What Caught Their Eye: Chris Modoo, Freelance Menswear Professional
Over the last few months on this newsletter, you have seen me share a variety of things I love, what I’m buying, and more. Well, I’m happy to be handing the reins over to someone else from time to time!
This is “What Caught Their Eye”, a guest edit section of my Substack to introduce my readers to executives, artists, creatives, and everyone in between.
Keep reading to find out more about my next guest, Chris Modoo.
Introducing Chris Modoo, Freelance Menswear Professional
Chris is a freelance menswear professional based in London. He offers design, merchandising, sourcing, styling and content to brands as well providing one-to-one consultations to men who are looking to elevate their personal image.
An authority in formal dress, he is often quoted in the press on matters of correct dress.
Follow Chris: Here
What Caught Chris’ Eye
Ascot Striatus Present Panama
I loved hats as a child but have never considered myself a hat-wearer as an adult. I appreciated the style and quality but could never find the right model to suit me. I often said the cliche "I do not suit hats" yet I was plainly ignoring my own advice as a stylist where I inform clients that everything will feel strange the first time you wear it (I remember the first time I wore a cravat and felt that strangers were staring at me!). You must learn to wear clothes unconsciously and hats deserve a place in every gentleman's wardrobe (including mine). A great place to start is a Panama as they can be worn with a three-piece tailored suit or a polo shirt and shorts. l really like this model from Christy’s as I like the freshness of the colour and the non-black band. It should receive a lot of wear if we have the summer we deserve. Next on my list is a classic Homburg for winter and I am reliably informed that Christy’s made the one worn by Marlon Brando in The Godfather.
Buy: Here
Harrison’s Spring Ram Cloth
When I was a tailoring buyer, I would relish the opportunity to visit cloth mills in England, Ireland and Italy. Great tailoring starts with great fabric and if you are fortunate enough to have your clothing made for you, spend time picking the right cloth.
Cloth, like wine or cigars, has its own language and we talk of drape, lustre and even nuttiness! Do not be overly-concerned with numbers which are used to define the cloth. The "supers" number refers to the mean diameter of the fibre (measured in microns) and the weight is expressed in either grams or ounces. They are indicators but do not tell the whole story. For example, a heavy linen will wear cooler in the summer than a lightweight flannel and the "super" number tells us nothing about how the cloth was designed, woven and finished. Which brings me to Spring Ram. An absolute beast of a cloth which is both heavy (by contemporary standards) and pure wool yet is the most comfortable cloth to wear on all but the most hottest and humid days. With 55% British Cheviot wool, it is the opposite of a slinky supers cloth but tailors a dream and holds its shape. I have only tried the quality as trousers but I am keen to try as an unstructured blazer as the combination of breathability, resilience and drape would make it ideal.
Learn More: Here
The Six Wives Gin
I like Martinis. During lockdown (which seems like a decade ago) when we were all instructed to stay home, I resisted the urge to drink from late morning onwards but enjoyed a drink with my wife to mark the end of the working day. The Martini was our favourite and does not require a great deal of skill to make a drinkable version. And unlike Vodka, Whisky or Rum, I have never found a gin that I did not like. I have favourites but my current go-to is very local to me-Hampton Court "Six Wives" which only needs the slightest amount of vermouth (Dolin Dry) to make an excellent Martini. I like my Martinis ice cold and bone dry. And always with a twist...either Sicilian lemon or pink grapefruit. I do not care for olives but I do enjoy a side dish of pickled onion monster munch. A novelty corn snack that was invented in the 1970s and heavily marketed towards children that I fondly remember enjoying.
The combination is sublime and works on every level. I guess it is a nod towards a "Gibson" where a picked onion is used to garnish a Martini but I prefer mine dry, crunchy and with a soupçon of monosodium glutamate.
Buy: Here
Black Grosgrain Dropped Large Bowtie from La Bowtique Bowties
I love Black Tie events and wish there were more occasions to wear it. It is definitely making a come-back and I am a fan of the "Black Tie Wedding" which used to be regarded as "terribly American" in the UK. I can be a bit of a stickler for the rules of dress but Black Tie affords the wearer plenty of options to show his personal style. But the tie must be a bow tie, hand-tied and in black! There is a clue in the title. If I was to add a fourth diktat then I would add that it should be made by La Bowtique. Mikael, the founder and creative behind the brand, makes the best bow ties in the world; from selecting the finest silks to even commissioning a unique hook and bar to hold your bow comfortably in place and, cunningly, allows you to take off your bow without untying it.
And where most brands offer little choice, Mikael has revived vintage styles and designed contemporary versions. He even offer bespoke if you have a particular look in mind.
Buy: Here
Park Run
I hated cross country when I was at school. Running around in all weathers, I would have a stitch within minutes and would walk most of the distance clutching my side. As an adult, I never had the need or desire to run. Even when my wife (who loved running) suggested we try it as we live in an area with excellent running opportunities as we are minutes from the Thames Path and we have a local deer park. These provide flat, safe and interesting routes but I was not having it and blaming asthma and a childhood broken leg on my reluctance. But I finally agreed to try it with the Couch to 5k app which starts VERY slowly. It is a great programme that gently coaches and encourages you at a sensible pace and I was soon able to run for five minutes without feeling out-of-breath or have a pain in my stomach. I am now hooked on running and attend Park Run every Saturday...a free weekly 5k run for all abilities and I mean all abilities. Elite athletes line up with parents pushing strollers. It is a perfect start to the day and my only gripe is that I have to choose between running and volunteering.
And did I mention the shopping? If I had known about Tracksmith I would have taken up running far sooner.
Find Out More: Here