That Dapper Chap

Monday, 22 December 2014

An Evening With Shaun Gordon Tie maker

That Dapper Chap takes us to an evening with master tie maker Shaun Gordon who launches his latest collection of limited edition ties

Shaun Gordon | Not Your Average Tie Maker

A portrait of Shaun for the collection by Bart Pajak

About Shaun Gordon

Shaun Gordon is a striking character and after seeing images of him on Instagram I was an instant fan. After graduating from The London College of Fashion in 2004, he focussed his attentions on design and has work with some great brands including Henri Lloyd and Timberland.

I was therefore very pleased to receive an invitation to attend an evening in London to view his new collection of unique ties. Not only was I treated to the new collection but Shoeshine UK was there to shine the guests shoes but the Pall Mall Barbers were also in attendance to give out complimentary certificates for haircuts.

That Dapper Chap and The Tie maker

Aside from designing his own collections, Shaun has also consulted on bespoke products for Knightsbridge tailor Edward Sexton, and his own self-named brand has continued to grow alongside the demand for British-made luxury goods, and is sold in Savile Row by world-renowned bespoke tailor Steven Hitchcock.

Guests arrive at Breese Little to meet the man himself

Myself and a dapper Michael aka TinTinfellow

The Collection

Arriving at the venue I was immediately met by another avid Instagrammer, tintinfellow (above), who I have had a virtual friendship with since I set up my Instagram account two years ago, and it was great to finally meet him and the other incredibly interesting people at the event.

More of Shauns exceptional ties

The 'Ernest' £98.00
Photography by Bart Pajak

The collection of limited edition ties

Shaun arrived just the fashionably amount of late, and was nothing less than absolutely charming a perfectly attired. He took his time and showed us around the collection.

I asked Shaun what the inspiration was behind this new collection, as he sipped on a tumbler of Jura Whisky (a sponsor of the event) he told me: "This collection is about appreciating individuality and each persons own unique style and personality. I wanted to create a range, which reflects this in a personal way to myself. Therefore, I selected fabrics in the UK which triggered memories of personal experiences"

He continues "Once the fabric is transformed into a tie, the memory is captured and each tie now has it's own story to tell. These stories reflect the individuality that each person can bring to the same piece through an expression of their own style"

Shaun, greeting his guests

Tom of The Jaunty Flaneur and Instagrams TinTinFellow

The stylish and fashionable turn
out to see the collection

He goes on to say "To capture the concept further, I developed new labels which documents the number of ties made from a particular fabric. Such as "No.3 of 5" hand written, which goes hand in hand with the tie being hand made. This will also remind the wearer that they are wearing a limited edition tie"

I asked Shaun which his favourite piece is from the new collection "Thats a tough one" he says "I think it would have to be the Hamilton tie because of the memory I have of being ten years old playing leaves fights with my friends at school and I love the colour too"

A selection of the limited edition handmade ties

The 'Hamilton' £98.00
Shauns personal favourite

The 'Oscar' £98.00
Photography by Bart Pajak

As the wine and Jura Whisky flowed and guests made approving noises while they stroked the lovingly displayed ties, Shaun told me "Living in a highly judgemental world, the expression of individual style shows courage, but also gives the chance for those brave enough to be heard above the noise of the masses" This is something I am passionate about too and I wholeheartedly agree with Shaun and his outlook on self expression.

Myself, Mikhail of La Bowtique and Mr Gordon

The 'Ernest' tie. £98.0
My personal favorite
and the largest edition of 12 pieces

The 'Elroy' £98.00
Photography by Bark Pajak

More of Shauns unique collection

The 'Harold' £98.00

Guests enjoy a whisky and a chat while browsing the collection

Conclusion

I can't deny that I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, meeting people that I'd only ever seen before in a one dimensional image in an instagram post on my iPad, and of course meeting Shaun and seeing his new collection.

I'm a fan of the collection, not only because of the fact that the ties are handmade with each quality fabric being personally chosen by Shaun, but because of what the collection represents and the

recognition of the individual. It's the nod to the gentleman who wants something different, who isnt afraid to stand out and share his unique style with the rest of the world. This is what fashion is all about for me and it's clear that Shaun feels the same.

Find Shaun Gordon

Win a CTH Ericson hat

That Dapper Chap runs an Instagram giveaway of two great hats by Swedish hat maker CTH Ericson

A few weeks ago I posted a piece about ETC Ericson and their amazing hats, charting the history and sharing some of the range of mens, womens and childrens headwear.

If you want to see the article, click here.

