S.E.H Kelly

[WDD_Blog]

Maybe some of you missed this (I did), but there is some nice info hiding in there:

http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashion...im_the_founder_of_british_menswear_brand_seh/

 

[WDD_Blog]

Ok, part 2 of "What I did in my holidays" follows:

(Part 1 can be found http://www.styleforum.net/t/209255/nigel-cabourn/2730#post_6148411)

So, after poking around Trunk, Present and sundry other places, I was ready to visit the SEH Kelly workshop on saturday morning. They're normally only open at weekends, hence why I'd not yet been to the primary goal of my trip. I'd never been to the Shoreditch area before (or so I thought, turned out I'd actually been quite close last spring, but that was definitely the first time), and going by maps I'd printed out before flying over, I started out by walking for 20 minutes in exactly the opposite direction of where I ought to have gone (#protip: although it's not totally obvious, when alighting from Old Street tube station, Old Street itself goes in 2 directions, the least obvious is the right one in this case).

So, a little later and sweatier than I'd hoped, I found myself in Boundary Street. Not a very long street, but I still walked up and down it twice looking for Cleve Workshops. I found some likely looking gates, but no sign of SEHK anywhere. So I tried calling. Twice. Answerphone. Ok, so I tweeted them. And got an almost immediate reply. This was just so 2013. Turns out I was at the right place, but Paul, the business manager of the 2-person company, hadn't got the sign out yet, and didn't for the over 2 hours I spent there...

So, SEH Kelly, workshops, stuff, what's up? Well, some of us have been following them for a while and liking what we see, and for those that are impatient (and I don't blame you, after the prolongued intro), we have even better things to look forward to! Having mailed and tweeted Paul quite a bit over the past year, I had a fair impression of what he'd be like, and I was not disappointed. Super-enthusiastic, very friendly, totally dedicated and great company. 2 hours pretty much flew by, and even though there were a few other people that stopped by, I wasn't bored for a second.

What did I see there? Well, I lucked out, as they had almost all their AW13 collection being readied for shipping to Japan early this week and what a collection it is. They are sold in roughly 20 shops in Japan, where a slightly different collection to what is available on the website is available. The collection I saw included new coats, trousers, knitwear, caps and a waistcoat (ok, so I have a thing for waistcoats, and this one will be mine...).

Some details: A new Tour-jacket in ventile, with a large corduroy collar. Perfect for the gentleman cyclist. Put up the collar and add a scarf and it's super for cooler weather as well. A detachable shoulder strap on this one, whereas the sort of iconic first version (in green corduroy, very very nice) had it fixed in place (which didn't work out too well for me, even though I adore the jacket). A really nice coat.

A new shopcoat in ventile. But so much more than a mere coat. There is a lining, which unbuttons and becomes an inner jacket, which can be worn standalone, as can the outer shell. So 3 coats in one, wonderfully constructed and executed. This is a really clever piece and shows how SEHK are continuing to innovate and improve.

Knitwear... Ok, in part 1 of my longwinded mutterings I described the Cabourn knitwear as overpriced and pathetically rubbish. So how does SEHK do in this respect? I'm thrilled to announce that they are the exact opposite of Cabourn. Ok, near 300 pounds for a sweater may seem pretty steep, but having gone over them, I'd say they're as close to a bargain as a 300 pound sweater can be. So incredibly thick, soft and solidly knit. Awesome, I'd say. And from the autumn available in a really sweet roll-neck version as well as the shawl neck and crew neck versions they've had so far. Three different colour combos as well, with 4-5 colours of wool in each combination. Get in line for yours now. Seriously.

Oh, also worth mentioning: Socks. These are quite special, made on special old machinery. Keep an eye our for them. They're like something your granny would knit, but much finer.

Blazer-style jackets are in the proces of being made a little more fitted now, to cater for the tastes of those that prefer a snugger style. This as opposed to the fairly loose-fitting styles which have been made so far.

Apart from that, some nice trousers, with improvements over last years. Nice caps made by a little-old-lady factory in Ireland, just up the road from where some of their tweed is produced. A few more jacket variants, including a new version of the ventile raincoat with an improvement suggested by yours truly (cool!). New Kelly-collared shirts etc. etc. There was a whole rack of new stuff and it was all good.

