Cool Weather Style: The Rumpled Look

To my mind, the cooler months are to men always the kindest when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. That's when we get to pull out the fun clothes and really take advantage of the many options that make classic menswear great. We get to layer.

I'm talking about stuff like chunky longwings, cords and a well worn jacket, topped it off with a warm cashmere scarf. The sheer variety of cold weather clothing is something many guys look to as the temperature drops.

For those of us with the flexibility to move between business dress and corporate casual, something I call the “Rumpled Look” is a nice middle alternative to being strictly dressed up or dressed down. Originally an offshoot of the American Preppy aesthetic, the rumpled look has come into its own. It's not an attempt to be sloppy, instead it is an homage to worn in classic comfort.



The basic idea behind this look is the allusion to old money, classic taste, and timeless style. Newer or continental styles don’t lend themselves to celebrating beat up and handed down clothes quite like the preppy culture does. The unspoken message of the slouchy khakis, un-ironed oxford shirt and slightly beat up shoes is that you have old money, an Ivy League education, a summerhouse in the Hamptons, and you sail a lot.

Or at least you dress like you do.


Lapo: Master of the Stylish Rumple

This really is a fun look which is not hard to carry off well as long as you don’t try too hard. It's sort of the antithesis to the recent “critter” trend, which left every inch of pants, ties, belts and coats adorned with embroidered animals and icons of every sort – from dogs to martini glasses. Instead of sartorially hitting people over the head with your East Coast airs, stick to a less-is-more aesthetic. One creative article of clothing at a time is nicely ironic, more is overkill.


Simple but Classic

For most men, wearing this look at the office can be a bit tough, but depending on your company’s culture, distressed chinos matched up with an un-ironed button down under a crew neck sweater should be just fine. For a younger look, don’t tuck in the shirt but rather let it hang out under the sweater - just make sure to choose a short bodied shirt. I've found that J. Crew button-downs are often just right. Wear a washed tweed jacket over the whole outfit. This kind of layering effect is another signature of the rumpled look.

Additionally, make sure to opt for clothes that actually fit well. The rumpled look is not an excuse to go baggy or oversized, it is more of a toned down and worn-in take on being well dressed.


Uncomplicated but still Detailed

One of the best things about this type of style is that you can effectively mix high and low to meet int he middle. For example, to meet up with friends for drinks, try pairing a permanently wrinkled (read, make a point of not ironing it) Thomas Pink dress shirt with dark but worn-in jeans and a sport coat. The juxtaposition of classic and casual is a key balance to this look.

Like any other style you want to incorporate into your own, stop and look in the mirror before leaving the house. What's most important is that you are happy with the overall feel and proportion of your outfit. The goal should be to look like you’ve had everything for years and don’t think twice about getting dressed.

Cifonelli House: Bespoke in the 21st Century (Part II)

OTC is pleased to present the second of three contributions by guest blogger Hugo Jacomet of the outstanding site Parisian Gentleman. To read Part I, please click here:


INTERVIEW WITH LORENZO CIFONELLI

Parisian Gentleman:
In 2003, you and your cousin Massimo took control of the family business after starting in the workshop in 1993. Have your customers changed over the years?

Lorenzo Cifonelli:
Of course. When I started my career in the family workshop, we were known as a classic, serious, discrete, almost confidential house. At that time most of our clients were 50 year olds who dressed in bespoke, whether because of family traditions of because of their body shape.

Back then, we made a lot of suits, but we had much fewer clients. For instance, we often made 10 or 15 suits for one single order. Nowadays, even though we still have a few very loyal clients who order several suits, our clientele is much more diverse in terms of age and income.

PG:
Who are these new clients?

LC:
They have been getting younger every year. They don’t choose bespoke out of necessity or because they can afford to, but because they want to. By the way, 80% of our clients could easily go with ready-to-wear.

Unlike our traditional clientele, our new clients are around their 40s and only order a few pieces every year. However, they are much more demanding in terms of sartorial awareness and education.



Some guys in their 30s even come to us for their first bespoke suit. Very early on, these guys are trying to create their personal style and venture into bespoke very thoughtfully. Their demands in terms of style and customization cannot be compared with what we have seen in the '90s.

PG:
Do you think this new and different type of clientele emerged from a natural market trend or was it more directly triggered by Cifonelli being open to a more contemporary style?

