Film Noir Buff Style Forum / Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-27 14:07:29

Crompton seems to write a lot of fawning tripe on his blog. Some recent PR type hype on Timothy Everest (his stuff in the shop looks awful) and Norton & Sons (exposed recently on the London Lounge by a very dissatisfied customer).

http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/09/commissions-of-timothy-everest.html
http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/09/e-tautz-at-london-fashion-week.html
http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2009/06/interview-patrick-grant-norton-sons.html

In February this year, Crompton wrote about how he could not afford a Savile Row suit - http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/02/reader-question-differences-between.html

"Would I have a Savile Row suit made if I could afford it? Yes, I would. But given that it would cost three times one from Graham Browne, I would have to be earning at least three times what I do now."

But within a few months, he can afford bespoke shoes from Cleverley- http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/02/bespoke-shoes-at-cleverley-part-1.html.

And a bespoke suit from Anderson & Sheppard - http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/06/that-delayed-anderson-sheppard.html. They seem to be his best mates - http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/lovely-night-at-taylors.html.

And a tweed suit from Huntsman - http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/08/huntsman-tweed-suit-part-1.html and http://permanentstyle.blogspot.com/2010/09/huntsman-tweed-suit-part-2.html.

I bet he is not paying full price if anything at all. Permanent style or temporary iGent freebies?

Last edited by Bishop of Briggs (2010-09-27 14:10:39)

Kingstonian · 2010-09-27 14:25:47

I also noticed he is getting more expensive stuff nowadays.

He is nowhere near as pretentious as Bown who seemed to inhabit a parallel fantasy world where you had worries such as badly placed braces harming the leather seats on your 'Royce'.

The blog is readable but caveat emptor. A lot of the stuff does not seem worth the trouble.

'A Suitable Wardrobe' is absolutely falling down with clothes for every day for the year. A lot of it is completely unnecessary but then it is a business and he probably runs out of things to say.

formby · 2010-09-27 14:28:01

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-27 14:43:25

A new Huntsman bespoke suit costs around £4k plus VAT. Crompton's post-tax income must have gone up massively to afford it and the A&S suit or he's done iGent deals. Most of his blog posts are straight PR hype and little or no substance.

It may be coincidence but Huntsman, like A&S, have lost a few Head Cutters in recent years. Terry Haste (ex Huntsman and Hackett) has joined up with John Kent (ex Huntsman & Norton & Sons) in New Burlington Street. Matthew Farnes, ex Huntsman and Ede & Ravenscroft, is another competitor - http://thesavilerowartisan.com/.

I suspect that it's not just A&S that is losing business to its former cutters and tailors. The big houses on the Row need a constant flow of business to pay the bills. The iGent bloggers may be a superficially cheap source of online PR. Unfortunately for them, the blogosphere and forum spivs are easily rumbled and exposed.

formby · 2010-09-27 14:50:58

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-27 15:09:21

Most of the Row's business, around 80%, is from overseas customers - US (40%), Europe (20%), ROTW (20%). The collapse in the value of the £ has helped considerably. I have been appalled by some of the coats that have been cut by on-Row and ex-Row cutters (from photos on the fora). I would guess that the fault, in some cases, lies with the customer. Manton's A&S sports coat was a total disaster.

formby · 2010-09-27 15:20:43

Last edited by formby (2010-09-27 15:30:37)

Grossgrain Silk · 2010-09-27 15:42:19

Crompton's main problem is the disingenuous nature of his posts. He is clearly getting stuff for free or at a discount. I have no problem with that, but he will not say so. Accordingly, the conclusion has to be that he is stroking his suppliers. That is both an attempt to deceive his readers - hardly a sensible strategy - and an indication that his comments are unlikely to be reliable.

It would be interesting to see whether the people now making clothes for him would be prepared to do so if he made the terms on which he receives the goods clear, and if he was free to say 'this is crap and I wouldn't pay for it'. If they were to refuse then it would give us all an insight into their confidence in their product and the blog would be extremely useful. Alas, I doubt that SC has big enough testicles to take that path.

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-27 15:42:24

A&S is a pathetic joke. I have seen so many badly fitting A&S suits on the fora.

Crompton should not have accepted that monstrosity. However, if he did not pay for it in exchange for online publicity, he was not in any position to complain or refuse it.

I agree with your comments on Matthew Farnes and Grahame Browne.

