Row yourself to a new suit at M&S…

Hong Kongers, if you cant make it to London’s infamous Savile Row fear not, pop into your local M&S to see  the new Savile Row inspired collection, that has been designed exclusively for M&S by Richard James, synonymous with the best men’s tailoring for over 200 years.

The collection uses a lean tailoring block; the suits are sharp and modern. A collection for a true discerning man looking for refined fabrics and luxury. The suit manufacturing takes place in the UK, so it remains quintessentially British, using traditional mills and processes. Ties and shirts have been made to compliment the suits’ fabric. The shirts use mother-of-pearl buttons and come with either single or double cuff. The suit fabrics are sourced from Alfred Brown in Leeds and the silk for the ties are from British silk weaver, Vanners.

Prices at an accessible point:

Suits are priced around HK$ 5, 000

Shirts around HK$ 750

And ties at around HK$ 550               

Happy shopping….Marks&Spencer

 

 

Stand out from the crowd

The colder winter months may be upon us (apparently) it is my first winter in HK so still fail to believe that the sun disappears, saying that is it raining today! However when the sun finally starts to go there is no reason why men’s clothing should follow suit- remain bright and cheerful with one of the top trends I have witness on the streets- coloured trousers! 

 

Didn’t get a chance to ask this chap where he got his trousers from, he started to turn his back when he saw I had a camera…

 

These fantastically bright trousers are by- Marc by Marc Jacobs

He found it amusing that I wanted to take a picture of his burnt orange trousers, they were from- Jil Sander

And which colour will you be wearing……

Monsieur Skinny

Mr Skinny was extraordinarily thin. If you relate to this MR MEN character, you may find it tricky finding styles, and shapes that suit your slender frame. The trick here is to create the illusion of a V shape, to add bulk and proportion. 

This can be done by wearing: 

• Lighter colours- say goodbye to monochromatic colour schemes. Single colours from head to toe especially black will make you look even skinnier. Lighter colours are good options, such as white, cream, gray, light blues, and beige 

 • Horizontals patterns- avoid vertical stripes as they elongate the body and make it look thinner. Horizontal stripes have the opposite effect. Placing a large horizontal stripe near the shoulders helps give the illusion that the upper body is bulkier than it actually is. 

• Layering- you can afford to add some bulk to your frame. The key is to wear the tightest-fitting layer next to your skin and present the bulkier layer last, on the outside. 

If you feel you need more advice on dressing for your shape, please email monsieurman@live.co.uk to arrange a style consultation.

Sweet smell of success

Giorgio Armani once claimed "Scent is the most distinctive thing that a man can leave behind."

Autumn is all about confidence and at sense of style; this season’s new fragrances aim to capture every aspect of a man’s personality.

At Monsieur Man, we support the claim, believing that style is really about being distinctive and individual, finding a look or in this case smell that oozes your unique character and personality. With that in mind, remember your scent will linger long after you have made your impression and walked out that door. Here are some of the new scents for autumn 2012:

Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme

Who is the clean, pulled-together, smooth, freshly-shaven man who has just entered the room? Just by smelling this, even I have more self-confidence. This cologne lends itself to a suave criminal.Characteristic combination made of musky shades, tart spices, aromatic freshness and masculine, woody accords. Sicilian mandarin, mint, cypress and clary sage are in charge of cold. Is this your scent?

 

Calvin Klein Encounter

You will not forget an encounter with a man wearing this cologne, mysterious, seductive and masculine. Launched in September 2012, its characteristic combination have an aroma of mandarin, cardamom and rum. Pepper, Egyptian jasmine, patchouli and cognac from the perfume’s core, settled on a woody nuances. Is this your scent?

Rocawear Evolution

The coolest guy I know would be the one who wears this fragrance. Smooth and strong. It smells like a man who has his act together. Rocawear is the fashion brand of the famous hip hop star and producer Jay Z. Rocawear Evolution is described as rich and oriental masculine fragrance of oriental woody composition that radiates with sensual warmth and confidence. It opens with juicy aromas of mandarin, mango, rhubarb and rum. Is this your scent?

 
Our favourite scent of all time has to be-

1 Million Absolutely Gold, Paco Rabanne

An eccentric Pure Perfume, created as sensual and clean, with sparkling and sweet notes of mandarin and a base of leather. Masculine and powerful this smell is definitely one in a million- Just like ‘Monsieur Man’.  

 
All colognes available in Sogo, Harvey Nichols and Lane Crawford.

The Chinos

I must admit a pair of great chinos are one of my favourite items of clothing in a man’s wardrobe. I mean it has to be unheard of if you do not posses at least one decent pair in your closet. 

