The Material Review
Issue 200: World Cup, La Marzocco, Hermès Watches, The Best Fashion Articles Ever, Wirecutter Headlines During the Revolutionary War, Links from the Feed and Q&A w/ Louis Cheslaw.
Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.
The World Cup In Arlington Is Imperfectly Perfect
“Now that we’ve been there, we can say it: an Americanized World Cup is pretty weird. But it’s still the World Cup. And that makes it pretty great.” [D Magazine]
How La Marzocco Perfected the Espresso Machine
“Beloved by coffee enthusiasts, the century-old brand has built a philosophy based on timeless design, reliability, and watching baristas at work.” [TOTEI]
Hermès Wants to Win Over Watch Obsessives With Whimsy
“The French brand is a bit of an underdog in the field of horology. It’s working to change that.” [WSJ*]
The Best Magazine Articles About Fashion Ever Written (According to Me)
“This one’s a doozy” [freak palace]
Wirecutter Headlines During the Revolutionary War
“Why We Love This Wrought Iron Spit for Cooking Mutton Over a Hearth”
A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.
Campbell’s of Beauly Brushed Shetland Stripe Rugby
Sentinel X50 Kermit Chair - Olive (PRE-ORDER)
B.O.T.O River Lace
Big Rock Candy Mountaineering Candy Cords
Vintage Watches: The Modern Guide
SPC/LST Solstice_03S
Kapital Dixie Hickoree Cactus Coverall Mauve
From the Feed
The coffee shop where 162 regulars have their own mug (1977)
The Final Interview: Nigel Cabourn’s Life Story in His Words
Louis Cheslaw
Louis Cheslaw is a menswear writer whose work has appeared in GQ, the Financial Times, The New York Times, and Why is this Interesting? We’ve enjoyed his work for years, so we were excited to see him launch Wardrobe. We caught up to talk about the new newsletter, the London vintage shops he keeps going back to, and why a conversation in Stockholm made him a convert to Astier de Villatte incense.
What do you think of the current Substack / TikTok / YouTube era of menswear?
I mostly find the enthusiasm and energy sweet, and even positive when it means that independent designers with little-to-no marketing budgets get more attention. That being said, a lot of these accounts focus on a box-ticking approach to getting dressed—Four Pants You Need This Summer, say.
In my experience, that’s the fastest way to end up with a wardrobe that ultimately means nothing to you. The clothes I wear and like most are the ones that remind me of the place that I found them, or the person I was with the day I got them. Better still, they inexplicably just work on me, in ways other options didn’t. I don’t want people to miss out on those adventures because they followed a stranger’s rules.
You’re starting a new project. What is it, and why now?
It’s called Wardrobe, it comes out twice a week, and it’s really a way to lean further into those feelings I just shared. As I said in my launch letter, there’s a difference between impulsively shopping and truly building a wardrobe. The newsletter exists to help myself and others migrate from the former approach to the latter.
In practice, that means interviewing great dressers in detail (and often in their own homes) to understand how they think about what they wear, and where they found their best gets. It also means going to designer’s studios to learn the nuances within different fabrics and cuts, and to specialist retailers—like the shop in Paris that only sells fine socks—to extract some of the wisdom they’ve gained about their category.
We’ve done all of this and a little more so far, and it’s been really enjoyable. It’s also not my first rodeo: I became familiar with Substack as the Men’s editor of Magasin for the past two years, and working with Laura was an incredible education in how to stay consistent.
When you’re shopping for yourself, where do you actually go? Specific shops, sites, or places you find yourself returning to.
The best deals, bar none, are found second-hand. Living in London, I like Hornets in Kensington for classic dress shirts (Turnbull & Asser here will set you back no more than £30), and Twos in Hackney for slightly more interesting designer vintage. Still, I of course buy new from the brands I love. Right now, that’s mostly Lady White Co., Batoner, Mfpen, Henry’s. Crockett & Jones for serious shoes. And Kaptain Sunshine, MAN-TLE, and Margaret Howell if I’m being recklessly nice to myself.
Beyond the product itself, what makes a brand genuinely worth paying attention to? Who do you think is getting that right right now?
The product itself really is the thing–fabric, construction, and fit matter so much more than any witty campaigns or celebrity co-sign. That said, I’m always moved when a designer would clearly be making clothes, even if just for themselves. That’s what separates someone who started a brand after finishing business school, and someone who had to because it poured out of them. Examples there include Cecile Tulkens, Conkers, Gabriela Coll, Salon C. Lundman.
What are a few under-the-radar brands you’ve come across recently, in the UK or elsewhere, that more people should know about?
Many of the ones above, but I’m hoping to get to the bottom of the enigmatic Cease soon. And Horses is the one brand playing hardball with me this Paris, so I’ll report back once I’ve learned more / anything.
What’s something you’ve bought recently that you’re especially happy with?
When I flew to Stockholm to interview Christoffer Lundman, he told me he loved Astier de Villatte incense because it comes in a box of 200, so you can burn the sticks with reckless abandon. I’d previously dismissed the brand as Instagram-bait, but after picking up a couple of the boxes, I’m a total convert.
Is there anything you’ve got your eye on right now but haven’t yet acquired?
A John Smedley long-sleeved Sea Island polo shirt. Ideally I would end up a man who only wears these—I’ve met a few, they seem very content.
Outside of clothes, what are you most particular about, and what would you recommend?
I like reliable pens. I discovered Zebra Sarasa, with its perfect Blue-Black ink option, in Japan, and continue to stock up when I can. I also appreciate a nice plate—this is the nicest cereal / pasta bowl I’ve ever used.