When it comes to spending money on commodities, we at Rake Towers never fail to perform above and beyond the call of duty. Purchasing wisely is another matter though, and investing in items that will stand the test of time is a skill all in itself. With that in mind, here are ten things we’d happily acquire this week. Make it rain.
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What To Buy This Week: Vol. 5
Words Charlie Thomas

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Orlebar Brown x Gieves & Hawkes Oswell Explorer Jacket
This dark blue field jacket is a highlight piece from the second collection between Savile Row’s Gieves & Hawkes and resort-wear specialists Orlebar Brown. Comprising of pieces that celebrate notions of exploration and travel, this jacket is made from a cotton/linen blend and features four front pockets, making it somewhat of a functional spring staple. It’s also lined with a printed antique map by Dr. Livingstone, a nice detail indeed.
£495 from orlebarbrown.co.uk

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Sunspel Selvedge Denim Jeans
These Sunspel 14oz Japanese selvedge denim jeans are made in England, which is reason enough to buy them alone. They’re cut in a flattering straight leg fit and have been pre-washed, which may offend denim purists but it does mean they’ll fit true to size straight out the box. The denim has been chosen for its ability to age beautiful over time, yet the subtle Sunspel branded buttons and archive print lining ensure plenty of character from the outset.
£195 from sunspel.com

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Chester Barrie Uxbridge Unstructured Travel Suit
Savile Row ready-to-wear experts Chester Barrie are renowned for their highly architectural tailoring, complete with strong roped shoulders and innovative use of fabric. The fabric is indeed innovative with this suit - a crease-resistant high-twist wool, to be exact - yet their famed structure has been stripped away, making this the brand’s first ever completely unstructured suit. Ideal for travel, it is at once comfortable and versatile, and thanks to its robust cloth you can jump straight off the plane knowing that you look your best.
£995 from chesterbarrie.co.uk

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Turnbull & Asser Detachable Collar Shirts
When on the search for beautiful men’s shirts, one need look no further than Jermyn Street and, perhaps more specifically, Turnbull & Asser. For SS16, the firm have harked back to 19th and 20th century dress and produced three shirts complete with detachable collars. Removable collars were previously popular because they could extend the life of the shirt, allowing men to switch them out without having to wash the shirt after every wear. In this instance though T&A are allowing clients to mix up their look, offering both a rounded Gordon club collar as well as a Classic T&A collar with every shirt.
£225 from turnbullandasser.co.uk

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Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Planétarium Watch
The Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Planetarium is one of those watches that I simply won’t try to explain how it works, because I can’t. It is cataclysmically complicated, but also insanely beautiful and when you strap one to your wrist a strange sensation passes through you as you realise you are wearing a miniaturised universe crafted from fine jewels and 18k pink gold. Indeed, if you were to keep an eye on the dial for 29 years you’d see Saturn make a complete revolution around the Sun, but you’d be wise to explore other areas of the watch, including its solid aventurine dial, which is actually comprised of individual rings milled closely together.
£170,800 from vancleefarpels.com

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Dolce & Gabbana Silk Pyjama Shirt
Whilst normally reserved for one’s home, Dolce & Gabbana have designed this silk pyjama shirt to be worn in the great outdoors. Taken from the Italian house’s S/S16 collection, its navy and white polka dot print, old-money white piping and luxurious pure silk fabric will inject a roguish element into your warm weather wardrobe. Hugh Hefner would probably approve.
£625 from brownsfashion.com

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Miller Harris Feuilles de Tabac Eau de Parfum
This deep, earthy fragrance by London perfumer’s Miller Harris utilises hearty tobacco leaves to give it a truly sensuous aroma. Enhanced further by Cuban cascarilla oil, pimento berries, pine needles and velvet sage, it’s a complex, evocative scent befitting of the modern gentleman’s fragrance wardrobe.
£95 from millerharris.com

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J.M. Weston Black Chelsea Boots
It appears that J.M. Weston are sticklers for details. For their signature 180 loafer over 200 different shapes were tested before the perfect design was found, and they’re the only shoemaker in the world with their own sole leather tannery, allowing them to create the most beautiful, supple leathers around, and to their precise specifications of course. Their flagship chelsea boot is an exercise in said perfection, produced from a single piece of leather and featuring one of the sexiest side profiles of any ankle boot.
£POA from jmweston.fr

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Thom Sweeney Seersucker Suit
Now that winter is nearing its end, you might find yourself thinking about lighter fabrics for spring and beyond. One such cloth ideal for warmer weather is seersucker, which has been artfully reimagined here by fine British tailors, Thom Sweeney. With its subtle burgundy and navy stripes, this three piece is the ideal alternative to linen or cotton, offering a soft handle and the usual crinkly visual texture one can expect from seersucker, as well as the soft shoulders and slightly shorter jacket length, which are both TS signatures.
£POA from thomsweeney.co.uk

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1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A
If you were to picture in your head the most Rakish car of all time, chances are it would appear something like the Mercedes-Benz 540K. A development of its predecessor the 500K, the 540K was perhaps the most significant pre-war car to hail from Stuttgart. It shared the independently suspended chassis of the 500, yet it boasted a larger, more powerful 5.4-litre supercharged straight-eight engine with a party trick. It’s Roots-type blower only engaged when the accelerator pedal reached the end of its travel, producing a truly unforgettable sound. In 1938, Autocar’s H S Linfield described it with admirable vigour, “One's foot goes hard down, and an almost demonical howl comes in. The rev counter and speedometer needles leap round their dials: there is perhaps no other car noise in the world so distinctive as that produced by the Mercedes supercharger”. This very car features the ultimate colour combination of black and red, and is up for sale through RM Auctions.
Available at auction on 14th May through RM Auctions. For more infomation, visit rmsothebys.com
chester barrie, dolce & gabbanna, GIEVES & HAWKES, jm weston, mercedes benz, miller harris, orlebar brown, rakish picks, thom sweeney, Turnbull & Asser, van cleef & arpels
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