Simon Compton, the writer from blog Permament Style in London, recently wrote a piece I enjoyed on how to buy quality shoes. Shoes are often one of the most overlooked part of a man's wardrobe, yet one of the most important. A strategic investment in a few nice pairs of shoes can yield dividends for at least a decade. I still wear a few pairs of nice shoes I purchased back in college! And, because of proper care, they still look incredible (actually, even better than when I first purchased them).

And the timing of this article is very is very fortuitous, as my next Special Project is going to be made-to-order shoes from British maker Alfred Sargent. For the money, they are the best value out of all of England.

Read Simon's article about buying quality shoes.

Women of style, instead of simply buying clothes that are trendy that they will wear one season then toss out, have the ability to appreciate the craftsmanship of good, quality designer garments. Sure,they purchase items that are on top of trends that they know won't last a lifetime in their closet, but the true staples in their closets are great, classic pieces that they can wear, re-wear and style in many different ways.

We read countless articles and books on "closet staples" and those "pieces every woman should have in her closet," but we are forgetting one, significant detail. What happens to our clothes when we aren't wearing them? Odds are, our clothes spend more time in our closets then on our bodies. Women take care of their garments while they are wearing them. They don't wear their wool, winter-white pants on a day full of sleet and snow. They are sure to take extra care in not ripping the trains of their evening gowns while dancing. So what are we doing to prevent damage to our garments while not wearing them? Most likely, nothing. One of the leading causes of garment damage is improperly sized hangers. Sounds like such a minor detail, yet when you really think about it, your clothes essentially live, and can die, in your closet.

Kirby Allison's Hanger Project has been providing men with wooden luxury hangers for years, and now, with a new Runway Collection specifically designed with women in mind, ladies' closets are about to get a makeover. Everything about these hangers say "luxury." From the high-quality beech wood construction and glossy mahogany finish, to the felted shoulders that prevent slipping and stretching, the KAHP Runway Collection provides women with a hanger that will prevent damage to every garment in their closet.

There are two widths available to ensure proper sizing. Dimples in the shoulders of our sweaters from too wide hangers? A thing of the past. Saggy shoulders in our silk blouses from too short hangers? Not anymore. The hangers come in Petite (15.0") and Standard (17.0") sizes. There are three profiles and seven hangers to guarantee the perfect fit: a suit and jacket hanger, a blouse and dress hanger, and a shirt, trouser, and skirt hanger.

Suit and Jacket Hanger

Blouse and Dress Hanger

Shirt, Trouser, and Skirt Hanger

An added bonus of these multi-purpose hangers is the visual cohesiveness. Each hanger has the same side-profile, which enhances the visual organization and harmony of your closet. No longer do you have to look at a closet of mixed and matched hangers. Seriously, toss those wire hangers. Quickly.

Though it may not have been something you have thought about before, I am sure you are contemplating what your current hangers are doing to your clothes right now. Just hanging, poorly, in your closet. Who knew something so small as hangers, could have such a major impact?

I am excited by the feedback we are receiving about our first Special Project: Bespoke Pearl Cufflinks. It looks like many people are taking this opportunity to acquire an incredible pair of cufflinks for their wardrobes. A few of you have reached out inquiring into the available of matching studs. Yes, matching studs are available and I have added them to the product page.

Diana and Simon designed these studs with the same historical accuracy as the cufflinks. And they are crafted and finished to the exact same standards. They are pictured below in Pearl White, but are available in any of the three colors. Unless otherwise requested, we will match them to the color of your cufflinks.

Each pearl measures 10 mm in diameter and, from the reports from London, they are stunning. They are available for an additional $585.00. The entire set of cufflinks + studs come in at less than $1,000. Which, although not cheap, is a relative bargain given the quality of these cufflinks and studs. Click on the below image to view a larger image.

Click here to Purchase

As many of you know, I have been doing quite a bit of international travel recently in search of new products for The Hanger Project (see Pitti Uomo Part 1 and Pitti Uomo Part 2). While exploring the world of luxury menswear, I have had an opportunity to meet some passionate artisans producing incredible products. In many instances, these individuals came from legacies of family artisans producing younameit for generations.

The Hanger Project is, though, what it is -- a small, luxury garment care niche. Many of these products very clearly fall outside the scope of this project. However, as many of my customers share my same passion for classic menswear and artisanship, I felt compelled to offer access to some of these products somehow.

Enter: The Special Projects Series

The Hanger Project was borne, quite literally, out of a simple project to create the best hanger possible. Why not offer these same products in a series of small special projects. Small, finite in duration, but exceptional and distinguished in their offering, just like The Hanger Project. They would allow me a platform to offer KAHP customers access, for a limited time, to incredible products not available here in the United States.

I have designed a series of Special Projects that I will be launching during the remainder of the year.

