Founded by former White House press officer Peter Watkins, the idea for Sette (the number seven in Italian) came when he had the chance to spend some time with the Italian prime minister’s personal tie maker.  Seeing the opportunity to create equally elegant neckwear for American dignitaries, luminaries, social and media leaders, and business executives, Watkins outlined his somewhat audacious plan and went looking for a craftsman capable of bringing it to life.  Enter designer Robert Jensen.

Bob Jensen has been at the forefront of high-end neckwear for more than 30 years.  Apprenticed to legendary American neckwear icon Robert Talbott in 1979, he quickly became a leading force behind Robert Talbott’s global presence and the designs of its iconic neckties.

By the mid-1980s, Jensen was lead designer at Robert Talbott and was the first to bring back to the fashion world the traditional method of creating a seven-fold necktie.  A complex and exacting task, only a very few artisans have perfected the skill, and even fewer the level of Bob Jensen.

Now Sette’s lead designer, Jensen has elevated the seven-fold necktie to yet another level, one that makes it an heirloom; something to be cherished and passed down father to son.  Crafted in limited editions, each tie is designed, cut, folded, stitched, and finished by hand to exacting standards.  Every element of the design is thought through – even to the point of printing the Sette label into the tie’s design.  The tie’s keeper is the only separate element that breaks the continuous flow silk.  Even the bar tacks are shaped into a number “7″.

Even the tie’s packaging is carefully considered.  Hand-folded and hand-placed into a beautiful presentation box, your Sette tie is less a purchase than it is an investment in the art of dressing well for life.

We encourage you to see for yourself the design, quality, and elegance which are the hallmarks of Sette neckties.  Tomorrow – Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., the Sette trunk show will ensconce itself at the legendary Washington, D.C., Mayflower Hotel, in the Delaware Board Room.

Email concierge (at) setteneckwear (dot) com, or tweet Sette at @SetteNeckwear and they will set you up.

With a variety of styles, colors, designs, and thicknesses for men and women, Dahlgren socks are a great addition to your casual wardrobe. They are durable and well-made, hold their colors and most importantly, hold their shape.

OTC has spent a couple of weeks road testing their Metro argyle socks and the verdict is in. They are some of the best and most comfortable socks we have ever worn. Actually, they are being worn right now, in navy. They are an excellent match for jeans or khakis and the rich, muted colors are a welcome reprieve when you don’t want to shout, “Look, I’m preppy!” with your socks.

Unlike other argyles we have tried, these thin, comfortable socks – a blend of superfine alpaca and merino wools – have a great, supportive fit that adds no bulk or ridging. Using Dahlgren’s ECO-Dri™ and patented Dri-Stride® technologies, these socks also work to keep your feet dry and happy.

Made completely in the USA, these socks are a family affair and the company is now being led by its second generation of Dahlgrens. And where some brands use terms like “technical” and “innovative” as marketing fill, these folks mean it. Dahlgren owns six patents related to actual innovations made in sock technology. Their Dri-Stride® technology, most evident in the firm, supportive fit of the sock’s body, is explained here.

After tossing around some options, we settled on an iPad case; one that could easily fit into a briefcase or be carried alone, have a classic design, and be right at home in the boardroom.  What we didn’t want was something flashy and overdone, just a little elegance to balance out its utilitarian nature. Frank suggested we modify his iPad case using a different leather and a touch of  alligator for the slip-in tab.

He also suggested we pair the OTC iPad case with a matching alligator iPhone sleeve. iPads and iPhones are common tools that require some degree of protection, and for those who prefer to keep their technology open and un-encased, the options are at times uninspired. The idea was to create a practical ensemble that would make sense for every day use.

So, how did they turn out? Beautifully.

There is a masculine, classic quality to both OTC x Frank Clegg pieces that speaks of a refined elegance made practical.  These are simple designs, which are often the most difficult to execute due to the obviousness of any defect.

The iPad case’s wax-infused harness belting leather is dense and sturdy, but also soft and incredibly pliable.  The unique alligator tab adds just the right amount of show but is well-balanced by the case’s body. Flashy this is not.  The stitching, construction, and attention to detail are all exacting.

