hair.

by Heston Blumenthal (above), despite the pitch, will require that you look like you’re From top: Blue cotton shirt, stepping off a first-class flight: classic s260, by Lanvin. Eaton watch, s450 (with four straps), by tailoring with some sort of fitted Smart Turnout. Leather brogues, knit layering and brogues from s535, by Church’s.

From left: Lacquer cufflinks, s331 a pair; leather belt, s497; – cabin luggage is this year’s all by Hermès. Purple cotton London accessory. sweater, s390, by Maison Martin Margiela.

40

SPRING 2011

portugal I grew up in a golf club – not in a lodge on the course but as the steward’s son in an apartment in the actual clubhouse. It was great for my game but I never understood the clothes: even after 15 years I couldn’t figure out why the members would dress like perfectly normal Christians when they were in their civvies but went colour-blind and transformed into Bosco presenters just to play a sport. Irish men can lean towards dressing like toddlers on a sun holiday and that theme is regularly carried into the golf resort. The best compliment anyone can pay your dress sense in a Portuguese golf resort is for a local to say anything to you in Portuguese, but if you’re stuck with Celtic colouring and it’s less than 30 degrees celsius wear black as it actually makes you look like a better player. If it’s over 30, wear white, and remember that a belt has yet to complement a polo-shirt, and that shorts always, always look bad, but a bad swing can make them look even worse. Your weekend holiday base should be sweet little Vila Joya and your holiday kit for your golfing weekend should be more Our Man in Havana, and less the Man from Del Monte.

Black cotton polo shirt, s175, by D&G. White sun hat, s92, by Baileys.

Suede driving moccasin, s270,

by Tod’s.

????????? pack well for a long weekend

stockholm

a

grand but cosy overcoat, a war chest of luxury thermals and the best eyewear you can afford is the key to looking local in Stockholm outside of the summer months. Years ago I kept a close eye on the weather for my first jaunt to Scandinavia. It was to Oslo and the forecast seemed comparable to home, but it wasn’t – it was cold, very cold, and I spent my time sprinting from one heated building to another until I gave up and clawed my way like an arctic explorer to the counter of the nearest clothes shop and asked for their warmest coat and some seal for my dogs. My condition was somewhere between snow blindness and hypochondria, which meant that I didn’t really look at the purchase as a jacket but more as a solution – never a good thing when it comes to clothes. I also didn’t look at the price on the most practical, least stylish piece of red clothing I’ve ever seen. It matched my nose and my bank account beautifully at the time, but it has been throbbing in the cupboard ever since. Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen are not just stylish – their city canteens are brimming with the staff of Wallpaper and Monocle. Their houses are nice, their furniture is great but they seem to spend all their disposable income on glasses. I suspect there’s a state-sponsored, self-harm programme where you’re asked to focus on the fading light until your eyesight fades with it, when you are finally ready for the rite of passage to the local designer opticians, for your glasses and your shades. The place to be seen is Mathias Dahlgren’s restaurant at the Grand Hôtel in Gamla Stan, either at Matsalen (the dining room) or Matbaren (the food bar), where Dahlgren’s take on ‘natural cuisine’ got him a Michelin star after six months.

From left: Sunglasses, s130, Ray-Ban. Wallpaper City Guide: Stockholm (Phaidon, £4.95). Leather jacket, s995, by Burberry Brit.

here goes: packIng perfectIon 1 // Place two pairs of suit trousers and one pair

new york

there are two looks that fill the latest bars, clubs and dining rooms in Manhattan. One is the too-stylish East Village look that’s no different to South London but with better teeth, and the other is that international traveller look again, with suits, knits and open shirts – more fitted than the NYC norm, more European. This New York is all about the new and no other city has that perpetual level of hype – there is something new worth looking at every week. Despite that, Jimmy’s Bar off Times Square was the first bar I ever went into to in the city and is still my favourite. A skinny long counter owned by a gentle octogenarian corner man for Ali and Sugar Ray, it’s where de Niro does La Motta’s stand up at the end of Raging Bull. Jimmy Glenn is a gem and his bar is the perfect counterweight for newcomers of the year.

