In a pause to live a fiction.

(Summer afternoon in Hyde Park, London)

Soundtrack: Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros, The Cure, Big Audio Dynamite, The Knife and Taken by Trees.

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2010

Mr. Harold Tillman, 63, has long been regarded as a leading figure of the British fashion world. At the age of three, he was already wearing his first suit. At the age of 19, during the Swinging Sixties, he secured a tailoring internship at Lincroft Kilgour in Savile Row after graduating from London College of Fashion. Five years later he became the manager of Kilgour, and simultaneously discovered and employed a young designer named Paul Smith. Tillman’s know-how for industry resulted in both great success trading on the stock market, as well as significant expansion of his fashion business.

Today he owns the department store Allders and the brands Aquascutum and Jaeger. He is also president of the British Fashion Council and because of his recent achievements in this position he received compliments from the previous Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown in February. In 2009 the entrepreneur landed the 201st position on Sunday Times Rich List of the richest men in Britain with an estimated fortune of 295 million pounds.

But perhaps the most outstanding characteristic of Mr. Tillman is his smart elegance. With a respectful collection of bespoke suits in his wardrobe, he is very often the most well-dressed person in the room. Mixing and matching colours, scarves and ties is a true science for him.

Recently I had the chance to met Mr. Tillman in his office in Soho, London, for a conversation.

How would you define a good investment?

A good investment is the one you don’t worry about. It’s difficult to explain, but you can feel it.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?

You have to make clear decisions. Stay focused, be consistent, don’t get depressed and take your time. You don’t get results from one day to the other.

How would you define a gentleman?

You are talking to one!

Yes, indeed!

Gentleman, the word says it all: “gentle” “man”. It is someone who is always calm, civilized and who never shouts or does anything rude. It’s very different from the Dandy of 19th century. Dandies are in extinction. They don’t exist anymore. They were absolutely well dressed – almost exaggerated. To overdress nowadays can be compromising.

More about Mr. Tillman can be found on the June issue of Brazilian Men’s Vogue.

Photo: Hermano Silva © 2010

The new season is upon us and The Gentleman would like to suggest some ideas for you. The Indian spiritual leader Osho once said that life always happens outside, in the open air. Isn’t it a good moment in time to consider the advice?

So keep this in mind: “SUMMER IS TIME…”

- TO BUY a new pair of Haviana flip-flops;

- TO VISIT the retrospective exhibition about the visionary designer Martin Margiela on Somerset House in London (starting June 3);

- TO WORK OUT harder in the gym to get in shape;

- TO GET FRESH with the peppermint liquid soap from Dr. Bronners. It has 18 different purposes and it’s earth friendly;

- TO DRINK gin & tonic made with Bombay Sapphire or with the most gentlemanly of all, the Hendrick’s gin;

- TO BECOME a bit tanned in Hampstead Heath in London or on Badeschiff in Berlin. Nudism in the Tiergarten or on a deserted beach is also an option;

- TO PREPARE your luggage for a summer trip, and once there TO SWITCH OFF your mobile phone;

- TO TRY a new flavour of ice cream;

- TO PHOTOGRAPH more;

- TO ENJOY the long evenings with sunlight with a picnic in the park. Don’t forget a cooler for your beers;

- TO VISIT the exhibition of the photographer Wolfgang Tillmans (from June 26th on) at Serpertine Gallery, London;

- TO CYCLE more, thereby avoiding the heat on the tube;

- TO REUNITE with your mates to watch Brazil win the World Cup;

- TO DANCE to whichever music you like at a summer festival;

- TO BE happy, after all the summers are always unforgettable!

Picture above: Holga camera photographed with a Mamiya RB in a slide film cross processed

Photo: Hermano Silva © 2010

“The everyday is infused with an epic dimension”. James Lingwood

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2010 London
Ropewalker: Chris Patfield

Thanks: Rob Watt, Circus Space, Tower Hamlets Council, Paul Bevan, Alex Mutter and Joseph Campbell

It is not by chance that Stockholm is the hometown of the H&M brand. Swedes are very well-informed about trends and love to follow them. The boys around the hip area called SoFo are now wearing turn-up trousers, wide-brim hats, striped t-shirts, conservative haircuts with gel, and the most recent trend, the fisherman cap.

All not so surprising. With fast fashion brands becoming so ubiquitous, all the world is dressing more similarly. The inevitable comparison to the concept of uniforms shows the direction that fashion is taking nowadays.

For this reason, perhaps, I ended up more interested in the attire of the Swedish army.  A strong connection with the Viking heritage still exists. Although the Swedish Army is neutral, you cannot say the same about its’ uniform. Querelle, our favourite anti-hero from the seas, would love it.

Not to miss: the video from Ok Go! band for the song “This Too Shall Pass“.

From the top: three images of the Royal Guards of Sweden and its uniforms; young Swedish soldier rests; windows displays from a tailor shop and H&M store in Norrmalm and Prince Carl Philip from Sweden in April this year and one year before, on his 30th birthday.

