Our friends Harry Stedman

I don't know where Mat heard of Harry Stedman. To be honest, I don't know how he discovers most of the things he does. He just, does.

I met them first at Jacket Required, with Mat. A quick intro and an especially detailed snoop at their t-shirts.

Later, back at the Truman Brewery for Off The Rails, I finally met Rick - the owner/proprietor/main man. That's not to undersell the work the other guys do - designing, promoting, and selling the range - but Rick is a bit of a one man whirlwind, who you can't  fail to like (especially if he chucks a shirt at you to keep).

There range is stellar. Serious heavy denim on show, great staple t-shirts, top American-prep inspired shirts, with the button down collars and little hook on the back.

I just wish I could find the money for that peacoat. Fits like a dream.

Read more about them here, especially the inspiring story of the man behind that name.

Keep reading and check out these glow in the dark trainers from Le Coq Sportif.

Images: Harry Stedman.

I Sunk Your Battleship: T-shirts with style, made in the UK

The staple t-shirt is something that lines every wardrobe. A collection of grey tops that can be worn often and replaced without huge expense.

The problem is, they're usually replaced a little more often than most of us would like. Quickly out of shape after a few washes, it's back to the high street to load up on a handful more.

Buy cheap, buy twice - as the old saying goes.

What about a staple for a few pounds more though? And not just a dull grey staple either. Something with a bit more variety, a better cut, and some decent designs to choose from.

For £30, the t-shirts from I Sunk Your Battleship (cool name!) are a stylish set and aren't going to break the bank.

It's not all they do - there's a good looking range of hoodies and some colourful beanies - but it's a good t-shirt that always catches my eye.

Oh, and did I mention, they're made in the UK too?

Available online they're definitely a brand worth checking out now and one to keep an eye on for the future too...so get following them on Twitter.

Images: I Sunk Your Battleship.

Sperry Top-Sider + Band Of Outsiders | Made in...does it matter?

A tale I may have misheard from a dusty lecture hall many years ago features the words, ‘Made in Germany’.

We’re talking history here…but I’ll try and keep it short.

A couple of hundred years ago, German manufacturing was considered so poor, anyone importing German goods would have the mark removed. About a hundred years later, German manufacturing was considered so good, English manufacturers were adding ‘Made in Germany’ to their own goods.

That’s a nice tale. Interesting to some. Boring for others. It’s quite relevant though, with the continued drive for ‘Made in Britain’ to be stamped on clothes.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m keen on British manufacture - keeping skills, employment, and money in our economy. Some folks can get a little militant about it, however.

Often, for reasons of skills, tradition, or value, the UK isn’t the best place to manufacturer clothes. And, the seeming desire to have the ‘Made in Britain’ associated with a brand can push companies to play a little loose with the term, rolling out lines only a couple of which are genuinely made locally.

No names to mention, I’m just saying.

This is a discussion that could go long into the night and well into the next month.

As well as the perceived economic benefits of ‘Made in Britain’, there’s an argument of transparency and responsibility in supply chains.

True, but raw ingredients are rarely brought into this. Where is the cotton from? Where is the leather from? Factors often overlooked in the great drive for that local manufacture stamp, yet factors which are just as important if we’re talking CSR.

Besides this, on the economic front, brands that operate from the UK, but don’t manufacture here, are still creating jobs and economic growth by employing people in design, PR, marketing, and sales - jobs don’t only exist on the factory floor.

Finally, there’s an issue of cost. As a consumer, I want the best quality of product and production for the best price - I don’t want to be subsidising an inefficient factory in Leicester, when one in Portugal can deliver clothes of the same standard.

Ultimately, a nation is an arbitrary distinction - although ours has a geographic boundary that makes it seem less so. In the US, for instance, ‘Made in the USA’ can mean goods have travelled thousands of miles - like buying a t-shirt from Moscow. God knows what distances are involved when ‘Made in Russia’ is analysed.

So, where’s this going?

Well, the Sperry Top-Sider x Band of Outsiders collaboration caught our eye for it’s strong design. A fun and different take on what is a very recognisable shoe.

However, what had us really talking was the ‘Made in China’ mark.

Bold? Brash? Foolish?

Perhaps all, some, or none of the above. The statement it makes is the interesting point. We sat up, we took noticed, we discussed. And that’s what bold design is all about, really.

At the end of it all, no one baulks at a car made in Germany or electronics made in Japan. Maybe one day ‘Made in China’ will emulate that tale of ‘Made in Germany’.