Innehållsförteckning för October 2019 - Issue 66 från The Rake

“The 20th century was very different. It was a time of extraordinary technical advancement. But it was a century marred by two world wars and a cold war, where we lived under a constant paranoia that the nuclear holocaust was imminent. As a result, we were raised with a condition of fear. Our parents transmitted this fear to us, and that affected our ability to dream and to hope. Today the world is very different. We’ve lived in the longest period of peace the world has ever known. Yet we suffer from a kind of malaise of the soul. Today there is no longer any reason to raise our children with fear. We should instead raise them with hope, and encourage them to cast their eyes to the stars and…

In the summer of 1945, the crème de la crème of Indian politics gathered in the small city of Simla, in the hills of northern India. For almost 100 years, Simla had been the summer capital of British India, where annually the entire machine of government decamped from sweltering Calcutta and later Delhi to the cool and picturesque hill station. In 1945, that period of India’s history was coming to an end as Britain prepared to grant its imperial jewel independence, and Simla was where it would be hammered out. Delegates arrived from across the country, many in carriages or rickshaws pulled by men up the steep drive to the Scottish baronial style Viceregal Lodge, the summer home of the Viceroy of India. But one arrival drew everyone’s attention. Riding…

Ettinger chestnut leather-covered hip flask A day spent putting your 12 bore through its paces will require a stiffener. This stainless steel 6oz flask wrapped in black hide is a gorgeous example of the attention to detail associated with Ettinger. Budd Shirtmakers white herringbone twill cotton shirt Depending on the invitation, there is sometimes an overnight stay with a decadent soiree to attend. This meticulously-crafted shirt, features the company’s signature forward collar and double cuffs, which will keep you comfortable and looking smart, long into the evening. Caracalla 1947 brown leather City holdall Made in one of Florence’s best ateliers, this holdall is meticulously crafted from selected leather, and features tonal stitching, metal hardware, an internal zipped pocket for essentials, and an adjustable and detachable shoulder strap with a non-slip…

In more than 15 years of reporting on the luxury fashion industry, I have not heard a more vociferous call to arms than the one being made now about sustainability. It wasn’t that long ago that ‘sustainability’ was a word that excitable investors wanted to hear about company profits and operating margins, but, as we know, the word has come to take on much more significant meaning. It is a case of do or die for the C.E.O.s of fashion houses and the founders of new brands — get your business model in line with the ethical zeitgeist or get out of the way. If you think today’s consumers of fashion are passionate about ethical corporate behaviour, the next generation is likely to be evangelical as they become increasingly knowledgeable…

Of the various men I’ve met since I founded The Rake 11 years ago, the two I’ve found most inspiring are Ralph Lauren and Brunello Cucinelli. Lauren, because he is my spiritual father: he and his eponymous brand formed my tastes at an early age. What was amazing upon getting to know him was the discovery that he was far more than a design genius — I prefer America’s poet laureate of style and, ultimately, one of the best human beings I know. As for Brunello, each conversation we have had over the past decade has deepened my respect and admiration for him. Here is a man who, from the very beginning, has professed a belief in what I feel is the most important philosophy in the luxury world: ethical…

Take a look at the Bentley EXP 100 GT — the seductively shaped all-electric concept that celebrates the brand’s centenary year while exploring how grand touring might be experienced in 2035 — and you might, imagining its creation, surmise the automotive equivalent of NASA engineers planning a space probe. You might picture data analysts harvesting zettabytes of crunched data, then using them to pre-empt and zap every possible glitch into a parallel universe long before they rear their heads; mirror-smooth operations being overseen by white-coated R&D wizards with a kazillion potential variables coursing through their synapses. You might even visualise a stopmotion marketing video depicting this stunning, futuristic vehicle coming to fruition at pit-stop speed without a single mishap. The actual story is very different — and far more human.…

The military Submariner, or MilSub to its friends, has a quiet and menacing presence on the wrist that few other watches can match. The vintage MilSub isn’t the biggest watch on the block, but it is the baddest, with each one having its own history in combat and a thousand tales to tell. However, unlike its Rolex cousin, the Tudor MilSub has no discernible markings on its face that give away its military past — it’s ultrastealth in an ‘if you know, you know’ kind of way. And also unlike Rolex (which were predominantly used by the British Ministry of Defence), Tudor Submariners were used by a large number of navies around the world for more than 60 years. One of the key reasons for Tudor’s popularity with so many…