The iPhone sleeve is an unexpected favorite.  The exterior is constructed entirely of book matched alligator and lined in the same wax-infused harness belting leather, but here almost paper thin. The phone easily slips in and out yet remains snugly in place when inside.  It’s inherent elegance is in fact a foil to the iPad case’s reserve.

With the iPhone sleeve we have a true luxury item; one that could, as alligator often does, scream, “notice me!”  Instead, because of its size and simplicity, it’s more of a discreet, “yes, I’m handmade.”  As you might suspect, we here at OTC are not ones to typically anthropomorphize things  They are simply that good.

Frank did a superb job and created luxurious accessories that have been used every day since the box arrived from Fall River, Ma.  They regularly garner stares and comments, compliments and questions – mostly, “where did you get those?”

A true artisan, Frank Clegg is not new to this business and you can read more about him and his background in an earlier OTC article.

His expansive skill set and perpetual design aesthetic means that he can customize almost any of his existing designs and create whole-cloth new collections with little difficulty.  It is a natural passion.  Prefer green signature tumbled leather over chestnut belting harness? No problem.  Need a shoulder strap with a 13 inch drop instead of 15 inch?  They can do that.

Want a set just like OTC’s?  Just give him a call – and more than likely, he’ll be the one to answer the phone.  But be quick, this is a very limited edition run.

Additional views below…

Frank Clegg doesn’t just make leather bags; he crafts heirlooms, one at a time, by hand.

While Frank and his small team of craftsmen design and build elegant leather goods under the Frank Clegg Leatherworks name, the workshop also produces exquisite products for some of the most revered of American luxury labels.

Frank is an artist of the old school; he learned craft over time and understands that when true luxury is involved, less is definitely more.

As with many true craftsmen, he has decades of experience and a repository of thousands of designs, both executed and waiting to be brought to life. Frank is a design and inspiration omnivore – the result of genuine curiosity and New England pragmatism. The more you know, the more you have to offer.

His bags and accessories grace the days of doctors, lawyers, artists, businessmen and globetrotting executives. The relationships he builds over time lead to new designs and the demanding exactitude of his customers keep sharp an attention to quality and detail.

Take for example the simple pen sleeve. In so many bags, a place to put your pen is an afterthought; necessary but uninspired. In Frank’s bags the pen sleeve is part of the interior experience of the bag. It is honored.

The internal components of a Frank Clegg bag are kept to a minimum. Each pocket has a purpose and their scarcity forces the owner to selectively choose the items he carries. Such a bag inspires one to only put in it things of beauty, substance, and purpose. Hence the large, carefully formed pen sleeves. They almost beg for a vintage fountain pen, which Frank collects, or sleek, modern carbon composite roller ball.

Aware of his own depth of knowledge, Frank is also a generous mentor. Young, talented artisans and designers who see him as a font of practical knowledge and priceless experience regularly seek him out. They always leave richer in knowledge and ready to someday pass along the skills they too will develop over time.

Luxury leather work is a deceivingly complex craft. Even the modern conveniences of machines and computerized design must bow to the master of time, because it still takes time to create such durable beauty.

Frank may practice an age-old craft, but this creative innovator is very much on the pulse of today’s luxury goods market. An examination of his new Aiden Duffle Bag provides proof of this pioneering craftsman’s skill and ability to tweak tradition to meet the needs of a modern customer.

The Aiden is named for Frank’s father and updates his traditional carry-on bag with a modern, clean design. Its compact shape, reminiscent of a traditional doctor’s bag, belies some serious space, accessed through Swiss RiRi zipper that spans the bags’ entire length. The shape is distinctly streamlined and minimal, referencing a mid-century modern aesthetic, allowing the luxuriously soft tumbled leather and stunningly precise stitching to shine through.

The bag’s interior is a single open compartment devoid of any lining. Such finishing requires a master’s touch, as every aspect of the bag is open to detailed examination.

Interior seams are prefect and here the quality of the hand-selected leather is truly seen. The delicately arched handles and 1¼-inch shoulder strap bring sturdy functionality and visual balance to the bag.

The Aiden bag, and Frank Clegg himself, are examples of how modern innovation and hand crafted luxury can blend together to create something modern, classic, functional and timelessly stylish.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by LEXUS via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of LEXUS.