LC:
There really is a trend for customization and gentlemen are more and more aware of all aspects of personal style.

However, I think that the progressive decline in our clients’ average age has more to do with us becoming more open to bolder and more modern lines, and more aware of the new needs of modern gents.

When my cousin and I took the business, we started to travel a lot to expand our client base in Japan, the United-States and in some European countries. Neither of us were 35 at the time. At that age, you’re always more sensitive to trends and, most importantly, to the needs of your new clients. They are demanding, always on the go, and not willing to compromise on elegance, no matter how, when and where they wear their suits.

This is how we gradually modified the cuts and the lines without touching the fundamental elements of our reputation: quality and precision. Unlike trends, some things don’t change and cannot be compromised, like an impeccable line. The only way to get perfection is through bespoke and traditional stitching. Trends come and go, but the line remains.



PG:
Style often aficionados wax poetically of the Cifonelli line. Is it a product of your Italian background?

LC:
I think that the Cifonelli style is original because it was born out of the best elements of three sartorial traditions:

• Italian tradition of course, with a strong accent on style, flowing lines and softness (sometimes at the expense of quality of assembly)
• British tradition, with its military heritage that inspires its very structured design (at the possible expense of comfort)
• French tradition, including Claude Rousseau whose career ended with us and who contributes another aspect: precise detailing, quality finish, topstitching, arrowheads, buttonholes…

I think Cifonelli has, from the start, been successful in bringing forward a very original blend of the best aspect of the three approaches to masculine style. My grandfather was trained in cutting in England at the beginning of the century.



Very quickly, he learned how to blend the British technique and his Italian sensitivity. Soon after he moved to France, he added a French touch to his style, and the Cifonelli signature style was born. By the way, we still take all the measures in inches.

PG:
Let’s get into details. Part of the Cifonelli signature is the shoulder. Karl Lagerfeld says he can recognize it 100 meters away…

LC:
Without going into details, we didn’t even know about Karl Lagerfeld recognizing our shoulder before an American client told us about it. He had read it in a newspaper in the United States; without him, we never would have known of this “tribute” that was widely relayed in the media.

It is true that the shoulder is very important to us and that ours is quite particular. It is very bold and forward, to streamline the silhouette without losing the masculine and manly aspect.
To make this type of shoulder, we have to use our own construction technique, that we have been using for decades (the sleeve is wet-felted with an iron before stitching, editor's note). Although it is the most famous hallmark, there is a lot more to the Cifonelli style.



Our suits have a rather small chest, and the jackets are cut smaller at the front than at the back. The line is always our ultimate priority. It must streamline the body and be very masculine. Details and finish are equally important: we always stitch the buttonholes with Milanese rolled thread (difficult to use) and we are also quite particular about lapels: we position the notches quite high.

But remember that all these details are linked to our clients’ body shape and that the Cifonelli style is first and foremost about listening, seeing and talking to those who give us the wonderful mission of making them as elegant as possible. We may have our own style, but let’s never forget that we are traditional tailors first.

PG:
What piece are you most proud of?

LC:
I can’t think of one in particular. In our line of work, pride has everything to do with our clients being 100% satisfied.
Right now our 35 workers (editor’s note: the largest bespoke team in France) on Rue Marbeuf make about 800 suits every year. Our clientele is a lot more diverse than it used to be. For a bespoke house, every suit is a creation in and of itself, because we continually pursue the ideal of the perfect line.

So I can’t tell you which suit is the best. It’s not about the most beautiful suit, because succeeding in making the most beautiful suit to date is a must for any tailor worth his salt. However we recently developed a line of very original sport jackets that have brought us a completely new clientele which is more open to bolder pieces.

PG:
In 2007, you reopened the store below the bespoke workshop on rue Marbeuf. It offers traditional ready-to-wear and made-to-measure. What prompted this decision and what makes it offering so special?

LC:
The idea of renovating and reopening the store was simple: to access a broader clientele and offer high quality traditional pieces at quality-based prices.



Even though, of course, it’s not bespoke, it is the same Cifonelli quality and the standards are just as high. We draft the patterns for suits and coats that are then assembled in Parma in an excellent traditional workshop.

