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The Panache of a Panama

There are very few entirely hand made products in our lives nowadays. Ones where we can saviour the provenance and take pleasure in the generations of handed down skills that have accumulated to provide us with a useful item of joy. A Panamahat is one of those little luxuries that everyone should save for, not only are they potentially life saving when in the sun but they also have that rare combination of practicality and elegance. There is just no real replacement for a fine Panama hat.

At Dashing, we are working with Pachacuti a fair trade company set up by Carry Somers over 25 years ago. Avoiding middle men, who locally take a large cut from the weavers, they work directly with the makers ensuring they earn a decent living. This has enabled hat weaving communities to move away from the coastal regions of Ecuador and set up in the idyllic forested hills where they can encourage a new generation to continue the livelihood.

Interestingly, Panama hats come from Ecuador and acquired their name through numerous sales of the hats as they were transported for distribution through the trade routes. In the gold rush era any wise prospector would pick up a hat or two along with their gold digging tools, helping spread their popularity.

The enduring appeal of the Panama hat has to do with their superb quality. Toquilla straw is hand cut, boiled, split and dried before being hand woven in a continuing spiral that can take up to 8 months for a fabulously fine example. The skills have been passed down for generations and the only thing that has really changed is the style of the shapes.

Our Dashing Panamashave additional panache through the use of our unique cloth designs. These are applied by hand to the headband, giving the already desirable hats a peerless appeal.

We have a few sizes and designs left in the shop so come and snap one up before your summer adventures begin. They will serve as faithful companions on your journey, protecting against the elements as you forge ahead.

Should you be one of those people for whom only the best is good enough then there is a chance for you to commission the world’s finest hat. Mark from Pachacuti went on a recent trip to Ecuador and met the man who is widely regarded as the finest hat weaver in Ecuador. The world record stands at close to 4000 straw picks per inch and given close to a years work he is keen to try and break this record for you.

For more information, do check out Pachacuti and to customise your own Panama band using our cloth please drop an email hereor pop into Dashing at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

dashing tweeds, tweed. menswear, tailoring, luxury, lifestyle, ties, tie maker, cloth, design, event, chiltern street, Marylebone tailor, Marylebone tailors, menswear, Marylebone menswear

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.

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

Going Short!

One often reads that economics effects the amount of leg you see or visa versa. The so called skirt length theory suggestS that the observation of hem lines is a good indicator of market direction with traders looking forward to a bull market as they spot more knees. Now in our times of equality, its high time that men get their knees out in the open and perhaps the economy will start picking up. There may be several years of more data to collect but signs are that shorts are on the up.

Short suits for work, once a novelty rarely spotted outside of Sydney or outposts of the empire are now no longer to be scoffed at, at least outside of the square mile. As global warming kicks in shorts will be on the rise. Needless to say, shorts are the garment of choice for summer holidays with the purchase of a pair imparting one with an almost immediate air of tranquility.

Enjoyment is an important ethos of Dashing Tweeds, our fabrics are designed with a wit that is often missing in menswear. The colourful nature of our sophisticated fine Merino cloths make for fabulous shorts and with my preferred cut, slightly wider with a turn up just at the top of the knee you can tell that good times are ahead.

To order a pair drop us a line to Holly@DashingTweeds.co.uk or come by the shop to be measured up. We have a great choice of short suitable light weight fabrics and you can order a pair to any length depending on your mood.

EVENT: Ryan Brockbank of Tailored Casuals

We are excited to announce we will be hosting an event with Tailored Casuals showcasing their first capsule collection on the 4th June from 6pm – 8pm.

With years of experience in fashion and design, the label aims to fill a gap in the market for high quality affordable casual wear with a more tailored feel. Referencing a retro football aesthetic and classic tailoring silhouettes, Ryan has gained notable interest from Savile row and leading sportswear brands. It was during his graduate collection that he approached Dashing for some help with fabric as he admired our vibrant designs.

Ryan was lucky enough to be nominated as one of the best 25 collections of Graduate Fashion Week during which point Dashing also exhibited a few of his garments in the shop window of the Sackville Street store. The relationship grew and to help with the launch of Tailored Casuals we agreed on a 4 piece capsule collaboration using their peak design, but with a twist.

Do drop by Dashing on the 4th to learn more about Tailored Casuals and hear from Ryan about his inspirations and aspirations for the brand. We will also be showcasing Ryan’s designs in our window display which feature Dashing’s unique cloth designs!

To RSVP to the event, kindly click here.

london craft week, craft, weaving, textiles

Celebrating Craft in London 8th – 12th May

Not so long ago craft was a word to be avoided. People and companies did not wish to be associated with some sort of pre industrialised cottage activity, conjuring images of peasants spinning something fluffy by the fireside. Modern life should be clean, efficient, functional with high design.

How times have changed. Many a lifestyle blog now promotes the simple country life, homemade faire, no phones in sight and a plethora of handicrafts from macrame to felting. Modern life now tries to straddle these two extremes and interestingly technology and connectivity has enabled old crafts to thrive in our modern world and more importantly be sought after and sell.

London Craft Week was set up four years ago to showcase artisans at the highest level and enable customers to commission hand made pieces. Craftsmen demonstrate everything from watchmaking to weaving and glassblowing to calligraphy at various events across the capital.

This year the events take place all over town from 8th – 12th May. Do check out the programme here and I guarantee there will be something to interest you. I like the idea of weaving waste at Battersea Power Station and organ making at the Royal Festival Hall.

Being busy in our new shop we are not on the programme this year but we do always have a loom in the shop and Holly is happy to illuminate you about the woven arts anytime, so do stop by and say hello at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

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CALIBRE – Cycling Chic

Dashing’s latest feature in CALIBRE Magazine about our cycling collection using 3m reflective yarn woven into British wool, read the full story here

jocks and nerds, event, dashing tweeds, tweed, tweeds, menswear, luxury, tailoring, british tailors, marylebone, chiltern street, cloth, design

EVENT: Return of the Jocks

In celebration, on the 16th May from 6pm – 8pm we are hosting a launch event for Marcus Agerman Ross and his new print edition of Jocks of Nerds.

He will talk about all aspects of the magazine as well as spinning the decks. So do drop by for a drink and chat, you never know what new friends you’ll meet.

RSVP by clicking the link here.

One often hears about Golden Eras, times that you have just missed which are eulogised about for years to come. As far as menswear is concerned the Golden Age of the fashion magazine has to be the last two decades of the 20th Century. Pioneering new titles such as The Face, i-D and Arena all started up in the 1980’s and literally turned everything upside down. Inspiration came from the streets, real people from all backgrounds were cast as models and the images that were created deified convention and filtered up to influence the fashion industry in a whole new way.

Marcus was lucky enough to be working at the coal face of this mine of creativity albeit during the sunset period before the dawn of digital. By 2003 he was theFashion Editor of i-D magazine with a fist full of contacts that such a position bestows. Vice magazine lured Marcus away and offered him a role that was more concerned with business development and an understanding of the nuts and bolts ofmagazine production. However, the behemoth that is the internet was starting to flex its muscles, extending its limbs into all of our lives. Those publishers with foresight saw the impending peril and cleverly prepared to jump ship or at least straddle theold and new vehicles of content delivery.

Marcus was one of the wise and in 2009 started his own magazine online. At thetime the idea of creating something as beautiful as an art directed magazine for consumption on line was anathema. For a start only four fonts were available to use and Moses was still the only bearer of a tablet. Starting as so many pioneers before him, Marcus took to his kitchen table armed with only immense enthusiasm and a desire to do for his generation what the likes of The Buffalo Boys had done for theirs.