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2010 / Julien M. Hekimian and Abaca

While this blog and its writer are on holidays in Sweden, here it is a quick post from Stockholm. We’ve just found out how Swedes keep their good-looking appearance. It was very surprising to know that the recipe is actually old and simple.

Lanolin-Agg-Tval soap is mainly made of eggwhite based on a traditional homemade recipe which has been passed from generation to generation over centuries. The  instructions tell us to use the soap once a week. The foam should be smoothed on the face and neck for over 5 minutes. The result – we tested – is really close to what the product promises: “glow skin soft to the touch”.

The best of it is the price, around 2 euros each. But  it can also be found on Amazon.com for 18,50 dollars a box with half a dozen eggs – ops – soaps.

Photo: Hermano Silva © 2010

Recently I watched an interview with Lady Gaga where she says she is not a “shuffle person”, referring to the shuffle option on the i-Pod that allows people to listen to music randomly. She said that rather, she prefers to listen to the album of an artist from the beginning to the end for months before moving on to the next one. I can say that I’m not a “shuffle person” either. My last favorite album (“March of The Zapotec/Holland EP” from Beirut) played here for more than three months – on repeat.

But some of the readers asked me to reveal what I have been listening to lately. I made a list of the coolest (and indie) new sounds that will inspire you before a night on the town:

MIIKE SNOW

Swedish band that makes an electronic sound with smart lyrics. What’s cool about their look is that all the members have some sort of facial hair. “Animal” and “Black & Blue” are the songs to listen to and the videos to watch.

THE XX

Band from Southwest London. It was a good surprise for me when my friend Paulo introduced me to their music. What I like on their songs is the mix of female and male vocals, which almost creates a dialogue at times. “VCR”, their last single, is simple yet romantic.

THE DRUMS

Considered the band to watch this year, according to the designer and photographer Hedi Slimane – who discovered many of the bands you listened to over the last few years, The Drums are similar in style to 80’s rock bands. “Let’s go Surfing” and “Submarine” are the coolest songs.

BEACH HOUSE

With a more atmospheric sound, this American band is a less obvious choice than the others listed here. I would recommend if you like indie music that you draw inspiration from them while working on your sketchbook – as I do. “Zebra” and “Norway” should be good samples.

GOLD PANDA

Another weird sound that mixes east and west with multiple references to Indian, Japanese, and electronic music. Since Cornershop I haven’t seen many bands so competent in mixing sounds in a modern way like they do.  Go for “Quitters Raga” and their vintage/analog videos.

+ WEBSITES TO LISTEN TO VIA STREAMING:

SHHH.FM: Brazilian sound-stylist Jackson Araujo teaches us one or two things about clash of styles. Every mix is possible on his hands. Highly recommended.

MUSIC VICTIM: From Spain, their podcasts always have their fingers on the pulse.

HYPE MACHINE: An alternative to LastFm. Mark your favorite songs with a heart.

Click here to read what we were listening to last summer

Photo: Hermano Silva © 2009

It seems that hats decided to go “for a walk” these days. During London Fashion Week there were so many men using them – particularly brim hats like the Porkpie and the Trilby models.

Some examples of the classic Bowler hat were also seen. But as the designer and expert Sir Hardy Amies taught us on his book “ABC of Men’s Fashion”, only British man should wear Bowler hats (and in London). I always thought it was a very strict advice to be taken serious. But when you see a Bowler hat out of this context most of the times it looks costume. So be careful.

If you are looking for a new hat, one Londoner shop to consider is Bates (73 Jermyn Street, Mayfair). There you will find classic and elegant ones. But if you are looking for something fresher, don’t miss the opportunity to check the provocative creations of Justin Smith at his on-line shop. If you are in São Paulo, Brazil, it would worth to visit the charming shop of the french milliner Maurice Plas (Rua Augusta, 724).

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2010

Here the gentleman Dean shows us how to make a stripe t-shirt look even better.

Just keep the hat, add a military jacket and… Voilà!

Photos: Hermano Silva

I was never very keen on the idea of using Twitter. Why one more layer of communication on the top of so many other tools we use? Shouldn’t RSS, Google Reader, Skype, Facebook, MSN, Google Talk, etc be enough?

Thinking a bit more about it I thought it would be fair with the readers of this blog give them a more quick, fast and personal channel to inform about things I am looking at on a everyday basis.

Of course that when I got in contact with the Twitter pages of people I admire – such as the singer Billy Corgan, the artist Jenny Holzer and the “NY Times” critic Cathy Horyn - I was a bit more convinced.

The main vocation of The Gentleman will keep being to look at some subjects like a virtual magazine is supposed to do. I hope you are enjoying it by the way.

For those who want more speed I hope to meet you there: @gentlemanworld

Photo: Sunny day with birds at Hollywood beach in Chicago by Hermano Silva