5 Winter Essentials
Some things are indispensable when the temperature drops — here a sartorial study of winter’s finest essentials.

Timeless Umbrellas
Painted in kaleidoscopic colours by the revolutionary American sculptor Alexander "Sandy" Calder at the tail end of the swinging sixties, the exterior of the Douglas DC-8 jetliner of Braniff International Airways hovered above the aircrew, who were dressed in vibrant uniforms designed by Emilio Pucci.
Nicknamed "The Jelly Bean Airline", the space-age-inspired outfits that the stewardesses wore encapsulated this moniker with a chic, multicoloured bandana worn underneath a space bubble, to protect them from rain when disembarking at a chilly JFK Airport from Acapulco International Airport in Mexico. Alternatively, they would opt for an umbrella that maintained the Pucci colourways of the theme.
For winter jet setters flying the reverse route, it is likely that, when leaving their Manhattan residences, a handmade umbrella is at hand to deflect any water from a downpour. Only the finest designs will suffice and, now located in a magnificent, multi-floored flagship store on Bond Street in Mayfair, and a smaller boutique in Burlington Arcade, established in 1750, Swaine is a British heritage brand that serves gentlemen with timeless accoutrements. Stemming from Thomas Brigg & Sons’ merger with Swaine, the Brigg umbrella selection includes the collapsible model featuring the refined Whangee handle. When embarking on excursions with numerous bags of luggage, this umbrella's practicality lightens the load when the heavens open. Only established a nudge over 100 years later than Swaine, Fox Umbrellas have also long been the purveyors for discerning people.
However, back to the carrier's theme; it would radiate a hedonistic aura throughout the flight and, for the glamorous and glitzy set of the USA destined for Acapulco during its Golden Age of the '60s and '70s, it acted as a precursor for all of the carefree indulgence on the tropical paradise during their winter getaway. Here, at desirable resorts such as El Mirador, Hotel Flamingos, or even Hotel Villa Nirvana, the style set — sporting swim briefs and swimsuits beside the swimming pool — would be seated or standing beneath a large pastel-coloured umbrella to shield themselves from the sweltering mid-30C temperatures. For a jaunt to the beach or poolside, Francesco Maglia, the Milanese heritage brand now managed by the fifth generation, is the bona fide Italian umbrella artisan. Their selection of umbrellas offers unparalleled style and protection against water, but particularly noteworthy for winter getaways is their polished chestnut picnic umbrella, which stands at a height of 190 cm.


Shearling Coat
In the realms of Neolithic agriculture, the domestication of the sheep has immeasurably benefitted humankind. It was a turning point not only for food consumption, but also, during the Stone Age, when glaciers were expanding, the warmth of the sheep’s skins would keep nomadic farmers alive.
Sheepskin is still harvested for this very purpose; however, it has transcended to high fashion - more specifically, becoming a prominent fabric in the denizens of artisanal menswear, stretching from Cottenham House, Private White V.C.’s storied Manchester Factory, to Schott’s atelier at 32 Howard Street, New York and Alfredo Rifugio’s showroom at Via Lapanto, Naples.
Shearling is a type of sheepskin; however, the former is where the lamb is precisely sheared so that the suede leather on the outside combines with the soft wool on the inside, thus producing a supple, more luxurious material than sheepskin, which refers to the hide from a mature sheep.
As a brand, it’s all well and good having access to superior shearling fabric to produce coats or jackets to beat the freeze; however, it’s a fabric that will enhance impeccably designed garments but expose the deficiencies of an ill-made piece. Like shoes, in the long term, investing in a superior shearling coat will prove to be invaluable.
Unsurprisingly chosen to furnish military-inspired apparel, Chapal, founded in France in 1832, did in fact provide jackets for the French Air Force during WWI. Opting for their famed B3 bomber, which is designed with a snug varnished shearling, eliminates the overbearing amount of underlayers. Welcomed to The Rake’s ecommerce fold last year, the hand-cut bomber jacket by Owen Barry is an enlightenment for trailblazing quality sheepskin jacket designs. Over to the longer coat, and to “The King of Handmade Leather Jackets”, Alfredo Rifugio also boasts a fine collection. Transmitting a couture-like aesthetic, the lightweight, 100% shearling, double-breasted overcoat is one to behold. A sumptuous cashmere Italian-made roll neck fits comfortably below and, unlike some of the more rugged '70s designs, like the one that Ryan O'Neal wore in Love Story, 1970, it has that more refined mobster guise.
Elsewhere, on the subject of hide-based apparel, offered in the upper echelons of craftsmanship is Cromford Leather Co. Trading from their inviting atelier at 56 Chiltern St., London, for decades they have been the go-to brand for outfitting secret agents and villains in Hollywood movies. In the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies, Sean Connery donned a striking brown jacket with distinction. In collaboration with Permanent Style for AW20, the timeless Crompton Peacoat in a bitter brown Merino shearling featuring generous lapels and, if cunningly paired, has the scope to perform in nearly any setting.


