DASHING EVENT: Talking Ties with Shaun Gordon on the 4th July

On 4th July Shaun Gordonwill guide you through all the ins and outs of ties. There will be a short talk, demonstrations of techniques and a chance to learn new knots that will not only impress your peers but lead you to a more fulfilled life. The event will also give you the chance to preview ties from Shaun’s latest collection, which is inspired by the sculptures in the Medieval and Renaissance hall at the V&A museum.

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Shaun’s personal mantra is one that we would all do well to follow. The essence is that if you look good, you’ll feel good and so will others around you. Shaun acquired his sartorial skills from Alvin, his impeccably dressed Grandfather and I’ve never seen him look less than immaculate. His belief certainly holds true and I always find it a pleasure to see what he’s wearing.

Shaun’s elegance is very much based around his beautiful ties, he chooses colours and patterns which pleasingly offset his mixture of vintage and bespoke tailoring to create a lively freshness.

Ties have become a maligned item of clothing in our current dress down culture. Americans have been debasing sartorial standards in the City for years now, with the introduction of casual Fridays, giving ties the boot and replacing well hanging wool suits with wrinkly cotton chinos and indecision.

On the up side, it’s never been easier to look impressive and make an impact both at work or play. Traditional English tailoring is all about attention to detail, creating a gently sculpted chest and nicely shaped waist using an elegant worsted cloth, wearing a good fitted shirt and of course adding the perfect silk tie as the finishing touch. Savile Row has spent close to 200 years refining this look so it was no surprise that Shaun’s search for neck wear perfection led him to dissecting vintage pieces in order to learn how to make his own.

With a degree from London College of Fashion, industry experience working for Turnbull and Asseramongst other companies and an additional two years of personal tie making research, Shaun decided to set up his own company. His designs radiate a joyful elegance which would suit any gentleman.

The history and social implications of tie knots is a fascinating subject that one could talk about for hours. When was the four in hand first used? Is a double Windsor twice as good as a single? Is a small Kent knot hipper than a square knot and should I even attempt a Merovingian from The Matrix?

There will also be an exclusive 10% off all Shaun Gordon ties during the event, so get your ties ready and dress your neck for the evening!

The event is free, but please RSVP hereand stop by our shop at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone on the 4th July. We look forward to seeing you then.

6.00pm – 6.45pm Arrival drinks

6.45pm – 7.15pm Talk and Demonstration

7.15pm – 7.30pm Q&A

7.30pm – 8pm Networking

 

EVENT: Daringly Creative Design: The Story of Dashing Tweeds 25th April 2019 6pm – 8pm 

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Creativity is at the heart of Dashing Tweeds. Over ten years ago I became fascinated by the richness of the cloth archives in Savile Row and beyond, there was just so much choice for men and many more colours than I imagined. I just wished that these joyful fabrics could be modernised and put into production.

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Meeting Kirsty after her Masters show at the Royal College of Art was the moment that I realised these wishes could come true. Kirsty’s exhibit of a fridge overflowing with kaleidoscopic weave creations of her own hand, not only showed that she had a innate talent with colour balance and innovation but also a deep seated understanding of weave, acquired from her Scottish roots. Luckily the idea of taking tweed as the starting point for an adventure into modern textile design greatly appealed to Kirsty and Dashing Tweeds was born.

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On Thursday 25th April you will have a chance to learn how our creative process works. Kirsty will talk about the way she translates her ideas into fabric, how we go about the continuing development of tweed as modern sports wear and how important colour is to both design and everyday life.

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Kirsty will also talk about textile production in the UK today and the rise of interest in British wools. As you know we were once the global centre for textile production and the skills learnt over hundreds of years are still in use today and being improved upon constantly. In order to be relevant globally now it is important for the weave industry to innovate and we will discuss some of the exciting developments the future has in store you.

To attend the event, please RSVP here and stop by 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone from 6pm – 8pm.