The First Special Project: Bespoke Pearl Cufflinks

The inaugural Special Project is Simon Compton from Permanent Style's Cufflink Project. Simon is the UK's leading authority on classic men's tailoring. His blog Permanent Style is followed by over 100,000 readers a month. Just as I found myself disappointed with ineffective, plastic hangers, Simon found himself disappointed with not being able to find classic, yet beautifully-crafted cufflinks. So he partnered with renowned London jeweler Diana Maynard to design and commission a limited edition series of Pearl cufflinks crafted from sterling silver. The detail and thoughtfullness put into these cufflinks could only be the result of a keen personal interest. They are, without question, some of the finest craftsmanship coupled with proper design and execution I've ever seen.

I approached Simon about being allowed to offer my customers the opportnity to commission these cufflinks. He, gladly, obliged (for a few free hangers, of course). So, with this (combined with the other projects not quite being ready) we have the first Special Project. Click on the below image to learn more about our bespoke pearl cufflinks.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Saphir Cordovan Shoe Polish to our expansive selection of Saphir Medialle D'Or shoe polishes. Saphir Medialle D'Or is widely considered to be the best shoe polish in the world. Most of the top-tier shoe manufacturers in the world private label their polish from Saphir (including John Lobb). Saphir's Cordovan Shoe Polish has been specially formulated for the unique requirements of this special leather.

Shell Cordovan is a specialty leather manufactured by only a few boutique tanneries worldwide. It is obtained from horses imported from Cordoba in the United States and crossed with wild horses of the Dakota. Only a small, specific portion of the back hide is used, the rest being utilized for furniture. Cordovan is different from calf in that it is not actually a hide; shell cordovan is actually the membrane located beneath the hide. As a result, Shell Cordovan is not porous and completely waterproof. Shell Cordovan is known for its waterproofness and robustness and is popular in urban environments prone to bad weather.

 

The skins are stored for months in barrels of oil. The natural color is blood red, a very dark burgundy, but Shell Cordovan is can also be found in other finishes. Shoes constructed from Shell Cordovan are rare, but are easily to spot. The smoothness of the leather is almost immediately distinguishable from calf. Because of the robustness of Shell Cordovan, the absence of any distress caused by normal wear will be absence.

Despite its durability, the highest-quality shell cordovan still needs to be properly maintained. Enter Saphir's Shell Cordovan Cream - a unique blend of bee's wax, pine turpentine, neatsfoot oil, and a high concentration of pigments. As with all of Saphir's Medialle D'Or shoe polishes, Saphir's Cordovan Cream is crafted from only the finest natural ingredients. It is available in four colors: neutral, cordovan (a deep blood red), dark brown, and black.

Polishing your Shell Cordovan shoes is easy. I recommend first using Saphir's Saddle Soap to clean and remove any dirt that has accumulated since your shoe's last polishing. Allow the shoes to completely dry before applying the Saphir Cordovan Cream. Work the polish into the leather with a dauber or chamois. Allow the polish to dry for about 10 minutes before buffing it off with one of our horsehair brushes.

If you have invested in fine cordovan shoes, they will certainly last you a lifetime. With proper care, you can make sure that they also look good for a lifetime!

After months of preparation and collaboration, we are pleased to announce our feature in Wallpaper* Magazine’s August “Handmade” issue. The feature is our first in the prestigious magazine and we could not be more proud. In the issue, we showcase handmade, one-of-a-kind luxury wooden hangers. The feature is a testament to everything The Hanger Project holds in such high esteem: craftsmanship, design and luxury. The hangers are unlike anything anyone has seen before, securing our place in Wallpaper* among highly regarded designers and companies. The exciting collaboration led to an expansion of our capacities and capabilities that will trickle down to our standard product collection.

Wallpaper* reached out to The Hanger Project in January 2011 inviting us to participate in their Handmade Project. The Wallpaper* Handmade project is a collaboration between the magazine, master craftsmen, expert manufacturers, and “top-of-their-game” designers. Presented at the Brioni House in Milan, Italy, during the Salone del Mobile furniture and design exhibition. Their challenge for us was to collaborate with their editors to handcraft unique, one-of-a-kind luxury garment hangers for this prestigious show. Together, we sketched a concept that fused the market-leading standards of our luxury wooden hangers and their progressive design insights.

We started with our just-launched Runway Collection of luxury women’s hangers. Already a major innovation in and of itself, we were able to modify the materials and finishing to yield a truly incredible hanger. Instead of our standard birch and maple woods, we selected two of the most exotic woods in the world: Macassar Ebony and Wenge. The incredible wood grain of these woods would require minimal finishing.

The standard shoulder flocking of our Runway Collection was then greatly upgraded by using Christopher Hyland ultra suede hand applied to the shoulders. Again, keeping with the use of only natural, luxury materials.

 

With the design concept in hand, we then had to find a network of craftsmen to help execute it. First, we turned to Pallas Architectural Woodworks, whose workshop boasts extensive custom woodworking experience and for whom exotic hardwoods were familiar. They accepted the challenge and hand-carved our hanger profiles out of solid wooden blocks. The hardness of the Macassar ebony posed a particular challenge, as it was much more difficult than the softer wenge to shape. However, Pallas was able to turn solid blocks of exotic hardwood into perfectly shaped hangers.

