Mackintosh for J. Crew: The Duncan Coat

As the unseasonably warm weather continues to grace our presence here on the East Coast, it looks like I may be able to break out some of recently acquired foul weather gear. With rain on the forecast and temperatures likely to reach 60 degrees, it seems like the perfect time to try out my new Duncan raincoat, made for J. Crew by Mackintosh.

A nice collaboration.

The brown horn buttons are nice to look at.

J. Crew's recent collaborations have involved some of the more prestigious names in men's clothing, most notably Alden, Barracuta, and, of course, Mackintosh.

While Burberry and Aquascutum are names more commonly associated with rain or trench coats, Charles Macintosh actually patented his rubberised waterproof cloth in 1823 and began manufacturing the first Mackintosh coats in the family's textile factory, Charles Macintosh and Co. of Glasgow.

Partially tartan-lined: a little bit of Scotland . . .

Almost 200 years later, J. Crew partnered with the celebrated company to create this classically simple, yet elegant, coat. Made from water resistant cotton, the coat is partially lined which probably limits its utility to the fall and spring seasons, although it has been said that the coat retains warmth quite well.

Underarm grommets for added comfort.

Interior patch pockets and interior insulation on the fabric seams to enhance the waterproofing.

Interestingly, when I dropped into the J. Crew Men's Shop at 79th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City, I asked about the Mackintosh coats but none were available. I was told by a sales associate that the rumor was that the coats were being phased out because customers were not fond of the roomy fit of the coat. While I have no reason to discount the veracity of that statement, I thought it strange that, if the aim was to unload the remaining supply, the Mackintosh coats were excluded from the seasonal sales and were still selling on J. Crew's website for the full $800 retail price.

In any event, forewarned is forearmed. Coupled with my navy blue Swims and Briggs umbrella, I look forward to the coming deluge.

Edward Green for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label: The Brooksville

Known in the United States as "English" brogues and in the United Kingdom as "American" brogues, the longwing is a derby style shoe characterized by a pointed toe cap with wings that extend the full length of the shoe and meet at a center seam at the heel.




The extended wings of the longwing brogue . . .



. . .extending to the broguing along the heel seam.

While the style has been around for some time, much of its prominence in the United States is probably due to the popularity of Florsheim's "Kenmoor" model. The original models were stunning examples of American craftsmanship, from the double soles to the "v-cleat" or cat's paw heel.  More recently, the longwing brogue has been enjoying something of a renaissance, primarily because of Alden of New England's collaborations with J. Crew and Brooks Brothers. Although I'm not a fan of that company's rather bulbous lasts, not many would argue that Alden is one of the last domestic shoe-makers still producing the celebrated American longwing "gunboat" - i.e. a clunky, chunky, well-made shoe that is built to last.

While trying to take care of some last minute holiday shopping last month, I dropped into Ralph Lauren's Rhinelander Mansion to peruse the Edward Green and Gaziano and Girling selections. Much to my surprise, one of the Edward Green models on display was the Brooksville, the Northamptonshire company's answer to the longwing.

To my eye, one has to be careful with the longwing - because of the horizontal line of broguing that runs almost the entire length of the shoe from the toe cap to the heel seam, the shoe can appear longer or more elongated it actually is. If the shoe has also been made on an elongated last, such as Crockett & Jones' 337, one can go from sleek to ridiculously long pretty quickly. 

A bit more of the details on Edward Green's Brooksville for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label.

A phallic medallion?

The patina at the toe box is sublime.

One rarely sees the brown sole waist treatment - its usually black - although it works perfectly here.

A detailed picture of the channeled sole.

A full picture of the sole, which shows off the contours of Edward Green's 888 last.

On this model, Edward Green's 888 last works perfectly - the sleek elegance of the longwing is evident in all its splendor here. So much so that I have to admit, when I first saw these shoes on the display shelf, the last configuration and leather patina led me to believe that these were a pair of shoes made by Tony Gaziano and Dean Girling. But the tell-tale signs of Edward Green craftsmanship are all to evident: from the burnished calf to the chestnut antique color, which of course only succeed in augmenting the brilliance of the Brooksville.

Rake Incarnate: Mayor Jimmy Walker

I originally posted this in November when this short Jimmy Walker piece appeared in The Rake - here it is again, with the actual article included below. Of course, you can read more about His Honor here at An Uptown Dandy.