#thehangerproject

[hangerproject]

Graduation and Wedding season are upon us. Here are our picks of truly unique gifts that are sure to make any recipient smile.  

1.     Saphir Renovateur and Cotton Chamois ($30.95)- Renovateur is called liquid gold because it a wonderful products that cleans and conditions your shoes. It’s so great that it is our number one selling product!  Pair this product with a chamois and you are on your way to becoming a shoeshine expert.

https://www.hangerproject.com/saphir-renovateur.html

https://www.hangerproject.com/cotton-shoeshine-chamois.html

2.     Horn Collar Stay’s ($35)– Our horn collar stays are hand crafted in London by skilled artisans of cow horn, making each pair unique.

https://www.hangerproject.com/horn-collar-stays.html

3.     Suit or Jacket hanger ($22.95 & up)- You have the perfect jacket, get a hanger that will help keep that perfection. Available in four sizes and three finishes, you will see why “one size does not fit all.”

https://www.hangerproject.com/hangers/mens-hangers/suit-and-jacket-hangers.html

4.     AbbeyHorn Flat Shoehorn ($35)- An essential accessory for proper care of well crafted shoes, this one of a kind shoehorn is the perfect size for travel or everyday use.

 https://www.hangerproject.com/abbeyhorn-short-shoehorn.html

5.     Palatino Luxury Italian Socks ($36 & up)- You can never have too many socks! Available in a range of sizes, bold colors and styles, you are sure to find the perfect sock for any occasion.

https://www.hangerproject.com/clothing-accessories/socks.html

6.     Luxury Oxhorn Garment Brush ($100)- Made with 100% natural boar bristle this is the perfect brush to for the most delicate clothing items. The backing is created using polished oxhorn, for a luxurious finish.

https://www.hangerproject.com/luxury-garment-brush.html

7.     Drake’s Ties ($155 & up)- Explore our collection of handmade ties.

https://www.hangerproject.com/clothing-accessories/neckware.html

 8.     Paper Mache Lapel Flower ($15)- A simple but fun ways to add a touch of dandy to any ensemble.

https://www.hangerproject.com/paper-mache-lapel-flower.html

[hangerproject]

Crafted by the finest European artisans, our wardrobe essentials are examples of the absolute best craftsmanship available. From Inis Meáin Knitwear to Merola Gloves and Palatino Socks, each of these brands has been hand-selected by Kirby Allison. Guaranteed to produce years of use and pleasure, so treat yourself this fall to something exceptional.

http://bit.ly/1bzxZ6P

[hangerproject]

Two Traditions: Workwear vs. Celebration Knits

The story of knitwear from Inis Meáin is really a story of two traditions: that of practical knitwear crafted by a wife for her husband to wear while working; and that of highly decorative, “celebratory” sweaters worn by children at their first communion and special occasions.

Traditionally, the men of Inis Meáin wore very restrained sweaters that were simple to make. The climate of the island demanded that they be tough and warm enough for working outside. From fishing the sea to hauling boulders for the construction of the island’s iconic stone walls, men required practical and durable knitwear. The family was the workforce in the community and women were responsible for producing clothing for the entire family as well as for export. Everything was done by hand, spinning the yarn, weaving as well as knitting, so women did not have time to embellish these workwear sweaters with the highly decorative cables and diamonds most commonly associated with Inis Meáin. The restrained, workwear sweater was knitted in what the islanders called “Bull’s Wool.” It was the cheapest, harshest wool left over after exporting all of the finer wool from their sheep. Perfect for a fisherman’s sweater - tough, warm, and durable - rarely were they decorated. The sweaters were always done in dark colors or the natural colors of the wool (a mixture of charcoal and brown). A red dye was produced from the matter on the roads and indigo was often imported, but the sweaters were always dark.

But then there is the story of the island’s celebration knits, surely where a wife or mother put her pride. These “Sunday best” sweaters were normally knitted from finer wools, either white or natural in color, and worn by children during their first communion and by husbands on special occasions. They served as the canvas for the island’s women to indulge in and showcase their passion for knitting.

Highly complex, decorative cables emerged from this tradition, leveraging any new stitches the women had learnt and identifying the family in the same way as Scottish Tweed. Soon a cottage industry arose from this tradition, and womenfolk, mothers and daughters in most houses supplemented the family income by making sweaters for the growing Irish tourist industry. Patterns varied from knitter to knitter with each individual having their own combination of diamonds, cables and trellis, tree of life and moss motifs. But the basic formula of highly decorated classic shapes was maintained.

Today Inis Meáin focuses primarily on “celebration knits” with their intricate cables, as this is what is most associated with the island, and now, the brand. The company’s knitwear is assembled using the finest natural fibers of wool, cashmere, cotton, and linen in order to produce an incredibly soft garment that feels good against the skin. All of the cables that adorn Inis Meáin knitwear are inspired by old photographs of islanders and their sweaters. Knitted by the hands of the daughter of one of the island’s oldest and most highly regarded knitters still alive, these designs then find their way into the company’s collections and show up to the world as valuable and beautiful works of traditional Aran art.

[hangerproject]

Our new collection of handmade shoe shine brushes are entirely handcrafted, one-by-one, by a small group of artisans in collaboration with Berlin’s Institute for the Blind.

Using techniques that originated in the Alps and have remained virtually unchanged for over 120 years, a small team of twenty skilled workers, who are either blind or disabled, carefully pull horsehair bristles through the handle, using brass wire to secure the bristles into place. Incredibly time consuming, the result is a sturdier brush with almost no bristle loss and that is far more hard-wearing.

Peruse the Hanger Project German Shoe Shine Brushes Collection here.

[hangerproject]

Even the little details of your outfit can make or break the look. Having colored shoelaces at hand to accent a muted outfit is the perfect way to spice up your day and an even better way to ressurect an old pair of shoes during the summer. 

Click below and discover our full range of flat waxed cotton shoelaces and have some fun this summer with a little shoe lace experimentation!

http://bit.ly/1AY1ygx

[hangerproject]

A little afternoon pick-me-up. 

[hangerproject]

Summer Breaks Are For Shoes Too

It's finally a nice (read: not sub-tropically humid) weekend in New York and we're sure a lot of you have summer on the mind as well.  Accordingly, we're took yesterday off and for the remainder of the summer I'll be hosting Shoe Shine Sunday on a bi-weekly basis.  

  However, you are all invited to continue posting your pursuit of the perfect shine as usual!  The $500 Hanger Project gift certificate drawing is coming up in three weeks, so as a reminder, even though today's Shoe Shine Sunday isn't hosted, each participant this week who cross-posts to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr (using the hashtag #shoeshinesunday and #entry) will receive one entry for the upcoming drawing. 

  Don't forget that Kirby also has some phenomenal mid-calf Palatino cotton socks at an incredible discount for a limited time.

  I'll still be checking back in on this thread throughout the day, so feel free to include any questions you might have along with your posts — who knows, the answer(s) may even be the subject of a future Shoe Shine Sunday!  

  For now, I'll leave you with an old Shoe Shine Sunday shot...