Jocks and Nerds was the working title Marcus gave to his magazine subtitled ‘Style, History, Culture’. The idea was to create a dialectic discourse exploring the almost Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomies within us all and implicit in the title. As well as creating content himself Marcus commissioned writers and photographers to shine a light on subcultures exploring their roots and desires as well as explaining theintricacies of their dress codes. As with all good London scenes fans would meet in Shoreditch pubs and clubs in the days when the area could still be described as edgy and Marcus would impress with his skills behind the decks. These night were always amusing as cliques would mingle, some on Vespas others on fixie bikes, some in leathers and others in tweeds.

The success of the digital magazine, in terms of subscribers and readers led Marcus to travel full cycle and defy current trends by publish a print edition. It was at this time that I would often bump in to Marcus around Soho with a fully loaded trolley of copies destined for ‘in the know’ outlets where eagerly awaiting fans would be hanging out.

Producing a monthly magazine independently is no easy task and a while back Marcus had to put the whole thing on hold, but as they say ‘You can’t keep a good man down’, Jocks and Nerds is returning. Join us on the 16th May from 6pm – 8pm to pick up the latest copy for the newly launched magazine and to hear from its curator Marcus Agerman Ross.

Please RSVP here.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

P.S – *SAVE THE DATE*

Marylebone Food Festival is on from the 24th – 28th April, to find out more and explore the world of food in our local area, follow this link:
https://www.marylebonefoodfestival.com/

dashing tweeds, tweed, tweeds, menswear, luxury, tailors, marylebone, chiltern street, golden shears, golden shears awards

Shining at The Golden Shears

The Golden Shears award is the country’s most prestigious tailoring competition taking place bi-annually at the great Merchant Taylors’ livery hall in the heart of London.

The competition was set up in 1974 and for the last twenty years has been focusing on the talents of trainee tailors and apprentices from all over the UK. It is a huge honour to be selected as one of the 24 finalists for the awards night. During the evening the tailored creations are presented in a professional catwalk show to a panel of the most highly regarded tailors and stylists. Marks are awarded for technical ability as well as for design flair. The students have to create a garment entirely on their own from the conception through to cutting and sewing and since the recent renaissance in tailoring the competition has become extraordinarily tough.

This year Leisha Parlour a 20 year old South Londoner on a Bespoke Tailoring course at the London College of Fashion was very excited to use our reflective ‘Red Raver Wave‘ and ‘The Cyclist‘ fabric for her competition piece. She tailored a fabulous ladies trouser suit with bias cut patch pockets on both the jacket and trousers and other features such as pleated shoulders which enable maximum movement and comfort.

Many of her friends are skateboarders inspiring Leisha to create what she describes as casual bespoke tailoring, taking elements from both baggy skater styles and classic tailoring. The beautifully tailored piece took months of work and received great praise at the event. Leisha has work experience booked with the Italian tailor Riedizione this summer and then another year of study before she would like to work as a cutter for a major fashion house. We wish her all the best!

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

Unlined Jackets for Spring!

You may have noticed that a new form of clothing has been conceived recently; the shacket.

This bastard offspring of a shirt and jacket is actually starting to gain a popular reputation amongst the sartorially conscious, and probably rightly so. As the climate ameliorates and gadgets proliferate, men are left with the dilemma of choosing between pockets or a man bag. Since girdle pouches of the renaissance, stylish men have struggled to elegantly carry everyday stuff, if you are French then it’s just possible to carry off one of those small wrist worn handbags but for the rest of us pockets are a necessity.

A jacket with pockets was one of the most seminally useful items of clothing to have ever been invented and unless you happen to be a sporran wearing Scot nigh on essential.

Whilst untucked shirts sporting pockets can to some extent impersonate a jacket you are better off with the real thing in a light form, and this brings us to our made to measure unlined jackets.

These jackets are beautifully tailored and bestowed with no less than five functioning pockets. Instead of a heavy construction hidden behind a lining the jackets are simply tailored with the exposed edges of the seams elegantly sewn over with a fine lining of your colour choice. By the nature of the pattern the external pockets are patch ones as used on classic cricket or rowing blazers but the internal ones are able to be fastened securely with buttons.

Our new summer fabrics in fine Merino wool are ideal for unlined jackets being strong enough to hold their shape yet let enough to avoid overheating.

To find out more do drop us an email at Holly@DashingTweeds.co.uk, or pop in to our store at 47 Dorset Street.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

End of Roll Saturday’s at Dashing!

At Dashing, all of the concepts for clothand ready to wearstart in their weave design studio in Islington, which is the creative hub for the brand and is where the updated cloth designs for each season are conceived, adding new colours and textures to menswear and providing a contemporary twist to traditional tailoring whilst still maintaining the luxurious quality.

With a wide range of cloth available at their flagship shop in Marylebone, Dashing wanted to offer people the last chance to get their hands on some of their limited edition final lengths.

Introducing End of Roll Saturday’s where you can get any End of Roll design with 50% off, available in store only.

Innovation and experimentation is at the very heart and soul of the brand. Dashing is all about bringing variety back to menswear through cloth production and all of their original contemporary tweeds and high concept woven textiles are designed in their Islington based weave studio before the samples are sent for production to the mills in Scotland and around the UK.

Dashing Tweeds uses all the skilled crafts accumulated over generations and combines them fearlessly to make highly unique fabrics. Dashing’s End of Roll’s can therefore be re-crafted into a range of items from home wear such as sofas, pillow cases and chair covers to electronic accessories such as laptop cases.

The heir to the throne Prince Charleshimself was even spotted wearing a suit jacket with a neat but conspicuous repair. The royals are possibly not the best figureheads of frugality butthree cheers for Charles for making do and mending, particularly for insisting on using only British fabric, generally from smaller mills. Bespoke suits of this kind cost large sums, therefore its reassuring that when he discovered a tear in the fabric, rather than popping out to the shops for a new suit, a repair was in order with one of his tailors.

Additionally, you can use Dashing’s End of Roll cloth to create smaller garments such as skirts, having your very own Dashing look. The Dashing cloth can also be used to add a burst of colour in design details throughout your own clothing, such as collar or sleeve features.

Do stop by our flagship shop at 47 Dorset Street, Maryleboneto shop our library of End of Roll designs on Saturday’s. If you have any enquiries kindly click here.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

cloth, dashing tweeds, tweed, menswear, tailors, made to measure, bespoke, tailoring, british tailors, design, chiltern street, marylebone

Dashing’s Latest Cloth Collection

This spring season we really are bringing you some most Dashing new fabrics. We’ve given traditional check and block designs a techno wake up with names coined from early 90’s video games and a playful attitude to match.

We’ve found that fine Merino wool is the very best for summer and so have concentrated on the highest quality 9oz suitings. This weight is ideal for creating an elegant drape and being pure wool the fabrics not only tailor well but are extremely comfortable to wear.

First up with have ‘Berzerk’, a beautifully balanced large scale Glen check with acid green and vibrant magenta threads against a ground of neutral ecru and grey. This in a way is the most traditional design and would make a splendid summer soiree or informal wedding suit.

Next up is ‘Pixels’, a Madras type design in greenish shades with a hot pink overcheck. Vibrant and large scale this is less formal and ideal as a daywear lounge suit for sauntering through life.

