Things What I Have Learned: 2023

Photo @kittywsphoto

Life begins at 50…

Well, they actually say that life begins at 40 but I am not sure they were referring to parenthood, or maybe they were?

However, whilst I truly believe that every milestone brings with it a sense of liberty and that was certainly the case upon becoming a parent at 40; 50 brought with it a rather special sense of sartorial liberty in the form of the Neckerchief, which we first took a shine to in our 30’s. 

My dear friend The Major’s father, whom we would visit in Pembrokeshire each year would always be wearing a neckerchief. He wore one when he was gardening, repairing bikes which he would hire to guests of his guesthouse near Fishguard and when going out the pub. I thought he was most debonair, but didn’t fancy my chances of pulling this rather flamboyant look-off at the age of 30: so I set my sights on 50 and have not looked back..

This new look was kickstarted last June when Saffron Darby dressed me as Danny Zuko for a friends Musical themed Birthday party. Next morning, whilst packing for Pitti Uomo, I found the aforementioned neckerchief still in my possession when I was packing and so thought it would be fun to kidnap it and send a postcard from Pisa when I landed; the rest is history. 

Something we were not expecting at 50 however, was to be getting married. But when your beloved suggests ,“perhaps they might like to be married” before they clock-up another zero (bearing in mind it was also during Lockdown) then of course we dutifully oblige. 

And what a wonderful day it was, filled with love and laughter, fine wine and good food courtesy of Café Murano in Mayfair, not to mention a chance encounter with celebrity tobacconist Edward Sahakian of Davidoff, which is next to Café Murano. 

Being an occasional visitor to the Davidoff emporium and a fan of their historical frontage, I took the opportunity to be snapped beneath it’s fabulous facade by our wonderful wedding photographer Kitty Wheeler Shaw; just as Edward appeared outside to enjoy a cigar in the doorway. After introducing myself and explaining why I was paying homage to his fabulous shop, he disappeared into his humidor and returned brandishing a Romeo & Juliette No. 1 cigar and presented it to me, “for the No. 1 man of the day” he said; a gesture that would have bold anyone over, but given my penchant for epicurean delights not to mention the occasion I was humbled and almost speechless. 

Thank you Edward.

Also no stranger to the epicurean delights was the late A.A. Gill who inspired not only our palettes with his candid reviews of London’s best eateries but has on many occasions inspired my own sense of style. 

Gill dressed with a theatrical abandon which always grabbed my attention and I dare say a few others. Not that I would wear what he wore, anymore than I would expect our customers to wear what I wear, but if it inspires others to explore their own sartorial freedom then we are on the right track. That said, our Banner Jacket which I designed as a utilitarian alternative to cotton safari-style shirts and jackets, has proved more popular than any other design bar none. Life in the old dog yet!

And whereas AA Gill’s reportage may not have inspired a view of the world through rose tinted glasses, he did actually inspire my own rose tinted glasses which were a gift from Cutler & Gross and which I first saw worn by Gill many years ago and have hankered after ever since.

Roll on the next Decade!