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#1 2006-10-19 02:55:10
- Miles Away
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- From: Miles away
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Other Ivy Names...
Thinking about the time when Ivy League was THE American style way back when, I've been talking to Chris H. who sometimes posts here.
He has an enviable collection of vintage Ivy League Natural Shoulder clothing and continues this day to buy Press and Brooks as well as having his London tailor copy the style for new items he thinks up himself.
Naturally he is a J. Simons customer and is one who still goes on shopping holidays to the states.
The interesting thing here is that he is a Londoner who first started wearing the Natural Shoulder style in the early 1960's when he and his friends shopped in the Legendary London Ivy League shop Austins.
Sounds too good to be true?
That's what I thought so I checked him out!
And he IS the real deal.
He's got the knowledge.
The photographs.
The lot.
What follows is a fragment of his extensive Ivy League wardrobe posted here with his kind consent. It features items by lesser known names fron the years of the US Ivy League boom. He posted this information (and more) over on another forum and was ignored.
So this thread is to introduce some 'new' old names to people, back up the point that Ivy was for everyone once upon a time, and to redress Chris H.'s being overlooked by the self-appointed experts on the Ivy League style.
Some jackets: All Harris Tweed, approx 2.75" lapels with 3-2 roll, 2b on the cuff, swelled seams, first 3 have 8" hook vents.
1. Brown birds-eye fleck with blue, highish roll lapels. Label reads "Kentfield tailored for the Bon Marche".
2. Airforce blue/black hopsack weave, 2 patch & flap. Label "Marman of San Francisco".
3. Dark green/black. 3 on the sleeve. Label "Tailored by Marvest for Fred L. Hibbard of Bethel Conn".
4. Mottled Heather herringbone, regular 8" vent. Label "Barwick tailored for Fines".
5. Grey/black 3/4" herringbone, high roll lapel, 6.5" regular vent. "Bottany 500 tailored by Darroff for Schippers of Hollister".
Nothing 'Trad' here. Just someone who KNOWS & loves Natural Shoulder tailoring.
Miles.
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#2 2006-10-19 06:25:51
- Horace
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
Miles,
I assume "swelled" seams might be known as "welted" in the US? Though I could've bungled the terminology. I miss that detail on a lot of the stuff today. I haven't noticed it at Brooks in ages. Though one or two of the Makers jackets I posted (the old half-lined, 2 button on the sleeve variety) had them lapels, down the back, on the pockets, etc. Good stuff.
Horace
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#3 2006-10-19 06:42:20
- Miles Away
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
Yup. Swelled seams aka welted.
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#4 2006-10-19 08:24:59
- Daniele
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- Posts: 368
Re: Other Ivy Names...
Interesting post Miles, thankyou.
And of course thanks to Chris for the list.
I totally agree, Chris H. is a Face.
The welted seams on sportcoats is a very nice touch IMO; Italian tailors used to do something similar in the good ole days of the Birth of Italian Cool: it's called "impuntura a mezza costina".
I noticed this feature on some early 60s vintage sportsjackets. Italian raised edge was maybe less prominent than the American, and stitching points not so close together, but in many cases the result is pretty much the same.
Another Ivy-Italian connection...
#5 2006-10-19 10:26:18
- Horace
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- Posts: 6433
Re: Other Ivy Names...
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#6 2006-10-19 11:36:13
- Miles Away
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
In the Tradlier-than-thou frenzy the Italian influence was woefully overlooked.
Just like Japanese Trad was never really looked at before.
Post-'Trad' the Italian influence on Ivy League style could be a fantastic place to pick up again & move on.
IMVHO.
Miles.
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#7 2006-10-21 23:11:25
- Horace
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#8 2006-10-22 00:33:01
- Miles Away
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
I'm no expert but to my London eye their fabrics and they way they are 'finished' makes them look very Italian to me these days.
They seem to be offering a very European (not 'English') style of 'luxury' goods. Everything has a slight shine to it.
It's mainly English or Ivy inspired, but the style of their presentation is Italian IMHO.
More interesting to me is that whole area of Ivy influence on the Italian look in the early post-war years and then on into the '60s, while at the same time the Ivy look was picking up an Italian influence. This would bear fruit in the slimmed down high rolled Ivy style of the 50s & 60s that was such an international success (for a while). A really interesting melting pot of ideas and styles, and I think quite a genuine cultural interchange. Albeit remembering that we are merely talking about clothes (Merely??).
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#11 2006-11-06 14:30:41
- Terry Lean
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
I don't know.
Paris had many, wouldn't there have been someplace in Rome long gone now?
I don't know.
It sounds possible, but...
I don't know.
(Glad I could help here!)
T.L.
"One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing"
#12 2007-01-19 00:13:42
- Horace
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#13 2007-01-19 01:00:29
- Terry Lean
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- Posts: 2440
Re: Other Ivy Names...
I loved that & look at the date!
'Trad' I think was launched on 14th September 2004!
(Too lazy to check but it was around then)
There was clearly something in the air around then... Ideas being played with in different ways... Interesting stuff!
"One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing"
#14 2007-01-19 09:27:10
- Get Smart
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Re: Other Ivy Names...
yes Chris H is definitely a Face!
I'd love to see some photos of his gear, even better him wearing it, esp if they are 'vintage' pics.