Meet the Styles

Q&A with Nikolaj Hansson of Palmes

Spring/Summer '24

Palmes, or Palmes Tennis Society, to give it its full name, is back for another summer in the Basement: a menswear collection with roots in tennis culture, designed for wearing on and off the court. In the spirit of its inspiration, Rob serves some questions and founder Nikolaj Hansson volleys (or does he lob?) the answers.

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The Paraboot factory in Saint-Jean-de-Moirans

Who are Paraboot?

Cobbler and entrepreneur Rémy Richard noted that cutters, makers, and even business owners, in the scores of leather factories in the small towns and villages of Izere, were earning considerably less than the city based agents commissioning the shoe production. In 1908 he sold his own shoe designs to clients in Paris and set up in business for himself with investment from his wife, Juliette Pontvert, the daughter of a wealthy notaire. In Paraboot’s first iteration it was styled Richard-Pontvert and provided smart shoes for Parisians. But global travel and an inveterate interest in new technologies led Richard to the US and innovations with rubber. Back in France he developed a rubber sole (predating The Beatles by quite some years) which replaced more traditional leather and wooden soles. The majority of production at his new factory shifted from dressing up footwear to waterproof workwear.

Julien Richard, son and heir, took over in 1937 in the midst of occupation and then the Second World War. Having negotiated the trials of lack of materials and lack of workers, he then had to negotiate the post war rise in synthetics and the threat to Paraboot’s more traditional manufacturing methods. His strategy for development of the business revolved around the specific promotion of tradition and the marketing of the product to workers in industries where longevity, comfort and sturdiness were critical. Farmers, horse dealers, lumberjacks, shepherds, factory and postal workers and craftsmen are the new consumers.

Next generation Michel Richard steered the company through bankruptcy in the early 80s (a crashing dollar and a once thriving export market made conditions untenable). A fortuitous meeting with major Italian distributor WP Lavori (heritage brands Vans, Barbour, Woolrich, Filson, Baracuta, B.D. Baggies, Avon Celli and Blundstone all stabled in their Bologna headquarters) and a shift in men’s footwear fashion led to the resurgence of their iconic ‘Michael’ shoe and a swift change in Paraboot’s fortunes.

A new, more urban orientation for the brand

What's in a Name?

For an iconic French brand, it doesn’t have a particularly francophone ring. ‘Para’ is for the port in Amazonia from where the rubber was exported. The English ‘boot’ is from Richard Sr’s 1926 trip to America and his introduction to modern rubber galoshes.

The Styles

All our Paraboot shoes are Derby construction. Unlike Oxfords, Derby shoes have the quarters stitched on top of the vamp (yep, I’m as confused as you, this is a whole new vocab). Essentially the lacing is looser and the shoe more comfortable.

The Lowdown

Rob gives us the inside track on the world of Paraboot.

Both of you have careers away from fashion. What was the Eureka moment that made you decide to both start an eyewear brand together?

O: We’d been good mates for years and always wanted to work on a project together. We tried our hand at a few things but found glasses when helping a vintage eyewear collector out with a completely different project. His collection of vintage frames planted a seed and seemed to connect the dots of what we were looking for. We took him for coffee and took our notepads too. That was our intro to the eyewear industry.

We then spent about two years in research and development; attending trade shows in London and Paris, learning about design, materials, manufacturing, timelines etc. We completed six rounds of prototypes while slowly developing the brand side of Oscar Deen.

One of the things we like about what you do is the way you source your products. Can you give us a brief insight into how you find your frames and which far-flung corners of the globe this has taken you to?

S: We’ve been all over the place: Milan, Turin, Barcelona, Paris. We’d like to go to Japan and the US soon as well.

The way we go about sourcing the vintage frames to inspire the collection usually involves picking somewhere that we’d like to go or where we’ve heard there is a decent chance of finding some treasure. Then once we’re there, we start following our noses, looking up flea markets and vintage shops to begin with and then we ask people we meet along the way if they know of any good spots to find vintage eyewear. It's a proper laugh and by asking people it turns into a mad treasure hunt.

