Inspired... Lou Dalton AW13

Since launching her own line in 2005, Lou Dalton has refined a well crafted reputation for rebellious English sportswear with a keen eye for and attention to detail whilst establishing herself as the real shining starlet of British Menswear. As London menswear has demanded an ever increasing presence at LFW and respect far beyond the perimeter of the capital, evolving from an afternoon in to three full days of shows, presentations, previews, installations and exhibitions under the umbrella of London Collections: Men, Dalton has matured in the spotlight, built a brand and helped pave the way forward. 

One week today, all eyes will be on the blossoming design talent once more as she opens the sophomore edition of London Collections: Men. Having had a sneak preview of the collection which includes an exciting shoe collaboration, tactile knitwear and soft tailoring to obsess over and further evolved signatures,  I'm certain she will take more confident and assured steps forward, beckoning the rest of London menswear to do the same. As a little teaser to what Dalton will unveil in seven days, we sit down with the designer to talk through the narrative and influences behind the season. Sitting in her East London studio I was quickly transported six hundred odd miles to the coastlines of Shetland as the designer excitedly talked me through her mood board. Escape with us...

"This season I returned to one of my favourite films, Local Hero. I had watched it a while back but shortly after showing Spring/Summer 2013, my partner Justin was away and I rummaged through all of my old DVDs and found it again along with Ryan's Daughter. I have referenced Ryan Daughter to a small extent, there's just one scene from the film where the freedom fighters are on the beaches pulling in the illegal arms and they're wearing these oil skins in the pouring rain and I was drawn to the scene's rawness and how dark it was, in particular the Irish terrain and the backdrop that it is set against. The small village that the film is set shares characteristics to that of Shetland as captured in Bill Forsyth's feature. For me, Local Hero is one of the best films that I've ever seen, set in a place that I have such fond personal memories of. I met Justin in Shetland over nine years ago and I spent three years commuting back and forth from the area during the early years of our relationship. It it is quite simply one of the most amazing places that I've been to. I think Laurence Ellis' film (that he shot for my autumn/winter 2010 collection) captures the essence of how Shetland is, it's this open, amazing, wild place but it is so warm and welcoming. I absolutely loved spending time there and I have this crazy dream of owning a croft at some point. It will always be an inspiring place to me.

When I watched Local Hero again with Burt Lancaster playing a Texan oil worker who goes out to this rural town in the Scottish highlands with the desire to build a whopping big oil rig but soon falls in love with the special place. Theoretically, that's what happened to Shetland. At one point, it was the biggest oil port in Europe. I latched on to this development in a sense but it had much more to do with the characters, the terrain, the rawness and everything about the area. I loved everything about the film and it reminded me about my own experiences. I started pulling references from there, from utility and work wear after looking at the boy on the rig, the city boy in the country feel influenced the tailoring and there's a particular fabric that we've pulled from an Italian mill that reminds me of the flock and rawness of the sheep whilst the knitwear takes inspiration from the identification markings on the sheep which has this form of branding. 

I know that when I talk about being inspired by Shetland, people will think "oh, this is Lou being right country, a heritage feel' and there might be an element of that but once you see the collection, you'll see that there's much more to it than that. This particular collection feels even more personal whilst the fit and shapes are very much from spring/summer. I want the guy that is buying Lou Dalton to feel confident and trust in the continuation from season to season..."

Snapshots of Lou Dalton's mood board for AW13.

"I do feel the pressure of showing first (at London Collections: Men). Everyone has been so supportive and I never do anything half heartedly. This collection means an awful lot and there's shedloads of work still to do. I won't settle until it is all done, to the level that I want it to be at. I said it to Charlie Porter previously but if I could get the label the point of being a self financed menswear designer from the UK that can compete with those big boys then that would be a massive achievement. It's unchartered territory. I think the label is at the point at which it could soar to the next level or stagnate and I desperately want it to fly on. I feel as though I've pushed myself harder than ever for this collection and we've also been pushing at the same time with production of Spring/Summer 13 which was the largest that it has ever been. It'll be quite special if I pull everything off."

I have every confidence that she will. Long may London menswear follow the lead of Lou Dalton. Here's to London Collections: Men and beyond.

