I've mentioned enough times that his shop has yet to blow my mind man, but I do like the photos of him and his chums back in the day, so it's all good as far as I'm concerned.

Last edited by Yuca (2015-01-18 16:00:10)

Hank - I admire your thoroughness in archiving this stuff! Cheers. 'Fan boy'? It always amuses me how men who are into clothes are kind of embarrassed by it and are always looking for ways to sneer at others who are into clothes. Always that need to do the macho sneer. Some people have charisma, have lived a bit, done things, witnessed a different, and fascinating, era - one many of us are too young to have known. The John Simons' generation is shifting along now, they're all hitting their mid-70s, and capturing their words and experiences whilst they're still with us is more than worthy.  I think Hank's concern to properly document, and Jason Jules' push to get his documentary out are completely laudable, and have nothing to do with being under the spell of some trickster. May I also say that I detect a smidgen of anti-semitism in some of the sneers I've read here over the years - nothing overt, but codified racism. I also understand why Americans are non-plussed by it all. John Simons means nothing to them, though having said that the people at all the great American shoemakers and shirtmakers will know who he is, as John has been importing their clothes for generations, at a time when hardly anyone else was. He was always on the phone to the States back in the 80s, he loved his American suppliers and always spoke of them with great affection. There are far fewer of them around today, though I have only ever heard John speak with huge affection for Americans and American culture. The American experience of the Ivy look is completely and utterly different from the British (and European, and Japanese) one. I can understand why all of this grates with them somewhat. Likewise I find the fawning over Richard Press and Bruce Boyer on other websites utterly tedious. I actually find it kind of heartening that in these globalised times there still exist these chasms in taste and interests.  But from the perspective of a Brit into this stuff the centrality of John Simons to it all is completely undeniable.

AM/ JG, I don't think your comments where aimed at me directly.  I'd also like to state  that my comments were not aimed at you,  but from the fact  I have recently linked to your blog on the thread you probably didn't think they were.

John and are Paul are good people,  they do run a cult shop. John has certainly been a very influncial importer and retailer.

I'm just not interested in the attempts of certain individuals,  not yourself,  to give themselves a very central position in some sort of iconic cult/ movement which I think just drives people away from the Simons' s families good work. Discuss,  recommend, debate the work of the shop, that's great.  But those who create multiple internet personalities,  write hyperbole and actually lie about things to promote the shop are doing no one any credit and actually take away from John himself.

I think what we have here is a slight case of guilt by association.The slightest mention of JS from certain parties can produce a reaction that has nothing to do with John or Paul at all.

John is without doubt a giant of uk ivy and deserves proper respect for it. I look forward to the Neat offensive documentary as much as the next man and as for smidgens of anti-semitism .

Where did that come from ?  I am probably too uneducated and macho to detect the subtlety of codified racism ho-hum.

Yuca - oh I wish that were true. For years I have desperately wanted to do what the Italians do and make my domestic coffee on a 'Bialetti' but I find the coffee they produce just too bitter. Nespresso has many faults - un-recyclable pods and naff ad campaigns chief amongst them - but the coffee is a pretty remarkably high domestic version of a high-end commercial espresso. I agree that the flavour variation amongst all the various 'crus' they offer is minimal and you pretty much get a generic Nespresso espresso but it's a good coffee with depth of flavour and a sublime crema. Please don't now tell me they add all sorts of chemicals to the pods and they give you cancer… I've just spent £89 on a machine that I could have spent on clothes I really don't need.

Oh god !  Has Hank finally got his way and brought this debate to Talk Ivy ?

Wait til Hep notices this.

Take it to the NSFW section please!