Natty's View

Visiting James Sherwood in Bloomsbury, London

Artist Paolo Canevari in front of his 1940s Japanese hand painted screen, NYC


Night shooting with Winston Chesterfield around his picture perfect neighborhood in Westminster.

The writer, Nathaniel "Natty" Adams, and I have been having a wonderful time on new shoots for the book.  He finds the same joy in discovering amazing characters and stories as I do.  In recent months we have been in high gear, and have been on most of the shoots together, interviewing and photographing at the same time.  It's extra fascinating to be able to hear their stories as I shoot, because normally I'm kind of quiet and focused.  Certainly whole books could be written on individual men!  

Taking a look back at all the shoots as I edit them for the book has raised the question, what do all these men have in common - and, essentially, what defines a dandy for this project?  There are a lot of differences, but seemingly just as many similarities.  I've certainly tried to avoid hard and fast answers in favor of the view of an explorer into a new world.  But the question has come up time and again, and because I've never been able to "answer" it,  it has propelled me deeper into the project.  I've been so immersed, and now I am attempting to try to understand what someone new to the series or concept might think.   I would love to hear your thoughts - if you have just stumbled across this, or have been following from the beginning - what are your definitions, what are your questions, why is it so hard to define?  

All photos by Natty, of course!



London is Dandy

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Natty and Winston Chesterfield, London, March 2013

Here on a quick trip to London to catch more dandies and exquisite gentlemen...A good time indeed!

Rory Duffy - Bespoke in Brooklyn

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Rory Duffy, bespoke tailor, Brooklyn, March 2013

Just around the corner from me, and a few flights up, is a gem of a Savile Row trained tailor, Rory Duffy, who has recently established himself in New York City.  Andrew Yamato introduced me to the young Irishman, and I had a good time chatting with him about his work and the suit he made that won the prestigious Golden Shears award, all the while drinking a good bit of prosecco.

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Rory shows us the suit he made that won the Golden Shears 2009, the UK's highest prize for tailoring.  Oh, just an amazingly crafted frock coat with kilt (!) and waistcoat done in a blue window pane (that Dr. Andre Churchwell might find familiar).  Please, someone create an occasion just so this suit can be worn, and I can attend!

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Behind the unassuming brick facade there is a real craftsman at work, and Brooklyn should be glad to have him!

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