Anderson & Sheppard's Very British Summer
This August, we're going to be bathing in the warm glow that is Anderson & Sheppard's linen-rich spring/summer collection.
As I write this with my back firmly pressed against the AC unit in The Rake office, wondering whether or not I should duck out for some lunch in what is an unconscionably hot 39°C outside, I'm reminded of Noel Coward's lyrics: "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday day sun." It seems that despite being effete of skin, us Brits believe ourselves to be impervious to the radioactivity dousing us from high above. Either that or we're just mental. We have a love/hate relationship with the great burning orb in the sky. We complain for the best part of 9 months, during which it teases us behind a curtain of grey clouds or simply disappears altogether, but when it does finally make an appearance it's invariably too hot or not hot enough. Situations of the former however provide much longed-after opportunity to display our fortitude under burning duress. We wear our medal proudly: one enormous glowing pink rosette of flash-fried flesh. Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the solar rays!
Well, no... no we don't, but when it comes to dressing for tropical climes, some of us Brits make a very good fist of it, none more so than Anderson & Sheppard. Clifford Street's bespoke tailor and haberdashery perennially reveals a beautifully functional Spring/Summer collection and this season's is no different. All the classic A&S styles are there, from the flat-fronted trousers to the more ruggedly elegant Ghurka-inspired shorts and flat-front linen beach shorts. There's also some exceptional linen shirts in a range of summer pastels, crisp white and blue, many of which come in a variety of collars, from the classic spread to the grandad style. Wherever you're going this August, we can confirm that Anderson & Sheppard makes for a terrific travelling companion.
