CEO of bespoke London shoe-maker George Cleverley talks to Robb Report

The CEO of George Cleverley on shoemaking for the stars and the changing face of luxury

By Nick Scott 31/10/2018

Having moved to Hollywood in 2006, in order to service that primary nexus of the American film industry, George Glasgow Jr – CEO and Creative Director of London’s finest bespoke shoemaker George Cleverley – now divides his time between London and Los Angeles. As eternally affable as he is debonair and dapper, Glasgow is also unfailingly zealous when it comes to the family business and its extraordinary craft.

Has there been any major catalyst moment in your career path?

Yes – about 11 years ago. I was living in London, and I noticed something odd: that when it came to America – whether it was bespoke tailoring, banking, whatever – everyone was focussing on New York. I couldn’t understand why LA and San Francisco didn’t get the same love from all these brands and organisations. A friend of mine Michael Chow, of Mr Chow restaurants fame, had mentioned to me and my father that his LA outlet remains his most successful, profitable restaurant.

So I took the plunge and decided to go out to Los Angeles. At the time there was no Berluti, no John Lobb – and yet there is so much money there, and so many stylish people. Our client base doubled almost instantly. We’re now working with Dwayne Johnson, with my friend Jason Statham, and we’re working with Kenneth Branagh, designing an entirely new collection for Murder On The Orient Express. We’re also collaborating with the new Kingsman movie.

Did American operations expand from there?

Yes. Once we’d picked up some stuff in LA, we went up to San Francisco, and we’ve now got people like Tim Cook and Jony Ive at Apple, and we’ve got a lot of directors at Google. It was the moment I moved to California that I realised I was onto something. It’s just such an amazing luxury market. Now, a lot of brands have gone there and opened up.


Cleverley’s Churchill II shoe in black calf
Photo: Courtesy of George Cleverly

Did the move to US – and the West Coast in particular – impact Cleverley’s creative credentials?

Absolutely. We now make more Chelsea Boots, more loafers, dress shoes, slip-on boots – it doesn’t have to be black calf-skin Oxfords; it can be brown suede chukka boots, lizard-skin loafers, unlined suede loafers. It can be a whole variety of things, and California – particularly Los Angeles – is one of the biggest economies in the world and was, when we moved there, an as-yet untapped market. So that turned out to set everything in place, both as a company and for me as an individual.

Has the nature of luxury changed?

Massively. People used to see the word “luxury” as being synonymous with “expensive”, whereas over the last four to five years it’s become the case that an expensive price tag alone does not denote luxury. To my mind, nothing mass-produced can be deemed luxury, whatever the price tag. Made by hand, by craftsmen, in small quantities, harder to find, unique – that’s the new luxury. A business like Patek Phillipe is, as a business, so, so strong because of how they keep something like the 5711 unique and rare – they don’t flood the market.

Things being made for longevity is also important: it’s not enough to “break shoes in” – they should become like your old friends. When you’ve had a pair a long time that are so comfortable, you’re so used to them, you should hate the idea of ever parting with them.


Jason Statham, wearing Cleverley bespoke shoes, talks to director David Leitch on the set of forthcoming action movie Hobbs & Shaw

In what situations do you get your best creative ideas?

I find that I get my best ideas when I’m working out, or doing a spin class. Even when it came to the speech for my recent wedding, I put it together entirely – including rehearsals – during spin classes. It’s the same with work: whenever I’m thinking about a new trip, a new trunk show, a new talk, a new style, a new range, I don’t know why but I find that going for it on the bike makes ideas pop into my head – to the point where I can’t wait for the class to finish so I can jot down everything I’ve been thinking about.

What are the common misunderstandings about bespoke shoemaking?

These shoes take nearly 100 man hours to make, with five different highly-skilled craftsmen involved. Particularly in the modern era when everyone wants everything in ten minutes, it can be hard to explain that they’re not made by machine – they’re made by hand. The drying out process alone takes a week – there are English and Italian factories (I won’t name them) who dry out a shoe, after its making, in the space of 15 seconds. It takes us a week, because we leave each shoe to dry in its natural environment.

