Competition time: Win £500 to spend on YMC at my-wardrobe.com!

To celebrate the arrival of YMC, we have joined up with my-wardrobe.com to offer one lucky reader £500 to spend on a new winter wardrobe. The British born YMC were one of the very first brands we featured here on the blog. Way back in July 2007 when we all that bit younger and freer, we cooed about its wearable yet distinctive offerings. Having just returned from Manchester where the label was widely stocked (it has since spread much further throughout the country) it was obvious that this was a brand that helps satisfy the demand for stylish, functional, modern clothing which is made all the better by giving a measured nod to the past in the process. Keep your eyes peeled for a special interview with the YMC chaps next week. Here is how we would spend the prize money…

For autumn/winter 09/10, YMC’s collection harks back to the harsh but simpler times of early 20th century. Inspired by European and American work wear from the great depression of the 1930s, the menswear collection features traditional natural fabrics - cotton, flannel, and cotton and wool mixes. Leather coats are lined with military blankets, while priest collars lend shirts an air of austerity. Other pieces, though inspired by pioneer hunting and fishing, benefit from modern technical advances. Alongside their Autumn Winter collection you'll also find the brand's iconic side cinch zip cardigan designed in an exclusive shade of plum (our favourite) to mark their arrival at my-wardrobe.com. If you were to win this competition your winter wardrobe would certainly thank you!

We do like a good competition here at Style Salvage and this definitely is a good competition. So good in fact we were extremely tempted not to share it with you and just try to win the prize for ourselves but the truth of the matter is, we love you guys… and it’s against the rules. Damn. Enter here. Good luck!

EDIT: The competition is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

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Unfamiliar Vintage: A look at Garbstore

A look at Garbstore's AW09 offering, image courtesy of Dazed Digital.

Having founded One True Saxon, and helmed R. Newbold and Red Ear in the Paul Smith empire, Ian Paley’s reputation speaks for itself. His most recent venture, Garbstore enters its second year with the unveiling of 'General Public' for AW09. Now, I have heard a number of positive whisperings about the label but have not yet visited the store or really investigated the label at all aside from the odd forgotten mental note. Having seen the images for the latest collection over on Dazed Digital I have to plan a little trip to Portobello and will certainly not forget this label anytime soon!

Garbstore aspires to be and draws its influence from what they have coined 'Unfamiliar Vintage'. The brand aims to create familiar garments, not outlandish pieces, garments with a foot in the past and look to the future, nodding at a couple of things along the way. "The whole idea is to recreate that idea of dead-stock altogether.” For their fifth own-brand Garbstore collection, they pay tribute to those that take pride in helping one's community, hence the name 'General Public'.

Garbstore's use of original fabrics, US talon zips, five needle double neck tees, three hole button detailing and plantation Indigo denim pays homage to the craftsmanship tailoring of days gone by and this has to be applauded. I will leave you to marvel over the look book images for SS09 which I have only just stumbled across following a little label research.

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John Smedley blows out 225 candles

John Smedley flying the flag for craftsmanship here in the UK. Who said the sun never shines up North? Oh I said that...

As I have one lazy eye on the runway action over, I thought it would be nice to change the pace somewhat and take a step away from the latest collections and focus on an award winning heritage brand, John Smedley. I think it is a crying shame that we don't celebrate, great craftsmanship based here in the UK in the same way that our cousins from across the pond do (ACL being the prime example but one of many.) Still family owned, John Smedley continues to innovate whilst retaining the hand crafted finishing techniques that has established its reputation for more than two centuries yet it is the type of brand which is often taken for granted and over looked. 2009 is a landmark year for the company because it sees the family run business celebrate 225 years of making fine knitwear in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales.

The luxury British knitwear brand was founded in 1784 by John Smedley and Peter Knightingale (great-uncle of Florence) and the pair decided to set up business at Lea Mills, in Matlock as a brook provided (and still provides) a source of running water and power. I was fortunate enough to explore this factory and see it in all of its working and operating glory as I was invited up to cover the anniversary for Fashion156. It was great to experience the close knit nature of the brand on the work floor and see firsthand, how the latest technology has been integrated with age old methods.

A knitting machine with 20,000 needle components.

Wandering through the various knitting and construction stages it was great to talk to the workers, most of which had been working there for generations themselves and to watch them expertly use the machines. As I walked through and looked on at each process of a garments construction the balance between old but proven techniques and machinery alongside the latest knitting machines from Japan (some with over twenty thousand needle components) and laser presses from Holland, really left a lasting impression. This is a company that continues to learn and strive for the highest quality in a family environment like nothing I've ever encountered before.

The beginnings of a jumper...

The modern press uses lasers. Each John Smedley garment goes through three stages of hand supervised pressing to ensure correct fit and shape

The fastest use of a pair of scissors I've ever seen...this lady took less than ten seconds to expertly cut out the neck.

Highly trained seamstresses hand finish the garments, applying neck trims, buttons and John Smedley labels. Long lasting style and quality are vital ingredients to Smedley, creating sweaters which are appropriate to wear with anything, at any time.

The finishing touches...

Provenance and traceability from raw material to end product are integral to the brand and are sort after credentials by today’s consumer and rightly so! I think it is about time that we celebrated the true craftsman of the UK...I see a Made in the UK series of posts coming up.

