Boardwalk Empire. The Best Hair on TV. 

We received an email this week from Dylan, a MurdockMan from Australia, asking us for some advice with a issue he’s currently having with his hair.

He’s been having problems with his curly hair whilst seeking a change to a slicked back 20s style. It’s not staying in place, when it does it becomes wavy, and he doesn’t know whether to blame the Aussie climate or simply the wild nature of his hairdo.

With visually glorious TV shows such as Boardwalk Empire currently inspiring men globally to sharpen up with both dress and hair, you can’t blame Dylan at all for seeking such change and the correct know-how.

We got our best men on the job in terms of helping out with advice and our barber Matthew Hughes from the Covent Garden store was more than happy to respond. This will apply to many of our more curly-natured MurdockMen, so take note if you’re considering trying something similar!

Matthew:

“If hair is that curly then I’d say it’s probably not worth trying to completely flatten it out for a 20s or Boardwalk Empire look. The Murdock product that I’d recommend would be Hair Play for a bit of a shine and if you put it in quite heavily you should be able to slightly contain it.

Alternative options would include trying Pomade, but I think the best option for success would be a style which incorporates the curl. Taking the back and sides very short and then keeping the curl on the top would work. Other options would be to get the hair chemically straightened or relaxed.

Ideally you should go for a consultation so that a professional who has seen the hair can make the right call.”

Footballer Mario Gomez is a good example of someone who works with the curl whilst tidying up the back and sides:

Also actor and filmmaker Xavier Dolan:

You can order the Hair Play that Matthew recommends direct from us here:

Murdock London Hair Play

For similar enquires, do feel free to get in touch with Murdock London. We hope this has helped Dylan out amongst fellow like-minded curl-sporting gents.

Similarly if this post has helped inspire you to come in for a trim, then click below to book an appointment at one of our London shops.

We love  Jonathan Daniel Pryce’s 100 Beards, 100 Days project. We’ve said it before and we’ll keep on saying it. Especially when there’s even more reason to love it.

After weeks of hard work and organisation, we’re happy to hear that a 100 Beards, 100 Days book is following in the trail of the blog’s success.

Our very own Kial Pound from the Covent Garden shop has not only been featured on the blog, not only been featured in the book, but now finds his immense facial hair and well-groomed self on the FRONT COVER, joined by his better half and equally brilliantly bearded better half Tom. We’re chuffed to pieces with Jonathan’s decision to feature Kial in such manner and it’s certainly done no harm to his dapper and charming reputation.

The book is limited to 250 signed hardback copies and is available to pre-order online HERE. You’ll need to get in there quick before Kial takes the lot.

Both Sam and Luke Jackson attended Middlesex University, graduating in Fine Art. They went on to achieve Post-Graduate Diplomas in Fine Art at the Royal Academy Schools. Both have since had their work displayed in Charlie Smith exhibitions ran by fellow MurdockMan Zavier Ellis and have a vast array of global group exhibitions under their belts.

The brothers paid a visit to our Covent Garden store yesterday for some Murdock love in the form of sharp and stylish haircuts. We caught up with the pair after their appointments to discuss the meanings behind their work and how they came to be brothers in highly creative arms.

As the guys come downstairs from their fresh cuts, they both take a pause to check the mirror along the way before sitting comfortably to await our questions.

Desert by Luke Jackson

How did you both come about choosing the same career path?

Sam: I don’t think it was pre-planned. It’s quite interesting though. We were both interested in music and culture and that fed into art. I was applying for degrees and in weird circumstances, Luke just always ended up going to the same places even though he’d applied elsewhere. We both worked our way through to the Royal Academy and have worked ever since from there.

What are your earliest memories of creating artwork?

S: Messing about and being interested in visually depicting things. Just being a very visual person from looking at album front covers to magazines and that type of thing and then drawing from that in some manner. I was interested in how I could express myself through that.

What have you and your family made of your education and industry success so far?

S: They’re incredibly proud. Dad has some idea of the art world so he can really appreciate it. They’ve definitely enjoyed coming to see the work. My art obviously has a lot of subversive elements and there are some family members who don’t fully understand what it means. I ultimately feel privileged to be able to have a say and have a voice in a cultural landscape.

Do you see your predominately black paintings as a notable trademark?

S: Definitely. Since I left the Academy I’ve always liked the style. I do some portraits out of a lighter background but I enjoy the practical, physical application of working with the darker style. It adds reference to old masterly work and visually works well. You can get into psychological ideas about the space around the subject and the density with the darkness.

Luke:  It definitely outsets a weight and presence from the people we’re influenced by.

S: Black has that connotation to it. As soon as you switch a piece to a luminous colour, they lose all their meaning and become jokey and ironic. We wanted to stay away from stuff like that.

L: There’s a skeletal abstraction, so there’s sparseness to it. If you relate that with music for example you think of bands like Joy Division. You strip away the waffle.

Pubescent Dreamer by Sam Jackson

Many of your pieces suggest an aggressive, physical painting style. Is this the case or do you actually take a lot of delicacy to craft something that appears so rugged?

S: In terms of the application I like being able to see the artist’s physical impact. With a Caravaggio for example, when you get up close to them you can really see the work and when you stand back it all comes together more. I want people to see the touch of the artist and the anxiety of the line, but there is also with that a delicacy and a finite way of applying the paint as well. It’s very much a double-edge thing.

L: For something to look effortless is very difficult.

Are you happy for people to take what they can from your work, or do you have a specific idea about each piece’s intentions?

S: For me there’s no prescribed doctrine as such. With my more sexual pieces I want the meaning to be completely ambiguous and open to any readings that a viewer might want to put into them or take. The whole idea is freedom and subversion, but I still want my work to be quite open in a strange way.

L: There’s always going to be a certain philosophy to the art that people can get or not get, but overall you really just want for them to lose themselves in it.

S: It does work because collectors who have bought the work find their own meaning. It cuts right across the board with people who know a lot about painting to people who have no interest but might just like the idea of there being a certain violence emanating that they really take in.

L: You sometimes don’t even see these things yourself.

How else do you enjoy blowing off steam or expressing yourselves creatively?

S: Just by enjoying socialising and discussing what we’re into really. In terms of London and going out, we both just pick and choose certain things. We’re in quite our own worlds.

L: You take an interest in what’s going on in the world and that sort of thing, but you have your own sense of cultural interests be it film, music, books. When you’re not doing your practise and step away from it though, it’s good to just be in open spaces with peace and quiet. Forests are good..

S: We also both like running.

Do you think that it’s important to exhibit your work in places where people wouldn’t ordinarily see it?

S: Definitely. I think my work can operate in these quite bespoke environments with their quite sartorial edge.

L: The more you can engage with the public, the better – in any way that you can. You can break down the barrier between public access and a gallery context. Some people haven’t even been to a gallery before but if you break those boundaries down you can spread the essential point of a lot of our work – which is to communicate. The more you can communicate with someone the better.