This makes the stitches more robust; it allows the shoe to mould around the last in the correct way at its own pace. Intense heat for the sake of getting it done so that you can shove the next shoe onto the last just isn’t conducive to durability, to quality.

Has the Hollywood involvement boosted Cleverley’s profile?

In a big way. Cleverley has a historical relationship with Hollywood – we made shoes for Humphrey Bogart, Carey Grant, Fred Astaire. A lot of luxury brands pride themselves on their past, and we’re fortunate to have an incredible past, but probably a better present and future because of the people we’re attracting. The Tinseltown connection started off with mostly English guys such as Jason, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth. Then, organically, it grew – Jason bought Silvester Stallone in seven or eight years ago, and he’s now probably our biggest and best customer in Hollywood.

Is the Hollywood contingent more ‘outré’ when creating footwear with you?

When people think of Hollywood they think Oxford brogues and so on, but we’re getting requests for stuff like suede boots in oxblood calf – all sorts of combinations. These are guys who, when they’re jumping out of aeroplanes, want to jump out of aeroplanes looking good. Then you get things like Kingsman – a secret service, double-o agent kind of aesthetic and so on – and those guys want to look sophisticatedly British.

Do the creative forces in the costume departments appreciate the time-frames required with bespoke shoes?

Increasingly. The guys working on Kingsman: The Secret Service started preparing wardrobe nine months before the movie started shooting. The costume designers are now well-educated in the bespoke/handmade world and know the process has to start early. It’s wonderful that we’re getting actors like Kenneth Branagh now starting to say: “I want to wear Cleverley in this.” We’re always confident we can create and deliver the look they want – we just need ample time for preparation. Which is good on both sides.

Why are actors so keen to wear stunning foot-wear on-screen?

Some actors do a huge amount of research into their characters and how they want them perceived. They’ll look at hundreds of different styles and put together a look they feel is appropriate for thatcharacter, thatmovie. Daniel Day-Lewis came in a year-and-a-half before he began filming Phantom Thread to start preparing his look, and brought along the director Paul Thomas Anderson and the costume designer Mark Bridges – 18 months before filming! We sat down and examined looks, styles, how things could be made, how they would look and fit. we worked with Sir Daniel Day-Lewis on Phantom Thread making all of his shoes for the film – in which my father George Glasgow Sr, the company chairman, incidentally, played Day-Lewis’s character’s advisor.

Does all this diligence come across in the final cut?

It won Oscar for Best Costume Design – how can that be surprising given how much work they did, how much effort they put up front, and how the costume harmonises with the whole look of the film, the Bristol car and so on? You just think, “Well, is he putting in the same attention to detail with kitchens that appear in the movie? With the bed linen? How far do these guys go?” And then you see the fruits of all this meticulous effort on the big screen, and… Well…

What’s the most outlandish commission you’ve been approached with?

One guy, a non-celebrity client, asked us to make an empty compartment within a removeable heel that clicked into place – which we obviously refused to do. We made a shoe with a quick-release spring making a knife pop out of it for the first Kingsman movie. And we also made a pair of red alligator-skin clogs for a chef in San Francisco – he strolls around the kitchen in those while preparing filet mignon, and they’re his pride and joy.

What are your favourite luxury items?

Shoes and watches are timeless and can be passed down the generations. One customer told my father that one of this pairs of shoes had lasted longer than three of his marriages. Certain brands and styles of wristwatches are iconic and timeless – the likes of Rolex and Patek Phillipe, whilst they bring out new versions and new models, icons like the Nautilus go back years: colours and other details might change but the styles, as with my shoes, remain basically the same.

Other personal favourites for me are cufflinks – I don’t have many but those I do own are important to me: notably a pair of 18-carat boxing glove ones given to me by Sylvester Stallone; I got married last week, and my wife gave me another pair from Boodles – hand-carved and engraved with the date – so they’re obviously previous to me too. I also have a pair from Harry Winston with moving dials on them.

