Paper City Article

Eau d'Homme

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 06:50:35 GMT

Napoleon, Oscar Wilde, King Edward VII, Ian Fleming and John F. Kennedy dabbled in these intoxicating and aristocratic scents %26hellip;

Acqua di Parma: Intensely Italian

Created in 1916 in the Italian city of Parma and first sold in the salons of fine Italian tailors, Acqua di Parma cultivated a following among the sophisticated set, who fell in love with the refreshing Sicilian citrus, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, lavender and prized woods. Over time the cologne%26rsquo;s following has become equal parts male and female. Signatures unchanged since Acqua di Parma%26rsquo;s creation are its distinctive yellow packaging %26mdash; a nod to the famous tint enveloping Parma%26rsquo;s most remarkable buildings %26mdash; and Art Deco%26ndash;influenced bottle, topped with a Bakelite cap. From $83, at Neiman Marcus, Stanley Korshak.

Geo. F. Trumper%26rsquo;s Extract of West Indian Limes: An Exceptional English Gentleman

Extract of West Indian Limes was conceived in 1875 in the vaults beneath George F. Trumper%26rsquo;s barbershop at 9 Curzon Street in London%26rsquo;s Mayfair district, which is also home to sacred suiting site Savile Row. The balm, based on the West Indian lime (or key lime), hearkens back to the dominions of the British Empire at the dawn of the 20th century. Often used as an aftershave, it has long scented the towels heated by barbers in the shop upstairs for a clientele that over the years has included Oscar Wilde, Ian Fleming and King Edward VII. The paradoxical packaging dates to World War I, when the original green paper was appropriated for the war efforts and the only remaining option was its current rose-tinted label. Thus the pink label was assumed and, in deference to the past, has remained unchanged to this day. From $60, at Dougherty%26rsquo;s Pharmacy.

Royall%26rsquo;s Bay Rhum: Captain of the High Seas

Royal Bermuda got its start with famed Bermudian yachtsman Anthony Gaade, who felt the world should be exposed to the myriad heady odors that naturally occur within the 300-island archipelago known as Bermuda. Royall Bay Rhum is the third fragrance the brand Introduced to the American public through Brooks Brothers in the 1960s. This unique scent is constructed around Myrcia acris (a relative to the plants that bear allspice, eucalyptus and clove), bay leaf and cooling methanol crystals. As is typical of fragrances created at that time, Bay Rhum is an all-purpose lotion to be used not only as an aftershave and cologne, but also to scent a gentleman%26rsquo;s bath. From $39.50, at Brooks Brothers,
brooksbrothers.com.

Guerlain%26rsquo;s Trio of Scents: Formidably French

The fabled French fragrance house Guerlain has single-handedly devised some of the most noted fragrances the world has ever known. Founded by Pierre-Fran%26ccedil;ois Pascal Guerlain in 1828, the brand originally took up residence on the rue du Rivoli where the H%26ocirc;tel Meurice is located today. Thanks to its immediate success, Guerlain soon moved the shop to the fashionable rue de la Paix, a couple of storefronts down from caf%26eacute;-society nexus Maxim%26rsquo;s. Although famously known for female fragrances such as Jicky, L%26rsquo;Heure Blue and Shalimar, Guerlain%26rsquo;s men%26rsquo;s fragrances are just as noteworthy. The year 1904 marked the firm%26rsquo;s initial foray into men%26rsquo;s scents when Jacques Guerlain, grandson to the founder, developed Mouchoir de Monsieur, themed after the seductive scented handkerchiefs that men of the day would employ to woo the objects of their desire. A half-decade later in 1959, Jean Paul Guerlain %26mdash; the great-grandson to the company%26rsquo;s founder %26mdash; created what is still regarded as the oeuvre of all vetiver-based colognes, aptly named Vetiver. Jean Paul went on to create the first Oriental men%26rsquo;s scent ever conceived, Habit Rouge %26mdash; a distinguished and rousing masterpiece that combines a head of citrus with a heart of spice and patchouli and a base of amber, leather and vanilla %26mdash; the latter, previously unheard of in men%26rsquo;s colognes. From $88, at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Sisley%26rsquo;s Eau du Campagne: A Weekend in the Country%26nbsp;

