Key the words ‘classic menswear’ into Google and you’re immediately confronted with a wall of high resolution, two-buttoned, one-hand-in-pocket sprezzatura. It’s a distinguished look that continues to endure, despite the bravura of Hood By Air.
Salle Privée is a new label committed to the classics, freshly launched online. Founded by Patrick Munsters, the creator of Scotch & Soda, the brand speaks to those who seek and respect the virtues of timeless menswear. With more than 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, Munsters has seen every trend come and go, and then come back around again. ‘My idea was to step out of what is fashionable,’ he says.
The result is a focused wardrobe underpinned by the mastery of Italian tailoring. ‘My own wardrobe is a collection of pieces that I would say are both classic and iconic; a peacoat with gold buttons, a double breasted camel wool overcoat, a trench or suede bomber in tan – these I wear over and over.’ These too are the pieces that you will find online at Salle Privée or in the brand’s Amsterdam store, all year round.
Munsters’ aim is pertinent in a crowded market. With all the new new new on offer, what we’re so often looking for is something that is identifiable, something we know that works: ‘These are the styles that in my opinion will never go out of fashion; they fit any man, of any age.’ The ambassadors for the launch are New York-based photographer Wayne Maser, art director Amilcar Gomes and the American artist Robert Kelly. They all feature in a series of short films, sharing their thoughts on their relationship to clothes. ‘We’re not looking for style icons, but for real men,’ Munsters says. ‘Men that we can all identify with. Men who can inspire and challenge themselves in a different way. These are the men who we get inspired by.’
