Peter Greer of F.M. Allen
My favorite Desert Boot 
Ice Bucket
Something for your paddock
How to sell shoes
That whole southern safari thing
More southern safari
Not so much
Green & Tan safari
I saw nothing made in China
There's a store in TN - I haven't been south of SOHO in two years
Peter's unique Euro/American/Safari style
The way to attract men
Shoot high here and avoid the tshirts and polos
F.M. Allen has only recently gone from selling antiques to selling apparel at their 962 Madison Avenue location. A three Martini stumble south of Bemelman's Bar and smack dab in Manhattan's UES shopping district I call, "Fur Sink Money", where shops don't blink at bending you over for $300 khakis and $450 polo shirts. But there are some deals. You just need to know where to look.
Peter Greer spent 13 years with Polo (poor guy) and managed their Paris operation. Consequently, he has a style that incorporates a European sophistication with a very American, "khaki rules" spin. It's unique and I like it. I'm not fond of their $40 T-shirts and loud logo polos pushing $90 but we're smarter than that.
Have Peter show you the Hertling made khaki for $125. That's a fair price for a quality pant that'll last. The desert boot is a favorite of mine. At $475, it's more dear than Clarks but it's a beautiful shoe made grown up by being waterproofed, leather lined and made in Italy with decent arch support. And if you were on that safari train in the '80s, there's a Ghurka short with side tabs made in England for $98 that'll give you Ronald Regan flashbacks. Better you than me.
All in all, there's a honest vibe to the place despite my first impressions or the book Peter gave me on taxidermy. It's amazing the things you can stuff. For more arcane taxidermy details and some great writing, check out the FM Allen blog here.
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9 comments:
Now that sounds like my kind of place! Especially close to Bemelmans.
ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com
Nice. Thanks for the heads-up. This has a very Kevin's / J.L. Powell feel to it.
They (at least the Nashville shop) had a pretty big sale last week. I called them yesterday to see if I could get an item shipped down to Memphis, but they were sold out. However, the guy I talked to was extremely friendly and seemed ready to honor the sale despite the fact that it had ended Sunday. I'm definitely going to have to stop in next time I'm in Nashville.
Save some money my friend:
http://www.sanders-uk.com/products/Bertie-169.php
i was just thinking yesterday that i needed a new pair of desert boots....wierd. i'm wondering if tomorrow's post will be about winning the lottery, quitting your job, and traveling in europe for the next year...
Nice looking goods.
Those years at Polo clearly made the guy enough money to strike out on his own in such a luxurious way.
Poor guy?
My years in the booze trade have left me hunting for scraps.
Still, the place looks nice, you know, like a Polo store, only real.
That last photo with the red boat shoes makes me think of 'I Spy' books that my kids like...but a grown up version.
Far nicer than JLPowell, which creatively has morphed into a faux woodsman sort of vibe. I had a couple of things from them back when they launched that didn't wear at all well. FMAllen's got a far more authentic approach -- hoping the product lives up to it.
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