The close proximity of the boutique and the bespoke workshop gives our clients access to a wide array of fabrics and offers them very qualitative alterations and finish that meets our standards and that are in line with the quality that made us famous. So for about 2,000 euros, they can get a quality traditional suit and get a taste of the Cifonelli experience.

We are also seeing a connection between the boutique and the bespoke workshop. Some clients move on to bespoke from our high-end RTW line. So there is a genuine consistency in the approach, even if the two client bases remain fairly different. It takes money to move up to bespoke but more importantly, you need a lot of patience… a rare quality in the 21st Century!

PG:
We know you are a star in Japan: it’s an event whenever you go! Do you have any other overseas project?

LC:
We now have a worldwide (Japan, United States, Europe) bespoke client base. We achieved this through a very simple model: I go to some countries, Massimo to others, and we measure and do the fittings.



Also, in the last few years, we’ve been working very successfully in Japan with Isetan, a top luxury Japanese chain, in which we have several corners.The Japanese are very educated on masculine elegance. And it seems that the most demanding Japanese gentlemen love our label.

This success has made us consider the possibility of setting up a bespoke workshop in Japan. We would manage it ourselves from Paris (through a very precise remote photography system). The suits would be assembled on site by a team under our supervision. It is still just a project, but chances to make it happen are good because of the very high quality of our Japanese partners.

In the United States, we have been working for quite a while on a very original project, among others, in a Manhattan apartment. I hope to be able to keep you posted on it during the upcoming months.

Because of the increasing international media attention on our brand (Vogue, The Rake, GQ, Monsieur, Uomo Japan, Men’s Ex), we are also thinking about ways of improving.

OTC Recommends: Viccel Socks

I tend to get a lot of e-mails from vendors touting their products and advising me that they have the perfect whatever-it-is for the OTC reader.

While there are a number of brands that have earned the OTC seal of endorsement, far more than you will ever know never made it past my desk. When Kemal from Viccel Socks first contacted me I was not sure what to expect. And when a short while later and red celphane wrapped brick of socks arrived at my door, I was ready for anything. As it turns out their focus is not on packaging, it's on making socks, and they make some damn good ones at that. (That being said, it wouldn't hurt to spruce up your product presentation a bit.)

At first glance, Viccel socks do not possess the flair and lifestyle marketing qualities that attract attention; and that is its hidden advantage. Because Viccel makes some great dress socks, in fact some of the most comfortable I've worn. They were kind enough to send me a selection of mid-calf and over the calf socks and I've been testing them out for a few weeks.

One of Viccel's big selling points is that, apart form a small amount of elastine in the ribbing at the top of the sock, they are 100% American mercerized pima cotton - absolutely no synthetics. this means that that socks breath much better than nylon-laced hosiery and naturally whisk moisture away from the foot. Even the elastine is separated from your skin as it is wrapped inside the cotton fibers.



Another hallmark of this Turkish company are the intensely vivid colors imparted by their Indantherene dyes, which is not affected by perspiration, meaning that under even the most rigorous use, these socks keep their original color. Indantherene dyes are also resistant to light, washing and chlorine. The bright red and pink socks they sent along will keep their colors for a long time - I just have to find the guts to wear them.



So, how did they do? Wonderfully. I especially like the over-the-calf socks and will definitely be getting more of those. The mid-calf length socks are just fine, though in my case they don't stay up quite as well. I wear them, and certainly recommend them, but if it's business socks you're looking for, the over-the-calfs are outstanding.

Viccel has a special offer for Off The Cuff readers: a 20% discount off their already reasonable prices. Please use THIS LINK to ensure that you receive the OTC discount.

Arctic Diver Auction All Wrapped Up

Well, that's a wrap! Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about OTC's Kobold watch auction to benefit The Mission Continues, and thanks to those of you who bid.

Our winner, who is actually picking up the 46mm Arctic Diver Swiss from Mike himself, won out at nearly $2,100.00, even donating the now-unneeded shipping fee too. A class act guy.

Just to remind everyone, 100% of the proceeds from the auction went directly to The Mission Continues. Thanks to Mike Kobold for donating the watch and accessories, ensuring that this auction could even take place and to Eric Greitens, founder of The Mission Continues.

And a special note of thanks to Hodinkee which posted a very nice article about the auction and even sent out a couple of tweets to help drum up interest - thanks Jeff! And while you're at it, check out Kobold's completely new website, it looks awesome.