They are incredibly easy to wear, simple to look after, available in a variety of colours they give you excellent value for money, every man should have a pair or two. As they popular across all age groups, and that's because they are so adaptable and useful in variety of situations.

Made from 100% cotton, chinos have a lot of plus points and no real downside. They were first worn by British soldiers in 19th-century India and most famously by the American military stationed in the Pacific in WWII.

So, whether you are shopping for replacement chinos, or you're looking for a good quality, comfortable and stylish alternative to jeans, it's time you looked at the possibilities that chinos have to offer. Easy on the eye, easy on the body and very easy on the wallet, there really isn't a reason not to add a pair of these great trousers to your wardrobe today.

Styling chino ideas: 

During the week your chinos can be a perfect fit for your business casual attire, a fitted cotton dress shirt, accompanied with a cotton tie or even a fun plaid bow-tie under a sport coat or a cotton blazer, paired with leather loafers or boat shoes, this outfit will make you look professional yet comfortable and stylish.

For after hours or a weekend look, pair your chinos with a chambray shirt or a striped long sleeve Tee (both with rolled up sleeves) For an extra trendy look, roll up your chinos  and pair them with a fun casual looking sneakers like a coloured converse or a vintage style military boots.

Monsieur Maverick Gentleman

My Monsieur Man style board for the week is-

Maverick Gentleman. Other descriptive words I would use for someone who has this style is Traditional, Quintessential, Dandy, Suave and Sophisticated. One of the best celebrities that embodies this look is Guy Ritchie... 

Presidential style showdown!

With 93% of first impressions based on non verbal communication and over half of that based on appearance alone. It got me thinking, how are the two leading men, in the US carrying themselves in the public eye? Here is the style break down-

Barrack Obama – Democrats

He is very at ease in front of the camera, and can hold himself extremely well. Barack Obama has transcended politics and become an American Icon by adhering to the very old rule of dressing for the job you want.

The foundational rule of Barack Obama’s style is to keep your wardrobe simple with finely made dark suits, a crisp white shirt and the camera-friendly pale blue tie or a deep red tie just to change things up. He is often seen wearing blue ties, blue portrays approachability, popularity and respect. As we are supposed to trust the boys in blue.

 
Mitt Romney - Republican

Another smooth talker behind the camera, Romney is often seen in a red tie, red connotes, strength, power and action. However since he hit the campaign trail, Romney has perfected the causal look and has not shied away from Gap jeans and rolled up sleeves. His casual attire seems polished and politically sound. 

The casual look may have been a strategic move to connect with the middle-class voters. Romney, who has had trouble connecting with middle-class voters, made the statement about his wardrobe during an interview broadcast on Fox News. Despite being extremely wealthy he has admitted to owning a few dress shirts from Costco.

Now for the ladies in power.... make no mistake about it, the wives of Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney are under tremendous scrutiny as the colours, styles and designers they choose speaks volumes about their personality and the image they want to project to the voters.

So who gets your style vote?

When it comes to a man's wardrobe, it's women who wear the trousers

Dressing men, is now a women’s world, something Narcisa Pheres from PHERES knows all to well about. PHERES is an exclusive Italian luxury brand offering quintessential fash­ion for today’s gentlemen, available in Hong Kong, Japan and Italy. 

 

‘My approach to design is to style a man seen from a woman’s perspective. Details are very important as well as the overall composition, which is why I design with a strong focus on complementing accessories and head-to-toe fluidity’.  Narcisa Pheres 

Narcisa embodies everything her brand stands for, luxury, sophistication and style. She is not only a talented designer; she is also a friend, wife and mother. Where she finds the time to design for the style challenged men of Hong Kong, I don’t know. When creating her designs she uses the highest Italian fabrics, with strict attention to detail and a distinguished craftsmanship, it elevates her designs to a one-of-a-kind status, resulting in a truly outstanding collection with debonair flair! The collections consist of handmade suits, shirts, ties, belts, pocket squares, cufflinks and shoes, pretty much an entire man’s wardrobe, you can even find a pair of shoes made entirely from stingray.

The PHERES collection is available by appointment at her fabulous showrooms, and online very soon.

Take a look at a few of my favourite pictures from her up and coming collection Spring/Summer’ 13, get your orders in fast before they go!  

 

Love the creative use of the pocket squares here, aside from that the Jacket is a Monsieur Man classic! 

Great use of a double fabric collar, something I have never seen before, in all my shirting days. 

Love this shot in general, very mad men era. 

