Formal wear origins

We work mainly with international 

advertisers. If you are interested 

in our advertising rates, 

please contact 

Jérôme Stéfanski, 

jerome.stefanski@scabal.com 

or +32 (0)475 41 63 62 

Nothing in this magazine may be 

reproduced in whole or in part without 

the written permission of the publisher. 

The publisher cannot be held 

responsible for the views and opinions expressed 

in this magazine by authors and contributors. 

Bespoken is neither responsible 

for nor endorses the content of 

advertisements printed on its pages. 

Bespoken cannot be held responsible 

for any error or inaccuracy in such 

advertising material. 

Editor: 

Jérôme Stéfanski 

Publisher: 

Gregor Thissen 

Project Coordinator: 

Kristel Geets 

Styling: 

Sylvain Gadeyne 

Graphic Design: 

BaseDESIGN 

Writers: 

Nigel Bishop 

Bruce Boyer 

Alan Cannon-Jones 

Dave Lackie 

Peter Marshall 

Eric Musgrave 

Stephen Papandropoulos 

Emma Portier Davis 

Janet Prescott 


Proofreading: 

ReadRight.be 

Photographers: 

Ronald Stoops 

Stephen Papandropoulos 

Filip Vanzieleghem 

Fotostudio Uyttebroeck 

Illustrators: 

Mohsin Ali 

Jean-Baptiste Biche 

Olivier Van Begin 

SCABAL 

Boulevard d’Anvers, 33 

B–1000 Brussels 

Belgium 

Phone: + 32 (0)2 217 50 55 

www.scabal.com 

Do you have any suggestions or feedback? 

Let us know at www.bespoken.com 

Bespoken is printed on environmentally 

friendly, fair-trade paper 

EDITORIAL COMMENT 

CLOSER 

TO YOU 

In this ninth edition of Bespoken, we will take up a little more space to talk 

about ourselves – please bear with us. In our pages, you will find a large section 

dedicated to the new communication concept that attempts to bring Scabal 

closer to you, our valued reader and customer. It is our aim to bring our two main 

strengths – the fabrics and garments – closer together. By visually combining 

these two elements, we wish to underline our competence as a fabric specialist 

among the international garment brands. We will try to enhance the information 

content that we provide and contribute to the general level of information 

about fabrics, their origins, specificities and features. At the same time, our 

new concept, ‘Mr Fabric’, will also provide a bridge between the design and 

technology side of cloth and the personality of the suit’s wearer, expressed by our 

motto, ‘Made-By-You’. 

Following many months of crisis, the world is perhaps in the mood to celebrate 

again; we have noticed the much-welcomed return of formal wear to the fashion 

scene, a trend about which we are very enthusiastic. Tuxedo, dinner jacket, 

morning coat; all forms of ceremonial and evening wear have become popular 

once more and are being reinterpreted in creative ways. However, it still seems 

that there is confusion about what to wear for which occasion – Bespoken will try 

to shed some light on this issue, with some useful tips. 

Many other topics are also covered, such as Scabal’s involvement with the theatre 

and the world of opera, and there is an exclusive interview with renowned 

designer Dries Van Noten. 

The next edition will be our tenth and thus the fifth anniversary of Bespoken. 

Time flies! However, be reassured that our team is already working on a very 

special edition and on other international projects to celebrate our anniversary. 

Happy reading! 

Gregor Thissen 

J. Peter Thissen, Scabal Group Chairman (right) 

and his son Gregor, CEO 

© Scabal 

This indicates a key article 

available in a variety of 

languages at Bespoken.com 

BESPOKEN I 3

BESPOKEN N° 9 

CONTENTS 

01 Editorial Comment 

Closer to you 

04 Contributors 

Their formal touch 

06 Scabal In Figures 

More than 65 countries 

08 Temptations 

Bespoke precision 

10 Tailor’s Dictionary 

T to V 

12 Cloth Guide 

Cashmere 

14 Gentlemen’s Meeting 

Nacho Figueras: elegance returns to sport 

16 This is Scabal 

New interpretation, same authenticity 

19 Autumn – Winter 2011-2012 Trends 

MR. Fabric 

32 Autumn – Winter Style Advice 

What you should wear this winter 

36 Designer In Vogue 

Dries Van Noten: A tribute to colours and tradition 

38 Scabal On Stage 

Dramatic dressing 

2 I BESPOKEN 

42 Special Feature 

Formal Wear 

43 Formal Wear Cultures 

Formal wear as a cultural heritage 

46 Back In The Day 

Formal wear origins 

48 The Bespoke Coach 

Black or white tie? Stick to etiquette, gentlemen 

54 Formal Wear Accessories 

Sweet & Chic 

56 Scabal Across The World 

An Englishman in New York 

59 Style Tribute 

Gary Cooper: The Democratic Prince 

62 International Agenda 

Follow the dress code 

64 In People We Trust 

Fast and fastidious: The logistics of high fashion 

66 Past – Present – Future 

Openings, birthdays and so much more… 

68 Scabal Worldwide

ERIC MUSGRAVE 

CONTRIBUTORS 

THEIR FORMAL TOUCH 

“A man needs a few formal-wear options. Currently, 

I have a regular all-black suit with shawl-collar jacket, 

which is totally acceptable. But I really like exchanging 

the jacket for my Black Watch tartan tux – it is a more 

individual look. My all-time favourite formal outfit is my 

black velvet SB frock-coat suit. I wore it for my wedding 

nine years ago and it still looks excellent every time I give 

it an outing.” 

Eric Musgrave has been writing about fashion 

for nearly 30 years and is the author of the recentlypublished 

Sharp Suits, a 200-page celebration of men’s 

tailoring. An award-winning editor-in-chief while 

at Drapers, the UK’s top fashion business weekly, he 

has also held senior positions at Men’s Wear, Fashion 

Weekly, International Textiles (based in Amsterdam) 

and Sportswear International (based in Milan), as well 

as writing for numerous other publications, including 

Financial Times, The Observer and Vogue. 

PETER MARSHALL 

“While it’s always a pleasure to wear black tie to an event 

that requires it, many of my favourite formal memories 

happen afterwards. There’s something wonderfully decadent 

about strolling in to an elegant bar late at night dressed in 

a classic tuxedo and casually ordering a Manhattan as if it 

was the most normal thing in the world. That’s when that my 

formal wear truly makes me feel like a million bucks.” 

Based in Toronto, Canada, Peter Marshall is the 

creator and editor of TheBlackTieGuide.com, a full 

online guide dedicated to formal wear that draws 

42,000 visitors per month. Beginning in 2006 he 

spent five years researching and writing the site, in 

the process visiting libraries from Vancouver to New 

York and attending black-tie charity galas, opening 

night performances and formal dinners. The guide’s 

purpose is to educate men about conventional formal 

wear as a counterbalance to the pervasive bad advice 

and poor examples offered by formalwear retailers 

and red carpet celebrities. He has regularly consulted 

by authors, filmmakers and journalists on the topic 

of formal wear and future goals include publishing a 

hardcover version of The Black Tie Guide. 

4 I BESPOKEN 

ALAN CANNON-JONES 

“My favourite formal wear is the traditional black dinner suit 

with a shawl collar and lapel but my current diner jacket is a 

black double breasted suit with satin lapels. 

An important point for these occasions is that one should tie 

your own bow tie, I think that ready-made bows show a lack 

of dexterity. The last good occasion to wear my diner jacket 

was an evening held at the Merchant Taylors Company in 

Threadneedle Street, London.” 

Alan Cannon Jones is a course director and 

principal lecturer in the graduate school at the London 

College of Fashion and works as a consultant for 

tailoring, menswear and fashion design technology in 

the industry. He had more than 20 years’ experience 

working in the tailoring industry for a number of 

companies, including Chester Barrie, before taking up 

a position at the London College of Fashion. 

BRUCE BOYER 

“My belief has always been that the occasion dictates the 

clothes, and that formal occasions call for propriety in 

men’s dress. For me, the tuxedo is the proper dress for men, 

but since I also insist on comfort, I want clothes that are 

lightweight and soft. My favourite formal dress outfit is: a 

double-breasted midnight blue tuxedo in 250-300 grammes. 

fine wool with grosgrain facings, a soft voile pleated dress 

shirt, and monogrammed velvet Albert slippers. It's a style 

and philosophy pioneered by the Duke of Windsor, and still 

has relevance for me today.” 

G. Bruce Boyer has been a noted fashion writer 

and editor for more than thirty-five years. His feature 

articles have appeared in Town & Country, Esquire, 

Harper’s Bazaar, Men’s Health, Forbes, The New York 

Times, The New Yorker, The Rake and other national 

and international publications. He was the first 

American fashion journalist to write for L’Uomo Vogue 

(Men's Italian Vogue). He has also written a book 

about Gary Cooper, Gary Cooper: An Enduring Style, 

which is neither a biography nor filmography but an 

examination of the actor’s stylistic appeal and which 

includes 150 never-before-published photos from the 

private archive of Cooper’s daughter, Maria Cooper 

Janis – it is due for release in October 2011. 

JANET PRESCOTT 

“Journalists are happily invited to private palazzos, 

mansions, banquets and balls with the glitterati, but my 

stand-out event was going to Buckingham Palace for my 

husband to be made a CB (Companion of the Bath) by the 

Queen. The full panoply of state ceremonial was subtly 

enhanced by the immaculate understatement of lounge and 

morning suits worn by ambassadors, knights of the realm 

and the recipients of the senior honours, the epitome of 

elegant formality.” 

Janet Prescott is an independent writer and 

commentator on the textile and fashion business. 

She is based in Ilkley, Yorkshire, a region of the United 

Kingdom that is well known for its weaving industry. 

The major sphere of operation for her at the moment is 

Twist magazine, as its Fabrics and Yarns Editor, where 

she covers the major international fairs, interviews 

personalities in the trade and writes opinion pieces on 

subjects such as eco-luxury, designer labels, new yarns, 

fabrics and fashion. 

NIGEL BISHOP 

“Formal doesn't have to mean uncomfortable. 

My dinner jacket is lightweight wool-polyester, loose- 

fitting cut, with pleated trousers. Not the most trendy, 

but incredibly comfortable. I once wore it for a New Year’s 

Eve party and went straight on to the golf club in it the next 

morning. Played eighteen holes, no problem.” 

For a large part of his career, Nigel Bishop worked 

in advertising in London, New York and Paris. 

He has been a freelance writer for the past 15 years, 

working with multinational companies in B-to-B 

communications. 

Text: Jérôme Stéfanski 

Illustrations: Jean-Baptiste Biche 

& Olivier Van Begin

SCABAL IN FIGURES 

MORE THAN 

65 COUNTRIES 

That’s where Scabal can be purchased worldwide. 

Founded in Brussels in 1938, Scabal has grown 

into a worldwide luxury fabrics and clothing 

brand. In a controlled expansion, Scabal first 

built its European business before entering 

the USA and Japan in the 1970s, followed by 

the Middle East and Asia. 

“Think global, act local is the way we have done it,” says 

Scabal Group CEO Gregor Thissen. “We pursue a global 

strategy but always adapt it to local circumstances.” 

This approach goes beyond regional preferences for 

fabrics, designs and styles. The Scabal structure itself 

reflects local differences: some markets have Scabal 

subsidiaries with wholesale distribution, while others 

work through agents, distributors or retail customers. 

Around a dozen countries have shops bearing the Scabal 

name under license. 

6 I BESPOKEN 

Scabal’s worldwide activities 

What does it take to expand internationally? “You must have 

a clear image,” says Gregor, “and the flexibility to work with 

local rules and customs. It means having people who understand 

this and who can apply it.” 

Scabal has 15 different nationalities in its staff of more than 

100 at the Brussels worldwide headquarters. “Brussels is a great 

place to run a global business — it’s the best centre for multi-lingual, 

flexible and internationally minded people.” 

And the future? Scabal is looking at all countries that 

have opened up to imports and started to open up to 

luxury products. “India and China are developing strongly,” 

Gregor explains. “But we always try to maintain a good mix 

internationally – it spreads the risk.” 

Nigel Bishop 

© Scabal

TEMPTATIONS 

BESPOKE PRECISION 

Bespoke laptop from 5,000€ 

www.munkbogballe.com 

2 

HOW’S IT 

HANGING? 

When you hang your next Scabal made-to-measure suit in 

your wardrobe, why not think about a personalized hanger? 

A well-organized wardrobe is not just tidy, it’s also a place in 

which every garment is preserved. To wear a faultless jacket 

or a pair of trousers with a perfect crease is a pleasure that 

Toscanini SuMisura hangers can grant forever – a well aligned 

set of clothes on harmoniously shaped and coloured hangers 

fulfils aesthetic tastes, cares for the garments and pleases 

the eye. Ergonomic shapes, superb fitting, quality materials 

and craftsmanship make the SuMisura collection a product 

of ‘Made in Italy’ excellence. The bespoke programme allows 

you to choose your hanger’s shape and size, the type of wood 

and finishing touches, such as having your initials engraved. 

A new must-have feature, now available from several of 

Scabal’s retail partners. 

1 

INDIVIDUALITY MEETS 

ALTRUISM 

Munk Bogballe is a promising young Danish company founded 

in 2007, which produces bespoke portable computers. Driven 

by a passion for beauty, quality, and simplicity, Munk Bogballe 

combines modern production technologies with traditional principles 

of craftsmanship to create the world’s finest and most exclusive 

computers. Using classical materials such as leather, wood and precious 

metals, the computers are produced and assembled in Denmark by a 

selection of highly skilled, seasoned craftsmen whose workmanship 

epitomizes the heritage and pursuit of excellence characteristic of 

Danish design tradition. As a bespoke option, you can engrave your 

name in the laptop’s aluminium surface and choose personalized 

finishing options such as a power button in freshwater pearl, gold or 

even ruby. Production and delivery times vary from three to six weeks 

depending on demand, and the company always makes a donation 

to the One Laptop Per Child foundation. A good way to combine 

individuality and altruism. 

3 

PURE MECHANICS 

By utilizing the high-precision mechanics of the Swiss watchmaking industry, 

Roland Iten has created, developed and produced unique men’s accessories, 

thus pioneering a new segment in the high-end luxury goods industry – 

Mechanical Luxury for Gentlemen. Recently, the company 

launched a co-branded belt buckle in association with the 

watchmaker Parmigiani, which among others produce 

Bugatti labelled watches. The buckle is designed to 

preserve the life of the belt, to offer smooth operation, 

and micro-flexibility in size and adjustment. The Bugatti 

edition belt buckle is based on the Roland Iten Mk.I- 

22mm. It offers precise micro-adjustments for the perfect 

fit – this belt will fit your exact waist and adjust to when 

your size changes. Rendered in precious materials, the 

belt buckle comprises 100 parts in 18 carat white gold 

with 18 carat rose gold accents, along with titanium and 

steel. Four different versions are available and all are 

limited editions. 

Bugatti belt buckle by Roland Iten from 20,000€ 

www.rolanditen.com 

Price on request 

www.toscaninisumisura.it 

Ultimate Ears 18 Pro – Custom In-Ear Monitors: 975€ 

www.ultimateears.com 

Price on request 

www.chriseckert.com 

LRG Customized Guitars from 2,900€ 

www.lrg-guitares.ch 

4 

‘SOUND ANGELS’ 

Ultimate Ears first appeared on the scene in 

1995 – during their first few years in business, 

the company’s client list quickly began to resemble 

a Who’s Who of rock ‘n’ roll and it was just a matter of time 

before regular music lovers caught whiff of the hype. 

The secret was out, and audiophiles and business travellers 

began using Ultimate Ears custom stage earphones with 

iPods and other MP3 players, with athletes and celebrities 

soon getting in on the action as well. Acquired in 2008 by 

Logitech, Ultimate Ears continues to design and create 

earphones that musicians and music lovers depend on, 

and is now poised to reach a global audience – each model 

is based on the same speaker technologies and sound 

signatures found in professional stage earphones, an 

innovation that allows emerging artists to perform like 

pros and gives discerning listeners the chance to hear what 

everyone is raving about. These customized stage earphones 

are made to order, with each pair hand crafted and individually designed. 

Just like fingerprints, each set is as unique as the person who sports them. 

And another thing they have in common? They sound as good as they fit and 

look. Take the word of Ronnie Vanucci, drummer of the famous rock band 

The Killers, according to whom: “It’s like being kissed by dozens of tiny sound angels.” 

5ONLY THE BRAVE 

Chris Eckert lives in California and could be described as 

an ‘enginartist’, a combination of engineer and artist. 

As he himself says: “I spent many years working as a mechanical 

engineer designing and building factory automation. I’ve been searching 

for ways of incorporating movement in my work but I’ve only recently 

developed ideas that feel appropriate. My machines represent a continuing 

effort to unite automation with conceptual artistic expression.” Recently, 

he invented the very first automatic tattoo machine. If you dare, you 

can now create your own tattoos and personalize your body yourself 

– no more need to go to scary tattoo parlours, where elegance and 

hygiene are sometimes less important than imagination. For the 

moment, the machine is only able to tattoo religious symbols on your 

arms, but in the near future it could offer many other personalization 

options. Use with care! 

6SWISS MADE 

Passionate about music and woodwork, Lawrence 

Rufi manufactures customized electric guitars for 

the most demanding musicians. It was in his small 

Swiss village near Lausanne that he 

first produced the bona fide artistic 

LRG guitars. From the choice of 

wood (which influences the tone of 

the guitar) to the selection of audio 

components integrated into the 

guitar, no detail is left to chance. 

Result? A combination of precious 

woods, components, materials and 

quality craftsmanship providing 

a lean and balanced look and 

exceptional playability. 

8 I BESPOKEN BESPOKEN I 9 

Jérôme Stéfanski

TTACKING 

Another term for basting where a stitch – usually handsewn 

but sometimes done by machine, holds the fabric 

in place prior to sewing. 