You are using Mazzucchelli acetate, which is one of the best materials around. Was it always the intention to use this for the construction of your frames and what is it that makes it so good?

O: We spent a long time researching materials and when it came to acetate it was always Mazzuchelli that came up. Their colours are beautiful and there's a density to the acetate that just isn't matched by other manufacturers; this feeling of the frames having weight and strength when you hold them was important to us. We then went to the factory in Italy and we were shown around by Mr Crespi. It was just incredible. They’ve been at it since 1849, so this heritage plus everything we’d learned meant we just had to use their acetate.

Sometimes high-end eyewear is badly let down by the cases that they come in. This is definitely not the situation with Oscar Deen. Can you explain how the cases came to be part of the overall story?

S: We wanted to do something different from what was out there already so we reached out to a friend of ours called Otis Ingrams. He designs beautiful leather goods and we worked together with him to design a case that is simple, stylish and effective. Otis recommended a recycled material called bonded leather. It being recycled was obviously a positive but it was also sturdier than normal leather, which means the frames are really well protected. The case is made from two pieces of bonded leather, four rivets and a Sam Browne button.

And finally, who would be your dream customer, dead or alive, and what frame are they wearing?

O&S: As two massive Gooners riding a glorious wave at the moment, we’d have to say Ian Wright, and we reckon he’d love a pair of Pandas!

All images c/o Oscar Deen @oscardeeneyewear

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Rob

First of all, mate, we're delighted to finally be having this conversation. Because I feel like we've had numerous sort of near misses in the past. We're delighted to be welcoming the label into the basement.

Kestin

You know, I've been a big fan of the store for a number of years, and we've been mates, you know, over the last few years. I think we're going to be in good company with the brands that you've got in there already. And I think, there are lots of similarities between where we are in Edinburgh and Winchester. So looking forward to it.

Rob

It's great to be back in Paris. As we have this chat, we're currently sitting on the Left Bank in Paris on a lovely day, looking at Spring Summer 23. How is it feeling to be able to show again? Is it nice to be back?

Kestin

Yeah, definitely, definitely. Last January we were meant to be here and then couldn't be because of the restrictions and that was quite frustrating. I think what we do as a brand, it's all about the quality of the fabrics and all the different textures. And you need to be able to get up close and see that and that's quite difficult when you're trying to do things digitally. It's been a little bit easier for our domestic UK stockists because we've been able to have the London showroom and people have been getting there. For our international partners in Europe, it has been a real challenge. And not just from a buying point of view but from a personal point of view as well. Because we've got great relationships with all the stores. They're friends of ours. So, you know, personally, it's been difficult but it's great to be back.

The John Muir Way, East Lothian, Scotland

Rob

Fantastic. So obviously, you're from and based in Scotland still. How was it growing up in Scotland fashion wise for you? What were your cultural references? What were the stores that you used to shop in? What were the kind of things that you held dear? Was Scotland kind of influenced by what was going on south of the border, London, Manchester, or did it kind of have its own identity?

Kestin

I was always into brands and I was into clothes. My dad was an architect, my mum was an interior designer. So that creativity was already built into me. I spent a lot of my early days going through to Glasgow, because Edinburgh and Glasgow are so close. Glasgow had a great club scene. It was all about John Richmond Destroy and wearing that and going out clubbing. But then when I got to 18 I left Edinburgh and went down to Newcastle to study fashion at Northumbria. So the first thing I had to do was was to get a job. So I got a job in Strand which was an incredible independent department store, which allowed me to work two or three days a week. I was really influenced by what brands they were buying and Dave Dalby, who was the buyer and owner, was buying Neil Barrett and Prada Sport and it was that technical influence that I'd never really seen before; with fabric innovation; with some really interesting and clever product. And at the same time I was studying fashion, I met Nigel Cabourn and so I was going up to The Windmill in Newcastle which was Nigel's studio and helping him cut patterns. He kind of took me under his wing a little bit and I ended up going to to work for him afterwards and became Head of Design there for four years. So I think that the influences of all of that were within me. Scotland as an influence didn't really come to me until later, when I came back and was a bit older and appreciated what Scotland is all about. The history of textiles within Scotland. The Borders in Scotland has been incredible in terms of weaving fabric and there's some great mills still there today. So, I think Scotland as I've got older has become a kind of a reference point. And it's definitely a reference point for the brand.

