Harris Tweed; fascinating (well, to me ) prog about manufacturing, lost skills etc.

fc123

OMG and the film..the film....I almost couldn't watch it. A million quid to stroke an old mans ego...it was too painful for words.

BTW, It's his type that dominate UK High St product. It's The Wilsons in Fashion.

lostinrates

I still wonder if there isn't some room for a crossover market?

DH has been scouring vintage shops/sites for a really good tweed hacking jacket, with a groovy tweed and a decent cut. (he also has been looking fo a shooting jacket and missed a great one the other day).

The thing is a reasonably sizable market of people wear a tweed jacket at the weekends for competing in etc, and the choice is a totally unindividual worst of uniform facelessness, or, worse still, something whose nod to ''fashion'' is a candy pink addition to the colour way and a matched velvet colour, or worse still velvet colour with gold piping. The of the pegs tend to be sizey because people sometimes have to wear body protectors under them, whih must be harder for the designers to think about. And ofcourse, the tailoring not being perfect, with off the peg, one has to go generous on size for enough room to really move so for room at the arms/back one sacrifices the waist fitting, in many ways I suppose tweed is pretty poorly suited to the role. Even made to measure I can't find the jacket I'd love, and because they are, in the main, fairly also ran, so faced with a choice of same, one does then look to what is cheapest, which is not harris tweed!

If I ever get my figure back I'd really love to get THE jacket I want, but then it will cost too much I expect.

fc123

The people re wearing jumpers, but the horse, quite cleary isn't). An interesting point is up until fairly recently, wool rugs were still quite common for horses (as day rugs, winter travelling, or over the quaters in exercise). Racing fanes might remember the common red/brown/gold stripe one that was refered to as a Newmarket rug. well, the pattern live on, but the rugs are made from fleece now. (similarly poly fabrics have replaces canvas and jute rugs too.) This is one place where modern wins for me.

It's interesting as the fleece is better for horses.
The only thing that can save HT now is new products and new ideas...something will hit the spot if enough varied types think of new ways to work with it.

The problem with the show was it was all looking backwards. What was HT used for then.....let's carry on with the same old thing. Whilst that is still valid (re Savile Row jackets etc) it needs new ideas...and Mr Mass Market Menswear from Yorkshire got it totally wrong.

I am trying to think of something that has re-invented itself but can only think of foods like chard and celeriac that Gordon Ramsey used to go on about.

mewbie_2

fc123 wrote: »

I am trying to think of something that has re-invented itself...

Mr. Broderick.

lostinrates

fc123 wrote: »

I am trying to think of something that has re-invented itself but can only think of foods like chard and celeriac that Gordon Ramsey used to go on about.

Well, as you referenced the woman, whatabout what cath kidston did for floral pints? Turned the Ikea ad of ''chuck out your chintz'' upside down!

lostinrates

fc123 wrote: »

I
The problem with the show was it was all looking backwards. What was HT used for then.....let's carry on with the same old thing. Whilst that is still valid (re Savile Row jackets etc) it needs new ideas...and Mr Mass Market Menswear from Yorkshire got it totally wrong.

and another thing....:o

one of the virtues of tweed was simply how long lasting it is. In the days of buying once and buying well I don't uppose sales figures had to be anything like what we expect now is successful! he point of buying a top of the range hunting/sporting item of clothing is that it is fairly classic and it will last...wher a the point of successful fashion is more....trends. Which is why its ''ok'' if things fall apart.

HT: the green choice for clothing...recylcable, yes, your childrn will wear it.

ninky_2

fc123 wrote: »

As it is an expensive fabric (I don't know how much it is per metre? I will google now to find out), whole garments may not be commercially viable for a more mass market consumer, but as a fill in or trim, there is def a future...or at least enough to be able to top up demand slightly and up production to keep it going until the fabric becomes fashionable again.

.

the harris tweed suit i bought was from jigsaw - a fairly mainstrean chain. mind you this was mid 1990s. and i'm not sure if jigsaw are still going....plus my fashion style was quite out there influenced by sapphic circles of the 1930s. plus fours, cravats and the like.

fc123

ninky wrote: »

the harris tweed suit i bought was from jigsaw - a fairly mainstrean chain. mind you this was mid 1990s. and i'm not sure if jigsaw are still going....plus my fashion style was quite out there influenced by sapphic circles of the 1930s. plus fours, cravats and the like.

A lot has happened in the past 15 years. Jigsaw used to make nearly everything in UK....now 99% offshore incl fabrics....also sister shop Kew...all imported and sold at stonking great margin too.....all fed into higher and higher rents.
The 'land costs' just absorbed all the extra margin in the end.

carolt

Guess what!!!

My OH just read out from the paper "Guess what, tweed's back in".

How prescient is this thread! At the forefront of fashion as always, fc.... :T

Courtesy of tonight's London freebie, The London Lite:

"Tweed's Back In Town

A classic style gets a modern twist.."


You heard it here first, guys...

lostinrates

carolt wrote: »

My OH just read out from the paper ...

does your OH read the forum too, or do you relay him information? ( mine doesn't read here often. )