Style Profile.....David Reeves of Duncan Quinn
I love talking men's fashion with David. He has a classic yet slightly subversive view on style - how British! One vent or two?
Two vents always really it's a mod hang up
The first thing I look at in another Sartorialist’s outfit (Jacket Shoulder, overall fit, shoes)
If I had to say, I tend to look to see if they have hand stitched button holes, (bit snobby though)
I skimp when buying
I don't skimp on anything
I splurge when buying
(see above) consistency is a good thing and I think you should have good taste in everything doesn't have to be expensive necessarily though just good
I always break this fashion rule.
If it is a rule Black Patent shoes in the day I like the glamour and the clean obsidian look of them
I never break this fashion rule.
Bottom button done up on a jacket (or coat) I shout abuse at the T.V. when I see that
Must have item for Fall 2005
Puppy tooth jacket especially black trousers or even primary red if one is being daring
Favorite store
Duncan Quinn of course -! If I had to say another one it would be Douglas hayward London
Style icon
So many I used to like Brian ferry and David Bowie but now I don't try to emulate
Most cherished item
Silver handled umbrella
Favorite item of clothing
My three piece Bespoke Dinner suit - I am getting a white cashmere waistcoat made up at the moment (the cloth is Loro Piana) I am really looking forward to seeing it finished
Favorite “fashiony” movie
Godfather although I don't know if it's "fashiony" like Bladerunner for example
Guilty pleasure
Worlds wildest police chases on TV I love the commentary from Sheriff John Brunnel? 'This chase ended up with a broken van and a broken man!' and so on.
Describe your personal style
I am very influenced by the mod aesthetic which is very clean and almost boring but I also like a bit of glamour and I also like very classic clothes so bit of a mix there I don't like to pin myself down to a look that's quite boring and a bit closed minded I think.
You feel best wearing?
A good suit, calf length socks, good shoes a White silk Bespoke shirt a simple solid tie (probably gun metal) Cufflinks, 1920s Omega watch and a nicely starched white linen Handkerchief.
Personal Style quirk
I have at least 12 plain white shirts all the same when the cuff wears out even slightly I give them to my Girlfriend
Most overrated item in menswear
Watch
Most underrated item in menswear
Cravat or Ascot
Most stylish city
New York
Never caught wearing?
Ozwald boateng suit
When I was high school I wore?
Being English, I wore a uniform - I wore a blazer which wasn't compulsory, I think I was the only person in a school of a thousand that wore a blazer. I got head butted on my first day because of it but I continued to wear it for three years. I thought it made me look really smart.
Shine your own shoes?
when I have time, I do a better job
Favorite fashion magazine?
ID
Favorite other magazine?
Viz
Cologne, skincare?
No
I always dress my best for….?
My Bespoke appointments.
My Job is really hands on and I can be on my hands and knees doing a window display or flying around literally or metaphorically so it's not always practical to wear a three piece suit with all the trimmings at work which is a shame but I still think I look rather presentable anyway what I am wearing in the picture is typical. but when I am purely customer focused I like to amp it up a bit.
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post a commentHmmmm. Like the jacket; not mad for the shirt color nor for what appears to be slightly too-long sleeves. (Or is the jacket sleeve caught on the shirt, making the shirt sleeves appear lengthy?)
Wonderful photo: dramatic graffiti and wall color echoing/complimenting dress shades and vice versa....
Is the shirt burgundy? Good choice in that case.
I love his fashion rule never broken - bottom button done up on a jacket. Is that a particularly British thing? I remember a UK colleague giving me this piece of advice years ago. I also like that it outrages him to see it flouted.
Although I have to disagree about the male watch being overrated. I love men's watches, especially the chunky ones. It's something I always notice on a guy. (Each to his own!)
Sart: could you somehow separate the questions from the answers? it's a bit hard to read... thanks!
I really miss the profiles, glad to see one again. And i like the colour of his jacket!
" Never caught wearing?
Ozwald boateng suit "
Zing!
