Once Upon a Time in New York (part II)

Lady C in Bedlam's cape and cap on Fifth Avenue at 57th, a lucky spot for us - Happy Year of the Snake to all

I am writing this on the trusty old lap top while our big computer undergoes major surgery at the Apple store. They are keeping it in after a dramatic hard drive transplant. Outside the snow is falling on London again while our boiler, having worked for the first day in a month, has decided that it prefers a life of ease and retired itself from service once more. Of course we render ourselves more psychologically than physically hostage to modern mechanical accoutrements. Yesterday we rode the Number 59 bus to pay a research visit to the most marvelous British Library. There on display was a manuscript for one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" stories, transcribed in a neat hand in his note book. The dissemination of his stories was not held back by lack of binary code. So if you would like to supply your name and postal address I shall perhaps take to sending postcards from our travels and we can burn the computers for warmth.

But back to the account of our adventures in New York City. Having done a reccie round the Village on Sunday, Team Bedlam returned on Monday afternoon to progress through the streets in character. We went to present to Michael, the buyer-boss of Hotoveli. This boutique, on West Fourth Street, specialises in "hand picked European fashions". The vibe is cool and dark but the welcome warm and friendly.  http://hotoveli.com/ 

Ingmar, Redboy and Mr Wesley on the way to Hotoveli

Once Upon a Time in New York City

Michael, owner-buyer of Hotoveli with Mr Wesley in the Bumble Bee jacket and Redboy in the Tectonic Suit

Ingmar with Michael wearing the "New York via the Lambeth Walk Pearly Newsboy Cap

Michael is coming to London at the beginning of March and we look forward to welcoming him to the studio. If we can do certain pieces for him in a way that fits with his store's character then we would be more than willing to do that  - doing a piece in black never hurt a sales sheet.

The next day we went to introduce ourselves to HMS International Fabrics, parent company of Huddersfield Fine Worsteds (without whose support, you will remember, we could not have made the collection let alone such a fine one!) http://www.hmsfabrics.com/
The snow was still substantial out in Connecticut and the legendary lady we were scheduled to meet, Blanche, was still digging out her house. Stepping in to greet us was Vice President Edwin Nazario and he confessed he had not known at all what to expect. Ingmar, Mr Wesley and I trundled in with the giant red suit case. His delight at what we showed him was a shot of neat confidence - here is a gentleman who knows his core values when it comes to cloth and can differentiate dodgy from distinguished tailoring at a block's distance. He has worked with Armani, Versace and a host of household names. He taught us that in the USA one refers to a "Surgeon" cuff for a working cuff - so that doctors could set to work without getting gore on their sleeves. It seemed that he genuinely dug our stuff and his admiration for the workmanship was a true tingling thrill - we hope we know it, but it's always nice to have it recognised! He tried on various pieces before saying that when ever we were in town we could us their office as our base. So Earl of Bedlam will be happy to meet potential clients in the beautiful Crown Building across the street from Tiffanys at "the crossroads of fashion", Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. What an utter honour.

Mr Nazario in the Tectonic jacket

In the "Mr Harrop" waistcoat named for his British colleague

Admiring "Mr Willis"

In the corduroy suit now and henceforth known as the "Edwin"

Edwin and Mark looking over fabrics (and an opportunity to admire the leather cinch back on the "Arthur" trousers)

Joe cutting some swatches for our friend Chris Capone, grandson of Al

Afterwards we went across the road for a bite in the bar at the Trump Tower and can now add Arnie the barman there as one of our favourite characters. We have been using a sledge hammer to chisel away at Ingmar's reluctance to broadcast his family name by fanfaring it with vicarious pride. When we told Arnie, he revealed his mother's family name was also "Patton" and announced, many times, that Ingmar's great grandfather "saved the world! Young man, he saved the world."

Ingmar with Mr Wesley and Arnie, a Patton on his mother's side, Maitre du Bar at Trump Tower

Mr Wesley and I both dressed in Bedlam pieces so that we might solicit sidewalk enquiries - of which there were many - regarding the provenance of our fine threads. A Frenchman with whom we rode the elevator asked who made our lovely clothes and we duly handed him a card. "You are a feast for the eyes!" he proclaimed. Well merci beaucoup.

In the midst of all this activity I was trying to co-ordinate with the legend that is Cameron Silver so that he might pass his connoisseur's eye over the collection. His store on Melrose is deservedly the premier vintage emporium du monde and he has recently published a most beautiful and characteristically witty book celebrating ten decades of enduring, endlessly inspiring fashion. http://www.decadesinc.com/main.shtml
Included by Time Magazine in their "Twenty-Five Most Influential People in Fashion" and, more importantly, a great and generous friend first met in Los Angeles, he managed to shake off his entourage and go off-schedule for half an hour to see us. He asked where we were showing, perhaps expecting "The Lincoln Centre" or "The Presidential Suite at the Carlisle" but both of those would have been a lie. Factoring in the geography of Cameron's itinerary I had a long shot light bulb moment. I called my honorary NY sis, the artist Georgia Bush and enquired if by any chance she was home and fancied hosting a trunk show. The energy and enthusiasm for which she is renowned and adored flowed without a breath of pause - "Of course! Come over! I'll open a bottle of wine, put out some cheese, do you need this, that, the other? What else can I do?"
Quelle amie!
It took us a while to hail a cab and as our driver weaved through tortuous traffic before hitting a clear streak on Seventh Ave I hardly dared look round for fear of seeing Cameron in the car behind us. We grabbed one of the fancy luggage rails from Georgia's lobby and got the clothes on it in double quick time moments before the concierge rang the apartment to announce a guest was on his way up. Here Cameron is asked about his new TV show "Dukes of Melrose" about to air in the USA:

http://la.racked.com/archives/2012/05/21/cameron_silver_on_his_new_show_his_favorite_suit_la_fashion.php

Cameron Silver tries the "Tectonic" jacket

He likes!

Cameron in the cap henceforth and forever on now known as the "Cameron" with Lady C wearing hers along with the "Megan" jacket

Soon enough Cameron had to scoot off to his next appointment but before he had even left the building had sent an email to GQ magazine exhorting them to see us. Georgia had a little try on herself and with her fabulously fit figure looked catwalk ready in the Franzipants. Then we posed in front of one of her own creations, and you should check out more of her art http://georgiabush.com/

Hudson, Georgia, Mr Wesley and Ingmar in front of Bedlam's favourite canvas by our beautiful artist-hostess

In the evening, at Cameron's invitation we went to Soho House for a party to promote the release of "Versailles '73 - a fashion Revolution" http://www.versailles73movie.com/ We weren't exactly the life and soul of the event as fatigue and the peculiar sushi dinner we had before arriving gone done for our brio. Mr Wesley and I left Helen and Ingmar to represent Bedlam's interests and hailed a pumpkin home. Cameron was back to LA the next morning to attend the grand opening of the Tommy Hilfiger flagship store. And OMG guess what he wore?! You are our Pearly King Cameron. Catch him later tonight commenting on the Oscar gowns and gaffes. 

Cameron in Earl of Bedlam's "Cameron" cap

I was hoping a second installment would wrap our foray to America but it seems it will require a trio of dispatches. Best endeavours will be made to post that promptly. For now, good night. Bedlam hopes Daniel Day Lewis wins Best Actor during its course. He wrote me a charming and considered letter in reply to my own when I was seventeen or thereabouts so for that, and his formidable talent, I shall cheer for him. Hopefully Cameron will approve of his suit.