12 minute read
FASHION
HEADING FOR AUTUMN
Newton tan boots £180 LANX Unit 25 Mitton Road Business Park Mitton Road Whalley BB7 9YE lanxshoes.com
Yaya woven waistcoat £79.95, Yaya black leather boots £199.99, Yaya short blazer £129.95, Yaya jeans £89.95 Precious at Whalley 33 King Street Whalley BB7 9SP 01254 822620 preciousatwhalley.co.uk Whalley bottle green boots £190 LANX Unit 25 Mitton Road Business Park Mitton Road Whalley BB7 9YE lanxshoes.com
Stocking some of the finest fashion brands such as Paul Smith, Armani, Vivienne Westwood, Jacob Cohen and Hugo Boss, plus latest additions from Neil Barrett and Dsquared2, Nigel Clare attracts loyal customers with an eye for fashion.
The formal wear market has rapidly expanded over the past few years and despite Covid the wedding market is on the rise again.
Nigel comments: “The wedding market really is ready to explode. As restrictions draw to an end, we are witnessing many purchases for weddings. Men are loving the fitted style three-piece suits which can be tailored in-house by our expert team, as well as the Eton made-to-measure shirts, which really are a must have. Outfits can be completed with our range of ties and shoes.”
Nigel has an exceptional team of committed staff who understand their brands and customers. With a very loyal customer base, where 80 per cent of sales come through the high street shop, the team know which styles and brands will be perfect for their customers and can guide them to find clothing that is ideal for them.
As social gatherings increase, people are aiming to look their best whether they are out for lunch with a casual polo shirt and jeans, or for a day at the races with a smart shirt and tailored trousers. The blazer and shirt combined with denim jeans is also certainly proving extremely popular at the moment.
Customers travel to Nigel Clare from all over Lancashire with a large proportion from the Ribble Valley. The attraction is a combination of outstanding personal customer service and a substantial range of products stocked in the shops. Though the website came into its own during the height of the pandemic, undoubtedly customers of Nigel Clare enjoy visiting the shop where they know they will be presented with a knowledgeable and helpful team.
Nigel is truly optimistic about the future of his high street shops. With Chorley town centre being revitalised with significant investment in shops, restaurants and car parking, it is proving an attractive place to visit as well as shop.
So, whether you’re 18 or in your 60s, if you want a formal outfit for a wedding or party or you’re looking for a smart-casual look for a night out, Nigel Clare really will be able to source the perfect outfit to suit the occasion.
Why not visit Nigel Clare on Chorley High Street and see for yourself? We are convinced you will be impressed. n
TAILORED JUST FOR YOU…
Since 1995 Nigel Clare has dominated Lancashire’s distinguished fashion market for men with an extensive range of formal and casual wear in his high street shops in Chorley. Photography: Robin Lyndon
MEN ARE LOVING THE FITTED STYLE THREE-PIECE SUITS WHICH CAN BE TAILORED IN-HOUSE, AS WELL AS THE ETON MADE-TO-MEASURE SHIRTS
You can view the brands and products that are stocked on the website and on Instagram
Nigel Clare 10-14 High Street, Chorley PR7 1DN 01257 249052 nigelclare.com
A WATCH FOR TRAVELLERS OF THE MODERN ERA
Inspired by their aviator watches from the 1930s, the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time rounds out the Patek Philippe watch family. We take a closer look at two of the later models to their 2015 predecessor which has already established itself as a modern classic
In 2015, Patek Philippe surprised aficionados by launching a watch with a highly unusual design as regards the prominent case as well as the dial with large white numerals and luminous hands that contrast crisply against the dark background. With its name and functional features, the timepiece recalled the first aviator’s watches. Patek Philippe also took inspiration from two aviator’s watches that had been crafted in the manufacture in 1936 and are now exhibited at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.
They were very special siderometer (hour-angle) watches that allowed pilots to easily, precisely, and swiftly determine their current positions. The Ref. 5524G Calatrava Pilot Travel Time was a remarkable homage to aviation pioneers and the grand epoch of aerial conquest to which the Genevan manufacture can take credit for many contributions.
By far not content simply with a new edition, Patek Philippe paid tribute to its own heritage with a highly contemporary interpretation of the icon. Instead of black, the usual dial colour of aviator’s watches, a very special and elegant blue was chosen, offering an excellent contrast for optimised legibility.
The emergence of this new face in the Patek Philippe collections was highly successful with men who appreciated a decidedly technical timepiece with a grand taille diameter of 42mm, all the more as it featured all the facets of artisanship, precision, and timeless elegance of a typical Patek Philippe watch. It also marked the birth
of a new family of timepieces with an eminently recognisable design. In 2018, Patek Philippe reinterpreted the original Calatrava Pilot Travel Time with a rose-gold version and a brown dial. In the same year, the manufacture launched the rose-gold model in the medium format (37.5mm) that was destined for feminine wrists but also welcomed by men who prefer somewhat smaller watches. In 2019, the pilot style
took centre stage again with the Ref. 5520 Alarm Travel Time grand complication.
With these introductions, pilot-style watches in just a few years established themselves as key models of Patek Philippe’s collections. They subtly embody the combination of tradition and innovation shared by all of the manufacture’s watches, presenting themselves as new classics of contemporary timepiece design just like, before them, the inscrutable Golden Ellipse as well as the iconic Nautilus and Aquanaut. This success was reinforced by the launch of the mid-sized Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time in white gold.
Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
A medium format for the white-gold model
As a medium-sized version of the Ref. 5524G launched in 2015, the Ref. 7234G Calatrava Pilot Travel Time has a diameter of 37.5mm to fit women’s and men’s wrists. The round Calatrava case in white gold is sleek with a flat and slightly bevelled bezel as well as a case band that merges almost seamlessly with the strap lugs.
