Alan Flusser - Of Gekkos and Stones

The well-dressed in New York have sought out Alan Flusser for over thirty years, including a pair of well-known pantomime villains: Gekko and Stone.

Alan was famously responsible for putting together Gordon Gekko's wardrobe for the 1987 film Wall Street. With the hair hat and the power dressing, Alan imbued Gordon Gekko with the vitality of a 'master of the universe'. Alan is also patronised and commended by real-life Machiavellian shapeshifter Roger Stone. Undeniably dapper, Roger's perfectly happy for people to criticise his role in politics (and many do), he accepts that's part of the cut and thrust, but woe betide you if you criticise his style (and your own style is found to be distinctly lacking).

Rum fish

He may have the costume, but we know there's something of the night about Gordon Gekko. Perhaps it's the details that give it away. The bracelet next to the wonderful turned-back cuff of his jacket (below) might sound an alarm for some, but that's more likely Alan Flusser's influence on dressing: 'classicism laced with dissonance'. The underhand, conspiratorial smoking style certainly tells us Gordon's something of a rum fish and not to be trusted.

Did you see the documentary Get me Roger Stone? I confess to watching it primarily for the clothes Roger was wearing, notably a nice example of a patch-madras jacket not dissimilar to my own. You have to hand it to a man — and an American at that — who takes an interview in a bowler hat. That shows spunk, as they would say in the US. I'm sure Roger would appreciate the colourful bowlers available from Bates.

Roger is often to be found sporting some serious 'architect's glasses' too.

Flusser the fusser

Alan Flusser believes in the fundamental importance of dressing well. He explains in this 1979 interview: 'The impulse to make a statement about style and society in general is, I think, the root of all intelligent dressing.' One senses the obsessiveness Alan applies to dressing; case in point the tab made for his shirt, described in the interview, that secures the shirt to his trousers to prevent it riding up.

Stop dressing like a ten-year-old

Alan offers some tips for dressing here. One of the key points is that you should acquire clothes that you would be happy wearing when you are ten years older. It seems that many men have missed this point entirely and buy clothes they would have been happy wearing when they were actually ten years old instead.

Acamedician of clothes

With Alan's choices we can recognise that there isn't a scintilla of doubt in his habit after decades of sartorial appreciation. That's a lovely scarf and field coat (below), but we must also recognise one extremely affable face, which will go with anything you wish to wear. Quite the opposite of my visage, actually, which is cold, impervious and unwelcoming in a distinctly English way.

Alan has long been appreciative of all the tweedy British elements and brands we feature and enjoy. His shop stocks an exclusive range of Thurston braces. These stripy braces have a certain New York pizzazz.

Flusser also stock ties with what they call 'the third stripe'. First we have the classic British striped club ties, then we have their reverse-striped American copy in the repp tie. The third stripe is a French affair, a big bold one at that. The Parisian men's clothes shop Arny's stocked head-turningly wide-striped ties. Arny's closed in 2015, but Flusser have kept the idea of these striped ties alive with an inspired range in various colours.  All the ties have hand-rolled tips. As with the braces, the ties are made in good old England. This green one is an absolute smasher:

Fittings for Alan Flusser's custom tailoring and made-to-measure clothing are made from their New York City showroom. Included in the deal is an education on what suits your complexion and physique. I wonder what they could recommend for my pale, standoffish face? A classic balaclava in a warm colour?