Cashing in this Christmas

Since our first shared Tokyo experience back in May, Susie has popped back over too many times to mention. For the most part, I've looked on with green eyes and jealous heart as she rattles off tales of discovery but when she recently returned I was treated to an early Christmas present that kept me warm this festive season whilst putting a smile on my face and introducing me to my new favourite label, Cash Ca.

Whilst designing and consulting for the likes of John Smedley and Margaret Howell, knitwear specialist Craig Alexander started Cash Ca in 1999. Over the last twelve years, the label's refined cashmere and high quality merino knitwear collection has made a significant impact on the British market. However, for us atleast, the story took an interesting turn following a chance meeting between Alexander and influential Japanese streetwear designer Kazuki Kurashi in 2009 who was soon asked to direct the men's collection. Kurashi's clean aesthetic inspired a new phase of the label. The design marriage of Alexander and Kurashi is all about simple perfection and minimal embellishment but also lovely subtle, hidden detailing. This union caught Susie's eye in Shibuya's Garden, Located moments from where we first stayed and just opposite the Ragtag that bled my bank account dry, menswear store Garden escaped our shared attention. However, on Susie's most recent jaunt she waltzed inside and soon encountered my (current) dream wardrobe. Alongside Facetasm and Eo To To, she found herself grasping at the rails of Cash Ca and feeling the urge to splurge. The heady mix of details and the favoured mix of seasonal fabrics of wool, cotton and leather in the Donkey Stadium jacket meant that it was love at first sight for her and for me (oh she knows me so well!)...

Cash Ca Donkey Stadium Jacket worn with two of my own Japanese buys (a green shirt by Comme des Garcons Homme and fair isle print jumper by Discovered) trousers by Wooyoungmi and hi tops by Lanvin.

Now, thanks to a recent expansion of stockists and a fair bit of blog coverage, a few of you will be familiar with the label already but despite its English roots, the moment I unwrapped my Christmas present was the first time I really took notice of the knitwear brand. I'm now hooked and am far from the only one. In the three years since its launch, the Cash Ca men’s collection has become well established in Japan, now selling into sixty of the most directional retailers and departments stores across the country. The collection is now becoming established in Hong Kong and China with a plan to open a flagship shop in Hong Kong in 2012 and I've only just learned that London's very own The Hideout has the UK exclusive. Having been spoilt rotten this Christmas I'm now hooked on the label...I might just have to treat myself to more Cash Ca in the seasons ahead...

Casely-Hayford SS11: The Light Through the Darkness

Much of the last twelve months have whizzed right by me, a great deal has been forgotten for one reason or another. There have, however, been a few moments which have seen the dazzlingly fast rotating clock hands stop completely, allowing me ample opportunity to soak up the scene before me. Thankfully time was stopped during my visit to the SS11 Showroom Next Door and my heart still skips a beat or two as memories of Casely-Hayford's The Light Through the Darkness fills my memory. Having enthused over the collection back in September, it is my absolute pleasure to offer first sight of the look book with you...

Cover image; Circeo washed shirt jacket in deep red cotton, Azuil collarless shirt in white Panama cotton, Algonquin tailored track pants in Morning stripe jersey.

Casely-Hayford's fifth collection consolidates their now signature style of relaxed masculine proportions, fused with an injection of London's cocktail of youth culture. Since its inception, the label has explored the intriguing duality of English sartorialism and British anarchy but now shapes a unique aesthetic that sees the emergence of the 'Sartorial Nomad' from the shadows of the darkened sensibility of their Afro Punk of the season before. Here, Casely-Hayford visit the the idea of the transcultural traveler, whose identity is an amalgamation of the many countries and influences that once or now surround him.

Looking at this collection, I'm reminded of the photography of Etienne Dehau. In his book about the Bedouin tribes and nomadic peoples of Arabia, the photographer took us to the heart of this immense region, tracking the ancient incense route and the nomadic Bedouins. Dehau's wonderful photographs illustrated the culture of these Arabs – a word that originally meant ‘people of the desert’ – as they move from camp to camp within a land that is both hostile and overwhelming. For SS11, Casely-Hayford have reimagined the nomad. The taletend design duo turn to the purity and tranquil energy of the Bedouin nomad in order to seek out something real and something minimal negating the excess so prevalent during the last decade. The Light Through the Darkness communicates ideas of a rebirth for a new decade. There is a discordant synergy is brought to the forefront of the collection as exquisite tailoring is worn over nomadic white shirts, referencing looks often seen in the confluence of London's East End. Here, the cut is unrestrictive and loose yet it still manages to remain masculine and athletic. Fabrics are natural, colours earthy and the silhouette voluminous but minimal...

