A Continuous Lean

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We’re back from Iceland and celebrate my Atlantic salmon success. Hope you like it! -Michael This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

This is Nick Hilton. He’s someone who the real menswear people all know and respect. They also like him because he’s a pretty nice guy. If you are interested in style, clothing, and dressing well, then Nick is a good person to meet. He has an interesting story, which he details in his book A Tailor-Made Man. At one point, Nick’s family had one of the world's largest American-made tailored clothing brands. Fun fact: His father gave Ralph Lauren (who worked for Norman Hilton) the seed money to start Polo. This is just one of the many interesting stories surrounding the Hilton family, which Nick chronicles so well in his book. A friend recommended A Tailor-Made Man to me, but Nick reached out to me before I could read it. We met via Zoom, and we spoke for over an hour. I was intrigued with Nick, his family, and his history in menswear. I also liked that Nick has serious opinions about dressing and doesn’t shy away from sharing them. I’ve always been fascinated by the history of things we use in our everyday lives. That’s a big part of what has driven my point of view with ACL through the years. I arrived in New York after many of these apparel manufacturers were gone, but I still could extract some of the stories about the golden years of U.S.-made clothing. I love to hear stories about the prime days of American-made suits when hundreds of thousands were made in Brooklyn and all over the Northeast. Having guests like Nick on the podcast to tell some of these stories is important to me. If you read his book, you’ll understand that era even better. Until then, I hope you enjoy our conversation. Below are two ads from the Norman Hilton natural shoulder glory days.The ACL Podcast is meant to be a companion to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story, please consider subscribing and sending it to a friend. As always, I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

We catch up after a long month away. I talk about Los Angeles, then we get to our usual programming of sad fandom, the Pitti clown show and fishing trips.Hope you like it! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.acl.news

One of the great joys in life is finding a hobby which involves travel. To play tennis in Italy, go fly fishing in Argentina or play golf in South East England (as I am doing this week) is a wonderful prism in which to meet people and see the world. Over the past several years I’ve traveled with The Fliers Club to incredible places that I would have not likely experienced. The discovery of this group has been such an inspiration for me that I wanted to talk to Founder Eric Stepanian about his perspective on travel and golf. Most importantly I wanted to talk about how they have built such an amazing community. Happiness in golf was easy to find, but it was harder to find people who share the same values around the game. Some might not realize just how nuanced golf can be or how it can open up space in your life for happiness via competition, camaraderie and travel. No one has taught me more about the possibilities in golf than Eric. We chat about travel, life, etiquette, merch, and celebrating the ancillary benefits of golf. Hope you enjoy our conversation. The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Kevin McLaughlin is the owner of the beloved New England heritage brand Quaker Marine and the co-founder of J.McLaughlin. He’s a no nonsense New Yorker with an intimate knowledge of the nuts-and-bolts of making clothes. I would have a hard time finding someone more involved in the history of garment manufacturing in New York. It’s a delight to be able to chat and learn from him. When I meet someone like Kevin, my mind starts to race with questions. He’s seen a lot when it comes to making clothes and manufacturing in America. Every year the footprint of New York clothing-makers continues to shrink as factories close. Even in my short time working in the business things have continued to get noticeably smaller. Conversations with guys like Kevin help to preserve some of the history of the garment industry and give it a place in the dialog of today. These stories are but a small tribute to the hard working people of the trade, past and present. I hope you enjoy our conversation. The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Historically there is perhaps no contribution to the game of golf and the Masters Tournament as overlooked as the hardworking, predominantly Black local caddies of Augusta National Golf Club. In a recent update to his book, The Legendary Caddies of Augusta National, Ward Clayton gives a voice to these incredible people and their long overlooked contributions to America’s most prestigious golf club and most famous golf tournament. Following a rule change in 1982, the Masters Tournament was the last of the major championships to allow outside caddies. This meant that players could then bring their own full-time outside caddie, and most players did. Prior to the 1983 Masters every player competing in the invitational tournament used a local caddie who worked at Augusta National Golf Club each season. The majority of the caddie corps was Black and mostly from a nearby community called Sand Hills. These men were highly skilled at navigating the topography of Augusta. No one knew that golf course as well as they did. The acquired expertise of a course as demanding as Augusta National is often learned and perfected over decades. This understanding of the wind, topography and contours of the course was truly an art form. The knowledge was passed down from man-to-man thru generations. Ward’s book rightfully celebrates these often overlooked men who spent their lives guiding some of the best players and most powerful people in the world around the green hills of Augusta National Golf Club. There are few as knowledgeable about the Masters Tournament and golf than Clayton. He is an accomplished sportswriter, author and editorial contributor for Masters.com. In 2019 his book about the Augusta National caddies was the inspiration for the film *Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk*, which he also helped to produce. In the book Ward tells the story of caddie (and Atlanta Bus Driver) Walter “Cricket” Pritchett who caddied for Charles Coody during his 1971 Masters win. That story and the explanation for his towel (as pictured above) is in our conversation. I hope you enjoy our chat. The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

