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Michael Stampler

@stampler

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Craftsman by trade with a love for hospitality.
@bar.etna.london - now open!

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My name is Mike Stampler, and I’m a craftsman and designer. I have a deep love for anything honest and personal. The best designs and pieces are those made for yourself, or for the act of gifting to a loved one. Almost all great design stems from this idea, not from monetary gain. Passion can’t be bought. I have been lucky enough to work on a wide variety of projects over the years. And even more fortunate that others have trusted me to fulfill their own visions and dreams. For the first time, I will be sharing what bits I have documented with you here, all in one place. It will take some time so bare with me.

I am usually a rather private person, and never put much into the ether. Usually hiding behind the brands I would create for the different categories of work I had made. I have decided to turn a new leaf and share a bit more. Here you will find a few photos of me from over the years with some things I have crafted. Sometimes wearing them, or working on them, or both. It’s safe to say about 50% of my wardrobe and furnishings are things I’ve crafted myself. The question is: Can you tell which ones? I hope not... I always aimed to produce to a world-class standard, not that of the lowly “maker”, even if that’s all I would sometimes achieve. Greatness comes from dedication and continual practice. It’s a journey and I’m still on the road.

Much love,

Mike by @stampler

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2 years ago

Oatmeal raisin on a rainy sunday. by @stampler

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7 months ago

On the level - The only way. by @stampler

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10 months ago

Some tasty dishes from the past few weeks at home. I’m particularly enjoying the pea,asparagus and fresh mint pasta at the moment. It helps me hold onto the sun who is slowly retreating into winter gloom. by @stampler

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a year ago

by @stampler

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a year ago

Simple things.

Today’s post is an appreciation for mastering what some consider everyday parts of life. The chocolate chip cookie is a great metaphor for this idea. Everyone is familiar with it, and has an opinion on what makes for a great one. I would wager your stance on how you like something simple and common is actually quite heated. We could talk all day about what makes a bad one. Can’t be too dry, or too sweet. Not too much chocolate but too little, also dreadful. The simple things are often the hardest to master as there is so much debate and familiarity with what makes a great example. Simple or familiar things truly bring the greatest joy, but require much toile to perfect.

I have been working on a menu for a project for some time. Slowly honing each offering until I think it is the finest example of that said dish. The menu is all classics in one way or another, and almost all simple foods. It makes for a challenge as the bar is high for all these foods.

I’d say this cookie is ready. It’s been slowly adapting for about three years, and I am happy with where it sits. I use dark chocolate chips and a browned butter which imparts a nutty-almost caramel flavour. I have also revealed a few nuances about my oven, and tray distribution that allow for the perfect bake. Here it is for your consideration. by @stampler

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a year ago

The MA/G1 - I’m a huge lover of vintage menswear, however most of the available stock is for a man of a different stature Than I. Finding anything I’m after in my size or with the right fit is almost impossible.

I made this piece under the Marble Arch clothing label. My workwear produced here in London. It was inspired by a G-1 with some changes. It is cut from goat skin leather, the same as the originals but rendered in black. It has a shearling collar and some other same details including real wool cuffs and a vintage sourced zip. I elected to leave out the back shoulder pleats and half belt. I felt these details can make it look like a dad jacket.. in not the right ways.

I only ever made the one. I must say, it was a real brain-melter at the time trying to work out the construction method with the liner, having never don’t a full leather jacket before. It was also the same day I had a major family crisis and had to fly home the next morning. All is well now. Sometimes projects like this can help you turn off and manage the stress. Stepping away is usually how you can find answers when you need to think rationally not emotionally. Easier said than done. by @stampler

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a year ago

The exploration shirt. Produced under the @darte.london label. This shirt was cut in a beautiful rayon and was meant to be something you might have worn on camping trip in the 50’s. The illustrations on this shirt were all hand drawn by Ed @stanford_vintage , then translated into this print. They feature various scenes of outdoor lifestyle and woodland creatures, some more mischievous than others.

I had been working on a pattern for a long sleeve open collar shirt for some time. It was the perfect fit for this fabric. by @stampler

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2 years ago

Here are a few leather clad mirrors I made over the years. I’ve done several shapes and styles, from small bathroom mirrors, to huge full length ones. I class them into two general categories:

1.) Flat framed with edge patterns that are either painted or delicately stained. These we’re a product of my time spent at a well known Philly workshop BDDW. They did round leather mirrors with oak banding. I adapted their idea and added my touch to it. I like how the painted patterns double in the glass for a deeper reflected image.

2.) Round profiled mirrors. These were based on a chair detail from a designer I always admired, Poul Kjaerholm. He had a design with a bit of woven leather on steel tube that was very cool, the PK-12. So I translated that idea into a mirror.

I still have a few of these floating around if anyone is interested. by @stampler

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2 years ago

Reupholstery is something I occasionally take on. It has to be the right piece. It is unfortunately a dying craft for the same reasons I only do specific items. The juice, more often than not, isn’t worth the squeeze. It is a physically intensive job, with costly materials and a lot of man hours. Customers just aren’t prepared for these costs. Nor should they be. In today’s market, with new approaches to construction, it just isn’t financially viable to reupholstery most things. It is sadly cheaper and easier to buy new.

As the individual craftsman, I can’t possibly achieve the economies of scale a large manufacturer can. They get better bulk prices on virtually all materials and have an efficient production line. It’s the Ford Model T principle. You have to want to do it for other reasons, sentimental ones usually.

I did the pair of chairs photographed here because they were too nice to let the landfill have them. They needed more work than someone was willing to pay for them, so I did them for me. The frames needed gluing and the seat support system was changed for a stronger, more permanent setup. I made the cushions new from scratch. All in, I spent about a week restoring them. A cost I could never recoup from a resale.

I tend to only take on reupholstery jobs for items that are special, iconic, or timeless. Most jobs aren’t worth the effort or customer investment. I didn’t make my own sofa even though I could do. The materials alone would have cost more than purchasing it, let alone the time commitment to actually making it and doing it to a nice standard.

The lesson here is: Some jobs simply aren’t worth doing. It’s important to know which ones. You’ll save yourself and your customers a lot of heartache. by @stampler

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2 years ago

Denim . The most popular fabric on the planet. I will keep it brief to start. I have many insights to share on working with this beloved textile.

I started making jeans because I’m so tall. I had a friend in high school who took thrift store jeans and tailored them to fit our rock and roll lifestyle at the time. I thought this was a great idea since I could never find clothing that fit. So started my journey into sewing and menswear. I made a lot of horrible clothing at first, and learned the hard way about washing, sanfordization, weaves, construction and thicknesses. My first few pairs I couldn’t even slip on I got the sizing so wrong. The very first pair took me 3 days and the moment I tried to put them on, all the seams fell apart since I knew nothing of seam allowance and safety stitches.

Denim is a great material to learn with. It is actually quite a forgiving and easy to use textile. I’m lucky to have chosen it early. I would never have been able to make some of the more delicate pieces without its great lessons.

There is a time in all things where the going gets tough, when you’re most likely to give up and smash everything to bits. It is also the moment that matters most. To take a breathe, center your chi, and soldier on. Eventually things start to align and if you keep going, you realize that it was actually quite simple all along. by @stampler

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2 years ago

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2 years ago