‘Tetris’ and ‘Galaxian’ as the names suggest are the boldest of our new block type design and like nothing you have seen before.

At first glance the sine wave undulating cubes in ‘Tetris’ floating against a wash of pink, green and grey may seem incongruous in a suit, yet surprisingly once tailored up the effect is mesmerising in a delightful way. We envisaged a short suit to be worn to dinner on a Balearic Isle, setting the scene for a night of ecstatic elation.

Similarly ‘Galaxian’ in a bolder, more graphic colour combination of magenta, acid green and grey would look unsurpassed when made up as a suit for summer cocktail parties.

Lastly ‘Block Out’ woven in navy and steel Merino yarns is a serious party fabric. The weave structure gives the face of the cloth a steely lustre through which the undulating dashes of navy traverse. For nights out in the spotlight or even on stage our modern new design ticks the box.

We are also excited to announce that we will be showcasing the latest collection at ‘Munich Fabric Start’ for the first time this season with our Agent Matthias Rollmann. The show runs from 29th – 31st January and has over 20,000 visitors yearly with 1,050 exhibitors, Dashing will be showcasing designs alongside other brands such as Fox Brothers, Alfred Brown, Ulster Weavers and Bernstein & Banleys.

To find out more about the show or to set up a meeting do drop us an email – Holly@DashingTweeds.co.uk

Do stop by our flagship shop at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone to shop our new cloth, or if you prefer to shop online click here where you can order samples from the new range as well!All the very best,

The Dashing Team

how to spend it, financial times, plaid, tartan

Mad for Plaid – Financial Times

Dashing’s latest feature in the FT Weekend, with kind words by Flora Macdonald Johnston.

tweed, menswear, fashion, marylebone, mens fashion, tailoring, textile, sale, January sale

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It’s that time again, time to look towards the future, shrug off the old and metamorphose.

Popular resolutions often include health drives, decluttering and living a cleaner more environmentally friendly life, all things with which we fully empathise. Also, perhaps it’s a good idea to bring joy to others through acts of generosity and through a general aura of bonhomie. You will not be surprised to learn that all your wishes can be fulfilled through the wearing of Dashing Tweeds.

It goes without saying that dressing in a more upbeat manner puts fellow citizens in a good mood, people will feel you’ve made an effort just for them. Think how many ‘occasion pieces’ languish in your wardrobe providing moths with a sumptuous feast when they could be aired on a more regular basis, simply replace ‘dress down’ with ‘dress up’.

Wearing quality clothes for as long as possible, mending and patching is the only way forward, the world just can’t sustain societies which discard high street bought clothes within a year. Some discarded clothes from sweat shop production are sent off to third world countries where ironically they often cause more harm than good by undermining the sales of locally produced more environmentally friendly textiles. So the moral of the story is to buy sustainable British wool clothing, look after it and pass it down through the family, especially during the rare time of a Dashing sale.

Take advantage of our 30% off ready to wear by handing your cap to a deserving pal and buying yourself a new one, similarly hand your suit to someone waiting in the wings of succession and for 20% off our made to measure service, you can have a new one in a spanking original design tailored to last many more years.

We are also offering 10% off our beautiful British woven fabrics, use a patch to repair some holes or create a whole new heirloom garment for generations to come.

These offers are available in store at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, or online at www.DashingTweeds.co.uk – using the below codes online:

‘DASHINGCLOTH10‘ – for 10% off cloth
‘DASHINGM2M20‘ – for 20% off our made to measure service
‘DASHINGRTW30‘ – for 30% off our ready to wear collections
(offers available until 31th January 2019)

All the very best, and Happy New Year,

From the Dashing Team

tweed, menswear, fashion, marylebone, mens fashion, tailoring, textile, hypebeast, sneakerhead, nike, nike lab

Dashing x Nike Lab!

The hypebeast and sneakerhead culture is booming and Dashing is on the case. Combining luxury with streetwear aesthetics, Dashing teamed up with the iconic Nike Lab in Shoreditch for custom sneaker orders in our cloth.

Since our collaboration with Converse seven years ago we are honoured to be an official supplier to Nike. Dashing created a bespoke pair using one of our latest designs – Sweet, which was inspired by the rocking 70’s.

Dashing’s Founder, Guy chose to freshly kit out his feet with a pair of classic Nike Air Force 1 High Tops. This silhouette is an iconic Nike staple, an original design with its roots in basketball. As you would expect from the luxury price you can fully customise the shoe from scratch and Guy took great pleasure in exercising his creativity with every possible element.

Dashing draped the tip, strap and backtab of the shoe using Nike’s key ‘Playmaker leather’ in Night Maroon. The eyestay, backstay and double Swoosh are all in the ‘Dory Metallic’ design embodying the timeless ‘University Red’ tone. With a flash light, the Nike Swoosh on the sneaker reflects, so it fits in perfectly with Dashing’s aesthetic.

Avid sneaker collectors around the world are now building their own bespoke shoes using cloth from Dashing’s rarefied collections. Dashing offers such a diverse variety of colour and patterns that the sneakerhead generation is spoilt for choice. By using Dashing’s seasonal cloth collections the bespoke shoes are given an extra element of desirability and originality leading to envious glances from like-minded hype beasts.

As a sector that is driven by millennial shoppers, the sneaker scene is now beginning to infiltrate the mass market with many luxury and premium fashion brands offering an element of customisation within their ranges. Kal, a confirmed sneakerhead has taken huge pleasure in customising his Nike ‘crepes’ in Dashing’s Threadbare cloth.

Drop by our store in Dorset Street, Marylebone to view the Sweet Nike Collaboration and our full range of fabrics which Nike can use. Then arrange to stop by Nike Lab in Shoreditch at 477-478 Bateman’s Row, London EC2A 3HH to book your one to one appointment. The lovely Sam and Jess will guide you through the bespoke customisation process helping you build totally unique ‘crepes’ from nose to lace.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

dashing tweeds, tweeds, tweed, menswear, womenswear, luxury, chiltern street, Marylebone, Dorset street, 47 Dorset street, fashion, style, tailors, tailor, tailoring, British tailors, British luxury, made in Britain, Christmas, event, the Portman estate, Portman marylebone, chiltern street

A Very Dashing Christmas!

We come into our stride at Christmas time, after all ’tis the season for Dashing. However, for you there are halls to deck, figgy puddings to bring and of course piles of presents to find before merry gentleman get any rest at all. Shopping need not be a trudging lament through rude winds and even ruder crowds, you can find comfort, joy and lots more by dropping into Dashing Tweeds on Thursday December 6th. From 3pm till 9pm, there will not only be quaffing for all at our Dorset Street store but also a beautifully curated array of gifts.

We have recently been collaborating with one of the finest new English tie brands, Windridge and Young. They have been creating exquisitely made collections of classic ties using our creative fabrics. Our fine Merino and British wool designs make up extraordinarily well into neckwear giving a refreshing and relaxed change from the ubiquitous silk jacquards. Tie wearers can never have enough choice, so now you can surprise the ones in your life. They are certain to not already own a Dashing tie and our wool ones will jolly up the winter season.

Marion Friedmann has become a great friend over the last year, her refined eye and original style coupled with her tireless energy bringing Mexican artists to light makes meeting her a constant pleasure. Her geometric lamp by Pedro Cerisola will be hanging from our ceiling rose and Marion will also be displaying a select range of handmade objects and artworks in obsidian, ceramics, glass and textiles from various fascinating Mexican artists.

