I obviously don’t know much about menswear. And before this weekend, I hardly knew there was so much that goes into creating just a tie. I headed to the opening of The Armoury, a new menswear shop in Pedder Building, Central. And there, I met a cool Englishman called Michael Drake.
The very funny, and very charming Michael brought with him to the opening his collection of ties, scarves and pocket squares. This man was responsible for designing that signature checker for British brand Aquascutum. So he’s deficiently got the authority on commentating in this subject matter.
Thirty years ago, he branched out and created his own brand Drakes of London. While is collection consists of all aspects of menswear, his focus in Hong Kong is on ties and scarves. He does an incredible job mixing the classic with the contemporary, mastering a look that rides the fine line boring bloke and the chic cosmopolitan.
And with that old school English look making a big comeback, it’s easy to imaging why a classic name likes Drakes of London is generating new found fame among hipsters and gentlemen alike.
And he offered me this great quote about mastering the look of a sophisticated gentleman: “Men should never seek to be fashionable. Instead they should strive to be stylish.”
I guess the appeal of a man clad in red pants and a pink mob is really very dismal.