To those familiar with phytocosmetology leader Sisley, it should be no surprise that their entr%26eacute;e into the personal-fragrance realm was the botanical Eau de Campagne for men. Making its debut in 1976, the same year Sisley was founded, this eau de toilette finds its roots quite literally at the country estate of Sisley%26rsquo;s founder, Hubert d%26rsquo;Orano. This naturalist sought to compose a scent as eternally refreshing as nature%26rsquo;s trappings. The bright, invigorating fragrance has a heart of tomato leaves and green florals, preceded by bergamot, citrus, basil and bitter galbanum resin, followed by a rich combination of moss, vetiver, patchouli and musk. From $97, at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Caswell-Massey: A Founding Father of Fragrance

As the oldest producer of personal fragrance in the United States, Caswell-Massey is the last word in American fragrance. The venerable apothecary, founded in 1752 by Dr. William Hunter of Newport, Rhode Island, was initially a dispensary for medical supplies. Soon it began attracting a well-heeled clientele that desired European grooming accoutrements %26mdash; among them, perfumes. His original 20 fragrances weren%26rsquo;t named; they were numbered. Created in 1789, Number Six was an arrangement of 27 ingredients such as orange blossom, rosemary and bergamot, which earned a long line of notable devotees including George Washington and John Adams. In 1840, the brand created Jockey Club, which John F. Kennedy would adopt in the next century as his scent. Other clients have included Cole Porter, who favored Tricorn; Dwight Eisenhower, a devotee of the almond cold cream soap that the label continues to mill today; and Abraham Lincoln, who incorporated Caswell-Massey%26rsquo;s purest soap, Castile (made of olive oil and shea butter) into his bathing routine. Other devotees: Humphrey Bogart, George Gershwin and Edgar Allen Poe. From $36, at Stanley Korshak.

Creed: Unapologetically Aristocratic

Founded in London in 1760 by James Henry Creed, this brand initially specialized in leather goods that earned a discriminating following %26mdash; much like the fragrances Creed would become known for. It was England%26rsquo;s George III who would permanently change the company%26rsquo;s line of business in 1781, when he commissioned an exact replica of the aroma of his bespoke gloves for his personal grooming needs. What resulted was the firm%26rsquo;s first cologne, Royal English Leather, an intoxicating mixture of mandarin, bergamot, ambergris, leather and sandalwood. In 1854, the company relocated to Paris to better serve client Empress Eugenie and her husband Napoleon III; other clients of the day included Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz-Joseph, for whom Santal Imperial was made, as well as Czar Nicolas II of Russia. The 20th century saw the creation of some of Creed%26rsquo;s most noted men%26rsquo;s scents, including 1985%26rsquo;s Green Irish Tweed (an innovative integration of French verbena, Florentine iris, violet leaves, Mysorean sandalwood and ambergris created by sixth-generation perfumer Erwin Creed for Cary Grant. Green Irish Tweed from $140, at Neiman Marcus.

Santa Maria Novella: A Rather Distinguished Habit

Santa Maria Novella%26rsquo;s pharmacy dates to AD 1221, when Dominican friars began to incorporate the herbs grown in their gardens into medications, balms and pomades used in the monks%26rsquo; infirmary. So esteemed were these creations that when Catherine de Medici wed Henry II of France in 1533, it was Santa Maria Novella she tapped to create the fragrance she wore down the aisle. By the dawn of the next century, the reputation of these medicinal goods was so revered that Santa Maria Novella decided to open to the public. In 1612, under the appointment of Father Angiolo Marchissi, it did so %26mdash; upon which the Grand Duke of Tuscany bestowed the title of His Royal Highness%26rsquo; Foundry, marking its second royal warrant to date. The Acqua di Colonia that the mark produces today alludes to the very first eau de cologne ever created, by Giovanni Paolo Feminis %26mdash; a medley of citrus and bergamot, white flowers and spices. Today, the original pharmacy location on Via della Scala is a museum and shop for the brand, and even the original gardens remain much the same as when the Franciscans first happened upon them. From $110, at Lafco in Highland Park Village.