But that’s the old. As for the new, or relatively new, The Breslin or Momofuko noodle bar are still some of the hottest places in town and feel like a modelling agency audition. These are the places Hollister staff retire to when they get old, and where everyone wears a mix of vintage and quality pieces, and everyone over 30 wears black. If all of that fails play it safe and go as a mannequin from Don’s Drapery – this is what I’m planning on sticking to during my own mid-life crisis this year.

I haven’t checked a bag on an outbound flight since 1999, with my personal best packing achievement being a November trip with three days at a wedding in a sunny Charleston, followed by two days in a much sunnier St Lucia, followed by four days working in a freezing New York, all managed from my sturdy wheelable walkon wardrobe. Weekends away are too short to waste in baggage reclaim, and trying to play games with baggage police isn’t a holiday. You don’t want to be that person on the floor with a pre-boarding jumble sale of strewn smalls and weighing scales.

Carl Skelton knows a thing or two about packing light too. As well as being Samsonite’s man in Ireland, he has a wife and a one year old as regular travel companions. Skelton’s view on carry-on luggage is that size really does matter.

Wheeling out two 2011 Samsonite beauties, he started firing numbers at me like Rain Man – random airline maximum carry-on capacities, weights and tolerances – with the upshot being that any reasonably vain man can fill these two models with more than he needs for a weekend away on any airline. I’m ready to retire my old Samsonite. I’ve always gone for a four wheeler but they’re better for checked luggage (those two extra wheels eat into precious capacity). Samsonite’s new hard case, the super-selling fourwheel-drive Cosmolite is hard to say no to, but in the end I go for the featherweight, two-wheel tardis, the B’Lite (€149 at Brown Thomas), and look forward to our new packed future together.

cHeck! the Ideal long weekender One suit // Two pairs of trousers // Two pairs of jeans // One pair of shoes // Four crisp shirts // Two light sweaters // Six ties // Six pairs of boxers // Six pairs of socks // One phone charger // One book // Toiletries

Clockwise from above: Steve McQueen sunglasses, s267, by Persol.

Black leather jacket, s850, by Dolce & Gabbana.

Square cufflinks, from s85, by Tateossian. Black leather belt, s120,

by Paul Smith.

the shirt collars with ties or socks to hold the shape and protect from crushing.

2 // Place two pairs of jeans on top of said trousers in a similar fashion but with legs facing in the opposite direction.

the shirts: first place your shoes toe to heel in a shoebag, then tuck them in by the shirt collars.

7 // A tip from another real packing expert, Mary McCabe in Menswear: turn your suit jacket inside out, pop the shoulders pads, fold along the spine, fold in half again and set on top of the folded trousers legs.

5 // Fill the remaining gaps around the shirts

8 // Toiletries take up too much room and you

3 // Set four folded and buttoned (in this case very cool Tom Ford) shirts on top of your base of trousers with collars at opposite ends. Fill

6 // Fold the extended trouser and jean legs

of trousers waist side down into the base of the case with legs folded up and over the sides and extended out fully.

4 // You will have gaps on all four sides around

and shoes with light knits, underwear and socks. back over the packed clothes.

can pick them up at the other side. A miniature shaving oil, a razor, roll-on deodorant and a toothbrush will suffice. Tuck in your phone charger and a good book and you’re done.

SPRING 2011

41

INSIDE STORY

personal SettINGS

phOTOgRaphS bY NEIl huRlEY

l

ife as a buying director suggests glamour, power, always knowing about the next cool trend. But it’s a treadmill too – airports, hotels, lavish parties, shows that start late, meetings on the run, and all the while managing what’s happening back in the store while seeking out the best that New York, Paris, Milan and London have to offer. For Paul O’Connor, buying director at Brown Thomas, it’s a lifestyle so ingrained he has smoothed the way to making the schedule seem less onerous – starting with his home. “I have to say, you never get used to it – the 4am starts, the sense of being on the go for 72 hours at a stretch. I need to come home to peace, order, comfort.” Superficially at least, O’Connor has been influenced by his continual hotel stays, bringing home some of the nicer aspects of hotel living: masses of storage, luxurious bathrooms, well-dressed beds and restful décor.

