The Rake

The world’s preeminent publication dedicated to the renaissance in gentlemanly sophistication and style, THE RAKE recaptures the codes of classic men’s elegance. Inspired by icons such as Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, the Duke of Windsor, Gianni Agnelli, Sean Connery, and their contemporary counterparts, THE RAKE provides incisive, in-depth commentary on magnificent menswear, and the many other elements of gentlemanly living, from manners and ethics, to art and design, tasteful travel, health and well-being, the intellectual and philosophical, to homes, modes of transport, entertainment, food and drink. THE RAKE is the modern voice of classic elegance.

Letter from the Founder

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Contributors

The Rake

arbiter • STYLE, CYMBAL; PLAYING A BLINDER; COMPLETE TOSHIRO; SMILE FOR THE CAMERA; MELL ON EARTH.

THE ORIGINAL MODFATHER • Charlie Watts was unpretentious, self-deprecating, romantic and faithful. It meant that it took some time — decades, in fact — for this stylish Rolling Stone to stand out in a band full of rockers. But when the end came, Watts had earned the reverence that was his due.

‘FATHERHOOD CAN BE SCARY. BUT THE TSUNAMI OF LOVE DROWNS OUT THE FEAR’ • The Irish actor Emmett J. Scanlan has been busy. He is starring in no fewer than three shows, including the final series of Peaky Blinders, and there is the small matter of an addition to his family…

HEART OF A WARRIOR • Toshiro Mifune, the actor who formed an illustrious partnership with Akira Kurosawa, brought charisma, ironic self-knowledge and intense physicality to no fewer than 150 film roles. “I’m not always great in pictures,” he said, “but I’m always true to the Japanese spirit.”

WHITE SPIRIT • The winsome smile of the Samoyed breed, which hails from the Arctic wastelands of remote Siberia, symbolises the freedom it enjoys from a burdensome past. And its owners reckon it’s just the cutest thing…

FADE TO BLACK • ‘Movies are my life and my life is a movie,’ said Marisa Mell, the Austrian actress whose beauty channelled Brigitte Bardot as a brunette. If that were so, Mell was denied a happy ending.

atelier • INVESTMENT HANKER; PIANA MAN; SAFETY FIRST; CAT’S CALLING; HIDE AND SEEK.

INVEST • Investments can be unpredictable, but not so with these four winners, which we have handpicked to provide you with sound and secure appreciation — aesthetically, spiritually and financially.

JERSEY BOY • THE RAKE’s Editor-in-Chief learns to live a little in Loro Piana’s genius Sunset fabric, which exhibits strength, comfort, structure and grace all at once. Can he finally pass muster?

BOX CLEVER • Every valuable accessory or heirloom needs a container for safekeeping. No, your sock drawer will no longer do — think more like luxury cases with Bluetooth-enabled locks. This is where the family-run specialists Wolf 1834 come in…

COOL FOR CATS • Canali’s collaboration with the Chinese label 8ON8 is a tribute to the life-enhancing effects of travel. And for the august Italian brand, it marks a journey into exciting new territory.

UNDER THE SKIN • For those of us who regard leather, suede and shearling as highly as Merino wool, Cromford Leather Company — this year celebrating 50 years of excellence — is a hallowed moniker.

articles • ACCORDING TO PAUL; RAKES OF THE YEAR; GANDYPANTS AND JUMPERS.

THE PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF PAUL • Paul Bettany has known tragedy and bliss; his career has nurtured let-downs and mega hits. Through it all, the 50-year-old Londoner has remained one of the most dynamic and versatile actors of his generation. With his next project, A Very British Scandal, coming to T.V. screens, NICK SCOTT finds him in ebullient mood…

The RAKES of the YEAR • THE RAKE honours those who in 2021 personified our...