Collateralised debt a.k.a. The Cloth Thread

[John 3]

Are you going to show us pictures of the fabric?

There are plenty floating around. 

 

It's a slik - linen blend with subtle irregular flecks. Feels very light, porous but at the same time a relative substantial body means it should drape very well. 

 

I bought it for 2/3 the price quoted. 

 

http://dieworkwear.com/post/163457530289/final-call-for-summer-tweed

 

I was thinking of a 2-roll-3, 2 patch and a boat breast pocket. Just weighing up which Neapolitan tailor to give it to. My problem is they delivered 2m when I requested for 2.5m. 

 

Regards, 

[kotmj 1,301]

The story with Escorial seems to be that, due to upheavals over the ages, the only stock of sheep remaining is in one or two farms in Aus/NZ where they are zealously guarded over. The other flocks were dispersed due to conquests and world wars. There is basically a supply monopoly of the fiber.

 

It is very, very soft with a pronounced stretch and spring. It is unlike merino.

 

https://youtu.be/mgJl67T5tIU

[holymoly 66]

Are you going to show us pictures of the fabric?

 

 

Posts #1506 and #1507 on this thread http://thekerbau.com/topic/88-collateralised-debt-aka-the-cloth-thread/page-76 

[holymoly 66]

There are plenty floating around. 

 

It's a slik - linen blend with subtle irregular flecks. Feels very light, porous but at the same time a relative substantial body means it should drape very well. 

 

I bought it for 2/3 the price quoted. 

 

http://dieworkwear.com/post/163457530289/final-call-for-summer-tweed

 

I was thinking of a 2-roll-3, 2 patch and a boat breast pocket. Just weighing up which Neapolitan tailor to give it to. My problem is they delivered 2m when I requested for 2.5m. 

 

Regards, 

 

 

Did you inform Derek? The initial run, he offered in half meter increments. 

[John 3]

Did you inform Derek? The initial run, he offered in half meter increments. 

Yes. It was a mistake on their part. 

[kotmj 1,301]

The best write-up I could find on Escorial:

https://idealog.co.nz/venture/2006/06/the-baron-of-saxon

[kotmj 1,301]

 

Ooohh...

[kotmj 1,301]

Also, isn't the solid white oak table from Muji great? Such nice grain. I wonder if I mentioned I replaced the teak table with an oak table.

[kotmj 1,301]

 

If you've had Super 160's and wonder what's next after that, well Escorial is the next frontier. Totally different. Very, very good.

 

[takashi 13]

How does it compare to Explorer in terms of crease resistant and breathing well?

 

Not looking at price offcourse.  

[kotmj 1,301]

I was trying to figure out which Explorer you're talking about. I then realise it's the William Halstead Explorer, 60% mohair 40% wool. The Explorer as a bunch has been phased out and the William Halstead brand retired in favour of Standeven. What was once called Explorer is now part of a larger, more diversified bunch whose name I forgot even though the bunch is with me.

 

I don't have much experience with the Escorial for now but will write more about it as I do.

[kotmj 1,301]

None of you are worthy of this! Not one.

Unworthy!

[kotmj 1,301]

Heavy wool melton for a peacoat

[kotmj 1,301]

The cloth supplier is run by warm bodies. I sent this out just now.

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P., the UPS charges on the invoices seem extraordinarily high to me. The two shipments have a total UPS charge of GBP 191.82 on 7.7 meters of cloth weighing in total 2.2 kg.

 

I'm still willing to pay them, but they seem completely out of ordinary range to me. Would you please have L. take a closer look at these charges.

 

Cheers,

Jeremy

[kotmj 1,301]

Carlo Barbera is coming to KL in a couple of weeks and would like to meet with me.

[kotmj 1,301]

I've been thinking what an incredible opportunity it is to meet with the Export Manager of Carlo Barbera. I have an odd jacket in Carlo Barbera that I wore early in my career for years, and am very impressed with the performance of that cloth. It doesn't have any supers rating, but feels like a sort of cashmere and somehow doesn't wrinkle. I don't know how they do it.

This is an old article on Carlo Barbera: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/business/global/01italy.html

Luciano Barbera, the guy who ran CB, racked up too much debt and had to be saved by Kiton, who is a major customer and who now owns CB. I've been thinking what CB can do in the Malaysian market. Mostly, what premium cloth brands do in the Malaysian market is they ride on the coattails of tailors. The tailors market themselves, and the cloth brands then make sure they are on the shelves of these "winning" tailors (many tailors are "losing" tailors---they lose market share every year).

These brands are too small to market themselves in far-flung foreign markets like Malaysia. There were exceptions like Zegna and Loro Piana who for decades were quite aggressive, but unfortunely they had to work through their distributors, who are much better at distributing than they are at marketing. Marketing requires a sort of genius and magic. Distributing is what rice distributors do.

But my collaboration with H&S allows H&S to appear on Malaysian national TV every weekday. So it appears possible to transcend the shelves of tailors. What is possible with CB will depend on the temperament of the Export Manager. Is he a cunning marketeer (what are all the ways we can appear in front of the Malaysian public in a wonderful, magical way), or is he just a distributor (you order cloth, I send cloth)?

[kotmj 1,301]

Hi P.,

Thanks for the invitation. I'd love to come meet you guys in KL on YYYY. In fact, to make it more productive and meaningful, I'm thinking of doing a video interview with the Export Manager of Carlo Barbera. I'll bring along an assistant to operate the camera and lighting.

Some of the questions I may be asking:

a ) What are the cloth collections produced by CB and a description of why each is particularly suited to its intended application

b ) What is your favourite CB cloth and why

c ) What are the goals of CB when developing a cloth

d ) What makes CB different from other mills

e ) What are the channels through which CB moves cloth

f ) Is Luciano Barbera still involved

g ) What changes has Kiton introduced since the acquisition

h ) What possibilities does CB see for itself in SE Asia

i ) How does CB market itself?

Obviously, they may choose not to answer any particular question.

Let me know closer to that time which hotel you'll be in.

 

Cheers,

Jeremy

[takashi 13]

Eagerly waiting for the video. 

[kotmj 1,301]

The Assoluto range has been discontinued. Reason: The specific sort of Super 150's wool used for it has gone up in price a lot. CB now uses a Super 140's as their mainstay, called the Dolce Vita Super 140's.

However, this means the Assoluto has been discounted to clear the few remaining colours.

[kotmj 1,301]

Am I the only one who finds the grain of the Muji solid oak table so wonderful

[kotmj 1,301]

 

[kotmj 1,301]

I didn't edit the above. Didn't even shoot it. Shot by Part Timer A, edited by Dispatch A.

Could I have done it better myself? Absolutely. But the whole of capitalism is predicated on having others do the work.

[takashi 13]

JT would look more fly wearing a tie

[kotmj 1,301]

Yeah, should have put on a tie.

[kotmj 1,301]

I want to use the selvedge on the inner cuff