Richard Press’ Latest Tome
For those who can’t get enough stories about Ivy League style, you’re in luck. Richard Press, the grandson of J. Press founder Jacobi Press, has written a second edition of his book “Threading the Needle,” offering up “more memories and anecdotes” of the store and family.
J. Press, which was founded in 1902 in New Haven, Connecticut, on the campus of Yale University, has come to define Ivy League style. Although the business has been owned by Japan’s Onward Kashiyama since 1986, Press has remained involved as an ambassador and adviser.
He writes a biweekly column for the retailer called “Threading the Needle” and the stories in the book represent a compilation of some of his favorites.
“The J. Press hierarchy were so pleased with the reception of book one and with a wealth more biweekly columns on their website, they decided to keep the ball rolling,” Press said.
In “Threading the
Needle II,” he offers up tales including how his grandfather fled povertystricken Latvia to come to America to work with a cousin who was a custom tailor in Connecticut, setting him on a path to retail history. Press also relates a “War of the Tailors” between Savile Row’s H. Harris and J. Press to dress college student John F. Kennedy, as well as stories about Harris tweed, Indian madras and the dapper Frank Sinatra.
As Press writes in the book, to still be able to scribble stories devoted to the business his grandfather founded 120 years ago “fosters both a sense of pride and unmitigated personal joy” for him.
The 184- page hardcover book is being sold on the J. Press website and retails for $ 39.50. On Thursday at the company’s New York City store, Press will be holding a book signing and recording a podcast with John Burton of Ivy Style.