This episode is a poignant one. Yes, believe it or not, this is the final episode of HandCut Radio . After three years and more than 50 episodes, we’re hanging up our microphones to pursue new projects. But, before we go, we wanted to respond to one frequent request that’s come up while we’ve made this podcast. A surprising number of you have been in touch to ask whether someone could possibly interview Aleks, and now they have. For this special sign-off episode we asked Paul Croughton , editor-...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 6 min
We could think of no better way to wrap up this season of HandCut Radio than by revisiting an old guest, Mark Cho , co-founder of The Armoury and co-owner of Drake’s . We’ve called this episode “Mark Cho’s take on 2022” because a lot of the themes we explore – the ‘casualisation’ of style, the different ways men are reinventing suiting, the danger of hype and the saturation of everyone’s attention – feel very relevant to the moment we find ourselves in. We hope you’ll agree that this is a fittin...
Jun 01, 2022•50 min•Season 6Ep. 10
This week we’re bending the rules of our New York style season slightly, by interviewing fellow Brit, Jason Jules . Regardless, his new book Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style is extremely pertinent to this season’s theme, given its concern with mid-century American style. Aleks and Jason explore Black Ivy in this episode, of course, but we also hear about Jason’s fascination for cultural trend-spotting, his passion for jazz music and his admiration for progressive rap culture. It’s a fascinating conv...
May 25, 2022•57 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Imagine that you’re a young, 20-something clothing designer, and you’re self-funding the growth of your label. It’s going well and you’ve invested heavily in your next collection. Then, picture an overnight flash-flood, a warehouse filled with more than three feet of water, and half that collection being written off. Peter Middleton, the founder of Wythe , found himself in that very position less than a year ago. We wanted to talk to him about what the rollercoaster of building a young brand is ...
May 18, 2022•42 min•Season 6Ep. 8
This is the first of two ‘three years on’ episodes we’re featuring this season, with American brands that featured on HandCut Radio in the podcast’s infancy. Regular listeners will know that we’ve always admire Nicholas Ragosta and Agyesh Madan at Stòffa , and their work in building a luxury brand that’s as responsible as it is beautifully curated. In this conversation, we deep dive into how they’ve evolved the business over the course of the pandemic; introducing an impressive made-to-order e-c...
May 11, 2022•52 min•Season 6Ep. 7
This week HandCut Radio is coming to you from inside the pastel pink walls of F.E. Castleberry’s Greenwich Village atelier, as Aleks sits down with the brand’s founder, Fred Castleberry. Known for his creative, fashion-forward take on made-to-measure tailoring, and the dreamlike aesthetic of his campaigns, Fred has created a cult-brand with a razor-sharp point of view. He tells us about his grounding in design at Ralph Lauren, how he creates characters for all his campaigns, and why he sees clot...
May 04, 2022•51 min•Season 6Ep. 6
This week’s episode of our New York City special is something of a departure from our normal service, in that it’s much more about storytelling than menswear. You can blame Aleks for this; the chance to quiz Air Mail deputy editor and New York Times bestselling author Michael Hainey on on his extraordinary career was just too much to handle. So, in this conversation Aleks explores Hainey’s career, gets his take on ‘finding your voice’, and hears Hainey’s thoughts on why the best journalists writ...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Fun fact: when we decided to visit New York for this season of HandCut Radio, one name came up time and again: “you’ve gotta speak to Ouigi”, “oh, you’re headed to NYC, well then, make sure you speak to Ouigi…” So, we did. Ouigi Theodore is a pillar of the NYC style scene, and the founder of much-loved store, The Brooklyn Circus . He speaks to Aleks about his pre-menswear career as a party promoter, explains why he’s building a community-driven “100 Year Plan”, and he talks about why life is all...
Apr 20, 2022•50 min•Season 6Ep. 4
“The clothes that we think of as elitist came from a place of fun and irreverence,” says Jack Carlson, founder of New York based indie brand, Rowing Blazers . Over the past six years, Carlson and his team have democratised the clothes most associated with stuffy Ivy League and Oxbridge sporting institutions, giving them a new lease of life. We talk about this at length this week, as Aleks explores just how Jack has built a brand that feels fresh and inclusive as opposed to elitist and stuffy. Th...
Apr 13, 2022•49 min•Season 6Ep. 3
This week, Aleks meets Brian Davis, the founder of cult vintage American menswear store, Wooden Sleepers . Brian talks openly and honestly about the rollercoaster ride he experienced during the pandemic, which culminated in the closure of his beloved Red Hook store. He also talks about how life as a father has changed him, and why post-lockdowns, Wooden Sleepers 2.0 is the best its ever been. This episode has to be one of our all-time favourites, we hope you enjoy listening. --- HandCut Radio is...
Apr 06, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Welcome to Season Six of HandCut Radio, our New York City Special. We’re kicking off the season with a creative heavyweight we’ve wanted to meet for years: Brendon Babenzien. Aleks speaks to the co-founder of Noah and creative director of J.Crew Men’s about why he thinks Preppy Style has been hijacked, how the Noah design team create for individuals rather than trends, and why the fashion industry’s attitude of “it’s not personal” needs wholesale change. He also hints at what we can expect from ...
Mar 30, 2022•46 min•Season 6Ep. 1
This week is the final episode in our four-part mini-season with Portman Marylebone. Ending on a high, Aleks sits down with Charlie Casely-Hayford , the owner and creative director at esteemed British menswear brand, Casely-Hayford London. Fellow fashionistas will doubtless know that Charlie inherited the brand from his father, the late, great, Joe Casely Hayford OBE, who sadly passed away in 2019 and was one of the most influential British designers of his generation. Today, Charlie is continui...
Jun 30, 2021•46 min•Season 5Ep. 5
This week, Aleks sits down with Olivia Francis, the founder of luxury men’s underwear and loungewear brand, Hamilton & Hare . Olivia is on a campaign to elevate men’s undies, and to get men thinking about the importance of their underwear drawer in a very different way; valuing quality, longevity and comfort every bit as highly as you would in a pair of shoes or a handmade suit. We hear about her decision to leave advertising to establish her own business, talk about the highs and lows of li...
Jun 23, 2021•44 min•Season 5Ep. 4
This week Aleks sits down with Paul Simons, co-owner of the iconic Ivy League style destination, John Simons on Chiltern Street in Marylebone. In the ‘60s, John was the ‘OG’ importer and populariser of the American Ivy League look in the UK and over the past five decades or so, John Simons has built up a cult following as a preppy menswear destination. Today, Paul manages the business day-to-day, and we sat down together to hear the brand’s story from the horses’s mouth. We chat about John’s ear...
Jun 16, 2021•44 min•Season 5Ep. 3
This week’s episode is the first of four produced in partnership with Portman Marylebone ( @portmanmarylebone ). We sit down with Rachel Wythe-Moran and Simon Watkins, the co founders of cult design store Labour & Wait . Rachel and Simon began their careers in men’s style before opening what they call ‘their ideal general store’ in 2000. We talk to them both about why they left the seasonal world of fashion to move at their own pace, what they look for in a well-designed product, and why a s...
Jun 09, 2021•38 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Jeremy Langmead is arguably one of the most influential figures in British men’s lifestyle media today. He began his career working in prestigious newspapers like the Sunday Times and Evening Standard, before editing Wallpaper and Esquire magazines, and of course he was the founding editor at Mr Porter, where we are about to pick up the story. We quizzed Jeremy on just what it was like to launch the first seriously big multi-brand e-tailor, heard about some of his many challenges and learnings a...
Jun 02, 2021•46 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Our final conversation of Season Four is a fun one. Lizzie Radcliffe is the Head Cutter at Lot.1 – Levis’ bespoke denim service tucked away in the heart of London’s Soho. Whether you’re into bespoke craft, proper denim or luxury retail Lizzie’s story is a fascinating one; she joined Lot.1 following a bespoke tailoring apprenticeship with legend of the game Edward Sexton, and over a seven-year period, she’s taken Lot 1 from being just herself in the corner of a Levi’s store to a dedicated denim t...
Dec 26, 2020•38 min•Season 4Ep. 10
This week, Aleks sits down with one of London’s most intriguing young tailors, Fred Nieddu. Fred is a freelance bespoke tailor, pattern cutter and head cutter at Timothy Everest, a fresh-thinking tailoring house in Shoreditch, east London. Alongside his tailoring work, Fred also takes on a lot of work for big TV and Film costume departments, including all the menswear for Netflix’s The Crown. So, he and Aleks chat through his round-about root into tailoring, the strange world of movie wardrobe d...
Dec 19, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Thom Whiddett and Luke Sweeney are the co-founders of Thom Sweeney , arguably Mayfair’s coolest tailor; offering bespoke and made-to-measure suiting, as well as a luxurious ready-to-wear collection that spans everything from double-breasted blazers to quilted cashmere parkas. The business is now 19-years-old, and Thom and Luke have built their brand from the ground up. In this episode, they talk Aleks through how they met and the winning formula they’ve developed over the years. As always, we ho...
Dec 12, 2020•40 min•Season 4Ep. 8
In this interview, Aleks sits down with an old friend and long-time mentor, Christopher Modoo, who’s worked in London’s West End menswear scene for over 20 years. From designing for Savile Row tailors to consulting for heritage brands, Chris has done the lot. He’s also the co-founder of ready-to-wear tailored trouser brand, Kit Blake, so the pair explore why Chris’s latest venture has made such great strides so quickly. Chris isn’t short on an opinion, so this conversation is a curious romp thro...
