Friday 23 December 2016

SEASON'S GREETINGS...

Happy festive period to all our followers. Eat, drink, be merry and safe. Have a good one and we'll see you in the new year with some new Weirs. 


Monday 12 December 2016

TEENAGE CANCER TRUST WEIR...
































We have worked with Scotts Menswear and One True Saxon on a special edition charity Weir hat, this is for a great cause - the Teenage Cancer Trust. We chose the colours based on their own colour scheme, which in turn has given us a great looking hat too.

James
was diagnosed with cancer at just 18 years old. Before his diagnosis he was very active and training to become a hairdresser. This all changed after he went to the hospital when he saw big, egg-sized lumps on his neck and learned he had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.


James’ diagnosis was just a few months ago and he is now being treated at The Christie in Manchester, a Teenage Cancer Trust Associated Unit. He is now supporting a fundraising initiative to help raise money for the charity, by modelling the collaboration hat we have done with Scotts menswear. Proceeds from the sales of the hat are going toward Teenage Cancer Trust to help support young people with cancer, like James.


The hat is released on Thursday (9am) exclusively via Scotts.

Wednesday 7 December 2016

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR POSTAL TIMES...

As always this time of year things post-wise can get a bit silly. We please ask you to allow extra time to receive orders than normal as everywhere is extra busy! 
Our last 'guaranteed' pre-Xmas postal date for UK is Tuesday 20th December and for Europe Wednesday 14th December. Our shop remains open 24/7 all over Xmas and New Year but post office trips will be less frequent than usual as the post offices will be closed and like everyone else we will be having some time off too though we will make trips to the post office as and when it's open to avoid long waits. Thank you for your understanding and have a very Merry Christmas and celebrate the end of an eventful 2016 of course from T&D at CC. 


Tuesday 6 December 2016

SOCKS...

An outstanding array of 'Hickory Docks' online tomorrow evening. Some splendid stripes of colour in these. Better still they're made of recycled cotton and collectively they help charities to boot! Online at the usual time of 7pm GMT TC

Thursday 1 December 2016

#LOVEHATS

Three more beautiful lids go online tomorrow. We've got the 'Villain', this year in proper Manchester Cloth Corduroy, brown too! We've also got the 'Uncle Junior' in splendid Olive British Wool and last but by no means least we have the 'Bresslaw' all online tomorrow at *8pm*. 

Monday 21 November 2016

MORE SPLENDID TITFERS...

Three more wonderful lids are unleashed tomorrow. All three are the same style six-panel hat, each in different materials.

Firstly the 'Darmody' made from a sturdy British Wool in Olive. 
Next up the 'Cash' this is made from a mega Tiroler Loden Wool in Black which was first made by Monks in the Middle Ages, basically it's a medieval goretex!
And last but definitely by no means least we have the 'Donovan', 
And last of the three in the same six-panel style, this time the 'Donovan' in what is probably one of the greatest fabrics ever made, Donegal Tweed. 
A multitude of amazing flashes of colours throughout, like a bag of Skittles! 
As with previous years we have a massively random, ecletic and unrivalled bunch of headwear on offer.
All three are online tomorrow at our usual time of 7pm GMT. TC

Monday 14 November 2016

NEW HARRIS TWEED 'BLUE' COLLECTION

 

That's right we're digging this one, so there's three different style hats and a scarf over the same lovely blue check pattern in premium harris tweed. We've got the Sherlock Deerstalker, The Hodges Bugatti and the Andolini flat cap, plus a lovely bit of cold comfort neck warming with the scarf. All of them are released tomorrow evening at our usual time of 7pm (GMT). TC

Tuesday 8 November 2016

THE CONNOISSEUR ANORAKS


Alrighty then, yes it's finally that time! What have been a labour of love and a lengthy work in progress are now finally ready as we present the 'Connoisseur Anorak'.
We have designed and then produced the same jacket silhouette over four different fabrics, all made in the UK and very locally to boot.