S: If the environment fits perfectly – and Murdock does – then it’s a win/win situation. A lot of the artists I’ve been interested in out in New York will show you these old pubs which aesthetically change things and do something with the work that in just a white cube context wouldn’t happen.

L: In Poland and Belgium we’ve seen some really interesting shows.

S: It completely adds another dialogue.

Most of the figures in your paintings/portraits appear to be male. Are you trying to say something in particular about the modern male?

S: Around 95% of the people that inhabit my work space are male. I am a man and have the authority to speak from that perspective. I’ve always been interested in men in terms of what they portray to the world. As a youngster I had musicians such as Sid Vicious & Morrissey as icons on my wall and in some way that’s transferred into these portraits. It’s important to me to show elements of fragility coupled with sexuality & violence and I think I can get them all in there with the male. When I’ve tried with women it has been a different thing.

L: In a certain way it’s about inhabiting the voice you know. It’s very difficult to inhabit a female voice. A lot of male writers find it very difficult to write through a female protagonist.

S: It’s the natural thing to do. When you pick up a guitar it soon becomes natural to do that and for me it soon became very natural to paint a man. That focus offers to me a good space to be able to get across what I’m interested in.

The Guilty Thing by Sam Jackson

How do you want people to experience your work when they see it in a place like this, where their visit to such an exhibition space isn’t primarily for seeing art?

S: I want people to get a real buzz off it. You can be surprised. I like the fact that you don’t know if it’s been put there as part of an exhibition as such.

L: You can be sitting in a chair here and suddenly glance at a piece. Curiosity can lead to loads of different avenues. As you’re given more time to look at the work here when you’re getting a haircut, Murdock opens up a whole other viewing world to that of a gallery.

S: Multiple readings can be made of the work too because the people in them could be models, it could be about just the hair – It can mix up the readings when my intentions could be the total opposite. It blurs the lines which I find interesting. The simplest things are generally the best things and I think having work that’s quite simple makes way for more complex ideas and juxtaposition within a space like this.

Just lastly, how were your haircuts this afternoon?

S: We’d do each other’s usually… I like the idea that the barbers here have the authority and confidence with grooming materials like we do over our paint brushes.

L: It’s been very enjoyable and credit to the barbers. We get free haircuts for life now don’t we?..

The Reappearance by Luke Jackson

We love the work that these two charming and excitable chaps produce and think you will too. We are currently displaying several pieces at our Covent Garden store for public viewing.

For enquiries please contact direct@charliesmithlondon.com

It’s that time of year once again when home comforts become that little bit more comforting and we find ourselves dusting off our festive film collections for some warm cinematic company.

Here’s our short-list of the five films that’ll be keeping us in excellent festive spirit over the Christmas holidays.

1 It’s a Wonderful Life

What better film choice than this cinematic classic to watch during those cosy festive evenings as the fire crackles and the drinks pour. James Stewart shines as ever in the leading role as George Bailey with compelling acting throughout. The handsome legend is also styled to perfection, notably his sharp three-piece suit and slick haircut fit for any leading man. With the help of an angel, George is able to realise the positive impact he has had on so many people despite overlooking his own interests for the good of his town. After seemingly losing out to greed and contemplating the worst, George is able to look harder at the positives and appreciate the wonderful outcomes he has influenced. Simply brilliant.

2 The Muppet Christmas Carol

A classic Christmas film based on the classic Dickens novel. It doesn’t get much better than this. Crammed with an emotive balance of comedy, heartache and Christmas sing-a-long favorites, this is THE Christmas film that the whole family should watch year after year without hesitation. Michael Caine also looks tremendous as Scrooge with immense sideburns and an excellently layered outfit – that is until the visions begin.

3 Home Alone

This 90s favourite puts the emphasis on family values at Christmas time – with quite the unique twist. The willpower of an 8-year-old child accidently left alone as his family travel on a seasonal holiday is the main plot here, and Macaulay Culkin’s performance provides audiences with laughter and tears throughout. The silly yet threatening nature of ‘The Wet Bandits’ and the heart-warming personal story of Old Man Marley help cram this film with everything Christmas can stand for emotionally.

4 Miracle on 34^th Street

Okay, we have to admit we haven’t even seen the original version… but just look at that beard!

5 Jingle All The Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a likeable, busy Dad who gets too caught up at work and as a result constantly lets down his wife and son. With Christmas on the horizon, he misses his son’s karate show after promising to be there and then crucially leaves it too late to get the one gift Jamie and the rest of America want – a Turbo Man doll. The story unfolds from there in this superhero-meets-family values Christmas feast of a film. It reflects and highlights just how tested parents can be and the distance they’re willing to go to keep their families happy at the most stressful and expectant time of year. There’s something that every viewer can realistically relate to; From the annoying neighbour jumping on every opportunity to out-do Arnie, to the rivalry with fellow-parent Myron who is attempting to get hold of the same doll. It’s safe to say that this is one for the parents just as much as the kids.

We recently came across illustrator and Graphic Designer Andy Hemming courtesy of the Guardian and wanted to share the genius of his latest work with you dapper lot.

Andy is a football fan that like most of us loves to look back on glorious teams and players of times past. His latest illustrations focus towards one particular aesthetic trait that greets the commercial deals and fancy boots of today’s generation with a heavy challenge. We are of course referring to the rough and tough of the moustache.

Ex Liverpool Captain Graeme Souness

The pureness of a manly moustache rarely features in the game these days besides the novelty month of November. It’s always encouraging to see Kammy sporting his trademark trail every Saturday whilst reporting mind.

Fan Favourite Chris Kamara

When asked about the inspiration behind his illustrations, Andy replied: “ ’I think it’s important to remember these great figures of the game who not only sported some of the finest upper-lip wear you’re ever likely to see, but who also shaped the game we enjoy today.” We couldn’t agree more.

Aberdeen defensive ace in the 70s & 80s, Willie Miller

Andy has released the work physically as a 20 page zine containing the illustrations and further written content focusing on ‘the last, lost holy grail of football as a contact sport; the football ‘tache.’ You can purchase the zine here.

Don’t be boring and give your Valentine a bunch of red roses this February 14th, put some thought in to it and get them something different this year. You know, something that shows them that they stand out of the crowd for you – unlike red roses. Bella Verrechia, florist at Johnny’s Little Sister, gives you some ideas.

Chrysanthemums Blooms.
Floral meaning – Light of hope
Chrysanthemum blooms are bold and beautiful, if you’re looking to make a statement and overwhelm your Valentine a big bunch of these is all you will need.

Red Tulips
Floral meaning – Perfect love
In Persia to give a Red Tulip is to declare your love, the black centre is said to represent the lovers heart.

