Summer Seersucker Shades

 

Okay - the title of this post is a little misleading - as only one of the textiles that we have here for your viewing pleasure is actually a seersucker. But in principle - these three shots are a little taste of things to come for Summer '09. And that's just for starters, mark my words: the next few years are going to see an enormous preppy revival. 

First came cardigans, then came Gossip Girl, deck shoes have been bubbling under for a couple of years, bowties are 'hip', and seersucker and madras are reaching critical mass. Soon the streets of East London will resemble nothing more than an Ivy League university campus in 1964 (or 1981).

If the trend allow us to enjoy interesting textiles and colourways like these classics from the past - I'm all for it. 

In Praise Of The Pendleton

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge fan of vintage American workwear. Show me a piece of antique Filson or classic Carharrt and my heart skips a beat. A pair of 'Key' brand dungarees can dangerously raise my blood pressure. But nothing compares to my love and devotion to the Pendleton brand.

I've already mentioned my feelings about plaid - and Pendleton does plaid better than anyone. After over a hundred years in the business, the number of different colourways and weaves that they have produced is incredible, and the quality of their wool is second to none. These are little masterpieces of design and colour.

In the States, Pendleton has been around so long, and has been so much a part of the mainstream, that it has been largely ignored by the fashion crowd. Recently, there are signs that people are starting to appreciate the brand's heritage and the quality of the product. Nike produced a small scale collaboration with them last year, and Urban Outfitters have started to sell them in their vintage department. 

I think that there's still a huge amount on inspiration to be found in the Pendleton back catalogue. I've seen ivory on white 'ghost' checks that echo Margiela, beautiful autumnal tartans that put Ralph Lauren to shame, and this - which has got to be one of my all time favorites.

I'm always attracted to shadow plaid - as it has a graphic quality that always looks modern to me. But I've never seen a shadow plaid in bright teal before. It turns a simple jacket into a piece that could easily be found in a Comme des Garcons show. Truly stunning.

It's A Plaid Plaid Plaid Plaid World

Fun fact: The first tartans known to man probably existed before 100BC. And it's still fashionable. Pretty impressive.

I can't think of a fabric more versatile than plaid. You can wear it to a black tie gala, a Texan rodeo or a Hoxton rave, and look stylish in every situation. For me, there's nothing more thrilling than finding a really beautiful colour combination or an an unusual weave - at it's best, it can be a real art form.

These two treasures are from my (rapidly growing) tie collection. They're both from the 60's, and are, like all good tartans, Scottish. The green tie came from London's Broadway Market, the burgundy from Portobello.

Here are some close-up views:

I love the subtlety of the colour combination here - with the transitions between shades, it's like a tiny little Rothko that you can wear around your neck.

This one is a perfect mid-century modern palette - that jolt of yellow gives it just the right amount of 'kick'.