Finally, we approached William & Wesley, another custom furniture manufacturer with extensive finishing expertise to collaborate on the finishing of the Wallpaper* profiles. Each hanger was meticulously finished by hand to yield a patina more normally found on heirloom furniture than luxury wooden hangers. Former shoe cobbler Gadiel Ochoa then applied the ultra suede by hand to the hanger shoulders by fusing traditional cobbling and modern upholstery techniques. The richness of this fabric perfectly complimented the luxury of the Macassar and wenge woods, while subtly noting each hanger’s intended purpose. This proved to be the most difficult part of the project; however, Gadiel’s former experience as a shoe cobbler in Cuba enabled him to complete the project with unprecedented skill. The hooks were gold-plated, with jewels discreetly added to the tips, adding an unprecedented level of finish and customization.

 

 

From start to finish, the project took three months to complete after sourcing the wood and finding the proper craftsman. It was a true collaboration between Kirby Allison’s Hanger Project, Pallas Architectural Woodworks and William & Wesley. The project further illustrates KAHP’s commitment to luxury, style, and function and our singularity in a marketplace. The Wallpaper* Handmade hangers by Kirby Allison's Hanger Project are, without question or equal, the world’s most luxurious hangers.

If you are anything like me, you enjoy wearing suede shoes year around. Suede shoes, though, rank as some of the most difficult shoes to take proper care of. Because suede is a more robust material than calf, it does not scuff and show wear quite as easily, thus lending themselves to slightly more abuse (at least my shoes). Magnifying this additional abuse is the fact that, until this experiment, I did not have a routine for cleaning my suede shoes. Brushing my suede after each wearing might help a little, but, inevitably, I would end up with suede shoes too dirty to wear.

How to Clean Suede Shoes

Suede shoes are actually easier to clean and maintain than calf -- if you have the proper tools. Saphir's Medaille d'Or (MDO) shoe polishes are the best in the world, so it would be of no surprise that they also have the best suede cleaner. Saphir Omni'Nettoyant Suede Cleaner is a robust suede cleaner and stain remover. Combined with Saphir Suede Eraser and Renovateur Suede Spray, it has never been so easy to renew your suede shoes.

What you need:

Saphir Omni'Nettoyant Suede Cleaner

Small water bowl & towel

A Hard-Bristle Suede Brush

Saphir Gommadin Suede Eraser

Saphir Renovateur Suede Spray (neutral or matching color)

Before Pictures

I purchased these Rider Boots for my trip to Italy once I learned that it would be raining the first few days were were there. Originally, I had been planning just to wear some slippers. In retrospect, to only travel with slippers would have been a bad idea. The grape rubber sole of these shoes were incredibly comfortable and, combined with the waterproof suede, performed incredibly well in the rain. However, note how dirty these boots have become after two weeks of travel in Italy. There was large dirt marks on the back of the shoe and water marks and more dirt on the front vamp. Brushing the shoe alone with a suede brush would not remove this deep, embedded dirt. The second set of Ferragamo loafers are probably two years old and have never been cleaned. You can see how dirt has become embedded in the heals.

 

 

[Picture of the Saphir Products]

Step 1: Work out Any Difficult Spots with the Gommadin Suede Eraser

The Omni'Nettoyant is going to clean the majority of the embedded dirt from suede. However, first work any particularly difficult spots with the Gommadin Suede Eraser. Hold the Gommadin firmly in one hand and use it to "rub" the tough spots out of the suede. It is normal for the Gommadin to crumble during use (just brush the shavings off with your Suede Brush). Below is a picture of me using the Gommadin with a different pair of shoes.

Step 2: Clean Shoes with Saphir Omni'Nettoyant

Dilute about one capful per ounce of Saphir Omni'Nettoyant in room-temperature water. Then, using the included cleaning brush, thoroughly scrub the shoes. Work the Omni"Nettoyant into the suede producing a nice lather. If the solution is not lathering very easily, add some additional Omni to the water (however, you do not want it to be too strong). Spend extra time working the areas of the shoes that are particularly soiled.

 

 

Step 3: Wash Shoe with Warm Water to Remove Omni'Nettoyant Solution

After you have worked a rich lather using the Omni and brush, empty the solution, rinse your brush, and refill your bowl with warm water. Then, using this warm water, work the shoes over again removing the Omni'Nettoyant from the suede. Here you are "washing" additional dirt from the shoe. I did this at a sink, even briefly spraying the shoe with water. Once the brush is no longer producing a lather on the shoe, you know that you have removed all of the residual Omni'Nettoyant. Pat the suede with a dry towel to remove excess water and leave the shoe to dry.

Step 4: Allow to Dry

After you have washed the shoe of the remaining Omni'Nettoyant, allow them to dry thoroughly. I left my shoes in a room overnight and finished the next morning.

Step 5: Brush with Suede Brush

After the shoes have dried, firmly brush them with a hard-bristle suede brush in order to straighten or re-fluff the pile. The will prepare the shoe to receive the Saphir Renovateur Suede, ensuring that all of the fibers are sprayed. If you were to just spray the shoe without first brushing, many of the fibers would be pressed down and, therefore, not receive an even spray.