6.00pm – 6.45pm Arrival drinks

6.45pm – 7.15pm Presentation

7.15pm – 7.30pm Q&A

7.30pm – 8pm Networking

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dashing Man: Sloan Hickman

 

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Sloan has a knack of being at the right place at the right time in the right kit. Growing up in Chelsea after an early childhood in San Francisco, Sloan was definitely where it’s at. Hanging out with fellow Etonians and the odd Harrovian down the Kings Road when it had originality to offer. Sloan would saunter down to Granny Takes a Trip and then groove along to Kensington Market in search of the perfect shaped loons (those fabulously shaped trousers with a kick from the knee) to wear for the evening ahead. Being a huge fan of live music, he would head his pack of like-minded cats east towards the legendary Marquee or 100 club for night of raucous rock and escapades.

Following school, Sloan picked up his camera and started to earn money as a photographer taking artistic family portraits and realising that a career in photography and film was what really interested him. He enrolled into a whole new type of course in North East London specialising in Communications Design, just as the world was readying itself for a hay day of advertising. The course led to a job working for a Graphic Designer in Soho, assisting on large corporate accounts at the time advertising agents were moving into the buzzing area.

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A move into video production came when Sloan was offered a job at Dingwalls in Camden. The venue running along the banks of the Regents Canal had just installed one of the very first video setups and Sloan was in charge of the cameras, for mediocre bands he could sit in the DJ booth and operate them remotely but on days when Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders were on stage he would jump in front with his camera and shoot close up angles. It was on such a day that Chrissie suggested Sloan would love New York…and he did. “It was before The Bonfire of the Vanities, so English people were still regarded quite well” says Sloan as he regaled me with stories of directing music videos an managing five camera setups on live TV. He experienced the Punk wave for the second time as it travelled across the pond and coerced camera men to brave the mosh pits of live gigs for fabulous footage as he had done previously.

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Returning from time in the States, Sloan moved into production for the Moving Picture Company, working on memorable adverts for brands such as Scotch Tape with that talking skeleton. Sloan worked with Bernard Lodge renown for this work on Doctor Who, Aliens and Blade Runner. They would often film at Bray Studios, the famous Hammer horror owned estate where model sets for Ridley Scott’s Aliens were created in one studio whilst vampires haunted the others!

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Sloan’s life in graphics and film has honed his eye for originality and quality so it comes as no surprise that he is a huge fan of Dashing. Our concept of heritage and technology piqued his interest and Sloan’s first Dashing suit was tailored for him in our Dashing Explorer cloth, a modern British wool check suitable for town and country. The fine reflective thread in the design adds a subtle delight should a beam of light strike at the right angle. Sloan has his Dashing suits tailored by Russell at Graham Browne, and the tailor is now his first point of call when wanting an addition to his wardrobe. His latest suit in our Red Tappet cloth has become a firm favourite, the cleverly broken up check look both sophisticated and relaxed, making it suitable for business meetings when Sloan is sharing his knowledge through consultancy and when he is off out to more nights of live music.

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Conductor of Light

Conductor of Light is a brand formed by Jørgen Håland and Håvard Legreid, creating limited edition accessories for luminous ladies & gentleman. Their first products were Reflective Tweed Buttons using Dashing’s cloth.

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It all started with Jørgen, who is otherwise known as the idea guy, after he had a trip to London and saw a cool cycling jacket with a distinctive reflective fabric. This stuck in his mind and back in Bergen, Norway, he started searching for this garment online and came across Dashing Tweeds. He had a beer with Håvard, who luckily has experience making fabric buttons. Håvard got really excited and the next day Jørgen bought some samples. From here, they both began to test the fabric.

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Both Jørgen and Håvard work within the graphic design field and started a brand identity process. They were entranced by the way the reflective thread bounces light back when woven with wool. Through some book digging, Jørgen came across a great quote from the Sherlock Holmes’  Hound of the Baskervilles. In a reply to Watson, Holmes declares:

It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but that you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.

Sherlock is the archetypical tweed-dressed gentleman, and they think the quote fits their brand message and first product very nicely.