The delightful hedonism of those rave days in the ‘90’s is part of the fabric of Dashing Tweeds. Dancing around fields without a care in the world, feet on the ground, head in the clouds, psychedlic colour splashes, ethereal electronic tunes and oneness with the world. Weaving wools with technical fabrics is one outcome of this cross-pollination and another is the intricate artwork of Noj Barker. Time and space shrink the more you study them and the closer you look. Just thinking about their creation makes you giddy. There is no quick fix for these intricate art pieces, through endless hours of work, Noj elasticates time listening to Bach and reminiscing on the ecstatic days towards the end of our last millennium, ever decreasing brush points giving his paintings an additional raised dimension.

We will also be showcasing Guy Field shirts, a London based Italian made shirt maker, created by Christopher Field. With a strong focus on craftsmanship, Guy Field clearly understands the importance of quality fabrics and how a shirt should fall on one’s body. With an original grasp of contemporary tailoring and style, Guy Field shirts are great Christmas presents for your husband, brother and any loved ones.

Scented candles have become a way of adding atmosphere to a room or event just by lighting and retiring. Smell works deeply on the most primitive areas of our brain arousing emotion without even thinking about it and of course the ancient roots of winter festivals all evolve around lighting lamps and fires. Gold Hart candles transport you to the wild romantic habitats of Scotland not far from mills who weave our tweed. The brand is based on the myth of the Scottish white hart stag and a mystical vision who saved King David from a goring. Relax by a glowing candle flame and the heathery vapours will transport you to the lands of legend and adventure, make sure you are fully prepared by wearing a tweed suit.

Pocket squares are a safe bet when it comes to presents for uncles, works of art that are also useful. Madeleine Faust has been painting for most of her life and over the past few years she has been refining the process of turning her art works into attractive, elegant and decorative adornments. With a great choice of colours, you can find one to add harmony to any outfit or indeed just add a splash of colour for the sheer joy of it.

Leather goods make excellent Christmas presents; there is always a need for a new bag especially nowadays when we should never have to use anything from non-renewable resources. Goats are a great source of food and leather and have provided the inspiration and raw materials for Jack Millington’s brand, Billy Tannery. He set up his own goatskin tannery in the midlands and started making truly beautiful bags, wallets and aprons from the super soft hides. Yet to have his own London store, our recent event at Dashing in collaboration with Billy Tannery was a great opportunity to see his kid creations and of course buy them for the family.

Deborah Colman started designing and selling printed fabrics in her teens, however a career as a filmmaker intervened before Debs could return to her first love. Now back with a printing studio in London’s East End, Debs’ imagination has been ignited by nature. Crystalline fissures, skeletonised leaves and moulting plumage, exquisite telluric and evolutionary creations give form both directly and through interpretation to gloriously printed fabrics. In a process of material awareness, Debs hand prints her images onto contextually correct textiles and then goes one stage further and fashions them into usable works of art. Lamp shades, cushions and scarves form the backbone of her collection but you can also commission new creations for yourself or others and with empathetic use of colour there will always be something to please.

We will be selling great Christmas presents at our in store event, from Dashing hats and gloves to bags and ready to wear. To celebrate Christmas the Dashing way, kindly RSVP to Holly@DashingTweeds.co.uk and drop by the shop on 6th December between 3pm to 9pm!

All the very best,

Dashing

A Conscious Christmas on Chiltern Street!

Christmas is a time of reflection and sometimes action. Scrooge just managed to save himself at the eleventh hour, making amends for his lack of concern and general stinginess, but can we? Planet earth has been plundered for generations, vast areas recklessly destroyed by greed, is it too late to save not just ourselves but the lives of others? These questions should be on everyones minds this season, hiding under the bedcovers is no longer an option. We are all witness now to the ghosts of habitats past.

The Portman Estate are taking action by hosting a ‘Conscious Christmas’ event on the 29th November on Chiltern Street. This will celebrate sustainability and careful use of resources, especially as the conversation around waste amplifies during the time when we shop for Christmas gifts. Throughout the event, many shops along the street will be hosting interactive events to celebrate the concepts of sustainable manufacturing, use and reuse.

During the evening of 29th November, Dashing will be hosting craft workshops in store giving live weaving demonstrations on a hand loom, showing visitors how important it is to use sustainable wools, as well as presenting our high quality tweeds and clothes that last for years and years.

Dashing will also be having a pop up stand on Chiltern Street, selling smaller products from our range such as hats, ties and jumpers; Christmas gifts which will be cherished for generations.

Sustainability is at the core of Dashing, the company exclusively works with wool woven in the UK, and a large part of the production is with British wool, resulting in a very low carbon footprint in relation to transport and production costs.

Dashing is passionate about supporting the British textile industry which traditionally is one of the most sustainable of all British industries. Wool comes from the indigenous sheep population which feeds on renewable grass, the dyes used at Dashing are all regulated to meet environmental standards.

At Dashing, environmental issues are highly important for the brand. The future plans of Dashing involve sourcing more sustainable British wools, and as the climate ameliorates, the fineness of indigenous yarns increases making them more comparable to imported Merino wools. The brand will continue to implement sustainable policies in production so that you can rest assured not to be haunted by guilt or even ghosts of unsustainable Christmas’ past.

Do stop by on the 29th November on Chiltern Street for some festive shopping and drinks celebrating a ‘Conscious Christmas’ before a peaceful holiday and hopefully not an unconscious new year.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

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EVENT: Billy Tannery

First up in the series of ‘Dashing Events’, sustainable goat leather company, Billy Tannery will be showcasing their pieces at the Dashing flagship shop and giving a talk about being the first leather brand of its kind in Britain, with a vertically integrated supply chain from hide to final product.

Founded by Jack Millington and Rory Parker from the Midlands, Billy Tannery source, tan and make all of their leather goods in Britain. Producing around 100 skins in their new micro tannery, the environmentally friendly tanning techniques use century-old bark tanning alongside modern leather technology.

Dashing will be celebrating the brand in store on the 15th November, featuring the handcrafted products which include card holders, briefcases, a tote bag and a backpack which have all been made by a small family workshop in Somerset.

Excitingly, Dashing are the first stockists for Billy Tannery and will be hosting the event at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, W1U 7ND from 6.30pm-9pm. If you would like to come along for the evening to enjoy the talk and mingle with a cold beer, please click here.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

A Dashing Design Festival

With London Design Festival running from the 15-23rd September this year, Dashing takes a look at the must see pieces during the annual event. It is interesting to see where designers take their inspiration from and how key areas of design actively promote British heritage and craftsmanship. London rightly continues being recognised as a global centre of design.

Dashing is looking forward to seeing key installations such as ‘MultiPly’ by Waugh Thistleton Architects in The Sackler Courtyard at the V&A. Featuring modular plywood designs with an almost three dimensional weave like formation that builds a sense of similarity between fashion and design.

Sustainability is a prime theme in the piece as it ‘brings together a readily available carbon-negative materials such as American tulipwood to create modular designs’. Dashing closely connects to this through more sustainable materials such as wool which is a renewable, biodegradable resource.

‘Dazzle’ by design studio Pentagram at the V&A is an experimental piece on display this Design Festival which Dashing have their eyes on. Connected with the concept of camouflage in a similar way to traditional hunting tweeds, artists during the First World War pioneered disruptive geometric patterns for obscuring battleships. Pentagram have re-interpreted the illusions using typographic explorations from poems creating an immersive Dazzle room which Dashing is looking forward to visiting.

