From Versailles to coporate offices

At court, the leg was a rule: silk stockings pulled taut, buckle shoes, nothing allowed to break the line. Then trousers took over. The sock didn’t vanish; it changed purpose. Over-the-calf, it serves one decisive requirement: no skin shows when you sit. Discreet. Continuous. Composed.

In London, through clubs, libraries, long negotiations, you need a knit that stays precise. Egyptian cotton, mercerised, brings a smooth finish and crisp colour; cool wool takes over when the air turns. A cuff that holds without biting, a consistent rib that keeps height, a reinforced heel built for full days.

In the 1980s, the noise was above the table; below it, nothing moved. The test never changed: the hem lifts, the meeting stretches, the sock holds the line. Colours work like instruments: ink for heavy days, burgundy for committees, commons Emerald to soften the light, deep violet that cuts without glare. Quiet authority, measured and assured.