TAILOR’S DICTIONARY 

T – V 

Step by step we are ending our dictionnary dedicated to tailor's vocabulary and next 

edition will be the last one. If you need to complete your collection, you can order last 

issues of Bespoken at www.bespoken.com 

Tacking – the front of the jacket has the tacking stitches to show the seam lines 

TAILOR TALK (SLANG TERMS) 

BALLOON – having a week without work or pay 

BASTE – a garment assembled for the first fitting 

BLOCK – a standard pattern for cutting a suit 

BODGER – bad craftsman 

BUNCE – a perk of the trade, for example left-over cloth 

to sell on 

CABBAGE – left-over material 

CODGER – a tailor who refurbishes old suits 

CORK – the boss 

CRUSHED BEETLES – bad buttonholes 

DARKY – sleeve board 

DRUMMER – trouser maker 

HIP STAY – the wife 

KIPPER – a tailoress – they usually work in pairs to avoid 

amourous tailors 

THIMBLE 

A Tailor’s Thimble is a metal open-topped cone 

worn to protect the middle finger when pushing the 

needle through the fabric. 

Thimble – a tailor’s thimble 

THREAD MARKING 

Temporary stitches to mark the fitting lines of a 

bespoke garment. Also used to mark key positions 

such as pockets and darts by using threads inserted 

through the plies of fabric. 

TOLERANCE 

Ease or allowance made for movement over and 

above the actual body measurement. 

MANGLE – sewing machine 

MUNGO – cloth cuttings 

ON THE COD – gone drinking 

PIGGED – a lapel that turns up after wear like a pig’s ear 

PORK – a rejected suit that another customer may buy 

SCHMUTTER – poor quality cloth 

SKIFFLE – a rushed job 

TAB – a difficult customer 

TROTTER – the fetcher and carrier, usually the 

youngest member of staff 

UMSIES – someone being discussed whom the speaker 

does not want to name because he is present 

WHIPPING THE CAT – travelling round and working 

in private houses 

TOP STITCHING 

Exposed stitching sewn at a specific distance from the 

seam for reinforcement or decoration. 

TOPSIDE 

The front section of a pair of trousers. 

TRIMMINGS 

The component parts of a garment other than the 

main fabric. 

TRY-ON 

The individual fitting of a garment for the purpose of 

confirming the size, shape and fit before the garment is 

completed. 

TUCK 

A fold of fabric sewn at an equal distance from the 

folded edge of the fabric. 

TURN-UPS 

The finished look of trouser hems by turning up a 

proportion of the fabric. Also called PTU, Permanent 

Turn Up. 

U 

UNDERCOLLAR 

The part of the jacket 

collar which is under 

the main (top) collar 

and usually made from 

Melton cloth. This part 

of the collar is only seen 

when it is turned up. 

TAILOR’S DICTIONARY 

Undercollar 

UNDERPRESSING 

The pressing operations carried out during the 

assembly of the garment. For example, pressing open 

the seams. 

UNDERSIDES 

The back section of a pair of trousers. 

V 

VENT 

A short opening into the hem and cuff of a jacket 

or coat. 

VEST 

In the tailoring trade this a term used to as an 

alternative for waistcoat. A sleeveless garment worn 

under a jacket as a part of a three piece suit, ie; 

jacket, vest and trousers. 

Vest (waistcoat) 

Text: Alan Cannon-Jones 

Illustrations: Helen Cannon-Jones & Mohsin Ali 

10 I BESPOKEN BESPOKEN I 11

CLOTH GUIDE 

CASHMERE 

Since its creation in 1938, the Scabal credo has stayed the same: “Never cut costs when it comes 

to materials”. This cloth guide section concerns the origins and specificities of the natural 

fibres used by Scabal to develop the finest fabrics. 

cashmere 

Cashmere is a fibre that is obtained from the long and 

silky wool of the capra hircus laniger goat of the Cashmere 

province, 5,000 metres up on the plains of the Himalayas. 

Formerly wild, the goat is now domesticated. In winter, 

to protect them from the icy winds (between -30 and 

-40°C), the goats grow a second coat of fine, flexible hair 

in addition to their summer wool. This second winter coat 

is then sheared or removed with a brush during spring 

moulting season, and it is only this hair that produces 

genuine cashmere wool. A goat can provide between 

150-200 grammes of hair per year. 

production 

Worldwide production of the fibre is estimated to be 

around 15,000 tonnes – the Republic of China is the 

world’s largest producer, followed by Mongolia. 

properties 

• Cashmere wool is very light, very warm and very soft 

• A light cashmere fabric may be worn all year, even in summer 

• Synthetic materials are often mixed with cashmere, as demand 

is far in excess of supply 

• Finesss : Between 13-16.5µ (microns) 

• The fibre is generally between 28-45mm in length 

practical usage 

Possessing an unequalled softness and a delightful 

natural lustre, cashmere is ideal for pullovers, coats 

and winter clothes. 

scabal’s china-mongolia 

100 per cent cashmere 

Scabal selects its cashmere from breeders on the high, dry 

and cold mountainous of western Mongolia and south-west 

China. To survive in this rigorous climate, the goats develop 

a layer of fluffy, fine and soft fibre, cashmere. The colder the 

air, the more resistant the goats become and the more this 

layer is increased to protect the animals. It is for this reason 

that Mongolian cashmere is famous worldwide for its warmth, 

softness, lightness and, at the same time, its longevity. 

To improve the quality and rigour of the Mongolian fibres, 

Scabal blend them with Chinese cashmere, which is whiter, 

finer and shorter. This is 100 per cent cashmere, with no other 

fibres – either natural or synthetic – being added. It is this very 

high degree of quality and scarcity that justifies the fibre’s cost. 


Handmade in England, Scabal’s new collection of Pure Cashmere Scarves will keep you warm throughout winter. 

Available in 21 colours, including avocado green, sapphire blue, sylver grey and nutmeg brown, 

the scarves are presented in an individual luxury hand-made package that adds to the accessory’s prestige. 

In addition, the scarf is generously proportioned at 180 cm length and 30 cm width. 


© Filip Vanzieleghem

GENTLEMEN’S MEETING 

NACHO FIGUERAS: ELEGANCE 

RETURNS TO SPORT 

For its tailoring divisions, Ralph Lauren frequently orders fabrics produced by Scabal in 

Huddersfield, United Kingdom. A good occasion for Bespoken to meet Nacho Figueras, 

the muse of Ralph Lauren and also an Argentinian polo star. 

It’s a Sunday 

morning in 

early June and 

125 exquisitely 

dressed New York 

socialites are 

spilling off a ferry 

onto Governor’s 

Island, 172 acres 

of lush parkland 

surrounding a 

strip of emerald 

turf. It’s the 

third annual 

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, and 

guests including Ivanka Trump, Kate 

Hudson and Princess Beatrice have 

paid upwards of 5,000$ each for 

the privilege of watching Argentine 

polo player Nacho Figueras face off 

against close friend Prince Harry 

to benefit Sentebale, a charity that 

works to better the lives of Lesotho’s 

orphans and vulnerable children. 

(Ralph Lauren, who arrived at last 

year’s match aboard his private 

helicopter, was expected to attend 

but was forced to cancel at the last 

minute.) At no other sporting event 

in North America would you see 

gentlemen dressed like this – most 

wear perfectly tailored seersucker suits 

accessorized with pocket squares, 

cotton ties and spectator shoes or tan 

linen bespoke suits with hand-crafted 

leather brogues. The only problem 

is, Mother Nature isn’t making it easy 

for the sartorially minded guests. By 

noon, the temperature has soared to 

38 degrees Celcius – an unbearable 

45 degrees when you factor in the 

Humidex. Even the Philip Treacy hats 

perched atop the heads of a handful 

of female guests are starting to droop. 

Remarkably, Figueras seems oblivious 

to the heat, looking dapper in a crisp 

navy Ralph Lauren Black Label blazer 

and white linen pants. 

STYLE VISION 

“I think I was always interested in style 

growing up,” he says, moments before 

the match is due to begin. “My parents 

taught me always to be elegant. But 

obviously, the fine-tuning came with my 

relationship with Ralph Lauren. It’s been 

ten years now doing their ads – I started out 

when I was 22, which is the time of your life 

when you tend to start finding your style, 

and he had a lot to do with it, he taught 

me everything in fact. The most important 

thing I learned from him concerning style 

is that it’s not just what you wear, but how 

you wear it. It’s about being comfortable 

with yourself. For Ralph Lauren, Polo 

isn’t just a fashion brand, it’s a lifestyle 

brand. It’s about the guy who’s wearing 

the clothes or the fragrances. You can have 

style wearing different kinds of clothes – 

I could be stylish wearing my suit and tie, 

but Mick Jagger is very stylish when he 

wears his T-shirt and leather pants. He 

looks cool, and he feels it.” 

Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras 

It was famed American fashion 

photographer Bruce Weber who 

spotted Nacho at a dinner party in 

the Hampton’s, hosted by Calvin 

Klein’s ex-wife Kelly 12 years ago, 

and convinced Lauren to cast him in 

a Polo ad campaign. “I owe Bruce for my 

modeling career. I think he’s one of the most 

amazing photographers out there, and he 

has a lot to do with my relationship with 

Ralph Lauren.” Weber may have made 

the introduction, but Ralph quickly 

found a muse in Figueras. 

“I start every collection by imagining 

a Hollywood movie ,” Ralph told me 

years ago at a Polo presentation 

at New York City’s Four Seasons 

Restaurant. “I picture the characters, 

the setting and even the music, and 

I watch a movie unfold in my head. 

It’s always about this wonderful 

lifestyle and I design the wardrobes for 

these characters I see.” That fact was 

perfectly evident in the presentation. 

Thirty-six models posed on a tiered 

© RL 

NACHO FIGUERAS’ KEY DATES 

1977: Born Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras 

in 25 de Mayo, Buenes Aires 

Province, Argentina 

1985: Starts playing polo aged 8. 

1994: Turns pro and joins the White 

Birch Polo Team 

2000: Appears in his first Polo Ralph 

Lauren ad campaign 

2004: Marries photographer and former 

model Delfina Blaquier. 

2005: Becomes the face of Ralph Lauren’s 

Black Label Collection. 

2009: Ranked as one of the top 100 polo 

players in the world. Named the face 

of the World of Polo fragrances 

including Polo Black, Polo Blue and 

Polo Modern Reserve. 

2009: Vanity Fair magazine readers vote 

him the second most handsome 

man in the world. 

2010: Defeats Prince Harry at the third 

annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic 

2011: Appears in Ralph Lauren Romance 

fragrance ad campaign with his wife 

stage illuminated by mammoth klieg 

lights – the same ones used in old 

Hollywood films. In Nacho, Ralph had 

finally found that character he’s been 

dreaming about for years: handsome, 

elegant, worldly, and educated. 

“In a small way, I feel that I have a 

little part in what the World of Polo 

Fragrances has become,” he adds, 

smiling. “When I first started modeling 

for Ralph Lauren, it was just one 

fragrance. But now it is a wardrobe of 

fragrances. There are different kinds of 

fragrances for different kinds of moods 

of different things you are doing. 

And I very much believe in this. If you are 

in the city wearing a suit and tie at night, 

a fragrance that is more sophisticated and 

exotic and even stronger goes well with 

that situation. If you are on the beach 

wearing a swimsuit, all of a sudden the 

fragrance does not suit the moment. 

I really believe in different moments, 

which has evolved into this campaign.” 

ONE MISSION: 

PROMOTING HIS SPORT 

Nacho Figueras and Britain’s Prince Harry at Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic 

You could say that Nacho represents 

a return to the golden age of the 

gentleman. “My mission is to bring polo 

to the world a little more,” he says. 

And he promotes this message around 

the world whether it is supporting 

numerous charities or appearing on 

Oprah Winfrey. “I want to encourage kids 

to discover polo. In Argentina, kids start 

playing aged eight. My son is ten years old 

and he’s been playing for years.” 

And while attending gala dinners and 

appearing in fashion ads are all part 

of the job, Nacho’s typical schedule is 

‘MY MISSION IS 

TO BRING POLO 

TO THE WORLD 

A LITTLE MORE’ 

far less glamorous. He wakes and has 

breakfast with his wife and kids. Then 

it is off to the barn to have matte (a 

popular Argentine beverage) with his 

teammates and grooms. They strategize 

about upcoming matches, then ride 

for a few hours. At noon, it’s home for 

lunch with the family and then a quick 

visit to the beach with his kids. Later 

that afternoon, he returns to the barn 

and plays practice matches. “The key is 

to make a connection to the horses – 

not only because it is key to the game, 

but because we love them.” 


Dave Lackie 

©AP Photo/David Goldman

Wearing bold glasses, a black 

T-shirt, white sneakers under 

faded jeans and a three-day 

beard, Ronald Stoops has 

the perfect look of a typical 

fashion photographer. The 

man is cool, open-minded 

and, when you meet him, you 

immediately know that he has a passion for his job. Look 

a little deeper, and you come to understand that what he 

values most about his work is travelling and meeting people. 

He declares: “As I was born in one of the smallest countries, the 

Netherlands, I decided early on my life to travel extensively in 

order to broaden my view of the world.” 

After he studied photography in Belgian fashion capital 

Antwerp, he quickly became a photographer who was 

associated with fashion productions by the famous 

Antwerp Six: Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, 

Martin Margiela and Marine Yee, Ann Demeulemeester 

and Walter Van Beirendonck. Later, he also had the 

chance to work with other talented fashion designers 

from Antwerp, such as Raf Simons, AF Vandevorst and 

Véronique Branquinho. Collaborating with those young 

talents allowed him to express his deep creativity through 

up-scale photo shoots, which in turn gave him the chance 

to work on editorials for renowned magazines such as 

Vogue Hommes International. 

Six months ago, Ronald Stoops met Scabal for the 

first time through Base Design’s Art Director Pierre 

Daras, at the brand’s advertising agency. Together with 

Scabal’s marketing department, they defined a new way 

to illustrate the two main divisions of Scabal: fabrics 

and finished products. These are obviously closely 

linked, because the essential ingredient at the heart of 

the perfect suit is, of course, its fabric. “The main concept 

was quite simple to write, but not really easy to shoot,” says 

Daras, adding: “Here, we wanted to show gentlemen with 

strong personalities who wear clothes made from fabrics that 

reflect their unique characters, with a short text to explain 

the fabrics’ proprieties and offer a little more information about 

each gentleman and his choice of fabrics. The result is a perfect 

blend of style and authenticity.” 

In order to understand how this kind of advertising 

campaign is created, Bespoken interviewed Kristel Geets, 

who has been Scabal’s Communication Coordinator for 

ten years. 

THIS IS SCABAL 

NEW INTERPRETATION, 

SAME AUTHENTICITY 

The new Scabal Autumn-Winter collection is being promoted with a stylish campaign that marks 

a change from our recent visual productions. We are talking about evolution, not revolution – 

we meet Ronald Stoops, the man behind the lens, and talk to Kristel Geets, Communication 

Coordinator at Scabal. 

16 I BESPOKEN 

Photographer Ronald Stoops 

‘I DECIDED EARLY ON MY LIFE 

TO TRAVEL EXTENSIVELY IN 

ORDER TO BROADEN MY VIEW 

OF THE WORLD.’ 

© R. Stoops 

INTERVIEW 

BESPOKEN: What was the initial brief? 

KRISTEL GEETS: We were looking for a new 

communication approach that responded to 

new goals focused on cloth. We are – since 

1938 but even more today – an innovative 

creator of superior men’s quality fabrics. 

Scabal is not just dedicated to fabrics, 

we are devoted to it! Secondly, it should 

communicate Scabal’s historical roots, 

origins and expertise in the cloth industry. 

It should also focus on Scabal’s wide fabric 

variety and their applicability in real life 

(fashion styles, wearing occasions, etc) Last 

but not least, we were looking for a longlasting 

and flexible communication concept, 

based on storytelling, visually as well as 

textually. One that lasts more than a season. 

How this campaign is different from 

your previous work? 

It is the first time that we have placed 

so much emphasis on fabrics. Clothes 

mean nothing without a soul attached. To 

increase the fabrics’ appeal, we imagined, 

together with our advertising agency, 

six personalities based around the newly 

created ‘Mr Fabric’ concept. 

Can you tell us more? 

We imagined partnerships – each fabric is 

getting its own ‘godfather’, an intriguing, 

universal character whose characteristics, 

nature and lifestyle shine through the name. 

There is a ‘Mr Natural’, a ‘Mr President’, 

a ‘Mr Nightlife’, a ‘Mr Explorer’, a ‘Mr Upand-Coming’ 

and a ‘Mr Weekend’, 

each linked to a specific fabric from a 

cloth collection. 

Please describe ‘Mr. Natural’. 

He is open and relaxed, fashion-minded, 

less traditional and slightly younger than 

the average businessman. Comfort and 

quality are important to him, but the 

look is too. In harsh winters, he wants 

to combine plain comfort with style, for 

everyday business use. He has a warm, 

spontaneous and easy-going character. 

He has a rough touch, and derives his 

elegance from his disarming flexibility 

and spontaneity. He looks trustworthy 

and friendly. The kind of man that 

wrestles wild city life with his bare hands! 

Why choose to work in black and 

white? 

There are actually always two images, 

they are inseparable: the portrait image of 

a man in black/white and a fabric image 

in colour. For portrait pictures, black and 

white photography is more powerful than 

colour. The lack of colour does amazing 

things in showing the true emotions of a 

person. The images we create are pure: 

a character and his suit, nothing else. 

Season by season, we will build up an 

elegant Scabal portrait gallery, which will 

tell our story in a unique way. 

What is the feeling you want to create 

for the men who see this campaign? 

We want to show that, among the 5,000 

different fabrics offered by Scabal, there 

is one for each type of man, for every 

occasion or feeling. 

