Dunhill: For the driven and distinguished

I don’t think ol’ Alfred Dunhill would have dug the crowd dining at Alfie’s, his namesake restaurant at the massive Dunhill flagship store in Hong Kong. Business lunches abound in a space that resembles a gentlemen’s club, with armchairs upholstered in quilted leather and a cigar room next door. While an expat clientele meets over sparkling water and three-course meals, you’d imagine Alfred, a racer and adventurer, to have groaned at the semi-stiff setting, downed a whisky, and taken off for a day of cruising across the outback instead. 

Until Jude Law appeared in Dunhill ads as an Englishman of the world — a dandy both ready to bow decorously at a Japanese business meeting or head out on safari — the label was known to suit the strained executive class. With John Ray stepping in as creative director, however, the 120-year-old house of British menswear is venturing beyond the boardroom, the golf course, and the manor.

For Dunhill’s autumn-winter 2014 collection, rakishness and ruggedness make for a magnetic combination. Ray drew inspiration from the label’s founder himself, a Brit whose maverick sensibilities led to innovations in technical and functional outfitting. In the early 1900s, Dunhill had pioneered stormproof patenting for clothes worn during a time when cars were often made roofless. Weather-proofing techniques and gear that refined travel fell under what Alfie liked to call “Motorities,” what served as a mantra to Ray for the AW14 collection.

 With driving backs on blazers, you can imagine the sort of man about town who’s confident and comfy enough to get behind the wheel of a roadster and cruise top-down from meeting to meeting. Dunhill tips its hat to stylish speed demons like Mike Hawthorn, a British racer for Jaguar who sported bowties under his racing overalls. To drive home the elegance of the Hawthorn period, a palette of racing flag green and red, as well as checkered motifs, appear on trim blousons and striped cable-knit sweaters — sportswear equipped with rubberized seams and truncated fits for ease of movement.

A sense of daring characterizes the new collection, where the British gentleman embraces his dandy roots and abandons rigidity. The safe solids of Dunhill’s yesteryear are joined by a Tattersall check in suiting, while velvet smoking jackets come in jade green. For a classic field parka, parachute silk circa WWII is used. It was Dunhill himself who enforced the principle that “It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must always give him what he has paid for.” The persistence of lush fabrics such as classic mohair and double cashmere mean the label’s gentility hasn’t been lost. It’s just that distinction arises in both unique cosmopolitan touches and the paramount quality of both material and tailoring.  

Certainly, the contemporary fits, striking patterns, and new regard for color appeal to a man with an easier, more spontaneous sway about him. Florals and rich paisleys on slimmer ties, not to mention more urban accessories such as a beanie in burgundy give rise to a youthful, more playful spirit in the brand.

The Alfred Dunhill Voice campaign affirms the label’s aim to resonate with the modern man. A spate of black-and-white ads featuring British men like musician Brian Eno and Olympic sailor Iain Percy relate how these icons found and continue to cultivate their passions. The campaign is evidence that a man is defined by what drives him, whether that’s through striking deals over a Hong Kong business lunch or more literally journeying via 4x4 across unfamiliar territory. And whether it lies in expedition or executive decision, ambition becomes more concrete when it’s expressed through clothing. You know ol’ Alfie would have agreed.

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In the Philippines, Alfred Dunhill is exclusively distributed through Stores Specialists Inc. and is available at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza.

Visit the Dunhill website: http://www.dunhill.com