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-27 15:44:21

Gilgamesh2003 · 2010-09-27 18:48:53

How did Crompton get to be Crompton? I just took a look through the blog and his writing is barely adequate and his insights and style tips are not exactly news.

g- · 2010-09-27 21:14:39

Last edited by g- (2010-09-27 21:15:55)

Kingstonian · 2010-09-28 02:09:07

michael-j · 2010-09-28 02:32:39

Last edited by michael-j (2010-09-28 02:34:44)

Kingstonian · 2010-09-28 03:11:09

Disclosure
At Permanent Style, we only recommend brands and items that we buy ourselves or that we truly admire for their quality and craft (we are not yet a customer, for example, of Norton & Sons or Anderson & Sheppard, more's the pity). We may occasionally receive discounts that are not available to other customers (though not as often as we'd like); but there is no other commercial relationship involved.

Bishop of Briggs · 2010-09-28 03:57:04

Last edited by Bishop of Briggs (2010-09-28 03:57:35)

The_Shooman · 2010-09-28 04:17:09

NJS · 2010-09-28 08:39:12

I think that the way in which he trashed the little-guy tailor was pretty despicable, actually, as it did damage his business. Why didn't he just say to him - "I am sorry but I can't give this work a thumbs-up so keep the suit for a display?" Moreover, on the other hand, he accepted the A&S shroud with a whimper of satisfaction and that smug grin!

Cromps; "How do I look?"

Answer: "Very pleased...

...But your bum does look big in that."

Moreover, the very idea of offering advertorials in exchange for freebies fills one with a spine-shivering nausea. It's almost the same as saying "Tie my hands together and kick my head in, if you like, gang."

It's a very long way from Brummell's 'condemnation' of a certain consignment of Fribourg & Treyer snuff. Now that was...just genius.

Last edited by NJS (2010-09-28 08:48:46)

g- · 2010-09-28 17:37:32

Last edited by g- (2010-09-28 17:38:04)

Grossgrain Silk · 2010-09-29 02:48:29

I don't mind the chewing out the tailor - if the work is poor then it's poor and you shouldn't expect not to have your rubbish rubbished. However, it becomes hypocrisy of the highest order when the same standard isn't applied to A & S.

I don't think it's the same as Manton and Fan however. As far as I can tell, they simply lack discernment. They are no different from the people they affect to despise for relying on the label. In their case the labels are different and less well known, but that's all. Crompton may know something about tailoring and fit but he seems to be a star-fucker.

NJS · 2010-09-29 08:45:24

"Star-fucker" is right up there with "schmo" and "schmuck", as far as I am concerned. The point about the one-man band tailor is that he offered Cromps a freebie in return for a review which he naively thought would be good. Cromps took part in building this garment and shares some of the blame if it turned out less than well for him. At several stages, Cromps could have abandoned the exercise and saved the fellow's feelings and his pocket. If Cromps had been paying for the suit, yes, tear the tailor off if it turned out badly but there are different considerations between dealing with an established tailor who is working for your cash and a misguided and over-optimistic neophyte. There are enough disappointments in life without making them for each other. There was something of "Up yours Delors!" (Sun headline) about Cromps' treatment of the little-guy that was deeply unpleasant: as though it were a demonstration that he didn't matter; didn't count. That's all well before you look at Cromps' nose firmly wedged up that crack at A&S.

Last edited by NJS (2010-09-29 08:46:48)

Grossgrain Silk · 2010-09-29 08:51:13

g- · 2010-09-29 19:29:13

Avgvstvs · 2010-09-30 01:01:39

g- · 2010-09-30 04:37:03

#1 2010-09-27 14:07:29

Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#2 2010-09-27 14:25:47

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#3 2010-09-27 14:28:01

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#4 2010-09-27 14:43:25

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#5 2010-09-27 14:50:58

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#6 2010-09-27 15:09:21

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#7 2010-09-27 15:20:43

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#8 2010-09-27 15:42:19

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#9 2010-09-27 15:42:24

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#10 2010-09-27 15:44:21

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#11 2010-09-27 18:48:53

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#12 2010-09-27 21:14:39

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#13 2010-09-28 02:09:07

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#14 2010-09-28 02:32:39

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#15 2010-09-28 03:11:09

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#16 2010-09-28 03:57:04

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#17 2010-09-28 04:17:09

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#18 2010-09-28 08:39:12

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#19 2010-09-28 17:37:32

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#20 2010-09-29 02:48:29

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#21 2010-09-29 08:45:24

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#22 2010-09-29 08:51:13

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#23 2010-09-29 19:29:13

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#24 2010-09-30 01:01:39

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

#25 2010-09-30 04:37:03

Re: Is Simon Crompton the new Francis Bown?

Board footer