Waistcoat sales up 35% in England… because of footie

The England manager Gareth Southgate always sports a waistcoat on the touchline during games.  His practice has led to a sales surge: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/finance/news/waistcoat-sales-up-as-gareth-southgate-sets-trend-at-world-cup/ar-AAzuai2   Prior to Southgate, the manager most associated with the waistcoat is the Spaniard and Champions League Cup winner, Rafa Benitez.   The Guardian article also interestingly observes that the increase in sales…

Luxury’s most important political role?

Articles abound about the political meaning of clothes worn on certain occasions or the political significance of words on some jackets.  Such reflection is certainly appropriate but reading this excellent piece by Joel Kotkin (https://www.city-journal.org/html/new-demo-pessimism-15991.html) deepens our understanding of the political role luxury fashion might play.   V&R Chapter 1 assesses David Hume’s argument about…

Target’s design logic x Shaftesbury

Much-loved at V&R is this quote from Lord Shaftesbury: “There is a power in numbers, harmony, proportion and beauty of every kind, which naturally captivates the heart and raises the imagination to an opinion or conceit of something majestic and divine.”   Much-loved because, I think, true.  V&R has documented examples of its truth before…

Happy second birthday to V&R

V&R launched July 2016 so it’s birthday time!  Many thanks to all readers.  Last year V&R was running about 400 visitors per month and now nearly 600.  Quite the improvement.   I want to especially thank Dr. Christopher Wojtulewicz for his guest blogging.  Chris is an outstanding theorist and his posts reflect that.   Thank…

Fashionable managers at World Cup

A witty piece by The Daily Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/gareth-southgate-stylish-world-cup-manager-runners-riders/   But is Paul Tisdale of Exeter City FC the most fashionable manager on the planet?  A younger English man in a flat cap: cool, indeed.   Not a football manager but Tommy does it best: