Despite the explosion of new brands in the last few years, very few offer anything unique. That’s because most are started by enthusiasts – people who love men’s clothing, but don’t know how to make it, so they scout around for the same fabric suppliers and workshops that everyone else uses. As a result, we have dozens of companies at this point offering the same raw denim jeans, Macclesfield silk ties, and made-to-measure shirts.

This past Monday, my friend Agyesh launched what I think is one of the more interesting brands in a while. The company’s name, Stoffa, is Italian for “the stuff things are made of” (and sometimes used colloquially to mean “he’s got the right stuff”). Stoffa is about materials and process, which here are unique because of Agyesh’s background. He’s graduated from Parsons, is skilled in the arts, and worked for a while at Isaia. As a result, he’s familiar with the supply chains, how to design, and how to make clothes on a technical level. 

Take these scarves, for example. Most scarves are made on large, modern looms, which produce rolls of fabric that are then cut down to size. Stoffa’s scarves, on the other hand, are produced on old, wooden, jacquard shuttle looms in Biella, Italy. They’re engineered to produce scarves to size, which means the scarves are finished with a selvedge edge. Since this is old 19th century technology, it also means that there’s no digital modeling for the patterns. Agyesh made these by actually investing in the equipment and experimenting with them – designing on the spot by adjusting the warp and weft threads here and there.

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Textures are often a lot more interesting in casualwear than they are in traditional, tailored clothing. Pictured above is a cream colored knit is from the relatively new label A Kind of Guise. It has a groovy pattern – both figuratively and literally – that I think has a nice sense of playfulness. The dark green A-1 blouson is from Valstar (which at the moment is on deep discount at Yoox). It’s constructed from a rough, basketweave wool that has a much more visible texture than the pictures let on. Next, the straight-legged jeans are from 3sixteen. They’ve been worn-in enough that the streaky grain on the denim has started to show. Finally, the suede Alden chukkas are unlined, giving them a floppy and more relaxed character. 

You can get good, textured casualwear at any number of places. Carson Street Clothiers has a navy Eidos bomber made from Casentino wool (which, along with all outerwear and tailoring, is on sale today at 30% off with the checkout code OW30). Much like the teased out fibers on a brushed Shetland sweater, Casentino wool is beaten until it achieves a charming, pilled look. For knitwear, No Man Walks Alone has some modern looking pieces from Stephen Schneider, while S.N.S. Herning offers some really great designs rooted in traditional Nordic clothing (I really want this dark striped sweater). Even with more traditional fabrics and designs, when they’re paired in unexpected ways, you can achieve a much more unique looking garment. 

As usual, if you don’t want to wear a bunch of crazy patterns or colors, you can always try textures. Casualwear often has the more interesting ones. 

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Ralph Lauren just started their Friends & Family pre-sale promotion. That means select items have been discounted by 30%, but you can get an extra 15% off if you shop before the sale goes public. You have to hit the site through a special link, however, as the sale hasn’t yet been announced on the company’s main webpages. Once you do, you can use the checkout code MSALE14 to receive the discount.

Some items I think are notable:

• Outerwear: Ralph Lauren’s Polo Label has some nice looking outerwear this season. This B-10 bomber could serve as an alternative to the more ubiquitous A-2s and MA-1s you see everywhere. I also have an old version of this quilted jacket, which is a perennial for the company. I bought mine five years ago and still wear it today with jeans and chukkas. For something more affordable, check out this hooded anorak and nylon field jacket.
• RRL: Although they’re expensive, I’ve been really happy with my RRL outerwear. This season, they have a sueded ranch jacket, black leather moto, and Western-inspired quilted coat. I suspect the first two look better in person than in photos. For something more affordable, check out RRL’s shirts and knits. They have some indigo pieces in there, such as these two shirts, a henley, and a sweatshirt.
• Shoes: In the footwear section, there are some Allen Edmonds-made longwings and quarter brogues. There are also these ankle boots that look very, very Ralph Lauren. 
• Polo Label Shirts: Previously marked down items from last season are made cheaper through the current sale. For example, I saw two designs for madras shirts and some slim fitting Bengal stripes. Prices go as low as $33.
• Sweaters: Affordable Shetlands in lots of colors. You can probably remove those elbow patches with a seam ripper without any issue. Stitching holes rarely show up on wool – especially on something like a knit.
• Bags: Some canvas briefcases and carryalls. The canvas on these aren’t as heavy or rugged as Filson’s, but I like the designs. Just imagine the bags without those luggage tags (which are removable).
• Clearance: Some stackable discounts in the clearance section. There’s some Purple Label and RRL stuff in there, which you can see more easily if you sort the listings by highest price first.

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The brotherhood of traveling pants and shoes are in San Francisco this week. Until the end of today, Salvatore Ambrosi and Philip Car are holding trunk shows at The Wingtip. I stopped by yesterday morning to see them.

