The Material Review

Issue 116: The Riva Boat, 747s, Tracking Wild Salmon, Dead Sports Franchises, Sears Catalogs, Japan's Sewer-Rat Power Suit and Q&A w/ Glenn Au of Junior's.

Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.

Why the Riva still rules the waves

“The classic wooden-hulled speedboats are a mahogany-bottomed investment” [FT]

The Flight of the 747

“Today, Boeing 747s are even rarer than blue whales, with carriers having retired them in favor of newer models. For aviation geeks, the planes evoke the glory days of flying” [Air Mail]

I Tracked a Wild Salmon From Sea to Plate — What I Learned Surprised Me

“An eye-opening adventure through Alaska’s wild salmon supply chain, from nets to knives to the dinner table.” [Food & Wine]

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

“The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active accounts, all run by unpaid hobbyists who are clawing to keep fandom alive.” [Front Office]

Before Folding 30 Years Ago, the Sears Catalog Sold Some Surprising Products

“The retail giant’s mail-order business reigned supreme for more than a century, offering everything from quack cures to ready-to-build homes” [Smithsonian]

Decoding Japan's Sewer-Rat Power Suit

“Soshi Otsuki’s Armani-inspired tailoring has won him a place in this year’s LVMH Prize final. Could he be Tokyo's next great menswear talent?” [Wimpy]

A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.

Sentinel Merino SS Polo

Roka X1 Goggle

Astorflex Artflex Derby

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute - Monoface Small Seconds

Graziano and Gutierrez Vino Pintor Shirt

Glenn Au is a seasoned haberdasher and the steady hand behind one of our favorite menswear shops, Junior's. We caught up to talk Fair Isle knits, the search for perfect denim, Philly pizza and why his toddler son is already asking for his first suit.

What’s a memorable recent purchase you’ve made?

I bought my son a Barbour waxed jacket off of eBay. His first! He’s in a phase of “dressing like Dad” which is adorable and impossible for me to ignore. He’s even asked for a suit. Ha! For myself though, I have been really enjoying wearing my new Junior’s linen suit (in the photo) this summer made with cloth from Maison Hellard. It’s this perfect taupe-y color that is right in my sweet spot.

Junior’s has a distinctly old school approach and a really distinct mix of brands. What draws you to a label or product? What makes something feel right for the shop?

Having been educated from working at O’Connell’s, the haberdashery ethos really appealed to me throughout my career and is now how I choose to run my business. We find quality makers in the US, Canada, the UK and Italy with history & integrity that can make goods for Junior’s. Certain products are more proprietary than others but each has a uniqueness that can only be found here.

What’s something you’ve brought into the shop recently that you’re especially excited to share with your customers?

As of 8/12, we had our first batch of Scottish Shetland knits land. A new Fair Isle design to be specific. We cannot wait to share these very soon. We also have a sneak preview of a special-make up shoe with Alden in-shop currently. Daily arrivals of client made-to-measure orders are always enjoyable especially when it is a swatch no one has done before.

Is there anything you find yourself obsessively researching before buying and is there anything you’ve learned from that process?

Personally, it took me a few years but I finally found denim that I think I’ll be wearing for a long time. Denim, or any clothing purchase, is an intimate process so not everyones journey will be the same but I found a high quality denim in a cut that works for me while not swinging too far into a specific trend. This took some time researching spec charts, measuring my own denim and ordering multiple sizes. Making purchases like these help me see a business from the client perspective and how one interacts with the website, the ordering process and even the packaging when the product arrives.

Has running your own brand changed your own approach to buying things—for yourself or for others?

I notice that, because I wear tailored clothing 5 days of the week, I struggle a bit with how to dress when I am off the clock. For tailored clothing I have never felt more comfortable but for casual wear, I still feel early into my process of what I like and don’t like. I’ve simplified a lot over the years and draw less inspiration from “preppy” aesthetics and more from Italian-industrialist looks. When buying for others, especially around the holidays, I hate buying meaningless or “fluff-type” gifts. I want the gifts to mean something to them and feel like I put thought into the purchase. I’ve been slowly getting better at buying gifts and hanging onto them until needed to avoid the hastily bought gift.

Let's skip the cheesesteak. Where can we get the best pizza in Philly?

I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY so anyone who knows what “Buffalo” pizza is knows I am always on the search for that doughy crust and cup-and-char pepperoni. That said, in Philadelphia, Angelo’s is hard to beat, Santucci’s is iconic to the city for good reason and Doughead is our go-to for family Friday, movie night & pizza.