His two-bedroom apartment, discreetly tucked away in a leafy part of town, has a comfortably masculine air, subtly decorated in muted shades of plum and anthracite with accents of gilt and chrome. Predictably, the key pieces are vintage Brown Thomas – the huge coffee table laden with fashion and design books, the button-back sofa and velvet ottomans. It’s a lovely bright space that was minimally but effectively altered by its owner. “I enlarged the kitchen and removed the French doors to the dining area to make a bigger living space, painted it all white and made use of every scrap of spare space to create storage.” Most of the cupboards, understandably, are home to clothes, though O’Connor is as disciplined when it comes to objects as he is with fashion. “I hate clutter, if I don’t use something I pass it on quickly. The only things I brought with me to this apartment were my books and my paintings.”

42

SPRING 2011

INSIDE STORY

Opposite: The living/dining space with solid coffee and dining tables from Brown Thomas and a smart pinstripe carpet from Benedict.

Clockwise from top left: Paul O’Connor; the remodelled kitchen with custom-built curved breakfast bar; beige and black tiles in the shower give a 3D effect; fragrance wardrobe; wine glasses by Marc Jacobs for Waterford; the button-back sofa is upholstered in soft purple velvet; O’Connor’s collection of white shirts: “they go with everything”; antique boxes contain cufflinks and shirt stiffeners; bedlinen

by Frette and bedcovers by Elro – bedroom space is maximised with the inclusion of floor-to-ceiling smoked glass wardrobes.

staying in is still the new going out.

Add a touch of sophistication and atmosphere with a wellchosen candle. Cire Trudon does the trick (without being too girly); from €55 each.

The Nespresso Citiz automatic espresso machine could get by on looks alone, from €179.

Lighten up with a beautiful chrome task lamp: Equilibrium table lamp, €800, Ralph Lauren Home.

Stock up on some good coffee table books. Louis Vuitton City Guide are a perfect accompaniment to a holiday, along with your Monogram luggage, of course. From €25 each, Louis Vuitton.

Choose from plain or textured, coloured or clear; our pick of the vase bunch is the Orb vase, €65, from LSA.

SPRING 2011

43

OMNIVORE

The FOODIE weekend

graPevine // deaTh row wines Gerard MaGuire of 64 Wines death row Wine: My last throw of the dice would be Bodegas Jiménez-Landi Ataulfos. This is 100 per cent Garnacha, made biodynamically by a very young winemaker Daniel Jiménez-Landi in the obscure Méntrida region in central Spain.

He makes only 1,000 bottles each year.

The wine has extraordinary purity and a minerality that makes it unique. i’m drinking now: White: Franz Haas Pinot Bianco from Alto Adige in Northern Italy. This wine is medium bodied and has soft ripe fruit, a touch of herbaciousness and a slightly chalky finish. It is fresh but not zingy and is fantastic with pasta, chicken, fleshy fish like turbot or hard cheeses. €19. red: Biodynamics is not all about pot-smoking tree huggers. Those who bother to embrace the philosophy are committed viticulturalists. Domaine Roche-Audran in the Southern Rhône village of Visan is a highly regarded producer and their Visan is a blend of Grenache and Syrah grown on the red arid soils on 60-year-old vines. The wine offers wonderful concentration and length, with plummy ripe fruit, spice and the baked earth so evocative of the region. €17.