 

Step 6: Apply MDO Renovateur Spray

Saphir's Medaille d'Or Renovateur Suede & Nubuck Spray waterproofs and recolors suede while its Almond Oil renews the beautiful silky shine unique to suede shoes. Available in black, neutral, dark brown, and medium brown, if a color is not available that closely matches the finish of your suede, just use the neutral. Since my Rider Boots are lighter than the lightest Saphir spray, I used the neutral.

I highly recommend doing this outside, as the fumes from the aerosol are quite strong. Simply hold the spray 10 to 15 cm away from the shoe and apply an even coat. As long as you do not fully saturate the suede, you shouldn't have to worry about applying too too much. Just don't get carried away.

After completed, allow the shoe to dry for another day. Again, I recommend leaving them someplace that has good ventilation, as the fumes can be quite strong.

 

Step 7: Apply Final Brushing

After the Renovateur Suede Spray has completely dried, again brush the pile with a hard-bristle suede brush. This will restore the original texture of the suede. After this, your renewed suede shoes are ready to reenter your circulation!

After Shots

Below are pictures of the Rider Boots and Ferragamo loafers after the cleaning. There are no visible dirt marks or scuffing, and you can see that the original color has been renewed. All water spots were also removed. The difference is quite remarkable and these pictures do not fully illustrate the "shine" that the Almond Oil from the Renovateur Spray has added.

The Ferragamo loafers needed a little more work given how old they were and the fact that they had never been cleaned. However, those to, came out quite nicely given my prior neglect. I may try a second cleaning with the Omni'Nettoyant and then spray them with the Middle Brown Saphir Renovateur Spray.

If you make a point to clean your suede sues using this regiment two to three times a year, you should be able to keep your suede shoes looking good as long as your entire collection. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to email us at customerservice@hangerproject.com. It is always our pleasure to respond.

 

 

 

Pitti Uomo is held in Florence, Italy, twice a year at the Fortezza da Basso. With 30,000 dandies, including 20,000 buyers, gathering from around the world, Pitti was quite a site. Upon approaching the entrance to Fortezza da Basso, you are immediately struck by the number of well-dressed men. Ranging from the ultra-fashion forward to the super-sartorical, there was plenty of people to keep the photographers busy.

The scope of the Pitti show is gigantic -- everything from sports and casual wear to the highest-end of classic men's tailoring. Pitti groups all of the exhibitors together by segment, so everyone we wanted to see was basically in just a few of the many buildings. It took me a full day and a half just to wrap our minds around the vendors and who we wanted to speak with.

The primary purpose of the trip was product research for a yet-to-be-revealed concept for 2012. Yes, that's right. Something really exciting that, if all goes well, will include some of the most incredible products from around the world into one place. Of course, Made-in-Italy represents the essence of classic style, elegance, and quality, so no better place to start than there. Most all of the vendors we met with were direct descendents of their respective company's founder. It was quite interesting to see how strong a role family identities played with these artisan companies.

Below is a picture of me with Francesco Maglia, the grandson of the founder of Maglia Francesco, the great-grandson of the founder of Maglia Umbrella Company, the premier manufacture of hand-made umbrellas in the world. Founded in 1854, this company is still run by the Maglia family and produces the most beautiful, well-crafted umbrellas you've ever seen in your life. Francesco was incredibly kind to show me his collection of fine handmade umbrellas.

The full splendor of Italian's leather artisans was also on display at Pitti. From small accessory items to briefcases and shoes, the Italians are some of the best leather workers in the world. A big fan of travel bags and briefcases, I greatly enjoyed inspecting the products of the many different artisans at the show. Below is a picture of me with two of the family members of this one Italian briefcase and belt company. Mother and daughter, they look more like sisters!

The scope and number of beautiful products one can find at Pitti is by no question overwhelming. The trip was incredibly inspirational, and I hope to soon have the privilege of offering some of these masterpieces on The Hanger Project. Bianca and I definitely are planning to return to Pitti in January of 2012. On our next trip, we hope to have the opportunity after the show to actually go and visit some of the factories where these incredible artisans produce their beautiful products.

For the first time, my wife Bianca and I traveled to Italy to attend the semi-annual Italian menswear event, Pitti Uomo -- the pinnacle of Made-in-Italy atrisanship. Unless you are in the menswear industry, you have probably never heard of this show. However, for the sartorically-inclined, this is a pilgrimage worth making, as do about 30,000 people from around the world. In January and June of ever year, some of the most fashionable dandies converge on Florence to see what the best Italian artisans have developed for the following season.

Many of my friends in the business had been telling me the importance of attending this event for quite some time. However, as many of you may understand, a trip to Italy is not cheap, especially with the state of the dollar. Originally scheduled for January 2012, I decided better sooner than later while hearing Ed Shaikh from Hadleigh's Bespoke and William Kissel from Robb Report romance their past trips.

