What is your favorite style of men’s dress?
English country clothing, shooting jackets, tweeds, tweed suits, moleskins, cords and strong brown brogues. Also for suits, Henry Pool, Huntsmen and Dedge for a smoking jacket. I like my trilbies and my panama for the summer. Also tweed hats and caps for the country.
Should fashion be a consideration in men’s dress?
No, nor in men’s lives. New design is important if it follows very strict rules and creates something of its own.
Your shops cater to the seasons of British life — Ascot, the shooting and fishing seasons, Glynebourne and so forth. Are men more willing to dress up?
Yes indeed, they are very willing to dress up, particularly the young ones. From Ascot through the summer with weddings, we are very busy with morning suits and top hats. We are famous for tophats, we sell a lot online. Then comes the Autumn, it’s black tie and white tie. Girls like their man to look right. It makes them look good.
Can or should a bowtie be worn in the day time?
Yes, with a jacket or 3 piece suit. paisley or patterned bow tie looks great.
Describe the perfect day:
Morning, business with one of the old friends I buy off. Long lunch with interesting people. Look around Hornets’s shops. And chat to some of our clients from UK and around the world, have a cup of tea with them on the wall outside the shops. Home, rest. Shower. Then dinner at one of my two favourite restaurants. Rolls in Maden Lane. I like game. Or Daquise, a Polish Restaurant in South Ken.