Cifonelli: Bespoke in the 21st Century (Part I)

Off The Cuff is honored to welcome Hugo Jacomet, founder of the incredibly stylish blog Parisian Gentleman, to the States.

Hugo will be an occasional guest contributor here at OTC and I will likewise offer the men of Paris OTC's modern take on Ivy League East Coast classics.

So, without further ado...

There is no doubt that legendary tailor Cifonelli has an exceptional story to tell. There are two main reasons why this family business is so unique – really the only one of its kind.

First, there is the unique style of their creations (and creations they are: client after client, suit after suit). Each one displays a unique blend of typically British strictness and Italian creativity, topped with a quality of finish à la française. Such “fusion”, unique in the sartorial art world, is in the DNA of this traditional label whose style is far more eclectic than its name at first glance would suggest.

Then, there is the family history of a house still 100% in the (expert) hands of its 4th generation, steering the company through its transformation from confidential bespoke workshop for insiders into world class luxury brand. The family has accomplished the feat of passing on its savoir-faire to next generations without giving in to big luxury conglomerates. The family has also resisted the temptation to promote (or bank on?) its famous name through mass distribution, unlike what is done by some tailors of the Row, such as Henry Poole expanding in China and beyond.

One might suggest that the “marketing of tradition” has become essential for any enterprise with a specific know-how. Several tailoring houses have a narrative that tells of a savoir-faire passed down from distant generations. Dozens of label names end with the very popular “& Sons” while an increasing number seems to have been “founded in 1860”, a historical claim that can go unchallenged. Let’s just make it clear that Norton’s son doesn’t work for Norton & Sons and that there are no Andersons or Sheppards cutting for Anderson & Sheppard.

Let’s take another example from Italy: Domenico Caraceni founded the famous Caraceni house in Rome in 1913. Then conflict tore the next generation and brought the family to the absurd point that it has reached today. Brace yourself: aside from the (small) original shop that is still up and running in Rome, there are no less than three Caraceni shops (held by “dissident” Caracenis) posing as the “real” Caraceni house. Insiders say that it is the A. Caraceni shop, owned by Mario (Domenico’s nephew) in Milan, which is the truest to the family heritage. Complicated, isn’t it?

The Cifonelli family history reads like an epic saga, resembling few others, especially in the second decade of the 21st century. Unlike families we’ve already talked about, the Cifonellis preserved their history and passed it down from one generation to the next. Hence, the Cifonelli house might have become the only bespoke house in the world where you will always be greeted by a family member. Say hello to Lorenzo and Massimo, 4th generation Cifonellis, a name that goes hand in hand with the art of being a tailor.

The house was founded (for real!) in 1880 by Giuseppe Cifonelli, who first set up his workshop in Rome. His son, Arturo, expanded the business and will forever remain the soul of the style and the true artist of Cifonelli.

Very soon, Arturo was sent by his father to London to be trained in the art of cutting at the very proper “Minister’s Cutting Academy”. His diploma is dearly held in the shop rue Marbeuf (pictured below).



The Cifonelli style, a clever blend of British strictness and beautiful Italian lines, is shaped and developed by Arturo in his first Paris workshop. One opened in 1926 on Rue Courcelles and the second, still standing at the center of Paris’ golden triangle, was inaugurated in 1936 at 31 rue Marbeuf.

Slowly, Arturo began to gather a client base of demanding and elegant connoisseurs. His excellent reputation grew as more and more famous politicians and artists start wearing his amazing bespoke suits. Arturo was often described as demanding, uncompromising and passionate. He was both loved and feared by his workers who, legend has it, made the sign of the cross before sending him a suit for final inspection. If he didn’t like it, it could be cut all over again and started from scratch…

When Arturo died in 1972, his son Adriano took over and carried on developing his father’s work until the beginning of 2000. The Cifonelli reputation slowly started to spread outside of the closed circle of stylish and wealthy gents. True, the most famous ambassadors for Cifonelli always had quite a bit of panache: Paul Meurisse, Lino Ventura, Marcello Mastroianni and, most importantly, François Mitterrand (whose Cifonelli collection was recently auctioned at Druot). Notably, between 1992 and 2007, the Cifonellis also made all the bespoke suits for Hermes (1992-2007).