Narcissus/Paper Whites.
Floral meaning- New beginning.
Valentines Day falls perfectly for Narcissus. They represent new beginnings, perfect if you are trying to start/relight a relationship. A gift of Narcissus is said to insure happiness. Paper Whites also have a beautiful fragrant.

Anemones
Floral Meaning – Forsaken, expectations.
Anemones are perfect for someone who loves a natural, rustic feel. I have chosen the Anemones because it gives a very relaxed feel, but still bursts with colour.

Ranunculus
Floral Meaning – I am dazzled by your charms.
I have chosen the Ranunculus because of their prettiness. This dainty, delicate flower is suitable for everyone, it grows in many colours and so can portray a variety of messages.

White Rose
Floral meaning – Purity and virtue
When you need to convince that your affections are straight from the heart use a white rose. One of the meanings for a white rose is ever lasting love. The white bouquet had been a tradition since Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840.

Head to Johnny’s Little Sister’s facebook page here>

No matter how big or small your Valentine’s plans may be this year, the effort is in the detail and we want to help you to make the most of your day.

Here are a few of our barber-recommended tips to guarantee a more dapper and sharper you. Whether you’ve a special evening planned with a loved one or are heading for a night on the town in the hope of finding that future love, let our fantastic range of products and services be your guide.

Ditch the dirt

Nobody appreciates dirty nails on Valentines, so put the time in to cut and file your fingertips with one of our excellent Dovo Manicure Kits. If you’ve got the time, why not pop in to one of our stores for a quick shoe shine or manicure. Both are swift services that will make all the difference to your appearance on the night.

Keep it classy

Our colognes cover a broad ground of inspired scents. Whilst targeting men, you may prefer the more vintage, sweet Bright Leaf. The ladies on the other hand have been known to fall hard for our spicy and raw Black Tea. The moreish fragrance of which will ensure your aroma remains fresh all night.

Stay Confident

For a more unique and interesting blast of post-dinner freshness, you could consider a flavoured Marvis toothpaste.

For the bearded amongst you

As it’s Valentine’s Day there’s simply no excuse to not be displaying a well-groomed beard for the occasion. Beardsley’s Shampoo and Conditioner will collectively treat your beard, leaving it tidy and fresh. The berry fragrance will also go a long way in maintaining that fruity, fragrant aura. Soft whiskers are also a must for potential close encounters so don’t go slacking on the combing!

Play it smooth

Exfoliating too close to meeting your date could be a risky move for those with sensitive skin. With time in advance however, our Facial Scrub will deeply cleanse your face with its refreshing, renewing ingredients. In addition, our Daily Facial Moisturiser will provide your skin with a smooth, awakening layer of protection. For a soft skin tone to admire, this will help you look and feel completely fresh long into the evening.

Dutch courage

For that extra piece of nerve quashing, keep your inside pocket occupied with one of our Leather Hip-Flasks. To be used subtly and responsibly of course.

Dovo Leather Manicure Set

Black Tea Cologne

Marvis Jasmine Mint Toothpaste

Beardsley Conditioner

Daily Facial Moisturiser

Small Hip Flask – Brown

Peter Georgallou is a fascinating artist currently occupying the CHARLIE SMITH london gallery. This name should ring a bell, as it is ran by Zavier Ellis – a keen MurdockMan who we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing before.

Peter recently popped into our Shoreditch branch for a haircut and beard trim with Gwen. As he arrives, bicycle polo stick in hand, he is instantly strikes curiosity. After his appointment we sit down and attempt to get to grips with what this compelling artist is all about. Turns out, rather a lot…

You went to Kingston University and studied Fine Art, how was that experience?

Really great. I think I caught the end of university being really fun. I really enjoyed it. I made some really good friends who I still speak to.

Is going to university something that you would recommend to fellow young artists aspiring to grow into the industry?

Yeah definitely. I think because Kingston’s not a very prestigious university, I got much better teaching and much better service and really great facilities. Also more space because it’s not in central London. It’s a good place to be at, but not as good a place to have been, if that makes sense?

I feel that because I went to the Royal College afterwards and that was the opposite. It was a horrible place to be but a really great place to have been… It was such a pressure cooker. I don’t think I made as much work that I’m happy with there as I did at Kingston.

Tell us about some of your exhibition highlights so far.

I had a few shows in Spain. I’ve also got a show in Cyprus at the moment on top of a mountain, in a monastery. No one’s going to see it, but I sort of love that.

How on earth does something like that come about?

I did a work exchange with an artist in Cyprus who has a museum, on a mountain, in a monastery… so that’s on for the next two years there. They don’t change the show very often. My work in Spain was also really different because I really enjoyed working there. I felt much freer.

Is that due to the general environment?

Partly the environment but partly because you essentially fall out of the sky, land somewhere and you can do what you like. No one knows what you do, who you are, where you come from ­­- they have no social context of what you are which is really nice. You can just do anything and it’s a lot less tainted by your personality or anything else, so it’s quite liberating. I like the idea of doing lots of international shows. I did a show in Holland recently, that I really liked because I feel like my art doesn’t work as well in London as it does abroad. It’s not very ‘London work’.

With that in mind, do you feel that you come at things with a more ‘continental’ approach?

I just don’t really feel a part of the London art scene at all. And that’s a bit annoying when I’m in London. When you go to other countries you’re just an artist and you don’t have to be part of a scene, it’s quite nice.

You keep a very low-key online presence. Is there a specific reason for that?

I just don’t like it. I think there’s so much value in conversation, and online presence kills that. When Zavier called me about the show that’s on at the moment at Charlie Smith, he was just like ‘what do you do? I don’t really know.’ We had to have a conversation about it and that’s really lovely. You meet some nice people.  I think I probably get less work because of that, but I can also make what I don’t like disappear. It’s not there forever. Artsadmin contacted me about maybe putting forward a proposal for a project and again, it was really great. We had to go and have coffee. I basically live in a coffee shop, and it’s great.

You’ve gone through the transition from being a student to a professional artist, how smooth a challenge was that? Do you feel that you’ve accomplished it now?

I feel like I’m definitely moving in the right direction. I’m getting enough work. I’d like to get more work, and bigger work. At the moment I’m getting enough though, which I’ve never really had before. It wasn’t a smooth transition at all. My last month at the Royal College was a bit of a car crash and so I spent the summer just putting my head back together and then I guess from that point it sort of came around. Every exhibition I’ve had and every bit of work that I’ve had displayed has been achieved through someone nice who I’ve bumped in to and had a chat with and thought ‘oh yeah we can work together’.

What was it about your work that enticed Zavier? And what’s currently on display at CHARLIE SMITH london?