David’s new book The Believer is out today. This past week I joined him for the launch of the book at The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana. We sat down to record this podcast and talk about The Believer in detail. We also get into bigger and smaller issues surrounding the main themes in the book — travel, friendship, leisure, acquired skill, patience, our own mortality and of course fishing. This is our 151st podcast together and I think this is one of the best conversations we have had. If you have made it to this page I think it’s safe to say it’s worth your time. I want to say that I am incredibly proud of David for this book. His perspectives in The Believer will no doubt inspire many to push themselves further — be that in fishing or just in life. I like to needle-him and crack jokes, but I think now is a good time as ever to say something serious about David —someone who has become one of the closest people in my life. David is incredibly generous with his time, his patience (while fishing) and his support in life. He’s not just the fishing friend you want, he’s the friend friend you want. David is always the first one to celebrate a win with you, or to provide perspective in something that doesn’t go your way. He’s the best person to go on adventure with — be that to a dive bar in NYC or maybe a continent away. His generosity as a friend exists in many places, but none more than while fishing. He encourages you probably more than you deserve and takes genuine excitement when you do something well. He’s confident enough in what he’s doing to really care about your success and that shows through. Learning to fish with him and getting to see that side of things has reveled a part of our friendship which almost transcends everything else. I’m grateful to him for giving that to me. In a way, The Believer is a similar gift to everyone who reads it. David’s great perspective on life shines through, leaving a lasting impression. I’m lucky to benefit directly from David’s outlook and spirit as a friend. Through his writing we all get a chance for him to enrich our lives in the same way. This book is a beautiful expression of that, and I’m proud to see it out it the world. We are all better off having someone like David to blaze a trail of civility, style and adventure for us. Even if that means putting up with carrying heavy wheel-less luggage and avoiding a FaceTime chat when he’s near. In the end, it’s all very much worth it to have him in our lives. You can read an excerpt in Esquire later this week, buy signed copies from Three Lives or come out to one of these events. The Believer East Coast Tour-April 18. Filson. New York. 6pm.-April 20. American Museum of Fly Fishing. Manchester, VT. 2pm.-May 4. Inness. Accord, NY. 4pm.-May 11. Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. Livingston Manor, NY. 2pm. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Mark McNairy played a big role in the initial inspiration for starting ACL. I met him in 2005 when he was the creative director at J. Press. At his core he’s a product guy, and he introduced me to so many interesting people, brands and American manufacturers. The first factories I visited in Maine and New York were with him (one of which was the Bentley Cravats factory in Chelsea which we discuss briefly) and the first time I went to Japan was with him. Mark has design instincts that I have never seen in other people. He has an incredible ability to quickly see something interesting and create a design with a totally unique point of view. He does this better than anyone I have worked with over the years. I also find Mark to be hilarious with an extremely dry sense of humor. We hit it off from the start and I still consider him one of my favorite people of all time. Mark is designing a new collection called McNairy & Co. and is always looking for new projects and design partnerships. As I said, he loves product and always wants to be creating new things with his unique vision. I hope you enjoy our conversation. The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