As I am beginning to research some new "special projects" (more to come later) and feeling the need to get out of Texas for a little inspiration, why not. My wife quickly volunteered (or insisted) that she accompany me as an assistant. Of course, I obliged. With that, we were off to Milan, Florence, and Rome with side-trips to Como and Tuscany.

The purpose of the trip was to research new product for The Hanger Project and for some new "special projects" in the works for the balance of 2011 and 2012. If you are already a customer, you will be hearing more about these projects in the near future.

A picture of some of G. Lorenzi's handmade accessories for men through their shop window on via Montenapoleone.

Milan, the fashion capital of Italy and one of its largest cities, seemed like a great place to begin our Italian journey. We knew in advanced that the weather would not be good, so I used this as an excuse to order a pair of ultra-comfortable and water-resistant chukka boots from my good friend Ron at the Rider Boots Company (similar to these, but different color). Armed with these incredible boots and an umbrella, we hit the via Montenapoleone in search for some of Milan's incredible boutiques (despite the rain).

Or first stop was G. Lorenzi. What began in 1929 as a cutlery shop, it eventually evolved, at the demands of clients, to include shave and smoking accessories. Now, one can find a collection of literally thousands of accessories for men handcrafted by the firm. The second floor houses one of the most extensive collection of shaving tools and accessories probably ever compiled, spanning almost two hundred years. The collection counts almost 4,000 safety razors, alone! You must ask to view this collection.

Gianni Agnelli and Bianca Brandolini, two huge Italian socialites, joined us for lunch one table behind us.

Another Milan landmark that was on our list was 10 Corso Como. Founded in 1990 by the former editor of Vogue Italy, 10 Corso Como's store and cafe has become an institution frequented by Milan's fashion elite. If you take a close look at this picture of me and Bianca, you'll see that socialites Lapo Elkann, grandson of Fiat founder Gianni Agnelli, and his girlfriend Bianca Brandolini. They declined to join us for lunch.

Milan is a beautiful city and, honestly, was our favorite. We enjoyed that the city was big enough to not be dominated by tourists yet still retained a distinctly Italian feel. The people watching was incredible and the piazzas always filled more with local Milanese than tourists with cameras.

 

Piazza Duomo at night.	The friendly bar hands at the Gia Como restaurant overlooking the Duomo.

One of the many beauties of Milan is the fact that Lake Como is a short 45 minute train ride from the city (provided that you are able to find the train schedule -- I highly recommend printing out a schedule before arriving at the train station; the lines are terrible). We were able to stay at a charming hotel right next door to Villa d'Este, one of the premier properties on the lake and host to the annual Concorso d'Eleganza classic car show. Although we abstained from the $1,000-a-night rooms, we did certainly enjoy their bar during the evening. To the right is a picture of us with a guest's Ferrari. He declined my offer to take his photography but instead kindly offered to take a picture of us; sadly, his offer did not include the keys, but we nonetheless graciously accepted.

Twice a year, the world converges on Florence, Italy, for Pitti Uomo, Italy's men's trade show. My wife Bianca and I will be attending this event for our first time looking for new products to feature on The Hanger Project. We will be arriving in Milan, then going to Florence for Pitti, before continuing to Rome, where we will depart.

If you have any favorite Italian stores or secretes from your travels, please do share them with us. You will be able to follow our sartorial journey through this blog, as I will be posting frequent updates of what we see.

Below are some of the suggested stores that others have already suggested we visit. If you have any to add, please do share by emailing me at kirbya (at) hangerproject.com.

Florence	Milan	Rome
Aspesi Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella Ferragamo museum S. Spirito Gallery Art Hotel The Four Seasons	Bulgari Hotel Principe for drinks Cucchi via Manzoni, della Spiga, Montenapoleone La Brera Tortona Culti Loro Piana Luxottica eyewear G. Lorenzi Brioni 10 Corso Como Azucena Danese De Padova Nilufar Gallery Triennale Fornasetti Rossana Orlandi	Sadly don't have very many good suggestions for Rome at the moment.

Help support the trip. Buy some hangers! ;)

I often receive the question of why we do not manufacture any wooden hangers out of cedar. In fact, I receive this question so often, that I thought I would go ahead and write a blog post describing why you actually would never want a hanger made from cedar.

First, in order for cedar to be aromatic, it has to be unfinished. The problem with an unfinished hanger, even an extremely well-sanded one, is that the unfinished wood could splinter and snag fabrics. Imagine pulling your suit hanger off of a hanger only to have it snag some fibers. It would be tragic.

Second, I love the smell of cedar. I do not have a cedar closet, but one day, would like to. However, I do not like cedar enough to want to walk around all day smelling like it. If we made a hanger out of cedar, when you pulled your suit jacket off of it, it, too, would smell like cedar. Great for shoes. Bad for clothing.

Third, Cedar is not as effective as many believe at protecting garments against moths. Garment Bags are really the best means of protecting a garment against these creatures. So, a cedar hanger is not going to provide adequate protection against moths.

Rest assured, though, that we are steadfast working on adding new products that would aid the well-dressed in their quest to defend their wardrobes against cloth-eating insects.

