Bulletin Board 20

Falling for the Marbella Club, James Perkins' uniform, and a nightshirt obsession

ESSENTIALS

As a part of my collaboration with Budd shirtmakers we made pajamas out of the Thomas Mason green cocktail (martini) stripe. The jammies were a classic design consisting of the standard button up shirt and pull on pants. And there was also a nightshirt–a standard offering for Budd. At first, I was like, who the hell wears a nightshirt nowadays? It’s such a tough sell — basically a sleeping garment from a different century. Honestly it hung in my closet for the longest time. I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do with or if I ever was going to really wear it until I decided to pack it for my stay at the Buchinger Wilhelmi clinic in Marbella.  I figured I might actually wear it there as it was going to be a little bit warmer in Spain in January, which is when we usually go to their German clinic, and usually requires a flannel affair. 

To my surprise, I found myself wearing it pretty much nonstop for the entire week—to sleep, to the spa, to make tea in the morning, and just to lounge around in. First of all, the fabric is soft and the design is terrific. You just kind of throw it on, you don’t have to pull on any pants, and it has a breast and side pockets–super practical and comfortable. 

I never liked sleeping in full pajamas. I don't like the fit of a tight pajama bottom, which is nice for lounging but not for sleeping, and I simply don’t want to wear pants to bed. But I did take afternoon naps in the nightshirt, and unlike in pajamas, enjoyed total freedom with my legs. 

I’d also wear one of these in a second on holiday—moving out of the swim trunks and into the nightshirt for evening cocktails. What's so great is that it functions just like one of those garments you might bring back from Egypt or Morocco, but unlike those, it's not like a location purchase, which I love in the moment, but make me feel like I’m wearing a costume once I’m back home. This has the polish of a shirt but the comfort of a pajama, although when you first put it on, you may feel a little bit like Ebenezer Scrooge.

CHECKING IN

I’d always heard great things about the Marbella Club — opened in 1954 with 20 bedrooms and a bar in the middle of an old farmhouse — from my friend Nicholas Foulkes, who’s written the definitive book on the place and still frequents it. I had great expectations because of its history and the Slim Aarons photos I’d seen, and Yolanda and I were finally able to stay there on our way to the clinic last month. 

All I can say is, 24 hours was not enough. The first thing we noticed after our 45-minute drive from Marbella airport was just how human the scale was, especially compared with the rest of the Costa del Sol, which has become so built up and synonymous with that Sexy Beast, sunburned Brit on holiday vibe. Even in Marbella, you see how unbelievably overly developed that coastline is, but then you get to the Marbella Club and it’s this beautiful, rambling place full of Spanish terracotta, tile-roof buildings, and local sub-tropical landscaping perched on the sea – and suddenly you’re in your own universe.

At a time when the word ‘resort’ feels kind of taboo, this is actually the original, intimate resort— think Il Pellicano—and has always attracted a similar crowd. When rich and famous people wanted to go on vacation and just be in a quiet fishing village, which Marbella was back then, this was the place. Because they haven’t messed with the scale of the place, it was easy to pretend I was one of those 1950s pics in Nick’s book. When the restaurant dress code said formal, I wore black tie (I just happened to have one on hand!), even if what they really meant was no jeans or t-shirts.  Even with renovations and updates, it feels caught in time in the best way–all the design reinforces the glamour of its jet-set heyday, but for today’s traveler. The landscape has that lush overgrown feeling that only comes with having been there for decades. Nothing feels new or fake.

They have an amazing cocktail history too. Nick’s book talks about people drinking Bullshots at the pool, and they're famous for what's called the Sau Sau, which is kind of like a Vodka Mojito. They also have an amazing barbershop that both of us went back to get our hair cut, because we liked the look of it so much. (I couldn’t go back for the cocktails, because of being on the fasting program!) 

And to be clear, even though it’s right there, you aren’t coming here for the beach. The water’s not like the Caribbean, but the pool and the vibe at the pool bar are truly as good as it gets. Quite frankly, if I have the chance to go back, I probably wouldn't leave the pool area, except to go to their other restaurants. They have this amazing grill that's been there since it opened, with a grill master who was serving up lamb chops to go with the amazing wine list. There’s a sexy bar which has a great live house band, and then there’s El Patio, which has wood-fired pizza and Mediterranean food. The place just touched all the points I love about old hospitality – even down to the very, very good logo that made me want to steal everything it was on!

