When I lamented the virtual disappearance of embroidered clocks on men's hose last year, Alex Kabbaz of Kabbaz-Kelly noticed. This was a good thing. Mr. Kabbaz probably sells as many expensive socks as anyone in the world and when he speaks, as the saying goes, sockmakers listen. We corresponded a time or two about color palettes and I sat back to await the results this fall (it takes about a year for such projects to move from conception to reality).
Now the original embroidered clock was a pattern comprised of two lines of embroidery at an angle that followed the shape of the foot and looked rather like the hands of a clock. Hence the name. But it turned out that the modern Italian sockmakers do not have patterns for said embroidery in their archives. That is not completely surprising as the designs pre-date the founding of those companies (one wonders where the archives of the former makers of embroidered socks have gone). I was nonetheless surprised when I saw photos of the samples of their modern interpretation. 
Yes dear reader, the modern interpretation of the embroidered clock is, well, the embroidered clock. Proving once again that the reinvention of the classics is a path strewn with surprises.
Modern classic or passing fancy? Only, ahem, time will tell.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Only Time Will Tell
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7 comments:
I too am a great fan of socks with clocks. For many years I had heard of socks having virtually any slender strip of vertical pattern down each side as having clocks. Contrarily, the original definition of this term with which I became familiar was more specific. This consisted of small squares with a dot in the middle that nearly fills the square, both objects the same color, or sometimes complimentary colors such as a gray square with a light blue dot. Which of these slightly at odds definitions might be most accurate is beyond my knowledge.
That Mr. Kabbaz’s version may not adhere precisely to the latter is far less important to me than whether they are attractive, of high quality and suitable. And I think they are very handsome and undoubtedly of fine quality. They look marvelous with your choice of trouser and shoe and are a welcome revival, the perfect interesting touch of discreet color and pattern to enhance many suits.
I bought a navy pair with a red clock about 2 years ago at Bergdorf. I still wear them with navy pinstripe suits and burgundy knit ties. I like your combo today Will.
Franco Moschino would have been proud.
Hi Will, what material of pant are you wearing in todays post? Would you disclose the tailor?
deets about the trousers? Thanks a lot.
Bob and Yace, the photo is six months old so I don't know for sure what I was wearing. It looks like a pair of woolen flannel trousers. Cloth could be from H&S, Lesser or Minnis. Each was made by a different tailor.
I had always associated the latter of Tim's well described definitions of clock sox, although I do agree the term circumscribes an entire catagory as well.
Perhaps one would wear an antique Flusser jolly roger club with Mr. Kabbaz' new hose.
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