Where would you like to spread this 

campaign? 

In fact, my dream came true because we 

will have double-page advertisements in 

international business and men’s magazines! 

It the very first time that we have made such 

a media investment. 

What do clients think of the results? 

Our consumers are discovering the 

campaign as we speak, so hopefully we will 

get enthusiastic reactions from them. 

Our b2b customers, tailors and prestigious 

stores discovered it six months ago, and 

they love it! We have received some really 

positive feedback. 

Will you work together again next 

season? What about the next concept? 

This ‘Mr Fabric’ concept can last forever. 

For the Spring-Summer 2012 season, we 

have created six new characters in line 

with the contemporary Autumn-Winter 

campaign. 

You can discover Scabal’s new Autumn-Winter 

campaign on pages 20 to 31 of this edition of 

Bespoken. 

Works produced by photographer Ronald Stoops in 2009 for AF Vandervorst (left) and in 1998 for Jurgi Persoons (right) – make up Inge Grognard 


‘AMONG THE 

5,000 DIFFERENT 

FABRICS OFFERED 

BY SCABAL, THERE 

IS ONE FOR EACH 

TYPE OF MAN.’ 

BESPOKEN I 17 

© R. Stoops

AUTUMN-WINTER 2011-2012 TRENDS 

MR. FABRIC 

Among the 5,000 fabric references offered by Scabal, no doubt you will find the one that 

reflects your true personality. Based on this, the new collection offers some good examples 

of perfect harmony. Meet the gentlemen behind the fabrics. 

FABRIC N°752037 

AND 

MR. PRESIDENT 

— 20 — 


AND 

MR. NIGHTLIFE 

— 22 — 


AND 

MR. EXPLORER 

— 24 — 


AND 

MR. NATURAL 

— 26 — 


AND 

MR. UP-AND-COMING 

— 28 — 


AND 

MR. WEEKEND 

— 30 — 

BESPOKEN I 19


AND 

MR. PRESIDENT 

Fabrics deserve their Rolls-Royce too, which is precisely what this exceptional gem is. Made 

from Super 130’s and 150’s exclusive Merino yarns, the ‘Optima’ collection embraces some of 

the finest cloths a businessman can afford. To achieve this high standard, a careful selection 

of the best raw, natural materials is essential. The wool selected by Scabal comes primarily 

from Australian Merino sheep. It’s no ordinary wool; under the microscope, its fibres are 

much finer than is customary, which gives the fabric its distinctive softness, suitable even 

for the most sensitive skins. The additional satin weave, which gives resistance and volume, 

provides a rich, full handle. A classic press finish creates a subtle silky sheen, which looks 

and feels impeccable – ideal for the connoisseur who values quality, comfort and traditional 

craftsmanship more than mere fashion. A double-breasted suit in fabric N°752037 is without 

doubt the choice par excellence to represent your company, your party, or your true self in an 

impressive way, with outstanding elegance. 

BESPOKEN I 21

22 I BESPOKEN 


AND 

MR. NIGHTLIFE 

If you want to celebrate life to the full and in sheer luxury, then ‘Velvets’ is what you are 

looking for. This vibrant collection offers a wealth of colour, for every possible festive 

occasion. Quality in variety is what this collection stands for – take the fancy velvet beauty 

N°500878, a typical British fabric traditionally associated with nobility and the arts. It is 

composed of delicate cotton fibres, which must be treated with care. The fibres are drawn 

in a single direction and are evenly distributed, with a dense pile for a distinct, tufted feel. 

Character, noblesse and elegance all in one! Just perfect if you are seeking a formal dinner 

jacket with an extraordinary touch to catch the eye of your fellow guests, all night long.


AND 

MR. EXPLORER 

Ultrafine lambswool and top-class cashmere are combined in an exceptionally fine jacketing 

that is just right for Mr Explorer’s leisure-time requirements. He appreciates the subtle 

brushed quality that leaves this cloth gently voluminous and delightfully warm. On a soft grey 

shade, the blue-and-white checks and fine red overcheck present a marvellous example of 

updated British style of the finest quality. Mr Explorer knows Scabal can offer him plenty of 

complementary accessories too. 

BESPOKEN I 25

26 I BESPOKEN 


AND 

MR. NATURAL 

If you are a businessman who likes to keep in touch with his natural side, then the ‘Flannel 

and Saxony’ collection is exactly your type. Originally a fabric popular with lumberjacks 

and woodworkers, flannel became famous for its excellent warmth-keeping qualities. Its 

luxury version, in Super 130’s wool with a fashionable British design, will seduce all modern 

heroes. The renowned Saxon wool gives the flannel a voluminous and fleecy feel, enhanced 

by a special treatment with warm water and natural soap. A high-quality flannel is always 

characterized by a very good finish – rubbing the flannel with soap gives it a less ‘clean’ look 

and makes the fabric woolly and thicker than average, while staying supple in appearance and 

handle. Perfect for a waistcoated suit to keep you warm and elegant during the cold winter 

months and give you all the daily softness you need.


AND 

MR. UP-AND-COMING 

Black is back, being more stylish, elegant and powerful than ever. Its magical slimming 

properties are well known, and are done justice by Scabal’s new range, ‘Black and Fashion’. 

Add to this a clean finish and a new slim-fit model, providing contemporary elegance to 

the silhouette, the result is a refined, urban look. This young collection offers twelve fabric 

qualities, from Super 100’s to Super 120’s, and various dark shades with modern designs. 

The fabrics’ micro design looks uniform at first sight, but up close, sophisticated small 

details appear. All the fabrics are durable and perennial, which makes them perfect for 

business suits as well as special occasions. Just right for the cosmopolitan young man, ready 

for his first Scabal suit. 

BESPOKEN I 29

30 I BESPOKEN 


AND 

MR. WEEKEND 

It’s back to basics with this 100 per cent woollen pleasure. No fringes, no grand effects, 

just plain good quality. At the base of this ‘Gallery’ collection lies our rigorous selection 

of Merino wool, whose natural fibres are much finer than those of traditional wool. Wool 

gives the fabric its insulating properties. It regulates temperature well and even when wet, 

it retains warmth. Scabal’s wool is treated naturally and slow-washed to ensure that it 

remains soft on the skin and does not shrink. Once woven, the woollen yarns acquire more 

volume following a subtle brushing treatment. The result is a warm but pleasantly light 

and easy-to-handle fabric, rooted in traditional craftsmanship, reflecting a modern taste 

through its crisp design. The ideal base for a casual unconstructed soft jacket to take with 

you as a loyal on-the-road companion during all your weekend trips.

AUTUMN – WINTER 2011 – 2012 STYLE ADVICE 

WHAT YOU SHOULD 

WEAR THIS WINTER 

It is quite normal to become excited about the warm days of summer, but many menswear 

fans prefer the autumn and winter months. And Autumn-Winter 2011-2012 is going to be 

particularly pleasing, writes Eric Musgrave, for anyone who appreciates gorgeous luxury 

fabrics such as flannel, lambswool-cashmere blends, bold checks and velvet. 

The man who appreciates the delicious 

British-inspired (and almost always 

British-made) qualities produced by 

Scabal is probably confident enough in 

his own style not to follow the trends 

presented on the top catwalks too 

slavishly. But for their next Autumn- 

Winter collections, many of the 

designer names of Milan and Paris 

presented trends that strongly mirror the offerings from 

Scabal. 

There should be no surprise that the current economic 

pressures around the globe have resulted in a realization 

that quality, luxury and great design represent really good 

value. In cloth and in clothing, you get what you pay for – I 

have learned from years of experience that there is rarely 

any disappointment in aiming for the best you can afford. 

1. BACK TO FLANNEL 

So for next autumn, I’ll be looking out especially for the 

return of flannel, that quintessential suiting material. With 

its slightly raised surface or ‘nap’, Flannel feels warm. As 

climate change presents many major markets with colder 

winters than are usual, savvy men are going to decide 

that they no longer want to wear the same midweight or 

lightweight suit for 12 months of the year. Grey flannel 

is the classic variation of the cloth, but there is also the 

newly fashionable blues and browns, plus appealing checks 

and stripes. 

“Flannel has not been around in northern European markets 

for a long time,” observes Olivier Vander Slock, Scabal’s 

Collection Manager for ready-to-wear and made-to-measure 

ranges. “So for many customers flannel will be something new. 

As well as for suits, flannel is very well suited to trousers, especially 

when the weight is increased from 280 grammes up to 340 

grammes or even 360 grammes.” 

‘QUALITY, LUXURY AND GREAT 

DESIGN REPRESENT REALLY 

GOOD VALUE.’ 

1 © 

Jacket made with fabric n°702800 from the Flannel and Saxony collection 

Scabal 

Jacket, Open Collection, n°402509 – Trousers, Flannel and Saxony, n°702835 – 

Coat, Flannel and Saxony, n°702818 

Find your local retailer at: 



2. LARGER AND BOLDER CHECKS 

It is highly likely that classic flannel styles will be featured 

in W.E., the upcoming movie about the romance of Wallis 

Simpson and Edward, Prince of Wales, later the Duke of 

Windsor. Financed and directed by Madonna – who has 

been known to wear men’s suits herself – this film promises 

to be a fillip for sales of classic, stylish menswear. 

Prince Edward – or David to his family and friends – 

was famous for his love of checks. In fact a variation of the 

classic Glenurqhart check is often erroneously called a Prince 

of Wales check – it originated in the 1840s, so was very 

popular long before George V’s son became a fashion icon. 

But luckily for aficionados of the classic British checks, Scabal 

has plenty of subtly updated versions to offer for next autumn. 

I am most excited by jacketings, as jackets-and-trousers are 

so much more versatile than suits. They can be dressed up 

with a shirt and tie or dressed down with a sweater and a 

cosy scarf. “Naturally we have plains and semi-plains in jacketing 

fabrics,” says Michael Day, Fabrics Designer, “but even more 

eye-catching for next autumn are the checks, which are often a little 

larger and bolder than normal. As well as playing with the scale, 

we have, for example, updated glen checks and woven designs that 

feature double windowpane checks.” 

3 

2 4 

Three-piece suit made with fabric n°702806 from the Flannel and Saxony collection Jacket made with fabric n°801580 from the Gallery collection 

Jacket made with fabric n°801578 from the Gallery collection, cashmere scarf by Scabal 

Suit made with fabric n°703075 from the Black & Fashion collection 

3. SMART AND RELAXED JACKETS 

The colour themes for jacketings – best seen in the Gallery 

and Autumn Leaves bunches – are right on trend. Well 

worth close examination is the medium blue collection, 

the medium brown teamed with olive accents, and the camel 

shades, which will be prevalent for autumn 2011. 

Smart dressers will be pleased that the new checks and 

colour combinations provide ample opportunities to bring 

in colourful furnishings and accessories. Look for the strong 

accent shades of orange and yellow on light greys. Or reds 

from Bordeaux to zingy crimson on blues or deeper greys. 

To complement the jacket fabrics, Scabal is also majoring 

on winter cottons and brushed cottons for trousers, plus the 

autumn favourite, corduroy. Woven from cotton fibres for a 

beautifully full ‘handle’, the Corduroy offer runs to 

50 different variations of weights, colours and “wales” 

(the actual name given to the cord structure). In a similar 

vein, but much more dressy, that luxurious favourite, velvet, 

is making a strong comeback for next season. As well as 

expected shades like black and navy, customers should be 

delighted to find on-trend camel and punchy light pinks – 

what a great option for an evening jacket to remember. 

4. BLAZING CASHMERE, SCARVES LIGHT 

UP, GREY SHADE SUITS 

Appropriately for winter, greys and black-and-white are well 

represented in the fabrics and clothing collections. Greys 

are surprisingly versatile as they can be worn tonally – with 

different shades of grey worn in the same outfit – or they act 

as a neutral background for flashes of colour in knitwear, 

shirts-and-ties or scarves. Fans of this last item may find 

hard to resist the 100% cashmere British-made scarves that 

come in 20 shades. Or its reversible options, that has printed 

silk on one side and luxurious 100% wool on the other. 

5. SLIM FIT 

Black & Fashion will be a popular choice with Scabal’s 

growing numbers of ‘Made By You’ customers who want 

something a little individual in their outfits. The refined 

sensibility of the collection will also be well represented in 

a new slimline ready-to-wear model that Scabal is calling its 

‘S Model’. Designed with a younger man in mind, this 

silhouette has a markedly narrow shoulder and a very narrow 

lapel on a noticeably shorter jacket – this spare, almost 

cropped, look was also prevalent on the designer catwalks for 

next season. Appropriately, ‘S Model’ trousers are flat-fronted 

and clean styles with narrow legs. 

5 

Whether through the elegant formality of a suit, or the more 

relaxed look of a softly constructed sports jacket and flannel 

trousers, the new collection of cloths, ready-to-wear ranges 

and made-to-measure options will be highly popular for 

Autumn/Winter 2011/2012. It seems a shame that we all 

have several months to wait until these delights are available. 

Roll on autumn, I say! 

UNBELIEVABLE TOUCH 

That delightful combination fits in very appropriately to the 

trend for Autumn/Winter 2011/12 that is all about tactile 

fabrics, cloths that just begged to be touched, stroked, 

caressed and admired. Michael Day draws particular attention 

to a new bunch – Royal Ultimus – that comprises mainly Super 

150’s in cashmere. “These are just unbelievable to the touch,” he 

enthuses. “Typically they are semi-classical with discreet designs 

but at 320 grammes these are meaty suitings.” 

Also brand new for the upcoming autumn season is Black 

& Fashion, a bunch of dark cloths including black, deep 

browns and intense navy blues. In keeping with the trend for 

tactile handles, the range of mainly Super 100’s and Super 

120’s features interesting micro-constructions, weave effects 

and shadow designs that look plain from a distance, but turn 

out to be rather complicated weaves when examined closely. 

Eric Musgrave 

Clothes: Scabal – www.scabal.com 

Shoes: Ambiorix – www.ambiorix.be 


© Scabal

One winter evening, before 

renowned designer Dries 

van Noten’s show, a crowd 

bustled outside the venue, 

Musee Bourdelle, which 

was tucked away in a side-street near 

the Montparnasse railway station in 

Paris. Outside, desperate hangers-on 

were held back by the implacable PR 

watchdogs, while inside the buyers 

and press were trying to squeeze into 

the Great Hall, where stand the most 

prominent statues of Antoine Bourdelle, 

one of Rodin’s most prolific students. 

After a game of musical chairs (if 

this can be said of jostling to find a 

standing spot), I finally tucked myself 

next to a statue and prayed that no 

one would stand in front of me. The 

people next to me were passing time 

in anticipation of the show by taking 

hits from a small metal flask. Despite 

being spatially challenged, the marbled 

hall has a ceremonial atmosphere, 

especially with the statue of a horserider 

looming over the blogger Diane 

Pernet’s vertical hairdo. 

One of the challenges of putting 

on a show is finding a venue that 

complements the clothes. As the show 

began and young models descended the 

stairs in their double-breasted English 

suits with strong shoulders, trimmed 

with fur and full-leg trousers, I 

understood why we had to endure this 

claustrophobia – the Duke of Windsor 

himself would not be ashamed to be on 

that catwalk. 

“I was not planning to use this as a 

venue” said van Noten when I spoke to 

him the next day, “but when I saw it, I 

said, ‘This is it.’ I really wanted to have 

something heroic and this was perfect. The 

architectural atmosphere of the space, the 

huge white cube and the horse statue – it 

all looked unreal. It showed the glamorous 

DESIGNER IN VOGUE 

DRIES VAN NOTEN: 

A TRIBUTE TO COLOURS 

AND TRADITION 

As a manufacturer of fine cloth, Scabal frequently provides fabrics to top fashion designers who 

buck trends. Among them, Dries Van Noten, who shows his passion for colours and craftsmanship. 

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten 

and the military side of the collection. The 

military precision that I wanted to reflect 

was also present in the space.” 

The military elements in this 

collection were distinctly van 

Noten’s – the elegance of their clothes, 

with their heavy gold embroidery, 

harked back to the officer uniforms 

of the nineteenth century. “Military is 

always there in menswear, in one way or 

another,” said van Noten. “In menswear 

I always refer to traditional things, and 

military is one of them.” 

This respect for tradition can also be 

found in his new men’s store in Paris, 

where we met for a brief conversation. 

Located on the left bank of the Seine, 

opposite the Louvre, the boutique is an 

exercise in reverence. Van Noten and 

his design team worked painstakingly 

to preserve the original lacquer of the 

1970s interior of this former primitive 

© Theirry Chomel 

art gallery. “We had to rework quite a 

lot of it,” he explained. “We found a 

manufacturer in Belgium who could still 

do this kind of work. Ten layers of orange 

paint had to be applied underneath the 

lacquer to get the original colour.” 

This is the fourth van Noten shop 

in the world, besides the women’s 

boutique next door, a store in Hong 

Kong, and the original in Antwerp, 

which is one of the most impressive 

shops I have ever been to, something 

straight out of Zola’s The Ladies’ 

Paradise. “It’s quite rare to find an old 

shop space in Antwerp,” said van Noten. 

“This was the only store where all the 

original interior was in place. In 1950s 

the ceilings were lowered in the space, so 

we had to restore everything to its original 

condition.” 

Despite living and working in Antwerp, 

van Noten feels equally at home in 

Paris. “I love the city, and I love this 

particular spot. You look outside and you 

see the river, you see the Louvre, and I think 

it’s a magical place to be.“ The vibe of 

the men’s store is quite dandyish, and I 

thought that Oscar Wilde wouldn’t feel 

out of place here. In addition to van 

Noten’s own collection, the front room 

of the store houses shaving products 

by the English barber Geo F. Trumper. 

“It’s a way of showing my respect for 

tradition,” said van Noten. “I am not 

nostalgic, but I have enormous respect for 

the skills and craftsmanship of the old time, 

which is something I try to incorporate in 

my collections.” 

‘I LIKE TO STAY IN 

THE STUDIO AND 

WORK WITH MY 

TEAM ON ALL THE 

FABRICS, ALL THE 

COLOURS.’ 

Van Noten comes from a sartorial 

family. His grandfather worked as a 

‘retourner’ in the 1920s. Men who had 

worn out their suits would come to his 

workshop, where he would take them 

apart, turn the fabric inside out, and 

put them back together. Having made 

a bit of money, in the 1930s he became 

the first Antwerp-based producer of 

ready-made garments for men. Van 

Noten’s father had a store selling 

luxury clothing in Antwerp, so it was 

natural for his young son to enroll 

into the fashion programme at the 

Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Art. 

Upon graduation, van Noten was one 

of several young designers who took 

their clothes to London fashion week 

in 1986, and who forever went down in 

fashion history as ‘The Antwerp Six’. 

Van Noten is most famous for the 

combinations of colours that permeate 

his clothes, especially in his women’s 

line. Whether subtle or obvious, 

they have an arresting quality, as if 

a rainbow exploded and spilled its 

contents onto fabric. His keen eye for 

colour is probably unrivalled in the 

fashion industry, but he underplays his 

talent with typical Flemish modesty. 

“You just start to work on it, sometimes it 

just happens,” van Noten said, “but not 

always. I like to play with colours, I like 

to create tensions, unexpected things with 

colour. I also love to garden, so maybe it 

has something to do with that.” 

Besides gardening, van Noten is also 

an avid art buyer, although he hates 

the word ‘collector’. “A collector is 

someone who collects a certain artist – 

I just buy what I like.” Indeed, several 

art works from his own collection 

lined the walls; a painting by van 

Dyck sits in unexpected harmony with 

an old Japanese calligraphy print. 

Despite achieving renown, van 

Noten keeps a low profile. His colour 

patterns in the clothes sometimes 

resemble those found in traditional 

Middle Eastern dress, and his 

beautiful scarves are often decorated 

by Indian craftsmen. “In fashion, you 

can travel as much as you want, you can 

go to all the big cities. But I am also a 

very hands-on designer. I like to stay in 

the studio and work with my team on all 

the fabrics, all the colours.” After a brief 

pause, he added: “Actually it’s the part 

of my job that I enjoy most.” 

Impervious to trends, van Noten has 

gained a loyal following over the years 

without posting a single ad in a fashion 

magazine. For any such designer, being 

outside of the fashion game can reap 

its benefits. In today’s world of fashion 

cool, dominated by the black-clad show 

attendees, his colourful clothes have 

an unexpected freshness. “I think I can 

proudly say that we have a loyal client 

base all over the world,” said van Noten. 

“People stay attached to our clothes. They 

don’t wear them only once or twice, but 

continually combining the old with the 

new, which is the way I see fashion.” 

Eugène Rabkin 

Autumn-Winter 2011-2012 Collection by Dries Van Noten 

DRIES VAN NOTEN’S KEY DATES 

1958: Born in Antwerp, Belgium 

1973: Began working with his father in his 

tailor’s shop and attending fashion shows 

with him. 

1976: Started a fashion design course at the 

Royal Antwerp Academy. 

1985: Started his first fashion line. 

1986: Presentation of his menswear collection 

in London. 

1989: Opening of his first boutique, 

Het Modepaleis in Antwerp in an 1881 

redbrick atelier that once housed the 

shop of his grandfather’s rival. 

1991: Staged his first menswear show in Paris. 

2004: The book Dries Van Noten 01-50 celebrates 

the 20 th anniversary of the business and 

his 50 th show. 

2007: His first Paris boutique opens on the 

Quai Malaquais. 

2008: Awarded the International Designer 

Award from the CFDA and an honorary 

‘Royal Designers for Industry’ award 

from the Royal Society for the 

encouragement of Arts, Manufactures 

and Commerce (RSA) in London. 

2009: Awarded the ‘Chevalier de 

l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ 

by the French Culture Ministry. 


© DVN

SCABAL ON STAGE 

DRAMATIC DRESSING 

Scabal, globally renowned for its fine fabrics, has also developed a strong 

reputation with the wardrobe designers of Europe’s leading theatres. 

Many an actor has 

trod the boards 

declaring: “For 

the apparel oft 

proclaims the 

man”. And this 

tenet, passed on 

by Shakespeare’s Polonius in the play 

Hamlet, has been taken truly to heart 

by the wardrobe managers of theatres 

across the globe. 

For stage costumes, it is imperative that 

they reflect the character. A royal aide, 

for example, must surely dress the part 

if he is to command a stage presence. 

Wardrobe designers also need good 

Teatro La Fenice in Venice 

quality materials which can withstand 

the wear and tear of night after night 

of punishment. With its wide range of 

fine fabrics, Scabal not only dresses 

some of the world’s leading actors off 

stage but its wares are used by wardrobe 

managers around the world when 

they are looking for that extra special 

something to make an outfit perform as 

strongly as the actors themselves. 

Scabal’s forays into theatres started 

early on. Peter Thissen, chairman of the 

company, says: “We discovered theatre a 

long time ago… I was a theatre freak at the 

time; I had studied theatre and I had a lot of 

contacts.” 

SPANNING THE AGES 

Evidently, a brand like Scabal is a 

destination of choice for any wardrobe 

manager looking for classics such as 

blazers, gentlemen’s suits and smoking 

jackets. Actor Daniel Craig, for 

example, wore a suit made with Scabal 

fabric in his reprisal of James Bond in 

Casino Royale. 

“In the theatres, there are many modern 

productions from the 1940s, 1950s and 

1960s and in the Scabal collection, we can 

always find cloths which are difficult to 

find elsewhere,” says Carlos Tieppo from 

famous Teatro La Fenice in Venice. 

© Michele Crosera 

But this only accounts for part of its 

business. While not an obvious port 

of call for period costume, Robert 

Oakes, UK sales agent for Scabal, 

says: “We have a lot of cloths for classic 

suiting as well as some fantastic velvets 

which can be used, for example, in an 

Elizabethan production.” 

He says Scabal fabrics have been used 

by the television production industry 

for period pieces and were also used to 

make some of the costumes, including 

wizard capes, for the Warner Brothers’ 

Harry Potter series of films. 

Tieppo meanwhile reels off a list of 

productions of different ages put on by 

Teatro La Fenice where Scabal fabrics 

have been used for the costumes, 

including Verdi’s Rigoletto, Mozart’s 

Don Giovanni, Gounod’s Romeo and 

Juliet and Puccini’s La Rondine. 

He describes the velours as “very fine 

and light” and thus well-suited to, 

for example, costumes for 18th 

century productions. An added 

advantage with these fabrics is that 

the performers do not get too hot – 

a concern for actors belting out their 

lines under harsh stage lights. 

FROM MILL TO STAGE 

Scabal offers more than 5,000 fabrics, 

mainly produced in Huddersfield, 

United Kingdom, where Scabal’s mill 

is located. 

J. Peter Thissen explains how Scabal 

works with theatres, making sure 

that they get what they need in time: 

“We have two main ways of doing 

business: immediate deliveries where we 

deliver the final design within 24 hours – 

this is very important for theatres because 

they are always under time pressure – 

and special requests such as a the 

remaking of smoking jackets. We do 

whatever they need.” 

Such business may be generated 

by sales agents visiting wardrobe 

departments of theatres to present the 

latest collections. Much business is 

also generated through Scabal retail 

outlets such as its Savile Row address 

in London. 

Rudolf Verheyen represents Scabal 

in Germany and supplies many of the 

country’s theatres and opera houses 

as well as notable figures from politics 

like former chancellor Helmut Kohl, 

says: “Fabrics are with the customer 

the very next day, ready for cutting and 

further processing.” 

Once with the customer, these fabrics 

will then be put through their paces. 

“This may entail something like dyeing 

or printing, embroidery or embellishment 

and of course the fabric might well have to 

withstand the rigours of being broken down,” 

says Morag Feeney-Beaton, Stockroom 

Supervisor in the Production Costume 

unit of the Royal Opera House. 

In many productions, the garments 

could be splattered with fake blood 

or ripped on stage as part of the 

production. Oakes comments: “It amuses 

me that they buy these really beautiful cloths 

and then distress them.” 

CUTTING THEIR CLOTH 

Selling to clients in theatre companies 

is not without its complications. 

As with many industries in these 

post-financial crisis days, there are 

conscious efforts to cut costs. Added 

Les Troyens – Die Trojaner: Actors wearing Scabal fabrics 

to that, government funding for arts 

and culture is one of the first areas to 

suffer when a recession starts to bite. 

“With the arts industry on a knife edge at 

the moment in the UK with budget cuts, 

it’s a tough time for theatres. They all get 

grants but these are being slashed by the 

government,” explains Oakes. Over in 

Germany, it’s much the same picture. 

“Financial resources in recent years have 

been very limited,” says Verheyen. 

A trend therefore is for theatre 

companies to focus more on 

contemporary productions rather 

than potentially more costly historical 

dramas where the costumes can be 

something more of a feat, a costly one 

at that, for wardrobe managers. “If 

they don’t have to make it, they buy it. But 

it can be difficult with a period piece and 

in these cases, they often have to make it,” 

says Oakes. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom. 

“Clients are quite price-conscious as 

well but having said that, if a cloth is 

expensive and they really need it, they’ll 

buy it. If it has to have the look, it has to 

have the look,” adds Oakes. 

One way to keep the cost down is to save 

the high quality fabrics for the stars 

of the show. “Most of all, we use Scabal 

cloth to make costumes for soloists. Scabal’s 

fabrics have a certain price and we cannot 

give them to all cast figures. Such chic 

material is for the soloists,” says Tieppo. 


© A.T. Schaefer

©Jürgen Hartmann 

That’s not the only reason why 

endurance is important. Feeney-Beaton, 

at the Royal Opera House, says: “As most 

of the Royal Opera House productions 

stay in the repertoire for many years, the 

life of any of our costumes will be long 

and unforgiving. It therefore goes without 

saying that good quality fabrics are a 

prerequisite for each and every one.” 

There may also be times when pieces 

from a previous production will be 

recast in a revival. Occasionally, new 

costumes will have to be made and 

that’s where Scabal can help. “We 

have the opportunity to work together to 

find a fabric that is so similar it will fit in 

perfectly with the production,” she says, 

adding that this was the case with a 

recent revival of La Traviata. 

Werner Pick, Head of Staatstheater Stuttgart’s 

Costume Department 

Verdi’s Rigoletto (left), Puccini’s La Rondine (middle) and Mozart’s Don Giovanni (right), three shows at 

La Fenice in which actors wear costumes made from Scabal fabrics 

All in all, it’s a question of quality 

of the fabrics and this accounts for a 

thriving business even during times of 

tight budgets. Verheyen in Germany 

explains that Scabal’s reputation for 

high quality and its insistence that it 

only works with the best materials has 

kept its working relationship with the 

sector healthy. 

Quality of service plays a role 

too. Tieppo says: “We have a good 

relationship with the people who work 

at Scabal. The sales agent is always 

available and if we do not have the right 

material, the agent will always help us. 

For some people, it doesn’t matter but for 

me this is very important.” 

INTERVIEW 

Staatstheater Stuttgart is one of the 

most prestigious theatres in Germany. 

This cultural institution was built from 

1909-1912 by the Royal Court of 

Prussia and is now considered as 

the world’s largest tri-discipline 

theatre, which stages very successful 

performances of opera, theatre and 

ballet. Creating costumes for this 

kind of institution would appears to 

be a dream job, and we wanted 

to know more. Scabal’s German 

representative, Rudolf Verheyen, 

introduced us to Werner Pick, who 

has been the head of Staatstheater 

Stuttgart’s costume department since 

2000. The designer talks about his 

passion for cloth and drama, and 

opens the curtains on his profession. 

It may be a market which is highly 

competitive, cost conscious and facing 

budget cuts but for theatre, the whole 

package has to be there to create the 

dramatic effect required to delight the 

audience – and that includes dressing 

to impress. 

Emma Portier Davis 

BESPOKEN: Head of the costume 

department of Staatstheater Stuttgart 

– was this a childhood dream? 

WERNER PICK: No, it was not. I had quite 

different plans. Costume design came to me 

more or less as an after-thought. 

How did you get here? What is your 

background? 

After school I was not sure of the route to 

take. I took an education in a pedagogical 

profession and, after this, I participated in 

independent theatre productions backstage 

and was responsible for the costumes. Art 

had always been interesting for me, so I 

could see myself working in costume design. 

In order to become more professional, 

I started to study at the Universität der 

Künste in Berlin. After that, I achieved 

my first contract as head of a costume 

department. In Stuttgart, I have held this 

position now for eleven years. I like leading 

people on the one hand, and I love theatre 

and costumes, so this position is ideal. 

How many costumes are made each 

year in your workshops? 

We do not manufacture all our costumes; 

sometimes they are bought, some are 

second hand or we reuse older costumes. 

In our workshops, we produce around 

5,000 costumes per year. Beyond that, we 

produce shoes, hats, jewellery, weapons, 

armour and we are responsible for makeup 

and wigs. 

How many metres of fabric do 

you need, on average, to create a 

costume? 

That depends on the costume, starting 

from 50cm for a vest or accessory. Huge, 

historical costumes can need anything 

from 20 up to 30 metres. For a tutu, we 

need many metres of tulle, for example. 

How many people work in your 

department? 

It’s like a company within the company – 

our staff comprises around 200 people in 

15 sub departments, with an additional 20 

trainees in five different professions. 

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Art itself provides the inspiration, and 

the variety of tasks that demand different 

perspectives for opera, drama and dance. 

Maybe it is the most beautiful professional 

work, when you can always co-operate with 

artists. Personally, I draw energy from 

nature, visual arts and music. 

How and when did you first encounter 

Scabal? 

I have been working with Scabal for a 

long time, but I only visited the company 

for the first time in Brussels in 2009. I was 

fascinated by the combination of steady 

innovation with the knowledge of tradition. 

Scabal embodies both in perfect harmony! 

What kind of Scabal fabrics do you 

prefer? 

As to the colour – classic black, as to 

the material – smooth, comfortable and 

cuddly. Scabal Velvet fabric meets all my 

requirements! 

‘OUR STAFF COMPRISES AROUND 200 

PEOPLE IN 15 SUB DEPARTMENTS AND WE 

PRODUCE 5,000 COSTUMES PER YEAR.’ 

Staatstheater Stuttgart 

Off-stage, what is your daily sartorial 

style? 

This can be very variable and I do 

not make a huge difference between 

professional and private life. As I am 

working in an artistic environment I can be 

casual in my own style. I like comfortable 

knitted jackets, as to the pants it can be 

jeans or something more extravagant. 

Lately, I have rediscovered traditional 

garbs as an inspiration. I like to renew 

combinations every day. 

What will be your fashion touch for 

next winter? 

Especially in winter, I have to care for 

multiple layers as I stay in different rooms 

with different temperatures at work and I 

normally come to work by bicycle! I will try 

out knitted layers, but never without sack 

coat or other jackets. My basic colour is 

black and I shall not change it, but mix into 

it gray, green or rust. 

Interview by Jérôme Stéfanski 


© Martin Sigmund © Martin Sigmund

SPECIAL FEATURE 

FORMAL 

WEAR 

FORMAL WEAR CULTURES 

FORMAL WEAR AS 

A CULTURAL HERITAGE 

— 43 — 

BACK IN THE DAY 

FORMAL WEAR ORIGINS 

— 46 — 

THE BESPOKE COACH 

BLACK OR WHITE TIE? 

STICK TO ETIQUETTE, 

GENTLEMEN 

— 48 — 

AUTUMN-WINTER 

2011-2012 ACCESSORIES 

— 54 — 

SCABAL ACROSS THE WORLD 

AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK 

— 56 — 

STYLE TRIBUTE 

GARY COOPER: THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCE 

— 59 — 

INTERNATIONAL AGENDA 

FOLLOW THE DRESS CODE 

— 62 — 

FORMAL WEAR CULTURES 

FORMAL WEAR AS A 

CULTURAL HERITAGE 

In our European and North American countries, we all know the traditional white tie and 

black tie. But world is wide. Let’s cross the borders and meet particular formal outfits that 

reflects local heritages. 

Some of them are 

very well-known 

as the Scottish kilt 

and the Japanese 

kimono. Other 

are less popular 

outside their native 

country. In all 

the cases, their precise origins and 

the way the are still worn today stay 

generally neglected. Follow the guide 

and do not hesitate to keep your black 

tuxedo home when you visit one of 

these countries for a formal event. 

THE SCOTTISH KILT 

That most Scottish of garments, the 

kilt, was developed by an Englishman, 

Thomas Rawlinson. In 1727 he set up 

an iron-smelting furnace in the north 

of Scotland with the help of a local 

regimental tailor he shortened and 

simplified the long plaid cloth that 

the local workers wore around their 

bodies. In the 19 th century English 

landowners in Scotland adoptedthe 

outfitin a romantic way, but despite 

national rivalries Scots all over the 

world proudly wear it as their national 

dress. Some wear the kilt as regular 

day attire, but more commonly it is 

worn as formal dress for weddings, 

evening dinners and celebrations. 

The pleated skirt, fastened on 

the waist with side adjusters, just 

hits the knees. The classic formal 

accompaniment is a short,singlebreasted, 

black jacket, a neat 

waistcoat, white shirt, black bow tie, 

and a sporran, the wallet slung from 

a chain at the front of the kilt. Heavy 

brogues, thick socks and a skean dhu 

(a decorative knife) down the sock 

complete thetraditional Highland 

outfit. Growing in popularity as an 

alternative to the kilt today are trews, 

tightmilitary-style trousers without an 

outside seam. Whether kilt or trews, 

the cloth must be tartan, of course. 

