Le Snob: Tailoring

Le Snob: Tailoring

Simon’s first book, Le Snob: Tailoring, was released in 2011.

It is a small, pocket-sized guide to all aspects of buying suits, from finding quality ready-to-wear to selecting cloth for a bespoke linen jacket. It covers having suits altered, the advantages of made-to-measure and tips on visiting a proper tailor for the first time.

It includes personal contributions from many of tailoring’s leading lights, including Pat Murphy from Huntsman, John Hitchcock of Anderson & Sheppard, Antonio de Matteis from Kiton, Patrick Grant and Michael Drake. In a ‘Words from the Wise’ section in each chapter, they give their advice on cloth, colour combinations and standing naturally when you’re being measured.

 There are chapters on style icons, black tie, maintenance, and something brief on accessories. There is also a short glossary and a list of recommended tailors around the world.

It is available now on Amazon, through publishers Hardie Grant in the UK and Australia, and Suddeutschland in Germany.
http://www.simoncrompton.co.uk

Simon Crompton in http://www.simoncrompton.co.uk/le-snob-tailoring
Menswear journalist
A journalist with a passion for classic men's elegance, Simon writes freelance articles for several international magazines as well as running his own website, Permanent Style.

Simon Crompton
Menswear journalist
Simon is a freelance journalist with a passion for style and good journalism.

His career is as a trade journalist, having edited magazines related to finance, banking and the law for the past 10 years. He is currently the editor of Managing Intellectual Property, the leading global magazine for patents, trademarks and copyright with a readership of 13,000 and annual turnover of around £4 million. He manages a team of eight journalists and editors based in London, New York and Hong Kong.

He writes his style blog, Permanent Style, and freelance features for several websites and magazines in the UK, US and India. The work varies from weekly columns to specifically commissioned features, with varying fees.

Simon was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, where he studied philosophy, politics and economics and was the editor of the college paper. He was awarded the Stirling-Boyd prize for contributions to the college, won a philosophy prize in logic and was president of the PPE Society.

Simon is married with two daughters. He lives in Peckham Rye, London and has too many suits.

http://www.simoncrompton.co.uk

Review: Le Snob Tailoring – Simon Crompton
in Reviews http://www.themitchelli.com/2012/01/review-le-snob-tailoring/

In a recent conversation with a colleague about the different ways to identify a quality suit, I found myself quoting from, and recommending Simon Crompton’s Le Snob Tailoring. That evening I found my copy to check I had passed on the correct information, only to end up reading the book from cover to cover for the second time. Simon Crompton’s Le Snob Tailoring, his first book, had been at the top of my “Must buy” list as soon as I heard about it. An essential buy for any modern gentleman who has more than a passing interest in tailoring, it’s an informative and interesting read for everyone else. You should all be familiar with Simon Crompton’s work on The Rake and his men’s style blog Permanent style. If you are not, just a few minutes spent on either site will be ample to demonstrate his attention to detail and the quality of his work. Both sites are listed in my directory section.

The reader is introduced to the fundamentals of suit style, materials and construction methods with concepts beautifully illustrated in understated water colour. Interesting facts and points to note are stamped with the le snob logo to ensure you retain all key information that will transform you into a tailoring snob too. Nice touches include a few pages on alterations when explaining the difference between ready to wear, made to measure and bespoke, or the ‘words from the wise’ sections where high profile contributors provide valuable insight to the concept being explained.

You are then guided through the process of having a bespoke suit made. The steps and terminology is explained so for anyone embarking on having their first proper suit made will know exactly what to expect when the time comes. The book is full of throw away comments that remind the aspiring dandy that even though Simon is sharing some very valuable knowledge here, they are still worlds apart.

“As a rule of thumb, until your wardrobe is so full that you only wear a suit once a month, stick with super 100s to 130s.”

A full section on details and finishing touches and mini directories of retailers, bespoke tailors and suppliers supplement the traditional chapters on rules or care ensure this is an excellent read.

My only criticism is Simon clearly has much more to give in this space and the Le Snob range of books although highly entertaining, are a touch light weight as a vehicle to showcase Simon’s knowledge of tailoring. It is a well written book that anyone could read, so hopefully there will be a volume II to push the concepts further.

In conclusion, this is an excellent introduction into the world of tailoring that will provide you with enough knowledge to suitably arm you for either your first trip to the tailors, improve your overall understanding of menswear and style or even give you that winning edge in after dinner conversation.