December 15, 2014 |
Dunhill’s top dog believes the true measure of a man is “manners and sense of appropriateness”, so he gets top marks for welcoming us so warmly into the quintessentially British showrooms in his quintessentially British look.
What are you wearing?
“Double-breasted waistcoat, high-waisted trousers, braces with bengal-stripe shirt and classic oxfords – it’s a kind of easy uniform.”
How about what’s not visible?
“Cuir – Mona di Orio cologne. Long Fil d’Ecosse socks.”
What’s your greatest fashion luxury/extravagance?
“Handmade tortoiseshell glasses by EB Meyrowitz.”
Are you a carry-on or excess-baggage kind of man?
“Excess-baggage of course – four-wheel drive. I like to check it in so it’s taken care of.”
What’s your biggest sartorial turn-on?
“Wearing bespoke tailoring – a suit has to fit well against the body. I like to feel its structure.”
How do you dress to impress?
“I don’t, it’s not my style.”
What’s your hangover/out-for-a-pint-of-milk look?
“Old tracksuit bottoms, double-faced cashmere wrap coat, T-shirt, crushed-back suede loafers.”
Are you, or have you ever been, part of a scene?
“By a scene, do you mean part of something cool and happening like the Warhol Factory or the London scene in the 1950s with Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and all the writers and photographers hanging out in Soho at the Colony Room, challenging convention? I do not think I have ever been part of anything as powerful as that.”
What do you love about menswear today?
“Quality – in general the quality of make and detail is at a level I have never seen before in menswear. Industrialisation is at a much higher level and that’s perfect for me, as I like to buy beautiful things that are made to last.”
What’s missing from menswear today?
“Masculine, elegant menswear. Everything seems overly shrunken. Menswear has become so homogenised.”
Are you part of the zeitgeist?
“No.”
What’s your earliest memory/concept of style?
“As a young boy I was fascinated by Hollywood movies – the elegance and charm of Cary Grant, for example. I was also curious about the glamorous world of the 1970s and the fashion icons who surrounded Yves Saint Laurent. Compared with my life in a small town in Scotland it was another world – to me, a fantasy world.”
Who’s your ultimate style icon?
“Prince Charles, for his make-do-and-mend philosophy, but Tom Ford for ultimate male style.”
The true measure of a man is?
“Manners and sense of appropriateness, whatever the occasion. It’s something inherently British, it’s in our DNA.”
Photographer: Maria Ziegelboeck
By Vincent Levy
