By Manish Puri
Bel y Cia opened in 1842 as a camiseria (shirt maker) on Passatge de Bacardí – a slender walkway that connects Barcelona’s Las Rambla to Plaça Reial.
Following the demolition of the town partitions (1854-1866) and the top of the Spanish Civil Warfare (1939), Barcelona grew quickly, and its locus modified. So, within the early Nineteen Forties, Bel y Cia took up new premises on the southern finish of the grand procuring boulevard, Passeig de Gràcia, the place it has remained ever since – a flag bearer for high quality, luxurious clothes surrounded by retailers of the Spanish style monolith, Inditex.
Over time, the enterprise has grown to change into a full-wardrobe menswear retailer, and in 1989 a womenswear division opened in the identical constructing. Nonetheless, my latest go to to the store was targeting the garment that has change into synonymous with Bel over the previous 80 years: the Teba.
Tales of the jacket’s origins differ, but it surely’s extensively accepted that the primary Teba was created as a taking pictures cardigan for King Alfonso XIII (above in Palma del Río in 1929).
Many imagine the garment was commissioned on Savile Row at an unknown home – we all know the King ordered fits from Henry Poole (since he was a boy of 10), Huntsman and Davies & Son.
There are, nonetheless, some that declare the jacket was the creation of María Sorreluz Múgica, a dressmaker from San Sebastián.
The King was a eager hunter and, at the moment, the Rely of Teba, Carlos Alfonso de Mitjans (nickname ‘Bunting’), was thought-about one of many best photographs on this planet; naturally, the 2 aristocrats and bon vivants turned good pals (each above on the proper).
On a specific hunt, presumably after some envious glances and delicate enquiries (one thing I’m positive all PS readers can relate to after they’re out with a classy pal), the King gifted his jacket to the Rely – from whom it will definitely took its title.
(Once more, recollections differ right here, and a few insist it was the Rely that supplied his jacket to the King).
Some years later, in 1943, in an all too acquainted state of affairs of menswear-enabling, Bunting (above in a signed {photograph} addressed to Bel y Cia) together with two sartorially minded pals – the Rely of Caralt and Enrique Maier (a Wimbledon mixed-doubles champion in 1932) – determined to fee new Teba jackets. (I can just about hear the glugging of vino tinto being poured and the crescendo in willpower: “Lets get some?”, “I feel we should always get some”, “I’ve ordered them, lads!”)
Because the three gents have been current clients of Bel y Cia, and due to this fact their measurements have been already on file, they turned to the Barcelona store, who proceeded to refine the jacket that has remained a traditional to this present day.
Unsurprisingly, given its looking origins, most of the Teba’s traits are useful parts that go well with a day spent roaming the property.
Bel’s Basic Teba is common from a knitted wool or wool/cashmere combine – a lightweight, clean and malleable material that follows the shooter’s kind as they elevate their arms to take purpose – extra so than a denser, stiffer weave like cotton or linen at any fee.
Whereas the marginally relaxed and sq. silhouette helps additional scale back any pressure on the shooter’s stance, it additionally permits the jacket to sit down away from the physique in heat climate and permits layering up on a cooler day.
Certainly, retaining the weather out is the important thing driver of the Teba’s fashion selections. The 4 buttons that run the size of the entrance of the jacket, the straight hems, the ventless again, and the button fastening on the cuffs all co-operate to defend its wearer from the wind and rain.
Even the Teba’s signature notch-less lapel (which I beforehand described as “a scarf collar sketched by a cubist”) may be buttoned to maintain the neck lined on the Bel mannequin. The lapel can be the world that has seen the most important change from the standard fashions sported within the Nineteen Thirties and Nineteen Forties, having been slimmed down.
The ending is akin to a shirt – shirt-sleeve shoulder, no padding, no canvas, no lining. What impressed me most was the roll of the lapels – which I don’t assume is completely apparent from Bel y Cia’s webstore photos however is hopefully extra obvious from the selfies above and the model picture on the finish of this text.
I’ve tried different RTW Tebas and the lapels are sometimes pressed flat above the highest button, so the lapel line seems fairly squashed relative to the lengthy drop beneath. Once I requested Xavier Cañadas (the store’s supervisor for the previous decade) how the Bel y Cia roll is achieved with none inside construction he proceeded to steer me towards the again of the store.
Right here within the centre of Barcelona, behind their retail area, unfold throughout two flooring, is the place each Bel y Cia Teba and bespoke shirt is made. It’s an operation akin to a big bespoke home.