Up for grabs are the Baker Sr in multi check with ear flaps below and Philip Sr in blue corduroy. To enter follow the simple steps below:

Win this great flat cap. Baker Sr in check wool fabric

Win this great flat cap. Philip Sr in blue corduroy fabric

How to enter

Follow that-dapper-chap and CTH Eriscon on Instagram
Find the competition post on my page and leave a comment on the post stating which hat you would like to win and tag a friend in the same comment who you think would like to enter

That's it! Simple as that!

Winners will be notified on Instagram in a weeks time.

Good luck!

THANKS FOR READING!

The Chambray Shirt

That Dapper Chap shares the history and origins of the Chambray shirt and shows us a few of his favourites.

What makes a shirt a ‘Chambray’ shirt?

Following a recent post on Instagram of my new shirt from Racing Green, I had a question from a fellow instagrammer asking me what makes it a ‘chambray’ shirt. A lot of people assume that because they are predominantly blue that it is simply a lighter weight denim shirt. While the chambray shirt is at the more casual end of the shirt spectrum, and similar to denim this is a misconception and I’ll explain why.

NEXT Christmas I'll give you my heart

That Dapper Chap chooses 10 items from the current range from NEXT and hopes that Santa sees his list before the big day.

Looking forward to the new year and to Spring (I know it seems a while off!) I've pulled together a few items from Next for a more preppy look. Chinos and shirts, with great sweaters, shoes and a blazer for work and more formal events. The majority of the items can also be mixed and matched to form different looks.

The blue striped shirt

I chose this shirt as, while I own a few shirts, a lot of them are patterned, but I have very few striped shirts. This classic blue and white design readily lends itself to the preppy look. Add a bow tie and some chinos and you're there.

The Blue Striped shirt £20

The Orange Sweater

V neck sweaters are great as you can wear them over a T-Shirt or a shirt. They also look great with a tie or bow tie, which again helps create that preppy look. I've chosen one in burnt orange to inject some colour into the coming darker months.

The Orange V Neck Sweater £20

The Stone Chinos

I'm a fan of chinos as they can be worn in so many ways. Take a look at my previous post on Chinos here for more info. Again I'm staying with that preppy look and have opted for a stone colour, wear with the blue striped shirt, a bow tie and some brogues to complete the look.

Stone Slim Fit Chinos £20

The High Shine Shoe

These shoes will go great with the look I am creating here. Wear them with the stone chinos and the orange sweater and the blazer that I'm about to show you. The high shine makes them more dressy but roll up the legs on the chinos and lose the socks for a more current and relaxed look.

The High Shine Toe Cap Lace Up £55

The Check Blazer

Blazers are still big news for us gentlemen, and are again a versatile item which can be worn with jeans and a sweater as the per image below, or dressed up with a shirt and tie for the office. This blazer is 100% wool so you'll be warm as well as stylish.

The wool check blazer £99

The Check Waistcoat

I couldn't resist choosing the matching waistcoat for the blazer above. Okay, so I've moved away from the preppy look a little, and gone for more of a heritage feel here. I make no excuses, its a great piece and it's on my christmas wish list!

The Wool Check Waistcoat £45

The Printed Shirt

I love this shirt and it's been on my wish list since I saw it at the Next SS15 press day a few weeks ago. It can easily be worn in the preppy style with the stone chinos or chino shorts in the warmer weather.

The Pink Ecru Printed Shirt £22

The Leather Derby Lace Up

Coloured shoes are great and make a bit more of a statement than the standard black shoe. These navy leather lace up derby shoes are just the ticket. I'd wear these with the stone chinos, the blue striped shirt and the cardigan following cardigan. I'd also add a bow tie to increase the preppiness.

The Navy Leather Lace Up Derby £48

The Blue Cardigan

Cardigans are a great staple items in any mans wardrobe. Available in a huge variety of colours, make sure you get a few in your collection. I've chosen one in bright blue to inject a little bit of colour while maintaining a classic preppy look.

The Bright Blue Cardigan £22

The Mustard Chinos

Last but not least we have a classic chino in a mustard colour which is one on the colours of this season. Listed as Ochre, I feel that mustard is just as fitting a description. I would wear these with the high shine shoes and the blue shirt and cardigan. I'd add a blue and mustard stripe tie to complete the preppy look and finish the colour story.

The Mustard Chinos £20

I hope that you like my selection, and I hope that Santa approves too, as it'll be down to him and the Elves as to what I find under the tree on Christmas morning. Fingers crossed!