Left; Moonstone jacket in grey tarmac wool, Lapis pale grey herringbone drawstring jacket, Algonquin tailored track pants in Morning stripe jersey, Brett olive jersey l/s t shirt and Turbeville allotment creeper. 

Right; Luxor stone cotton workwear jacket with turned black hem and Cinnabar navy ribbed cotton fatigue pants.

 

Left; Volga gathered coat in greige wool,  Azul white Panama cotton collarless shirt, Algonquin Morning stripe tailored track pants and Turbeville allotment creeper. 

Right; Circeo washed shirt jacket in grey/check reverse cotton, Cato natural linen curved pocket waistcoat, Algonquin Morning stripe tailored track pants and Isherwood brown leather sandals.

Left; Aldous 2SB, greige wool jacket, Ventura coat in stone crushed jersey, Ambar blue/white cotton wrap shirt. Algonquin tailored track pants in Morning stripe jersey and Isherwood brown leather sandals. 

Right; Marmor marine cotton knit cardigan with Touareg pattern front, Alba Henley in Touareg pattern cotton, Algonquin Morning stripe tailored track pants and Isherwood brown leather sandals.

Left; Ventura coat in stone crushed jersey, Arandis grey ribbed cotton waistcoat, Ambar blue/white cotton wrap shirt, Belgris tapered natural linen pants and Isherwood brown leather sandals.

Right; Tropf bi-colour minimal Mac, Belgris tapered natural linen pants and Isherwood brown leather sandals.

Left; Tourmaline blousen double jacket in navy/black cotton,  Afyon scoop neck stone crushed jersey t-shirt, Cinnabar stone ribbed cotton fatigue pants.

Right; Ventura coat in stone crushed jersey, Cato natural linen curved pocket waistcoat, Anatol white cotton Chino, Alba Henley in Touareg pattern cotton and Isherwood brown leather sandals.

Left; Tourmaline blousen double jacket in navy in khaki cotton, Tardos long shirt in white self-stripe twill, Cosmic white cotton laced Punk Nomad trouser and Quartz black leather Casely-Hayford for John Moore Ghillie brothelcreeper.

Right; Belvoir navy canvas reversible coat, Agra bellows pocket waistcoat in navy organic cotton, Tardos long shirt in white self-stripe twill, Cosmic white cotton laced Punk Nomad trouser and Quartz black leather Casely-Hayford for John Moore Ghillie brothelcreeper.

Left; Tardos long shirt in white self-stripe twill, Cosmic white cotton laced Punk Nomad trouser and Quartz black leather Casely-Hayford for John Moore Ghillie brothelcreeper.

Right; Aldous 2SB greige wool jacket, Ambar blue/white cotton wrap shirt, Basalto flat front trouser in greige wool and Bentley brown leather quilted slipper. 

Quartz black leather Casely-Hayford for John Moore Ghillie brothelcreeper.

Look book credits
Photography: Katinka Herbert
Photography assistant: Christopher Kennedy
Art direction: Casely-Hayford & Son
Model: Yussef Yu, Fine Artist.

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One for the future...Yasmin Bawa

Yasmin Bawa is currently a Menswear student at Middlesex University who has sent through her pre-collection, entitled Lattice, for our viewing pleasure. This honours student has taken this opportunity to gather press, media and most importantly feedback on her design work. Bawa has found time to complete a seven look capsule collection and accompanying film. Along with the obvious creative talent it demonstrates she has the business nous to promote her debut offering through the blogosphere. We were surprised and excited when we opened the speculative email from the young talent and had to share it with you. In addition to the film and a selection of stills, the student has sent through a few scans of her research book.

Bawa looked to the hugely popular photography project Family Stuff by Huang Qingjun and Ma Hongjie for initial inspiration. If you are not familiar with the project, it documents the homes of fifty (and ever growing) rural Chinese homes, sees the family with all of their possessions taken from inside their house and placing it outside. The series shows the original artwork and furniture mixed in with modern appliances. Every facet of contemporary life in China is on display, including evidence of those that have changed and remained during this period of modernisation. Bawa's collection combines elements from these rural Chinese villages and the traditional lattice design artwork with a more technical element, showing the social change taking place as modern culture seeps its way into these homes and families.

