Service with a Smile
A Life in Service
Saffron Darby and I were recently marvelling at old French brasserie waiters' jackets — pawing over a wonderfully sexy image in 'How to Spend it' of a French waiter pouring champagne into coupe glasses balanced on a tray, steadied by his other hand, while models changed backstage somewhere in 1953 (the picture is by Kurt Hutton). It's the kind of image that does two things at once: it makes you want to cut a Mise Chef's Jacket in that exact style, and it reminds you that our new clientele serve, just as we do.
In fact, I've spent my entire career in service. Serving people. Solving their problems and dilemmas. Meeting their needs — and, on occasion, their whims. Because hospitality, at its best, is about serving the best cocktail, the coolest beer, the skin-contact wine, the perfect small plate. And at Brown in Town and Mise, we serve our customers' needs in exactly the same spirit.
It's safe to say that after a lifetime of not quite knowing what I wanted to do, I've found my vocation in retail — surrounded by beautiful products, talented designers, and spaces that tick every box of satisfaction. But at its heart, it's a life of service. Serving others by meeting their needs, solving their issues, and — with Saffron designing and me serving — building something between us that works.
My alarmingly long career in retail has taken me from a hair salon to a skate shop, to importing skateboard clothing from California, to the furniture floor at Habitat and their contract department, to a customer service role that came in handy later at The Conran Shop, where I was their global QA for all returns. I'll admit — 7 times out of 10, it came down to customer perception rather than the product itself.
My introduction to tailoring, though, came overseas — a three-year contract with Target Corp in the US, who posted me to South East Asia, Bangkok to be precise. Along with a housekeeper and a maid (read: an entirely new life), I was introduced to my tailor. That raised an eyebrow at first, but I soon grew used to collaborating with my Indian tailor on all sorts of things — not just suits, but kurtas, sandals, camp-collar shirts, and more. I wish I still had half of it, but that was twenty years ago now.
Still, the seed had been planted. When the chemistry between maker and wearer worked, it was exciting, creative, and genuinely addictive — I couldn't wait to see what came off the cutting table next.
Because ultimately, retail is a service industry. It may not carry quite the same gruelling hours as hospitality, but the instinct is identical: understand what someone needs, and help them get it.
Brown in Town has been serving customers for over twelve years now, and we take real pleasure in understanding where our customers are coming from — and where they're headed. We give a brief history of cloth so informed decisions can be made, and, where it helps, we'll steer someone toward the most complementary colours.
I'll be honest — dressing grooms is a particular joy, not to mention an honour. They invariably want a steady hand and a bit of guidance, and there's something wonderful about being trusted with a day that matters that much.
Mise Supply, on the other hand, serves the servant, as it were. This new string to our bow — this amuse-bouche of a business — delights in collaborating with some of the hospitality industry's finest chefs, waiters, and sommeliers to create livery they've designed themselves: something they're proud to wear, and, above all, fit for purpose. With Mise Supply, we get to serve the people who have, in many cases, been serving us for years.
Whichever side of the table you’re on, it's the same instinct at heart — to notice what someone needs before they have to ask, and to take real pride in giving it to them. That's the job. It always has been.