My hackles rise when men button up the last button on their jackets or coats too. What I can't understand is that I see lots of designer ads and editorials styled that way. Is this a new backlash against this fashion 'rule?' that I'm not aware of? I just can't do it.
The Duncan Quinn boys are always so natty whenever I pass by on my way to the hairstylist...
Yay! So glad that you're doing more of those mini-interviews. There hasn't been one of those in a while. What an interesting man; I like the graffiti backdrop and his hair. (:
I used to buy a lot of shirts at DQ, but found that when they started wholesale at Bloomingdales their quality went down noticably, & for roughly $300/shirt, not worth it (esp when I could walk from their store on Spring and find their shirts on sale for $125 at Bloomies on Broadway). Hopefully they've gotten back to their old quality - their ties & cufflinks stayed fantastic and they've got great style. That said, for $300 a shirt, I'd rather go bespoke at Lord Willy's.
so classic,look nice
John Bunnell
This is probably the coolest picture I have ever seen, Sart! Mr. Reeves epitomizes all this very "smart" and classic about British fashion. I love his pose, the way his pant leg hangs perfectly, all of it! The interview that followed was very informative as well. Hearing a man's philosophy on dressing, especially Mr. Reeves is always helpful- I pass it on to my husband (who loves sports gear, Dear Lord!!) in hopes some of it will stick. Thanks for the great photo and even better interview. Sart- your eye is impeccable!
This is an example of why I love your blog. I myself am not much for fashion, fashion for women requiring a size 4 body -- I am 45 and an emaciated woman of a certain age looks it. My late father was a great dresser and I always loved to hear him talk about clothes. He was a great one for a pink shirt and now I emulate him. Like David Reeves he had very strict views regarding leaving the bottom button unbuttoned -- amusing to see that this still holds; Daddy was born in 1912. Great work on the blog, keep it up!
I enjoy reading these interviews when you do them. I agree with much of what he said, but an ascot being most under rated piece of clothing? Thank good it's under rated. If you aren't 100, or have a 100' yacht, and 100 million in the bank you should never go near an ascot. Even then you look ridiculous. I'm curious to know what his role at DQ is. How does he afford every luxury and never skimps, when he says he does window displays for DQ. Is everyone in NY a trust fund baby? He gets points for doing his own shoe polishing though. EVERY man should do this, my father is not rich or a good dresser, but he knows that polished shoes say something about a man.
Please show more everyday people that aren't in the fashion biz. Everyone you shoot always seems to be in the business.
Fierce!
Great style, both in the photo and in the profile ... I really liked his answers about two vents and the bottom button (but when will unvented suits come back? I love them in those old movies!)
Great choice of background! It really fits with his clothing and personality.
Great jacket....I think the shirt underneath is purple or eggplant color.
I can't help but notice how there is a lot of cuff showing, which when it happens to me, bothers me alot. I prefer just right amount of cuff showing....less than an inch.
I have also recently learn that Neapolitan men prefer to wear their shirt cuffs ridiculously long....to the point there is 2-3 inches of excess fabric gathering over the cuff....not crazy about that look either.
Hey Sart, rainy day today. How about some action shots of stylish New Yorkers bracing the downpour? Should be interesting...
Love the interview and his clothing sense..also my fav magazine..ID!
I love these interviews, and I'm glad to see another one at last. Perhaps you could occasionally post a few sartorial comments from the people on the street - perhaps to reveal what has inspired a particular look?
Sart doesn't wear cologne? Or the Brit dude doesn't? Either way: interesting.
As to Ozwald Boateng, I like to support him if no other reason due to his Ghanaian heritage (my partner's from there...and is there for a few months now)
mltt
Mr. Reeves is by far the most attractive man in NYC
The background is what caught my eye this time.
The backdrop is a glimpse at postmodern urban landscape thanks to the juxtaposition of graffiti and republican style architecture. Paris is still to formal to allow people do this type of sacrilege on the public cultural heritage. Only the hidden side might permit this. Berlin and then London have allowed more on this "public mutation of aesthetics".