Rob

So going kind of full circle. You recently opened a lovely brand new store, in Stockbridge, Edinburgh during the pandemic. Bricks and mortar is very close to tkdcincinnati's heart. How important is a bricks and mortar store to you in what is a widening digital landscape?

Kestin

Yeah. I think we originally started when I moved back from Newcastle and from London back to Edinburgh. We needed a place to work or studio, but it was also important for me that we had that kind of interaction with customers and to be able to see how customers reacted to seeing our products. So we started off this operation in the very early days. And then when we needed more space, we moved to Leith, which has been our home for a number of years now. You know Leith is such a great kind of creative place and surrounding ourselves with all of that is really important. So we've always felt like we wanted to get back into Stockbridge where we first originated from. Stockbridge is a place that's really close to my heart. Although we always say that as a brand we're based in Leith and the studio is very much based in Leith but Stockbridge is almost like a little villagey area. And that's kind of why I see the connections between tkdcincinnati and the store in Stockbridge. It's very kind of old school, beautiful architecture, really old shops. That was a difficulty about opening this new store. A lot of our stores previously had been quite minimal in terms of the design. We had gone for quite clean lines but with this we really wanted to try and make it feel like it had always been there. So that 20 year old kids could come in and go 'we really like this, you know, it's, it's cool.' We wanted seventy year old dads or granddads to be able to come in and feel comfortable within the space as well.

Rob

Who's your customer?

Kestin

Well, I think that's it. We range all the way through. 20 year old kids buy it. We have seventy year old granddads buy it. My dad wears it, you know. It's nice to be to have that kind of age range. We're not coming and going, you know. We're not reactive. We're not a trend brand. What we like to do is timeless classics that are really good quality and will last as well.

Rob

So we're currently sitting in a room in Paris, which is full of beer. It's a sweltering hot day.

Kestin

And we're not drinking any of it.

Rob

Well, it seems a bit weird to be talking to you about Autumn Winter but obviously we're really excited to have the brand making his debut with us. Can I just ask you a couple of questions about the inspiration behind AW22? What are the pieces that stand out for you? What was the process? And did it help to kind of have a bit more time because of lock downs from a creative point of view? When it comes to putting a collection together, I know how much work goes into it and how tricky sampling can be and the challenges that everybody faces. So it's kind of a two prong question really. Did the extra downtime help you as a creative? And of what came out of that collection, what were your favorite parts?