It feels near universal that PGA TOUR pro golfer Keith Mitchell is the best dressed man in the game. In some ways, we hold him up as proof that performance clothing isn’t as important as some may think. Even if you aren’t into golf his point of view is worth considering. Going beyond his appreciation for classic menswear, Keith has earned a reputation for holding good design in high regard, a trait which explains his appreciation for Mizuno irons and fine watches. This focus on aesthetics combined with his talent on the golf course which places him at the center of the cool-guy Venn diagram. Keith is the rare case of an aesthete athlete. He’s someone who has done the on-course clothing thing differently, and done it to great success. In a sea of sameness he separates himself in all of the best ways. To say it’s a breath of fresh air would be an understatement. I wanted to dive deeper into his personal style, approach to golf and just talk about so many other things. We sat down at the Brentwood Country Mart (which was fun but also potentially too busy for the audio; we live and we learn) for a wide ranging discussion covering life on the PGA TOUR, non-performance fabrics, watches, flying Delta, our mutual appreciation of Sid Mashburn and of course high-twist wool trousers. I hope you enjoy our conversation. The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Cost and efficiency can’t be the only things that matter. Sometimes you need to take the meandering route. If one-click ordering ruled everything we do, then we would be neglected an experience like the one Jake Mueser provides at J Mueser. In modern-day 2024 Jake doesn’t just make clothes, he becomes trusted advisor and confidant. Seeing him is akin to an executive health consultation. There might be some concerns with seeing the raw data, but trust that Jake be there with his expertise and keen eye to help you navigate any issues. Jake is like a highly sought after concierge doctor for your aesthetic soul. Like your good doctor, Jake has seen it all before.With his easygoing ways and subtle suggestions he reminds you that your goals are aligned here. Jake is on your team, like the on-staff sports psychologist roaming the sidelines of a high stakes game helping us find our center. Jake is our guy and he’s vital to the success of our team. And by success I mean, looking good and feeling correct. A visit to Jake on Christopher street is low-tech meets high touch in the best possible way. It’s an exercise in trust and beauty. What could be better? This week while he is working his way around Pitti Uomo in Florence, it seemed appropriate to share a conversation we had about style, tailoring and what it’s like to still do things in the traditions of the past. Hope you enjoy it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Ghiaia is the best example of everything I could ever hope for in a brand. It’s the combination of three important attributes that make it special to me. * It’s Artisanal in Nature. * Independent* Has a Distinct Voice and Point of ViewGhiaia is all of those things and much more. It follows Davide’s vision closely and is true to itself. He’s not trying to be anything he’s not. Ghiaia is an honest expression of what is in Davide’s mind and his heart. It’s an expression of what he wants to say to the world and what he wants to say to himself. Put simply, this is a special thing Davide is building.I met the founder Davide Baroncini through our mutual friend Justin Chung, and from the first conversation I knew we were going to get along. Several years later I consider Davide a dear friend and also someone who inspires me deeply. His energy is wonderful and you can’t help but to want to be around him. Perhaps that’s why his stores are so great. He’s there making coffee and telling you about each item — excited about the smallest details. In a mad world of noise, Davide is a clear voice that sails deep into your soul. Yes it’s beautiful cashmere, but it’s also so much more.Late last month Davide opened a new shop in San Marino. I thought this would be a great opportunity to go by to take photos and share the space with you all. We sat down in the space on a Sunday morning before the store officially opened to catch up and talk about everything happening at Ghiaia. It’s a beautiful shop, a great collection and he’s a wonderful man. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Ghiaia 2557 Mission Street San Marino, CA 91108The ACL Podcast is meant to be an add-on to the newsletter. You can listen in the Substack App, on Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that. If you like this story please consider subscribing and sending to a friend. As always I appreciate your support.Big thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

One of our favorite shows of the year. Michael reveals his psychedelics strategy, Coggins learns to make rice and we look forward to the holiday. Hope you like it! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

We’re with Central Division back after too long and catch up about Las Vegas, London and the Rose Bowl Flea. Then we submit to some daring dream analysis. Hope you like it!  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

We talk about Michael’s trip to New York, a curious incident at Keens Steakhouse and the Coggins family finally getting into roller bags (gasp!). Hope you like it!The shirt company that made my MTM is Kamakura. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Welcome to a long weekend edition of Central Division. With the end of Succession we have the settings set for a rare public podcast that’s open to everyone to enjoy. We talk about the greatness of Succession, the hilarious and tragic Roy family, Michael’s fear of corporate PR and his appreciation of Hugo. Hope you like it! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