I think the work that Zavier saw of mine that lead him to contact me was a film I made. It wasn’t really a documentary; it was like recreating a story from my life, or the story of my life. I actually live in Surrey and commute into London by bike, which is a lot of effort. It’s nice, I used to do a lot of racing so I’m fit enough to do it, but fifty miles a day gets wearing. It was a film about cycling from my house to my friend Jessica Charleston’s house for her birthday party. I had to pick up a present for her and lots of things happened along the way. Mainly, I stop at a petrol station and buy some petrol, but because I’m in a bit of a rush and I’m quite disorganised, I just forget to pay. The guy who runs the station is an evil wizard who chases me and I have to escape by throwing a piano in a river and sail away on it. When eventually I do get to Jessica Charleston’s birthday party, I’ve broken her present, lost my bike, got covered in mud and everyone is asleep because I get there so late. Then I just have to go home… It really does feel like the story of my life – such an epic failure, but really quite satisfying.

The Royal College built this new Dyson building, which was this really brutalist architecture. There was this bit of derelict land behind it because they hadn’t finished building it by the final degree show. I put up this really small sort of yurt bowing down to this massive, brutal architecture. It was full of canaries, just flying around with a 70-inch plasma screen inside showing this film and that’s the work Zavier saw. (You can view a snippet of the film here).

It’s quite a self-involved practice, but I think every artist has to be self-involved. I do feel like my practice is really genuine, it’s just things that interest me and maybe represent the story of lots of people’s lives. I guess what my practice is, is finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Like of course, the petrol station doesn’t have a magic wizard running it and bicycles don’t fall out of the sky. But maybe they do you know! That’s where I want to live so I’m building that for myself and that’s the kind of art that makes me really happy.

I have a friend – Phil Hinn, who just does funny crayon drawings of children mixed with really beautiful bits of Victorian etching and has them printed on teapots. I love his practice because it just makes me happy. It’s just like seeing the really ordinary world and finding a childish extraordinary narrative, a mythology, and a fairytale that you can live in inside of that. It’s just building your own matrix. It’s fun!

In terms of what’s going on at CHARLIE SMITH london right now, what can people see and expect?

I built a pedal-powered loom, and the idea is that at some point I’m going to weave tweed with it. I invented a new material, which I hope will one day phase out carbon fibre called high-density tweed composite. So the loom is actually not finished yet. It’s not functioning at the moment, but the structure is there. It will be a machine for building high-density tweed composite that you can build things like racecars out of. The reason for that is because in this country we’ve got a massive excess of wool, but the wool we have you can’t use for jumpers because it’s too coarse and it’s too expensive to handle, but it costs nothing in comparison to carbon fibre. Burning wool is really expensive and that’s how people get rid of it. Because it doesn’t hold a flame you have to incinerate it. So I’m hoping that maybe some things that carbon fibre is used for, high-density tweed composite can be used for instead. It would give a really good economic boost to the country. Good for the world, good for everyone.

How do you come to create something like that?

So I’m super-fascinated with this stuff (points to what he’s wearing). This is woven by Guy Hills and he’s got a company called Dashing Tweeds, who make technical tweed. I was looking at different ways to use wool and I was really inspired by Guy’s tweed. I got some samples off him, played around and thought of different ways I could use the tweed. He’s a very good friend’s brother who’s an architect as well and so I’ve been working on a show with him and I just like this idea of tweed being this architectural material. Wool’s used in building lots, just not in this way. The biggest uses of carbon fibre is skyscrapers and buildings, they have to be really lightweight structures to avoiding sinking into the ground. I quite like the idea of it being used in buildings.

I’ve also worked on a bunch of farms. I used to work for a charity called the Otesha Project who are an environmental charity. I think their views are a bit extreme. I mean they’re all vegan and I think that’s a pretty extreme view. I liked a lot of what they did but I don’t think you have to be an extremist to think about the way that the countryside works and the way that the world works. I think instead of thinking ‘oh these structures are awful, we’ll go against them’, you should find ways of making the world better within the structures that exist. I think that’s my sort of push to try and make the world a little bit nicer, just by making some nice tweed.

What can people expect from the exhibition itself? Is the loom in the gallery?

Yeah, the loom is in the gallery as well as a tall bike, which is wedged between the floor and the ceiling. I built the bike to be the exact size of the gallery and then when you pump the tires up, it just wedges itself in and can’t come out. I quite like that as a little nod to something architectural, but that bike will be powering the loom once it’s all connected up.

It sounds quite interactive?

No, I totally wanted the opposite of that because stringing up a loom takes flipping forever and if people are messing around on it, it’s all going to get broken. This is the first show I’ve had where I’ve had the sense to just make the object look like the object, but not work. It’s going to work at some point but for exhibitions purposes it can just not.

Has this been your main focus for a while then? And what else can we expect to see from you in the near future?

It has been for a while; I’ve got a few projects on the go. I’ve got my first high-density tweed composite prototype that I’m going to use to try and make enough money to pattern the material. The first object that I’m making is a rim for bicycle wheel. It’s a really good way to show a lot of different strengths of the material, it needs rigidity but also torsion strength because it’s under a lot of stress in a lot of different directions. I think that’s a good start. I’ve been working with a mould maker to build wheels of high-density tweed composite.

I’m also working on something with Fortnum & Mason which is a really big nice project; I’m casting lots of bronze for it. There are a few bits and pieces coming up in Utrecht and Nijmegen in Holland. I love Holland; it’s really fun and a good place to buy clothes. Best flea markets ever.

It’s clear that your art comes from the everyday things that you do. Bike polo is certainly an extremely interesting hobby to have, so what else keeps you occupied?

I think that was my realisation of this year. The three P’s ­– polo, partying and planning. I’m happier if I do those three things more. My quality of life improves… No, I’m a bit of a lunatic I guess in the things that I do. I don’t really sleep very much ever, I never really have. I try to get jobs doing strange things. I’ve done quite a lot of farming. I’ve done quite a lot of cataloguing of antiques. I used to be the guy who holds stuff up at the front of auctions – that’s quite silly. I don’t know. I feel like the big project is to just ‘get it’. We’re all here right? I think the more angles you can come at getting it, the better. So I just try and do as much as I can, even if it’s really boring. It’s got to be constructive; you can’t just be doing something and not thinking about what you’re doing. I think that’s quite a way to gain a good general overview of what’s going on. My dad owns a chip shop, I’ve worked there quite a lot and that was fun. I mean working with your Dad is always going to be mental but that’s fine. I quite want to work on an oilrig maybe too. I think oil is really horrible, but maybe I just need to work on a rig for a bit. I haven’t done that yet. What do the people that work on them do? What do they think? Imagine being on an oilrig. You’d just be on there with a bunch of men, churning out oil. It’s like pure evil basically.

Peter’s show at CHARLIE SMITH london ends Saturday 16th February 

We’re not very interested in whoever won last night’s Brit awards (we’re guessing it was probably the Skyfall lady) we’re more interested in the release of Jamie Lidell’s new album this week. The oft bespectacled British musician originally from Cambridgeshire now resides in the current cool music capital of the world Nashville and we think that his mix of old school soul, modern r’n'b and electronica deserve more attention. So the least we could do was shine our humble light in the vast expanse of the internet ocean on a few of our favourite tracks of his.