Louboutin + Lesage

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:43:37 GMT

Why should only women wear the fancy shoes? Parisian shoe designer Christian Louboutin has collaborated with Jean Francois Lesage, renowned for his exquisite hand beading and embroidery, on a special six-piece men’s collection. Each shoe design is unique, from the maharaja-inspired Mikaraja black patent loafer with beaded pearl tassels to the Loubi, a Brit-style brogue with trompe l’oeil embroidery. We can’t wait to see someone shake his tassels in the Tasselisismo loafer, which (you guessed it) includes an oversized embellishment of hand-embroidered tassels meant to mimic a Chinese lantern. Exclusively at the Christian Louboutin boutique.

Ralph Lauren's Fast Times

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:29:45 GMT

A winding road begets a winding watch: Behold Ralph Lauren%26rsquo;s new Automotive Watch, with a matte-black dial and gleaming burled-elm ring inspired by the dashboard and gauges of Lauren%26rsquo;s hyper-rare, hyper-curvy 1938 Bugatti Atlantic. The black calfskin strap? That references the Bugatti%26rsquo;s mellowed leather seats. The watch is crafted for RL by top timepiece maker IWC, and is approximately $14,000. (Bugatti not included: One of two extant from only four ever made, its value is estimated at $30 to $40 million.) Shall we go for a spin? Information 877.639.7934; ralphlaurenwatches.com.

Camp Out

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:57:09 GMT

Gentleman, we%26#8217;ve found the cool linen shirt you%26#8217;ll be living in this month. Designer (and Houstonian) Gardner Landry modeled the Sessanta camp shirt after one of his grandfather%26#8217;s vintage camp shirts made in Italy during the %26#8217;60s. The name means %26#8220;sixty%26#8221; in Italian %26#8212; and also happens to be the year Fellini released La Dolce Vita. Made of pure linen, the loose, short-sleeved button-down has a tie-dyed breast pocket for a punch of color and a one-of-a-kind pattern. $150, at Norton Ditto.

V's Barbershop

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:57:12 GMT

For the gentleman, there really is no substitute for reclining in a chair and having someone rub warm foam onto your face, is there? The manly men of River Oaks can rejoice, as V%26#8217;s Barbershop %26#8212; an old-school barbershop with black-and-white checkered floors and sturdy leather barber chairs %26#8212; has opened up shop on West Gray in River Oaks Shopping Center. Proprietor David White says a trip to V%26#8217;s Barbershop in Tucson, Arizona, where he received the best haircut of his life, inspired him to end his career in software sales and open the first V%26#8217;s Barbershop outpost in Texas. In addition to traditional scissor haircuts and hot lather shaves, V%26#8217;s offers face massages, beard and mustache trims, shoeshines and grooming products from American Crew, The Art of Shaving, Jack Black and V%26#8217;s own line of shave gels and shave masks. Gearing up to get married? The Big Day, one of V%26#8217;s many special grooming packages offered, includes a day of grooming for you and your groomsmen. River Oaks Shopping Center, 2040 W. Gray, 713.527.4442; vbarbershop.com.

%26nbsp;

Images: David White, interior of V's Barbershop; images by Jenny Antill.

Chanel Dives In

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:34:00 GMT

To mark the 10th birthday of its instant-classic J12 watch, Chanel takes the plunge %26#8212; to 300 meters, in fact %26#8212; and brings would-be Cousteaus the J12 Marine. Chanel%26#8217;s new undersea timepiece for gents has a list of features that would make even an octopus dizzy: a shot-peened case; hands coated in %26#8220;Ocean Blue%26#8221; ceramic (they glow so you can see them down there in the dark); and a rubber-composite strap that fends off scratches, shocks, water and UV rays. It adds up to one tough ticker %26#8212; %26#8220;practical, accurate, harshly simple,%26#8221; they explain at Chanel, %26#8220;like the men%26#8217;s watches that Miss Chanel liked to borrow from her lovers.%26#8221; (Seems marriage was the one plunge Coco didn%26#8217;t care to take.) J12 Marine, at the Chanel boutique.