Kestin

I think lockdown encouraged us to try and make things more locally. When we couldn't travel to factories in Portugal or even within the UK, we ended up starting to make a series of products that we could make within 40 square miles. We would get the cloth from Howard Stevenson. We would make it in one of the factories in Cumbernauld. Try and make it as close to home as we possibly can. We definitely got more creative in that period. I got some sewing out I hadn't touched for 20 years. It was nice to sit there with my kids and start trying to make some stuff again. I think I touched on it before, when you're not able to travel, you're always inspired by what's closest to you. So the Autumn Winter 22 is called the John Muir Way collection. The John Muir Way is where I was brought up, which is just outside of Edinburgh, and it runs along the East Lothian coast. John Muir was born in Dunbar, which was was close to where I'm from originally and he was one of the first people to realize we need to start protecting this area, this is an incredible, beautiful coastline here. I would encourage anybody, if you're in the area, there's some incredible beaches. John Muir, he's got that history behind him. He went out to Yosemite and started the national parks out there. So you've got a kind of Scottish Americana type influence. There's influences there from Scotland and the colours, and the John Muir way. I spend a lot of time walking the John Muir Way so that's obviously a massive inspiration: the colours, the textures, all of that. And then I started to look at John Muir and the history of him and that Americana influence. And you can see that with some of the plaid checks and those types of things, that kind of blanket and looking at old American brands, like Eddie Bauer. I've always been trained (from Nigel really) that the vintage research, and the depth through all of that is really important. And I've always been trained to go out and do your vintage research. We bought a few old pieces that we thought were going to help us to design the collection: some old Eddie Bauer styles, some great down filled jackets from some of the American brands. And then it's almost like Mr Potato Head. It's like taking vintage pieces from here, another vintage piece from there, putting them together. And that's the way I was taught to design. It's not rocket science, but it's my way of being able to kind of put things together. And then it's about fabric research. And we've worked a lot with some Scottish mills, some great Italian mills on the technical side of things. And then it's bringing it all together and I think all of those influences have, you know, really helped us to kind of produce a collection that I'm really proud of. The John Muir Way, Autumn 22 collection is probably our best collection to date.

Rob

That's always nice to hear, especially since it's our first season with it. It sounds as if we've come in at exactly the right time

Kestin

Definitely.

Rob

Kestin, thank you so much for taking the time out. See you for Spring Summer 23.

All imagery is from the Kestin A/W22 Campaign. Photography: Jonathan Daniel Pryce.

Salt & Stone is a collection of high-performance botanical skincare, combining natural ingredients with modern-day skin science. Founded in 2017 by former Los Angeles pro snowboarder and keen surfer Nima Jalali, the brand explores our connection with the ocean by focusing on ingredients derived from the sea. In his 20s Jalali suffered a serious knee injury which led him to explore a more natural approach to healing, which in turn led him to explore a more natural approach to skincare. Missing from the market at the time, and essential to the life of an athlete performing in snow and sea, were effective, botanical deodorants and sunscreens. With the help of world renowned chemist, he set about developing his own range.

WHO?

Salt & Stone is a collection of high-performance botanical skincare, combining natural ingredients with modern-day skin science. Founded in 2017 by former Los Angeles pro snowboarder and keen surfer Nima Jalali, the brand explores our connection with the ocean by focusing on ingredients derived from the sea. In his 20s Jalali suffered a serious knee injury which led him to explore a more natural approach to healing, which in turn led him to explore a more natural approach to skincare. Missing from the market at the time, and essential to the life of an athlete performing in snow and sea, were effective, botanical deodorants and sunscreens. With the help of world renowned chemist, he set about developing his own range.

Many seaweed extracts have been shown to have significant antioxidant properties due to their high levels of bioactive compounds, and are an essential ingredient in our products. Our wild harvested seaweed extracts provide a natural antioxidant skin supplement to help reduce signs of ageing associated with oxidative stress: from residue-free eucalyptus deodorant and reef-safe spf to antioxidant body wash. Ingredients are grown and produced in ethical and sustainable ways, without the use of pesticides. Salt & Stone never use artificial fragrances, sulfates, petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates or GMO’s and never test on animals.

WHAT?

Many seaweed extracts have been shown to have significant antioxidant properties due to their high levels of bioactive compounds, and are an essential ingredient in our products. Our wild harvested seaweed extracts provide a natural antioxidant skin supplement to help reduce signs of ageing associated with oxidative stress: from residue-free eucalyptus deodorant and reef-safe spf to antioxidant body wash. Ingredients are grown and produced in ethical and sustainable ways, without the use of pesticides. Salt & Stone never use artificial fragrances, sulfates, petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates or GMO’s and never test on animals.