Inspiration wall.

A look inside Bawa's sketchbook depicting lattice work, fabric swatches and inspirations.

Another look inside her sketchbook and assortment of inspirations for each look.

Chinese lattice work was a huge inspiration for the prints used throughout the collection.

The seven looks sketched.

The battle between traditional and modern elements runs courses through the veins of the seven piece collection to beautiful effect. Natural fabrics, hand dying and screen prints echo the traditional element whilst laser etched prints on cotton drill and leather shows off the use of modern technology. Gradient effects on the fabrics add a further emphasis on the sense of change that is taking place all around the famlies depicted in the photography project, with one colour slowly taking over the next. As a menswear collection it showcases classic shapes whilst creating a whole new look with the colours, prints, function and detailing.

LATTICE Installation hand in

There are times when images just aren't enough. Thankfully, upon the completion of this capsule collection, Bawa soon decided to showcase her designs with a film by Liam Simpson. The design talent was inspired by Carolyn Massey's stunning SS11 film.
 

We think we'll be hearing a lot more from this creative talent in the near future. However, if you are impatient, you can follow the student's progress via her blog.

My Coat, My Gift from Wooyoungmi

After seemingly months of mild, indifferent weather the first real signs of winter have induced more than a few 'brrrrr, it's a bitt nippy out' exclamations. As the mercury tumbles, I've been reaching for the neglected knits and trust winter warmers. Others might complain about the cold spell but I love these chilly mornings. These moments to layer, wrap and protect in an assortment of comfortable and practical fabrics are some of the most exciting and interesting. However, I've had to wait on my winter coat until now...

Now, you should recall that I took part in the London edition of a Wooyoungmi's collaborative project, My Coat, My Gift. Whilst raising money for Art Against Knives, the label joined forces with Selfridges in a celebration of both the classic Wooyoungmi coat 'No. 51' and the rising creative talent the city. Amazingly I was asked. The auction might have long passed but last week my own version of my collaborative coat arrived. Oh, I love it so and this weekend saw its first outing...

My own My Coat, My Gift coat from Wooyoungmi made extra warm with the addition of a wool scarf from COS, worn with thick wool trousers from Topman Design and my British Remains creepers.

I've already rambled about my creative inspiration and input in a previous post  but the simple reason why I love the jacket so down to the skills of Wooyoungmi's design team. The talented bunch managed to interpret my excitedly blurted out key words and fabric ideas and create my ideal version of their classic coat. My own My Coat, My Gift is full of texture, layers and fabric play...

A few detail shots.

Of course, it is amazing to have had the opportunity to rework one of my favourite designer's most recognised pieces (not to mention meet the lovely sister's themselves) but the real reason for this whole collaboration was to raise money for Art Against Knives, a charity using creativity to tackle knife crime in the capital. Now, I've only worn the coat a few days now but I've already been greeted with more than a few "oooh nice coat!" Moving forward, for every compliment  the coat receives, I'll donate a pound to the charity.

Braille SS12

Braille burst on to the scene at Vauxhall Fashion Scout back in February of last year and they've since gone from strength to strength. London based design duo, Benjamin Vorono and Samuel Kientsch, are able to design garments that can effortlessly slide in to any man's wardrobe. The accomplished debut, A Gentle Wake, was a concise exploration of menswear garments composed of Yorkshire tweeds and Scottish waxed cottons. A wonderfully tactile and functional collection that caught the eye of press and buyers alike. Over the last few seasons, the talented pair have carved their own niche on the London and internal scene, offering collections showcasing the best of British fabrics and manufacturing in cuts that suit the modern gentleman. Ever since the label first came to our attention, we've kept a keen eye on its continued rise and we couldn't resist catching up with the pair to talk through their SS12 collection, Current Affairs.

Where previous collections have seen the pair research design movements, artists or natural phenomenon, SS12 sees an exploration of the social world around them. "This collection was our most socially influenced to date, specifically a general feeling of disillusionment. The unrest that began to bubble up in certain areas and continues to spread throughout the globe was the main focus," explains Vorono. In a year which has seen so much social unrest play out on the news it should come as little surprise that they were drawn to a feeling of growing disillusionment.

