Nicholas Templeman: A Bespoke Shoemaker

[ntempleman]

It’s pretty tough knowing the right move to make next; even if borders suddenly opened up this month, would the client base be willing/able to come and see you? Impossible to know for sure, but on the plus side the market is apparently still there. I’ve had an unprecedented number of enquiries about future travel throughout the pandemic so just try to focus on the positives

 

[dieworkwear]

It’s pretty tough knowing the right move to make next; even if borders suddenly opened up this month, would the client base be willing/able to come and see you? Impossible to know for sure, but on the plus side the market is apparently still there. I’ve had an unprecedented number of enquiries about future travel throughout the pandemic so just try to focus on the positives

I wrote this in another thread, but around January of last year, I had all these ideas of clothes I was going to get from various tailors. Was going to get a suit from this person, a sport coat from that person. Then the pandemic hit the US and the first lockdown happened in March 2020. By August 2020 or so, I hadn't worn a piece of tailored clothing more than three or four times. Not even dress shirts. I couldn't imagine ordering another piece of custom clothing.

Then the US started to open back up in June of this year, and I started being able to go out again. Started going back to offices, cafes, restaurants, and out to see friends. Found myself wearing tailored clothing even more frequently before, and then suddenly, also thinking about other things I wanted to get.

I'm not a wealthy person by any means, but I've heard from friends in the luxury trade that business has been booming. These are from people who sell high-end watches and cars. One Savile Row fitter who's in the US -- and has been able to travel for fittings -- told me that trunk shows are now better than he's seen in his 20-year career.

My impression is that there are two markets: super-wealthy people, and then normal guys who are enthusiasts. Supposedly, the wealthy are spending because they have extra money from not being able to travel. I'm guessing (hoping) that enthusiasts will return once they're able to get back into the swing of wearing tailored clothes. I assume many are white-collar workers who haven't been as hard hit by the pandemic, but I don't know if emerging WFH arrangements might affect this.

I don't know. Still a grim scenario, but I'm slightly more optimistic than I was at this time last year.

 

[dieworkwear]

Also, a little tip for whenever trunk shows resume:

 

[Texasmade]

It’s pretty tough knowing the right move to make next; even if borders suddenly opened up this month, would the client base be willing/able to come and see you? Impossible to know for sure, but on the plus side the market is apparently still there. I’ve had an unprecedented number of enquiries about future travel throughout the pandemic so just try to focus on the positives

Hopefully some of those enquiries are to Houston besides me so I won't have to travel to Dallas or Austin.

 

[ThinkDerm]

Oh, man, that's rough. I had no idea about the furlough ending this month. I think you're right; that must be why so many firms started planning trips for this month.

I thought it was so strange when I received those emails, as it only had been about two months since the US started to open back up domestically, and we're still in the middle of a fight about whether people are going to get vaxxed. It seemed unlikely to me that the government would allow foreigners in by late September/ early October.

If I had to guess, I assume trunk shows won't resume until Spring of next year.

Hope tradespeople are able to survive.

late Spring, early Summer.

 

[ThinkDerm]

It’s pretty tough knowing the right move to make next; even if borders suddenly opened up this month, would the client base be willing/able to come and see you? Impossible to know for sure, but on the plus side the market is apparently still there. I’ve had an unprecedented number of enquiries about future travel throughout the pandemic so just try to focus on the positives

I sent a high rolling client your way. He's coming to meet you in London

 

[ThinkDerm]

I wrote this in another thread, but around January of last year, I had all these ideas of clothes I was going to get from various tailors. Was going to get a suit from this person, a sport coat from that person. Then the pandemic hit the US and the first lockdown happened in March 2020. By August 2020 or so, I hadn't worn a piece of tailored clothing more than three or four times. Not even dress shirts. I couldn't imagine ordering another piece of custom clothing.

Then the US started to open back up in June of this year, and I started being able to go out again. Started going back to offices, cafes, restaurants, and out to see friends. Found myself wearing tailored clothing even more frequently before, and then suddenly, also thinking about other things I wanted to get.

I'm not a wealthy person by any means, but I've heard from friends in the luxury trade that business has been booming. These are from people who sell high-end watches and cars. One Savile Row fitter who's in the US -- and has been able to travel for fittings -- told me that trunk shows are now better than he's seen in his 20-year career.

My impression is that there are two markets: super-wealthy people, and then normal guys who are enthusiasts. Supposedly, the wealthy are spending because they have extra money from not being able to travel. I'm guessing (hoping) that enthusiasts will return once they're able to get back into the swing of wearing tailored clothes. I assume many are white-collar workers who haven't been as hard hit by the pandemic, but I don't know if emerging WFH arrangements might affect this.

