Grand Designs

We are just one roll of carpet and a corner sofa away from declaring the new Michelsberg showroom open for business. There’s been no room for pashmina-clad designers flouncing about on this job and even Karen, my architect, rolled her sleeves-up and got stuck in despite a broken finger. Huge thanks must go to my…

On the Move

It’s official. Michelsberg Tailoring has finally found a new home for itself and is setting up shop in the Victoria Quarter, Leeds. Here I am with John Bade, Centre Director of the VQ, after the ink was dry on signing a lease on 24a Queen Victoria Street, literally just round the corner from my favourite…

It’s a small world

Dear Friends – on Saturday 26th February at 12.51pm, my second daughter came into the world at great speed weighing a healthy seven pounds and eleven ounces. Introducing, Miss Elizabeth Jasmine Michelsberg. 🙂 Sitting back afterwards with a cup of tea, feeling the happiest man on earth, our paediatrician popped in to check on our…

A new home for a new year.

Remember when our Queen had her ‘Annus horribilis’? The year was 1992 and Prince Andrew divorced Fergie after she was caught sucking her boyfriend’s toes, then Diana spilt the beans about Charles & Camilla in her tell-all book, Princess Anne divorced Captain Mark Phillips and to cap it off, Windsor Castle caught fire. Well, December…

Michelsberg Debating Competition

Hats off to Yorkshire’s legal eagles who yesterday stuck two fingers up at the weather and bravely stomped through the snow to take part in the grand final of the Michelsberg Debating Competition. Twenty eight trainees from fourteen of the biggest legal firms in Yorkshire took part, with Adam Roney & Pete Mills (Eversheds), Maria…

It’s Coming Home

Shears are being sharpened and the knives are out as the young guns of the tailoring trade prepare to do battle in the next “Golden Shears” tournament. It’s a bi-annual competition and I’m proud to say that we made it to the final in 2009. This year I have two young ladies on board who…

Sins of Summer

When it comes to the most inhospitable place on Earth, El Azizia in Libya, or, Death Valley in California are up there. Yesterday, I found a serious contender. The Northern Line, London. I was down South visiting the agent of an Italian manufacturing business. Riding the tube, or as I call it, ‘the land of…

Saxon sheep and ladys of the loom

What a month. I’ve been out and about more than Paris Hilton or a Tory politician. It kicked off with an evening at the Bradford Club, watering hole to Yorkshire’s textile community since 1857. Gone are the days when the Rollers would line up outside waiting for the mill owners to finish their port and…

Legal Eagles

I’m buzzing. Last night was the the inaugural “Michelsberg Debating Competition” and if I say so myself, it rocked. All the biggest law schools in Yorkshire took part including BPP Law, College of Law York, Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds University. After running internal competitions to select their best debaters, the finalists congregated at the…

Costa del Couture

Another year begins and it’s started off in style. Location: Puerto Banus, Spain. Taken there as a child on holiday, I remember watching in awe as wannabees with mullets cruised along the port in Porches, peroxide blondes by their side with a-ha’s “Take on Me” blaring out of the radio. Not much has changed. It’s…