The baseball hat is a basic staple of the American male wardrobe.  It is comfortable, familiar, functional, and in many ways, iconic.  When sporting casual outfits, a good baseball hat can lend a fun, practical, or even stylish hook to your look.  Right now we are in love with the hat shown here from the Starboard Clothing Co., an Annapolis, Maryland-based brand.

This is a hands down favorite for several reasons.  First, the overall design is well balanced and visually pleasing.  While that may sound a bit overly analytical for a ball cap, when something looks right, you know it when you see it.  Second, the embroidered Anchor-Star logo is just perfect; nautical and classic looking but also a bit unique and distinctive.  Sometimes, hat logos are done too small or large and seem out of scale, but this is just right.  The addition of the brand name across the back is nicely done, as is the small Heron logo on the back left.

Overall, the Starboard Clothing Co. ball cap has the hallmarks of a long-term winner.  It’s a hat we like wearing and regularly reach for.  And, at just $22, it’s a great deal.  It also comes in white, green and brick-red, but navy is still a timeless classic.

Starboard also sell some outstanding handmade madras bow ties.

Founded by Benjamin Meredith, it’s a small company founded on passion.  Ben began making bow ties for his personal use as a young attorney.

As with other entrepreneurs, he quickly took note of the attention and questions garnered by his handmade bow ties and drew up plans for a business that became Starboard Clothing Co.

As it says on their website, “the company takes its name from the nautical term ‘Starboard,’ which indicates the right-hand side of a ship. Maybe that’s why there is something about Starboard Clothing Co. that just feels so ‘right.’”  We agree.

For it’s latest ad campaign, Varvatos has partnered with Green Day, the band which basically created the distinctive rock-punk hybrid sound.  Green Day sports several versions of these sunglasses in the new ad campaign, as well as being fully outfitted in classic John Varvatos rocker duds.

The Varvatos brand has a famously tight association with the music industry and it’s fashion sensibilities reflect this longstanding relationship.

While not what we typically sport here at OTC, we have always liked John Varvatos’ unabashedly and unwavering devotion to the genre.  None of that, “hey, we’re all about rock ‘n roll style now.”  It’s what they do and they do it well, effortlessly shifting between music exec cool and rocker casual.

The sunglasses themselves are a modern take on a classic frame.  Transparent on the front with grey mottled tortoise arms, they are a nice mid-sized frame.  The guitar head detail on the arm hinge is subtle enough to blend into the overall design and not stand out.  Greyed lenses both match the frame’s style and provide nice eye protection without feeling blacked out.

This retro frame also comes in an outstanding brown tortoise for a more traditional take.  You can find them here.  Rock on.

In the coming weeks, you will be learning more about a few of the outstanding brands listed below, such as Lotuff Leather.  We are in fact field testing a leather lock briefcase right now; safe to say they are not getting it back after the review!  Recently, we had the chance to speak with the superlative Ira Neimark, former CEO of Bergdorff Goodman, and the man who’s vision created one of the world’s legendary stores.  His new book, The Rise of Fashion and Lessons Learned at Bergdorf Goodman, should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand what it truly means to be an exceptional retailer or influencer of fashion.  Be on the lookout for our review.

Explore, enjoy and Happy Holidays!

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Classic White Oxford Button Down
Lumina Clothing Company
Raleigh, North Carolina

$128.00

Needlpoint Ball Cap
HARDING-LANE
Dedham, Massachusetts

$30.00

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A Man’s Watch: the Polar Surveyor Chronograph
Kobold Watch Company
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

$8,850.00

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Possibly the Best Jeans You Can Buy
Raleigh Denim Workshop
Raleigh, North Carolina
Around $285.00

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The Blue Crab Belt
Knot Belt & Clothing Co.
Boston, Massachusetts
$38.00

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Lessons From a Master Retailer
The Rise of Fashion and Lessons Learned at Bergdorf Goodman
by Ira Neimark
Fairfield, Connecticut

$32.501

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Colored Dress Shoe Laces
hook + ALBERT
New York, New York

From $14.00

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Leather Lock Briefcase
Lotuff Leather
Ware, Massachusetts

$950.00

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Purple Pinedot Tie
Drakes London
London, United Kingdom

£95.00

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CD-15 Notebooks
Apica
Japan

Set of three, $10.80

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The Arte Italiana Milord Fountain Pen
OMAS
Bologna, Italy

$425.00

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In many ways, this is a natural extension of the resurgent interest in menswear, a focus on quality and the unique roles history and social provenance play in gentlemanliness.  Another factor is younger men of style seeking to insert a little distinctive expression into clothing that must still conform, more or less, to the realities of workday life.