In the early 1990s, Lorenzo (Adriano’s son) and Massimo (Lorenzo’s cousin) truly enter the business, after spending their youth around bundles of fabrics, pattern paper embossed with luxury stamps, watching workers hand stitch most utterly perfect Milanese button holes.





In 2003, the two cousins officially took control of the bespoke workshop at rue Marbeuf. In 2007, they developed an exacting made-to-measure line and opened a RTW storefront right below the original workshop.

At that time, two important events proved the Cifonelli commitment to perpetuating their sartorial expertise; such skill had been put under considerable threat in other labels (including on the Row). This threat was brought on by an aging workforce (on Saville Row, über specialized workers can be much older than 75).

The first of these two important events occurred in 2000 when Cifonelli acquired Claude Rousseau’s workshop (and its workers). The second was the 2008 purchase of another famous Parisian tailor’s shop and staff, Gabriel Gonzalez. If you are familiar with the small world of (very) high level bespoke houses, you understand the importance of these acquisitions, that successfully brought back together, under the Cifonelli impetus, the legendary Camps de Luca team, 30 years later after its separation (when Mr. Camps was at the helm). Back then, the team had Smalto, Rousseau and Gonzalez on board. Talk about a dream team!

Lorenzo credits Claude Rousseau, who has since retired, for teaching him the extreme art of detail and an obsessive care for finish. Gabriel Gonzalez still works on rue Marbeuf, as passionate as ever about tailoring despite being 72 years old.



Parisian Gentleman was delighted to be welcomed into the Marbeuf workshop. In the next installment you will be able to read our long interview with Lorenzo Cifonelli, who talked about the Cifonelli style (and its famous shoulder), of its obviously renewed clientele, of development projects for Japan and the United states.



Everything you always wanted to know without daring to ask on this amazing international bespoke institution.

As a side note, should you be in New York City next Monday or Tuesday, January 11-12, you may wish to stop by the Plaza Athenée Hotel at Madison Avenue and 64th Street to personally visit with Lorenzo Cifonelli himself.

Isn’t it exciting?

Cheers, HUGO

Spreading the Word on Kobold Arctic Diver Auction

A big thanks to uber-watch blog Hodinkee for helping to spread the word about our Kobold Arctic Diver watch auction taking place here on eBay.

You still have a few days left to get in on the action, get a great watch help The Mission Continues continue to help our injured and disabled veterans. To learn more about this important auction, just scroll down or click here.

And stay tuned for the first cross-oceanic installment of the Parisian Gentleman blog on OTC. Looking for a modern take on classic bespoke? You could do worse than Cifonelli. Look for Part One tomorrow...

OTC/Kobold Watch Auction Now Live - Help Support Our Veterans!

Dive into the New Year by helping to support America's veterans!

I am very happy to announce that the OTC/Kobold watch auction is now live on eBay. Please make sure to stop by the auction's page and take a look - but don't wait too long because it ends on January 11.

It's a great opportunity to do some good and score a cool deal - Mike Kobold has generously donated a brand new Arctic Diver Swiss, logoed baseball hat and several expedition patches from Kobold sponsored arctic missions. All of the auction's proceeds - that's 100% - will go directly to the veteran's support group, The Mission Continues.


Kobold's Arctic Diver Swiss

If you are not familiar with The Mission Continues, here is a little background. Founded by Navy Seal officer, Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow Eric Greitens, The Mission Continues recognizes that injured veterans still have a desire to serve their country and their community.



The Mission Continues awards fellowships to empower wounded and disabled veterans to serve in their communities. In doing so, they send the message: "We still need you." America owes these men and women a great deal, but as a nation, we have much left to learn from them. While injury may have changed the nature of their service, their mission continues, and it is as important as ever. To learn more, please visit The Mission Continues' website.

Kobold Watch Company and its founder, Mike Kobold, have a deep connection with the armed and protective services. Kobold’s watches are depended on by every branch of the military; in fact operators from elite units helped Kobold develop its renowned Phantom chronograph. A leading American boutique watch brand, Kobold’s signature watches grace the wrists of explorers, politicians, soldiers and celebrities.

Kobold watches are regularly profiled in leading international watch and lifestyle magazines and they are considered by many to be some of the best tool watches in the world. Kobold Watch is a proud supporter of the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund.

So please spread the word about this great auction, link to your own blog or website, tell a friend and let other veterans know about this great auction - and about The Mission Continues.