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Knowing Me, Knowing Old Town

I have to admit that when I think of Norfolk my mind is taken over by Alan Partridge quotes and the vague recollections of visiting Norwich whilst at Uni to meet up with a few friends studying at UEA. I think I enjoyed myself in this eastern corner of England but my only tangible, non alcohol fuelled memory is that it took ages to get there...we trundled along one long A road in a clapped out Golf Polo behind a caravan for eternity and I've not been back since. However, Quail By Mail put us on to Old Town after our post on Engineered Garments' AW09 line and gave us another reason to visit East Anglia. Old Town is a clothing manufacturer producing approximately fifty garments per week from their own workshop using British cottons, woollens and linens wherever possible. It was first recommended to us by Charlie Porter when we interviewed him back in January but it has somehow taken us this long to follow it up.

Quail By Mail suggested that followers of Daiki's work might like this Norfolk counterpart which not only offers but makes its own clothing which conveys an affection to the past whilst being more than reproductions. Garments are selected from an evolving range offered in various sizes, fabrics and colours. Items are individually cut, sewn and finished before dispatch by post. In this North Norfolk town of Holt, garments are made to order in four to six weeks from traditional, durable fabrics such as drill, serge and flannel. If you are looking for plain and simple garments which have just enough design detail whilst at the same time giving a friendly nod to the past then this is the place to visit. The website certainly whets the appetite and I plan to visit the store and here is a selection of garments which have caught my fancy...

The Overall jacket is my favourite piece. Available in heavy flannel with pockets and body lined with check woollen and there are cotten and linen versions which are unlined but I would go for the chocolate serge (shown bottom right).

The Fleet is a lined double breasted jacket which would certainly find a place on my coat hook, again I would go for the serge but this time in navy.

The Sleeved Waitcoat might not for the very tall or large but for those it suits it recalls a lost age when men trundled iron wheeled sack barrows over Yorkstone flags...and I like that image. It is available in all the Tin House cottons or in navy cotton drill with wool serge fronts.

The shop is well stocked in the trouser department but the above High Rise option is the pick of the bunch. Popular, loose cut trouser style worn mainly but not exclusively by men.

Inspired by what I've seen online I might just embark on a road trip to the physical shop in this Georgian market town in North Norfolk to inspect the garments and to obtain Miss Willey's advise on style, fit and to discuss the merits of the various fabrics. The website reads..."If you do fancy a jaunt to this neck of the woods, Miss Willey will be happy to recommend places to stay and where to find the finest jam tarts North Norfolk has to offer." I am partial to a jam tart, who else fancies exploring this neck of the woods with me?

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C.P. Company / Aitor Throup: The evolution of an icon

April absolutely flew by for me. I am quite sure that someone had their finger firmly pressed on the fast forward button throughout those supposedly thirty days because I was little more than a voyeur as everything passed me by. With this in mind I need a little time in May to catch up on everything that I missed. One such missed event was the exhibition to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of C.P. Company's most iconic piece, the Mille Miglia Jacket which saw Aitor Throup design the latest incarnation.

Throup's sketch of his design for the 1000m Goggle Jacket

From the very first jacket made for the sponsoring of the Mille Miglia car race to the special edition created in collaboration with Aitor Throup, C.P. Company’s journey is told through the different steps of this iconic item which, season after season, has been subject to continuous transformation and experimentation. As always with Throup the exhibition tells a story of materials, special treatments and shape research.


For the benefit of those of you who are unfamiliar with the Mille Miglia and the role of C.P Company in its history...the Mille Miglia Car race, was a one thousand miles open-road endurance race that started in 1927. In 1988 C.P. Company sponsored the race and for this special occasion Massimo Osti exclusively designed and produced, as a promotional piece for the Mille Miglia competitors, the very first Goggle Jacket.

To celebrate both the past and future of this jacket the company hosted a special exhibition at their showroom in Milan during the 2009 International Furniture Fair. The exhibition, curated by Aitor Throup, featured the new design as well as 20 Mille Miglia jackets selected from the C.P. Company archive. Of course I was unable to visit myself but through the wonders of the Internet we can all live vicariously through thenonplace who was fortunate enough to see Throup's interpretation of the iconic Osti design first hand.

Aitor Throup had this to say on the 1000m Goggle Jacket: "I have taken a literal approach to driving ergonomics and functionality, with the aim of creating a piece which is even further informed by its driving concept than the original."

As mentioned every time I jot down the designer's name, I was fortunate enough to listen in to his conversation with Sarah Mower at the V&A last Summer and during this chat Throup's face lit up and his passion took over as soon as he started talking about this iconic jacket. Both the label and the jacket mean so much to him. During the 80s the C.P. Company was a label of choice for the football 'casual' and has ultimately become something of a taboo here despite being held in high regard throughout the rest of Europe. For Throup the brand has not had the respect and attention that the designs deserve and this exhibition will hopefully change a few people's perceptions and understanding of C.P. Company. For more information on the exhibition and Throup's design please visit Being Hunted's Youtube page because they have recently uploaded three videos shot in Milan during the exhibition (including the Twenty Jackets installation, an interview with Aitor, as well as a closer peek at his 20th anniversary Goggle Jacket).

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