Bulletin Board 48
Land Rover classifieds, Neapolitan menswear, the archival case for shorts, and some Wm Brown collabs that are perfect for Father’s Day
Before we get into it, here’s a reminder that Father’s Day is exactly two weeks away. If you’re still scrambling to find a gift for dad (or on the inverse, looking to drop a hint to whoever owes you a gift), we’ve put together a gift set with our friends at Faust Wines. It includes a 2022 bottling of The Pact, their flagship Cabernet, plus a copy of my cookbook A Man & His Kitchen (needless to say, the juice will pair nicely with more than a few of its recipes). Together the bundle is $165, and will ship 1-2 days after the order is placed.
WORK IN PROGRESS
For several years, Jake Mueser and I have been working on what we think are the key essentials to a great, long-lasting wardrobe. Our latest collab, just in time for Father’s Day, is our Wm Brown Tie Trio, which provides all the neckwear a man needs for years to come.
The box set was inspired by my own personal experience, based on how I pack and travel. No matter the season, I found that I would consistently pack three ties to accommodate every kind of jacket, suit and situation: one knit, one raw silk, and one polka-dot, all in navy blue. This kit takes the guesswork out of your wardrobe with its pre-edited selection of three, all of which have been painstakingly made in Europe.
THE CLASSIFIEDS
I have owned and loved these two Series 1 Land Rover Discoveries for years, but it’s time for me to clean house. The 1993 grey 4-door I acquired from my buddy Daniel at Brooklyn Coachworks in a horse trade, and the 1992 Negroni-red 3-door I shipped over from France after driving it for a summer.
Both came from a dealer in the Spanish Pyrenees who specialized in 4x4s, and they have nearly perfect cosmetic interiors thanks to the local penchant for covering the seats after purchase. Both have 5 speed 200 TDI engines and are a blast to drive. These do NOT have the electronic issues that plagued the Discovery IIs that were imported to the states (I owned a ‘99)—these are as basic as they come in terms of engineering.
The Series 1 is basically a Defender, but with a quiet, and a comfortable ride. They certainly do not lack 4x4 chops either. Remember, these series were the stars of the Camel Trophy expeditions. Back in the States, we swapped out the alloy wheels for Defender steel, but besides that, these two magical beasts are all factory original except for a paint refresh. The rubber is new and both run great.
This is just the tip of the iceberg on how great these trucks are: check out the pics below and decide which one will be yours. They have been stored and covered inside since taking delivery and have not seen winter driving. They are tucked away at a secret location in Upstate NY. They are each priced (separately) at $30,000. You can contact me or Brooklyn Coachworks for any purchasing.
Serious inquiries ONLY. Go get ‘em.
DRESS CODE
Once a biotech student, Nicola Radano spent his 20s building an air-tight CV in menswear. After stints working for Orazio Luciano, J. Mueser in New York and the Neapolitan shirtmaker Luigi Borrelli, the Naples native launched his own label, Nicola Radano Napoli, last year. We caught up with the 30-year-old founder to discuss his “funky elegance” aesthetic, the limitations of Neapolitan style and curating affordable vintage.
What’s the inspiration behind your line?I like the motto “funky elegance,” because the brand is the reflection of my style. It's classic, but not too much. You can mix and match all the pieces from my collection and get a totally classic outfit with a suit and a tie and shirt, but you can also pick single pieces like a trouser, a knitted polo shirt, or a bandana. and have something more funky.
My goal is to be not just for the menswear guy, but for everybody, for people that just love fashion in general. So they can get a polo shirt, the classic trouser and so on.
What are some of your favorite pieces from it?I really love the knitwear collection: the knitted polos, the crocheted polos. And I did some double-pleated Japanese denim trousers in three colors: off-white, brown and denim.
Is “funky elegance” true to how you dress?Yes, because I love to wear a suit, but other days I love to stay in Japanese jeans with a t-shirt or with a knitted polo and maybe a military jacket. I'm not a street style guy, I don't wear sneakers. I always wear a penny loafer or a tassel loafer, but in a funky style.
How much is it also a reflection of Neapolitan style?I always use NR Napoli because it's my city where I'm from, but I'm not trying to be 100% made in Naples… I'm trying not to focus everything on Naples, but to just focus on the style.
What is NR Archivo?I know of a huge military warehouse here that I went to with Matt a long time ago. I go there every Saturday, because the owner and I are friends, and I do research there. And I was picking through some stuff, and he told me, “Why don't you sell this stuff on your website?”
So, I selected pieces that he had a good inventory of, and bought them. They’re not one-of-one. They’re vintage, but not crazy expensive like all those things that are on the market today. The idea was to offer something unique, but also very good price-wise
How often is the Archivo going to be updated or changed?I have already five looks ready for the next five months. So, it will be once a month from the middle of June.
What do you have in store for fall and winter?I will try something standard, like a knitted polo, but always with some twist, like adding a cable knit pattern, or making them from cashmere. As I said, it’s standard, but with a twist.
FOUND
I've become enough of an evangelist for men wearing shorts (particularly of the shorter variety, like our 3.5” tropical shorts made by Hemingsworth or these Irish linen shorts from my buddy Andre Fayad ) that people have begun to take notice. That’s how the video above ended up in my inbox.
Uncovered by a reader named Drew Oliveira—who came across it in his work doing PR for The Hanover Inn, a historic property on Dartmouth’s campus—it depicts Ivy league men patrolling the quad in short-shorts all the way back in 1930. There’s a layer of irony involved (the full video it was clipped from includes a mock fashion show), but there’s something sincerely cool about the way the Dartmouth students are mixing in shorts with the sportswear and tailoring that was expected of their time. Also, I can now cite this as historical evidence for my side of the argument whenever someone suggests that men can only wear shorts by the beach!
Love the Nicola Radano profile - thanks for bringing that to my attention. Great fits.
Great clip of the quad at D. Not quite sure that is the alma mater, but the bells are unmistakable.