MY UNIFORM

Artist James Perkins grew up in the South, went to Yale, worked on Wall Street for a while, then went to art school, and is now a land art sculptor. A fellow magazine buff, he came up reading Glenn O’Brien “The Style Guy” in GQ, and looking at National Geographic, Architectural Digest, and old Patek Philippe ads. Today, he lives between NYC and Fire Island, New York. Alongside lecturing at major institutions and collaborating with household-name brands, he’s just a great, thoughtful dresser. 

What is your standard color palette, and does it change seasonally?

My color palette for the fall is navy blue and black broken up with tweed and denim. For the summer, it is sky blue and white broken up by black and denim. Cashmere and denim are year round but tweeds exit when linen enters. I also like Stubbs & Wootton Slippers for both seasons—I have one pair in velvet, and one in linen. Over time I realized I buy the same things over and over again, just slight variations on a theme. I think that’s a sign of personal style. 

Go-to party attire?

Always a festive suit or or dinner jacket worn slightly casually. When I am on Fire island, I may even go to dinner at someone's house in a suit or blazer and no shoes! It’s probably one of my favorite things about the island. Shoes are almost never worn and leaving your car behind on the mainland has this impact of leaving something of the world behind and puts you in a certain mental space. 

Does any particular scent mean something to you?

At the moment, I wear Tobacco by Byredo. 

What’s your travel kit? 

On the plane, a cashmere sweater is a must. Many of my favorite sweaters are from my mom or college and have holes in them. I’m always wearing an old J. Crew or Jil Sander sweater under a blazer. It can double as a scarf and looks great under a blazer. I still think you should look presentable when traveling. I know I’m in the minority, but I think the world is almost suffering more from etiquette than from politics. I often think, “Did no one’s mother ever tell them just because you thought it, doesn't mean you have to say it.”

What do you wear to work?

If I’m going to my studio, I typically wear a full sweatsuit with a blazer. I need to break that up with tailoring if I want to still feel like a gentleman, however, I have ripped many very nice pieces while moving sculptures in my studio. For me, this often means Balenciaga tailoring mixed with cashmere Zegna and Loro Piano sweats. Other tailoring includes Thom Browne, RRL, or pieces I acquired in college in New Haven from J. Press. 

What are the wardrobe pieces you can’t live without?

I wear a blazer almost every day, lately either a Balenciaga runway piece, vintage or heritage Gucci tailoring, or custom Thom Browne MTM mixed with classic white shirts, tailored sweatpants, and slippers. I’ve had so many blue blazers, pinstripes and tweed sport coats and my son is starting out from there, as well. Before this kind of dressing became a trend, my father coached my little league teams and dressed like this in the South. I now know it’s a classic dad-after-work-coaching look!

And I will always wear a watch. My favorite is my Bulgari Octo Finissimo (even before the trend, LOL) in sandblasted black ceramic. It has a matte appearance and is very stealth, and I love the open caseback that shows the movement made specifically for the ultra thin case, including platinum micro rotor. I also wear a 1956 Rolex Datejust and a Cartier Tank, but this Gerald Genta design is overlooked as a future classic. Many people think the trinity is the AP Royal Oak he designed, along with the Patek Nautilus, and the Vacheron Overseas. But Genta didn't design the Overseas, so I think it makes sense that his last designed sports watch, the Octo, completes the trifecta. 

I also love wearing a vintage Harley Davidson tee – my wife grew up in NYC on Central Park West, and went to Yale and Harvard Law School, but she wasn't interested in me until I left Wall Street and bought a Triumph Bonneville and became an artist.

Any favorite neckwear?

My favorite tie is my residential college Ezra Stiles tie from Yale from J. Press. It always feels earned when I wear it. My tux tie is over 20 years old from Thomas Pink, I refuse to buy a new one. I also still have all my Dior Homme skinny ties from Hedi Slimane, they look great with any suit and give it that modern clean sensibility I still love so much. 

How about outerwear?

At the beach or if we’re fishing, Patagonia and Barbour. I don't need to wear that in the city. For the streets, I have recently acquired several Balenciaga Garde-Robe pieces, one in navy blue cashmere and one in tweed. They feel very vintage Giorgia Armani full volume tailoring to me. I think the hype and logos leaves people forgetting Balenciaga’s quality and craftsmanship. The quality is incredible and you are never cold, and I enjoy the silhouette being updated in a way that it's almost the same coat you might get from J. Press, but with a twist.