The Scottish kilt 

BESPOKEN I 43

The Arabic thawb and besht 

The West African dashiki 

The Japanese kimono The Hausa babbanriga 

The Indian and Pakistanis sherwani 

THE ARABIC THAWB AND BESHT 

Across the Arabic world a man’s 

ankle-length tunic is known by a 

variety of names, including thawb, thobe, 

dishdash, dishdasha, kandura or suriyah. 

It serves the necessary purpose of 

giving total coverage to protect against 

strong sunlight, while with layered 

undergarments it conserves body 

moisture and heat. Under the thawb 

is worn the sirwaal, long underpants 

elasticated at the waist. Traditionally the 

gown is made of cotton for the summer 

and wool for the colder months. Highquality 

English and other European 

wool cloths are much treasured by 

Arab gentlemen. There are regional 

differences between the looks of the 

gown. The sleeves can be short and 

wide, or tapered like a European shirt, 

and fastened at the wrist with cuff 

links. A small stand collar can offer a 

more formal appearance. The placket 

can be embroidered. Thawbs in north 

Africa sometimes have hoods but more 

normally the man would wear a scarfheaddress 

known as a ghutra, which is 

secured to the head with a circle of ropelike 

cord called an agal. Some people 

regard a longer thawb as representing 

royalty, status and wealth. Another 

symbol of power and affluence is the 

besht, a generous thick cloak worn at 

night, and the mashlah, a fine lightweight 

cloak sometimes bordered with gold and 

worn at ceremonial occasions. 

THE WEST AFRICAN DASHIKI 

Dashiki means shirt in the language of 

the Yoruba, the most populous ethnic 

group of West Africa. A colourful 

men’s garment covering the top half 

of the body, the dashiki is widely worn 

in the region.Typically it is a loosefitting 

pullover garment, with an 

ornate V-shaped collar, and tailored 

and embroidered neck and sleeve lines. 

In its most formal versions a tailored 

dashiki is worn with drawstring pants 

called sokoto (named after the Nigerian 

city of Sokoto) and a matching cap 

called kufi (after the city of Kufi in 

Nigeria; the word means crown). 

A white dashiki suit is the wedding 

outfit for most West African grooms. 

The traditional, short-sleeved, thighlength 

dashiki is preferred by purists, 

but the shirtscan be knee-length or 

longer. In West Africa, a man’s tribal 

affiliation governs his mode of dress. 

When wearing African attire to a 

formal event, any color is acceptable. 

Today, some men prefer to wear 

black with gold embroidery, or dark 

blue with gold embroidery, to blend 

in with the dark western tuxedos. 

The most common non-traditional 

colours for wedding suits are purple 

and lavender (the colour of African 

royalty) and blue (representing love, 

peace and harmony).Pattern through 

print, weave, embroidery and brocade 

make the vibrant cotton dashikis very 

flamboyant. 

THE INDIAN AND PAKISTANIS 

SHERWANI 

The long sherwani tunic first appeared 

in the 1700s during the British period 

of rule and was a fusion of the local 

shalwar kameez outfit with the British 

frock coat. Originally dress for nobles, 

especially Muslims, it was later adopted 

by a wider population as a westernised 

version of local dress. After its 

independence in 1947, it was made 

the national dress of Pakistan. In the 

west, a short version of the sherwani 

became known as the Nehru jacket (see 

page 47), after Jawaharlal Nehru, the 

prime minister of India from 1947 to 

1964. Today most fashionable grooms 

in India and Pakistan choose a sherwani 

for their bridal outfit. One difference 

is that Indians prefer to wear churidars, 

or tight-fitting trousers, while their 

northern neighbours prefer salwars, 

trousers which are wide at the top and 

narrow to the ankle. Churidars tend 

to be much longer than salwars and 

the excess length falls into folds at 

the ankle. Collarless or with a small 

stand collar, the tailored sherwani, 

which drops below the knee, is lavishly 

decorated for the groom, particularly 

echoing patterns from northern 

India. A cloth like raw silk provides 

textural interest while like shiny beads, 

precious gems, sequins, embroidery 

and brocade on the collar, neckline, 

front panel and at the cuffs indicate 

wealth, status and celebration. A 

flamboyant turban usually completes 

the stunning outfit. 

THE JAPANESE KIMONO 

For most Japanese men the kimono is 

a special occasion garment, worn only 

at weddings, tea ceremoniesand other 

very formal occasions. Professional 

sumo wrestlers are often seen in a 

kimono because they are expected to 

wear traditional costume whenever 

appearing in public. The word literally 

means an “object to wear” and was 

adopted at the turn of the 20 th century 

to rename the kosode, a historic 

Japanese robe that dates back at least to 

the 1700s. Kimonos are open-fronted, 

T-shaped, straight-lined, ankle-length 

robes. They have attached collars 

and sleeves that are wide and long for 

women, but shorter for men. Kimonos 

always are wrapped from the left over 

the right side of body (except when 

dressing the dead for burial). The gown 

is secured by a sash, which is tied at the 

back. Kimonos are typically worn with 

traditional Japanese sandals. The main 

distinctions between men’s kimono are 

in the fabric. Commonly the kimono 

is subdued and dark, in black, dark 

blues, greens, and browns. Fabrics are 

normally matte, although some have a 

subtle pattern, and textured fabrics are 

common in more casual kimonos. The 

most formal style of kimono is plain 

black silk with five kamon, or heraldic 

devices, on the chest, shoulders and 

back. These are usually paired with 

white undergarments and accessories. 

THE HAUSA BABBAN RIGA 

The tall and striking Hausa people 

of northern Nigeria are Muslim. 

Organised into a hierarchical imperial 

social order across seven Hausa states, 

the males know the importance of 

spectacular clothes that reflect wealth, 

lofty status, religious devotion and 

political power. The most splendid 

manifestation of this approach is the 

Hausas’ superbly embroidered great 

robe, or babban riga, part of an outfit 

that comprises of a riga (the outer 

robe; a second, less full, gown in 

worn beneath), a ceremonial turban, 

and embellished leather slippers or 

boots. The gowns are made of the 

region’s luxury textiles, typically 

finely spun cotton or silk woven on 

narrowband looms and decorated 

with embroidery – in keeping with 

Islamic beliefs, the patterns will show 

asymmetrical, non-representational 

motifs. Reaching from the shoulder 

almost to the ground, the vast gowns 

are draped over long-sleeved shirts 

and embroidered trousers. 


Eric Musgrave

BACK IN THE DAY 

FORMAL WEAR ORIGINS 

Looking to the past is always helpful in a fashion world where trends come and go. 

Nothing is more classical than formal wear and this type of clothing should not be 

subject to radical change. Nevertheless, history shows how the style was born and its 

main evolutions – a classic story that never ends. 

Traditional formal wear 

has been produced by 

some of the world’s best 

tailors and dressers 

dating back to the 

English Regency. 

Prior to that time, aristocratic finery 

had been largely a peacock affair, 

consisting of opulent materials and 

elaborate embellishments. Then 

menswear underwent a dramatic 

revolution during the Georgian 

period, when the popularity of the 

‘country gentleman’ look emphasized 

horsey, practical clothing. Renowned 

dandy Beau Brummell perfected 

the look around the turn of the 

century, combining the understated 

colours and materials of the country 

squire with the impeccable tailoring 

and exquisite finish of the London 

gentleman. At the core of Brummell’s 

new look was the tailcoat, a long coat 

that had originally been cut away in 

front for ease of wear when riding 

on horseback which soon became 

accepted by the aristocracy as the 

English Regency outfits were the birth of formal wear 

new dress coat. Because clothing was 

occasion-specific for the leisure class, 

different interpretations of the coat 

were used for a gentleman’s daytime 

and evening wardrobes. Brummell 

preferred his evening tailcoats in dark 

blue or black and would typically pair 

them with a white waistcoat, black 

pantaloons or black knee breeches, 

white cravat and thin shoes. Other 

Regency dandies experimented 

with more elaborate versions of this 

ensemble, but by the mid-century, 

Brummell’s original vision had 

become a strict black-and-white dress 

code that has been the basis for formal 

evening wear ever since. Around 

this time, the daytime version of the 

tailcoat was replaced by the kneelength 

frock coat, creating a more 

distinct demarcation between evening 

dress and the newly coined ‘morning 

dress’. Thanks to the unrivalled 

dominance of English tailors during 

this period, the island’s dress codes 

were adopted by nations throughout 

the western world. 

As the Victorian industrial revolution 

unfolded, these dress codes were 

adopted by a growing middle class 

whose striving towards genteel 

respectability led to the rules becoming 

increasingly strict. Not surprisingly, 

men began to seek a respite from the 

practice of dressing like an orchestra 

conductor just to eat dinner in their 

own homes. Some English squires 

began to substitute their tailcoat with a 

similarly styled version of the smoking 

jacket for less-formal evenings, a trend 

that gained legitimacy when adopted by 

Queen Victoria’s son Edward, Prince 

of Wales. Sartorial legend has it that 

American millionaire James Potter then 

discovered this comfortable alternative 

during a visit to the Prince’s country 

estate in 1886 and brought it back to the 

exclusive enclave of Tuxedo Park. When 

fellow New Yorkers noticed the town’s 

residents wearing the novel jacket to 

dinner in public, they associated it 

with the town’s name, although polite 

society generally preferred the British 

moniker “dinner jacket”. 

However it was referred to, the new 

evening jacket’s popularity grew 

during Edward’s reign as king. Also 

during this era, the frock coat was 

gradually usurped as formal day 

wear by the less formal morning coat 

(cutaway in American English), a type 

of tailcoat invented in the 1850s that 

was originally intended for horseback 

riding, like its evening counterpart. 

World War I significantly relaxed 

social mores, as wars are wont to do. 

One of the consequences was the 

“semi-formal” tuxedo’s acceptance 

as standard evening wear while the 

tailcoat became reserved only for very 

formal society affairs such as balls, 

elaborate formal dinners and a night 

at the opera. Another outcome was 

the arrival of the black lounge jacket 

(stroller in American English) as a 

similar alternative for the morning coat. 

Both of these Jazz Age developments 

were championed by the twentiethcentury 

Beau Brummell, a dashing 

young Prince of Wales, better known 

today as the Duke of Windsor. His 

global influence continued into the 

Great Depression fostered by advances 

in tailoring and textiles that led to the 

golden age of menswear. This period 

marked the acceptance of midnight 

blue evening wear and swank warmweather 

alternatives such as doublebreasted 

and white dinner jackets. Its 

legacy also included the codification of 

the accoutrements for the morning coat, 

tailcoat and tuxedo, giving rise to the 

‘white tie’ and ‘black tie’ classifications 

in the process. Not surprisingly, the 

standards set during this remarkable 

era have been the benchmarks of 

proper formal wear ever since. 

The sartorial golden age ended with the 

advent of World War II, and a further 

decline in dress and social standards. 

As the business suit became more 

acceptable after dark, many began to 

regard the tuxedo as special-occasion 

attire rather than de facto evening 

wear and the tailcoat consequently 

became relegated to mostly ceremonial 

occasions. Conversely – and 

paradoxically – the semi-formal stroller 

failed to catch on and the morning 

coat remained standard attire for 

formal daytime functions, at least in 

Britain. In the more casually inclined 

United States, morning dress became 

increasingly viewed as an anachronism. 

During the counterculture movement 

of the 1960s and 70s, traditional 

formal wear approached extinction, as 

leisure suits and turtlenecks gained 

acceptability and youth were warned 

not to trust anyone over 30. The 

period’s ‘Peacock Revolution’ assaulted 

formal attire with a riot of coloured 

and flashy materials, an onslaught of 

neo-Edwardian ruffles and frills and a 

barrage of mod alternatives such as the 

Nehru jacket and ‘formal jumpsuit’. 

The election of Conservative leader 

Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and 

Republican US President Ronald 

Reagan in 1980 signalled an end to 

this bohemianism, as well as the dawn 

of unprecedented consumerism. The 

result was a boom in formal wear’s 

popularity and styling not seen since 

the thirties. American tuxedo sales 

skyrocketed as the formal suit returned 

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) 

influenced Indian people to fight for their independence 

and also inspired fashionistas with his famous 

‘Nehru jacket’ 

to its classic black-and-white roots, 

while simultaneously being updated 

by fashion designers recently imported 

from the world of women’s couture. 

In the 1990s, some of these stylists 

attempted to completely redefine 

black tie with band-collar and black 

shirts, long ties and uncovered waists, 

looks eagerly adopted by the young 

Hollywood glitterati. 

The Yuppie-era boom finally came 

to an end with the rise of GenX and 

the ‘age of whatever’, reinforced 

by George W. Bush’s and Gordon 

Brown’s protests against white tie 

and Barack Obama’s ignorance of, or 

ambivalence towards, conventional 

black tie. Despite this, formal 

fashions remain fairly conservative. 

In fact, Tom Ford recently revitalized 

the tuxedo with a return to goldenage 

styling, proving yet again that 

when it comes to formal wear there 

is no better formula for success than 

sticking to classical details. 


© Life 

Peter Marshall

Booking passage on the inaugural transatlantic 

crossing of the Queen Mary 2 seemed like 

the perfect excuse to buy a tuxedo. Because 

there was very little information available 

about proper black tie at that time I decided 

to do some field research to make sure 

I did not invest in a wardrobe that was 

suitable only for a high-school prom. Consequently, I rented 

a conservative formal ensemble and headed off to the gala 

opening of a Toronto concert hall to see how well my evening 

wear would stand up against that the of the black-tie veterans 

in attendance. As it turns out, my initial choices held their 

own quite nicely. In fact, the only dissimilarity I noticed 

was the presence of a satin stripe on the trousers of the 

other gentlemen whereas mine were unadorned. However, I 

couldn’t help but be struck by how much this minor aesthetic 

touch enhanced the outfit’s overall elegance. It was an 

important lesson and one that would hit home time and again 

as I continued my pre-purchase research: When it comes to 

looking your best in formal wear, success in the details. 

THE BESPOKE COACH 

BLACK OR WHITE TIE? 

STICK TO ETIQUETTE, 

GENTLEMEN 

For this special edition dedicated to formal wear, who better than Peter Marshall, creator of the 

website Blacktieguide.com, as the Bespoke Coach? For Bespoken, he offers advice and translates 

the meanings of formal dress codes, to help our readers shine at special occasions. 

WHITE TIE ETIQUETTE 

AND ATTIRE 

In the 21 st century, the most formal civilian dress code is 

largely limited to royalty and high society and, even then, 

it’s rare. The only times that ‘white tie’ is likely to appear 

on an invitation are for prestigious society balls, society 

weddings, public dinners and European state dinners 

(notably, white-tie weddings are fairly common in Finland, 

Norway and Sweden). At this level of formality the rules are 

very strict: they don’t call it ‘full dress’ for nothing. 

INVEST IN MADE-TO-MEASURE 

Should you be fortunate enough to attend such an august 

occasion, this is not the time to be a spendthrift. Poorly 

fitting rental clothes will make you look like a second-rate 

magician, while a properly tailored full-dress kit will foster 

the impression of landed gentry. This is particularly true for 

the tailcoat. Unlike a regular suit jacket which is relatively 

forgiving as long as the shoulders fit properly, tailcoats are 

a type of body coat which, as the name implies, must fit 

the wearer’s torso perfectly in order to lie snugly against 

the chest and waist. In the case of the evening tailcoat this 

is even more of a challenge because, although it is cut in a 

double-breasted style, it is not designed to close in front. 

Other distinguishing traits of the coat include fronts cut 

away sharply at the waist leading back to the side of the legs, 

at which point the garment tapers down to the bottom of 

the back skirt which ends just behind the knee. This skirt 

is divided by a long center vent creating the illusion of two 

tails and inspiring the early nicknames “swallow-tail coat” 

and “claw-hammer tailcoat”. 

ONLY WEAR DARK COLOURS 

Black has been the norm for evening wear since the 1850s 

and midnight blue – a deeper and richer version of black – 

has been a correct and striking alternative since the 1920s. 

The use of ebony for evening wear not only creates a natural 

harmony with its after-dark environment but also provides 

a couple of distinct aesthetic advantages. First, it imbues the 

wearer with an aura of dominance and power. Second, when 

worn with a white shirt and accessories, the juxtaposition 

of black’s complete lack of colour against white’s complete 

gamut creates the most dramatic contrast possible. 

BET ON SILK PEAKED LAPELS 

Peaked lapels have been standard on the evening tailcoat 

© Scabal 

EVENING TAILCOAT 

Jacket and trousers from the Mohair collection by Scabal - reference 702386 

Waistcoat from the Festival collection by Scabal - reference 851762 

since the turn of the 20th century. Not only are they the 

most formal style of suit lapel but their sweeping upward 

diagonal lines also create the impression of a powerful 

V-shaped torso. They are faced in silk that can be in the 

form of smooth satin or ribbed grosgrain. Although the 

former is much more common in North America, its shiny, 

somewhat theatrical finish is not as popular in Britain, 

where the understated look of grosgrain is often preferred. 

MATCH YOUR TROUSERS WITH YOUR LAPEL FACING 

Trousers match the coat fabric and feature two narrow 

stripes or one wide stripe of silk along the outseams, either 

braided or in the same material used for the lapel facing. 

These stripes serve to cover the trouser’s working seams and 

lengthen the perceived leg line in a manner reminiscent of 

military dress uniforms (and you know what they say about 

a man in a uniform). Full-dress trousers must be worn with 

suspenders as it is crucial that the waistband maintains its 

position relative to the waistcoat. Formal trousers are never 

worn with cuffs (turn-ups in British English). 