If like Dashing, the richness and history of textiles gets you excited then don’t miss the fabulous opportunity to view the V&A’s incredible historic collection at Blyth House. This is an old postal office that now stores all of the finest textiles in the V&A’s collection. The site is rarely open to the public and glimpsing through the archives fills Dashing with inspiration and wonder.

In line In line with this year’s London Design Festival, Dashing connects with London through their own Islington based weave design studio. This is Dashing’s hub of creativity, run by Kirsty, the studio hand weaves all new developments of the biannual collections before full scale production is woven in the best British mills.

If you would like to explore the events on during London Design Festival, click here and do stop by the Dashing flagship shop at 47 Dorset Street as Marylebone Design District is offering workshops and events during this year’s festival as well.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

Dashing Introduces Womenswear!

We are happy to announce that Dashing now offers womenswear made to measure. We wanted to be able to cater to the needs of any women who walk through our doors and enjoy our vast selection of cloth. Our brand is all about fusing heritage with modern technology, which is evident in our wide variety of cloth, enabling both men and women to create their unique piece of clothing using our designs.

Our womenswear Made to Measure is a contemporary synthesis of luxury and elegance, aiming to reflect our brand vision and concept as wardrobe staples. Following a made to measure service which covers the fitting and design process, where we finalise each detail to create your individual Dashing look.

Whether you are looking for a jacket for work, a wedding or just for everyday wear, our vast range of designs and stylistic choices can suit any occasion.

To ensure the perfect fit, we tailor our womenswear using a range of in house blocks sizes. We then take all your measurements against these to ensure we achieve the look and fit you require, covering every aspect from the positioning of darts, height of waist, width of lapel and length of jacket.

If you would like to create your own made to measure jacket in any of our designs, please drop us an email here or stop by our shop to get measured up at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

Our Autumn/Winter 2018 Collection

When preparing your wardrobe for the new season, remember a few worthwhilepossessions are better than many. Our AW18 fabrics are of the highest quality, woven in the Scottish Borders, featuring a range of tonal colours to suit any ensemble.

Each cloth design from our AW18 collection fuses the concept of traditional tailoring through an upbeat and fresh perspective, using aesthetically pleasing tonal hints, such as denim and charcoal greys, as seen in the ‘Queen‘ cloth below.

The ‘Bowie’ cloth is slightly extroverted in it’s acidic colour palette, but remains classic by nature, woven using a soft Lambswool yarn in the Scottish Borders.

Unlined and with a soft shoulder, the ‘Bolan’ has a more relaxed feel, this tailored cloth is ideal for casual events and everyday wear. The immersion of blue hues gives the cloth an energetic feel, balancing out the smoky grey base.

Named after 70’s Scottish pop band, Bay City Rollers dressed to the nines in their tartan and flair, the ‘Rollers‘ cloth brings colour and texture back to tailoring, updating the traditional British look.

Our ‘Bay City’ design is a great choice for the winter season as one can easily layer underneath. The cloth features our new yarn quality for this season, using lambswool, making it suitable for soft, lightweight winter jackets at 12 ounces.

Using our made to measure service, this enables our customers to design their own suits and jackets from the lapel width to the jacket length. The ‘Rollers‘ jacket below features a wider peak lapel and a well structured shoulder on the jacket.

If you would like to create your own made to measure suit or jacket using our AW18 cloth, please drop us an email at holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk or stop by our shop at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

Dashing’s AW18 Cloth Collection

For the upcoming Autumn/Winter 2018 season, Dashing’s focus was all about bringing character and charm to the collection. The original sounds of sixties bands such as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen and The Kinks infused all corners of the world, leading the way for evermore experimental psychedelic acts. Dashing’s latest collection is highly influenced by these stars, appropriating the names for their newly designed fabrics.

Dashing’s staple combination of British heritage and modern technology is most evident in the ‘Bolan’ cloth, with various hues of sea tones, giving the look a flamboyant edge.

The AW18 ‘Kiss‘ design features a combination of plum, forest green, denim and black in the cloth as shown below. The design takes tweed into a new dimension, made up of traditional British wool and following a modern weave structure, making it highly unique.

Lambswool gives these cloth designs a lustrous soft touch. Bauhaus inspired block shapes with a rich red overcheck bestows the ‘Bay City‘ cloth with a design reminiscent of tweed classics shown below.

The ‘Hoople’ cloth features complex interlacing square structures in pure Merino wool. The design is a lighter weight cloth from our AW18 collection, resembling a small basket weave turned through 45 degrees. The small 5mm scale of the repeat detail enables a soft drape of the cloth to fall beautifully, making it ideal for casual everyday suits as well as dinner jackets.

Woven in Scotland and made up of 100% British wool, the ‘Queen‘ design features a stepped structure with black, green, charcoal and denim tones. Rich dark tones in broken stripes gives this design a subtle yet impressive impact for the wearer.

Eminently wearable, the ‘Bowie’ design is both adventurous yet classic. The shades of acid moss green, charcoal and grey amalgamate to create a fabulous fusion woven using a soft Lambswool yarn.

The ‘Sweet‘ cloth features pink reflective yarn running through the design, in order to give it a fresh and contemporary feel.

The ‘Mott‘ design is woven in the Scottish Borders, using 100% Merino wool with an end-and-end warp of navy and purple pavement colour way combined with the weft which uses a plum and London grey tonal base, giving the cloth a mottled colour effect.

The ‘Wizzard‘ features a soft blue reflective yarn woven through, making it suitable for relaxed evening wear especially when it’s paired with a simple shirt, bringing out the blue vibrance.

At Dashing, there is a selection of the AW18 designs made up into overcoats, individual jackets as well as 3 piece suits, so do stop by the flagship shop at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone to try on the pieces. Alternatively, if you would like to create your own made to measure jacket or suit in any of the new cloth designs you can drop an email to: holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

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Tailors Uncovered: Edward Sexton

For sheer rock n’ roll sex appeal combined with a timeless elegance and impeccable tailoring there is only one man to visit, Edward Sexton.

His sculptural forms have been worn by iconic stars of the twentieth century from the Beatles to Twiggy. Mick and Bianca Jagger were married in matching white trouser suits cut by Edward, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss regularly partied in his suits and now-a-days Harry Styles is often seen in a hallmark Sexton suit in bright fuchsia.

Edward made his name whilst working for Tommy Nutter. At the time in the early 1970’s bespoke tailoring and high fashion still went very much hand in hand and the team at Nutters of Savile Row created an architectural style with a strong rope shoulder, wide peaked lapels, high arm holes and a long waisted one button jacket that when combined with the panache of the customers set the era alight.

Not only men flocked to have suits cut by Edward, Twiggy with her gamine beauty, started a whole new trend for ladies tailoring and the body fit required to accentuate a feminine form through mens tailoring methods meant that Edward had to develop patterns and a fit that hugged the body like no other.

Refining his skills and with a list of eager customers Edward decided to move closer to where they lived, setting up his atelier in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge. Now with the help of his two right hand men Dominic and Peter as well as his grandson Henry the house is still thriving with a busy workshop and keen apprentices eager to learn skills that only Edward can teach.

Dominic Sebag-Montefiore joined over ten years ago after working with Maurice Sedwell as a trouser cutter and now as well as cutting many of the suits he helps manage their offshore ‘bespoke’, a chance to snap up a Sexton suit for a deal less then the in house ones. Interestingly chatting with Dominic, he sees a whole new desire for tailoring by the younger generation.