64 Wines, 64 Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Co Dublin, 01 280 5664; www.64wines.com.

Paddy KeoGh of Wines direct death row Wine: Château Pétrus 1990 – from one of the most expensive producers on the right bank in Bordeaux. Years ago I was with my brother in law, Paddy Hayes, in a restaurant in Kinsale and we spotted it on the menu for €100 – about a third of what it should have been. Paddy ordered it – but put it in the car to take home rather than drink it. I was devastated! It took him another ten years to open it. Thank God I was there! i’m drinking now: White: 2009 Mâcon-Villages from Nicolas Maillet, 100 per cent unoaked Chardonnay, produced in the small village of Verzé and made entirely by hand. It’s succulent, intense and has great balance. And at €14.50, it’s outstanding value for a white burgundy of this quality. red: My choice of red is the L’Amourier 2008 from Domaine Luc Lapeyre in the Languedoc – one of the world’s great artisan winemakers. The wine is rich and concentrated, with lovely balance – and quite complex at the end. He grows on five or six different plots, making a different wine from each; the alchemy is in the assemblage. At €12.70 it’s also a bargain.

1890 579 579, www.winesdirect.ie.

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SPRING 2011

omnivorous wanderings, greedy weekends and fishing for dinner.

Cook This DomINI KemP’S sTiCky sesame ChiCken This can also be made with chicken breasts or drumsticks. Be warned: it’s devilishly tasty. Allow two thighs per person.

serves 4

T

KNIFE EDGE: Beloved of a host of fancy chefs, Wüsthof (above) has even more snob value than the ubiquitous but excellent Global. At the Wüsthof factory in Germany, a resident samurai tests every blade before it finds its way into your knife block. From €42.

Below: Alessi olive wood truffle slicer, €66.

Both at the Living department at Brown Thomas.

here probably isn’t a more civilised place to take a fishing break than at Ballyvolane, Justin and Jenny Green’s country house at Castlelyons near Fermoy in Co Cork. The Italianate villa, set amid landscaped gardens is very comfortable – and stylish too (unsurprising when you learn that Justin used to be the man in charge at Babington House, Soho House’s trendy country outpost). Justin grew up fishing the Blackwater, Ireland’s finest salmon river, and has the inside track on all the best fishing on the river spread over a 40km stretch from Killavullen and Ballyhooly down to Ballyduff – with beats suited to spring, summer and early autumn fishing. Ballyvolane runs two-day courses for beginners and those whose fly-fishing skills are in need of honing under the tuition of Norman Gillett, one of the Blackwater’s most experienced and talented fishing guides. All aspects of modern fly-fishing and spinning techniques are covered, with emphasis on as much practical fishing as possible. All tackle and gear, including waders, is provided. After a proper country house breakfast (eggs from Ballyvolane’s own hens, home-baked bread, Caherbeg black pudding – possibly the best in Ireland), guests are packed off with a picnic lunch to try their luck. Returning from a day on

the river, stories are swapped over rhubarb martinis in front of the fire before dinner prepared by chef Teena Mahon. Provenance is key at Ballyvolane. Ingredients are sourced locally – meat comes from Michael McGrath in Lismore, fish and shellfish from O’Connell’s Seafood in Cork’s English Market and Ballycotton Seafood in Midleton (if the guests haven’t caught anything) and game from the surrounding fields and woodland. Home-grown fruit and vegetables come from Ballyvolane’s own walled garden under the direction of Jeremy Green, Justin’s father. Be sure to visit nearby Lismore, and the Greens’ unpretentious restaurant, O’Brien Chop House, where the bartender is late of The Ivy in London and you might lunch on Devilled Lambs Kidneys on Toast followed by Hanger Steak, Baked Bone Marrow, Chips and Béarnaise. And if it’s your birthday, expect to be serenaded by the owner on a ukulele.

Ballyvolane House and O’Brien Chophouse are members of Good Food Ireland, an all-island organisation that identifies and promotes good food places.

A three-night stay at Ballyvolane with a two-day Learn to Salmon Fish course costs from €855pp with all meals included; 025 36349; www. ballyvolanehouse.ie.