Song: What a Shame. Album: Jamie Lidell. Year: 2013.

Song: Multiply. Album: Multiply. Year: 2005.

Song: Another Day. Album: Jim. Year: 2008.

Song: I Wanna Be Your Telephone. Album: Compass. Year: 2010.

Song: Big Love. Album: Jamie Lidell. Year: 2013.

It’s the Oscars this Sunday, and whilst many viewers will be paying most of their attention towards things like the sharp suits and dazzling dresses being worn by the stars and also who happens to win what, our eager barber eyes will be fixed to the screen awaiting the sights of any lavishly groomed beards and slick hairstyles on display. The more effort and daring the better, and if the Baftas are anything to go by, then we’re in for a treat.

We were actively involved in the styling duties for the Baftas ourselves, and one of our visitors in the Murdock chair was Paco Delgado, Costume Designer for Tom Hooper’s epic screen adaption of Les Misérables. Our Master Barber Alex did a fine job in trimming the Spaniard’s epic beard and he was kind enough to offer us a few words regarding his Oscar nod afterwards…

Les Mis star Anne Hathaway with Mr Delgado at the Costume Designer’s Guild Awards

What first drew you towards getting in to costume design?

It was a sort of detour, I used to be a set designer in theatre, but the productions I used to work on sometimes required me to design the costumes as well. Since I wasn’t worried by it, it became a natural process and little by little I got more and more engaged with it.

What’s been your biggest career challenge yet?

I think every movie I have worked on has been a big challenge in my career, but Les Mis has been a very big challenge for a lot of obvious reasons.  The dimension of the film for a start, because it has been such a tremendous success in the west end for more than 20 years and also for the amazing cast.

Eddie Redmayne starts in Les Mis in one of Paco Delgado’s designs

Has the response to Les Misérables met/surpassed your expectations? 

I think we have all been very surprised by the whole thing, but I think the expectations were set very high anyway.

How does achieving such acclaimed recognition feel?

I’m extremely happy. It is a recognition by the cinema people that I take with immense pride.

Russell Crowe in Paco Delgado Les Mis costume

How did you find working under Tom Hooper having spent your career working for mostly Spanish directors?

I found it very easy I think. Tom wanted me to design the film and he was very supportive during the whole movie.

How does the approach to costume design for period films compare to modern-day movies?

I always want to create characters and I think it is very important to pay attention to that in period. I find contemporary very complicated and not very rewarding , but I love to work in both of them.

Who has been your favorite character to design for?

In Les Mis, les Thenardiers have been a lot of fun.

Les Thenardiers

Are there any movies that you wish you could have worked on?

Definitely I would have designed all Buñuel movies.

Paco Delgado winning his Best Costume Design award at this year’s Goya awards in Spain for Blancanieves

As a magnificently bearded man yourself, who are the best-bearded characters/actors that you’ve worked with? 

Hugh Jackman looked very handsome with a beard, and Antonio Banderas as well.

Finally, what’s next in line for Mr. Paco Delgado: Oscar-nominated designer?

At this moment I have a couple of projects but I don’t want to talk about them, since I’m very superstitious and I don’t think it will be very good luck if I talk about them whilst they are not completely secure.

The annual Great Escape festival took over just about every venue possible in Brighton last weekend, and along with myself, our barbers Josh Mihan and Matt Hughes were able to holster their scissors for a couple of days and make the journey down.

With the Great Escape, you could be looking to simply hit the beach and catch one or two acts in the evening, or pursue one venue after another from the word go on the chance of witnessing the next big thing. There is something for every music fan to take away from the impressively diverse range of artists on show.

Here’s our top 5 performers from the weekend, with an accompanying shortlist of those we sadly missed out on:

Iggy Azalea – After queing for longer than an hour for anything, you’d expect to be rewarded, and that’s exactly what miss Iggy provided for the eager audience. Call it novelty nonsense, unique, or simply entertaining; Iggy Azalea is an artist who can put on one hell of a show.

No Ceremony/// – This uprising electronic group put on a mesmerising  performance amidst the darkness of Coalition.

Natty – It doesn’t get much smoother than beggining the second day with the soulful, upbeat songs of this talented man.

Mykki Blanco – No doubt the most unique performer of the weekend. Mykki stunned the humid club audience with his obscure range of rap capabilites.

David Ram Jam Rodigan (MBE) – What a way to close the festival. The Reggae legend put on a DJ set to top any other global superstar. New-school, old-school and tracks that make you stare at each other in amazement as you’re still dancing away – he brought it all.

And five we wished we caught:

Oddisee

Andreya Triana

How to Dress Well (Head Office favourites)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Phosphorescent

You can still review the entire lineup HERE to check out some of the most up-and-coming names in music.

Dads, they’re good at giving advice. Whether or not the advice they give is any good or helpful in the slightest, they’re more than happy to pass down some received ‘wisdom’. Particularly to their sons as they tackle the transition from boy to man. So we asked our barbers, some of whose Dads were barbers themselves and imparted tips on shaving expertise, as well as a few Murdock friends to mine some nuggets of fatherly advice gold and some less valuable but equally memorable Dad quotes:

“Treat your razor as well as you’d like it to treat your face.” James in Head Office’s Dad

“Shave your beard, you look homeless.” Josh Mihan’s Dad (not one for some well groomed facial hair)

“You should cherish a heavy razor. You can let the weight guide your hand and do the work for you.” Vincent Vincent’s Dad

“If you would feel as awful for cheating on your barber as you would cheating on your partner, you’ve found your match.” Vincent Vincent’s Dad

“As soon as you’ve got more than three hairs growing on your face, there’s opportunity…” James’ eager to shave Dad

“Whatever you’re doing, always give the best account of yourself” – Will in Head Office’s Dad

“A job should never be rushed no matter what your trade. It’ll always come back on you and create further problems down the line.”

“Measure twice, cut once.”

“My Dad taught me how to spell by singing the words” – Matt Hughes’ Dad

“Shaving is a way of life, the same way showering is.” – Liam in Head Office’s Grandad

“Live as if you will die tomorrow, farm as if you will live forever.”

“If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean” – Vincent Vincent’s Dad

“You might clock out of work, but you should never clock out from working.”

“Adding ice to your whisky is sinful and ruins the flavour. Room temperature water is  the perfect accompaniment.”

“Always keep a trusty comb in your pocket. You never know when you might just need one.”

“It’s all in the details. Choosing the right socks can make or break an outfit.”

“At a young age, disposable income gives you the opportunity to try and probably fail at looking good. Keep at it and you’ll find your calling eventually.”

“Owning interesting things will always be important. We live in a digital world, but the thought of being at somebody’s house and having nothing to physically browse through and talk about is frightening.”

“Let others inspire you, but don’t ignore your own creative input as a result.”