If you have any questions or counters to my thinking, please, by all means, reach out to me directly and let me know!

A Detailed Guide to Sizing Your Suit Hangers

The width of your hanger is the most overlooked but crucial detail to taking care of your suit jackets. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to your clothing, and the same should be true when it comes to your wooden hangers. Considering garments inevitably spend more time in the closet than on your shoulders, it is easy to understand why a proper suit or jacket hanger is so important.

THE GUY IN THE NEXT OFFICE wears a size 36S suit, while you wear a 42R, so why do you use the same sized hangers? The Hanger Project recognizes that a premium suit deserves a premium suit hanger. Founded in 2006 by Kirby Allison, this Dallas-based company offers three different width options, each with 2.5-inch shoulder flares that ensure the jacket is fully filled out on each end.

The sizing principle for suits and jacket hangers is simple: the hanger should extend all the way to--but not beyond--the point where the shoulder meets the sleeve (the jacket's sleeve head). The most accurate method of sizing your hanger is to measure directly across the back (the point-to-point measurement). However, we have developed a sizing approximation using standard U.S. jacket sizes. See the below illustration on sizing the perfect Suit Hanger.

The most important consideration when choosing the size of your Jacket Hanger is that it is better for it to be too small, than too larger. If the hanger extends beyond the sleeve head, it can disrupt the drape of the sleeve. Even if your luxury suit hanger is 1/2" to 3/4" short on each side, the 2.5" shoulder flares combined with the full contour will still provide better support than your jackets ever dreamed.

Our Premium Suit Hangers come in four widths: 15.5", 17.0", 18.5", and 20.0". Our 20.0" Premium Suit Hanger is an exceptionally large suit hanger perfect for professional athletes and other gentlemen with particularly broad shoulders.

Spring is here and summer is upon us. That means that it is time to rotate out your winter wardrobe and into storage. Finely-tailored garments are especially vulnerable during summer storage. Left to hang for long periods without being worn, often in the corners of closets or in distant storage closets, suits and winter coats are easy prey for moths, which are most active during the summer, and can accumulate embedded dust.

These threats to your expensive garments are easily avoided with proper preparation and storage. Follow these easy principles:

1. Use a Garment Brush. Before storing garments, brush out any dust or dirt that may have accumulated during the previous wearing season. We recommend the use of a natural-bristle garment brush and STRONGLY DISCOURAGE using any type of masking-tape dust rollers, which can leave an adhesive residue on fabrics (which, ironically, attracts dust).

2. Use a Premium Hanger. Garments live and die by hangers, and this could not be any more true during storage. A properly-sized hanger (we now have four sizes) is essential to protecting shoulder construction and preventing collars from stretching -- both which control drape. And for bonus, our the felted trouser bar used on our Luxury Suit Hangers prevent the creasing caused by normal locking-bar hangers.

3. Store in a Garment Bag. Storing your suits and jackets in a garment bag will protect them from moths, dust, and other critters. Our Luxury Garment Bags (now available in a 60" length for overcoats) is constructed from a 10 oz cotton twill and utilizes a 4-inch fused gusset to prevent the bag from collapsing on the garment.

Following these three simple tenets can save you the misery of discovering that your favorite winter garments were ruined during summer storage. If you have any questions about our garment storage recommendations, please feel free to reach out to Kirby directly at kirbya@hangerproject.com. He is always happy to answer your questions!

Everybody loves a good shoeshine, especially the guys over at Esquire Magazine. This past week, Rickey Thornton (you'll remember him from our first "exhibition" post on the Saphir luxury shoe polishes) and I headed to New York to preach a little shoe love. Rickey is probably the best shoe guy I have come across and the Saphir shoe polishes are unquestionably the best shoe polishes in the world. Together, who could resist an offer for some shoe love?

Our hope was certainly not the editors of any magazines. Nick Sullivan, fashion editor of Esquire Magazine and an all-around incredible man, was one of the first in New York to jump at the opportunity to have us drop by their offices and demonstrate the magic of the Saphir shoe polishes. If I thought that my small scuff was a test for the Saphir polishes, Nick had something altogether different in store for us. You see, he had just received a pair of Church's shoes back from the shoe repair store around the corner from the Hearst offices. These guys are not B. Nelson's Shoes (best shoe repair in the city), and subsequently returned his shoes in a condition that would have had most men just throw them in the garbage. However, luckily for us, Nick held onto them out of nostalgia.

Enter me, Rickey, and the Saphir Shoe Polishes. Nick, not quite knowing what to make of our "absolutely the best" claims, decided to take some pictures of his shoes before and after Rickey put the Saphir MDO polishes to the test.

Check out how the Saphir Polishes performed below. Needless to say, we were at the Esquire offices for quite some time spreading our love for these incredible shoe polishes from France.

Check out these new Ultimate Closet Essentials! Upgrade your closets for the New Year with the ultimate closet accessories that will protect and extend the life of your wardrobe while adding style back into the morning and evening rituals of going out.