The creative and tech industries have turned things on their head, as “athleisure” has replaced the suit at work so tailoring has become the choice for nights out and weekends. Without the constraints of dull greys and navy the choice of colour and cloth is more important. Time to pay Edward a visit and add an iconic Dashing x Sexton suit to the wardrobe.

Ways to Wear Waistcoats this Summer

Footballers and fashion often go hand in hand, highlighting all sorts of dubious looks but this season a classic has proved to be the winner. Anyone watching England during the World Cup could not have failed to notice Gareth Southgate supporting his team from the side lines with a sangfroid. Only a confident well respected leader can muster.

Composure is as much a state of mind as a state of dress and throughout history the English have lead the way. With his crisp shirt, tie and the all important waistcoat Gareth has at least bought some style home. Waistcoat sales at M&S have risen by 100% and a ‘Waistcoat Wednesday’ trend has been spurned on through social media.

In a way the waistcoat is the an item of clothing of the people. First seen in it’s modern form as part of a simple wool suit worn by King Charles II. Following the previous decapitated king, Charles II showed his humble side to the people through simplicity of dress. The waistcoat is not only elegant but very practical, a place to traditionally keep a watch, safe keep a wedding ring and cover up crumpled shirts and bulging waistbands.

There are only a few rules when it come to wearing a waistcoat, they can be worn in matching or complementary fabrics, they can be made with or without lapels, and can be double or single breasted. The one thing that is a must is for the waistcoat to cover the trouser waistband, nothing looks worse than a piece of shirt poking out like an errant finger puppet.

At Dashing we offer made to measure waistcoats in any style using our unique fabrics. From the quiet simplicity of navy night vibe to the raver designs in our Lumatwill reflective tweed. In fact many customers have ordered waistcoats with cloth backs in this fabric as elegant, safety cycle wear.

Drop an email to: Holly@Dashingtweeds.co.uk to book an appointment or visit us at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

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Draper’s Magazine – Dashing Tweeds opens on Dorset Street

Dashing’s new shop featured on Draper’s Magazine, read the full story here

Dashing’s New Home

We want to welcome our customers into a complete Dashing world. The concept of the brand is to enrich your life through creative textiles, giving you more colour and character. We chose to move into a larger, more relaxed environment in the convivial area of Marylebone.

The sitting room of an art collector was the inspiration behind our shop fit, a place where sculpture, art and clothing sit comfortably side by side. To achieve our idiosyncratic look, we worked alongside close members of the family who share the vision of creativity and modern luxury. Alexander Hills is embarking on his new architectural practice, his design skills and attention to detail were exactly what we needed. Alex’s CNC’d cabinet of curiosities has our weave patterns etched through technology and he specified all of the mirrors and metal works meticulously.

We worked alongside Retrouvius, set up by Guy’s other brother, Adam to cover vintage Danish sofa sets using our peak design. Especially woven for the new shop, the mustard peak complements the teal velvet curtains and British wool carpet.

The shop is filled with artworks both old and new. The contemporary light feature in our new shop, a key focal point, is from gallerist Marion Friedmann and created by a young Mexican artist, Pedro Cerisola.

We look forward to welcoming you soon to the shop where you can relax and learn more about our new collections and made to measure whilst having a drink. Visit us at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

All the best,

The Dashing Team

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Dashing’s Bespoke Nike Sneakers

Since our collaboration with Converse a few years back we have the honour of being one of the few British cloth brands to be officially endorsed by Nike and regular collaborate on bespoke creations. The Dashing team recently stopped by the Nike Lab in Shoreditch, East London to customise a pair of bespoke Nike Lab Air Force 1 sneakers from scratch. Using our latest AW18 cloth arrival, ‘Sweet‘ which features coloured reflective yarn woven using merino wool throughout the cloth. We decided to incorporate the newest design in the high top sneaker to give it a sophisticated yet casual look, making it wearable in any outfit.

We met with Nike Lab Design Consultants, Sam and Jess at the appointment to discuss and review the complete range of unique material options to help build the ideal Dashing high top sneakers, from the laces and tongue label to the stitching and hardware.

Through the personal design experience, Dashing were able to choose from a range of three iconic silhouettes, including the Air Max, Air Force 1 Low’s and Air Force 1 High’s.

Dashing chose to keep the brand identity at the core, using our logo colours of deep pink and tonal greys to balance the design, along with a rich red to structure the shoe and highlight our latest Autumn/Winter 2018 ‘Sweet’cloth design which will be launching in August. The complete design process takes between 6-8 weeks, but it is definitely worth the wait if you are looking for a pair of sneakers that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

To customise your own pair of Nike Lab sneakers, drop by 477-478 Bateman’s Row Road, Shoreditch, London to book an appointment, and if you would like to customise your crepes using our cloth, email us at: holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk and we can arrange it for you.

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Be Global Fashion Network – Dashing Tweeds new flagship store in Marylebone

Dashing’s latest feature on Be Global Fashion Network, discussing our exciting new shop, now open at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

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Dashing Man: Robin Wight

Robin Wight is a man of ideas, action and a great deal of charm.

Working as a copy writer, Robin was lucky enough to have hit the hay day of London’s advertising scene, describing himself as an English version of the American ‘Mad Men’. Robin is currently the Co-Founder of advertising agency WRCS and president of The Engine Group.

With a fine tall figure ideal for tailoring, Robin is without a doubt one of Dashing’s most colourful customers, a great admirer of quality British fabrics and a huge fan of the colour purple.

Interestingly Robin was not always such a flamboyant dresser and ironical it was the work place after leaving Cambridge that encouraged his exhibitionism. In the world of advertising during the 70’s and 80’s a personal identity was important especially amongst creatives, a way to be remembered and establish a personal brand. Initially Robin sported bowties and hand painted waistcoats as his ‘brand signalling device’, becoming known in the industry as the bow tie wearing Ad Man.

Gaining sartorial confidence and enjoying the positivity that surrounds a dashing dresser, Robin dropped the bow ties on the advice of his third wife and moved on to wearing Versace’s exciting designs. Then, for a while the flamboyant colours of Ozwald Boateng’s collections took his fancy. Around this time Robin found himself gravitating towards the colour purple, not due to regal aspirations or knowledge of the historical expense of the colour but just because he liked it, and it suited him.

Purple soon became Robin’s thing and friends would question “Where’s your purple Robin?” feeling miffed if he turned up in anything else. Always on the look out for beautiful cloth Robin found his way to Dashing Tweeds. His eyes lit up upon entering our shop and such was his enthusiasm that we offered to weave special purple fabrics just for him after he had exhausted our current stock. We recommended the tailors Graham Browne and Chittleborough and Morgan to Robin as ones that would enjoy his company and respond well to his taste and as you can see the result is splendid. When questioned as to his sartorial commitment and joie de vivre it came as no surprise to hear, “I always want to perform and purple is the stage on which I stand”.

Swing by our store on 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7ND or if you would like to book a Made to Measure appointment, please drop us an email at: holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk

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Drapers Magazine – Sophie Hulme and Dashing Tweeds opens at The Portman Estate

Dashing’s latest feature on Drapers Magazine, discussing our new shop opening on 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone.