“If it’s not alphabetised, it’s not a collection.”

“Owning great records justifies owning great speakers. There’s simply no argument”

“Call your mum.”

“Buying cheap is a false economy if its poorly made. You’ll just keep spending on replacing as things break. Better to pay more for better quality.”

“Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.” The wise words of Mr Charles F. Kettering

And finally some profound father wisdom but this time for a daughter from the pen of Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Writing to his 11 year old daughter Scottie who was away at camp, part of his letter is a list of what to and what not to worry about. A good life lesson for all humans everywhere.

“Things to worry about:

Worry about courage
Worry about Cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship
Worry about. . .

Things not to worry about:

Don’t worry about popular opinion
Don’t worry about dolls
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about growing up
Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you
Don’t worry about triumph
Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault
Don’t worry about mosquitoes
Don’t worry about flies
Don’t worry about insects in general
Don’t worry about parents
Don’t worry about boys
Don’t worry about disappointments
Don’t worry about pleasures
Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about:

What am I really aiming at?
How good am I really in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:

(a) Scholarship
(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?
(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?”

If your Dad ever gave you any great Dad advice, let us know! We’ll be posting more Dad quotes in the lead up to Father’s Day.

It’s been a while since we’ve brought you a playlist post, but be assured that we haven’t stopped listening!

As many of you will know, each of our stores is fuelled by some of the finest music ever recorded – no matter how old or new the selection may be.

Now that summer is here, our youngest barber and Hackett Spitalfields resident Mr Sam Hickey has picked out his top seasonal tracks.

This selection will be providing the soundtrack for both himself and his clients through the approaching warmer months.

Take it away, Sam..

Trying to follow up on their majorly successful album – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – it seemed that Phoenix might fall at the mighty hurdle in front of them. However, it wasn’t to be. This standout track from their new album, Bankrupt!, reminds me of times spent flicking through GQ trying to find ideas for a new summer outfit.

4) Summer Holiday by Wild Nothing

Everyone’s excited for their holidays, everyone’s looking to get a new, sharp cut for their travels and this song from Wild Nothing captures the mood perfectly.

5) A Tout A La Heure by Bibio

Here are five more summer selections courtesy of the Head Office team at Covent Garden:

6) Wavves – Sail To The Sun

Surfer/Stoner – label Wavves’ music as you please. The blissful care-free vibes effortlessly take you away to the West Coast for some fun in the sun.

7) Bonobo – Emkay

Bonobo’s latest record is crisply absorbing and subtly euphoric.  An ideal tone for people both preparing for summer to start and also reminiscing on their holiday experiences come September.

8) Vampire Weekend – Diane Young

This fresh single from the band’s latest album is as chirpy and catchy as you would expect. Welcome easy-listening and a soon-to-be festival favourite.

9) Kool & The Gang – Summer Madness

This classic simply speaks for itself.

10) LEN – Steal My Sunshine

Pure 90s. Pure summer.

The full length trailer for Anchorman 2 has been unleashed upon the world today.

Along with the hilarious teasing footage comes a fresh poster that we just so happen to prefer to the initial offering that teased the four broadcaster’s bottom halves.

Everybody knows that there is strength in facial hair, and this poster that displays Will Ferrell’s upper lip glory speaks drastic volumes.

Here’s the full trailer for anybody who has managed to avoid the internet up until now today:

London Collections: Men has drawn to a close  in showcasing what we can expect to see from the finest in British fashion come spring/summer of next year.

With an impressively diverse array of style on show in terms of both clothing and grooming, we saw fit to pick some of our hairstyle highlights and help recommend the right products in order to achieve similar results yourself.

Tom Ford

The Necessary Tools:

Hair Doh	Davines Invisible Hair Spray	Mini Hog Hair Brush
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

Jonathan Saunders

The Necessary Tools:

Matt Mudd	Hair Spray Strong	Medium Comb
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

John Smedley

The Necessary Tools:

Elastick	Volume Shampoo	Ocean Mist
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

Christopher Raeburn

The Necessary Tools:

Hair Play	Root Lift	Large Pocket Folding Comb
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

Gieves And Hawkes

The Necessary Tools:

Matt Putty	Sea Salt Primer	Davines Invisible Hair Spray
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

And not forgetting the facial hair representation:

Hentsch Man

The Necessary Tools:

Beardsley Shampoo	Beardsley Conditioner	Stern Moustache Wax
Shop it now>	Shop it now>	Shop it now>

Our barbers are more than happy to be shown such images of hairstyle inspiration when you visit us for a service.

This weekend sees two of the biggest and most popular events on the British calendar take place.

Broadcast around the world, both Wimbledon and Glastonbury attract spectators in their masses.

Last year we had the Olympics kind of stealing our attention a bit, and with that global phenomenon we were disappointingly provided with just one truly dapper specimen to admire. The proud sporting achievements and overall cultural success were fantastic of course, don’t get us wrong..

Our attention is now firmly fixed on the events of this weekend though, and those spectating both in attendance and at home can expect to witness some fine exhibitions of dapperness provided by both.

In honour of this, we’ve drafted up a comparative bill that pits key tennis stars against some of the best musical talent on offer. We’re looking forward to seeing who actually pulls out all the well-groomed stops over the next few days, and also hoping for a few surprises along the way.

Mick Jagger vs Roger Federer

These two men epitomise class and style. Both gents are completely natural and visually compelling in their respective professions, however the winner has to be Mr Jagger for still being able to do his thing. Also the fact that we won’t actually be seeing much of Roger over the weekend kind of sways it..

Alex Turner vs Rafael Nadal

As a prime example of a contemporary frontman with traditional ethics, Alex Turner’s approach to style over the years has gone from strength to strength. As an athlete, Nadal has shown that there’s always opportunity for style, despite the constant physical demand. His shock early exit again means that we’ll be seeing little of his flair over the weekend, and with many twentysomethings ready to see the Arctic Monkeys compete with one of the biggest bands in the world for the Pyramid highlight reel, Mr Turner is set to be looking his most dapper yet.

Marcus Mumford vs Andy Murray

Two of our countries biggest exports, the pressure will be on both to impress this weekend. We’d love to see Andy sporting a fully grown beard to compliment the rugged locks on his head – perhaps a challenge he could have set himself in promise of a luxury wet shave once the Wimbledon title becomes his this year.. As for Marcus, there’s a lot to be said for the rough stubble on show here. For what will be their biggest performance yet and in the name of closing the festival on Sunday, we have much higher expectations.

Nick Cave vs Novak Djokovic

Novak’s seemingly static natural block of hair does little to inspire. Whilst we’re missing the ‘tache, Nick still strongly sports the trademark hair style that has become iconic in its own right.

Michael Eavis vs Boris Becker

Beards will always win prizes. Everybody knows this. Boris’ hair has also certainly seen smoother, sharper days.