In their second year of production, Conductor of Light have introduced three new colours that they have called ‘Blueberry Blue’, ‘Striking Red’ and ‘Forest Green’. They currently already have the colours ‘Vibrant Yellow’, ‘Gentle Grey’ and ‘Perfect Plum’ which are in two different sizes.

The tweed fabric blends well with other fabrics, especially Dashings dark winter cloak, adding a simple & elegant accessory with a smart function to one’s outfit.

Keep up to date with Conductor of Light here!

Dashing Tweeds x Nike Lab

We’ve witnessed a huge rise in the number of sneakerheads in today’s culture, but something that is new is the level of customisation that’s offered. Luckily, creative initiatives such as Nike Lab have now allowed individuals to personalise their sneakers from start to finish.

Our first collaboration with Converse showed the potential of our cloths for sneakers and since then the hype has boomed. We have since teamed up with Nike Lab in Shoreditch, and supplied them with three different types of cloth’s from Dashing, including our Threadbare cloth which proved popular amongst sneakerhead, Kal Seth who produced a unique pair of Nike Air Force 1’s at the lab which featured Dashing elements in his creation. We talked with Kal to find out more on his obsession with sneakers and how he came about designing his distinct pair of Nike’s using Dashing Tweeds.

Kal was born and raised in New York and still lives there. During the day he is a Director of Information Security for a large retail company but he’s also a photographer and sneaker junkie in his personal time.  Kal has been a trainer collector for 20+ years.  He loves many silhouettes but the Nike Air Force 1 is his personal favourite, which is why the fit of the Nike Lab in London and Dashing’s cloth came hand in hand on this creative basis.  Especially being a native New Yorker, the shoe is extra special as Kal grew up with it and it represents all of the NY urban boroughs.

The Nike Bespoke Labs which are only in NY & London allow you to design your own Bespoke Air Force 1’s with the finest, premium materials.  Kal has designed quite a few since the inception of the program.  Due to his line of work, Kal travels frequently to Europe. He tries to stop in to the London lab whenever the opportunity is there.  Typically Kal likes to theme his designs in London to reflect something English.  That’s part of the reason he wanted Dashing’s tweed, as a result of it’s British heritage and tradition in the culture, which is evident in his Robinson Crusoe and Daniel Defoe customised sneakers using our cloth.

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Kal chose our woven threadbare cotton jacquard, which was inspired by the clothing worn similarly by Robinson Crusoe in English writer, Daniel Defoe’s infamous novel.

Kal mentioned ‘It was love at first sight. I decided to make the bespoke themed around the Robinson Crusoe material, the story & the Island. In effect, the “Crusoe” Bespoke. The entire upper is comprised of this threadbare jacquard, I really wanted it to be the main concept of the shoe to highlight the Robinson Crusoe inspiration. I wanted something comfortable to sit in so went with navy nubuck sockliner; coupled with red nubuck on the insoles. I had “Defoe” lasered on the right insole for the respective author’s name and “1719” on the left insole for when he wrote Robinson Crusoe. The jacquard is such an amazing material, pictures do not fully translate’.

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More of his designs and love for the British themed bespoke sneakers with Nike London can be found here:

http://www.nicekicks.com/black-cab-bespoke-nike-air-force-one-high/

http://www.nicekicks.com/nike-air-force-1-bespoke-royal-air-force-kal-seth/

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For all of the sneakerheads out there, stop by Nike Lab in Shoreditch at 477-478 Bateman’s Row Rd, London EC2A 3HH and get a one-on-one appointment with dedicated Nike design consultants to completely customise your sneakers from the sole to the laces, choosing your own Dashing cloth!

Dashing Man: Graeme Thomas King

Dashing discusses the theatre, style inspirations and future endeavours with British actor and model, Graeme Thomas King giving you a better insight into the life of one of our Dashing men.

Can you give us a little background on your life?

