The fine details: Cerruti 1881's Jason Basmajian on his most treasured sartorial talismans
The view outside Jason Basmajian’s art-filled apartment in a former furniture factory may be of grey, sodden Kentish Town, but, for a moment, the designer is transported from rain-soaked London to the fuchsia-tinged landscapes of Rajasthan. “It’s the most culturally and spiritually rewarding place – there’s a real exuberance to everything, and each time I wear this pin, it brings it back to me,” he says, gesturing to an unfurling peacock feather of pavé diamonds studded with sapphires and emeralds, part of a collection of lapel adornments he has amassed since he began his career in menswear in the 1990s.
“It’s typical of Rajasthan in both its craftsmanship and what it symbolises, and has a certain maharaja-like grandeur that I love,” says the Boston native, who now splits his time between London and Paris. Next, holding a tiny 18ct-gold cricket pin with diamond wings – he’s been advised that it’s vintage Chaumet, although it hasn’t been signed–he is dreaming of 1950s Parisian high society. “It conjures a vision of martinis at the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz. I have a long connection to the city and this pin is like having a little piece of its magic with me wherever I am.”
Basmajian is a ruthless editor and his collection is small: “I have around 10 really great pieces now. Men are very limited in how they can accessorise, which is why I love a lapel pin. I find them all over the place – in markets, via antique dealers–and part of the thrill is discovering them in unexpected places.” And other people are fascinated, too: “I attend a lot of events and they’re a good ice-breaker.” He loves how one small detail can transform an entire ensemble, and deliberately doesn’t polish his might-be-Chaumet cricket to a high gloss. “That way, it looks refined and discreet on a tuxedo. Black-tie can be pretty uniform, and this lifts it a touch,” says the designer, who came on board as creative director at Cerruti in 2016, after four years heading up tailoring institution Gieves & Hawkes.
It was that experience – in the workrooms where ceremonial regalia for the likes of the Duke of Wellington, Lord Nelson and Michael Jackson has been crafted for centuries – that stoked his passion for decoration. One of his most prized lapel pins, indeed, is a Victorian snake-entwined gold sword – a nod to those days on Savile Row. “A man adorning his outfit is nothing new – there’s always been a great British tradition of wonderful embroidery and embellishment and medals on formal wear,” he says. “It adds nuance and detail. It’s an ancient tradition, but I think it somehow got lost along the way.”
Basmajian’s appreciation of craftsmanship also fuels his burgeoning collection of timepieces, which now runs to five. He has plans to invest in a Patek Philippe Calatrava soon. “I’m not a fanatic, but, for me, it’s about the way these incredible watches are made and how they work with your wardrobe.” He pairs the sportier of his collection – which comprises IWC,Cartier and Breitling – with polo shirts, and the more formal,such as his rose gold IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser, with grey flannel suiting. “I’m a particular fan of IWC because I’m from Boston, as was the founder of the house,” he says, toying with one of the brand’s chunky Pilot watches.
Casting an eye at the dismal weather, he notes: “I don’t believe in keeping anything for a rainy day. It’s similar to the way that I’d advise a man to dress: it’s all about incorporating good design and the best quality you can afford into your daily life. Watches are no longer a necessity – everyone’s always checking their smartphone – which is why they’ve become about pleasure.” He turns a Cartier Santos from the early 2000s in his hand to show off the 1930s curves of the steel with the same enthusiasm he brings to handling cloth at the Italian tailoring giant, which marks 50 years this year. “Nino [Cerruti, the founder] was really a trailblazer in making tailoring more fluid and accessible. There’s structure but a certain ease.” It’s a sentiment that has been deftly picked up on by Basmajian at the brand in the form of relaxed coats, soft shapes and a new street edge. Which will complement his sporty little Breitling nicely.
