Harrys of London

This Creative Director has been doing a great deal of reading lately on sunny beaches and happened to be flipping through a friend’s copy of The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, first published by Little Brown in 2000. I am very interested in this concept of how certain trends (or ‘epidemics’ as the author calls them) find their way in our collective conscious.

The science of what makes something popular (or fashionable) in todays über-socially-linked society is as fascinating as it is mind-boggling. Take the unfortunate rise of the skinny jean on men for example. We know that Hedi Slimane in his former role as designer at DIOR Homme had a great deal to do with exposing this rock-inspired look into the mainstream of fashion, but I still cannot believe how acceptable it has become in most large cities to see men in what basically amounts to a pair of tights. I do not condone them on most men – unless you happen to be a rock star yourself (or Hedi Slimane). A word of caution to anyone over 100 lbs: don’t try it. There is something just wrong about men in ‘meggings’.

A more interesting menswear trend that I unconsciously adopted recently is the Rolled Up Trouser. I am not sure when exactly I decided to start rolling up my jeans this past spring, but I strangely just ‘felt like it’. I had visions of myself in the perfect pair of RRL ‘Ghurka’ coloured chinos, rolled four or five times paired with a smart loafer or even a beach friendly flip-flop and set about perfecting the scene. There is something so relaxed and sporty about this look and as a she designer, I naturally have a great footwear wardrobe to display – but were there outside influences at work here that I am unaware of or have I just been watching too many John Hughes movies lately?

The weather here in London this summer has been downright tropical and the Harrys Design Studio is not air-conditioned (The English cannot seem to justify the expense for a mere two week summer) so a fresh breeze on the old ankles has been nice.

The Creative Director in RRL and Harrys 'JAMES' loafer

Cut to the week of Pitti Uomo in Florence, Italy. The greatest menswear brands in Europe were on display and the well dressed crowd of menswear buyers is legendary, but what I began to notice was how many men were rolling. As I became more aware of it – it appeared to have clearly reached epidemic proportions. Suffice to say, it’s a trend. How long it will last is anyone’s guess, but based on the last appearance of The Roll in the 80’s, I would give it about two years in the current juggernaut-state of online fashion. It bodes well for the shoe industry. The exposure is fantastic.

Now…if your considering trying this at home, a few notes of caution:

First: tanned ankles are a must – so that rules out most of the UK straight away. Nobody wants to see a couple of pale, pasty pegs on any man, chic loafer or not. Get some self-tanner or get thee to the beach pronto!

Second: Please avoid the skinny jean. I am seeing a outside movement towards a wider trouser lately on the Truly Fashionable, so Slightly-Older-Big-Guys like myself might want to adopt a more baggy ‘Workwear’ approach and leave the Breakfast Club look to the kids.

Good luck gents and enjoy the breeze.

Our Gordon

While scanning the International Herald Tribune today, I noticed an OP-ED piece by famed NY Times journalist Paul Krugman titled ‘Looters in Loafers’ which went something like this:

Looters in Loafers

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: April 18, 2010

“Last October, I saw a cartoon by Mike Peters in which a teacher asks a student to create a sentence that uses the verb “sacks,” as in looting and pillaging. The student replies, “Goldman Sachs.”

Sure enough, last week the Securities and Exchange Commission accused the Gucci-loafer guys at Goldman of engaging in what amounts to white-collar looting.”

Now…call me biased, but I had one of those ‘oh-no-he-didn’t’ moments in my head and had to re-read for clarity. Have our banking brothers and sisters become so vilified that we now single them out for ridicule based on their footwear choices? Is a respected NY TImes journalist really acting like a high school Mean Girl or am I missing something here? Is Mr. Krugman trying to insight the public stoning of men in Sloane Square just because of their weakness for pricey footwear trends? Ouch.

What amuses (and disturbs) me even more is that the conspicuous consumption and famously flashy style of the High Flying Investment Banker has now become a mark of shame. The once celebrated and enviable lifestyle of the ‘City Boy’ here in London might have to go underground. No more Gucci Loafer – no more Pinstripe Suit – and please, please, please…stop buying all the nice apartments – it will give you away!

Note the following excerpt from this week’s New York Times about a Chelsea (NYC) flat that was used in the new sequel to WALL STREET. Seems that he insisted his personal effects be hidden even from the film crew for fear of envious retribution:

“The owner, not surprisingly, works in finance. He declined to comment, saying the bank he works for would not allow it; because of populist anger over Wall Street bailouts, financial institutions have been asking their high earners to keep as low a profile as possible. He did not even want to be named.”

The era of Gordon Gheko style is over. The new Era of Discretion is upon us gentlemen…and luckily we are here to help.

Survival tactic number one: New shoes.

I would like to remind those of you still risking your lives on the DLR in Gucci Loafers that there is an alternative.

We at Harrys have been preaching the subtle bliss of non-logo since Day One. Here it’s about quality, fit, comfort and a quiet respectability that will get you noticed more for your sharp tailoring and personal style than for the scarlet G on your foot.

Shoe of SHAME!

The BENTLEY Desert Boot in Black Crinkle Patent, £295

5 Reasons Why I Love Black Patent Shoes for New Years:

1. Because it’s the one night of the year when you cannot be too over-dressed, so why not give it all you got?

2. Because they are slick, shiny and never go out of fashion (especially in Milan).

3. Because you can just sponge off the crusted beer and cigarette ash the next morning and they will look brand new again!

4. Because it’s the male equivalent of the ‘Fuck-Me-Pump’.

5. Because you’ll feel like Fred Astaire (after a few bottles of bubbly).

Naturally, there are quite a few guys in the Harry of London office. We like to refer to ourselves as ‘target consumers’. It is also now November in London, which generally means a great deal more rain than usual (naturally). Lately, we have all been extolling the virtues of our classic DOWNING loafer for the wet morning trudge to the office. This shoe represents everything we are as a company: timeless, classic design, the finest quality materials and function, function, function.

Whether you live in London  – or sunny California, you will appreciate the innovation in this cool classic penny loafer. A hand-finished Italian calfskin upper, fully leather lined and featuring our exclusive Technogel footbed. The VIBRAM sole was created for Harrys of London and provides exceptional traction in a variety of environments…(including your office).

We also like the signature pink colour on the sole that was originally introduced in 2003 and reissued this year by popular demand. We think it builds character and represents a secret act of defiance no matter how traditional your office dress code may be. It’s like my banker friend who specializes in private wealth management for Russian oligarchs at a well know Swiss Bank: he wears a standard banker uniform of dark suit, white shirt and blue tie, but he also secretly sports underwear with little pink monkeys all over them. It’s for his own personal enjoyment.