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Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith

The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.

By Josh Bozin 02/05/2024

Over the last few years, watch pundits have predicted the return of the eccentric TAG Heuer Formula 1, in some shape or form. It was all but confirmed when TAG Heuer’s heritage director, Nicholas Biebuyck, teased a slew of vintage models on his Instagram account in the aftermath of last year’s Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. And when speaking with Frédéric Arnault at last year’s trade fair, the former CEO asked me directly if the brand were to relaunch its legacy Formula 1 collection, loved by collectors globally, how should they go about it?

My answer to the baited entreaty definitely didn’t mention a collaboration with Ronnie Fieg of Kith, one of the world’s biggest streetwear fashion labels. Still, here we are: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is officially back and as colourful as ever.

As the watch industry enters its hype era—in recent years, we’ve seen MoonSwatches, Scuba Fifty Fathoms, and John Mayer G-Shocks—the new Formula 1 x Kith collaboration might be the coolest yet. 

TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer

Here’s the lowdown: overnight, TAG Heuer, together with Kith, took to socials to unveil a special, limited-edition collection of Formula 1 timepieces, inspired by the original collection from the 1980s. There are 10 new watches, all limited, with some designed on a stainless steel bracelet and some on an upgraded rubber strap; both options nod to the originals.

Seven are exclusive to Kith and its global stores (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Tokyo, Toronto, and Paris, to be specific), and are made in an abundance of colours. Two are exclusive to TAG Heuer; and one is “shared” between TAG Heuer and Kith—this is a highlight of the collection, in our opinion. A faithful play on the original composite quartz watch from 1986, this model, limited to just 1,350 pieces globally, features the classic black bezel with red accents, a stainless steel bracelet, and that creamy eggshell dial, in all of its vintage-inspired glory. There’s no doubt that this particular model will present as pure nostalgia for those old enough to remember when the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 made its debut. 

TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer

Of course, throughout the collection, Fieg’s design cues are punctuated: the “TAG” is replaced with “Kith,” forming a contentious new brand name for this specific release, as well as Kith’s slogan, “Just Us.”

Collectors and purists alike will appreciate the dedication to the original Formula 1 collection: features like the 35mm Arnite cases—sourced from the original 80s-era supplier—the form hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie, are all welcomed design specs that make this collaboration so great. 

Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith timepiece will be presented in an eye-catching box that complements the fun and colour theme of Formula 1 but drives home the premium status of this collaboration. On that note, at $2,200 a piece, this isn’t exactly an approachable quartz watch but reflects the exclusive nature of Fieg’s Kith brand and the pieces he designs (largely limited-edition). 

TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer

So, what do we think? It’s important not to understate the significance of the arrival of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 1986, in what would prove integral in setting up the brand for success throughout the 90’s—it was the very first watch collection to have “TAG Heuer” branding, after all—but also in helping to establish a new generation of watch consumer. Like Fieg, many millennial enthusiasts will recall their sentimental ties with the Formula 1, often their first timepiece in their horological journey.  

This is as faithful of a reissue as we’ll get from TAG Heuer right now, and budding watch fans should be pleased with the result. To TAG Heuer’s credit, a great deal of research has gone into perfecting and replicating this iconic collection’s proportions, materials, and aesthetic for the modern-day consumer. Sure, it would have been nice to see a full lume dial, a distinguishing feature on some of the original pieces—why this wasn’t done is lost on me—and perhaps a more approachable price point, but there’s no doubt these will become an instant hit in the days to come. 

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith collection will be available on Friday, May 3rd, exclusively in-store at select TAG Heuer and Kith locations in Miami, and available starting Monday, May 6th, at select TAG Heuer boutiques, all Kith shops, and online at Kith.com. To see the full collection, visit tagheuer.com

 

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8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin

The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.