Here at Kirby Allison's Hanger Project, we take great in providing the well-dressed with the best possible hangers available anywhere. Not just any ordinary hanger, but luxury wooden hangers that protect and extend the life of wardrobes. Remember, our clothes do spend more time in our closets than on our shoulders, so if we want to take care of them, we have to take care of them in the closet.

One of the ways that we provide the most functional hangers of anywhere in the world is by focusing on providing the greatest variety of functional profiles anywhere instead of finishes. Our KAHP brand finish is cross between a beautiful cherry wood and walnut with brass hardware.

All hangers in the KAHP brand finish are available in stock and for immediate shipment. However, sometimes clients come to us with special concerns for custom finish. We are able to custom-manufacture any hanger in any finish with a proper custom-production lead time. Below are some thumbnails of some of the custom-production projects we have done for our clients. If you are interested in custom production wooden hangers, please contact Kirby Allison directly at customerservice@hangerproject.com.

Now that our Runway Collection of luxury women's hangers have made it to a few early-adopting clients, I'm excited to begin reporting some of the feedback we have received. One of our best customers of our men's hangers wrote the following:

To say that they are beautiful "hangers" is to understate the significance of your accomplishment. They are in fact a work of art –functionally and esthetically! My wife will be stunned when she opens the box on Christmas Day! Thank you.

Other customers have reported that they love the visual cohesiveness of the entire collection. I emphasize collection because the seven different hangers that compromise the Runway Collection were designed all together as one, cohesive set of hangers. When one outfits their entire closet, a level of visual beauty is achieved unlike never before. As soon as I have my first closet picture, I'll be sure to share it!

Learn more about the Runway Collection of luxury women's hangers here.

I'm excited to write that our new Runway Collection of luxury women's hangers has cleared customs and is en route to our warehouse in Dallas. This new collection of wooden hangers is the result of over 18 months of product collaboration with some of the industry's leading stylists. And we are quite happy with it's success.

The collection is comprised of three profiles, with the Suit Hanger and Skinny Top/Bottom hanger being offered in three different configurations. Below is an overview of the entire collection. More information to follow!

The Profiles

The Configurations

High-Quality Beech Wood Construction

Beech wood is a high density hardwood, which gives the wood great strength and durability. Its beautiful wood grain has made it a popular choice for high-end furniture and paneling.

High-Gloss Mahogany Finish with Brass Hardware

The high-gloss mahogany finish gives the hangers a beautiful, scratch-resistant luster that showcases the beech wood grain. Paired with brass hardware, the deep-brown finish retains a refined, classic essence with modern detailing. (Note: photographs are from production samples that had chrome hardware. Actual hangers do not have chrome -- they have brass hardware).

Felted Shoulders – The Runway Collection Touch

The shoulders of each hanger are finished with opulent purple felting, which securely, but gently grips garments naturally (not plastic or rubber). Added traction prevents garments from sliding off hangers or, even worse, stretching, which occurs when the garment slides down the hanger but does not fall off.

Two Widths Available – Petite 15.0” and Standard 17.0”

One size does not fit all when it comes to your wardrobe; the same should be true when it comes to your hangers. Improperly sized hangers are one of the leading causes of garment damage and increases dry cleanings. The available of two sizes ensures that your hangers properly fit and protect your wardrobe.

Heightened Visual Cohesiveness

When hung in the closet, KAHP’s entire Runway Collection retains the same, consistent side-profile throughout the entire closet. This enhances the visual organization and harmony in the closet.

Three Profiles and Seven Hangers Guarantee Perfect Fit

With seven hangers in three distinct profiles, every garment in your wardrobe is protected with a specifically-designed hanger profile. The unprecedented breadth of this collection is an industry first. Profile A and Profile C hangers available in three configurations: no hardware, delicate clips, and felted trouser bar.

After a few months of incredibly-strong sales of our luxury shoe polishes by Saphir, I decided to take a trip up to New York to introduce it to some editors of Men's magazines. And I thought what better way than by flying the best shoe guy up there with me (Rickey Thornton, Morning Glory Shoe Service) to perform spectacular shines with it.

You may ask how things went -- well, incredibly well. The editors at all of the magazines enjoyed greatly their shoe love. What I can report is that although there are more shoe shine stands in New York than any place I have ever seen, they are not nearly utilized enough because some shoes were in desperate need of some care.

Luckily, it was the perfect job for Saphir Renovateur. If you have only one shoe care item, this is the one to have. Most importantly, it restores the vital moisture to leather, preventing it from drying and, eventually, cracking, which is about the worst damage that can occur to a pair of shoes. What makes this product even better is that it can be used on any pair of shoes, regardless of finish, and can achieve quite a nice shine.
 

Hopefully you'll be reading more about The Hanger Project soon in your favorite magazine!

Also, special thanks to Nick at B. Nelson's Shoes for lending me his portable shoe shine stand.