Despite the change in mood, this collection, like the ones before it, showcases a wonderful sense of texture. Once again, pieces reveal a heady cocktail of hard and delicately luxurious fabrics. In all of their garments, Vorono and Kientsch tread an intriguing balance beam between the strong and the delicate. From waxed cotton silk shirts, oxidised print tailoring to corded rain coats and suede shorts, this collection leaves me longing to touch it. Garments are crafted in such a way that they are both inherently 'masculine' yet genteel in the same moment. For SS12, the duo introduce subtle military elements to their expanding sartorial arsenal. "There is a definite militaristic element to the collection but not in the traditional sense, obviously no epaulets or military style buttons were used but it is a tougher direction for us, which we are really happy about" Kientsch excitedly explains before adding "as with all of our collections the main focus is on wearability and transition. Hopefully regardless of season or event you can get away with wearing them whenever and however you choose."

Now, I could wax lyrical about the collection but I think Current Affair's stunning lookbook translates the beauty of the collection far better than my words. So I'll pass you over to Darren Karl Smith's imagery...

Lookbook credits:

Photography by Darren Karl-Smith and assisted by Yi Chen. Modelled by Tristan Pigott. Grooming by Hiroshi Matsushita. Production by Lulu Presents.

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Given that it has been almost ten months since we last spoke with Braille, so I asked the pair how 2011 has treated them. "We’re still feeling really fresh and young as a brand. Evolution is at the core of the label. As we gain a greater awareness of what our customers are actually looking for it allows us to run a tighter ship focusing on offering products that actually have a place in the market but also longevity and usefulness." At the end of the last post, I hinted that it would prove a big year and there can be little doubt that they've taken many steps forward but the menswear market, despite growing a tremendous amount, is still a tough one for an emerging label. A point that Kientsch concedes, "we still feel like the market is very hesitant to take on new designers, which is really a shame because there are plenty of more exciting menswear ideas floating around than are actually offered in the shops." However, rather than become disillusioned with the general nervousness that many buyers are unfortunately afflicted with, Braille are keen to continue carving out their niche. "There is opportunity to push a more refined look without taking the comfort that men really desire in clothing and we hope to be a part of this movement" Vorono adds with an air of defiance. I have every confidence that the pair will succeed.

Having set an impressive design marker over the last few seasons 2012 is an important year for Braille. "We really want to reach a more global audience from a retail perspective and feel we’re at the stage to be taken on by larger retailers." Once pressed on the design developments Kientsch revealed that the pair "we’re really pleased that our waxed cotton supplier has sponsored a portion of the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection so you can expect to see even more weatherproof outerwear" and hinted that collage, which they have started to experiment with previously, will become a more integral component of collections in the future. I, for one, am looking forward to watching this label continue grow.

Discovering London Cloth Company and Purposeful Activity

Based in the heart of Hackney, the London Cloth Company in a wonderful surprise. Over the last few months, whispers of the existence of this flourishing micro mill located just a short jaunt from my flat have increased to sincere shouts to go and visit it from the likes of S.E.H Kelly and Daniel Jenkins,  both of which use the fabulous tweed that it produces. Having had the opportunity to travel seven hundred odd miles to experience Harris Tweed first hand, falling in with the craft in the process, it would have been ludicrous to fail to hop on the Overground for a few stops. So, as soon as I admired its fruits used in a stunning tobacco wool tweed peacoat, I popped along to explore the goings on behind its unassuming door during a festive open day at the mill last weekend.  

Nestled in a quiet residential area, the workshop is a hive of activity and a treasure trove of machinery. Daniel Harris, the one man-mill behind it all, is part weaver, part engineer. This is his passion, his life. He’s restored old equipment, gleaned advice from masters of the loom and has learnt on the job to develops fabrics for designers, tailors and interested individuals alike. "We prefer not to issue extensive swatch books as we tend to work directly with our customers to create bespoke fabrics," Harris excitedly rolls out as his mind imagines the possibilities. Possibilities that are beginning to be realised as a growing band of designers fall for the charms of his unique mill.