The blue lacquered dial, inspired by aviator’s watches, is highly legible even in the dark thanks to applied white-gold numerals filled with a white luminous coating and broad luminous baton hands made of blued white gold. The face is decidedly technical yet timelessly elegant.
The Ref. 7234G is worn on a shiny navy blue calfskin strap secured with a clevis prong buckle in white gold. It is reminiscent of the harnesses that allowed pilots to keep their parachutes and survival kits readily deployable. The scope of delivery includes a second calfskin strap in vintage brown with contrast stitching much like the belts for classic pilot overalls.
This wristwatch for ladies and gentlemen comes in addition to the Ref. 5524G with a diameter of 42mm, making an ideal pair. Both formats of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time are also available in rose gold with brown black-gradated dials (Refs. 5524R and 7234R).
Ref. 7234R-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
The first self-winding Travel Time in a ladies’ wristwatch format
As a feminine interpretation of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, which in 2015 was launched as a men’s wristwatch in a white-gold case with a blue dial, the Ref. 7234R-001 (launched in 2018) combines a rose-gold case with a brown dial and a subtle black gradation toward the periphery. With a second time zone and a local-time date, this watch is also the first self-winding Travel Time model in Patek Philippe’s collection for women. Reflecting Patek Philippe’s tradition in aviator’s watches, the dial is superbly legible. It features applied, sculpted rosegold numerals with a white luminous coating as well as broad luminous batonstyle hands.
The pierced hour hand keeps track of home time. The two time zones are complemented with day/night indicators in apertures at 9 and 3 o’clock. As long as the owner is not on the go, the two hour hands are superposed. The two time-zone pushers are equipped with a patented safety lock that prevents unintended adjustments of the local time setting.
The Ref. 7234R-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time comes with a vintage brown calfskin strap secured with a rose-gold clevis prong buckle. It is reminiscent of the harnesses that allowed pilots to keep their survival kits readily deployable. The watch is also available in a men’s version with the Ref. 5524R-001. n
Leonard Dews Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1EW 01253 754940 leonarddews.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE EYEWEAR
Lancashire based The Spectacle Factory is absolutely thrilled to be the first opticians in the region to have been selected as a stockist by the iconic world-renowned brand Cartier. Photography: Robin Lyndon
Established in 1996, The Spectacle Factory opened its new state-of- the-art premises in early 2020. The family run business is managed by Robert Sands, who is extremely proud of the new premises as well as the specialist service they are able to deliver to clients.
The latest prestigious addition to The Spectacle Factory’s collection is Cartier – a name that is synonymous with iconic style and amazing quality. To become stockists for the luxury brand, The Spectacle Factory had to go through a rigorous selection process, which included a whole range of criteria from an evaluation of the impressive new premises, to assessing the reputation of the company and reviewing the other brands already stocked.
With names such as Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Chloe and Chopard, as well as many unique independent collections sourced from all over the world, The Spectacle Factory really is the place to visit if you want a great new pair of glasses.
Robert commented: “We’re incredibly honoured to have the most five-star reviews for opticians in Lancashire. Our aim is to give clients the best vision possible – our innovative approach and investment in the most sophisticated technology, allows us to deliver this. The equipment we use gives our clients a 25 per cent more accurate prescription than a standard test, which represents a huge leap in eye testing.”
Transforming the eyewear selection process from something most people don’t enjoy into an amazing experience is key to the success of The Spectacle Factory and it is apparent that every aspect of the business is different than you might expect from typical opticians.
The dedicated and highly skilled team create
a warm, friendly and welcoming environment in modern, spacious premises to help clients enjoy a relaxing and fun experience.
They partner with ZEISS, a global leading technology enterprise in the world of optics to provide the latest vision technologies for clients. This enables The Spectacle Factory to stay at the forefront of optical technology and deliver the right solutions to their clients’ visual needs.
Robert continued: “We regularly produce educational videos which are viewed by hundreds of thousands across the globe, giving us a far greater audience reach. As a result, we have clients around the world and in every county in the UK. To deliver a fully enjoyable experience to clients from afar, we have teamed up with Stanley House Hotel and Spa where clients can stay and experience the beauty of the Ribble Valley.”
As the new premises and showroom were opened in early 2020 all safety measures were put in place, utilising technology where possible to keep clients safe. Appointments are also staggered so there are minimal numbers on site at any one time. This has allowed them to remain open throughout the pandemic without a single known instance of Covid transmission.
Robert is passionate about the business and part of his role is to research advancements in the optical market across Europe and seek out the latest frame styles long before they usually come to the UK.
Investments in the business are based on the latest technologies available that would benefit clients, as well as frames that Robert knows clients will adore from distinguished brands like Cartier or sophisticated independent brands that are often exclusive to them.
One example of the innovative technology on offer is the ZEISS Visufit 1000, which allows clients to see exactly how they look in different styles from every angle, and easily compare different styles side by side. This makes choosing the right eyewear easier than ever before. It can even simulate different tints, which are a major trend at the moment.
Robert concluded: “Whether you want to have the best eye care possible or you want to invest in striking glasses that make
you feel amazing, or both, come and meet our team of experienced specialists, who will make you feel safe, relaxed and reassured. With the introduction of the Cartier collection, complemented by many other distinguished brands you’ll certainly be spoilt for choice.” n
THE SPECTACLE FACTORY FEATURES BRANDS SUCH AS HUGO BOSS, JIMMY CHOO, GUCCI, CHLOE, CHOPARD AND CARTIER
The Spectacle Factory Unit 1, Dewhurst Row Bamber Bridge Preston PR5 6BB 01772 312213 thespectaclefactory.com