Salt & Stone are dedicated to maintaining health and wellness by staying active (Jalali may no longer be a professional athlete but he’s still surfing and runs 4 miles a day). The High Performance Botanical Skincare collection is formulated for a broad range of environments and conditions so you can stay active outdoors, boost mental and physical health, and sweat with confidence (God knows, we should all sweat with confidence, it’s the only way).
Salt & Stone pledge to do their best to leave no trace of products or brand in the environment. All of packaging is recyclable. Deodorant and sunscreen containers are made from from ocean plastic and other recycled, biodegradable materials, using Eco Smart technology, which is biodegradable in days, not decades. This proprietary technology enables plastic components to break down in biologically active environments while providing the same form, fit, and function as standard containers. All products are manufactured by renewable solar and hydroelectric energy.

WHY?

Salt & Stone are dedicated to maintaining health and wellness by staying active (Jalali may no longer be a professional athlete but he’s still surfing and runs 4 miles a day). The High Performance Botanical Skincare collection is formulated for a broad range of environments and conditions so you can stay active outdoors, boost mental and physical health, and sweat with confidence (God knows, we should all sweat with confidence, it’s the only way).
Salt & Stone pledge to do their best to leave no trace of products or brand in the environment. All of packaging is recyclable. Deodorant and sunscreen containers are made from from ocean plastic and other recycled, biodegradable materials, using Eco Smart technology, which is biodegradable in days, not decades. This proprietary technology enables plastic components to break down in biologically active environments while providing the same form, fit, and function as standard containers. All products are manufactured by renewable solar and hydroelectric energy.

If you are looking to sweat with confidence, we have deodorants in three fragrances, all formulated for 48 hour protection, using hyaluronic acid to moisturise, soothe and protect the skin from external factors (such as UV rays ), probiotics to help neutralise odour and shea butter. Try Eucalyptus & Cedarwood, Santal (a Sandalwood extract) and Lavender and Sage. There’s a lightweight daily sunscreen with SPF40, using Zinc Oxide ad Coco-Caprylate. There's also a lightweight and hydrating Facial Lotion, perfect for day time use. Two lip balms (one SPF30), using shea butter, Vitamin E, jojoba oil and sunflower seed oil. Finally a body wash (after you’ve sweated with confidence) infused with antioxidant-rich botanical extracts and niacinamide (a form of Vitamin B3 which builds proteins in the skin).

SPECIFICALLY WHAT?

If you are looking to sweat with confidence, we have deodorants in three fragrances, all formulated for 48 hour protection, using hyaluronic acid to moisturise, soothe and protect the skin from external factors (such as UV rays ), probiotics to help neutralise odour and shea butter. Try Eucalyptus & Cedarwood, Santal (a Sandalwood extract) and Lavender and Sage. There’s a lightweight daily sunscreen with SPF40, using Zinc Oxide ad Coco-Caprylate. Two lip balms (one SPF30), using shea butter, Vitamin E, jojoba oil and sunflower seed oil. Finally a body wash (after you’ve sweated with confidence) infused with antioxidant-rich botanical extracts and niacinamide (a form of Vitamin B3 which builds proteins in the skin).

Named for Jalali’s twin loves: Salt for the Ocean and Stone for the Mountains.

To shop the brand and get yourself activity ready, hit the link below:

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WHY SALT & STONE?

Named for Jalali’s twin loves: Salt for the Ocean and Stone for the Mountains.

To shop the brand and get yourself activity ready, hit the link below:

Shop Salt & Stone ►

Recent History

Some of you may be feeling a degree of deja vu. Once upon a time, in the olden days of tkdcincinnati, we were proud stockists of CO Bigelow. Sadly import legislation in the noughties cut short this burgeoning relationship. We are delighted that the paperwork has finally been resolved and the shelves are now restocked.

