London's strangest wine/ad/ad/wine coincidence
A bizarre and previously hidden coincidence in wine and advertising. Joe becomes an influencer. And recommendations.
1. A circular rabbit hole
Imagine you are Noel Gallagher. You’ve had a few drinks. And you’ve just tumbled out of Soho’s Groucho Club in London to a phalanx of paparazzi.
Now you’re Noel Gallagher - so this is unlikely - but if you look directly ahead, across the road, you’ll see an office at No. 62 Dean Street.
And if you look closely above the office door you’ll see mouldings of four, big bunches of grapes.
Today Number 62 is an office. You probably don’t care. You’re Noel Gallagher. But we do. Because there’s an utterly bizarre connection between this office and wine and typography and advertising… and advertising and typography and back to wine.
No. 62 Dean Street used to be a wine merchants. That’s why it has those mouldings of grapes above the door. And it was owned by Francis Downman. Here it is on the right, with Downman’s sign hanging outside, probably sometime in the 60’s.
Now this is where things gets strange. Francis Downman was a curious sort of wine merchant. His annual catalogues were literary and fun. They’re still collected today. He was also a creative type. “Type” here is a very bad pun. In the 1920’s Downman created “a humorous alphabet of wines” with the American graphic designer and artist Edward McKnight Kauffer, for The Fleuron. A noted, if short-lived, journal of typography.
It must have impressed someone, because soon after, McKnight Kauffer went on to become known as “The Poster King” and did lots of famous work for The London Underground, Fortnum & Mason, and… *checks notes*… Marshall Tito.
But back to Downman. He didn’t just do mildly amusing alphabets. He also wrote books. Including this one, called “Not Claret”.
I’ve just bought a copy. According to the seller, the book is:
A curious and amusing protest by an eminent vintner and wine-merchant against the B.B.C. being dominated by teetotalers who refuse to let alcoholic drinks to be advertised in the Radio Times despite accepting 'beauty tricks' and 'quack medicines'. The opening section transcribes his correspondence exchange with [the BBC] regarding this censorship and the remainder the details of his continuing struggle. He makes an unanswerable case in my view.
Others agreed. According to The New Statesman “Mr Downham has performed a public service by this charming pamphlet”. Which seems to suggest the subject of advertising booze in The Radio Times was something of a hot topic in the 30’s. A notion in no way undermined by the fact that The Law Journal also got in on the act saying:
[Downham] quotes page and date for blatant aphrodisiacs, impossible puffs, and incredible quacks and nostrums, and space [in the Radio Times] afforded for a thousand and one things - but not Claret…
It’s worth bearing in mind that in 1937 the legal profession was dealing with the constitutional ramifications of Edward VIII’s abdication, the introduction of The Public Order Act to deal with Oswald Moseley’s fascists, the liberalisation of divorce, the governance of India, tensions between unions and employers, and the notorious “bodies under the bridge” murder trial of Buck Ruxton. But their learned friends were keen instead to tackle the important question of whether or not you could advertise Claret in The Radio Times. I, for one, applaud this.
They were not alone in taking an interest. The Spectator said Francis Downham “was no ordinary vintner that the BBC was tackling.” And it wasn’t just the quality of his arguments that impressed people either. The Times Literary Supplement wanted to compliment his style, writing “it is urbane: his fruitiest satire is withheld until we have appreciated the light and dry.”
So here, in wine merchant at No. 62 Dean St. in 1937, behind and below four big bunches of grapes. Not just a wine merchant. But a vintner-turned-typographer-turned-author-turned-advertising campaigner.
This is where things get weird.
Because the current occupant of No. 62 Dean Street is… the legendary advertising executive - and writer - Sir John Hegarty.
He’s the man behind great straplines like “vorsprung durch technik”. And that ad where Nick Kamen stripped into his boxer shorts in the laundrette…
John has written about advertising too…
And his book also received pretty rave reviews:
…an exceptional book, one that should be required reading by anyone in this industry, and one that will certainly work its way into any classes I teach on the subject.
…says The Agency Review.
And John has pretty firm views on typefaces as well:
For [Hegarty] it was never ‘what typeface shall we use?’, but ‘what’s the idea?’
But… Sir John is not just an adman.
He’s also a vintner.
John and his partner Philippa own Domaine de Chamans in Minervois. I love their wines and you can buy them here. (You should as well). If Downham had choice views on advertising - at least in The Radio Times - it’s fair to say John has some pretty choice views on wine. At least to the Institute of Masters of Wine.
So it turns out the building opposite The Groucho Club, that housed the vintner, who played with typefaces, and who wrote about advertising… is now the home of the adman, who wrote about advertising, who is rather less bothered about typefaces, but who became a vintner.
Someone needs to tell Noel Gallagher.
2. …and who are you wearing?
This week I got to fulfil a lifelong ambition and ask lots of people “…and who are you wearing?” It turns out people love being asked this. Or at least my new chums did.
The reason was that I hosted a lunch at Langan’s Brasseries in Mayfair with Lady Amelia Windsor. Who has the good fortune to share her name with Chile’s finest Chardonnay - Amelia - from Concha y Toro. I am wearing - thank you for asking - Charles Tyrwhitt and TM Lewin. Shoes model’s own. Lady Amelia’s agent, a fabulous woman called Lou, taught me to put my foot out like that to make me look taller.
I was the least beautiful person there. Unlike the rest of the party who presented - Tatler-style - below. They included Eshita Kabra-Davies in the purple wavy dress, the extraordinary and brilliant founder of By Rotation, “the world's largest shared wardrobe of designer fashion”.
Come for the wine chat, stay for the sustainable fashion tips.
I can say here and now, this is the most glamorous event I have ever been to. By some margin. And one of the most fun. I’ve come away with a book of poetry, an invitation to Cornwall, quite a lot of reading to do on black artists, and the knowledge that there is at least one woman from Singapore who speaks fluent Finnish.
Full disclosure, I consult to Amelia, but also, I warmly commend the wines to you. They are fabulous. Find them here.
3. Wine Tip and subscriber meetups
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