ADRIANO MENEGHETTI – www.adrianomeneghetti.com ALBERT THURSTON – www.albertthurston.com ALEXANDER MCQUEEN – www.alexandermcqueen.com ALICE MADE THIS – www.alicemadethis.com AMI – www.amiparis.fr AMOUR LUX – www.armorlux.com ANDERSON & SHEPPARD – www.anderson-sheppard.co.uk ANDREA POMPILIO – www.andreapompilio.it AQUASCUTUM – www.aquascutum.com AQUAZZURA – www.aquazzura.com ASPREY – www.asprey.com AUDEMARS PIGUET – www.audemarspiguet.com AUDI – www.audi.co.uk BALLY – www.bally.com BAMFORD – www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com BARBANERA – www.barbanerastyle.com BASELWORLD – www.baselworld.com BATES – www.bates-hats.com BEGG & CO. – www.beggandcompany.com BELL & ROSS – www.bellross.com BELSTAFF – www.belstaff.co.uk BERLUTI – www.berluti.com BERRY BROS. & RUDD – www.bbr.com BLACKHORSE LANE ATELIERS – www.blackhorselane.com BLANCPAIN – www.blancpain.com BORSALINO – www.borsalino.com BREGUET – www.breguet.com BRIONI – www.brioni.com BROOKS BROTHERS – www.brooksbrothers.com BRUNELLO CUCINELLI – www.brunellocucinelli.com BULGARI HOTEL – www.bulgarihotels.com BUDD SHIRTMAKERS – www.buddshirts.co.uk BULGARI – www.bulgari.com CALABRESE 1924 – www.calabrese1924.com CAMOSHITA UNITED ARROWS –…

Over the next few weeks there will be another period of collective tension in the U.K. The supposed final furlong before Brexit day on October 31 (or ‘B-day’, if ablution-related humour appeals to your sensibility on this issue) will ensure all sides draw their whips and thrash their horses as desperately as possible, some hoping they were right about the predicted outcome, some wishing they were wrong. I admit that the Brexit debate has forced me into my most stubborn act of fence-sitting since my doctor gave me the choice between a strong suppository or weaker oral painkiller following a nasty boat-propeller injury to my leg when I was seven. There are many consolations to being the editor of the world’s finest and most trusted source on all things sartorial…

As I write this, hunkered down in the Yorkshire Dales in full rain gear, crouched behind a wall on a grouse moor considering the prospects for autumnal sport, most of the chatter is about the devastating effect of a little mite called the heather beetle, which is consuming the fragile ecosystem that grouse need to survive. The once purple moorland is turning a worrying ginger colour, and with landowners being restricted by Natural England from their traditional burning practices, it may be the most pressing issue facing moorland conservation, for these rare environments host a plethora of wild birds, flora and fauna. The upside of the wet weather means that the late-season salmon prospects look good. The River Ure in Yorkshire is one of the hidden gems of the salmon…

Buckingham Palace has seen some pretty strange sights in its time — Queen’s Brian May perched on its roof in 2012 while cranking out a hair-metal version of the national anthem springs to mind — but surely none can top the incident in the early years of the 20th century when a carriage drawn by three zebras (and one nonplussed-looking pony) pulled up in front of the gates. The reins were wielded by Lionel Walter Rothschild, the 2nd Baron Rothschild, a scion of the banking family whose interests lay in fauna rather than finance; he had driven the zebras from his townhouse at 148 Piccadilly to disprove the widely held notion that the animals were untameable. Many eminent Victorians kept exotic pets — Dante Gabriel Rossetti had a wombat named…

Few stars of the day were more synonymous with their endowments than Jane Russell. So much so, in fact, that Howard Hughes was said to have designed a ‘cantilever bra’ just for her; the ‘Jane Russell peaks’ in Alaska are named for you know who; and Bob Hope once introduced her — in the more sexist past — as “the two and only Jane Russell”. He was also to note that, “Culture is the ability to describe Jane Russell without moving your hands”. As with any such reductive notions, it grossly undersold Russell on many levels. She parlayed her pain at not being able to have children into an organisation called the World Adoption International Fund, which placed 51,000 children with new families, and was particularly vocal about the right…

It was the chairman and chief executive of a global tech behemoth — a man famous for redesigning and marketing thousands of antiquated products — who worked the same magic on millennia of Zen philosophy by telling his legions of followers: “Do not try to do everything — do one thing well.” For us, the man who encapsulates this tenet with the most passion, tenacity and dignity can be found executing his craft on a day-today basis 6,350 miles away from Silicon Valley, in the labyrinthine, laundry-canopied alleyways of the Quartieri Spagnoli — the less glam but equally prestigious, artisanally speaking, of the two tailoring neighbourhoods in Naples. Salvatore Ambrosi is the fourth generation of a family whose bespoke and ready-to-wear trousers are the best — in terms of quality,…

Two heroes of mine are Christopher Geidt and Jonathan Sumption. Scratching your head? Well, Baron Geidt has three knighthoods and was the Queen’s Private Secretary for 15 years; he enjoyed a career at the Foreign Office and in the British army before that. Lord Sumption is a man of extraordinary intellect. He was a history lecturer at Oxford before becoming a barrister, and he was the first man to have been called from the bar to the Supreme Court without first working as a judge. (He also wrote a multi-volume tome on the Hundred Years war to pass his spare time.) Both men have exercised major influence in public life while serving others, and have done so without ever seeking the limelight in return. Far too often the lure of…

