I'm sorry - sorry to have to say this - and my esteemed brother TRS may disagree with me (and in a way I hope he does) - but I wonder how much good the Weller/Rowland/Suggs/Jules exposure has done.  To my way of thinking the mystique and grandeur has been undermined - and for what?  Don't misunderstand me, I know people have to make their living - so it was at Richmond and in Covent Garden - but this IG/Twitter/FB circus seems to be swamping everything.

I suspect it is the Weller etc connection that keeps the shop going. Take that out and it feels a wonderful niche thing. JS has become a Mod destination trip for a photo outside. It put me off a lot and I got stick for that (but I still get people calling me a Mod at 52 so I'm a touch sensitive). The site doesn't show it, but social media is constant with Mumper, Weller etc. My uninformed guess is that JS needs the association. There aren't that many hard-core Ivy fans around to keep a shop on Chiltern St. It could easily be online only for that alone.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2021-10-27 07:15:09)

I suppose my aversion to Mr. Weller goes back to circa 1976 and that rather bland pop group he fronted.  I'll give him his due, though - he improved a bit (though 'Eton Rifles' was always known to we piss-takers as 'Eating Trifle' - sorry, GG).  But I was dubious about 'Red Wedge' and everything that went with it (around 1986-7?).  I sometimes wondered if Weller wanted to be Ray Davies.  If so, he failed.  'Tube Station' remains probably one of the best songs of its time but, well, he turned into just another attitude-striking, elderly pop singer like that hoho Bono and fucking Geldof.  Sorry, GG.

I think that's the point, the emerging theme in this week of 'we have enough stuff' is helpful for us all but not for such as JS.  They need new buyers - so Paul bringing in wider influences, the social media 'subculture' links - all help that.

I think we have to accept that JS has to have a broad focus and appeal or it will end up not being viable. Old Mods and similar do buy clothes, so the link is understandable. The angle with the Mumper means a Sky Arts showing of the JS DVD could happen. He has been associated with a few pretty shallow documentaries with pop culture talking heads but very little content of the person they are talking about - Tubby Hayes and Peter Blake spring to mind (an hour of Peter Blake that only focused on the Mod art / related music album covers etc and was unknowledgeable about almost anything else).  The JS one is virtually identical in format and talking heads to both of those mentioned there.  It was nice to see such as it was, but a missed opportunity in my view. There wasn't really much in it once viewed.

Agreed on Suggs, I turned on TV the other night and he was presenting a generic clip show about 80s music (odd for him to do it as lot was synth pop, rock and he was reading from a generic script). But it was nice to see his loafers etc.  It's not him or even Weller (though his own label lasted weeks....) - it's what comes after them in part. The reason I baulk at people still calling me a Mod is the association with those grey peacock hair cuts and parka wearing scooter riders in their late 60s we see around. Good luck to them in enjoying their life that way, but that was my teenage years and like our long missed GYW, you can take it onwards like Ivy Style in less obvious ways.

Weller is just trying to do his bit to support. I was a fan of early Style Council in particular within his music and again briefly around 22 Dreams. He has tried to shake off the more overt reductive influences, but the commercialisation of Mod into nostalgic popular culture (now including Northern Soul alongside it) casts a long shadow.

But the constant Twitter stuff is becoming offputting I have to say.  It's now becoming a homage place for style pilgrims.  'Look at my picture ourside JS, I've been,'.  Ah well, it's me that's a bit uptight not them. I really do hope they keep it going, who cares what customers, just put some money in the coffers. I'm not now, so they matter not me.

Separately, I'm interested to see companies such as Oliver Spencer with a range that is increasingly close to JS style - look at their unstructured jackets and macs - https://oliverspencer.co.uk/collections/coats-and-jackets

- look at the herrringbone jackets and raincoats in multiple colours at Oliver Sweeney too - https://www.oliversweeney.com/collections/coats-jackets


These aren't pure USA Ivy Style but have the look generally and I've not worried about specific Ivy Style 'labels' for a fair while.  Neither of these are BB/J.Press but the broad look moves on, is incorporated and evolves for a next generation. It's not the preserve of one shop.  Most people close to 'the look' might not even know what it is.  The Soho/JS/Mod/RobertElms etc end of this is all now rooted in at least 40 years ago. That JS continues is incredible, but we have to also let it evolve and be ready to 'let go'.  They'd go hungry I'm sure waiting for people here to buy from them regularly.  I spent my bit there when the new shop opened to about 2016, then I'd got enough.  This isn't fashion, so enough really is ....for me.....enough.

I do wonder for how long they can stay on Chiltern St. now with that going way up market.  JS is upmarket but could equally thrive in Camden, Fitzrovia, Seven Dials, back of Kings Cross (now very swanky), Lamb's Conduit St type areas as where it is now.

None of this is intended to offend anyone  ... think of it as 'pub banter'.  Pint anyone?

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2021-10-28 02:47:37)

Did I miss anything ? Don't do twitter and I can't see much on his IG a/c, except a young lad in Tweed, white jeans and loafers.

I never knew that about Dury. One of the few UK artists whose music I like. He was popular with the cutting edge disco DJs in the US back in the day.

That latest pic ain't bad, though white jeans brave in late October. Sockless too. Crikey. There's loads of past stuff. Especially in summer.
Twitter is fast, you have to stay on it.  Every tweet that is from JS or mentions them, I get in real time - so you end up seeing loads of stuff.

As I said earlier, doesn't matter what I think of some of the pics - so long as people buy stuff. If people just want a pic outside, it ain't gonna put butter on any rolls.

Dury art:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1996276438/ian-dury-more-than-fair-art-exhibition
https://www.we-heart.com/2013/07/29/a-colourful-character/
https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/rca-solo-art-exhibition-Ian-Dury/

There are some top-notch items on offer at Chiltern Street.  Beyond my pocket, though.  I'd have to save about four months cash for something I have in mind.

Just not possible.

Many years ago I started lurking and occasionally posting on here. My knowledge of ivy was almost non-existent. I read about JS and next time I was in London I popped in. This was before Chiltern Street. The shop looked a bit lacklustre and the guv'nor wasn't in. I did get a sand G9 which still looks superb. Particularly as nowadays Baracuta have totally ruined G9s, and raised the price considerably.

Since then I've bought a few things, online or in person from Chiltern St, all of which I ended up getting rid of. With the exception of some JS/Rancourt loafers, which are by far the best loafers I've ever owned (aesthetically and in terms of construction and materials). I got them on sale and even then they weren't cheap, but well worth the cost.

Whether I'll ever find anything else there I like is unknown of course, but I have my doubts. Nonetheless if I'm ever in London again I would consider a visit and I occasionally check the site.

You and I both on vintage Brooks, OBP.  In fact, I shall be having to take some hard decisions over the next day or so. 

I think the only thing I have left from Russell Street is my Stetson cap.  Nothing from Chiltern Street.  The last thing to go was a very nice unlined Press tweed jacket - as slouchy as a cardigan.  Lost money on it on Ebay.

I suppose it's what some would call 'in with the mix'.  Like those 'Doctor Who' scarves that were on sale for a while.