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Robinson & Dapper by Sarah Robinson

22 May

I’ve been living in Denmark for a few years now.  Fashion and design are a huge part of the culture over here and when I moved here I was immediately entranced by their Scandinavian style.

Being Scottish, I’ve grown up around men wearing kilts, tweed blazers and wool suits, so I have a real appreciation for good quality wool fabrics.  I’ve always appreciated a man who makes an effort to look dapper and was very enthusiastic when my male friends and colleagues began to sport a variety of neckwear; wool bow ties in particular.

However there was one thing which kept nagging at me.  Whenever I inquired about their latest extravagant woolly buy, the only thing could tell me about it, was the name of the very fashionable shop in which they had bought it.  On closer inspection, I began to see a trend of quite costly accessories, with no story, of pretty average to poor quality wool fabric.

I became quite frustrated, thinking of all of the beautiful tweeds being produced at home in Scotland and imagined how much more luxurious and special the ties would be in these fabrics.  It wasn’t that my friends’ purchases were bad, it was more that I knew they could be so much better!

This is how Robinson & Dapper was born.  A few months ago, I began creating handmade bow ties, neck ties and pocket squares from fabrics sourced from historic Scottish mills.  The concept is the juxtaposition of old and new – using high quality, traditional materials yet still achieving a relevant, current look.  The aim being to elevate the modern look of the urban, dapper gentleman by fusing it with classic, luxury fabrics.

By photographer Lee Edward, Molly bow tie

By photographer Lee Edward, Molly bow tie

Each Robinson & Dapper product is an individual, carefully handcrafted item.  The exclusive fabrics have been specially selected to fulfill both aspects of the concept – they are fashion-forward, whilst being woven using traditional methods in Scotland – the home of tweed and woven wool fabrics.

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 I’m extremely proud to see the response of my customers to these accessories.  Many people are genuinely surprised to see and feel the quality of tweed which has actually been woven in Scotland from Scottish wool!  Buying a Robinson & Dapper product is not only about treating yourself to a great-looking, handcrafted bow tie or pocket square.  Here you are getting quality items of historic origin, with a story, which have been made using some of the most beautiful, traditional fabrics available in the world today.

 Check out our website www.robinsonanddapper.com and please share with any dapper gentlemen you know!  So far we are only selling our bow ties on here, but our range of skinny neck ties and pocket squares will be added soon.  Thanks.

 

Author Bio:

Written by Sarah Robinson, owner and founder of Robinson & Dapper.  All images provided by Robinson & Dapper.

 

Introducing retweed by Harry Bakewell

26 Mar

It’s common knowledge that there is a difference between fashion and style. Fashion is something that people are interested in right now but may not be interested in when we skip forward in time. It might be 10 years before a fashion dies out, it might only be a matter of weeks or months but nevertheless fashion is to put it bluntly, a fad. Style, on the other hand, is something that will always be popular. A good example of this is the Mini Cooper and another good example is a well-tailored Harris tweed jacket. People will want something stylish for the rest of time.

I’m Harry Bakewell, head of graphics, photography and social media at retweed. I’m part of a three man team who have recently started a website selling vintage tweed jackets at affordable prices. We are all students and one Saturday afternoon, while socialising, we got onto the topic of vintage clothing. We all liked the tweed jackets, brogues and other vintage clothing because it could be worn by people of all ages and would always be stylish. The problem for us was that it was so expensive to buy. Any high street retailer sells replicas for £60-£80 and many of the vintage shops or those selling the originals were charging £40-£60 for a Harris tweed jacket which for a student isn’t affordable.  We didn’t think any more of the subject and forgot about it. Well, the rest of us had forgotten about it, Nathan Marshall & Carl Willimott hadn’t though. They had both thought about it significantly after our conversation and decided that they could source some vintage clothing and then sell it to me and our friends, who couldn’t afford the shops prices. This went well and the whole of our friend group ended up wearing tweed jackets to almost every occasion. After the success of this venture they did some research into how popular this clothing was on a countrywide scale and the results were unanimous. People liked vintage.

