Comments on: Richard & Cosmo Wise, Rag Dealers

By: Alfred Zammit

Alfred Zammit — Wed, 17 May 2023 13:11:35 +0000

Hi, Richard, I have been trying to connect with you I want to buy your French fisherman’s shirt.
It is featured on Pinterest. If this does not get to Richard Wise would you mind connecting me with him. Alfred.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:42:14 +0000

What utter bliss to imagine searching through through the odd bits and sundry. Happily I was reminded of being in London 5 decades ago and wandering the streets of Kensington as a tourist from the USA. Trotting down the street was a horse drawn cart piled high with rags and led by a rag pickier and just beyond, striding along the sidewalk, was a man, who surely was a banker or an escapee from Mary Poppins. He was dressed in a black suit, carried a black umbrella, with a black bowler on top. What a wonderful sight they were!

By: Tessa

Tessa — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 07:53:27 +0000

Like Anne I wore a lot of passed on clothing, form older sisters and bigger friends. I feel ambivalent about them. Mainly because new clothes, even expensive ones, do not have the workmanship in them that clothes had even 60 years ago. Since the invention of the sewing machine more and more tasks have become mechanised.
I’m not so happy about them scouring the attics of all and sundry, those clothes could sit and season for another 100 years or so. It is something the descendants could enjoy, going through the ancient textiles.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:26:34 +0000

What utter beautiful chaos.
This kind of business though was all around in previous times. Believe me ,if you were dressed in hand me downs and assorted rag bag clothes when you were young you really don’t want to go there again if you can help it. Photos i have of my sister and me in the early 50s tell of a time when all around us were dressed in a variety of strange garb but then it was normal. No designer baby and infant clothing for us. I’m sure we’re all the better for ‘suffering’ this way in our earlier life.
I love clothes and would love to be able to buy more . I can’t quite get to the point though when i would want to wear old and patched clothing that has been ‘previously cherished’ to this extent. That does’nt mean though that i don’t buy some stuff from charity shops occasionally. I do but it has to be good stuff!

By: Rowena

Rowena — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:43:04 +0000

Very intriguing. I admire their bohemian entrepreneurialism.

By: Frances

Frances — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:24:30 +0000

Please do pass along my compliments to the two Wise gentlement. I’ve always loved to rescue old clothing and fabrics, enjoy patchworking and can darn, too.

They are very Wise to adapt the classic old designs to new items made from vintage fabrics.

You’ve given me yet another place to try to find if ever I return to London.

Thank you.