O'Brien Chophouse, 058 53810; www.obrienchophouse.ie Katy McGuinness

1 tablespoon sunflower or olive oil 8 chicken thigh fillets, skin removed 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced black pepper 50g butter 1 tablespoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons soy sauce 100g brown sugar 3 tablespoons fish sauce small handful sesame seeds Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/ gas mark 6. There is no subtle way to remove the skin from chicken thighs – just find a gap and gently rip it off. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken really well on all sides. Throw in the sliced garlic just before you transfer the chook to a casserole or ovenproof dish. Season with lots of black pepper.

●

Heat butter in a small non-stick saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk well and pour sauce over the chicken. It may seem like you don’t have much sauce, but it will get quite liquidy when it cooks. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and sticky. You can turn the chicken pieces over about halfway through cooking and baste with the sauce.

●

To make really sticky and charred, place chicken under a piping hot grill for a few minutes, skinned side up, before serving.

Serve with rice and lots of chopped spring onions and coriander.

●

Enjoy exclusive MENSWEAR STYLE MASTERCLASSES in all BROWN THOMAS stores and BT2 Grafton Street SATURDAY, 12TH MARCH

THURSDAY, 24TH MARCH & FRIDAY 25TH MARCH

GENTLEMAN'S MASTERCLASS, Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway.

From 12noon.

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Made to Measure Master Tailor ANTONIO SANNA, Brown Thomas Dublin.

WRANGLER DENIM EXPERT, BT2 Grafton Street Lower Ground Floor, 12noon - 4.00pm.

SATURDAY, 26TH MARCH

SATURDAY, 19TH MARCH DJ'S AND DENIM EXPERTS Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway.

12noon - 3pm.

GENTLEMAN'S MASTERCLASS featuring DUCHAMP LONDON Brown Thomas Dublin.

From 12noon.

Brown Thomas MADE TO MEASURE Shirt event, Brown Thomas Dublin.

LEVI'S DENIM EXPERT, BT2 Grafton Street, 12noon - 4.00pm.

TUESDAY, 22ND MARCH ARMANI COLLEZIONI Made to Measure Master Tailor WALTER SICILIANO, Brown Thomas Dublin.

SUNDAY, 27TH MARCH Brown Thomas MADE TO MEASURE Shirt event, Brown Thomas Dublin.

Check out the diary on BROWNTHOMAS.COM for more detail on all that's happening at your favourite store.

To book an appointment for our Made to Measure events, please call 01 617 1159

BREAKFAST AT BROWNS WITH ...

Charley Boorman er and son of Charley Boorman, aCtor, adventur rah owens aBout direCtor John Boorman, talks to saess.