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A Walk on the Wide Side

The wide legged trouser trend is flourishing, you may have noticed your more fashionable friends already sporting the flowing look. The antithesis of uptight, clinging trousers that have dominated for far too long, Oxford Bags or simply Bags as they were called in a previous incarnation are not only flattering but also impart an effortless sangfroid to any look. Couple a pair of bags with a polo shirt and old school loafers to channel your inner Gene Kelly or jump a couple of decades, let your hair down, and with a simple white shirt and extra wide bags the cool of Bowie is yours.

At Dashing we are constantly pioneering new wool weave structures and designs, the light weight Merinos we use for summer are exactly right for wide legged bags, they have enough body to drape in a way that is not really possible with cotton and yet are fine enough to keep you cool.

New young fashion designers such as Charles Jeffrey are welcoming the wide legged look into their collections, taking inspiration from previous decades but through the use of modern materials making them unique to the early twenty first century.Stylist to the stars, Tom Stubbs has become a great fan of our wide legged trousers, bringing singer David Gray in as well as featuring them in his regular How to Spend it column. Our customers are also enjoying the new cut and the fact that a single pair of trousers when worn high on the natural waist can give a whole new fresh aspect to your look.We have a whole range of colours available in small elegant weaves as well as stripes and checks. If you would like us to design a pair of Oxford Bags for you, please do drop by the shop or 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7ND or send us an email.

Dashing Interviews: Daniele Savaré

Raised in a small town 25km from Milan, Daniele Savaré is the 53 year old creative mind behind the label, Connection Knitwear and Clothing which is handcrafted by skilled artisans in Italy. Immersed in the Mod scooter scene and a lover of vintage cars, Daniele graduated with an Economics degree in 1989 post military service, later working for over 20 years in the Assets Management and Investment Funds Industry as a Portfolio Manager.

We talked to Daniele about fashion, style and the birth of his brand with his partner Camila, which began with knits and later extended into outerwear and tailor-made clothing, combining heritage allure with modern durability, and his love of Dashing Tweeds.

The mod subculture plays a huge impact on your life, what first attracted you to the scooter scene?

I have always had an instinctive attraction for 60’s and early 70’s sporty cars, since a child. Many of the cars I liked weren’t ‘vintage’ yet, of course. Scooters came a bit later, as a natural consequence. Being involved in the Mod scene in my teens and after some visits to the UK, where the scooter culture was much more developed than in Italy, enhanced this passion. I bought my first scooter, which I still own, as soon as I found a job in 1990.

What scooters and cars do you own?

At the moment I have five Lambrettas, of which one is a sidecar outfit, and a classic car. All of the Lambrettas (a 1957 TV1, a 1960 TV2, a 1963 LI, a 1965 TV200 and a 1966 SX225 with Watsonian Bambini sidecar) are customised. My car is a 1970 Lancia Flavia Coupè 2000, I don’t own modern cars. Before this I owned a 1971 Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1.3S and an Innocenti Mini 1001, which was a bit tuned up.

What events have you taken part in?

We tend to take part in local rallies for both classic cars and scooters and every now and then there are some track days. Under the mod/ scooter point of view, the event we prefer is the Brighton Mod weekend during the August Bank Holiday. We’d like to attend an event in Japan or the Far East sooner or later such as Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia. We have some friends there who are very dedicated to the scooter scene, making it vibrant and full of life. Who knows, maybe one day.

Is there a particular type of music you listen to?

Mainly jazz, from Bebop to Free.

How would you describe your style and do you have any style icons?

My style during the years (we can say ‘decades’ by now) moved from a ‘purist’, or at least that’ss how I liked to define it, to being more open to other influencers like the 1910s and 1920s dandies or the vintage military and sportswear. I think that the new inputs didn’t water down the mod ‘core’ but on the contrary, it added more of an individual touch.

My first style icons were the jazz musicians portrayed in their dark suits, button down shirts and thin silk or knitted ties on the Blue Note covers. Many Italian and French actors of the 1950s/ 60s cinema were a big influence. It was a period in which good taste was so widespread that you almost couldn’t go wrong, picking this or that.

How do you achieve your style? Which tailors do you work with and do you also buy vintage?

I like to buy vintage, especially accessories and military pieces, which are also an interesting source of inspiration. As for my own more ‘formal’ attire, I have used a few different tailors along the years. Now I especially like the Neapolitan tailoring style which is based on natural shoulders, soft-structured jackets, lean silhouettes and many small details that, in my opinion, can make the difference. The ‘Sartoria’ we work with for our tailoring collection is based in Naples, and we’re very happy with their job with all of the hand cutting and stitching.

What is it you like about Dashing Tweeds?

I like the idea behind Dashing Tweeds, the concept of taking traditional British sportswear and fabric from the countryside to a more urban scenario, adding new life and opportunities to one of my favourite materials ever. I like the way Dashing have implemented it, in terms of quality, texture, vibrant colours. It’s the perfect cloth for a modern urban gentleman who is forward minded but with solid roots in tradition.

To find out more about Connection Knitwear, do check out their website and if you have any questions about our collections that Daniele has used, please visit our shop at 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7ND or check out our website DashingTweeds.co.uk.

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Dashing around this Spring

As a way of showing you how Dashing can be worn around town we teamed up with three other brands to shoot our Spring/Summer collection. We shot our collection alongside London-based artisanal leather and luxury goods brand Pickett, bespoke shoe brand Gaziano & Girling, and British born eyewear brand Finlay & Co.

Dashing’s ethos is to create tailored menswear that sidesteps you to a world of original British heritage. The use of our unique cloth designs in an English cut imparts an insouciant modern look that others struggle to match.

Our spring collection uses lightweight Merino wool in cool open weave hopsack structures, tailored using our made to measure service. We styled a two button double breasted with informal patch pockets giving an easy to wear suit for meetings and travel. Our Seti cloth in a navy pinstripes with ombré cotton is suitable as both day and evening wear, and has proved very popular for weddings.

Wearing a suit in a dressed down way with trainers is perhaps the easiest and most flexible style, looking a cut above anyone else in separates trousers or jeans. Just throw it on with a t-shirt and attitude. Our Cromarty striped fabric fits the bill and wears well without creasing.

For the more outwardly going and fashionable individuals, our special collaboration with Royal College of Art final graduate Joe Whitbread is definitely a romantic style that is completely original and desirable.

As a way of showing you how Dashing can be worn around town we teamed up with three other brands for this shoot. Finlay and Co is a eyewear brand that shares the same ethos as Dashing in terms of hand making the sunglasses, which are infused with a rebellious spirit, celebrating the individuality of the wearer.

The only way to describe shoes from Gaziano and Girling is exquisite. Hand made in Kettering within the famous Northamptonshire area of English shoe making, they fuse traditional techniques with a style best described by the Italian term sprezzatura.

Trevour Pickett’s Mayfair store selling fine crafted leather goods and accessories is a Mayfair institution. For nearly 30 years Pickett has been selling a fabulous range of artisanal luxury products that are so useful they are probably best described as gentleman’s necessities.

If you’ve liked this post, do keep updated with the brands below, and to see more of our shoot follow us on Instagram!

Finlay & Co
Gaziano & Girling
Pickett

All the best,

The Dashing Team

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Time to Big Up British Wool

“We built this city on Work and Wool”. No not Jonathan Ross on a karaoke night out, but the true history of Norwich and many other English cities. It’s hard to believe nowadays just what an important resource British wool used to be. Norwich in the Middle Ages was second only to London due to wealth created from wool exports, and to this day politicians have a constant reminder of this when the Lord Speaker rises from the Woolsack, a stuffed bale placed in the House of Lords by Edward III in the mid 14th century.