Never underestimate the role of full-dress shirt 

Next to the tailcoat, the full-dress shirt is arguably the 

most important component in creating white tie’s regal 

bearing. The classic full-dress shirt commands a military- 

‘POORLY FITTING RENTAL 

CLOTHES WILL MAKE YOU 

LOOK LIKE A SECOND-RATE 

MAGICIAN.’ 

like formality with a stiff bosom made from plain linen, 

plain cotton or cotton piqué (marcella in the UK). This bibshaped 

layer of fabric is heavily starched to give wearers the 

appearance of a firm, flat torso, regardless of their actual 

physiques. Traditionally the shirt is tunic style and takes a 

detachable wing collar. Whether attached or not, the collar 

should be taller than regular shirt collars and should stand 

stiffly so as to best frame the wearer’s face. Sleeve cuffs are 

barrel style (single cuffs in British English) that fasten with 

cufflinks traditionally made of mother-of-pearl to match the 

shirt studs. 

MAKE IT YOURS 

The full-dress waistcoat serves to conceal the bottom of 

the shirt’s bosom and the waistband of the trousers. It is 

constructed of white piqué and can be single- or doublebreasted 

but is always cut very low to best reveal the shirt 

bosom. Its length is a critical consideration as it must be long 

enough to cover the trouser waistband yet not so long as to 

extend below the coat fronts. Within these parameters there 

is room for extensive variation in shape of the waistcoat’s 

revers (lapels) and its bottom edge, making it the sole garment 

than may be used to add a personal touch to the otherwise 

rigid uniform. 

FORGET TIE, THINK BOW TIE 

The white full-dress bow tie is made from cotton piqué, 

the material of choice since the 1930s. And if pre-tied 

neckwear is considered unrefined in a relatively informal 

office environment then it can only be viewed as downright 

gauche in the context of an ultra-formal social or diplomatic 

function. Formal bow ties are meant to be worn outside the 

wings of the collar, not tucked behind them. 

WEAR FORMAL SLIPPERS 

Black formal pumps (men’s court shoes in British English) 

have a pedigree stretching back to the royal courts and grand 

ballrooms of Europe. They feature a grosgrain bow on the 

vamp that is either pinched or lies completely flat. Lace-up 

shoes are equally correct provided they have the same slipperlike 

silhouette and minimal decoration. Either shoe is most 

traditional in patent leather although calfskin is acceptable 

provided it is highly polished. For similar reasons as the 

pump, the aristocratic pedigree and elegant sheen of silk hose 

make them preferable to other types of dress socks. 


BLACK TIE ETIQUETTE 

& ATTIRE 

Although contemporary society is a highly informal one 

with people wearing T-shirts to the office and flip-flops to 

church, black-tie affairs still play a role in the social lives of 

urbane gentlemen. Some of these affairs are black tie largely 

by tradition such as opening nights of major theatrical 

productions or designated formal nights on transatlantic 

crossings. However, unwritten black-tie occasions are rare 

today and vary considerably by city and by social circles. 

Instead, organizers are much more likely to specifically state 

the dress code on invitations to events that typically include 

formal government functions, prestigious charity galas and 

formal evening weddings. 

Paradoxically, although formal proms, weddings and 

cruises are the most common occasions for American to 

don tuxedos, they are rarely black-tie events. They regularly 

feature tuxedos of every hue, pattern and design while black 

tie specifically calls for a grown-up version of the tuxedo. 

Only men who adhere to the code’s traditional rules are 

able to benefit from its traditional benefits: attractiveness, 

equality, chivalry and consideration. Attractiveness because 

it enhances a man’s appearance more effectively than any 

other tuxedo configuration, equality because it raises all 

men to the same level, chivalry because it defers to the 

more dramatic and sensuous finery of the female guests and 

consideration because it respects the host’s desire to make 

the evening truly special. 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TUXEDO 

The classic tuxedo jacket is constructed of the same black 

or midnight blue material used by the evening tailcoat. 

The original and therefore most formal model is the singlebreasted 

style that has only one button thereby allowing 

the front to be cut in a deep V shape that mimics the 

wide shoulders and narrow waist of the ideal male torso. 

The double-breasted model originated as a less formal 

alternative in the 1930s but is now considered just as 

acceptable. Tuxedo jackets without vents are the most 

slimming and formal although side vents can be more 

practical and comfortable. 

SHAWL OR PEAKED COLLAR: IT’S UP TO YOU 

The most formal style of lapel is the peaked style imported 

from the tailcoat. It has the added benefit of emphasizing 

height and shoulder width through its upwards and outward 

sweep. The dégagé shawl collar option inspired by the 

tuxedo’s smoking jacket predecessor is equally correct. 

Either lapel style is dressed in the same choice of facings 

as the tailcoat although the satin option is particularly well 

suited to the shawl collar. Black-tie trousers are as for full 

dress except that they feature only a single stripe. 

COVER YOUR WAIST 

Black tie’s original waist covering is the low-cut style of 

evening waistcoat used by its full-dress progenitor. It is 

made either of wool to match the jacket or of silk to match 

the lapel facings. The cummerbund has been an accepted 

TUXEDO 

Jacket from the Mohair collection by Scabal - reference 702386 

year-round alternative since the 1950s although it has never 

been particularly popular in Europe. It should be of the 

same type of silk as the jacket’s lapel facings. Neither type of 

waist covering is necessary when the waist is concealed by a 

double-breasted jacket which is worn closed. 

WEAR A DOUBLE CUFF SHIRT 

The tuxedo’s original shirt was also borrowed from full 

dress and although this stiff-front, stiff -collar option is still 

correct many consider it better suited to white tie. Its wing 

collars also tend to push against the jowls of short-necked 

men and not everyone likes the way it exposes the bow-tie’s 

band. If worn, it is best paired with a peaked-lapel jacket 

and a waistcoat for maximum formality. More congruous 

with the tuxedo’s suit-like styling is the soft-front turndown 

collar formal shirt which came into fashion in the 1930s. 

It features a bosom decorated with pleats or piqué, closes 

with studs and takes French cuffs (double cuffs in UK). Shirt 

studs and cufflinks should harmonize and are most typically 

black, gold or mother-of-pearl. 

MATCH YOUR BOW TIE AND YOUR JACKET’S COLLAR 

The black bow tie should be a self-tie model in silk to 

match the jacket’s lapel facings. Its butterfly or batwing 

shape is a matter of personal preference. Footwear is the 

same as for white tie. 

© Scabal 

UNDER THE SUN ONLY 

Finally, during summer in the American south or at any time 

in the tropics it acceptable to wear an off-white dinner jacket 

with self-faced lapels and a black cummerbund. All other 

details for this warm-weather black-tie alternative are the same 

as for standard black tie. 

MODERN INTERPRETATION 

In addition to the classic interpretation of black tie, many 

contemporary etiquette authorities allow for a number of 

modern variations. Currently the preference is for a pareddown 

minimalist look. At its most elegant it is epitomized 

by the dashing evening ensemble featured so prominently 

in the recent James Bond reboot Casino Royale: a trim-fitting 

peaked-lapel jacket and traditional bow tie updated with 

a fly-front shirt. At its most pedantic, it is a glorified black 

business suit typified by President Obama’s two-button, 

notched-lapel, single-vented tuxedo that he so frequently 

pairs with a four-in-hand tie. The latter interpretation not 

only strips the tuxedo of its formality but also of its aesthetic 

benefits. In particular, the long tie cuts the exposed front 

of the shirt in half negating the dramatic “V” that normally 

enhances the wearer’s physique. It also draws the viewer’s 

eye down the wearer’s crotch whereas a bow tie serves to 

underscore his face, the proper focal point of any good suit. 

Peaked lapel tuxedo - fabric from the Mohair collection by Scabal - reference 702386 

Both Bond and Barack also sported an exposed 

waist which is fine provided you have a perfectly flat 

stomach, never undo your jacket and never move your 

arms from your sides. Under any other circumstances 

the shirt waist will peak out and ruin the vertical 

emphasis that a suit is supposed to engender. 

‘THE MOST FORMAL STYLE 

OF LAPEL IS THE PEAKED 

STYLE IMPORTED FROM THE 

TAILCOAT. IT HAS THE ADDED 

BENEFIT OF EMPHASIZING 

HEIGHT AND SHOULDER WIDTH 

THROUGH ITS UPWARDS AND 

OUTWARD SWEEP.’ 


© Scabal

© Scabal © Scabal 

FORMAL MORNING DRESS 

ETIQUETTE & ATTIRE 

MORNING COAT 

Jacket from the Royal collection by Scabal - reference 702631 

Trousers from the Festival collection by Scabal - reference 851764 

Waistcoat from the Festival collection by Scabal - reference 851762 

AMERICAN OR BRITISH? SPOT THE RIGHT 

TRADITION 

The differences between Bond and Barack’s evening wear 

typify a similar contrast between British and American 

formal day wear. As weddings in the United States migrated 

to late afternoon affairs to allow for evening dinner and 

dance receptions Americans began to consider the tuxedo 

as standard wedding attire. And since they were content 

to wear suits to all other important daytime functions the 

concept of formal daytime clothes became unknown among 

the general public. Meanwhile, in Britain (and parts of the 

Continent) morning and afternoon weddings remain the 

norm and so does the corresponding tradition of morning 

dress. It is worn by grooms, groomsmen and guests at 

formal church weddings as well as for formal daytime events 

in the presence of The Queen such as Royal Ascot and 

Trooping the Colour. Like the evening dress codes, morning 

dress requirements were traditionally implied rather than 

stated but even the most conventional etiquette authorities 

now acknowledge that the literal route is the safest one. 

Sartorially speaking, the Americans dropped the ball on 

this one. All-black tailcoat and tuxedo suits may appear 

debonair in the dark but they are deathly in daylight as 

evidenced by their traditional association with mourning. 

Morning dress, on the other hand, utilizes a variety of tones 

and patterns and even colors to enliven its appearance while 

still maintaining an appropriately formal nature. 

KEEP IT SIMPLE 

As with evening dress, there are two categories of morning 

dress. The most formal and most common type features 

a black or sometimes dark gray morning coat (cutaway 

in American English) which is a single-breasted tailcoat 

that closes with one button beneath which the coat fronts 

gradually slope away from each other. It is usually made of 

wool but with a herringbone weave to add visual interest. 

Like its evening counterpart its skirt typically ends just 

behind the knees and features a long center vent, has peaked 

lapels (although self-faced) and no waist pockets. 

HIGH CUT TROUSERS WITHOUT CUFFS 

There are a great variety of black, white and gray patterned 

trousers acceptable for morning dress but the most formal 

and most commonly associated are made of black-striped 

dark gray material commonly known as a cashmere design. 

As with full-dress, trousers do not have cuffs and should 

be cut high enough for their waistband to be covered by a 

relatively short waistcoat. 

FORGET STIFF-WING COLLAR 

The shirt may have a white or pale colored body but the 

turndown collar should be white and preferably of the stiff, 

detachable type to lend it an air of formality. The bodies do not 

have bosoms or stud holes but the sleeves should have French 

cuffs. Although technically correct, the stiff-wing collar shirt is 

notably old-fashioned and discouraged by most authorities. 

PERSONALIZE YOUR WAISTCOAT 

There is also considerable variety allowed for the waistcoat. 

It can be single- or double-breasted and while traditionally 

light gray or buff, pale colors are allowed for a more modern, 

youthful take. 

THE RIGHT TIE ON THE RIGHT COLLAR 

With the turndown collar a four-in-hand tie is worn while 

a wing collar calls for a dress cravat (dress ascot in American 

English). Pale gray or silver woven silk in subtle patterns 

such as houndstooth or Macclesfield are most traditional, 

especially for groomsmen. Pastel colors are an acceptable 

alternative. Like all formal neckwear, the four-in-hand or 

dress cravat should be self tied. 

BLACK SHOES ONLY 

Correct shoes are well-polished black lace-ups either 

with capped or plain toes. Black silk or cashmere hose is 

traditional but other fine fabric is also acceptable. 

TOP HATS AS THE SMARTEST OPTION 

Finally, top hats are optional unless you are lucky enough to 

be invited to the Royal Enclosure at Ascot. Black silk is the 

smartest and most formal choice but such models are very 

hard to come by these days. Instead, gray felt with a black 

band is now the most common option. 

Dress Code 

ATTIRE 

Occasion 

Morning Dress 

(semi-formal) 

BLACK LOUNGE / 

STROLLER 

Formal or semiformal 

daytime 

weddings. 

Morning Dress 

MORNING COAT / 

CUTAWAY 

Formal 

daytime weddings, 

formal daytime 

occasions in the 

presence of royalty. 

LAST CONSIDERATION 

So there you have it, a whirlwind tour of men’s formal wear. 

There are a myriad of lesser details that may also be of 

interest but the ones described here are enough to send the 

average man well on his way to assembling a classic formal 

wardrobe. Admittedly, sticking to the rules requires some 

amount of discipline as most men are used to dress clothes 

that allow them to stand out rather than force them to blend 

in. Compliance will also require spending some time to 

track down the appropriate garments. However, the return 

on investment is enormous. 

In my case I premiered my classic black-tie kit at the first 

formal dinner on the Queen Mary 2’s historic crossing. 

With each step I took down the grand staircase of the 

majestic dining room I felt as if I was taking a step 

further back in time. The ship’s art deco-inspired décor 

and historic itinerary certainly helped evoke a yesteryear 

elegance but it was the meticulous yet understated detail 

of my own wardrobe that elevated the experience from 

passively cerebral to poignantly personal. And that sublime 

experience has been the same at every formal evening since 

then. I highly recommend it. 

Find many other formal wear tips offered 

by Peter Marshall at www.blacktieguide.com 

Black Tie 

(Warm Weather) 

WHITE DINNER 

JACKET 

Black Tie White Tie 

TUXEDO / 

DINNER JACKET / 

DINNER SUIT 

Semi-formal evening weddings, 

formal dinners on cruises, 

formal opening night galas 

at theater or opera. 

Peter Marshall 

EVENING 

TAILCOAT / 

DRESS COAT 

Formal 

evening weddings, 

formal balls, 

Royal state dinners. 


FORMAL WEAR ACCESSORIES 

SWEET & CHIC 

Loyalty is more valuable than diamonds. Filipino proverb 

Ties from the Diamond Chip Collection by Scabal – Diamond Chip fabric is made from 

22 carats diamond fragments blended with pure silk and Super 150’s wool 

French macarons by Ladurée Paris | Grande Champagne Cognac Louis XIII by Remy Martin 

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. English proverb 

Photographer: Filip Vanzieleghem 

Production: Sylvain Gadeyne 

Text and concept: Jérôme Stéfanski 

100 per cent silk cummerbund, bow tie and dress cravat with pin from the Elba Collection by Scabal 

Belgian chocolates by Neuhaus | Champagne Millesime 1999 Rare by Piper-Heidsieck 


Leonard Logsdail describes himself as a 

“transplanted Londoner”. He retains his 

English accent, which he admits is something 

of an asset as it sets him apart and his name 

is well known, especially in the film world, 

where he has been responsible for dressing 

many stars, such as Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis. 

He recently worked on Wall Street II: Money Never Sleeps, 

making the formal suits that convey power, intrigue and 

prestige, and other recent recipients have been stars such 

as Jim Carrey, Alan Alder, Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Toby 

Maguire and Leonardo di Caprio – you can’t get much more 

stellar than that. 

He says “some movie stars have egos the size of the Empire State 

Building” refusing, discreetly, to name names but points out 

that in this part of the business, it’s 90 per cent psychology, 

10 per cent tailoring, and adds that this is true of the tailor’s 

profession in general: “It will fail if you’re not inside the head.” 

LONDON PEDIGREE 

Leonard began his career with a meteoric rise at a time 

when British style was at its zenith. He worked in Savile Row 

and went to tailoring college in London, which he says gave 

him a pedigree: “At college, I loved the idea that you could take 

a plain piece of brown paper and turn it into a suit. I concentrated 

on cutting, and was one of the first tailors to go straight into a job 

in the cutting room. People recognized that I had a flair for it and 

stood up for me. I still love what I do, and I will not let a suit go out 

if there are any mistakes whatsoever. I cut every single one.” 

He worked at several well-respected names in Savile Row, 

and then aged just 21 he set up a business with a partner, 

Burstow and Logsdail, in premises above a shop in London’s 

Carnaby Street, an address which was the centre of the 

fashion universe at the time. He regards this with a certain 

amusement: “At 21, you think you know everything, I look back 

and think I was such a big head, but I was a quick learner. I 

remember after six or seven months in the business I sat down to 

have a cup of tea and I was working on half a dozen suits. I looked 

at one of them and it dawned on me that I was putting a 21-yearold’s 

idea on to a 50-year-old stockbroker, it was hanging up and I 

realized that it was his suit, not mine. That cup of tea taught me a 

lesson – I have to make the dreams of my clients come true.” 

SCABAL ACROSS THE WORLD 

AN ENGLISHMAN 

IN NEW YORK 

From Savile Row to Wall Street, British elegance has no borders. In The Big Apple, we met 

Leonard Logsdail, a tailor who left London many years ago to live his own American 

dream. Now considered as the first celebrity tailor in New York, Logsdail talks to us about 

his work and his formal wear approach. 

Leonard Logsdail 

In the early days of Burstow and Logsdail, Leonard built 

up a Dutch following, travelling regularly from London 

to Rotterdam, the Hague, Eindhoven and on to Paris and 

Germany, driving across Europe around six times per year. 

Eventually, he travelled to customers in the States, fell in love 

with New York and Washington and, incidentally, with an 

American who is now his wife, with whom he has six children. 

That was 20 years ago. After renting premises initially in 

Madison Avenue he moved to East 53 rd St. where the business 

is still located. “I have never regretted one iota. America is a great 

place, and there are still so many opportunities.” 