There really aren’t a lot of ways to reinvent a woven shirt. Somehow in 1999 Steven Alan found a way to do it. That was the year he created the Reverse Seam which would go on to sell tens of thousands of shirts. The innovation? To twist the placket and to reveal the outseam. It’s more than that though, Steven flipped the dress shirt to be a deliberately casual button-down. It’s not complicated, but the Reverse Seam was a important reinterpretation. It’s like going back in time two decades and popularizing the entire ridiculous idea for Untuckit. Only these shirts were for people who don’t hate themselves. (Sorry, I had to do it.) In all seriousness, a casual woven shirt was a great idea and that’s why Steven has sold so many of them and why Amy Larocca called it the perfect shirt, which I think sums things up fairly well. My opinion is that Steven Alan is a legend. I’ve always loved his point of view and his Annex shop in Tribeca was my favorite shop in New York. His product was great, he brought in amazing brands from all over the world and there was always something great to discover. I mostly wear his other woven shirt, the Single Needle, since it’s a bit roomier and we collaborated to make some flap-pocket shirts way back when. They sold out in like 38 minutes. It was a bit of a dream collab for me because I love Steven’s general aesthetic. Over the years Steven expanded the business to a point that became difficult to manage in a changing world. As wholesale and physical retail evolved Steven had to close all of his stores and the financial situation took him to the brink. He made some tough decisions to extract the company from the store leases and eventually he was able to recommit to a completely online only direct-to-consumer brand and web shop. When the brand relaunched online Steven started making shirts in the garment center again and the Reverse Seam and the Single Needle have been resurrected. In a way the business has come full circle and Steven himself seems reinvigorated with the simplicity of it all. I’ve missed shopping at the Annex and seeing Steven in New York and was curious about the evolution of the brand. I reached out to Steven a little while back and we recorded a sort of impromptu podcast. Through our conversation we chart the early days of his stores and how Steven Alan has evolved through the years. Steven has had a huge impact of so much of what we see today. His brand is as relevant as ever, especially now that the Reverse Seam is back. Hope you enjoy our conversation. The ACL Podcast is more of an add-on to the newsletter than a full fledged podcast. You can listen in Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that to Substack. If you enjoy this edition, please consider subscribing and sending to a friend who you think would like this. I appreciate your support.Thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

Last year I was reminded that it is easy to accumulate things, but difficult to get rid of them. I spent most of the year giving things to friends, donating to charity, selling on eBay and just generally pushing to divest. It was happening in every area of my life; my closet, electronics, bikes and as you well know, my extra car. If I wanted to just junk things it would have been easier, but it probably would have resulted in much more separation anxiety. If I sell something cheap on eBay or Offer Up I'm glad it went to a place where someone will use it. It's hard to get rid of things and it's equally as hard not to just keep bringing new things in. My wife likes to remind me of this anytime a box arrives. I've even started to do some awkward but necessary things. Friends with brands have sent clothes and I have thanked them and sheepishly sent them back. That seems offensive, but I just don't need any more pants. I probably never will. My big goal was go to get rid of 60% of my stuff. We moved several times in the past two years and seeing your possessions in boxes is alarming. When your stuff is out in the open you really get a sense of how unimportant most of it all is. That's what happened to me and the process has helped me think harder about the things I buy and if I really need it. Even if I haven't made it to 60% (yet; I've probably unloaded 30% of my overall footprint) I've learned a lot in the process. The one person I've really looked to for inspiration and guidance in this process is Sean Hotchkiss. He wrote this amazing essay for GQ about getting rid of all but a few essential possessions. It was sort of shocking and the article went pretty far and wide. He was the only person I actually knew who had just dramatically simplified his life when it comes to stuff. My curiosity piqued on Black Friday 2020 and we recorded a short pod about it. Since 2016 when Sean went super minimal and now the pendulum has swung back a bit for him and he seems to have found a happy medium. He's not living a fully minimal lifestyle now, but he's also not in the same overwhelmed place he started out. This was the state I am hoping to get to and I wanted to check in with Sean again to see what he has learned at this point. We spoke about our relationship with our possessions, the behavior that drives some of this consumption and we even talk a bit about mental health. Not everyone is going to identify with these issues and I certainly understand that I'm lucky that these are my problems. In no way would I overlook the fact that the world has a lot of problems and a lot of people have suffered tremendously in the past few years. The goal here is to try and become the best version of ourselves that we can be. An uncluttered home with a clear mind. Just don't look in my garage. There's still work to be done. Hope you all enjoy our conversation.The ACL Podcast is more of an add-on to the newsletter than a full fledged podcast. You can listen in Apple Podcasts or via Spotify directly if you prefer that to Substack. If you enjoy this edition, please consider subscribing and sending to a friend who you think would like this. I appreciate your support.Thanks to Al James for lending me his music. The song is: Hard Working Dogs by Dolorean. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe

It’s been a year of Central Division. It’s hard to decide if a podcast’s birthday is something to be proud of or embarrassed about. But here we are. So we reflect on a year of the show, consider some friendly criticisms from loved ones, and fearlessly look forward. We also invited some friends to celebrate. Master of all media Chris Black joins us (19:25). And we talk to our old friend Matt Hranek, the king of print (40:45).  Hope you like it and thanks to everyone for listening and supporting this year. Michael and DavidListen to Chris Black on How Long Gone. Order Matt Hranek’s book The Martini.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.acl.news/subscribe