Dec 05, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 7
This week, Aleks sits down with a good friend and former colleague, watch writer and photographer, Justin Hast, who works with a number of luxury watch brands on their content and communications. Both Justin and Aleks came up through the magazine ranks together, and the pair reminisce about old times, explore how the watch industry is evolving, and try to find ground where influencers and old guard journalists can meet. Let us know what you think of the episode on Instagram by messaging @handcut...
Nov 28, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Luke Walker is a freelance menswear designer and creative, with a wealth of experience designing for both global designer brands and cult-favourite independents. He’s also embarked on the process of creating his own brand, L.E.J, which is gaining much plaudits from fashionistas just a few seasons in. L.E.J focuses on the intersection of ‘utility and luxury’ in menswear design, so Aleks quizzes Luke on just what the philosophy that underpins L.E.J is. Luke also talks Aleks through some of his ear...
Nov 21, 2020•42 min•Season 4Ep. 5
This week, we present the first ever watch interview on HandCut Radio, with Nick and Giles English, co-founders of Bremont , a thoroughbred British watchmaker headquartered in Henley-on-Thames. The pair are natural born adventurers and horological innovators, so Aleks quizzes them on their love of flying, the vision that’s underpinned Bremont from day one, their passion for British manufacturing, and we unpick the latest buzzwords in the watch industry ‘inclusive luxury’. Don’t forget to leave u...
Nov 14, 2020•49 min•Season 4Ep. 4
This episode is an important one. André is an actor, writer and menswear-head who’s known for his louche, creative personal style. This week, he makes the case for slouchy style and waxes lyrical on jazz and hip-hop. He and Aleks also discuss the industry’s unfortunate lack of diversity, and André’s combined passion and honesty makes for powerful listening. Let us know what you think of the episode on Instagram by messaging @handcutradio , and if you enjoy listening please do leave us a review o...
Nov 07, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Aleks sits down with an old friend and Season One alumnus, Scott Fraser Simpson , the founder of Scott Fraser Collection . The pair discuss Scott’s early obsession with the mod-scene, his compulsive need to collect and the music that influences his clothing designs. Scott also touches on the need for retailers to be responsive in fashion today, and why a made-to-order retail model works so well for him. Don’t forget to leave us a review if you enjoy the episode, and follow us on Instagram @handc...
Oct 31, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 2
To kick-off season four we visit Jojo Elgarice , founder of Rag Parade in Sheffield, an eclectic vintage menswear store known for its wide-ranging collection and careful eye. We spent the day with him a couple of weeks ago and it was one of the most enjoyable days we’ve had working on HandCut Radio this year. He’s a ball of energy; full of jokes, quips, opinions, electric ideas and he’s refreshingly straight forward to boot. We hear about his early years building Rag Parade from the ground up an...
Oct 24, 2020•38 min•Season 4Ep. 1
James Sleater is the co-founder of Cad & The Dandy , a modern British bespoke tailor with shops on Savile Row, in the City, Stockholm and New York, plus outposts in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. Cad & The Dandy's winning formula is thoroughly impressive; in a good month the brand cuts around 400 suits, more than most tailors make in a year. We chat to James about what motivated him to found the business, explore why he's fascinated by applying modern business practice to traditional ...
Apr 29, 2020•44 min
For the final episode in Season Three, Aleks sits down with award-winning British fashion designer, Oli Spencer, who’s two brands, Favourbrook and Oliver Spencer , are both thoroughbred menswear gems. Oli began his career selling waistcoats on Portobello Road in the ‘90s, and has grown his business to half-a-dozen London stores, a buzzing e-commerce offering, and eight drops a year on Mr Porter. He and Aleks talk about his first few years on the ladder, his approach to retail and clothing design...
Apr 08, 2020•44 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In the second of our two bonus episodes created in partnership with Thomas Mason , the HandCut team explores the brand’s unique fabric archive filled with over 800 leather-bound fabric catalogues dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, and held in a temperature controlled library by the Albini Group in Italy. In addition, Aleks chats to Maurizio Colnago, Thomas Mason’s head of fabric design, about how this extraordinary archive informs Thomas Mason’s fabric collections today, and he meets with Da...
Apr 04, 2020•15 min
This week’s guest is a New York based journalist and author who needs little by way of introduction. The brain behind New York Times best-seller, Men and Style , David Coggins is widely recognised as an intelligent and urbane voice in high-end men’s journalism. His website, The Contender , distills his passions as a writer, covering travel, men’s style, fishing and drinking, and seldom fails to be an entertaining and intelligent read. He talks to Aleks about writing and the process of finding on...
Apr 01, 2020•41 min•Season 3Ep. 9
