Chap Magazine Savile Row Demonstration.

Last Monday I attended a demonstration held in Savile Row to demonstrate against Abercrombie and Fitch opening a branch of Abercrombie Kids in the least appropriate place: Savile Row itself. This was organised by the Chap Magazine and is a welcome return to the ‘agit-fop’ of the past. The magazine is incorrectly regarded by the idiotic as reactionary. Anti-corporate and  touch anarchic is closer to the truth. 

I arrived at 9.15 to find a picket line already formed and slipped in between a couple of friends. Gustav Temple was there to attempt to lead the troops and Atters, well Atters was there messing around with a whip. Having walked around the corner the ever excellent Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer led us in a chorus of Give Three Piece a Chance. The building Abercrombie Kids wants to occupy is the former headquarters of Apple, the Beatle’s company. Having made our opinions known we dispersed, predictably to the French House for a debriefing.

Impressions of the day? The vehicles ranging from the omnipresent white van to the odd Jaguar tooting their support or vocally expressing it from windows. The very stylish arrival of the vintage news team in the Row, emerging from an equally stylish vintage car. A passing Chief Inspector of the Metropolitan Police nipping over to tell Sara and I that this was the most stylish demonstration he’d ever seen. The pleasure of seeing so many smart ladies and dapper gents loitering on one of London’s most stylish streets. Meeting the charming lady who said she read this blog (always a pleasure to run into people) and finally the amiable jolly atmosphere.

There was lots of press, perhaps unsurprisingly. What did surprise me is that on Tuesday there was a picture of me with the lovely Sara and another comrade in the Times (see below). I like the rain and wind proof tweed I am wearing but it would have to have been one of those days when your hair just won’t set!