Alumo are spoiling us. The fine Swiss cloth maker have not only released the two-fold 240s but have also given R & S a range of exclusive two-fold 170 shirtings and they are letting me be the only other person in the UK to sell it!
The colours are fresh and Summery but classic enough to transcend the seasons, and being 170 it is also sublimely soft. So if you fancy having quite a rare cloth for your shirt then let me know – shirts@lucyadams.co.uk
Its been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted anything, I realised the other day that I never show my own shirts. How can I get my customers to pose in theirs if I do not lead my example?! It just so happened that I was wearing my Liberty print Rosy shirt on the day my beloved minis had to be cleared from my late grandmother’s driveway. Sad times, but I kept one back for mini adventures.
I had to have a photo of me and my first mini, Mini Rose, but enough about minis…the shirt is unfitted, with a elongated collar and 1 button cuff (that I always roll up, less formal which I think suits the shirt).I made it extra long which has shirt dress potential but a fraction too short I think! Its so easy to wear and comfortable, which is why its the one I wear the most.
The shirt was originally commissioned for Vogue but didn’t quite make the edit (I think it may have been too normal) it really opened my eyes to using print all over, this is sufficiently ditzy and floral without looking like you are wearing a pair of curtains!
Well, last week I took a photo of a Super 200 Alumo shirt that I made for one of my Californian customers…it turns out Alumo have gone even finer. A sample of the new Super 240, yes that is 240, arrived at the office today and there is really no other way to describe it other than ludicrously soft. It is only available in white I believe at the moment, and certainly would create a beautiful (if very expensive) pure white shirt for the summer.
So what is all the fuss about these Super numbers then?
Any one of my customers will tell you that I don’t actually recommend Super 170+ fabrics, my philosophy is that if you need shirts that you can actually wear and that last and launder consistantly then the finer twists are not as practical. However in the case of my suit of gold (which is still not cut and sewn into an actual suit, I hold out hope…), sometimes we don’t need to be practical, sometimes we can be decadent. If you already have a good selection of shirts for business and pleasure then I would say treating yourself to a high super number is just that – a nice treat. After all, how many other people do you know will have a Super 240 shirt?!
And what exactly does the Super number mean?
All the cloth I use on my shirts are 2 fold, this means that 2 staple threads (individual fibres) are plied together and then woven into the shirting. Most ready to wear cotton is single fold, it is not as soft or lasting. The super number is amount of threads per square inch, the higher the number the finer the cloth. So 240 threads per square inch is fine!
Think a shirt is too much? I had a thought whilst on the train home (we are having a heatwave in London..it’s hot) the cloth would make rather luxurious (and cool) boxer shorts. Email me if you fancy having the first pair of Lucy Adams Made in England Super Boxers! info@lucyadams.co.uk
This shirt was ordered through Facebook for a chap that was out of my visiting area in the States. He had a clear idea of what he wanted and so we worked on the look and took some measures from himself and shirts he liked the fit of. This is the result. I love the blue herringbone, it has a wonderful sheen without being shiny, which many herringbones are.
The Liberty print was also chosen by the customer from the website, I wasn’t sure at first as I thought we should go for a darker print but I think this looks really fresh. Lets hope he likes it!
I am always willing to try to help people who are not somewhere I can visit them. It is not of course ideal but for people of a standard size it means they can get something more unique than that in the shops. Certainly a novel use of Facebook anyway!
Alot of people ask where I actually see customers – in America I always work out of the Hotel Benjamin in NYC and the Inn on Union Square in San Francisco. In London my home is on the Row, the basement of No.13, owned by Stowers Bespoke. They bought the shop over a year ago now and have recently refurbished it into a light and airy space.
I used to work for Ray, he has a very similar attitude to Tom but does not have the same style, I would say their tailoring is firmer than the A&S style but they are very flexible with creating a look that is individual to you.
I happened to be in the shop when Jack Black came in a couple of weeks ago for his first ever bespoke suit, they spent hours talking about the look he wanted to achieve, in the end he went classic with a Converse twist and has worn it for interviews and premieres on both sides of the pond already! They have just started a blog and from hearing the ideas tumbling round the office it looks set to shape up nicely – you can read it here
I am not on the Row all the time, I am constantly flitting between London, the workshops, and visiting customers so it is by appointment only, please do email me if you would like to come in for a chat.
Well, since leaving Liberty it has been a little non stop but I had to show you this shirt for one of my San Franciscan customers. It’s Alumo 2-Fold 200 in a medium blue bengal stripe.
This is some of the finest quality cloth you can buy and it feels wonderful, quite literally as soft as silk. I hope he likes it!