One word sums this outfit up- Italian! 

The colour of this blazer does all the talking, love it!

Email: info@pheres.com

Sunny October!

The sun is still shining strong in Hong Kong, so the stylish sunnies remain out!

Here are a few of my favs, I’ve spotted on the streets of central.

GianMarco Venturi-  a very distinctive look, Harry Porter rings a bell!

Maison Martin Margiela- a very futuristic style….is he in the Matrix?

Classic aviators my second favourite style of sunnies.

Aside from the men, I think this model from Esquire, wears them best….What do you think guys?

Sunglasses that suit your face shape is the rule here, try to flatter your features by balancing them out with the shape of your sunglasses. For instance, if you have a long face, opt for a rounder shape lens, basically opposites attract!

I have to say that my favourite pair of sunglasses on a man has to be the ultimate Ray Bans; you can't really go wrong with this classic brand, and shape!  

Star Anise- A/W 2012 trends

Monsieur Man in collaboration with, Star Anise Legal a boutique legal recruitment firm dedicated to serving professionals in one of Asia's leading financial markets.

We are delighted to introduce to you Kemi Olaofe, chief stylist at menswear stylists Monsieur Man! In this edition, Kemi introduces to you her unique and boundless energy to discuss the fashion trends for men this Fall and Winter in Hong Kong.

Remember, your clothes convey your personal brand. As lawyers or professionals, it is essential that your style makes the right impact in the vibrant international city of Hong Kong.

Hello guys, this is my first article for Star Anise, I look forward to doing many more!  This article illustrates the new up and coming trends for this Autumn/Winter.

Blockbuster coats, power shapes, knitwear, animal prints and lots of leather, these Autumn/Winter menswear trends are big on masculinity. The main look on the fashion agenda is the coat, the Blockbuster coat, to be exact. Now, most of you men should have a great trench, pea or over coat in your wardrobe already, but its time to revamp your coat selection with this season latest must have.

The definition of "blockbuster" is:

"something that is forcefully or overwhelmingly impressive, effective or influential’ or ‘something that has or is expected to have wide popular appeal.’ The ‘blockbuster’ in this context refers to a statement and eye catching coat."

The ‘blockbuster’ in this context refers to a statement and eye catching coat. Of course, blockbuster coats come in all styles and shapes, and you don’t have to purchase one that is as theatrical as those seen on the runway. Below shows how accessible and wearable a piece of statement outerwear is to the everyday male.

The next look is leather, now the leather forecast was everywhere for A/W 2012. These include full-on leather three-piece suits to floor length leather coats to the more subtle and discrete leather detailing. Now, with a climate such as Hong Kong's leather might be your worst nightmare, so wait until December/ January to showcase this trend. The key to pulling the leather look off successfully is to avoid the dramatic catwalk head-to-toe leather styling, a la Keanu Reeves in Matrix, and to opt for a more subtle feel. I am sure most readers already own a leather jacket, so A/W’12 will offer an excellent opportunity to bring out something from your existing wardrobe that consistently remains on trend.

The final trend I would like to talk about is animal fun! The A/W’12 menswear collection featured a plethora of prints and patterns with one of the biggest influences being animal motifs. On the high street, several brands are introducing an animalistic feel to their collections. The animal motif trend seems to be best applied to tees, knitwear and accessories, so go wild this season, and get in touch with you inner animal to show that you are on top trend!

 What do you guys think of the current trends? Will you be going out to buy a blockbuster coat, leather piece or animal motif tee? If so here are some of the stores you can buy them from-

• Blockbuster coats available at Pull & Bear and D’URBAN
• Leatherwear available at Calvin Klein and Massimo Dutti
• Animal motifs available at Forever 21 and Pull & Bear

Happy shopping, should you need help in finding the trends, and styles that suit your personality and shape, contact Monsieur Man for a style and shop consultation at monsieurman@live.co.uk

 

Monsieur Greedy

Can you see the pun?

Mr Greedy is truly the greediest person in the whole of Misterland. If you relate to this MR MEN character, you may find it tricky finding styles, and shapes that suit your portly tummy or larger body frame.  The trick here is to create the illusion of a more slender body.

This can be done by wearing:

• Darker colours- As these darker colours are slimming; they will do wonders to lighten the appearance of your frame, making you seem lighter on your feet.

• Light fabric- lightweight fabrics are the key; stay away from bulkier textiles will only add weight, compounding the problem.

• Single breasted jackets only, double breasted will only add unnecessary bulk.

If you feel you need more advice on dressing for your shape, please email monsieurman@live.co.uk to arrange a style consultation.