I was then added to the team to take photos and do any design work, I then offered to do the social media side of the business. Between us, we had a good skill set to go out and make a business to help get vintage clothing out to the people who loved it but just couldn’t afford it. retweed was born.

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Our mission is to find out what vintage clothing people want, source this clothing and then sell it to them for a price that is affordable. So if you are reading this and there is something missing from your wardrobe then let us know and we will try to help.

Check out our website www.retweed.co.uk and let us know what you think. We are due to be adding more Harris tweed, Levi jeans, Levi’s womens shorts, Barbour jackets and more as soon as possible so follow us @retweed_cnk to get the latest updates. Thanks for reading.

Dave Griffiths // The Land

30 Jan

I love the classic style of Dave Griffiths outfit for this video.  He is definitely a TweedVixen Pin Up!  What do you think?

 

TWEED IS NOW FINE FOR DANDIES

15 Jan

Last Sunday the express had this great article on tweed.

Fashion & Beauty

TWEED IS NOW FINE FOR DANDIES

Tinie Tempah is a well-dressed celebrity

 Picture,Tinie Tempah www.express.co.uk

Read the article here…

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/370506/Tweed-is-now-fine-for-dandies

A Short History of Tweed by Jasper Littman

3 Jan

A Short History of Tweed

Last year’s autumn/winter catwalks were dripping in tweed with several top name designers taking inspiration from the timeless classic. But what are the origins of this fascinating fabric and why has it remained so popular for so long?

The Origins of Tweed

Tweed was born in 18th century Scotland and came about when weavers wanted to create a thicker, heavier cloth that would withstand the cold climes. They developed the diagonal line running through the weave, which became known as the ‘twill’. We know the fabric as ‘Tweed’ today, thanks to a London cloth merchant who, when the fabric was delivered to him, misread the word ‘Tweel’, the Scottish spelling of twill.

The method created by the Scottish Weavers produces a coarse, dense fabric, generally dyed in earthy colours that has become as much a part of Britain as fish and chips and is just as popular today as it ever was.

Enduring Quality

Thanks to its durability, Tweed became a commonly worn fabric throughout the 19th century. Today tweed is synonymous with high quality men’s suits and country pursuits, mainly due to the world famous Tweed maker, Harris.

Harris Tweed originated in the Outer Hebrides during the 18th century and was made popular amongst the British aristocracy when Lady Dunmore introduced it in the 1840’s. It was used to make hunting, fishing and shooting garb and has become forever associated with the country gent.

Thanks to its incredible popularity, Harris Tweed was the first company to create a certification mark for their fabric which was introduced in 1909. The Orb Certification mark came with the guarantee that ‘only tweeds woven in the Outer Hebrides would be eligible.’

Although the fabric lost popularity after the Edwardian period, Tweed enjoyed a resurgence in the 1960’s when it was worn by mods. Later on, Sloane Rangers and those that favoured the preppy style invested in Tweed suits, hats, bags, overcoats and jackets.

Harris Tweed is the only entirely handmade fabric still available, but other types of tweed are still associated with quality and tradition. Today’s technology has allowed Harris Tweed to create a lightweight version of their cloth, making it easier to create wearable tailoring for all types of occasion and not just for country pursuits.

Tweed Making

Today, Tweed is considered one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fabrics available, perhaps because it’s still made in practically the same way as it was 200 years ago. All the products used to create Harris Tweed are 100% natural, even down to the heathers and lichen that are used to dye the wool.

The only change is that ‘waulking’, the process of stretching the cloth, used to be achieved by soaking it in human or animal urine. Today, soda and soapy water are used instead.

Timeless Elegance

Where once Tweed was purely for farmers and well-heeled country gents, today anyone can sport this fabulous fabric. Harris Tweed recently enjoyed a significant rise in orders after a 1960’s vintage tweed jacket became the outfit of choice for new Dr Who Matt Smith, prompting Angus MacNeil, MP for the Western Isles to comment that “the endorsement (by Dr Who) shows that Tweed is timeless and can be worn anytime, any age and in any galaxy.”

