THE INDIAN TRADE BLANKET

Let’s begin at the beginning – what is an Indian trade blanket? Indian trade blankets are commercially woven wool blankets with striking geometric patterns. Trade blankets have long been an integral part of Native American culture. They’re used for clothing, bedding, warmth, ceremonial dances and gifts for important occasions.

The original Indian trade blankets were the multi-striped point blankets imported by the Hudson’s Bay Company from English woolen mills. From 1780 to 1890 the point blanket was a staple in every fur trader’s inventory and thousands upon thousands found their way into indigenous hands.

However, another weaving tradition began in the 18th century. The Navajo tribe of the American Southwest wove sheep’s wool into classic wearing blankets that became coveted trade items.

When the Indian Wars ended in 1890 the reservation system began. With all the tribes now wards of the United States government, federally licensed Indian trading posts were established. The Indian traders promptly invented a new textile – the Navajo rug. It was a much heavier textile than the traditional Navajo wearing blanket and designed specifically for the floors of non-Indian homes. The designs were based on the Oriental rugs popular in the eastern United States. From that time forward the Navajo ceased making wearing blankets and wove only rugs for sale through the white traders.

With the Navajos now exclusively weaving rugs, commercial woolen mill operators saw an opportunity to sell their machine-made blankets to the Indians and the result was Indians selling rugs to whites and whites selling Indian blankets to Native Americans – a practice that continues to this day. For over a hundred and ten years Indian blankets have been made for Indians, not by them!

Indian trade blankets are often referred to generically as Pendleton blankets. While Pendleton is the only pioneer Indian blanket manufacturer still in existence, there were many companies that made Indian blankets.

 If you want to know more about these beautiful blankets Barry Friedman (who wrote the above mentioned text) published 2 great books about these wool blankets called Chasing Rainbows and Still Chasing Rainbows another great book is called Language of the Robe written by Kapoun & Lohrmann.

IT'S A WRAP

Grey skies, changing leaves and descending temperatures are often not things you look forward to as. But there is a bright side, and that bright side is the scarf or shawl. For such a simple item, it can have a real transformative effect on your outfit  - and your warmth.

Ancient Rome is one of the many origins of the scarf, where the garment was used to keep clean rather than warm. It was called the sudarium, which translates to English as "sweat cloth", and was used to wipe the sweat from the neck and face in hot weather. They were originally worn by men around their neck or tied to their belt. 

Historians believe that during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Cheng, scarves made of cloth were used to identify officers or the rank of Chinese warriors.

In later times, scarves were also worn by soldiers of all ranks in Croatia around the 17th century. The only difference in the soldiers' scarves that designated a difference in rank was that the officers had silk scarves whilst the other ranks were issued with cotton scarves. Some of the Croatian soldiers served as mercenaries with the French forces. The men's scarves were sometimes referred to as "cravats" (from the French cravate, meaning "Croat"), and were the precursor of the necktie.

REFRIGIWEAR - FROM THE WAREHOUSES TO THE STREETS

Original Parka

Hickory Jacket

High Blunt Jacket

Giant Jacket

Luxury Sheer Jacket

The story of Refrigiwear begins in 1954, year of its foundation in industrial contexts of the Meatpacking District of New York. In those years, the working-class neighborhood just steps from the Financial District was known for its many packing centers within large cold storage environments in which working conditions are shown to be particularly uncomfortable because of the very low temperatures.

In addition to the brand’s original market, RefrigiWear had become popular with campers, hunters and sportsmen. It was used in the “Dustin Trans-Polar Flight” around the world in commemoration of Rear Admiral Richard Byrd. After extensive testing, the RefrigiWear 50Suit was selected as standard basic clothing requirement. RefrigiWear was also used in the Yukon Quest, the annual 1600Km Canadian-Alaskan dogsled trek. Nowadays you still can find the Refrigiwear collection in those cold storages as workwear, but the Italians made a very fashionable brand of it for everyday use as you can see in the pics above. I personally love the Luxury Sheer Jacket.

GET YOURSELF IN-TUX-ICATED

Well the year is getting to the Holiday Season so it's time to think about what kind of tuxedo we will be wearing during the coming parties. Will it be one of the rack from for example Suitsupply or do we need the time we have left for a made to measure. Don't hesitate to long decide in time, otherwise you will raise your glass in your 501's instead off looking like Bond.....James Bond.

TAGLIATORE FALL/WINTER 2016 LOOKBOOK

Tagliatore is a brand born from the family tradition of Pino Lerario the creative mind behind the brand. The sketch of a jacket as a starting point to grow and develop creative ideas: soft and linear shapes, great wearability, research and details enhancement, revers, shoulder and sleeves are the main characteristics of Tagliatore items. 

 Made in Italy is among the cornerstones of Tagliatore’s philosophy: the company produces 90% of its collections internally in its factory in Martina Franca, which employs 185 people and where 340 outerwear pieces are made every day. But it also relies on a series of small companies and laboratories in the surrounding area to which it entrusts the production of some products -- pants, for example -- and special workmanship.