Below the watchful eye of the workshop head Ignasi (a textile engineer by coaching), the shirt cutter Ferran (who has been with the enterprise for 30 years) and the Teba cutter Jordi (above) have been busy making ready bundles to be stitched collectively by the workforce of tailors.
Every Teba (bespoke or RTW) is made and completed completely by hand, save for the buttonholes that are machine completed – though Bel can hand sew them if requested.
In a single nook, a woman armed with an industrial iron, suffused the clothes with warmth and steam to impart form and animation – the crucial step in the direction of creating the lapel roll that caught my eye.
The workshop produces a variety of RTW Tebas – the aforementioned traditional knitted in addition to related alternate options comprised of cashmere, cashmere/silk, excessive twist wools, and suede.
They’ve additionally developed a extra sartorial Teba-Sports activities Coat hybrid (the Stanley, above) which retains the notch-less lapel and button cuffs however incorporates rear vents, a central seam within the again, three buttons on the entrance, curved quarters, patch pockets (as an alternative of the usual patch flap pockets), decide stitching, and a extra tailor-made match.
The quantity of RTW accessible instore and on-line is comparatively small – there’s no auxiliary manufacturing capability in an area manufacturing unit that stands able to rattle off 50 navy jackets at a second’s discover. Nonetheless, not all the pieces accessible is proven on-line, so if there’s a specific dimension or material that you simply’re searching for it’s value emailing Xavi to investigate about what’s in inventory.
Prospects could make minor changes to the RTW mannequin – sleeve size, jacket size, waist – at no further price. Equally, MTO Tebas – the place the client could make alterations and choose from bunches together with Loro Piana, Lanificio di Pray and quite a lot of hardy British tweeds – can be found with no surcharge to the RTW worth. Altered RTW and MTO Tebas take 3-4 days – one other benefit of the versatile on-site manufacturing.
Bel’s bespoke providing includes Ferran taking a sequence of torso measurements that are saved, as they’ve at all times been, on paper in a good-looking wood cupboard behind the store counter. (I’m satisfied to say that my measurements are fortunately secured there, prepared for future orders – though Xavi and Ferran assume a small RTW jacket which has been let loose within the waist would serve me nicely) The data is then translated to a paper sample, and a becoming jacket ready.
As you’d anticipate from bespoke, there are extra choices: some older clients add padding to the shoulders to compensate for postural adjustments. A bespoke order will sometimes take 3-5 weeks.
The Stanley jacket will not be accessible in bespoke.
As I used to be ending my tour with Xavier (above), the camera-shy proprietor of Bel y Cia, Señor Jordi Ballbé, got here out from his workplace to thank me for visiting. Neatly attired in a navy blazer and paisley tie, Sr Ballbé spoke passionately concerning the enterprise (which he’s owned because the late Seventies) and the significance of continuity and consistency – he employs workers which were with the store for 40 years serving clients that span three generations.
He regaled me with tales of when he had an workplace at 13 Savile Row and developed an everlasting affection for Edward Inexperienced sneakers. Consequently, Bel y Cia are the British shoemaker’s solely stockist in Spain and have declined alternatives to create a home line of sneakers as a result of, as Sr. Ballbé places it, “we are able to’t do any higher”.
We mentioned the historical past of the Catalan cotton business, its standing cemented by manufacturing of the modern chintz fabric that was in brief provide throughout Europe following English and French bans on calico imports from Asia within the 1700s. (The portray beneath depicts a Spanish chintz (indianes) store in 1824).
From time to time, Sr. Ballbé would graciously break off our dialog and greet outdated clients with a kiss on every cheek. The entire expertise appeared much less like retail administration and extra like being welcomed by the host of an intimate soirée.
Our closing dialog centred on alternatives to franchise the enterprise – of which there have been many. Sr. Ballbé has resisted this lure for years – the one different bodily area the place one can purchase a Bel y Cia Teba is at their Geneva retailer, run by his son Daniel – his rationale encapsulated by a mantra I do know will resonate with many PS readers:
“I inform my workers day by day, it’s extra essential to final than to develop.”
Manish is @the_daily_mirror on Instagram
Photographs by Manish and courtesy of Bel y Cia.
Bel y Cia’s costs (on the time of writing)
- The Basic Tebas retail from €1560 to €2550 – relying on fabric
- The Stanley jacket is €2180
- The bespoke Teba ranges from €1870 to €2990