This is Ambrosi’s first trip to San Francisco in several years. After what seemed like a meteoric rise at The London Lounge and StyleForum, the bespoke trouser maker ran into problems with the same clients who originally sang his praises. I don’t know if those issues were ever resolved, but current clients are happy, so I decided to try a couple of pairs for myself. Bespoke trousers, of course, are a lot more straightforward than bespoke jackets – as they have less internal construction – but there are subtle nuances in the ways that the legs and waist are cut that can affect the silhouette. I’m looking forward to seeing what Salvatore makes, as the other stuff I’ve seen online and in person have been beautiful.

Philip Car was also on site showing his range of Saint Crispin’s shoes, which I think are the nicest around, short of going full bespoke. It’s confusing, but the terms that other companies use – such as “handgrade” and “benchgrade” – don’t actually mean the shoes were made by hand or on a bench. They’re just ways of denoting different levels of quality, such as “Gold” or “Platinum” Amex cards. Any shoe that was made with a Goodyear or Blake stitch is essentially a machine-made shoe (although, like Seinfeld said, not that there’s anything wrong with that).

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I got to see Edwin and Matthew from Steed Tailors this Sunday, as they stopped by San Francisco for part of their US tour. While we were flipping through fabric books, I asked Edwin if he cuts jackets differently depending on his client’s body type. There’s been so much written about how certain silhouettes are better for certain builds (even down to the shape and width of the lapels). I was curious to hear Edwin’s view on this, since he’s actually the one cutting and fitting bespoke suits for customers.

Edwin said he mostly works with customers to achieve what they want. One of his clients likes a much fuller chest than what he customarily cuts, so he provides that. Others might want something less drape-y. Some of his bodybuilding customers have big drops (meaning there’s a large difference between the chest and waist size), so on their jackets, he has to put in two darts instead of his usual one. (For me, a skinny man with a small chest and an expanding waistline, I imagine my jackets have a negative number of darts, but I haven’t checked). 

Other than that, however, he said he mostly goes by eye. When he fits someone, he and the client decide then what needs to be changed. Much like a tweed I recently brought back, which is cut like all of my other coats, but since it’s made from a very spongy Shetland, it looks bulky. Edwin and I agreed that it would look better with the shoulders and chest reigned in a little bit, so that they sit closer to the body, and that the length could be shortened. Nothing formulaic; just something we observed when I tried on the jacket.

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End is having a great sale right now, where you can take 20% off (almost) everything in their store with the checkout code AUTUMN14. Included are lots of year-round items and things that don’t normally get discounted. Some things that I think are notable:

• Nigel Cabourn: Let’s get this out of the way. I think this might be the best piece of outerwear this season. Shape, material, and shearling lined hood are pretty much unbeatable. But yes, the price is painful.
• Barbour: Again, the Barbour stock seems to be hidden. The brand doesn’t show up on their sidebar, but it shows up if you do a manual search. This slim fitted Bedale, comes to $268 with the discount code, while this quilted Liddesdale is just $108. (Note, End will only ship Barbour items within the EU now).
• Buttero: Lots of Butteros for those who want a slightly more original take on minimalistic sneakers. I like these shaggy brown ones.
• Engineered Garments: This olive field parka looks like it has a great silhouette. I’ve also been finding my Engineered Garments fatigues to be really useful, thanks to inspiration from Gary Drinkwater. 
• Maison Martin Margiela: GATs in a ton of colors, including white and black. I own a pair of both, and the white ones might be some of the most useful sneakers I’ve ever owned.
• Nanamica: I know the price is rough, but I promise you this Gore-Tex jacket is great. The jacket takes on a nice three-dimensional shape when worn and you can use it as a casual raincoat when a mac or trench might be too dressy. 
• RRL: Lots of RRL stuff, including this antique print workshirt.  
• Common Projects: One of the best in minimalistic sneakers (if not at least the first). The discount code works on these white Achilles Lows and B-Ball Highs. 
• Elka: Casual, rubbery raincoats for folks who want an affordable alternative to Stutterheim. 
• Filson: Incredibly useful and versatile canvas briefcases. I use the tan 256 as one of my go-tos. 
• Howlin’ by Morrison: A slightly youthful take on traditional Scottish knitwear. I like their Donegals this season in tan, navy, and grey.
• Orlebar Brown: With End’s discount and free shipping, this is the lowest I’ve seen Orlebar Brown’s swim shorts go. I like the navy Bulldog model.
• SNS Herning: Textured knitwear that you can layer underneath coats to give them a slightly more interesting look.
• Superga: A failsafe and affordable buy for everyone who has sticker shock from what I listed above. I like the 1705s better than the 2750s, but both models are great with jeans or chinos.  