It’s safe to say that the musical output of Glastonbury (as expected, let’s face it..) very much leads the way in terms of dapperness and well-groomed appearances over the coming weekend.

With the blocks of physical requirement rather less intense than those wearing white, we can’t accuse the sportsmen for their lack of effort, but rather their lack of opportunity to avoid the priority in practicality.

On a side note, come on Andy(!) and here’s to a hugely entertaining weekend of music and sport.

The Soho Whisky Club is a members only bar, situated above the Vintage House, the specialist whisky and liquor shop in Soho on Old Compton Street.

From the outside, you’re barely aware of its existence. Once you’ve made your way through the side door and up the stairs however, the smell of clean wood, the piano-led music and the sheer volume of age-worn whisky bottles on display assure that this is the place for true whisky drinkers to be. Calm, quiet, informed and absorbing – there’s little to not be impressed by.

We popped in for an alcohol-free chat (it was after all the middle of a Tuesday afternoon…) with bar manager Patrick, and just had to stand and admire the charm of this elegant  ’legal speakeasy’ before we could sit down and begin to talk whisky.

As we sit down, Patrick informs us that the club is run by the same owner as the shop downstairs, Malcom Mullin – who always had the idea of eventually opening a whisky bar since his father opened the location in 1940.

“It’s very relaxed. We have approximately 400 members” he enthusiastically describes. “There’s a real community feel to the place. We are a private bar, but we’re not poncey, and that comes through from the relaxed running. Members also have a vested interest in the club, so they really respect the rules and really behave themselves, which makes my job that much more enjoyable”

He continues; “On a Friday night we’re very busy, but things are far from crazy. We only allow 40 people in the bar at any given  time, this keeps it comfortable, we hear over and over again how ‘nice is it to come in, be able get a seat and get attentive & excellent service’, it’s just what we do here. Outside in the heart of Soho is a riot in comparison. We’re that beautiful calm oasis away from all the madness ensuing on the streets below.

As we manage to break our stares from the mesmerising range of bottles set up behind the bar, we take a seat and really delve into what makes this place so appealing and unique:

How would you best describe your role in the company? 

I run the bar.

Tell us a bit about your whisky background?

I’ve been drinking it for a while now. Believe it or not I’m actually Scottish, just with a dodgy accent. Whisky is very much a part of my heritage and I always remember my Dad and his friends drinking it when I was a kid. You go to any pub in the larger cities of Scotland and there will be 100 whiskies behind the bar. The barman will know his stuff too. It’s the national drink, one of biggest exports and we’re very proud of it. When one thinks of whisky, one thinks of Scotland, that’s a given, although things are starting to change. For example I tried an amazing Swedish whisky the other day.

How many people do you usually have behind the bar?

Normally one of us in the week, with two at the weekends. I have a right hand man called George who is super on it and really knows his drinks and cigars; he’s an important part of why this place works. It’s manageable in the week alone as neither of us are stuck for 20 minutes making an old fashioned. It takes two seconds to pour a whisky.

Is fine drinking a dying art? Would you say that young people aren’t interested in much beyond the surface value of alcohol?

In terms of sales, with the help of emerging markets and ‘new whisky territories’ such as Asia, consumption is very much on the ascendency. What we’re actually finding here is that we’re appealing to a much younger crowd – a lot of females actually, which is ace. I’d say the average age here is around 35- 40, whereas when you think of  a private members clubs, you may have traditionally imagined a wonderfully polite older gent in a tweed jacket, but it’s just not the case anymore, certainly not in my experience. Of course we welcome people from all walks of life. Whisky is sexy right now, sales and interest in whisky are going through the roof, led by the famous blends – Johnnie Walker is a good example. People are interested and starting to ask us ‘what are the constituents of Johnnie Walker?’  – To which we can say ‘okay well there’s 27 odd single malts in a JW Blue, here they are, let’s try them’. This is one of the ideas of the bar, where we can offer people something a little bit special. (To clarify, older tweed wearing gentlemen are more than welcome at the SWC).

Is there a difference in approach towards the younger crowds?

As long as you’re over 18, we really don’t mind. We haven’t had to say no to anyone. What you tend to get, is people walk in and they’re immediately blown over. They can tell it’s a place you’re not going to turn up to get absolutely plastered and fall down the stairs – although that does happen from time to time. We manage to attract the right type of drinker. These are people who have an interest in whisky, are keen to learn more, or who already have a sound knowledge and want somewhere to come and appreciate it. Without really trying too hard, we have attracted the right clientele.

What kind of events do you host?

We have regular tasting events for our members. We also run tutored tastings for groups and a private ‘introduction to whisky’ event which we pair with food, cheese, chocolate, that kind of thing. We actually have a distillery tasting later in the week. That is with Glen Garioch. The global brand ambassador for Morrison Bowmore will be here, it promises to be a fantastic evening, these events are at no extra cost to paid members, we think it’s a cracking deal.

What do you think locations like this offer in terms of enhancing a drinking experience?

Well, we offer 400 single malt whiskies, I don’t know of many places with a range like that, certainly not in the heart of town. We have very competitive prices too, so once you have paid your membership fee, you can come and enjoy a dram or two that will not break the bank, some of our whiskies on offer are £3.95 a dram. You have the expertise of the staff, we welcome lots of questions, we like to talk to our members, put the time in and guide them through our range. They may say ‘I’ve tried this and want something similar’ we can help them, perhaps offer them something cheaper, younger, and better, that’s the wonderful thing about whisky, that’s why it fascinates me. Here, we are all very knowledgeable, and really is a beautiful bar.

What’s your most popular seller?

It changes, it really depends what we’ve tried and what we are recommending, a lot of members ask for recommendations, and although we are 100% independent, we have our favourites, like the next man, or women for that matter. The Mortlach 16, Highgrove Laphroaig and the Single Cask Aaran Malt have sold very well over the last few months.

Where else do you drink besides here?

Me and my fiancée drink in our local pub – The Alwyne Castle in Highbury. There are some really decent places in the area. In terms of drinking around here, Ronnie Scott’s and the Phoenix Artist Club are places I’d recommend.

What do you enjoy drinking besides whisky?

Beer &/or Ale.

Would you agree that Whisky is very much in its own league regading romantic ideas with alcohol?

It is. It’s a romantic drink and that’s one of the reasons people are attracted to it. You’ve got Scotland obviously which is a very romantic place that’s seeped in rich history, the whole romance of the distilleries, and their surrounding area, most distilleries happen to be out of the way (traditionally to be out the way of the excise man), so you find yourself in the most beautiful countryside a lot of the time, Scotland countryside + whisky = romance.

We’ve seen popular TV shows such as Mad Men have an impact on the grooming industry, have you found that it’s had a similar effect regarding the context of your business?

No one’s really brought that up specifically, but I’d imagine that it’s had an impact, certainly indirectly.

