The Staple Singers

It's Sunday morning. It feels appropriate.

Summer

It gets hot in Virginia in the summer. After nearly a decade away I had somehow forgotten this fact, which is perhaps how I ended up in an apartment without central air (in retrospect a mistake) . But, even with the heat it’s a rarity that I’m going to break out the shorts and I’m not quite prepared for the short sleeve button down. So the overall goal of the Summer Collection was to make some light, breathable shirts.

Very pleased with how things came together. The highlight fabric has to be what we used for the Parker Gingham. On color, you cant go wrong with these in the summer, but we wanted to use the lightest fabric we could find. And we got it. It’s the kind of shirt where you find yourself continuing rubbing your arm and as an added bonus the tight weave makes them surprisingly wrinkle resistant.

I’m a big fan of Oxford Cloth, but an Oxford makes for a heavier shirt in the summer and needs a few washes to wear in. So we wanted a white casual shirt and went with the lighter pinpoint with a button down collar. It’s a classic American casual shirt that’s great for the summer.

Lastly, fabric aside, we added a new spread collar on top of the Starks (my personal favorite). The Anglo-American is an incredibly versatile spread collar, but there was demand from friend’s back in London to go wider. Went through a couple of variations of this before we got it right. It’s a fuller spread (but not full cutaway) with a nice roll… More of these to come in the fall.

Iceland vs. Ledbury

I have always been a big fan of Iceland. The people are friendly, the women are beautiful and there’s great nightlife…. So until late 2007 it seemed like the country had all figured out. Then, an Icelandic banking collapse nearly took down the entire global financial system. But, we all make mistakes, so I had forgiven the small island nation and looked forward to a trip to Reykjavik with a stronger dollar. But then, out of nowhere an Icelandic volcano erupts, sending an ash cloud over Europe and basically shutting down intercontinental commerce. Now, I’m not sure if these events are a sign of Iceland’s imitate invasion of Europe, but I mention them because Iceland, and its deviant behavior, played a part in turning the Ledbury Spring Collection into the Summer Collection.

So after a slight delay, I’m pleased to report that the Summer Collection has arrived….

Good Things

Navy Gingham (soon to be available Summer Collection) + Mint Condition 63 White Vespa = Perfection

Suckers

In a bizarre twist of fate the same night as the Ledbury D.C. Launch Party, my college roommate Austin and his band Suckers where playing a sold out show with Local Natives at Rock and Roll hotel a couple of miles down the road. The launch party went late so I was not heard down to see the show, but I have heard nothing but positive things.

I’ve been listening to Austin and his cousin Quinn play together since their first album as The Noise about 8 years ago and I have always been widely impressed. Now as Suckers, with band mates Brain and Pan they’re in top form…and the press seems to agree with strong reviews from everyone from Rolling Stone (Hotlist) to Pitchfork to MTV (2010 Artist to Watch).

So the debut Album is out on June 8^th and I would highly encourage you to pick it up (suckersmusic.com, itunes, wherever). They have a unique sound and a creative approach that I have no doubt will lead to big things in 2010 and beyond.

D.C. Launch (Cont)

Thanks to everyone who came out to the D.C. launch party last Wednesday at the Ledbury Pop-up in Georgetown. It was a great night and we had over 300 people (and a few animals) come through the door. A banjo, a fiddle, a full bar and packed changing rooms. Special thanks to Tucker for putting it all together and all of those in D.C. who spread the word. We appreciate the hospitability and looking forward to heading back that way.