I was born and raised in Portsmouth and still call it home. After finishing my schooling, I travelled around a bit and spent some time in Australia before deciding it was probably a good idea to go to university if I ever wanted to get a job. I attended the university of Liverpool, a wonderful city full of wonderful people. I have many fond memories of my time there. I guess I caught the academic bug because upon graduating I decided to take on a masters at Kings College London, which brought me to the capital. “You can never be overdressed or overeducated”. I take Oscar Wilde very seriously. After Kings I spent a short time working in finance before making the switch to acting. I travelled to New York City to study at the William Esper Studio where I completed my formal acting training.

When did you decide acting was for you? What was your first break/appearance?

Acting was something I always wanted to do but I never knew how to do it. Acting encompasses everything I’ve always wanted out of a career and life ultimately. The engagement with people, creating something together and working towards something that is bigger than me as an individual that will hopefully have a positive impact on others. That’s why I wanted to act. Film, TV and theatre have always been so inspiring to me and I’m hopeful I can give some of that inspiration back now. The arts in general are so important to society as a cathartic experience that we can all experience together. They help us get through the bad times and help us celebrate the good times. I do owe my entrance into acting to a chance encounter on a London bus where I was asked to be in a short film. That did spur me to consider taking acting seriously as a potential option. I haven’t looked back since.

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What are your other hobbies and interests?

I am an avid sports fan, a life long Portsmouth Football Club supporter and a huge cricket fan. This is still my sport of choice. I do love to learn, which I suppose is why I studied so much. It is something I could see myself going back to later in life. If I weren’t acting, I would most likely be doing a PHD in something. I love reading, which I suppose combines with the education. I’m always reading at least three different books on the go. Another passion of mine has always been fashion. Especially in acting, it’s amazing how a person can change once you put a costume or specific outfit on them. I do purchase too many clothes though.

Describe your personal style, do you have style icons?

I certainly do have style icons and they are where I get my inspiration from. I’ve always believed in simplicity when it comes to style and it’s something I try to always adhere to. James Dean has always been a huge inspiration to me, his clothes never seemed to fit him properly but he wore them so well. Paul Newman is another man who had pure class and just looked good in everything. Again, his outfits were made up of very simple, classic pieces. He and James Dean never seemed to try too hard. Eddie Redmayne always looks fantastic and I love his clothing choices, he mixes casual and smart so well. I have never seen David Gandy dress badly and he probably ha the wardrobe I envy most of all. Overall, my personal style maxim’s are just to keep it simple, making sure my clothes fit me relatively well (using tailoring if necessary), and stocking up on classic, quality items.

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What is it you like about Dashing? 

First of all, I love tweed. It’s quintessentially British and Dashing always reminds me of that. I absolutely love the mix of classic items like many of the overcoats we shot with, and more unique items that has Guy’s personality all over them. Dashing for me is so unique in the sense it has taken something that was considered very stated such as tweed and tweed patterns, and has thrust it into the 21st century. The clothes are so fun and out there, but it’s still grounded with such superb quality and craftsmanship that makes the pieces wonderful to wear. It’s great to see a brand that enables people to show off a side of their personalities that they might not be able otherwise to express. I personally cannot think of tweed now without associating it with Dashing Tweeds.

What is your dream acting job?

Such a tough question. Sir Mark Rylance has always been a huge inspiration to me and in many ways I credit him with helping me to get into acting. It would be an absolute honour and privilege to share a stage or screen with him. I would learn so much and have an absolute ball at the same time. I personally love period dramas, and there are so many I would love to be a part of one day. I know Journey’s End has just been revived in film format and to do that in the West End would be a dream. Shakespeare is the ultimate challenge for me and to do it on a professional stage is a goal. I think it’s the barometer actors set their own standards against. A specific role I would love to play one day would be James Dean, I could see myself doing that. Ultimately, I just want to make meaningful work that moves people and makes them think differently. I love telling people’s stories, it’s an honour.

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Do you travel often?

I love travelling and have been fortunate to see a lot of the world. I recently spent time in New York but still believe London is the best city in the world.

Any final comments?

Check out the Dashing Tweed shop and meet the team, especially George the dog! I guarantee you’ll find something that will make you fall in love and something that will inspire you.