Re-Tailoring Hadleigh's

Wed, 26 May 2010 11:53:30 GMT

After just one year in its Highland Park Village second-floor atelier, Hadleigh%26#8217;s is expanding to almost double its space, with a larger fitting room, hand-press ironing system, modern finishes and a sleek new bar and lounging area for its tony clientele. Starting June 1, owners Ed and Gable Shaikh will move Hadleigh%26#8217;s to temporary quarters at 47 Highland Park Village while construction continues in the original space. Come early fall, the made-to-measure shop reopens as a modern interpretation of an old-world tailor shop, filled with its signature fine bespoke suits, shirtings, neckwear, shoes and more for men and women. Information 214.770.4743; info@hadleighsbespoke.com;hadleighsbespoke.com.

Hermès 101

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:48:13 GMT

Herm%26#232;s celebrates its emblematic Faconn%26#233; H tie and its 100 shimmering shades of color with an exclusive traveling trunk show of the collection and a new bespoke tie color program. If you fashion yourself an Herm%26#232;s man, stop in May 10 through 22 and choose the 101st color from a thousand color swatches to create your own bespoke tie. Personalize it further with four width options. Herm%26#232;s finishes it off with an embossed leather label that reads %26#8220;couleur sur-mesure.%26#8221; Herm%26#232;s classic Faconn%26#233; H tie $170, bespoke tie $395, only at the Herm%26#232;s boutique May 10 %26#8211; 22; 1800 Post Oak Blvd., 713.623.2177.

Hadleigh's

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:59:34 GMT

74 Highland Park Village, Second Floor
214.770.4743
hadleighsbespoke.com
Keys to the Door: Owners Gable and Ed Shaikh.

Isn%26#8217;t That Dandy: Something tells us Jay Gatsby would%26#8217;ve shopped at Hadleigh%26#8217;s. Husband-wife stylistas Gable and Ed Shaikh %26#8212; you may remember them from their days at Ralph Lauren in Highland Park Village and their subsequent turns at Stanley Korshak %26#8212; have brought back masterfully constructed, artisan-made, tailored-to-fit men%26#8217;s and women%26#8217;s clothing and chic accessories %26#8212; just the thing for motoring about in the Rolls-Royce or for parties at the manor. For dapper gents, that means Cesare Attolini suits, hand-knit cashmere ties, Barker Black shoes, BRM watches, even handsome eyewear and luggage. For her, it%26#8217;s Hadleigh%26#8217;s tailored jackets of a silk-cashmere blend or a range of custom shirts in more than eight dozen fine fabrics. Our detail obsession? Hadleigh%26#8217;s custom-made, royal cotton boxers %26#8212; luscious skivvies and highly giftable, too. But delicious design doesn%26#8217;t end there: The appointment-only atelier, on HPV%26#8217;s second floor above Menchie%26#8217;s Frozen Yogurt, is as tasteful as its wares: dark glossy wood floors, exposed ceiling rafters and debonair architectural furniture make for the perfect studio for indulging in the art of fine dressing.%26nbsp;

A Perfect Fit

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:12 GMT

For every reason, season and time, Houston%26#8217;s own Hamilton Shirts has a button-down built just for him. This season, the elegant gentleman%26#8217;s bespoke shirt maker steps into the ready-to-wear arena with its new 1883 collection, named for the year that the oldest family-run firm in Houston was founded. The six easy, wearable styles range from four-button pullovers to short-sleeved dress shirts, often with retro details, with three to five fabric options each ($165 to $175). The cool, versatile fabrics have that casual, right-out-of-the-dryer-with-a-few-wrinkles vibe, too. And for occasions when you%26#8217;re pressed to impress, blow your wad on Hamilton%26#8217;s most luxurious shirting fabric yet: the new Platinum collection by Thomas Mason. Through an exclusive arrangement with this lauded English mill, Hamilton is able to order hundreds of Thomas Mason%26#8217;s Egyptian cotton fabrics, in yarn counts up to 300 (the highest on the market), in small two-meter quantities %26#8212; which means its doubtful you%26#8217;ll see your custom $435 to $695 shirt coming and going. 5700 Richmond Ave., 713.264.8800; hamiltonshirts.com. Laurann Claridge