By Bob Sorokanich 01/05/2024

Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.

Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.

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What Venice’s New Tourist Tax Means for Your Next Trip

The Italian city will now charge visitors an entry fee during peak season. 

By Abby Montanez 01/05/2024

Visiting the Floating City just got a bit more expensive.

Venice is officially the first metropolis in the world to start implementing a day-trip fee in an effort to help the Italian hot spot combat overtourism during peak season, The Associated Press reported. The new program, which went into effect, requires travellers to cough up roughly €5 (about $AUD8.50) per person before they can explore the city’s canals and historic sites. Back in January, Venice also announced that starting in June, it would cap the size of tourist groups to 25 people and prohibit loudspeakers in the city centre and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’ Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official, told AP News. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”

During this trial phase, the fee only applies to the 29 days deemed the busiest—between April 25 and July 14—and tickets will remain valid from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors under 14 years of age will be allowed in free of charge in addition to guests with hotel reservations. However, the latter must apply online beforehand to request an exemption. Day-trippers can also pre-pay for tickets online via the city’s official tourism site or snap them up in person at the Santa Lucia train station.

“With courage and great humility, we are introducing this system because we want to give a future to Venice and leave this heritage of humanity to future generations,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the city’s much-talked-about entry fee.

Despite the mayor’s backing, it’s apparent that residents weren’t totally pleased with the program. The regulation led to protests and riots outside of the train station, The Independent reported. “We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop overtourism,” resident Cristina Romieri told the outlet. “Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it.”

While Venice is the first city to carry out the new day-tripper fee, several other European locales have introduced or raised tourist taxes to fend off large crowds and boost the local economy. Most recently, Barcelona increased its city-wide tourist tax. Similarly, you’ll have to pay an extra “climate crisis resilience” tax if you plan on visiting Greece that will fund the country’s disaster recovery projects.

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Omega Reveals a New Speedmaster Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics

Your first look at the new Speedmaster Chronoscope, designed in the colour theme of the Paris Olympics.

By Josh Bozin 26/04/2024

The starters are on the blocks, and with less than 100 days to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega was bound to release something spectacular to mark its bragging rights as the official timekeeper for the Summer Games. Enter the new 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope, available in new colourways—gold, black, and white—in line with the colour theme of the Olympic Games in Paris this July.

So, what do we get in this nicely-wrapped, Olympics-inspired package? Technically, there are four new podium-worthy iterations of the iconic Speedmaster.

Omega

The new versions present handsomely in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine Gold—the brand’s proprietary yellow gold known for its enduring shine. The steel version has an anodised aluminium bezel and a stainless steel bracelet or vintage-inspired perforated leather strap. The Moonshine Gold iteration boasts a ceramic bezel; it will most likely appease Speedy collectors, particularly those with an affinity for Omega’s long-standing role as stewards of the Olympic Games.

Notably, each watch bears an attractive white opaline dial; the background to three dark grey timing scales in a 1940s “snail” design. Of course, this Speedmaster Chronoscope is special in its own right. For the most part, the overall look of the Speedmaster has remained true to its 1957 origins. This Speedmaster, however, adopts Omega’s Chronoscope design from 2021, including the storied tachymeter scale, along with a telemeter, and pulsometer scale—essentially, three different measurements on the wrist.

While the technical nature of this timepiece won’t interest some, others will revel in its theatrics. Turn over each timepiece, and instead of a transparent crystal caseback, there is a stamped medallion featuring a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with “Paris 2024” and the Olympic Rings—a subtle nod to this year’s games.

Powering this Olympiad offering—and ensuring the greatest level of accuracy—is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 and 9909, certified by METAS.

Omega

A Speedmaster to commemorate the Olympic Games was as sure a bet as Mondo Deplantis winning gold in the men’s pole vault—especially after Omega revealed its Olympic-edition Seamaster Diver 300m “Paris 2024” last year—but they delivered a great addition to the legacy collection, without gimmickry.