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Dashing’s 12 days of Christmas

For Dashing’s #12daysofChristmas we take a look at the highlights of 2017! Here are some of our Dashing characters that managed to truly embody the brand this year, including Simon Grant, Joel Culpepper, Leo Bieber and Nicholas Campbell.

Another highlight of the year was our London Fashion Week Men’s pop up photoshoot where all the buyers and bloggers tried on Dashing straight after the shows!

Also in 2017, psychedelic colours were a run of the mill in our tweeds!

In 2017, we witnessed lots of love with couples tying the knot in Dashing Tweeds!

As the new year begins, we look back at some of the greatest wedding moments with several grooms wearing our cloth on their special day.

During the summer months of 2017, we produced fine weight merino wools to keep you cool!

A great success for the year was developing our made to measure cycle blazer with action shoulders and reflective tweed

In 2017, it was a pleasure to meet with art consultant, Nicholas Campbell and discuss all things Dashing.

Showcasing #DashingTweeds at the Milan Unica Tradeshow, proving a great way to meet new clients and Dashing fans.

Our AW17 fashion film showcased at London Fashion Week Men’s was also a major highlight

Shining the spotlight on Joel Culpepper in Dashing! A man with music in his soul and rhythm at his feet looking Dashing.

With the new year beginning shortly, we also look back at some of the brilliant mills we worked with in 2017

Happy New Year from the team at Dashing!

 

 

Joyous Dressing for Christmas

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Tis the season to be jolly. All that fa la la la-ing and wassailing is to be looked forward to even with an inevitable starry head and drum tight tummy once the mull is over.

No one wants a scrooge at their party, but you may well say humbug when being coerced into a gaudy Christmas jumper. Even with my dedicated to Yule tide merry making, I draw the line at bauble elves and rutting stags invading my wardrobe. It is of course perfectly possible to walk a tight rope stretching between festive and fashionable, needless to say we can support you in the balancing act.

Firstly, something tackle the snow, which could well lay deep, crisp and even. Forget about the dull waxed jacket or dark evening coat, you need to arrive with the generous spirit of Wenceslas in a cherry tweed coat, such as our Ben Lawers Raglan, or Herringbone along with a Check Me Out merino scarf to keep you warm.

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We have just commissioned a selection of jumpers to be knitted for us in Scotland using the colourful flecked Donegal wools of our winter wave, these are festive yet elegant and light enough to wear under one of our jackets.

Dashing Tweeds, Menswear, British Tailor, British Tailoring, Made to MeasureTies and pocket squares are of course a classic way to add colour to your festive look. We have worked with an English tie maker to add a more fashionable element to our lighter weight Merino wools into neck wear and several feature our Lumatwill threads which will add a degree of luminosity to your look should the camera flash come out. Our pocket squares by Madeline are original, colourful mini works of art that will bring cheer to any breast pocket and can be whipped out to perform magic should you be blessed with a gift. I favour silk scarves as a great way to bridge the gap of formality whilst keeping decorum and our pieces designed by Arlette are both witty and with it.

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Trousers are often a let down when it comes to dressing up. There seems to be two camps, those who try to wear amusingly coloured corduroy and those who don’t. However, there are other choices and we have a few playful pairs including our trews. You may think that trews are just Scottish trousers but they are in fact a distinctive cut developed many years ago by the military. Interestingly, trews feature no outside seam on the leg enabling checked patterns to be perfectly matched around the thighs, right down to the ankles. Looking so smart they have become part of the mess dress for Scottish regiments and our pairs cut for us by Davies and Son of Savile Row in a jolly yellow and black urban check will have you passing parade. They are well worth trying on when paying us a visit.

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Lastly, as a topping so to speak don’t forget a hat. Our flat caps made by a family business in Yorkshire will coordinate with your joyous look, brighten up the evening and keep your nut warm. When it comes to colour I imagine Good King Wenceslas was a jolly dresser in silk robes and ermin. His song should be a missive to us all “Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread thou in them boldly. Thou shalt find the winter’s rage freeze thy blood less coldly’.

 

 

 

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