Inspiration is taken from old and new, military aspects and classic outdoors are unashamedly a heavy influence. Features include a high neck fastening with peaked drawstring hood with cotton twill adjuster to rear. Drawstring hem, two top pockets, one angled for ease of movement. Signature 'ticket' pocket to left sleeve wrist. Two large bottom pleated pockets with characteristic secure pocket flap protecting top and side entry, you shouldn't get pickpocketed in this!

We've got an Olive Green in coated cotton, a Powder Blue and a tremendous vibrant Green both made in Brisbane Moss fabric and perhaps the daddy of the bunch a fully lined and with contrast inner hood lining, fully weatherproof, British Millerain fabric this rugged fabric will only get better with age. A subtle Black Watch tartan appears through the shiny outer. Branding is kept to a minimum on all these these with our 'This Thing of Ours' studs and inner labels. We're really proud of how they've all turned out. As always produced in limited numbers over each style. They'll be going live on the shop this Thursday at 7pm GMT. TC


Thursday 27 October 2016

A CONNOISSEUR UPDATE...


Yes, it's about that time we feel we need to add a little update to keep you posted of what's occurring at Connoisseur HQ

So it's A/W already, this year has flown by a little too quickly (again) and now we find ourselves right into what becomes a rather hat-mad period for us. 
As I type we've received what is quite frankly as per previous years, a rather broad and dare I say, unrivalled range of titfers as you can get!  



Our McMurphy's are first up, the McMurphy's are one of our own personal favourites and I don't tend to venture outdoors without one in the colder months. 

We've got a selection of colours of these and the first three will be released this Friday at our usual time of 7pm, the second batch next Wednesday 2nd Nov. We've got Deerstalkers, Bugattis, flat caps galore. All lovingly and ethically made by master craftsfolk at the top of their game in the UK and Europe. We love our hats as you've probably guessed after all these years and this year is no exception! Feel free to check the shop out now for a preview of what's coming. 



Then we have the Connoisseur 'Anoraks'. A long work in progress and a labour of love to ensure we got these right. All made in the UK, we've had our own brand new design crafted over four different colours and fabrics and finally this November they'll be getting released, as always limited production for each.  It's a very local coat, made less than 20 miles from us in a renowned factory, each fabric comes from Manchester/Lancashire with British Millerain and Brisbane Moss the chosen fabric for these. The little details such as the metal slider for the hood being sourced and made for us for why this was worth waiting for.


We haven't released too many coats/jackets in our ten years as a label, we feel it's better to go with quality not quantity and each time our aim has been to improve on each item as we go forward. That said, this is a real passion for us, so there's definitely more in the pipeline.




We're currently working on new Weirs this year, but let it be noted these have been scaled down this year with no specific/exclusive wholesale hat on offer like we did last year and a limited number of designs this time.

When we started the Weirs, we were pretty much the only people of our ilk designing and manufacturing these style of hats - i.e. with a specific design inspiration from all sorts of weird and wonderful patterns and indeed completely impractical places and sources!



As is inevitable over the years, underground things become more trendy, people soon get onto it later and it becomes less exclusive when everyone is doing it, which for us makes our interest dwindle a little, sad but true! Worry not though, we will still be offering our hats - both the Weirs in new colours as we reach the 100 mark and they'll be a couple or three collabo offerings we've already sorted thus far, including as per previous years a charity edition hat (more info on that soon). We're finalising some new special editions too. 

What else? We've still got a few pairs of the excellent cord shoes we've done with Veras available, not many as they went fast on the initial release, so if you're a 6 or an 8 go get them. They're also available at Veras too, though literally one or two sizes.

Our last ever shirt we've done with Tuktuk and our favourite is now online too. And we're just finalising a wonderful calendar that will be available real soon. A lovely mix of CC and lovely ladies what's not to like? 




Other than that, we've been trying and continue to work on a new website for the new year, our current hosts have been a pain and we've found the simple task of updating the site to be impossible in recent months, frustrating!

So bear with us there. Finally next year we'll be restructuring and sorting our wholesale situation to make things run more smoothly for both us and the stockists we supply. Time issues and outstanding monies have been an issue for us this year and we want to restructure it so it runs better for us all, which is something we will be focusing on in the new year. 