Britain has over 60 native breeds of sheep, more than any other country and the wool from these most useful beasts was highly sought after especially in Flanders where the best weavers worked. A large focus of the Hundred Year War with France was to protect this trade and when conditions became intolerable many Flemish wool workers decided to come here and set up their looms around Norfolk, Suffolk and the Yorkshire Dales.

The weaving industry started to flourish with help from the government who passed laws including one in the 1570’s which insisted all Englishmen had to wear a woollen cap to church on Sundays. A law which should again be enforced for people going to yoga classes I feel. The influential Campaign for Wool started towards this with their Woolly Hat Day event and more importantly the patron Prince Charles gathered leading members of the industry a couple of years ago to Dumfries House for the signing of a declaration to help the wool beleaguered industry. The annual Wool Week event is also growing awareness since its inception in 2015 when flocks grazed on the freshly turfed Savile Row.

The good news is that British wool is now starting to become more sought after. Only a few years ago wool from our native sheep had so little value that a whole fleece fetched under one pound at auction, less than the cost of shearing and transport, encouraging farmers just to burn it. The floccinaucinihilipilification of wool has been due in no small part to the creation of synthetic fabrics made from plastics and crude oils. Now at last we are learning that the environmental costs of these cheap clothes is huge, new research shows that even microfibres from synthetics washed at home are entering the food chain, impacting on the welfare of the whole planet.

Wool is a natural renewable resource and the original cloth of the British Isles but our sheep do tend to have thicker fibres compared with fine Merino yarns coming from Australia. This has led to it’s use in carpets, rugs and even loft insulation. However, with cross breeding and ameliorating climate breeds such as the Bluefaced Leicester and Wensleydale are producing exquisite lustre yarns for suitings and tweeds. A while back we wove a lovely collection with Romney Marsh Wools and soon we will be exploring the use of rare breed sheep for exquisite modern tweed collections. Hopefully soon customers after picking up their morning single estate Guatemalan lattes and Venezuelan Criollo chocolate bars will come in asking for a Jacob Wool jacket and a Clun Forest cap.

If you have any questions or would like to book a Made to Measure appointment to add a dash of British wool to your wardrobe, please visit us on 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7ND or drop us an email on: holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

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Preparing your Summer Wardrobe

One morning soon you will be awoken by warm shafts of light and bird songs, with a spring you will leap from bed and rifle through the wardrobe looking for those favourite pieces from last year, the ones that remind you of the sea and orange blossom. Only then will you discover that either the moths have got there first, or you’ve forgotten about that night in the bushes when not only you were shredded. Fear not gentlemen, we can rebuild it, we have the technology, we have the capability to create new made-to-measure trousers and jackets for you, for way under 6 million dollars, if you are old enough to log these misused quotes.

Our new spring cloths are open fine Merinos, evoking the British seaside. We have stripes and checks as well as plains in rusty navy and a salmon. In addition, our Merino designs from last year proved such a success that we have rewoven the top choices of Seti, as seen above, and Talla.

Summer is about being prepared for spontaneity, like a good boy scout you should be ready for any eventuality. There’s nothing worse than forgetting your woggle when others whip out there neckerchiefs. So be prepared and accessorise accordingly. Silk squares add a splash of colour to your summer look as well as having many other good uses, sunglasses when worn in the right occasions are of course great fun to hide behind.

Ties or other forms of neck wear, with or without woggles are important additions to formalise any look. I always think a boutonnière, as the French call flowers in the buttonhole, add a finishing touch and some nature to your suit. Don’t go in for some elaborate floral arrangement, just pick a small bud or even a fresh leaf or sprig of herb from the neighbours garden as you walk pass, a lightness of touch is key. Devil-may-care nonchalance is so much more attractive than studied vanity.

Our made to measure process could not be easier, and very affordable at £800 for a tailored jacket and £450 for trousers. Drop by the shop, try on the block sizes and then decide what changes you would like. For the trousers we have adjusted the block to create fashionable Oxford Bags by widening the thigh and leg as well as increasing the rise, allowing the trousers to be comfortably worn up on your natural waist, although of course you can decide on any of tailoring styles and features for your better, stronger, faster new wardrobe.

If you have any questions or would like to book a Made to Measure appointment to add more summer weights into your wardrobe, please visit us on 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7NDt or drop us an email on: holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk

All the very best,

The Dashing Team

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The History of Colour

For men, wearing colour is much more than just a mood thing. You may be feeling blue or having the luck of a purple patch but the colour of your attire is much more important than mere whim.

We have lost the subtle associations of the value of colours over the years, the fact that to obtain enough purple dye for Marcus Aurelius’ toga, over 100,000 Murex snails had to be ‘milked’ of their prized mucous secretions puts this into perspective. Equally, cochineal red dye used for the red coats of British soldiers up until the mid 19th century relied on a small army of Mexican farmers. Eighty thousand insects, each about a half a centimetre long had to be prized off spiky cactus plants and ground up just for a kilo of dye. A worthwhile investment for army generals who choose red uniforms primarily to disguise blood stains of the wounded. The shocking sight of a bleeding friend could dampen the fervour of your assault.

Colours, now without monetary associations are still charged with social implications. I find it hard to look at bright orange with out thinking of Guantanamo Bay prisoners and softer shades of saffron cause an inverse Pavlovian response as my ears prick up for the passing bells of Hare Krishna’s. Yes, colour is fraught with so much social coding that it is understandable why many benighted folk retreat under the cover of black. To wear colour well you need a greater deal of sophistication than our average goth or chromatic objector, but the rewards are manifold and both your own life and those around you will be enriched.

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As with so many art forms learning a few simple rules makes it easier to get started on your polychromic journey. Music provides a good analogy, jumping into dissonant, twelve tone compositions is unlikely to win over your friends, even Boulez and Stockhausen started with simple scales. Leave a clash or even a riot of colour till your have mastered harmony. Start with a simple tone you like, all skins have different hues, it is easier to wear brighter colours if your skin is darker but perhaps start with your eyes and choose a darker shade of blue, green or brown. I have noticed that brighter blues have been becoming more popular over the last few years. The colour I call Pitti blue (after its popularity at the menswear shows in Florence) looks good on most people, it is more vibrant than navy and anything you with wear with it tends to pop out in a pleasing way. Our Seti cloth is slight brighter than navy and the colours of the Japanese yarn stripes are a great start for colour harmonies if you experiment with combinations of shirts, socks and neck wear.

Ties are a traditional way to apply colour as well as providing coded signals of your interests, clubs and education to the informed. Whilst I’m not advocating a change to traditional formality in the workplace, quite the opposite, I wish I saw more classic gents wearing three piece pinstripes, bowlers and red carnations when I visit the square mile, I do think that your off duty attire should become a time for you to enjoy playing with tonal compositions.

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The trend for brighter menswear is a last gathering pace again, not some much as in the love children of hippies but in the more sophisticated intercourse of tech sports wear and tailoring. Some have named this trend ‘Athleisure’ a bastardisation whose rightful heir is of course Dashing Tweeds.

If you have any questions or would like to book a Made to Measure appointment, please visit us on 47 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 7ND or drop us an email on holly@dashingtweeds.co.uk

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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.

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’.

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/

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!

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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!

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Joyous Dressing for Christmas

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.

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.

Ties 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.

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.

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’.