Thomas Mahon at English Cut is perhaps the most well-known bespoke tailor in the world. His blog, English Cut, was the first of its kind to open the private world of bespoke British clothing to the sartorially-curious and receives thousands of visits daily. English Cut brings forth for its readers the distinctions that define bespoke tailoring. Kirby Allison's Hanger Project is proud to have been selected by Tom as his exclusive provider of Luxury Garment Hangers for all bespoke suit deliveries. Click the below logo to visit English Cut and learn more about the world of Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring.

After receiving my samples of the full line of Saphir Médaille d'Or luxury shoe polishes, I was very excited to actually see how they perform. Saphir's accolades place the MDO collection as the best available anywhere, but how do they actually perform on the track? No better person to test than the best "shoe guy" I know: Rickey Thornton at Morning Glory Shoe Shines.

I am quite proud to know Rickey. I "spotted" him back at my FTI days working in the Trammel Crow Building. Having long been a shoe aficionado, I know a good shine when I see one. That is why the first time Rickey shined my shoes was the last time I used someone new. He is nothing short of incredible and has taken care of all of my shoes ever since. I regularly take him my shoes by the suitcase. His other clients probably think I am crazy, but they probably have no idea the talent they have before him (my assessment is that he is regularly over-qualified to shine the majority of the shoes he works on).

Rickey is now across the street, having upgraded his booth, at the JPMorgan Chase Building in downtown Dallas, should anyone be in the neighborhood. He is right next to the Starbucks.

So, I was excited to have him try out the new Saphir MDO Polishes. Just my luck, while leaving my house, I scuffed one of my favorite pairs of Grenson loafers on my way out (see below). Just the challenge we needed for this experiment.

My Grenson's needed a good polish and, because of their new scuff, needed it badly. We decided to start with the Saphir Pommadier cream shoe polish, becuase it has the highest concentration of pigment, then use Saphir Renovateur to add some additional nourishment for the leather, and then finish up with the Saphir Pâte de Luxe Wax Polish for a nice high-gloss shine.

Coat #1 - Saphir Pommadier Cream Polish

Rickey started with the Saphir Pommadier Cream Polish to help restore the pigment saturation of my out-of-shape shoes. In addition the "test scuff" with which I had just previously gifted the shoes, these needed work everywhere. We started out by applying the Pommadier Cream Polish directly onto the scuffs and rubbing it into the leather. Then, we followed-up by applying it to the entire shoe. The cream goes on very nicely and doesn't require a much. The higher-concentration of pigment was immediately noticeable to Rickey.

Coat #2 - Saphir Renovateur Cleaner and Conditioner

There are many different uses for the Reovateur, all of which we cannot get into here. Perhaps for a later post. This product is quite unique -- I have never seen a product quite like it before. The secret is in its base ingredient - Mink Oil. Leather dries out over time, and this is he ideal product for restoring leather's proper moisture. In this, it is more a conditioner than a cleaner in the proper sense that we use the word.

Rickey applied Renovateur between the Cream and Wax polishes for an added bit of nourishment that these shoes unquestionably needed.

Coat # 3 - Saphir Pâte de Luxe Wax Shoe Polish vs. Lincoln Polish

Right when you open the Saphir Pâte de Luxe Wax Polish you notice the attention to detail. Every tin comes with a aluminum foil seal at the top. details like this I love. Then the next thing you notice is the aroma -- that of pine trees. The product just smells exceptionally, and this is because of the all-natural turpentine base that comes from pine trees.

Second, you can immediately see how lighter and "greasier" the Saphir MDO wax is vs. an ordinary wax polish due to the higher concentration of natural oils. Just look at the difference in sheen between the two (bottom left). This quality is even more evident when you actually spread the polish on your shoes -- it spreads like butter on a hot pan. Beautifully. It doesn't take much of the product.

Third, just look at the higher concentration of pigments (bottom right). Wax polishes do not have the same concentration of pigment than cream shoe polishes, but the Saphir MDO Pâte de Luxe has a substantial concentration. So, not only can it create an incredible mirror-polish, but it does a better job of revitalizing the color saturation of the leather.

Difference in Texture of Saphir's Wax Polish vs. Lincoln

Look at the difference in pigment concentration between Saphir's Wax Polish vs. Lincoln's.

Polishing Notes - The Result

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. See below.

All of the scuff marks have all but completely disappeared and the mirror-shine is incredible. Hard to believe that they are even the same shoes!

But don't take my word for it! Try Saphir's Luxury Shoe Care Products for yourself!

Welcome to Kirby Allison's Hanger Project Blog! Well overdue, I now look forward to sharing with you my interests with you on a more regular basis. I founded Kirby Allison's Hanger Project almost four years ago out of frustration with the lack of wooden hangers that actually protected and extended the life of my bespoke suits. Over the years and, most often, at the request of customers, we have slowly grown into providing a greater array of garment car accessories.

In addition to our full collection of wooden hangers for both men and women, we carry a full collection of shoe care products and other garment care items.

I invite you to engage with me as I journey through the world of luxury garment care -- if you have questions, please send them to me through our "Contact Us" section or by posting a comment.

Cheers,

Kirby Allison
Founder
Kirby Allison's Hanger Project