C.W. Dixey & Son of London have been crafting exquisite eyewear for a discriminating and sophisticated clientele since 1777. Founded by William Fraser, the family proudly served as optician to the King or Queen of England. But it wasn’t without its hardships. Despite its resilience throughout recessions, depressions, and wars, dishonesty from within has almost bankrupted the company on several occasions (e.g. an assistant, Mr. Grice, used the premises as a gambling den in the early 1800s). It comes as no wonder their motto is ‘vide verum’—see the truth...
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Collector.
Stylist.
Creative director.
Interior designer.
Photographer.
Visual merchandiser.
Artist.
And that's not even the half of him...and by him we mean the slender figure of a dark man who goes by "Ali." Very few people know his real name and even less are allowed to share it. We're in the latter somehow...and it's taken us a year to get there. Despite his expansive aptitude, ask him what he's good at and he'll blurt out "football"—like it's a reflex. Running back, punt returner, wide receiver, free safety...
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Jean René Lacoste was famous not only for his considerate achievements on the court, but off. The Frenchman found traditional tennis attire too bulky, stiff, and completely uncomfortable for the court. He embarked on a mission to create the ideal shirt for the game in white loosely knit piqué cotton. Ironically, the true brilliance was the small, green smiling alligator stitched on the left breast. What began as a joke from a ridiculous nickname* would soon become one of the world’s most recognized prep fashion logos of all time...
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George Vlagos is meticulously running the pads of his fingers over tanned hides in cherry, black, tan, and navy. Eyes closed, arms outstretched, the buttery soft surface is music to his hands. It's Chromexcel®, or CXL as it’s written in the five story Horween® building. A combination tanned leather that undergoes 89 separate processes stretching over a month, the formula has been around for over a century and arguably produces some of the world’s best leather today. Vlagos takes the navy.
Some fifteen years ago, in a Chicago cobbler shop, a pubescent George Vlagos sat under the skilled hands of his father during Christmas, spring, and summer breaks. It was an attempt to show his son that working with your hands was difficult. Vlagos’s father, a Greek immigrant, wished an education for his son. It backfired...
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