(We later learn from an American member that Mad Men has actually caused an upsurge in classic cocktails such as Rusty Nails and the favoured Old Fashioned.)

And lastly, what’s in-store for the future of the Soho Whisky Club?

Keep selling whisky, keep our members happy, keep the boss smiling, and onwards…

For further information regading the Club and for membership enquiries, you can visit their website here.

To get you in the spirit of sipping away on a fine whisky during summer, or to appropriately wear in attendance to such a club, our Havana-inspired Bright Leaf cologne makes for an ideal accompaniment.

Dan Foster is the Manager of the Le Coq Sportif store, which is located just around the corner from our Covent Garden branch in Seven Dials. It is the first UK standalone store, which was opened to coincide with the 130th anniversary and marks a seminal step in the brand’s expansion across Europe.

This year’s Tour De France has been firmly underway over the past few weeks, and we are now approaching the final stages with Britain’s Chris Froome currently sporting the famed yellow jersey as the fatest rider in front.

 
Le Coq Sportif have reclaimed the production duties for the jersey this year, which similarly marks the 100th anniversary of the event. Five Britons have previously championed yellow – Tom Simpson, Sean Yates, David Millar, Chris Boardman and last year’s sideburned hero Bradley Wiggins. Chris will be looking to add his name to the winners list and as we approach the final stage, things are looking good for the Brit and Team Sky.

Back to the shop, and Dan is already a certified MurdockMan having been to see our Barber Lachlan for some expert beard maintenance. We managed to take some time on this occasion and get to know a little bit more about the man himself, and what his job entails.

What first drew you to the brand?

It’s got a great history. The brand is over 130 years old. It was one of the first sports brands in the world and has a long history with cycling and football – both sports that I’m hugely interested in. These are exciting times for Le Coq Sportif in the UK as we re-position ourselves in the marketplace. We are a small team working on some interesting collaborations with some big companies.

Being the first UK store, do you feel a lot of pressure with that in mind?

A little bit. There’s the pressure for the store to do well, but we also need to ensure that we use it in the right way to give the right impression of the brand. We wanted to achieve a creative showroom, not just a solely retail space.

Is everything going well so far?

So far, so good. We’ve not burned it down yet! The reaction has been really positive. I’ve spoken to a lot of middle-aged guys who remember when we did football kits for Chelsea, Villa and Spurs.

The first impressions of the shop reveal a spacious, calm and relaxed environment. Does this kind of vibe run through the entire company?

Very much so. When you go to the office in Paris and meet the guys there, everybody’s serious about work but it’s a very friendly atmosphere and everyone gets on really well. The French like to spend a lot of time on things, and even when they’ll look like they’re not doing nothing they’ll actually be having a meeting at a coffee machine. It’s a very different atmosphere than that of an office in the UK. People aren’t so chained to their desks.

What does your job entail?

In the most basic terms, I’m the store manager. I deal with the day to day running. I have also just taken control of our UK social media output. Recently I’ve been busy with one or two other duties, one of which was a model casting for our S/S ‘14 look book – which wasn’t entirely terrible.. There’s always something a little bit different to do, but I’m not complaining. It’s a small operation here, so we all muck in.

Do you cycle yourself?

I do. Every day. I’ve been a cycling commuter for about a year and a half now. I’m not quite at the level of ‘weekend warrior’ with my road bike and full Lycra gear, but I can see it happening one day.

What advice would you offer to somebody looking to start cycling from scratch in such a big city like London?

If you’re not entirely 100% sure about it, don’t spend a lot of money on a bike. Mine cost £50. Don’t be too precious about it. You can get yourself started relatively cheaply. 100% buy a helmet too. There will always be cool kids who don’t wear them, but that will come back to haunt them at some point I’m sure.

The roads in London are quite intimidating and can easily put people off.  The key is to take your bike to the park first, ride around and get to know it better. You will become confident riding it and then ready tackle the streets. You can’t afford to be foolish and reckless, so you definitely need to go into it with confidence. You often spot a few people who are nervous and twitchy and make sudden movements that put other cyclists and motorists on edge. I would also avoid certain places at first. I didn’t ride over the Old Street roundabout for ages, but it was actually fine once I’d built up my confidence.

Just how much of an impact did the Olympics have on the cycling boom last summer?

The Olympics has definitely left a legacy for cycling – especially in London. British people enjoy finding a sport that we’re good at. With the continual disappointment of football, people are keen to look for something else and cycling at the moment is very much the answer. Team Sky is right up there as one of the best in the world right now.

Having attained its production for this year’s Tour de France, has the replica yellow jersey been a popular seller?

Because cycling has nowhere near the mass level of support of football, you’ll see less people wearing the gear around town as fashion pieces. They’re designed for cycling and even then, a lot of people will want the more prestigious items to simply have in their collection.  We sell a lot of the jerseys and people do at this time of year really enjoy it. Our Polka Dot jersey has also proven popular as people love to make a statement with it.

There is a ‘Logo History’ post on the Le Coq Sportif blog that was really interesting to read. Do you feel that such items enhance and perhaps extend a brand’s output and appeal?

Absolutely. Things like the history of brands and development are always really interesting. We are actually launching a collection next season of college based stuff that will sport a throwback to earlier logos. In the UK, heritage, history and authenticity are all really important things – especially for men when they’re shopping. You can see right through the brands that just put it on, but we’ve got features such as the history wall in our shop with images of sportsmen and women throughout the ages that signify our heritage.

What’s in store for the future of the brand and shop?

Later on in the summer there’s a vintage bike race in Tuscany called L’Eroica. It translates to ‘Heroic’ or ‘The Hero’, which draws in cycling enthusiasts from all over the world. There’s a specific criteria for the bikes to stick to and it’s essentially a vintage rally for cyclists. Lots of guys dress to match the era that their bike is from.  We’re the official sponsor so we produce the jerseys every year. They’re vintage merino wool with pockets on the front as they used to have. So we have the official L’Eroica jersey along with a small capsule collection to go with it to look forward to. The event is worth having a look at and reading about. It’s all very interesting stuff! We will have the collection in-store and hopefully an event to work around it.

Roman Holiday has been given a contemprary update in honour of its 50th anniversary, and is back in cinemas as of today.

Set in Rome and with a romantic encounter at the heart of the story between two icons of the screen – Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, there’s much to admire about this summertime classic.

The key elements are all there. A dapper leading man and lady, a beautiful Southern European location, a chance love story and classy and vintage 50s summer vibes.

In the spirit of:

This is a stylish summer film to match a stylish summer fragrance.

We were recently invited on to Radio 4′s You And Yours show to discuss men’s grooming trends and the climate of the industry.

With research showing that more men are now opting for a beard over a clean shaven appearance, we were at hand to clear the blurred lines between dropping figures in the high street shaving sector and the increase in specialist shop and product demand.

You can listen to the show on iPlayer here and we feature from 17.45 onwards.