Bikes, Business and runaway suCC e. most amazing countrysid Envisioning me became Long Way Round. eso aw an This will be ure filmed n has it as a simple boys’ advent journey.” The family ma entary ion opt as a single television docum the for ed also provid neither was ing with accompanying book, of family and partners com the series and ad in ahe go prepared for the television or ow foll too. “They al tion rna inte h bot , ued ens adds. “It DVD which the support vehicles,” he for ged for s wa eer car new enture. bestsellers. A can be a family or solo adv ride solo a de ma he 06 20 trip.” We Boorman. In That’s the beauty of the nited reu he 7 200 in and , kar that make in Race to Da go back to the things n, Dow y Wa g Lon for r ego ? “I drive with McGr him tick … his dream car e from tim this e, rid le cyc tor rcedes Viano another mo it,” he replies. “It’s a Me later r yea e On . wn To pe Ca car but I can Scotland to van. It is a perfect family n,” smiles oe nam An in e hom “I am a morning perso his m fro orting the he departed take the seats out for transp coffee and ing tak y rne jou this , Charley Boorman, over ans Me ss in for to film By Any bikes and then put a mattre king himself ry eve ng usi rld croissants, immediately ma wo the the boys him around camping. As for my bikes, is, simply his now By . ort nsp all the more attractive. He tra of de London possible mo at Baron’s Speed Shop in dreams of the as , hed blis esta put, the kind of man a girl s wa tus Triumph Café celebrity sta custom-built me a 1956 humoured, ing, ygo eas his of waking up next to. Goods fan e am W R1200 public bec Racer. I also have the BM nicative t they tha ling fee s, ure attractive, focused, commu ent adv d trips.” humourous GS Adventure for the roa ks the family with s trip am dre se and sexy, he willingly coo the ing e without too were tak Of course he goes nowher ers Doone t ten con ally equ breakfast, organises daught also re we d and him. They his GPS, iPhone, iPad, iPo ely relishes all rs of tou live t -ou and Kinvara, and genuin sold the t and music. to suppor downloaded audio books . His modesty, ed. ow foll t tha d the possibilities of the day lan Ire e buying for the UK and We talk of style: “I lov “It’s about the m fro d rne though, insists he clarifies: lea you e difficult. I “What hav my wife, but for myself it’s support of hat “T e. uir enq team effort. Without the I ” all? it look.” But success of go for the biker and surfer not work.” have rld wo this in my wife Ollie it just would st lea the h fact, those wit daily most he is not style-averse. In He is also a true lad, living give,” he replies. Roles as to s st ke’ mo Du the t, jec pro big is t his nex eakfast of guys’ ultimate dreams. Br bassador and as President am f t, ice ran Un tau res a – ium n Empor and ofte ortant to him. usually a fruit smoothie Dyslexia Action are imp lthy hea bike and gear shop – is r me for g the e, nin hol toad in the proud of recently win also is He of his about to open in London. reme and guilt-free, the latter one 4’s Famous and Fearless ext el ann Ch for “It will reflect the era of a trigger children’s favourites and securing £40,000 for w, sho rts spo in s Steve McQueen and the ries. It wa his own childhood memo is trip home was to attend Th f. ice Un ere wh coolness of the 1950s home h the garden of his Wicklow ising dinner to coincide wit dra fun a and dom and 1960s. A little bit Boorman was given the free anniversary of his father’s h 30t the nd spe Australian, a little bit ents to r encouragement by his par alibur, in aid of The Warrio Exc , film his surfer.” A restorative ying days tinkering with and rall e, a newly-launched charity mm gra Pro . nds breath of fresh air local frie beloved motorbikes with servicemen experiencing exist ass to ed pos and adventure – like was sup 2010, Mucking about with bikes aumatic stress disorder. In t-tr pos to led Boorman himself. career to remain a hobby, as his bike tours came into being. tor mo the e anc iver www.charleyboor man.com. ing Del ure acting roles in films includ Boorman-hosted advent day 16A d eral e Em Browns Bar & Cafe, ls (1972), Excalibur (1981), Th Cape Town to Victoria Fal m fro trip Lower Ground Floor, ry (1987) cess Forest (1985), Hope and Glo k proved such a huge suc bac for and , ver we . Ho Brown Thomas, open and The Serpent’s Kiss (1997) ther is planned for later this ano t tha day allch, lun , ast nd h frie breakf on August this all changed when, wit year. “The next trip starts r, he ego Gr nibbles and drinks; Mc an Ew ee or thr act and fellow l cover 5,000km and wil and 24 ’ out 01 677 8262. a ‘ride ica’s made a documentary of ies in 16 days, through Afr ntr cou ich k, wh from London to New Yor

46

SPRING 2011

STYLE ADVICE

THOMAS

Struggling to find a Suit to fit? What collar iS right for you?

Style adviSer aNN fINN haS the anSWerS.

Q a

Q a

Ermenegildo Zegna

If you build up a relationship with your in store adviser who gets to know your shape, they’ll take the pain out of the experience of choosing a suit. The key to getting a wellfitting suit off the peg is twofold; buying the right size, and having it altered if necessary.

Make sure you ask for a longer length jacket to begin with. To buy the right size, look at the suit’s collar and shoulders.