I can't help but be super-charmed by all the stories surrounding the production of materials and garments for SEHK, as opposed to the bullshit "historical stories" concocted by certain other companies. Listen to Paul talk about the one-man mill nearby in East-London, or the father and daughter knitting company, their search for the unique and rare materials that will allow them to create stand-out items and you'll feel this is both real and a link between now and the past. And Paul is truly enthusiastic about what they're doing, while at the same time totally humble about it. I found myself being quite envious of what is obviously more than a mere job for him. I was hoping to meet Sarah, the design half of the duo, as well, but she was busy at the factory readying the final items for shipping. Maybe next time.

So, good things afoot for SEHK! And although I was fully intent on spending some money with Paul that day, they were out of the shirts I so wanted (I've begged them to make more in the wonderful grey brushed cotton). I left with a really good feeling about SEH Kelly and their future though.

Now, I've got a few things I'd like to write in part 3, but where should I post that?

Part 3 is now available here: http://www.styleforum.net/t/220610/british-workwear-heritage-brands/75#post_6151525

 

[ManofKent]

Nice write up

 

[cold war painter]

Yes, thank you!

 

[Tadite]

That was rocking. Really looking forward to the Ventile and the Waistcoat.

 

[Kuznetsov]

The good people at seh Kelly have released a new ventile jacket in three colours and it is very fetching.
http://www.sehkelly.com/shop/

 

[irbe]

Holy that is nice. Wanted ventile wear for awhile

 

[ManofKent]

I really like the look of the tour jacket

 

[WDD_Blog]

I really like the look of the tour jacket

I love my Tour jacket...

 

[ManofKent]



I love my Tour jacket...

:Envy:

 

[Tadite]

They also have a tweed blazer on Facebook. Guess like its not ready for the front page yet.

 

[WDD_Blog]

They also have a tweed blazer on Facebook. Guess like its not ready for the front page yet.

A few more glimpses of the blazer on my blog (including slightly reworked version of text from above):

http://welldresseddad.com/2013/03/03/visiting-the-seh-kelly-workshop/

This would be the blazer that now has a slightly more fitted style, to cater for more American taste.

 

[Jayboy]

I like everything about S.E.H Kelly, the whole operation reminds me of how the swedish raincoat company Stutterheim is doing it. Love all the design, the small runs, the customerservice and so on.

I ordered the raglan mac in late november, came in very fast. Was a bit big, could probably go down a size, but it works. Got a lof of compliments for it, and its a beauty. However, i find the quality on my mac to be not that good, lot of button has gone up, had to re-attach 3 of them, lost one but thankfully there was an extra in the shipment. Some seems has gone up, and i dont see myself wearing this next winter due to it barely lasting this winter out. Maybe bad luck. Still love the design, im looking at the site all the time, and might give the brand more chanses when the new stuff hits.

Heres a fitpic of the mac:
(the mirrors screwing with my proportions.. )

 

[sehkelly]

Hello

(If I may step in.)

I am very sorry to hear your problems with buttons on the Ventile mac.

Our buttons are sewn on in a cross, and, for outerwear, whipped (once sewn on, extra thread is wrapped around the connective thread between button and garment several times). This makes for very strong, and reliable, attachment; as strong and reliable as any we know.

We take quality and durability, in all their forms, very seriously and, again, are very sorry to hear your problem.

We know our customers, online and in Japan, demand very high quality. We like the fact that they do. And, since we're both obsessed with how well affixed buttons are to our garments, to fall short of expectations even once is disappointing.

If you need more buttons, please get in touch.

Paul

 

[Jayboy]



Hello
 
(If I may step in.)
 
I am very sorry to hear your problems with buttons on the Ventile mac.
 

Our buttons are sewn on in a cross, and, for outerwear, whipped (once sewn on, extra thread is wrapped around the connective thread between button and garment several times). This makes for very strong, and reliable, attachment; as strong and reliable as any we know.
 
We take quality and durability, in all their forms, very seriously and, again, are very sorry to hear your problem.

 
We know our customers, online and in Japan, demand very high quality. We like the fact that they do. And, since we're both obsessed with how well affixed buttons are to our garments, to fall short of expectations even once is disappointing.
 
If you need more buttons, please get in touch.
 
Paul

Oh that was a quick answer (another reason i like your brand so much regardless). I dont doubt the quality, i think i just had some bad luck i guess. Thanks for the buttonoffer though, their all in its place know, did some sewing myself to make sure their at their place.

Anyways, still love the jacket, and looking forward to see more stuff from you.