Two weeks have passed since Menswear Day but there is still so much left unsaid. Presentations, catwalk shows and film screenings all celebrated the exciting diversity of menswear design talent which uniquely exists in this capital of ours. It was exciting to see stalwarts of Savile Row sit so comfortably alongside high street regulars, established designers and exciting new talent alike. The entire schedule helped cause a sartorial stir or two whilst collectively flying the flag of menswear and tiring me out in the process. One of the most enjoyable experiences was the salon style presentation at E. Tautz in the Navy Board Rooms. It was perfectly fitting of this particular Savile Row tailoring house: a highly intimate, personal service whereby Patrick Grant introduced each look in a wonderfully personal and engaging manner.
As you should all know by now, E. Tautz is a label which champions the notion of dressing properly and of men taking pride in what they wear. It creates simple cutting paired with bold accents of colour and pattern - cloths with scale and texture; big checks, fine flannels, and stripes. For SS11 they continued to present a modern and elegant aesthetic while fondly glancing back in time. They've cut their cloth with a modish sharpness in crisp wool fresco's, hopsacks in wool and silk, a selection of crisp linens and stiff drills. Last summer, Patrick an his team were inspired by the idea of the Englishmen on holiday but for this season they looked closer to home. There are hints of Brighton Rock with the clipped drainpipes, full collared button downs, pin tight knots and harrington coats. Both Gordon Richardson and Patrick Grant have seemingly been inspired by Greene's novel. While a stripe or two remind us of the British seaside in the height of summer. The collection manages to encapsulate all that is charming about spending the warmer months by the English coast. For me this collection celebrates a quiet but stylish summer in Blighty where you can 99s, sandcastles, beach huts, surprisingly chilly seas and so on. Of course there are moments where a North wind might blow a chill your way but Grant has taken that in to account and offers a navy fresco wool trench teamed with a cobalt blue sea island t-shirt and denim blue trousers. Just lovely. Perhaps I'm biased because I've spent so much time by the English coast but Lauren Macaulay manages to capture the essence of collection with her illustrations...
Illustrations by Lauren Macaulay
One of Patrick Grant's main reasons for relaunching E Tautz was because he felt that there was nobody creating beautiful, chic, English menswear. He identified a desire for something handmade, beautifully cut and with English cloth at its heart. The label offers simple tailoring with a little something extra added, a bit of pomp, a bit of colour. This collection once again demonstrates chic menswear but with a sense of Englishness that has been lost over the years. The revived house strives to make stylish clothes to which a wardrobe can be built from. Grant's ultimate aim for E Tautz is to secure a position close to the one it held in the 1910s, when Europe and America knew E. Tautz as England's finest sporting tailor and their salons in London and Paris were dressing the world’s most elegant men. With each season, Grant edges closer to his goal.
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