My aim is to combine the finest quality shirts, (that includes the fabric, the buttons (always solid mother of pearl) and the manufacture and finish) with style and individuality. I really believe you don’t have to compromise one for the other – combine this with a good fit and you have a truly bespoke shirt.
I have tonnes to write up and post but in the meantime I have uploaded some more images of the latest batch of shirts onto Flickr which you can see here
This pic was taken on one of my last days at Liberty. I think it is very apt for my task ahead, I now have time to spend on developing my business.
I enjoyed working there immensely, setting up the blog and social media strategy as well as working on the main site. But my heart lies in fashion and tailoring, and no doubt I will always use Liberty print in my work anyway so now seemed the right time to strike out and do what I love doing. Expect to hear and see more in the very near future!
Last week I spotted on AskAndy, a clothing forum for chaps that discuss clothes, a little debate about where to get print put inside the cuffs and collars of their shirts. My name was mentioned, the discussion went on about whether or not this was a good idea and several opinions were raised about its longevity/fashion shelf-life. Well here is what I think…
I use Liberty print or a plain alternate colour on the inside of the cuffs and collars, for those customers who request it. It is by no means a pre-requisite of having one of my shirts, I have plenty of people who want a classic shirt in a typical Jermyn Street style.
Now for those who have read my blog I have a very open love for all things Liberty (so I am bias!). Huge names such as Chanel, Balmain, Louis Vuitton as well as other more high street brands are using Liberty print at the moment. It is fighting it’s way out of the niche ‘chintzy’ corner that it has become associated with in recent decades.
I have watched the team who design the prints, they are of a mixed age group all bringing fresh ideas into the designs each season. They are not all micro florals, there is great depth to the collection. This is why I use them in my shirts. I carry around a sample book with hundred of them in, and there are more seasonally. To pigeon hole ‘print’ as one collective and deem it a trend that will soon become ‘passe’ is simply not true. Good prints, that are well designed become classic for a reason, they transcend fashion fads and can enhance a well made, proper fitting shirt.
If you are going to spend money on a bespoke shirt that is made especially for you then adding a detail always makes it that little bit more special. I would recommend it if you don’t have the need for a tie, or wish to use the shirt very formally during the day and then more casually in the evening. It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but those customers of mine who do go for it don’t seem to be disappointed. From bold and bright to subtle and discreet the hardest part is choosing just one!
Well, I made it to America and back once again. I had a wonderful time seeing everyone and meeting new faces and most importantly creating lots of new shirts! I will be posting lots of pics of them as they come through, plenty more Liberty print and some more fabric including the recently added Alumo range - very fine Swiss cloth.
Before I set off I asked Rayner & Sturges to make me some ladies blocks. Ladies who come to see me like looking at what I’ve had made for myself and to get an idea of fit/what they like what they don’t and their specific needs (i.e longer in the sleeve/body/fuller round the bust) so I thought I’d create some samples to show them.
This was great fun, though sadly they are not my size so I don’t get to wear them! I chose a simple white shirt with stripes on the cuff and collar. A pink one with Liberty print and feature cuffs and my favourite – a purple stripe with white cuffs and a ‘Penny’ collar. It goes to show that there are so many possibilities. Women find it very hard to find shirts that fit well, I know this because even though I didn’t think I was particularly oddly shaped I could never find one to fit ready made whatever my budget.
So if you would like to come and have a look and see the difference a well fitting shirt makes ladies, prices begin at £180 (same as the gents) I am putting together a small range to demonstrate the kinds of styles we can do too so will post them when they are ready, email me if you have any questions or suggestions shirts@lucyadams.co.uk
I like adding a feminine twist on masculine clothing, hence my dress shirt, and love ties, I have quite a selection now. Last year I was chatting to the Head Designer at Liberty Fabrics about the inspirations behind the prints and what their names mean, she said they had a Lucy Locket print in the upcoming collections and very kindly gave me some samples of the colourways. So I have claimed it as my own, it is a vintage print from the archive that they have updated. Now I had to decide what I was going to make, there was not enough for a dress or even a normal shirt but then I thought of the perfect solution – there was just enough for a tie.
It just so happened that R&S are one of the few remaining tie manufacturers left in the country so when I went there last week I took my print and watched them make me my very first tie. Now the ladies make the ties completely by hand or you can also have them partly machined and then hand finished – a process I was fascinated by. So very kindly they let me follow my tie being made like a paparazzo, here is it’s story…
I have pieced together the story of making a tie, I have tried to capture the most important steps of production. The handmade ties go through exactly the same process except obviously the Liba machine is not used and the tie is sewn together/aligned and attached to the interlining by hand. Both are available to order – please email shirts@lucyadams.co.uk for details or an appointment.