Enter hook + ALBERT.  This new accessories brand is one of the first to really focus its wares on the desire of stylish men to find ways of injecting life and personality into their wardrobes without necessarily going all peacock.  What began with a mission to create, colorful yet stylish dress socks with the comfort and support of athletic socks, expanded to include a range of clever and colorful accessories.

The socks are H&A’s core product line, and they are wonderful.  Vibrant colors and fun, work-friendly patterns can now pop out from beneath suit trousers and khakis alike.   Company founders Adam and Cory view socks as “ankle accessories” and opted to reinterpret, and indeed reconstruct, the dress sock itself.  Click here to learn about the welcome technical features of hook + ALBERT socks, like cushioning and arch support.

And, while they first sought to bring change to the luxury sock market, they also felt it was important to offer their customers those hard to find little accessories that can truly make ones’ look unique.

Another big hit has been their line of colored dress shoelaces.  Such a simple idea, but such a huge impact on personal style; we love them.  Colored shoe laces can dress up any shoe, from a beat up brogue to a boardroom-ready cap toe.  By going bright or subtle you can give your shoes, and your overall look, a punch of color or simply a hint of something unique.  Laces come in a standard 30-inch length and fit dress shoes and low boots.

We are especially fond of the stylish incongruity a pair of red or orange laces create when worn with heavy-soled wingtips.  It gives the outfit an unexpected personal twist while not taking away from one’s overall look.

Lapels can be a tricky thing for a modern gent.  Once, a man was sartorially naked without something in his lapel hole – after all, it’s there for a reason.  These days it is hard to put one’s lapel to work without looking overly affected; a pocket watch chain secured with granddad’s favorite fob is just too vintage for most men.  Flowers, though Springy and sophisticated, inevitably lead to being asked if one is heading off to a wedding.  Still, there is something undeniably swanky, and distinctly gentlemanly about displaying a tasteful token on one’s lapel.

Hook & ALBERT’s solution was to create a new take on the boutonniere.  Handmade of soft mercerized cotton, each unique crochet flower secures to the jacket lapel via a shell button on the back.  We are partial to the Storm Blue, but as with their shoe laces, the color chosen – bold or subtle – can project the wearer’s mood, personality and sense of style.

The brand’s simple hopsack neckties are of a contemporary, narrow cut and well-finished.  The tie’s colorful contrast backing located where it lays against the shirt collar (in our case, vibrant red for a navy blue tie), has both practical and aesthetic functions.  The detail also gives it a fun tweak known only to the wearer.  The choice of hopsack also gives the tie a slightly informal, vintage air that is well suited for casual dress, letting it take on the role of a stylish accessory.

Lastly, you may be wondering about the name, “hook + ALBERT.”  So did we.  It turns out the name derives from that most treasured of gentlemanly possessions, the pocket watch.

Prince Albert, husband to Queen Victoria, liked to wear his pocket watch on a simple chain secured to his vest through a button hole.  The excess length of the chain would drape across his vest in a stylish swag.  As average gentlemen followed this royal fashion cue, it became known as an “Albert” chain.  A single Albert chain has at one end a vest fastener, often a t-bar or decorative button, and at the other a small “hooked” clasp securing the Albert to the pocket watch.  Want to see what a single Albert looks like?  Head over to OTC’s Facebook page – we found a great example.

OTC is happy to recommend the creative and well-made accessories of hook + ALBERT.

The 2011 CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year and head of design at Gant by Michael Bastian, reinterpreted five of Randolph Engineering’s classic frames.  OTC favorites include the gold-tone Sportsman and  Signature Aviator II in chrome with mirrored lenses.

The great thing about these classic, timeless and unabashedly masculine sunglasses is that they get the job done while pretty much never go out of style.  However, don’t wait too long because the MB+RE collaboration is around for limited time and only runs through the end of 2011.

You can order yourself a pair here, or better yet, how about winning a pair for free!

Randolph Engineering and OTC are going to give away pair of RE+MB sunglasses to one lucky OTC reader.  Learn more by checking out the contest on our Facebook page.