However, the all-gold Speedmaster is 85K at the top end of the scale, which is a lot of money for a watch of this stature. By comparison, the immaculate Speedmaster Moonshine gold with a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial is 15K cheaper, albeit without the Chronoscope complications.

The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in stainless steel with a leather strap is priced at $15,725; stainless steel with steel bracelet at $16,275; 18k Moonshine Gold on leather strap $54,325; and 18k Moonshine Gold with matching gold bracelet $85,350, available at Omega boutiques now.

Discover the collection here

 

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Here’s What Goes Into Making Jay-Z’s $1,800 Champagne

We put Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 under the microsope.

By Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen 23/04/2024

In our quest to locate the most exclusive and exciting wines for our readers, we usually ask the question, “How many bottles of this were made?” Often, we get a general response based on an annual average, although many Champagne houses simply respond, “We do not wish to communicate our quantities.” As far as we’re concerned, that’s pretty much like pleading the Fifth on the witness stand; yes, you’re not incriminating yourself, but anyone paying attention knows you’re probably guilty of something. In the case of some Champagne houses, that something is making a whole lot of bottles—millions of them—while creating an illusion of rarity.

We received the exact opposite reply regarding Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4. Yasmin Allen, the company’s president and CEO, told us only 7,328 bottles would be released of this Pinot Noir offering. It’s good to know that with a sticker price of around $1,800, it’s highly limited, but it still makes one wonder what’s so exceptional about it.

Known by its nickname, Ace of Spades, for its distinctive and decorative metallic packaging, Armand de Brignac is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and Jay-Z and is produced by Champagne Cattier. Each bottle of Assemblage No. 4 is numbered; a small plate on the back reads “Assemblage Four, [X,XXX]/7,328, Disgorged: 20 April, 2023.” Prior to disgorgement, it spent seven years in the bottle on lees after primary fermentation mostly in stainless steel with a small amount in concrete. That’s the longest of the house’s Champagnes spent on the lees, but Allen says the winemaking team tasted along the way and would have disgorged earlier than planned if they’d felt the time was right.

Chef de cave, Alexandre Cattier, says the wine is sourced from some of the best Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noir–producing villages in the Champagne region, including Chigny-les-Roses, Verzenay, Rilly-la-Montagne, Verzy, Ludes, Mailly-Champagne, and Ville-sur-Arce in the Aube département. This is considered a multi-vintage expression, using wine from a consecutive trio of vintages—2013, 2014, and 2015—to create an “intense and rich” blend. Seventy percent of the offering is from 2015 (hailed as one of the finest vintages in recent memory), with 15 percent each from the other two years.

This precisely crafted Champagne uses only the tête de cuvée juice, a highly selective extraction process. As Allen points out, “the winemakers solely take the first and freshest portion of the gentle cuvée grape press,” which assures that the finished wine will be the highest quality.  Armand de Brignac used grapes from various sites and three different vintages so the final product would reflect the house signature style. This is the fourth release in a series that began with Assemblage No. 1. “Testing different levels of intensity of aromas with the balance of red and dark fruits has been a guiding principle between the Blanc de Noirs that followed,” Allen explains.

The CEO recommends allowing the Assemblage No. 4 to linger in your glass for a while, telling us, “Your palette will go on a journey, evolving from one incredible aroma to the next as the wine warms in your glass where it will open up to an extraordinary length.” We found it to have a gorgeous bouquet of raspberry and Mission fig with hints of river rock; as it opened, notes of toasted almond and just-baked brioche became noticeable. With striking acidity and a vein of minerality, it has luscious nectarine, passion fruit, candied orange peel, and red plum flavors with touches of beeswax and a whiff of baking spices on the enduring finish. We enjoyed our bottle with a roast chicken rubbed with butter and herbes de Provence and savored the final, extremely rare sip with a bit of Stilton. Unfortunately, the pairing possibilities are not infinite with this release; there are only 7,327 more ways to enjoy yours.

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