A PASSION FOR CLOTH 

Logsdail has been a user of Scabal fabrics throughout his 

career. He describes his clientele as people who basically prefer 

classic clothes, though they are very receptive to new soft 

colours and many like quite bold decoration such as strong 

stripes. His fabrics are based in top quality, fine wool, 120’s, 

130’s and 140’s and this applies also to his young customers: 

“At that sort of price point they don’t want something which is only 

going to last a year or two.” He is quite prepared to refurbish 

favourite garments, saying that he has recently relined a suit 

purchased in 1988: “It’s good that they enjoy it, and put it to good 

use, and this is useful for me to point out too, especially when I want to 

increase prices!” 

“Scabal fabrics are probably the best in the world,” he says, naming 

the cashmere bunch Romance as one of his favourites, since it 

tailors well and appeals to customers who like a conservative 

and elegant approach. It is a cloth of 280 grammes that consists 

of pure cashmere, ideal for gentlemen who are seeking a 

naturally elegant summer jacket. Fine worsted cashmere, 

Romance drapes beautifully and has a fantastic feel with pure 

cashmere’s exceptional softness and another benefit is the 

magnificent, natural sheen that is unique to this fibre. 

Leonard Logsdail, tailor to the stars, says that the part of his 

job he likes best is meeting people, whether it be his highflying 

customers or the celebrities he deals with for film work: 

“I love the psychological games of deciding who is going to be in 

control. In particular, the guys from Wall Street could be really hardnosed, 

but I still love the fact that a two-dimensional idea turns into 

three dimensions and passes muster with everyone.” 

Janet Prescott 

SPECIAL OCCASIONS 

Formal wear may not be a frequent 

purchase, but it is indispensable 

in the building of a wardrobe and 

there is increased interest in formal 

clothing as new generations look to 

the sartorial advantages that such 

well cut, tailored items can bestow. 

The internationally successful TV 

show Mad Men, set in the 1950s and 

60s, must have had an effect in this 

direction too, with its debonair, 

scheming dilettante ad executives 

in Madison Avenue such as Donald 

Draper dressing immaculately for 

every occasion as they pressed their 

advantage. 

“Because in most cases formal wear is 

required to be worn over several years 

in many different settings, it has to be 

made of finest quality fabric which needs 

to be classic, but can bear hallmarks of 

individuality as well”, says Leonard 

Logsdail. 

Formal attire in the shape of dinner 

suits, smoking jackets, tuxedos and 

ceremonial wear represents a small 

but important part of his output. He 

usually makes five or six full dress 

suits and tails per year, and also some 

morning suits, mainly in traditional, 

classic designs. Tuxedos are more 

frequent “but even these are not too fashion 

forward, they’re usually solid patterns, with 

sometimes a fine herringbone”. There is 

a great deal of prestige still associated 

with formal clothes. One club in 

Houston, Texas asks him to make a 

velvet smoking jacket each year for the 

retiring President. His business suits 

are usually chosen in lighter-weight 

fabrics, with very few of these over 250 

grammes, but formal wear is created 

from more substantial cloths in 300- 

350 grammes. He notes a return to 

retro looks such as shawl, or rolled 

collars: “I think people have been looking 

at old Sean Connery films, it’s like the 

antique stores, all things from the 1960s are 

fashionable”. 

Actor Denzel Washington fitting his new bespoke suit, 

with Leonard Logsdail 

Leonard Logsdail 

9 E 53rd St # 4 

New York, NY 10022-4222 

USA 

T. +1 212 752-5030 

He recalls with relish a commission 

from a top banker from Dallas, 

working for Morgan Chase and 

concerned with looking after the funds 

of various prestigious institutions with 

formidable reputations based on the 

East Coast. This man said that people 

poked fun at him for being a bland 

banker known for his grey suits. He 

came and explained his predicament 

to Leonard, who decided to make him 

a deep maroon smoking jacket with 

shawl collar and patch pockets for a 

particular function. “I sent the patches 

to India and had them embroidered with 

various designs such as a wagon wheel, 

an armadillo, all emblems of Texas, with 

a yellow rose of Texas on the lapel and on 

the silk cummerbund a facade of the Alamo 

and the Texan flag. The client dressed for 

dinner and entered the room with his wife 

only once he knew the room was full. The 

conversation stopped dead.” 


STYLE TRIBUTE 

GARY COOPER: 

THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCE 

On the occasion of the release of his book Gary Cooper: An Enduring Style, Bruce Boyer 

pays tribute to one of the biggest style icons of the 20 th century. The perfect occasion for 

Bespoken to publish some of the best pictures of Cooper in formal outfits. 

Gary Cooper wearing the perfect white-tie outfit comprising tailcoat, top hat and bow tie 

BESPOKEN I 59

Gary Cooper wearing the official British captain uniform 

of the 1760s in Unconquered (1947) 

When he died in 1961 at the age of 

sixty, Gary Cooper was eulogized 

around the world as the public 

symbol of the honorable American. 

In his 37-year film career, he starred 

in more than 100 movies, a dozen 

of them among the most memorable films ever made. As 

a leading actor, he was nominated for an Academy Award 

six times, and won twice (for Sergeant York and High Noon), 

as well as receiving an Honorary Academy Award for a 

lifetime of memorable screen performances. 

He appeared in romantic comedies and war movies, 

biographies, spy thrillers, historical dramas and films of 

social conscience, as well as almost 30 Westerns. High Noon 

ranks as one of the half-dozen films defining that genre, and 

in the opinion of many critics is the best Western ever made. 

In the years spanning his long career there were other 

leading men who had a more cynical, street-wise appeal 

(Gable, Bogart, Cagney), more sophistication (Charles Boyer, 

Ronald Coleman, Cary Grant), more rugged energy (John 

Wayne), a darker sensuality (Valentino, Tyrone Power, 

Burt Lancaster), more boyish charm (Jimmy Stewart, Joel 

McCrea), or more tough-guy panache (Robert Mitchum, 

Kirk Douglas, Sinatra). But Cooper was, in critic Richard 

Schickel’s phrase, the “Democratic Prince”, a haltingly 

shy man of simple virtue and had a code of honour that 

unavoidably clashed with politics. He remains one of the 

few actors whose portrayals of naivety wear well, without 

embarrassment either to himself or the audience. It was a 

style based on natural gracefulness, at a time when naivety 

and gracefulness were in style. 

LITTLE COWBOY TURNS 

HANDSOME DANDY 

He was born in the frontier town of Helena, Montana at the 

turn of the 20 th century, and he got to ride as many horses and 

see as many herds of cattle as any cowboy he later portrayed 

in films. Both parents were English, and Cooper’s father 

insisted that Gary and his older brother Arthur be sent back 

to England to the private school that he had attended. And 

so by the time he reached his adolescence, Cooper had the 

advantage of a rough-country as well as a highly civilizing 

education. He had learned his Latin as well as his quarter 

horses. It had all something of the American democratic ideal 

about it: this handsome young man had learned his manners 

and his lessons, and yet was as rough-and-tumble as they 

come, and it’s that blend that defined his acting image as the 

American Everyman. 

When Southern California beckoned, Cooper drifted into 

films as a stuntman and extra on cowboy sets. At six foot three 

inches, and weighing 185 pounds, with light brown hair and 

vibrant blue eyes, Gary Cooper was as handsome as anyone 

and looked superb in contemporary clothes, or anything else. 

No matter what costume he put on, he looked like he owned it. 

The camera loved him, and so did the box office. As a young, 

single man in Hollywood, he had the deserved reputation for 

acquiring the most beautiful women and fastest sports cars 

(and vice versa), not to mention a refined and perfectly tailored 

European wardrobe and renowned bachelor’s lair. 

Cooper’s best biographer Jeffrey Meyers points out: 

“Cooper had natural good taste, always wore elegant clothes 

and was one of the best-dressed actors in Hollywood. He inspired 

fashion stories in Flair, Women’s Wear Daily, Esquire, and 

Movietime, and if he hadn’t been a movie star, he could have 

had a great career as a model,” as early photos by Cecil 

Beaton, Clarence Bull and others show. 

BRITISH AND 

ITALIAN INFLUENCES 

He had obviously learned something about proper 

gentlemanly dress when he was a boarder at school in 

England, and Meyers notes that he bought custom clothes 

from Savile Row’s finest tailors, shirt makers, and boot 

makers whenever he went back to visit. At the end of 1929, 

English fashion photographer Beaton photographed him in 

Hollywood for Vogue. He said: “He was absolutely charming, 

very good looking with black eyelashes as thick as the lower lid on 

the upper. Very tall, a good figure, and such a good sort… He was 

extremely smartly dressed with a brown hat to match his suit and 

gloves, very elaborate gloves with green spots in the lining.” 

Cooper worked untiringly in those early years, but after 

making four films in the first half of 1931 alone, including 

the steamy Morocco, which was Marlene Dietrich’s 

introduction to American audiences, he retreated to Europe 

for a rest cure. On his return to the U.S.A. in 1932, having 

spent several months in Italy, he appeared quite the dandy. 

He had trunks full of clothes, and there are many photos of 

him at this time sporting elegant double-breasted overcoats 

and suits, spotted silk ties and ascots, pristinely cut tweed 

sports jackets, fedoras and bowlers, smartly furled English 

umbrellas, and sleekly polished handcrafted brogues. His 

urbane assemblage included a fresh boutonniere, cigarette 

holder, pigskin gloves, and silk pocket square. 

The labels in Gary Cooper’s wardrobe read like a Who’s Who 

of the best custom tailors, boot makers, and haberdashers 

in the world: Brioni, Lesley & Roberts, Caraceni, Battaglia, 

Charvet, Huntsman, Anderson & Sheppard, Knize, Turnbull 

& Asser, Dunhill, Brooks Brothers. American designer 

and friend Bill Blass noted, “More than anyone, Cooper was 

responsible for fusing the essentially formless but wearable aesthetic 

of the American West with the narrow, formal silhouette of 

European design. That set him apart from the Gables and Grants. 

That gave him American-icon status.” 

Inasmuch as he’s often compared with Cary Grant – both 

were incredibly handsome, great dressers, debonair – try to 

picture Grant in a Western. Even Grant’s costume dramas 

were his weakest performances. To make a different contrast, 

John Wayne – although he often played modern soldiers – 

was never quite at ease in contemporary dress. And on those 

few occasions when Astaire wore western attire, he just 

looked silly. Cooper wore it all, and had style in every pore. 

The fact that he was something of a dandy and was an 

accepted member of international society was kept carefully 

private and hidden. It simply didn’t fit his screen persona 

that he would have dinner with the Duke and Duchess 

of Windsor, discuss art with Picasso, or go hunting with 

Hemingway. In the days when there was little irony in 

Westerns and the only disturbing darkness came from 

the bad guys’ hats, what would we think of cowboys who 

had gone to English prep schools, have fiery affairs with 

Continental countesses, and hobnobbed with English dukes 

and world-renowned novelists? Did Roy Rogers go dancing 

at the Stork Club or El Morocco with Dale Evans? But he 

was not the simple, monosyllabic cowboy of his latter image. 

His more truthful image was captured better by Irving 

Berlin: “Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper, trying hard to 

look like Gary Cooper, super duper!” 

Gary Cooper: An Enduring Style by G. Bruce Boyer, 

PowerHouse Books, available at www.amazon.com 

G. Bruce Boyer 

‘COOPER HAD NATURAL 

GOOD TASTE, ALWAYS WORE 

ELEGANT CLOTHES AND WAS 

ONE OF THE BEST-DRESSED 

ACTORS IN HOLLYWOOD.’ 

Lionel Stander, Muriel Evans, Gary Cooper who wears a tailcoat, 

formal waistcoat and bow tie in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) 

Cooper, alongside with Claudette Colbert, wearing a black tuxedo in Bluebeard’s 

Eighth Wife (1938) 

Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945) 

and Gary Cooper wearing a double-breasted suit at Lake Success, 

New York on April 3 rd 1953 


© Action Cinemas 

© US Federal Archives

SHANGHAI CONTEMPORARY 

ART FAIR 

8-10th September 2011 

Shanghai, China 

www.shcontemporary.info 

Since 2007 this contemporary art 

fair, held in the spectacular Shanghai 

Exhibition Center, has been Asia’s 

most dynamic art platform, attracting a 

host of shrewd collectors, art lovers and 

celebrities from around the world. 

Dress code: Velvet jacket and flannel 

trousers – the arts community is very 

trendy, so don’t hesitate to flaunt your 

colours and be original. A purple jacket 

on gray flannel trousers could be a 

very good combination, and a pocket 

handkerchief and scarf will round off 

your arty-chic look. 

THE LOERIE AWARDS 

16-18th September 2011 

Cape Town, South Africa 

www.theloeriewards.co.za 

Known as the hottest event in Africa 

and the Middle East, the Loerie 

Awards is more than just a ceremony, 

it’s an event that rewards the region’s 

best advertising, communication and 

media. On the programme – three days 

of exciting events and discoveries. 

Dress code : wearing a black slim fit 

jacket, a white t-shirt assorted with 

a white pocket handkerchief and a 

jeans will give you the look of the real 

advertising guys from Big Apple. Forget 

your tie but bring your white sneakers. 

NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 

AUTO SHOW (NAIAS) 

Mid-January 2012 

Detroit, US 

www.naias.com 

INTERNATIONAL AGENDA 

FOLLOW THE DRESS CODE 

Bespoken shows you where to be seen and what to wear, from Paris to New York to 

Shanghai – so many great opportunities to wear your very best tuxedo… 

The Detroit auto show has been around 

for more than a century is considered as 

the international standard-setter for new 

vehicles. Each year sees a gala evening, 

‘The NAIAS Charity Preview’, with all 

proceeds donated to charities working 

with disadvantaged local children. 

Dress code: Classical is de rigueur in 

the automotive industry – black tuxedo, 

white shirt and black bow tie are 

strongly recommended. 

SALON INTERNATIONAL DE LA 

HAUTE HORLOGERIE (SIHH) 

16-20th January 2012 

Geneva, Switzerland 

www.sihh.org 

At the SIHH, the Richemont Group 

brands (Montblanc, Cartier, Van Cleef 

& Arpels, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, 

Jaeger-LeCoultre) present their 

world premieres of their timekeeping 

creations, and it’s an ideal opportunity 

to meet the watchmakers themselves. 

The height of refinement. 

Dress code: An air of authenticity and 

tradition is essential – why not take 

the opportunity to wear a chalk stripes 

three-piece flannel suit and, to be 

perfectly attuned to proceedings, do 

not hesitate to hang your pocket watch 

from your lapel buttonhole. 

WIENER OPERNBALL 

Beginning March 2012 

Vienna, Austria 

www.wiener-staatsoper.at 

Ending the traditional ball season in 

Vienna, the history and beauty of this 

event and the musical programme are 

quite captivating. 

Dress code: Debutant couples will 

begin festivities by dancing the iconic 

Blue Danube waltz, with a long white 

dress compulsory for the ladies and a 

tail-coat suit obligatory for the chaps. 

ROSE BALL 

Mid-March 2012 

Principality of Monaco 

www.monaco-montecarlo.com 

This event is organized to benefit the 

Princess Grace Foundation, created in 

1964, and the profits from which are 

donated to children in hospital. Two 

years ago, the theme was ‘East’, and 

last year ‘Soul Music’. We await 2012’s 

edition with breathless excitement… 

Dress code: Long dresses and tuxedos 

are required – the most flamboyant 

normally wear an accessory to match 

the evening’s theme, like the French 

culture minister did last year with a 

pocket handkerchief in the colours of 

Jamaica, to honour the ‘Soul Music’ 

theme… 

HASSAN II GOLF TROPHY 

End March 2012 

Agadir, Marocco 

www.hassan2golftrophy.com 

The Hassan II Golf Trophy, inaugurated 

in 1927, is a famous golf tournament 

chaired by His Royal Highness Prince 

Moulay Rachid of Morocco. A new 

chapter began in its long and prestigious 

history in 2011, when the event was 

contested for the first time in the 

Moroccan city of Agadir, instead of the 

Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat. 

Dress code: Sporty chic is advised. We 

suggest white or beige cotton trousers, 

polo shirt with short- sleeve jacket and 

casual ‘jaca camicia’ jacket. 

THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA 

Beginning of May 2012 

New York 

www.metmuseum.org 

The fashionistas will be out in force 

for the Costume Institute Gala, which 

takes place at New York’s Metropolitan 

Museum of Art. The most popular 

supermodels and most talented 

creators are treated to an evening of 

decadence and opulence. 

Dress code: Tuxedos are strongly 

recommended for gentlemen… and 

perhaps even the ladies, like singer 

Rihanna who made a splash in 2009 

with her Dolce Gabbana black tuxedo, 

leather gloves and high heels. 

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 

Mid-May 2012 

Cannes, France 

www.festival-cannes.com 

Perhaps the world’s most mediacovered 

event dedicated to the film 

industry, with its famous red carpet 

and 24 steps to glory. 

Dress code: On the red carpet, all 

eccentricities are allowed, but the 

traditional tuxedo is still the best choice. 

MONACO GRAND PRIX 

27th May 2012 

Principality of Monaco 

www.grand-prix-monaco.com 

Inaugurated in 1929, the Monaco 

Grand Prix is one of the world’s oldest 

and most prestigious automobile 

races. The circuit takes in the port 

of Hercules and the streets of Monte 

Carlo and La Condamine, making 

overtaking very difficult on its tight 

bends. And the most popular location 

to view the race? The terrace of the 

Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo. 

Dress code: Vintage sunglasses, hat, 

scarf and leather driving gloves are 

the accessories of choice. Add linen 

trousers and jacket, and you will be safe 

to shine in Monaco! 

