HandCut Radio

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 through the sartorial world. As always, we hope you enjoy.
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Show Notes:
Christopher Modoo — Instagram
[03:12] Kit Blake
[03:52] Thomas Pink
[06:00] Edward Green
[06:18] Roderick Charles
[06:32] 40 Savile Row
[07:11] Richard James
[07:17] Cad & The Dandy
[07:17] James Sleater on HCR
[07:20] SuitSupply
[07:58] Ede & Ravenscroft, 1689
[12:12] Chester Barrie
[12:21] Edward Sexton
[13:52] Richard Wheat
[15:22] Kit Blake, Aleksander Trouser
[16:49] L’Etiquette Magazine
[26:53] Ozwald Boateng
[28:06] Adret
[35:03] Richard James
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HandCut Radio is produced by Birch, a London based creative agency. Our theme music is by Joe Boyd.

What does it take to become a bespoke hat maker today? And what makes a man want to pursue a craft, which is pretty niche, even by the standards of this podcast? That’s what we set out to discover this week, in a sit-down with LA-based hat maker, Cody Wellema, founder of the Wellema Hat Co.
Cody has more or less dedicated his life to the noble art of hat making, and his passion for his craft speaks volumes. He’s open, honest and refreshingly forthright. He chats to Aleks about his love of all things vintage, the painstaking process each and every Wellema hat goes through, and the two explore how a beautiful hat can tell the story of a person’s life.
As always, we hope you enjoy the episode. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @handcutradio for regular updates (and daft pictures of Aleks), and to kindly leave us a review on Apple podcasts if you can.
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HandCut Radio is proud to be sponsored by Thomas Mason, an historic mill that’s been supplying famous designers, shirtmakers and tailors with world class shirting fabrics since 1796.
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Show Notes:
Cody Wellema — Website | Instagram
[0:45] Permanent Style Pop-up (2019)
[1:44] Brasserie Zédel
[39:50] Stòffa on HandCut Radio #018
[45:00] Bryceland’s
[45:11] Ethan Newton on HandCut Radio #021
[46:00] Tie Your Tie, Florence
[46:52] Connolly, England
[47:08] Crockett & Jones
[47:12] Yohei Fukuda
[47:26] Cohérence, Japan
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HandCut Radio is produced by Birch, a London based creative agency. Our theme music is by Joe Boyd.

Mr Olie Arnold is a pivotal figure on Mr Porter’s editorial team – and a thoroughly nice chap, to boot. He started his career working on FHM at the height of its powers, and has worked through the media industry’s transition from print to digital with considerable experience in both channels. Today, at Mr Porter, he’s responsible for overseeing much of the platform’s key content and fashion shoots, styling celebrities, producing editorial campaigns and managing a fast-paced fashion department.
Olie talks to Aleks about his journey through British men’s media – from twilight era “lads mag” to cutting edge online retailer. The pair also explore some theories as to why Mr Porter is so successful today, discuss the power of storytelling for retailers, and chat through some of Olie’s favourite indie brands of the moment.
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HandCut Radio is proud to be sponsored by Thomas Mason, an historic mill that’s been supplying famous designers, shirtmakers and tailors with world class shirting fabrics since 1796.
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Show Notes:
Olie Arnold | Instagram
[01:27] Mr Porter
[03:00] London College of Fashion
[04:00] FHM
[08:12] Absolutely Fabulous
[12:13] The Rake Magazine
[15:38] L’Etiquette Magazine
[15:43] Oliver Spencer
[16:53] Men’s Health Magazine
[20:36] Oki-ni
[24:43] Paul Croughton on HandCut Radio
[32:43] How Japanese Denim is Made Video on Mr Porter
[35:42] Off-White
[36:07] Incotex
[36:26] BODE
[37:38] Story MFG
[44:10] Mr P.
[46:06] Husbands
[46:09] Samanamel on HandCut Radio
[46:13] Maximilian Mogg
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HandCut Radio is produced by Birch, a London based creative agency. Our theme music is by Joe Boyd.

This week, Aleks chats to Benjamin Glyn Phillips, Assistant Manager at Drake’s Clifford Street shop in London. Like most of Drakes’ staff, Ben is a passionate advocate for the brand, and the ideal model for Drakes’ signature look.
Ben is also a refreshingly straight-forward figure within British menswear; his root into the industry was unconventional, and in the podcast he touches on his former career as a tattoo shop owner, his growing passion for clothing, and how taking up Brazilian jujitsu was the best thing he ever did.
This episode is honest and open. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
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HandCut Radio is produced in collaboration with Birch, a London and New York based creative agency. Our theme music is by Joe Boyd.
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Show Notes

Benjamin Glyn Phillips — Instagram

[3:13] Adam & The Ants, Prince Charming Video
[3:36] Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction
[3:46] N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton
[4:08] ‘Hair Metal Bands’
[4:37] The Misfits
[4:39] Black Flag
[5:04] Nick Cave
[5:14] Nick Cave & The Bad Sees, Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow
[6:48] The Duke of Windsor
[7:18] The Kray Twins
[7:45] ’Lucky’ Luciano
[9:15] A Bathing Ape
[9:22] Supreme
[9:29] At Last, Japan
[9:39] Thomas Hooper
[9:40] Dante Di Massa
[10:33] Free & Easy Magazine
[10:58] Drake’s
[12:53] Tony Sylvester & Scott Fraser-Simpson, HandCut Radio
[13:48] Lee Hadfield
[19:25] Marks & Spencer Suits
[19:29] Drake’s Suits
[22:57] Hobos Swansea
[24:02] Ethan Newton
[24:25] Michael Hill
[27:05] Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
[39:36] Drake’s Navy Linen-Silk Double-Breasted Jacket

To close Season One, Aleks sits down with Gianluca Migliarotti, filmmaker, petrolhead and co-founder of Pommella Napoli.
A proud Neapolitan, and a creative spirit, Gianluca tells Aleks how he grew up immersed in Naples’ tailoring culture, how he fell in love with Pommella Napoli’s bespoke trousers and took the business on two years ago. He also waxes lyrical on his love of 1960s and ‘70s supercar design, where he thinks design brands make mistakes in a crowded market, and explains his passion for filmmaking. Gianluca has created a number of documentaries on Italian tailoring, craft and menswear, including O’Mast, and The Colours of Antonio.
Thank you very much indeed for your support over the course of our debut season, and we’ll see you again for the launch of Season Two in the next couple of months.
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HandCut Radio is produced in collaboration with Birch, a London and New York based creative agency. Our theme music is by Joe Boyd.
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Show Notes:

Gianluca Migliarotti | Instagram | Website
Pommella Napoli | Instagram | Website

[01:12] Mark’s Club
[06:14] Fox Brothers & Co
[08:07] Ciro Zizolfi
[10:01] Lino Pommella
[10:20] Rubinacci
[13:56] Pommella Trunkshows
[16:09] Kid Dandy Productions
[16:39] Gomorrah (film)
[18:41] Vittorio De Sica
[19:37] O’Mast (film)
[23:46] I Colori di Antonio (film)
[24:58] The Armoury
[27:17] Antonio Liverano
[28:20] Liverano & Liverano Trunkshows
[29:14] Bruce Boyer
[36:11] Driving Dreams (film)
[40:06] Brioni
[40:07] Berluti
[41:46] Brunello Cucinelli
[44:16] Stoffa
[44:35] Mark Cho
[44:40] Ethan Newton