Last edited by dryplum (2013-12-29 10:59:23)

The article says he has '30 pairs of £290 black suede Totes loafers' .. no idea what these are but he obviously likes them. Oddly it means he would only wear each one 12 times a year.

Last edited by dryplum (2013-12-30 12:59:52)

@Sammy .. exactly, I think Roubi has realised that new money today isn't really very interested in bespoke, they want to buy into a 'lifestyle', the Loro Pianas of this world have figured this out (& made a couple of bn quicktime doing so) & know how to create & sell a lifestyle (eurotrashy international jetset), following directly in the footsteps of people like Ralphy Lifshitz who mastered it back in the 70s/80s (East coast prep/hamptons). Bespoke by its very nature doesn't push you into clothes which appear like you live a certain lifestyle, instead it does the reverse and tries to make your clothes fit the lifestyle you already have. Therefore a clever tailor wouldn't make a banker the same style of jacket lets say that he would for his pop star client, he would tone everything down, show you the old navy stalwarts and so on. The new money finance types these days are usually 'poor & hungry' finance geek types who grew up buying RTW who now want the 'best' while still wanting the 'best' to conform to the old paradigms which are familiar. The new money oligarchy and their scions are familiar with poor quality 'bespoke' in their own countries, which might partially explain why they are likely to rate the Zegna/ Pradas/D&Gs/Loro Pianas etc of the world above hand made bespoke (definitely the case in Russia, India, China).

Last edited by dryplum (2013-12-30 13:19:35)

The weird thing about all this is that Huntsman (and its like) were founded as top-end bespoke makers, for men who knew their onions. No question. The founders sold-out (like old man Bentley), long ago, owing to financial crisis. But why has the Neuro-trash decided to shanghai it? Why not stick to Armani, Lauren and all the other tat-vendors? And what is someone like the fey new owner doing running a business that made clothes for sportsmen and adventurers?