The British Week and Campaign for Wool were held in November. As a highlight of the event, a talk show titled "Be an English Gentlemen" took place at THE GALLERY by CHALIE VICE. Mr. Toshiyasu Takubo, President and CEO of BLBG (British Luxury Brands Group) Co., Ltd., fashion historian Ms. Kaori Nakano, and Mr. Jeremy Hackett, founder of Hackett London and known as Mr. Classic, spoke freely about what it means to be a gentleman.


Takubo: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come to our talk show today. I entered this world because I love America, but before I knew it, I've been involved with Britain for over 25 years. First, let me introduce Jeremy Hackett, known as Mr. Classic in Britain. He just arrived at Narita this morning.

Jeremy , 7 PM is the time for gentlemen to have a drink. Let's start with a toast! (laughs)

—Smiles spread across the faces of the visitors, and they began to sip from their glasses in small groups.

On the other hand, we have Kaori Nakano , who could be described as the goddess of dandyism.

Nakano (laughs). Today's event involves drinking alcohol, so I hope we can avoid any difficult discussions and just have a good time.

Takubo : Next up, our secret guest is Douglas Koldo, President of Fox Brothers.

Douglas is visiting Japan this time for Wool Week. I am grateful for this opportunity to showcase the appeal of British wool. Fox Brothers is synonymous with flannel, but our company's current success is thanks to Jeremy. We have always focused on basic manufacturing, but it was Jeremy who gave us a fashionable perspective. He created an opportunity for Britain, which had been lagging behind Australia, to be re-evaluated.

Takubo's other colleague is Peter Ackroyd, COO of Campaign for Wool.

As Peter Douglas says, Jeremy's contributions, with whom he has a close personal relationship, are immeasurable. The special model created for Isetan Men's is simply superb. I can't find any other words to describe it.

Jeremy , I'm a man born out of a wool suit, you know (laughs).

The most skilled dresser is not a gentleman.

Takubo: Since the latest 007 movie, "Spectre," is about to be released, I'd like to have a drink today while discussing James Bond. When Charlie, the owner of this salon (THE GALLERY by CHALIE VICE), talks about British gentlemen, this man is almost always a topic of conversation. Is he a gentleman, though?

Jeremy, first we need to define what a gentleman is. There are many layers to being a gentleman. Being well-dressed is essential, but no matter how good a suit you wear, if you have bad manners, you can't be called a gentleman. What matters most to a gentleman is what's inside. You have to cultivate not only your appearance but also your character.

Takubo, you're absolutely right.

Speaking of Jeremy's style, buying the exact same outfit as a mannequin is ungentlemanly. You need to establish your own style. Japanese people seem to think of themselves as lacking individuality, but that's not true. They dress well. That's simply because they have their own rules.

Takubo , thank you for your kind comment.

Jeremy, here's a question for you. St. James's Street is lined with gentlemen's clubs and is full of stylish gentlemen. Now, imagine two gentlemen walking down the street. One of them is an exceptionally well-dressed man, recognized by all the men in town. Which one is the gentleman?

Takubo: NOT TO BE NOTICED—in Brummell's words, it means, "Don't look back." A gentleman should be modest and consider inconspicuousness a virtue.

Jeremy should strictly refrain from boasting about enjoying dinner at a top-class restaurant or that his date was a prince.

Prince Takubo refers to Charles, doesn't it? Not mentioning his name is a sign of gentlemanly refinement.

Prince Harry Nakano's imitation of working-class speech likely stems from the same root cause.

Jeremy , and unfortunately, I want to look good all the time (laughs).

Hardy Amies said that it's best to agonize over what to wear right up until the moment you put it on, and then forget about the clothes the instant you put them on. That's exactly it. It's interesting how you pretend not to think about it, but in reality you're thinking about it a lot—it's a bit of a weird feeling (laughs).

In 15th -century Italian court society, the sprezzatura style was highly valued. This aesthetic, which valued a seemingly effortless appearance while concealing technical skill, spread to England and became synonymous with dandyism. That's quite similar to today's concept of effortless style, isn't it?

Text: Takegawa Keiji
Photo: Fujii Taku