It’s a Pitti, But Someone Has To Do It

The end of any year is oft’ a heady time, as we endeavour to tie up loose ends and clear the decks ahead of Christmas.

Often referred to as the silly season, it encourages pandemonium as people scrabble to meet deadlines – or false deadlines as a friend recently described them – and draw a line under one’s achievements and challenges, milestones and anniversaries and births and deaths – and, sadly, I encountered more than my fair share of the latter in 2015.

But with each new year comes fresh challenge and, if we are lucky, a feeling of renewed vigour; think of New Year resolutions which we are motivated to commit to, inspired by our shortcomings, or our desire to improve upon something which we feel we could do better.

My own personal resolution is ‘to be in the moment‘, something which I heard Kim Ingleby speak about at the TedX Talks event at Bristol’s Colston Hall last year and which is a state of mind I have long since strived for.

My professional resolution has been to seek the assistance of a PA; something which I have been encouraged to do by one’s peers who have reaped the reward of having their time freed up to enable them to drive their businesses and focus on those things which they are most suited to; their strongest suits, if you’d pardon the pun.

In my case it will afford me the opportunity to focus not only on the future of Brown in Town, but enable me to be more creative in our campaigns – which, whilst I enjoy every element of their creation, take me no small amount of time and energy I can assure you – whilst continuing to meet with our customers to discuss their sartorial requirements and facilitate their ideas for fantastic suits or shirts, jackets, slacks and overcoats etc.

But, more poignantly, I will be able to keep in touch with our patrons. Some have been with me for many years and I am rarely able to join them at the bar and wax lyrical about the order of things, or, indeed the style of the day, because in two short years, Brown in Town has become that busy. Incredible, but true.

So, having found the answer to our prayers in the form of our Claire – Brown in Town’s saving grace and Queen of organisation – I am ready to seize the moment, which has begun with a trip to Florence to witness the sartorial powerhouse which is the Pitti Uomo faire.

Were inspiration of a sartorial kind ever needed, then the movers and shakers at the bi-annual Pitti Faire certainly provide it and provide it in spades. From Italy’s master tailors, to Savile Row, everyone and anyone who is passionate about their craft is represented.

I am also looking forward to catching up with artisans whose handcrafted products we stock in our own atelier, for example Fox Umbrellas and also my shoemaker of choice Cheaney & Sons. I also hope to meet one’s tailoring peers from across the water, such as Pironne Massimo and also closer to home, Savile Row’s belle of the ball, Richard James.

But the Holy Grail of the trip is none other than the indispensable pocket square. Some of the best pocket squares in the world are made in Italy using the finest silks, batistes, cottons and linens and since the demise of our local pocket square supplier, we are on the hunt for a worthy successor. I am keen to stock elegant squares featuring timeless designs and patterns, such as polka dot, paisley, floral and simple bordered designs; simple and timeless.

And while there are new projects which Saffron Darby and I are keen to embark upon this New Year, they are going to have to wait just a few more days.. It’s a Pitti, but someone has to do it!

All the best, look forward to seeing you in 2016.