The History of the Apothecary

CO Bigelow, founded in 1838 in Greenwhich Village by physician Dr Galen Hunter and known as The Village Apothecary Shoppe, is the oldest apothecary in America. In 1880 Clarence Otis Bigelow bought the business from Dr Hunter and retitled it, eponymously and not terribly modestly, as CO Bigelow. The firm was subsequently sold to the Ginsberg family and is now run by third generation Ginsberg, Ian, lately joined by fourth generation son Alec. Interesting fact: Ian Ginsberg's father, Jerry, was not only a practising pharmacist, but played in a band in the Catskills with Mel Brooks (surely a perfect story line for an episode of Mrs Maisel).

Celebrity Clients (because we are that shallow)

Don’t expect mention of the Kardashians or the Jenners, Bigelow’s celebrity customers are very much the ne plus ultra of the notable in US history. Thomas Edison soothed his burnt fingers with a Bigelow balm when he was working on the lightbulb prototype. Mark Twain popped in two or three times a week. Eleanor Roosevelt sent a very nice thank you note to the firm for a set of ‘toilet articles’. Fast forward to a slightly more contemporary client and John Walters, the New York Dolls and New York’s mayor Ed Koch rubbed shoulders at the in store soda fountain (sadly now closed). And Elvis Costelloe, Diane von Furstenberg and Calvin Klein continue to run their own errands at Bigelow.

Bringing the Past to Life

Ginsberg is something of a pharmaceutical geek. And the CO Bigelow company archive is something to get geeky about. In the basement of the Greenwich Village premises Ginsberg unearthed handwritten books of formulae; personalised preparations developed by previous generations for their customers. Using this resource as a springboard, he set about developing a range of own brand products.

CO Bigelow at tkdcincinnati

The Elixir Grooming range extends our Men's Grooming offer. In pleasingly simple language, choose from Black or White Hair and Body Wash. No. 1786 White blends clean citrus notes of Bergamot, Grapefruit and Mandarin with undertones of peppery Wood Spice; No. 1605 Black blends exotic agar wood and tonka bean with undertones of amber, musk and vanilla. Bigelow's Premium Shave Cream is made in Italy to a formula favoured by Italian barbers. The Bay Rum Hair and Body Wash and Deodorant are fragranced with Bay Rum Cologne, from an original recipe from the archives. All are paraben and cruelty free.

At the risk of repeating myself, we really are quite shallow. These salve tins (no. 012 Rose, no. 787 Sakura Rose and no. 013 Lavender) are quite the prettiest way to care for lips and beautify skin. These have been a favourite since the early days. Emulsified with rose or lavender extract, these salves are paraben free and absolutely not tested on animals, they can be used on lips, face, cuticles, elbows, knees, chapped or dry skin patches.

Like the sound of this?

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Cream Shave

A unique blend of 9 soft and hard soaps to provide the ultimate shaving experience.

Tasmanian Pepper with Tea Tree helps calm skin from the harsh effects of shaving.

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Hair & Body Washes

First a little background:

Designed in Newquay by the inimitable Colin (read Rob’s interview with him from last season) and made in Japan, these are simply the very, very finest tee shirts. Made on a vintage circular knitting machine (meaning no side seams) by a third generation family firm who have been knitting jersey for 100 years (they once made uniforms for the Japanese Imperial Palace), this is a slow and meticulous process. This machine can produce only 1 metre of jersey an hour and a tee shirt takes over an hour and a half to make. The machine lays the cotton down in a tube in very slow revolutions with minimal tension. No tension and no side seam results in a garment which can almost never go out of shape. These are tee shirts built to last.

Meet the Men’s Shapes (named for Hawaiian surf spots):

Meet the Women’s Shapes

(named for goddesses in Hawaiian mythology):

The Fabrications

All the tee shirt styles are made using a special Japanese recycled cotton called Ochiwata. Ochiwata cotton is woven from the discarded short fibres of fluff from traditional cotton thread production. This by-product is then spun into the soft, downy yarn that produces a Sunray jersey.

Fun fact: Jersey fabric was first produced on the Channel Island of Jersey during the medieval era, hence the name.

Step this way to explore the full collections.

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