ROYAL ASCOT 

Mid-June 2012 

Ascot, UK 

www.ascot.co.uk 

With its fast horses, extraordinary 

hats and royal appearances, the Royal 

Ascot meeting is the world’s foremost 

race meeting and is the prestigious 

event par excellence of the British 

sporting calendar. Mid-June 2012 will 

be the 301 st edition… 

Dress code: Hats are de rigueur 

for all guests. While the ladies 

have the freedom to wear very 

modern and colourful garments, 

the men meanwhile are bound by 

the traditions of dark tail-coats. A 

colourful flower to match your tie will 

bring a touch of freshness. 

HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA 

End of June 2012 

Henley-on-Thames, UK 

www.hrr.co.uk 

Each year, the English high society 

gathers for the Henley Royal Regatta 

in the last week of June. Undoubtedly 

the most famous regatta in the 

world, the event began in 1839 and is 

recognized both as a sporting event 

and social activity for the elite. but 

also as a social activity elitist. 

Dress code: Chic summer wear is 

required – the dress code dictates 

beige or white cotton pants, a navy 

blazer, tie and hat for gentlemen. 

THE DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM 

FESTIVAL (DIFF) 

End of July 2012 

Durban, South Africa 

www.cca.ukzn.ac.za 

Widely recognized as one of the 

most prestigious film festivals on 

the African continent, the DIFF 

programme features more than 250 

international films, with the emphasis 

on African cinema. 

Dress code: More relaxed than 

Cannes, the dress code allows for a 

mixture of traditional African outfits 

and more formal wear such as tuxedos 

and gowns for the gala evenings. 


Marie Hocepied

GLOBAL BRAND 

IN PEOPLE WE TRUST 

FAST AND FASTIDIOUS: 

THE LOGISTICS OF 

HIGH FASHION 

Bespoken meets the team of six that completes the final, decisive link 

in the customer service chain: Scabal Logistics. 

The Scabal Logistics team. From right to left: Martine Capenol, Francesco Bisschop, Le Hieu, Vu Tran Ba Hoang, David Smets, Oscar Vleminckx 

Scabal fabrics and finished clothing 

are available through tailors and 

fashion retailers in more than 65 

countries. The job of supplying this 

network of customers from a central 

source in downtown Brussels falls to 

the Scabal logistics department – 

a dedicated team of specialists 

shipping several hundreds packages 

every day. 

The team handles all three divisions 

of the company’s business: individual 

fabrics cut lenghts, accessories and 

finished garments. 

Scabal’s renowned fabric bunches 

are also packed and shipped here, 

as are promotional items, retail 

support material and even the copy of 

Bespoken you are now reading. These 

items travel round the world at a more 

leisurely pace than customer cuts and 

clothing. 

“Scabal works with a group of global 

freight companies,” explains Le Hieu, 

Scabal Shipping Manager “selecting 

the most economical solution for each 

particular shipment and destination.” 

© S. Papandropoulos 

SHORT AND RAPID CHAIN 

At the heart of Scabal’s business in 

Brussels is the supply of cut cloth to 

customers. From more than 5,000 

articles of stock fabric, up to 800 

individual fabric cut lenghts are 

dispatched around the world every 

day. “Our day ends when the shipper’s 

truck has left,” says Martine Capenol, 

Scabal Warehouse Manager. 

Scabal logistics specialists are the final 

link in a five-step chain that starts 

with an incoming order. After entering 

this order in the computer system, it 

passes through sales to the cutting 

department. After the wizards with 

the scissors have done their work, 

the cloth moves on to packaging and 

dispatch, all in the same 3,000 m² 

warehoused operation. 

Orders received by lunchtime are 

dispatched the same day, and most 

are sent air express for next-day 

delivery to the customer. 

Packaging itself is an art. Cut lengths 

are carefully rolled and folded creasefree 

and then packed in carton boxes, 

THE TEAM 

which come in a range of sizes to suit all 

possible cloth sizes. To prevent the cloth 

from moving and creasing in transit, 

cuts are packed tightly with airbags. 

‘OUR DAY ENDS 

WHEN THE 

SHIPPER’S TRUCK 

HAS LEFT.’ 

FULLY AUTOMATED 

PROCESS 

Le Hieu is the Shipping Manager, with 20 years’ 

experience in Logistics. His golden rule is ‘just in time’: 

the management system that produces only what is 

required, in the correct quantity and at the correct time. 

In his spare time, Le travels. He’s travelled south across 

Europe, west to North America and east to Asia. Almost 

as far as Scabal cloth. 

David Smets has spent his eight years at Scabal in the 

Logistics Department and understands the importance 

of precision. He continues a family tradition of working 

for the company with both his mother and grandfather 

previously employed by Scabal. He seems to carry this 

through to his private life: David is a martial arts expert 

and exponent of the very precise Bikram Hot Yoga 

(26 postures, 90 minutes, 40°C). 

Francesco Bisschop believes the most important rule 

in shipping is to keep a cool head. He should know: 

he’s worked for 23 years in Scabal’s logistics hot house. 

His hobby is video gaming; you need nerves of steel for that. 

When an order is packed, weighed and 

ready for shipment, Scabal logistics 

staff takes over. Some consignments 

require complex handling. Frequently, 

certificates of origin are required, 

depending on the destination country, 

which Logistics obtains through 

chambers of commerce or local 

embassies of the destination country. 

Certain types of fabric also require close 

attention, and specific export documents. 

Passage for most shipments is rapid 

and highly automated. When the order 

is ready for shipment, an operator 

clicks ‘ship’ and passes automatically 

to a fulfillment page where the 

weight of the package is computed 

and combined with other order 

information to be fed into the fullyintegrated 

shipping label generator. 

“All this happens in seconds,” says Le 

Hieu. “Using this process in our fulfillment 

chain, we are able to manage a large 

volume of orders with a surprisingly small 

workforce. We aim to get every order right, 

every day. Our customers depend on it.” 

From a logistical point of view, 

customer care means no borders and 

no loss of time. It’s not surprising to 

learn that a Scabal client located in 

Sydney who sends an order on Friday 

morning, will receive his delivery the 

following Monday, meaning that his cut 

length has travelled 16,753 kilometres 

in just one weekend. 

Similarly, a US order received in 

Brussels in the morning, will be 

delivered the following morning to 

wherever the client desires, either the 

United States’ East or West coast. 

Nigel Bishop 

Vu Tran Ba Hoang is the new boy in the department. His 

future certainly looks bright: his motto is “order, tidiness 

and punctuality”. Three essential qualities for running a 

global shipping business. 

Oscar Vleminckx has seen more than anyone how Scabal 

has grown over time. In his 39 years with the company, 

shipping quantities have doubled, doubled again, and 

carried on doubling. Oscar has probably shipped something 

like half a million Scabal packages to customers, from 

Valparaiso to Vladivostok. We wish him a happy retirement 

next year. 

Martine Capenol is the new Warehouse Manager, and 

her responsibilities stretch beyond shipping. But no other 

department is more important in her mission to provide 

the highest possible customer satisfaction – an attribute 

she learned during 25 years in the management of an 

international car textile production plant. 


© Mayk Azzato 

SCABAL IN POZNAN 

Recently a new Scabal store was 

opened in the city of Poznan. The 

shop is located in the peaceful 

neighbourhood of Cytadela district. 

There, you will find the newest 

collections of Scabal fabrics and can 

order not only classic made-to-measure 

suits, but also formal wear, jackets, 

made-to-measure shirts and ready-towear 

garments and accessories 

www.scabalstore.pl 

BETWEEN TRADITION AND 

MODERNITY 

Scabal’s Frankfurt retailer Stephan 

Görner created several tuxedos for 

the German popstar Silvio D’Anza. 

This singer is known as the pop star 

among tenors, with an edge that blends 

the charm of a classical tenor and the 

PAST – PRESENT – FUTURE 

OPENINGS, BIRTHDAYS 

AND SO MUCH MORE… 

coolness of a pop star like no other. 

His distinctively trademarks are his 

voice and his extraordinary outfits on 

stage. He ordered tuxedos from the 

Velvet and Deluxe collections. 

www.scabal.de 

AND THE WINNERS ARE… 

Once again, Scabal has given its 

support to the Golden Shears 

competition for tailoring apprentices 

and students from all over the UK. 

The three winners are Yingmei Quan, 

29, apprentice at Welsh & Jefferies, 

Savile Row won the Golden Shears. 

Ichiro Suzuki, 30, student at the 

Royal College of Art, whilst also 

working part-time at Henry Poole, 

Savile Row won the Silver Shears. 

Finally, Lucinda Holbrook-Hase, 26, 

from Worcestershire, won the Rising 

Star Shears. The cream of the British 

tailoring industry were present to 

celebrate and support the future of 

their unique and highly specialist trade. 

www.merchant-taylors.co.uk 

ON THE CATWALK 

Last spring, Scabal sponsored the 

Agressia Group Fashion show, 

held in the prestigious five stars 

hotel Kempinski of Sofia, Bulgaria. 

Bulgarian Prime Minister, local actors 

and pop stars and other VIPs attended 

this exclusive event. 

www.agressia.com 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISTER 

PRESIDENT! 

This year, Scabal is proud to pay 

tribute to its Chairman: J.-Peter 

Thissen. In fact, 2011 celebrates his 

80 th birthday and his 50 years of 

experience in the textile industry. 

The Scabal group was founded in 

Brussels by German self-made man 

Otto Hertz in 1938. J.-Peter Thissen, 

who was considered as Hertz’s most 

valued colleague, arrived in Brussels 

at the beginning of the 1970s to ensure 

that Scabal would further develop as 

a multinational corporation. Thissen 

is considered as a rare personality, 

combined an overflowing spirit of 

creativity with a clear business mind. 

At 80, he still works everyday for 

Scabal, along with his son Gregor, 

who is CEO of Scabal. 


RED CARPET 

During the last Cannes Film Festival, 

Scabal held an exhibition dedicated 

to the link between the brand and 

the Hollywood film industry. Since 

its first appearance in The Godfather 

in 1972, Scabal is renowned as one of 

the most important fabric suppliers to 

Hollywood. The brand has provided 

fabrics for major productions such as 

Titanic, Golden Eye, Men in Black, Casino 

and Wall Street I & II. The exhibition 

was kindly hosted by Radisson Blue 

1835 & Thalasso Cannes, where an 

entire lounge was dedicated to Scabal. 


SUCCESSFUL RENOVATION 

Last spring, Scabal has totally 

renovated its corner located in the 

department store Printemps in the 

heart of Paris. The new decoration is 

inspired by the British roots of Scabal 

and Parisian traditional architecture. 

It seems that clients have acclaimed the 

new design. 

Scabal’s Corner 

Printemps de l’Homme, 4th floor 

Boulevard Haussmann, 64 

75009 Paris, France 

T. +33(0)1 42 82 55 33 

www.scabal.fr 

SCABAL ON THE MOVE 

After more than 55 years spent on the 

Boulevard d’Anvers in the heart of 

Brussels, Belgium, Scabal’s headquarters 

are going to move. Scabal stays in the 

same district and will undertake major 

transformation works on its current 

warehouse located just behind the 

Boulevard d’Anvers. All the departments 

of the company will be grouped together 

in one building for a better coordination 

of all the services. Scabal will build a 

brand new showroom and a company 

restaurant for the employees, with a VIP 

corner dedicated to its clients. The move 

is expected for the end of the year 2012. 


ELEGANCE ON THE GREEN 

For the first time, Scabal was proud 

to sponsor the 2011 edition of the 

Mercedes-Benz Trophy alongside 

renowned brands such as Bang & 

Olufsen, Callaway and Deutsche 

Bank. Twenty-four rounds of golf 

were planned for Belgium and the 

world final was held in Stuttgart, 

Germany, where the Mercedes-Benz 

headquarters are located. At each 

stage of the competition, Scabal’s 

Elegance Trophy honoured the 

smartest player with a pure silk tie – 

a gift that was very much appreciated 

by all the players. 

www.mercedestrophy.be 

BESPOKEN CLUB IN LONDON 

The Bespoken Club is a Scabal initiative 

to bring luxury brands that share the 

same values together and organize 

exclusive events for valued customers. 

For the first time, an edition of the 

Bespoken Club will be held in Scabal’s 

flagship store on Savile Row, London. 

The privileged guests will be invited 

on Thursday 15 th September by Scabal, 

Maserati, City Jet and Audemars Piguet 

to discover their newest products and 

enjoy special promotions. 

www.bespoken.com 

RUSSIAN EDITION OF BESPOKEN 

After the success of the first Russian 

edition of Bespoken, Scabal has decided 

to continue its efforts and has also 

produced a Russian version of the 

edition you are holding in your hands. 

Other international editions of the 

magazine are planned, with China and 

India likely to be next. 

www.bespoken.com 


Jérôme Stéfanski

SCABAL WORLDWIDE 

Scabal’s flagship store in Savile Row, London 

VISIT SCABAL’S FLAGSHIP STORE AT 

12 SAVILE ROW, W1S 3PQ LONDON, 

PHONE +44-20-77 34 89 63, 

HAZEL@SCABALUK.COM 

OR THE SCABAL CORNERS IN 

LE PRINTEMPS DE L’HOMME, 4 TH FLOOR, 

61 RUE CAUMARTIN, 75009 PARIS, 

PHONE +33-1-42 82 55 33 OR +33-1-42 82 40 32, 

SCABAL.PRINTEMPS@SCABAL.COM 

KADEWE, 1ST FLOOR, 

TAUENTZIENSTRASSE 21-24, 10789 BERLIN, 

PHONE +49-30-219 18 530, 

ANDREAS.OLTMANNS@SCABAL.DE 

CLOTH GARMENTS & ACCESSORIES 

EUROPE 

SCABAL BENELUX – HEADQUARTERS & 

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION 

CENTRE 

+32-2-217 98 49 

WWW.SCABAL.COM 

AUSTRIA 

+43-1-533 61 29 

nkuntschik@scabal.at 

FRANCE 

+33-1-42 33 08 93 

scabalfrance@wanadoo.fr 

+33. 1.42.43.58.44 FRANCE 

+33 6.15.33.03.82 

ars.imperial@hotmail.fr 

+33 6.07.80.02.50 (FABRICS) 

info@conceptfbo.it 

GERMANY 

+49-681-9871 0 

info@scabal.de 

+49-211-497 6840 

info@westtuch.de 

GREAT BRITAIN 

+44-207-734 1867 

hazel.edmonds@scabal.com 

GREECE 

+30-210-67 27 431 

dcon@otenet.gr 

+30-210-3618 668 

elli@stamataki.gr 

ITALY 

+39-02-407 80 27 

scabal_italia@scabal.com 

CYPRUS 

+90-392-228 33 40 

akfinans@akfinans.com 

POLAND 

+48-61-436 79 69 

info@scabal.pl 

PORTUGAL 

+351-275-954 827 

jvi@jvi.pt 

ROMANIA 

+40-21-311 56 46 

showroom@casafrumoasa.ro 

RUSSIA 

+7-495-660-7163 

AG@GATEX.RU 

+7-495-730-2010 

sol@solstudio.RU 

SPAIN 

+34-93-726 00 99 

brautex@brautex.com 

+34-93 726 00 99 

unikman@unikman.es 

SWITZERLAND 

+41-61-261 25 79/80 

scabal_suisse@scabal.com 

TURKEY 

+90-212-282 71 93 

info@yeniimalat.com.tr 

AMERICAS 

ARGENTINA 

+54-011-4371 6467 

scabal@cipaz.com.ar 

BRAZIL 

+55-11-362 041 044 

erlutecidos@sti.com.br 

CANADA 

+1-514-335 35 11 

info@hersh-rsd.com 

CHILE 

+56-2-638 14 72 

c.rubio@holmes.cl 

COLOMBIA 

+57-1-256 30 77 

marsanti@etb.net.com 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 

+1-809-562 4416 

laronde@codetel.net.do 

NEXT ISSUE: FEBRUARY 2012 

MR. FABRIC IS BACK 

IN THIS EDITION YOU HAVE MET THE ‘WINTER FACE’ OF MR. FABRIC 

— IN OUR NEXT ISSUE, YOU WILL DISCOVER HIS SUMMER SIDE. 

LIGHT FABRICS SUCH AS LINEN, MOHAIR AND COTTON WILL BE 

CELEBRATED. RESERVE YOUR COPY, WHICH WILL BE DELIVERED 

TO YOUR HOME, AT WWW.BESPOKEN.COM 

MEXICO 

+52-55-5515 8433 

gillybru@prodigy.net.mx 

SCABAL MADE-TO-MEASURE 

+52-55-5660 75 40 

cincu@prodigy.net.mx OR 

alejandrocarreon@prodigy.net.mx 

U.S.A. 

+1-212-4756 666 

fabricczar@aol.com 

VENEZUELA 

+58-212-264 6914 

inversionesmarumi@gmail.com 

AUSTRALIA 

+61-3-5989 8601 

a.wain@bigpond.net.au 

BRUNEI – CAMBODIA – INDONESIA – LAOS– 

MALAYSIA – MYANMAR – PHILIPPINES – 

SINGAPORE – THAILAND – VIETNAM 

+65-6336 0070 

heefabricagencies@hee.sg 

HONG KONG 

+852-25-433 694 

INDIA 

+91-11-23 26 45 00 

bindragroup@vsnl.net 

IRAN 

+98 55611469-55614137 

tehranivahid@hotmail.com 

JAPAN 

+81-6-6232 2755 

scabaljapan@scabal.co.jp 

KUWAIT 

+965-243 36 85 

bennekhi@hotmail.com 

NEW ZEALAND 

+64-9-828 06 74 

velvetfabrics@clear.net.nz 

SAUDI ARABIA – UNITED ARAB EMIR- 

ATES 

+44-140-375 27 16 

faris@fmmercie.com 

SOUTH KOREA 

+82-2-2285 6230 

dnjyoo@yahoo.com 

SYRIA 

+ 963 - 11 2233986 

+ 963 - 11 2222784 

akkad-sons@gmail.sy

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