I don't know. Still a grim scenario, but I'm slightly more optimistic than I was at this time last year.

super wealthy got wealthier and they've got to spend their dimes somewhere, somehow

 

[TheChihuahua]

This looks great.

After 16 months of mostly not wearing dress shoes, I've been wearing my Templemans more lately. Mostly the first pair I bought -- the grained split toes -- which makes me want to get another pair of dressier shoes.

Still need to get Nicholas the details for my loafer order, but prob going to order a pair of derbies next. Or maybe monk straps? I feel like I'm boring if I order another pair of split toes, but that seems like the safest option.

View attachment 1635206

my vote:
Covid is over. Loose the Caj. Step it up.

brogued wingtip oxfords (slight brogue, not a busy mess, elegant punching) in a dark chocolate or deep oxblood. Fashion forward chisel toe, none of this almond round boring style.

the streetwear phase is about to run its course. Nice clothes will make a comeback. Get ahead of the curve! Dress up that sports coat look!

 

[comrade]

"the streetwear phase is about to run its course. Nice clothes will make a comeback. Get ahead of the curve! Dress up that sports coat look"

I've been hearing this from tailored clothing salesmen for over a decade.
The majority of them had already lost their jobs pre-Covid as their stores
closed or departments shrank.

 

[TheChihuahua]

"the streetwear phase is about to run its course. Nice clothes will make a comeback. Get ahead of the curve! Dress up that sports coat look"

I've been hearing this from tailored clothing salesmen for over a decade.
The majority of them had already lost their jobs pre-Covid as their stores
closed or departments shrank.

well, the streetwear groupies are in their prime right now. Sort of like grunge in the 1990’s.
But once everyone is tired of looking like slobs during covid, nice clothes will make a comeback.

covid is ending. Looking respectable will make a comeback. Some will hang on to the streetwear mentality, but many will want to look nice again.

 

[nmprisons]

Hopefully some of those enquiries are to Houston besides me so I won't have to travel to Dallas or Austin.

Mine was. And I remain interested.

 

[thatboyo]

I don't get this mentality of streetwear or non CM = slobs / not respectable and CM = looking respectable.

Most of the people I see not in CM look totally fine and tbh a lot of guys I see that do wear CM are just average at best. A lot of that suit supply skinny fit.

 

[TheChihuahua]

I don't get this mentality of streetwear or non CM = slobs / not respectable and CM = looking respectable.

Most of the people I see not in CM look totally fine and tbh a lot of guys I see that do wear CM are just average at best. A lot of that suit supply skinny fit.

sure if you are well groomed and such, you can look fine in whatever.

but this 2020’a pandemic athleisure wear/ streetwear phase is not much different than early 1990’s grunge. It’s a phase, at some point people will want to look good again. The whole putting effort into trying to look like you are too cool to care and wearing street wear is going to grow old for many. Looking good will come back into style at some point.

in the 1960’s and 70’s the hippies were all in tie dye and loud polyester checkered pants, but by the 1980’s double breasted suits and cuff links and hair gel were popular again. Streetwear as it is today is a fad, like tie dye t-shirts were a half century ago.

 

[dieworkwear]

Really don't want to have this convo in this thread. @TheChihuahua has dragged this topic in no less than five threads, stretched over a six-month period at this point. Just over and over and over again. Biz Caj. Biz Caj Plus. Give it a rest.

 

[TheChihuahua]

Really don't want to have this convo in this thread. @TheChihuahua has dragged this topic in no less than five threads, stretched over a six month period at this point. Just over and over and over again. Biz Caj. Biz Caj Plus. Give it a rest.

There's nothing "streetwear" about wearing derbies with a sport coat and odd trousers. It's an incredibly classic look. "Streetwear" (and it's not even streetwear, it's just a twisting of classic men's dress) is wearing things like bright orange shoes with navy suits, or wearing oxfords with jeans.

hey I just made a suggestion. Nicholas is fromGaziano & Girling. They make great looking fashion oxfords. That’s sort of their identity

covid is ending. Time to step it up a bit. Get yourself a pair of oxfords, a nice oxblood wingtip or something with a little broguing to tone down the formality a touch but keeping it stylish.

instead of dressing down your sport coat look with derbies or loafers, step it up with something a bit nicer.

just a suggestion.
You said yourself that you haven’t been dressing well since the pandemic hit. Bust out of the funk.