Other than that, we'll be keeping on keeping on, still crazy to think this is our tenth year at it! So as always thank you for your continued support fellow Connoisseurs. TC

Wednesday 19 October 2016

COATS 'N SHORTS IN ACTION.




Check out these ace videos from our good friends in Portugal Newfangle which feature our collaborations with the 'Treinador' coach jacket and 'Flanar' shorts.  

Shot and edited by Mário Bock
Model: Lino Sousa

Tuesday 11 October 2016

CONNOISSEUR x TRiCKETT "TWEIR"

Yes, the second edition of a hybrid Weir with our friends down the road TRiCKETT.
This time there's a real Autumnual flavour with this new colourway. Each woolly hat is hand made in the UK from a beautiful blend of Shetland wool, produced strictly in limited numbers. Released this Wednesday from both webshops at the usual time of 7pm! TC


Monday 3 October 2016

CORD SHOES!


Round 2 of the proper Manchester cloth shoes! 
Cord Shoes with Veras. Going online this Wednesday 7pm GMT. 
Available from both ourselves and Veras. Limited numbers produced in Spain over four colours. See more at shop.casualco.com TC


Friday 30 September 2016

THE WINSTON CONNOISSEUR BOXSET...

Coming in a pizza style box complete with artwork, inside we have a brand new exclusive tee design featuring featuring the top dog himself Winston and his ever present side kick Beki (a bit of a 'top girl' herself in the late 80s and early 90s). Fantastic artwork in the style of a comic book / graphic novel. 
Then there's the first ever Weir scarf - a lovely soft warm scarf for the coming cold months featuring double Winston embroidery on the bottom too.
There's stickers an exclusive poster print and a new Winston pin badge all available only as part of this limited set. 
Online this Sunday, 7pm GMT.


Friday 23 September 2016

GET SHIRTY...



We've slashed the prices on our collaboration shirts with tuktuk. These are ace shirts at a ridiculous price. Get involved.


Tuesday 20 September 2016

NEXT IN AN ONGOING SERIES...


Tomorrow see's the release of the next two tees in an ongoing series...
The next in the series of our reinterpretations of 1970's old school Royal Mail workplace dress code posters See here.
This time "For Thrills, For the Hills" features the iconic Omega Flame and a pair of Mephisto Rainbow and "For Town, For Country" featuring a pair of Manchester and an old Clarks Caravan. Online the usual time of 7pm GMT. TC

Thursday 15 September 2016

CONNOISSEUR FC...

New season, new kits. Following on from last years Connoisseur FC shirts, that being the entirely fictional football club branch of this label (though we did have a 5-a-side team and the Mundial tournament and didn't do too badly), we present this season's offering of navy home shirt and pink away shirt. New sponsor on board this year too! Online Friday 7pm GMT. TC

Wednesday 7 September 2016

NEW TEES



Two more new releases MISS CONNOISSEUR and GOTTA LOTTA BOTTLE go online tomorrow at theusual time of 7pm GMT. Click each link for more details. TC 

Thursday 1 September 2016

20% OFF THIS WEEKEND ONLY


Now then, this is something we've never really done before but with summer nearing it's end and A/W hot on it's heels we're in need of a bit of space for incoming shoes, outerwear and lot's and lot's of hats! So for this weekend only, that's from midnight tonight until 23:59 on Sunday you can take 20% off your order by entering 20SEPT at checkout. All current available stock online is valid, including newly released tees and shirts. So fill your boots! You must remember to add the code at checkout and before the order is completed and it's subject to availability. This is a one time code and won't be available after the above times stated. TC




Wednesday 24 August 2016

LIKE IT TEE



Our next tee to go online is 'LIKE IT' which is a reworking and a big tip of the hat to a really old vintage tee, never seen since. It's online tomorrow 7pm GMT. 

Wednesday 17 August 2016

TWO NEW TEES...


'Bachelor Boys' and 'Nite Klub'. Featuring commissions from A Guy Called Minty and Josh Parkin
Bachelor Boys is a nod to the crazy variety show of the 80s and a tribute to the untimely passing of Rik Mayall. 'Nite Klub' is a nice monochrome design with a Specials theme, featuring some Wallabees. Both online tomorrow at 7pm GMT. More tees to follow next week. TC