The workshop is home to reclaimed machinery dating from as early as 1850, and includes an ever-growing number of power looms and bobbin winders, and even a warping mill. This gives The London Cloth Company, the capability to facilitate the weaving process from start to finish. "There have been traumatic moments," admit Harris before taking a sip of mulled wine and continuing, "When I was searching for the ideal loom initially, I got a call from a man in Scotland who was retiring, 'Right, you can have it but you've got come and get is soon'. How soon I nervously asked. 'Today' came the emphatic response. Off I went, as soon as I possibly could. We left London at 6am, drove 630 odd miles and arrived at 10pm. Bearing in mind that I'd never seen such a loom in person before, I found them all grinning in the car park, pleased with themselves at taking the machine to pieces. I had to look at a few pictures." Little dampens Harris' passion for quality.

The space is home to a trio of Hattersley looms, the likes of which I've only previously seen in the shed of Donald John MacKay as I experienced Harris Tweed two years ago now, a Frankenstein's monster of a loom built from leftover parts (from the 1920s, the wartime era and the 60s or later) and a three and a half ton, semi automatic beast from Herbert Brown that caused another logistical nightmare. "We had to move this one seven hundred miles. Again, I wanted a slightly smaller one but this beauty was the only one available. It was on the third floor of a mill. I had to hire a crane to lift it out of the building, part of the roof had to removed and it then it had to be broken down into smaller parts to get it to the new home." And what a home. I can't imagine a better guardian than Daniel Harris. Allow me to take you on a little tour of his well crafted world...

Exploring Daniel Harris' impressive space and snapshots of the weaving process from a pedal powered single loom to a semi automatic monster. 

Used to travelling for my love of documenting craftsmanship, I never dreamt that I would be able to explore and document a flourishing mill located in the heart of my adopted city. As Daniel Harris' vision and capabilities evolve, I'm sure this will be the first of many visits to the London Clothing Company and the hunt begins to find similar individuals located closer to home. Helping me in this search could well be Daniel Jenkins who has just unveiled Purposeful Activity, a considered label made from British materials and with British makers, including London Clothing Company, that will sit alongside his buy from the likes of Lou Dalton, Tender and Baartmans & Siegel. Considering his pursuit of celebrating British menswear, this is a natural and well thought out evolution.

"Time and time again, I was becoming increasingly depressed by the constant chatter that you couldn’t produce unfussy, garments in this country using British materials without having to charge high prices. I felt this to be nonsense. Therefore I decided to show the fallacy of that notion." Jenkins explains. As the first few pieces go live on his site, the British menswear retailer is certainly proving a worthwhile  point.

"I don't want this to become a seasonal fashion label. If we can source a great cloth or come up with an interesting garment then we will put it into production. When it is ready, it'll go online. That's pretty much what happened with Daniel Harris. I happened upon a French blog post about him and thought I would drop him a line. Half an hour later I was stood in the factory and ten minutes after that I had ordered some fabric with no idea what to do with it. To me that's how the best things in business work. Having too much of a plan is a silly idea. It's nice to have an idea but, the ten year business plan idea doesn't apply to fashion. Ten hour business plan more like it. 

The cloth we are working with is exceptional. Same with the shirting. The best thing about both is that they will improve with age and aren't filled with an artificial story. I live - as you know - five minutes from where our cloth was woven. Our first store was about half an hour's drive from where the shirts were sewn. The factory we use in London for tailoring is great, the guys who run it know everything there is to know. Our garments made along side the biggest names."

Having known Jenkins for a number of years now and seen his unwavering support of British menswear, it is a pleasure to see him take it to the next stage. "This is truly a culmination of what we've done for the past five or so years. A chance to show off a different side of the fashion industry that many don't get to see." A side that we love to see. The fact that he was wearing two of the first items under the Purposeful Activity label, the Byron shirt and Nelson Jacket, as we explored Daniel Harris' workshop couldn't have been more perfect and I, of course, had to document it. Also, it was great to see Harris' delight at the sight of his tweed tailored in such a way...

Daniel Jenkins wearing the Byron shirt in wine Bengal and the Nelson jacket.

Daniel Jenkins has always strived to offer a retail platform for the best of British menswear and the launch of this considered collection of wardrobe staples is a Goodyear welted step forward. This might only be the beginning for Purposeful Activity and I'm keen to see how it evolves as Jenkins uncovers more makers to support and to collaborate with. But more than this, he hopes it will inspire others. I'll leave you with the below war cry.

"I'm amazed by how far British menswear has come but it still has a long way to go. Anything I can do to help I shall. Hopefully this will play a small part in getting the message out that our cloth is great, our factories fantastic and we as a nation are ready and willing to create things which will blow the world away."