These days you can find an array of tweeds available in a host of designs and colours that evoke the Scottish Highlands. If you’re looking for an abidingly elegant suit that exudes quality and class that you can enjoy wearing for many years to come then get in touch with us today to ask about our bespoke suit tailoring  services.

Jasper Littman specialise in one thing only – bespoke and semi bespoke suits measured, fitted and delivered by their visiting tailors.

Their Savile Row style suits personify gentleman’s English elegance. Jasper Littman combine a contemporary approach to customer care with traditional tailoring expertise.

Using the finest English fabrics, their bespoke suits are created exclusively in England. Their tailors visit at a location convenient to you, office or home, and have over 10 years of Savile Row experience. www.jasperlittman.co.uk

 

Scotland Re:Designed Showcase.

14 Jul

Another great video showcasing Scottish fashion at the Lighthouse in Glasgow on 29th June 2012 by  scotlandredesigned.com

I love the contemporary styles, gorgeous dresses and totally retro knitwear. A great collection of fresh talent!

Scotland Re:Designed is a platform from which Scottish fashion designers, manufacturers and textile companies can build, establish and secure new and ongoing business relationships through working together to share resources to reach new markets, creating and achieving short and long term sales & PR opportunities.” Scotland Re:Designed  quote taken from  http://scotlandredesigned.com/about/

Raising the Baaa by @TextilesScot

13 Jul

This fantastic video showcases what is so great about contemporary Scottish fashion and textiles. Posted by TextilesScotland. on YouTube.

“Textiles Scotland fashion show in the National Sheep Association marquee at the Royal Highland Show 2012. Scottish models wearing wool couture from leading brands and designers: Angela Cassidy, Begg Scotland, Brooks Brothers, Di Gilpin, Eribé, Harris Tweed Hebrides, Hawick Knitwear, House of Cheviot, Iona Crawford, Jaggy Nettle, Jigsaw, Jo Storie, Johnstons of Elgin, Joyce Paton, Judy R Clark, Kiltpin, Obscure Couture and Slanj Kilts. And some fashion-conscious sheep took the front row in their pens to see the action up close!

The show also welcomed a special catwalk model in the form of MEP, Alyn Smith who took to the runway in a Kiltpin outfit accompanied by Susie the Shetland Sheep. Video by Robert Smith.”  @TextilesScot

Worth watching!

Tweed Bags Inspired by the Movies – Catherine Aitken Chic

7 Jun

Inspired by classic movies and their stars these tweed bags are a modern tweedy nod to legends of cinema. Catherine Aitken is a Scottish  handbag designer based in Leith, Edinburgh. Working from her studio in Coburg House, she creates contemporary bags using traditional Scottish fabrics and locally sourced materials.  Heavily influenced by Catherine Hepburn’s masculine feminine style her bags reflect this inspiration by combining heavier tweeds  with lighter silks and lace trims to create a contrasting textual charm.

“My inspiration comes from Classic films and Hollywood actresses. (Catherine’s background is in film production)  The Hepburn bags are inspired by Katharine Hepburn and her masculine/feminine style, the Rutherford – by Miss tweedie herself Margaret Rutherford, also Maggie Smith in the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.  The Tippi handbag – not currently on the website –  is inspired by Tippi Hedren in the Birds. I am in the process of creating a black white dogtooth handbag for the AW collection that’s inspired by Lauren Bacall’s outfit in “To Have and Have Not”. The men’s bags and accessories were originally inspired by films such as Rob Roy, Mad Max and I Am Legend, films all with a strong male lead  – then it’s all mixed up with the Brigadoon notion of Scotland. I like to use locally sourced cloths and products as much as possible in the Studio, this ranges from local wild deerskin, waxed cottons from Dundee and of course, genuine Harris Tweed.” Catherine Aitken talks to TweedVixen about her AW 2012 Collection

Her bags were voted by She Magazine UK as “the last word in Highland Chic”.

See her bags at www.catherineaitken.com

This video shows how she recycles old tweed jackets into fab man bags, which I love!


Brogues and the Country Gentleman

6 Mar

Brogues and the Country Gentleman. Great article Mr Lockhart!

Vintage Whistles – 300 examples of tweed

27 Feb

Go Vintage!

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