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The Dunhill tuxedo: Charm assured
The elegant attire that once broke codes of British eveningwear is a timeless classic that can still bend the rules
There is a complex story behind the origins of what we call the tuxedo these days, but it all seems to have started in 1865 with a commission for a short blue evening jacket to be worn for informal dinners at Sandringham by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from his tailor and friend, Henry Poole of Savile Row. A convoluted series of events then unfolded involving a visiting American, James Brown Potter, who, upon invitation to dine at Sandringham, bought a similar jacket. This man took the style back to his club in the US – the Tuxedo Club – and the tux was born. The tuxedo was the name given by Americans to what became the British dinner jacket.
The US penchant for the style had a famous moment almost a century later at another party hosted by Truman Capote on 28 November 1966. Known as the Black and White Ball, it has entered into popular culture as possibly the most glamorous party ever held.
The ball was thrown by Capote in honour of Katharine Graham, publisher of The Washington Post and held at the Plaza hotel in New York. Guests included members of the city's elite social circle, movie stars and people who Capote knew through his work, such as those connected with his book, In Cold Blood. It was this mix of people – Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow, Jacqueline Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill and Capote’s doorman Norman Mailer – that made it so intriguing. It was a masquerade ball and as well as his mask – purchased for 39 cents at Manhattan’s famous toy store F A O Schwarz – the host wore a Dunhill tuxedo, the worthy successor to the first of its kind made for the future king in the 1860s.
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Dunhill still specialises in elegant eveningwear, as shown here by model Paul Sculfor – a man familiar with the tuxedo's natural habitats of the red carpet and party circuit. These days Sculfor still does a bit of modelling when it suits him, but much of his time is taken up with running a foundation for the rehabilitation of those with addiction problems.
The Dunhill tuxedo for 2017 comes in black or dark navy, echoing the original 19th-century version. Some say that a navy tux looks like a truer black under artificial lighting, but even if this is the case, black tie rules have never been as accommodating as today. So, tux-up and have some fun with the details – try bow ties of different colours, an open-collared shirt, a silk scarf, a polo-neck for retro-style suavity, or even jeans. But do so comfortable in the knowledge that your tuxedo will be as sharp as the one Truman Capote wore to one of the greatest parties ever held.
Photography: Bryan Adams; styling: Jo Levin; photo assistant: Haydn Vooght; digital tech: Rhys Thorpe; hair: Tyler Johnston at One Represents using TYLER by Tyler Johnston; fashion assistant: Julia Lurie; model: Paul Sculfor at Select Model Management. Dunhill tuxedo, £1,490; dunhill.com
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