“Jermyn Street, St James’s…”

by A_F_R_O_W

It is in turning left,

that the cord is cut with the contemporary.

Graphite, cross-hatched with hard-black cement,

sketched by artisans,

touched by global hands,

indented with dust of the centuries.

Sunlight,

Nature’s photoshop, clings to each crevasse,

casting its warm solar wash,

round corners, akin to Rascasse…

Façades and facscias glint in the eyes

of faces,

reflecting on craft’s expertise,

free-floating and hanging on historic air,

as they breeze by.

Working through ‘hows’ and the ‘whys’…

Centred by scent,

sensibility governs respect of the labour required

to purpose bespoke personality.

Channelling rows of embroidery,

stitches so scantily set and refined,

leave a long tale of coloured mosaics behind…

Threads intertwined into conjured creations,

embellished, beyond the prosaic.

Jet joins patina of chestnut,

so lovingly burnished, the polish controlled,

whilst a peacock effect, is adorning footsteps on display,

with a brogue and a lilt

which demands that you move, with a gait that is bigger than bold.

Walk with intention, whilst other folk stroll.

Wind your way up to the stage…

You’re alone, but not on your own…

Got to step right on, with heart and with soul…

… slink with the cool cats and kittens,

who strut in a program of head-to-toe glamour and glitz,

spritzed in House check,

decked-out in exclusives…

A menu of tailoring,

linear, monochrome, neutrals and flashes of brights…

… finished in detail,

the process, of which, is a mastery of the tradition,

time-honoured technique,

that appears to be married to something elusive.

Front-row patent,

viewing heritage and legacy,

basking in the glare of shining novelty.

Perfected in ateliers’ secrecy.

Inventive collections of structure

and

sheer,

living poetry.

afrow