Am I the only one who thinks his hair is weird? I don't like his shirt either. This is a super-stylized look that is just too strict for my taste. Sounds like it suits his personality though.
Very clean outfit;the photograph's atmosphere is very British,and the mod attitude,too.The jacket fits perfectly.
I wholeheartedly agree with the watch comment.
Ozwald Boetang suits are hideous. He's right, but save us from boring mods. It's good to know sartorial rules, but rules are meant to be broken. The only rule is: know the rules (then you have the right and the understanding to deviate). Anyway, this guy looks like he's from a second rate British indy band from five (at least) years ago.
He's a Brit alright. The cool.
There should be more young men who know the tradition (or rather Anglo-Saxon traditions) down to a T and heed it too, I think. Though, for myself, I'm all in favour of breaking the rules once you know them. It would be interesting to hear more views on the bottom buttons of women's coats though, particularly the historical justification for leaving buttons on women's coats undone or buttoned.
Yes, so maybe he doesn't need a showy cologne, but a man like this certainly needs a fine fragrance.
How could you not like this guy?!? Ha! He's probably a lot of fun after a Boddington's or two.
I like that he is thoughtful about his style down to the details. I worked for the head of HR at a large firm that told me a well shined shoe was one of the most important impressions a person can make. Strangely enough, she found women to be the worst offenders...which reminds me that I'm out of shoe cream.
I agree with 'tamberk' - the gray & black against the graffiti wall look great.
Love his look - I want to make it my own this winter too. Regarding the interview, you do not have to agree with all his views on fashion, we do not need clones!
In response to Lit:
Boeteng maybe on the Row but that doesn't mean he makes Saville Row quality suits. But to be honest I don't know if he does or not - in terms of workmanship and man hours etc at any rate. I think his stuff is horrible because of the cut and his choice of fabrics. Frankly, I think they're vulgar and comic spivvy. Have you seen the sales assistants in his shop? Over exagerated shoulders tapering to an extremely nipped in waste. Shiny tonic and two-tone fabrics - only fit for stand-up comics really. It's my opinion though.
Boetengs stuff for Givenchy has been at best, pedestrian. I think Givenchy were mad to appoint him. I think it's a case of a very conservative house striving for modernity and getting it very wrong.
And back to Saville Row for a minute: it's a crime what's happening on that street. All the great tailors are being forced out by high rents and being replaced by the likes of the Gap and Evisu. I've got nothing against those brands, but the Row should be protected - it's part of London's heritage (and the world's really).
Chatted with David when he was out in LA opening the Duncan Quinn store on Melrose, he was definitely passionate about clothes and pretty cool to talk with. This is a good photo, anyone that keeps the mod torch burning is A-ok
he's showing an awful lot of shirt sleeve, dontcha think?
and his two-button suit has its buttons up really high. i suppose it's alright but i can see the improper X folds. not really savile row style is it now?
I really enjoy these interviews, and would love to see more. But please, I'm sure we're all dying for you to do a few follow-up 'please explain why' questions to some of his remarks (apparently especially the one about Boetang.)
hotdamn! i wanna kiss him. what a babe!
Nice touch: the grafitti backdrop.
I know this is years old, but i had to comment on this, in response to baby fritz's comments about Ozwald Boateng, in your opinion his suits are hideous, the funny thing is that you don't understand he is true to his craft, so he is actually one of the few designers that trully deserve to sit on savile row, i know he personally deals with each and everyone of his collections, unlike many designers that i know can hardly draw, yes this is true, and as for his collection at Givenchy if he was producing, very mediocre stuff they would have gotten rid of him ages ago, and if you actually did read the reviews after the shows you will find that he has gotten some great accolade and thats coming from the french, if yopu don't understand where he is coming from with his work, don't rubbish it as trash, am sure there are people are out there that don't like Modrian or Monet or Turner, but non of us can deny that their work is genius.
That what appreciation is all about coz i highly doubt you know better than all the people that appreciate his suits, which for your infromation are coveted, by many style icons.
J