Cable Knit Scarf
Tartan, check and tweed cashmere scarves are steeped in Scottish history and have been adopted worldwide. They radiate confidence and add a touch of personality, whether you're stepping out of your office in Mayfair for a drink with colleagues at the Guinea Grill pub, 30 Bruton Place, in a navy three-piece suit, or strolling through Hyde Park on a Sunday in a classic Barbour waxed jacket.
However, there are occasions when one would like to be a touch more discreet, yet still emanate that subtle style aura. Often, the texture of a superior cable knit scarf is thick. Although this can create a slightly more voluptuous appearance, a finer cable knit also has its own merits. Crafted from a super-soft baby alpaca yarn blended with silk, the Patented Aran Alpaca Scarf is produced by Inis Meáin, who are based in the middle of the Aran Islands. It is available in consummate shades such as duck-egg blue and fuchsia red and, with a beautiful drape, it is a unique rendition of low-key sophistication.
From the rustic idyll of their iconic mill, Johnston’s of Elgin’s assortment of sustainable and quality scarves is unrivalled. The Donegal cashmere cable scarf is a lovely median of a thick to thin cable. However, should one wish to tone down the thickness a touch, the cable and rib cashmere scarf renditions are about as smooth a cable as one can find, and extremely versatile.


Derby Boot
Hosted by the 5-star Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges in the highly desirable ski resort of Courchevel 1850, one may have been lucky enough to encounter the mesmerising John Lobb pop-up at the foot of the legendary Bellecôte piste in 2022. There, people schussing down the slope could adjourn and witness a plethora of shoes made by the Hermes-owned bootmakers company John Lobb. One of those was a special edition of the iconic “Alder’ model. It was a shearling-lined rendition catering to the subzero temperatures underfoot.
However, reverting back to the original ‘Alder’ boot, which is in fact a version of the Balmoral derby boot, the bellows tongue keeps out water from the upper, while its notched storm welts offer protection from rain. Incorporating the signature lace hooks in a Palladium finish only enhances its already ornate appearance, which beautifully traverses from a ski resort to the environs of Pall Mall.
Equipped with Crockett & Jones’ distinguished cleated rubber sole for grip, antique brass eyelets give their dark brown rough-out suede Grizedale Derby boot an aura of panache. The Kerouac brown suede boot is the creation of a trio of swashbuckling characters, consisting of Sicilian brothers Sergio and Sebastiano along with their friend Alessandro, and under their brand Barbanera, it's hard to think of a Derby boot that better exposes and emanates pure counterculture with the very best Italian boot craftsmanship. Designed with laces that drop significantly along the upper for an authentic vintage look, the boot really does complement any well-made trousers.


Trilby Hat
It’s funny; as a whippersnapper messing around with compaderies, it was the trilby hat we were familiar with, and on occasion we would run off with one that your parents’ friend had left lying around after a drinks party. As one matures, knowledge of hat models broadens, and after watching gangster pictures such as Kiss of Death (1947), the Fedora hat becomes more recognisable.
Generally featuring a wider brim and encompassing a deeper indented crown, the fedora hat is usually worn to offer shade to the eyes and face, thus giving the wearer a spell of mystique. On the other hand, the trilby exhibits narrower brims, minimal indentation on the crown, and the back of the brim is often upturned. In comparison to the fedora, the trilby falls slightly lower on the smart spectrum.
One advantage of the trilby is that it does expose your facial features a touch more. And like Peter Sellers, who played Jacques Clouseau in A Shot in the Dark (1964), he wears a dark-brown felt, short-brimmed trilby, and it exposes his neat moustache with more clarity, and it allows bystanders to marvel at the details of his double-breasted 8x4 button trench coat with a full self-belt. For a more wintery look with a touch of business authority, the dark-grey, short-brimmed trilby with a grey-charcoal, heavy-rib, twill, knee-length Chesterfield coat and a discreet white dress scarf positioned beneath the coat lapels worn by Jean-Paul Belmondo in Stavisky (1933) is a fabulous city ensemble.
Now, one of the reasons for opting for the trilby ahead of the fedora this winter is that at Lock & Co. Hatters famed store at 6 St James’s St, London, there is offered the Fairbanks trilby named after the US actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. As is custom with London’s oldest hat shop, this trilby is crafted from beaver felt, a fabric that surpasses other trilbys in terms of warmth and is cosy to boot. Arriving in either brown, grey, or navy, if you're looking to add or join the hat-wearing community, it really is a foolproof winter selection. Designed with a double black ribbon and featuring a desirable silk lining, the black trilby produced by the Italian-based artisan Cappellificio Biellese 1935 would last a lifetime.