The phrase ‘family-run global firm’, after decades in which it has crept into oxymoronic territory, is now peeping over the abyss into obsolescence. In the highest echelons of watchmaking and jewellery, there are perhaps only a handful of these enterprises still in existence, and none that is thriving creatively and culturally like Chopard. This fact is a credit to the house’s co-presidents, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and his sister, Caroline, who is often referred to as the Queen of the Cannes Film Festival. Their family purchased Chopard in 1963 from the grandson of the founder. Learning the trade as a young man, touring the globe visiting jewellers with his father, Karl-Friedrich went on to become a horological titan. Sparkling achievements to date include the idea to develop sports watches and steel watches…

Joker, which is released in October, is Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the most rakish of comic-book villains. Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, the character first appeared in the debut issue of DC comic Batman in 1940. With a rictus grin inspired by the 1928 German expressionist film The Man Who Laughs, the Joker is the antithesis of Batman — his colourful, exuberant chaos played against the dark knight’s introverted, monochrome discipline. Contradictory versions of the Joker’s origin story increase his unreliability as a narrator (he may even have killed Batman’s parents), but a common theory is that he fell into a tank of chemical waste that turned his skin white, lips red and hair green; the experience sent him insane and eroded any sense of fear,…

David Roemer is a New York-based fashion and celebrity photographer. After studying psychology, film and painting, he made the decision to pursue photography, concentrating on fashion. He began to shoot editorial that pushed the boundaries of movement, power and expression. David’s subjects have a dimension that can often be ironic or jarring. With a strong attention to colour, and visually retaining a graphic sensibility, his images blend the fine line of natural texture and subtle perfection. He shot this issue’s cover subject, Sam Rockwell (page 104). “Sam was an enigma to photograph; I often wondered if I was shooting a character in his mind or Sam himself,” David says. “Exciting, creative, charming, alluring, dangerous — all within seconds, and without any direction except to create an interesting visual image.” Anthony…

Lucan olive Donegal wool tweed Norfolk jacket The Norfolk is the unsung hero of traditional country clothing. This Donegal wool tweed version contains added lambswool, for extra protection from the elements, and two generous bellows pockets at the front — ideal for carrying shooting equipment and looking particularly dashing at the peg. William & Son brown and blue Duncombe breeks Standing at your peg feeling underdressed can distract you from what’s flying up above. Sporting these birdseye tweed breeks from royal warrant holders William & Son will give you peace and mind in the field and leave you looking stylish for the drinks party afterwards. Johnstons of Elgin navy cashmere V-neck sweater Johnstons of Elgin sweaters are woven from the finest of cashmere fibres, hand-combed from the underbelly of goats…

Nice guys are meant to finish last, but it doesn’t seem to be impeding Tom Mison, who is about as charming as they come. On screen, and in photographs, his cheekbones and high forehead give him a kind of aristocratic hauteur, so it is disappointing to report no evidence of this in person. I arrive early for our interview, just as he is finishing the photoshoot at the back of Moncks of Dover Street in Mayfair, a smart new brasserie on the site of the much-loved Automat. Everyone is grinning happily: the photographer, stylists, assistants, waiters. We shake hands and Tom immediately starts stripping to his pants. I try to offer him some privacy, but he insists I stay. Changed into the actor’s standard mufti of black trousers, black T-shirt…

“I like to work in a stress-free environment where it’s fun, collaborative and creative. He brings a beautiful energy to set and is a very generous artist who makes filming an absolute joy. He’s also not bad at acting. I love him.” There was no holding back by director du jour Taika Waititi when he spoke to The Rake about Sam Rockwell — the two worked together on the forthcoming world war two satire Jojo Rabbit. What could otherwise be palmed off as the usual press-period platitude between cast members is actually a snapshot of the kind of regard in which Rockwell is held throughout Hollywood. His career has been peppered with a sort of unnamed magic; he is a Tybalt of stage and screen, with time, distance and proportion…

There is a crisis on Savile Row. How do we know? Well, a big neon sign emblazoned with that very word is currently stopping traffic as it is gingerly manoeuvred across the august thoroughfare. It heralds the return of the world’s most stylishly stocked pre-Christmas pop-up store, in aid of the eponymous charity for homeless people. Those doing the manoeuvring are the brains behind the enterprise: the stylist and writer (and Rake contributor) Tom Stubbs, rocking his loose, louche, Antony Price-meets-Loftyfrom- It-Ain’t-Half-Hot-Mum look, and the always impeccably tailored Anda Rowland, of Anderson & Sheppard. This is the second year they’ve overseen the venture, which they’re calling ‘A Call to Garms’. Last year, the garms in question included samples, excess stock, display pieces and bespoke one-offs from Savile Row stalwarts including…

It might sound bizarre for a style magazine to say this, but there are few things in the world today less appealing than high fashion. The designer world has had a rough ride of late — when ‘sustainability’ is the buzzword that affluent consumers are responding to, the burning of millions of pounds’ worth of excess stock and dystopian-looking news footage of pollutants pouring from factory chimneys are far from encouraging developments. Thankfully, The Rake is no ordinary style magazine. This is a title that prefers to back the underdog and champion the virtues of small-scale, responsible craftsmanship over the giants of designer menswear. And, while making clothes sustainably is doubtless more important than ever, it’s not the sole criterion by which to measure a brand’s conscience. Beyond creating clothes…