Then look at the back of your neck and shoulders in a mirror. The back of the jacket should neither stand away from your neck (too big), nor wrinkle up and create a little ridge behind the collar (too small). Check for tautness between the shoulders (too small) or slackness under the arms (the shoulders are too big). The waist of a jacket should only be able to be pulled out one or maximum two inches from your body, any more and it’s a bad fit. The sleeve length may still need to be altered to fit your arm, the general rule of thumb being to measure an inch backwards from the area between your thumb and index finger.

Q a

I’ve spotted a few guys wearing really bright or patterned socks – all mine are boring black or navy. How can I ring the changes?

You can spot a stylish man by his socks and luxe socks are having, as we say in the business, a moment. There is no shame in classic black or navy socks, by the way – they’re usually the most appropriate with a business suit, for instance – but always match your sock to your trouser colour and not your shoe colour and treat yourself to an upgrade for spring.

Among the nicest brands for fit and fabric are Doré Doré and Calvin Klein. If you are keen to be more adventurous, try a subtle stripe or pattern. Unless they are part of your signature style, keep louder, brighter pairs for casual wear on the weekend. There is nothing more demoralising of a morning than a grim sock drawer. Buying a few new pairs is an inexpensive way to inject a bit of colour and fun into your wardrobe.

48

SPRING 2011

My wife wants to buy me a rose gold watch. I am unconvinced, being more of a stainless steel man myself.

Should I be pleased?

Yes you should. Your wife is right: rose gold (a mix of gold and copper) is the metal of choice this year, with the luxury watch brands introducing at least one or two into their 2011 collections at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. The warm pink undertone suits all skin types and looks smart and dressy without being ladylike (I know that was your real concern). Accept with pleasure, lucky sod.

Q a

I’m not sure what shirt I should buy and what collar will suit if I want to go without a tie?

I see a lot of men forsaking ties (some see it as a figurative noose around their neck and symbolic of grey middle-management) for that great Pierce Brosnan, open collar look. But informal can be hard to achieve and there’s nothing worse than a wayward open collar. If you find one point sits beautifully and the other misbehaves, sitting askew halfway down your collarbone, try magnetic collar stays which have the effect of hidden button-downs. These will transform all your business, casual and even polo shirt collars. As for shape, a classic collar suits an oval face, and its medium depth works for almost everyone. For those with an angular face, look for a low, wide, swept collar (often referred to as the City collar in the UK). If you have a rounded face or indeed a short neck, try a more pointed collar. When fitting a shirt, remember, your cuffs should protrude about three-quarters of an inch out of your jacket sleeve. The smartest cuff is definitely the double, or French cuff. The volume of the turnback looks classic and upscale. Of course, with these, you’ll need a great pair of cufflinks.

THE FUTURE IS ROSY: (from left to right) Speedmaster Broad Arrow 1957, €10,930, by Omega. Calibre de Cartier in rose gold, €29,000 (from April), by Cartier. Sidescape watch, €1,250, by Links of London.

Q a

I want to surprise my girlfriend with an engagement ring but I’ve no idea what style or even what size. Help!

So you’re ready to propose? Believe it or not, there’s an app for that (there seems to be an app for pretty much everything now). Tiffany & Co have just launched their Engagement Ring Finder app for the iPhone4 that allows you to browse their different styles and, cleverly, their design team have come up with a ring sizer that lets you determine your girlfriend’s ring size by simply placing one of her own rings directly on the screen and aligning it with the circles in the guide; the best ideas are always so simple. I’ve been told that if you purchase an engagement ring before the end of April you will receive a Tiffany & Co gift as well as complimentary engraving. Download the Tiffany & Co app at the Apple Store.

Clockwise from far left: Knot gold cufflinks, €2,015, by Tiffany & Co. Stripe cotton shirt, €165, by Paul Smith. Engagement Ring Finder app, by Tiffany & Co; www.apple.com.

Z Zegna

I am over six feet and find suitbuying a chore. Nothing in a standard size ever fits. What should I look out for?