rebirth of a brand

A story in the New Orleans Times Picayune caught my eye.  The Haspel family, creators of the American seersucker suit had re-purchased the rights to their company, and now back in family hands they were recreating their storied past with a new line of American made suits.  I had to see this for myself. For the past decade Haspel has made crappy clothes with shoddy material.

Being a hopeful fellow in need of a seersucker suit yet unwilling to pay BB's tariff, I've booked passage to Perlis in NOLA. I figure if there is any hope in their resurrection it must come this year.  Uncle Harry invited Mrs. T and I down for the weekend. It would be ungracious not to accept, besides I'm hungry.  See you Monday.

Toad

Mrs. T may be coming around

Men in white suits are a rare treat in Mayberry.

That doesn't stop me from owning several. My first is from the New Orleans bastion of high southern style Perlis. It's a screaming, first communion suit white, linen number. I feel like Boss Toad, moseying over to Galatoires for a leisurely late lunch, every time I don it.

The second is an only slightly toned down white linen number from Haspel.

When the Perlis suit arrived on our doorstep, after a trip to NOLA in spring '09, Mrs. T forcefully and verily swore she would always and everywhere make other plans if I showed up locally, ready to go, so dressed. She would forgive a lot of things but the white suit was a deal killer. Luckily, for the both of us, last summer never turned warm, and I hadn't an opportunity to see if she was bluffing. Mrs. T is a woman of her word.

Last week, hoping she had forgotten her threat, I rolled out the Haspel. It's not quite so white, and she didn't say a word. It helped that deep summer had arrived finally. Emboldened, I tried it out again this week, and received a number of compliments. Boss Toad is back.

I think she's coming around.

Toad