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W.S. Foster & Son is in San Francisco this week, holding a trunk show at The Wingtip, which is a move from their regular location at The Fairmont Hotel. I was able to make it out yesterday to meet Andrew Murphy and Jon Spencer, who serve as the company’s retail manager and lastmaker respectively. With them were some samples from their ready-to-wear and bespoke range, as well as some vintage shoes that have been sitting in their archive for God knows how long.

Everything looked lovely, but there were a couple of models in particular that caught my eye. One was a uniquely designed wingtip, with a swooping line from the shoe’s eyelets to the quarters, and then a winged cap toe to balance everything out. Apparently, it was modeled after an old design by Alan McAfee, who was a bespoke shoemaker on London’s Dover Street before going out of business sometime in the 1980s. And, among the ready-to-wear range, there was a side zip boot, which was modeled after something Foster & Son once made for a Sultan. His had a bright gold zipper and a taller heel, which accommodated some silver spurs. This RTW model is a bit more discreet, with a black tonal zipper, a regular heel, and no spurs. It’s perhaps better suited to someone who’s … um … not a Sultan.

In handling some of the vintage shoes, I noticed that the leather felt a little different. It was glossier and smoother, with a grain that was nearly invisible. I asked if this was because of the age of the shoe, or if there was something about the quality of calf leather fifty or sixty years ago. Both Jon and Andrew agreed that it’s the latter. It’s apparently harder to source good materials these days. Cows are made to grow faster and larger through modern industrial husbandry techniques – and since all leather is a by-product of the meat industry, that means most skins are too stretched out and thin to use for high-quality shoes. Foster & Son works to get the best materials, but the supplies aren’t what they used to be.

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For those who can’t make it to London, Anderson & Sheppard just opened a new online shop. As an extension of their Clifford Street haberdashery, it features almost everything in the company’s ready-to-wear line. There are seemingly hundreds of designs for pocket squares, scarves, and ties, and possibly the biggest selection of knitwear you’ll find anywhere. Smaller sections are also available for shorts, swimwear, and coats. 

The site does seem to have some kinks at the moment. I confirmed with them that customers in the United States will be able to shop, but I wasn’t able to checkout with anything in my cart. We can probably assume those will be worked out in the coming days. Additionally, the trouser section seems to still be in development. Along with the impressive knitwear, that might be one of the site’s best sections, as their Clifford Street shop was originally built with a strong focus on ready-to-wear trousers.

Lastly, for those who missed out on the firm’s vanity book, A Style is Born, it’s now available online at a much more reasonable price. The original price, that is. The book quickly sold out in the first few months of its release and resellers have been offering it for $250 or more. You can now get it from Anderson & Sheppard directly for a much more reasonable price of $125. 

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I was cleaning up my apartment over the weekend when I came across a stack of old, forgotten issues from the now defunct M Magazine. A Fairchild Publication, M was launched in September of 1983 with a special issue on Prince Philip and navy blazers. It lasted just seven short years under the title of M the Civilized Man before it was changed to M Inc (Manhattan Inc) in 1990. About two years later, the magazine folded completely, with subscribers receiving GQ for the remainder of their subscriptions. 

For the time it lasted, however, the publication was great. Especially during those early years. Although it wasn’t a fashion publication, per se, it was loosely centered on style. Every issue had a fashion spread, a feature on stylish men or places, and the occasional story on handsome items you might want to buy that month. There was also always a column at the end that would pose a rhetorical “why not?” As in, why not buy some fancy pajamas, or a three-piece suit, or a sweater with a big pheasant on it? (The last was a real, honest-to-God question posed by the magazine’s editors).

Towards the end of the ‘80s, the publication gravitated towards Italian fashion and trendy casualwear, but the earlier issues felt a little more classic, if not at least British and American. In more recent years, John Tinseth over at The Trad put together a “best of M” book, although I haven’t been able to find a copy. Peter Kaplan was also working to re-launch the title through Conde Nast before he unfortunately passed away.

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One of the nice things about writing a menswear blog is that I get to meet people who actually make things. Bespoke cordwainers, tailors, and even the occasional fashion designer – people who produce the things that many of us love. A few years ago, I met Bellanie – the co-founder and craftswoman behind Chester Mox – when I was searching for a leather card case online. Since then, we’ve become friends, and I’ve had the fortune of seeing her skills as a leather worker develop. 

Recently, Bellanie graduated from an apprenticeship with a master craftsperson, and her whole line has undergone an overhaul. She sent me couple of pieces (on loan) to check out, and I can genuinely say: I think she’s setting new standards for what men can expect for their money. The last time I’ve been this impressed with a brand was with Meermin – that Spanish shoe company that, I believe, has redefined affordable footwear. I think Chester Mox is now doing the same, except for high-end leather goods. 

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