Mark Cho

Text by Mark Cho, Photo by Jon Huang

What I'm wearing

Commentary

I pass through NYC once a month to check in at The Armoury NYC. When I'm here, I brief the team on new developments, meet customers and try to make improvements to the shop, which is always a work in progress. I shot this portrait on my apartment's terrace. What I'm wearing, I would consider Anglophile Style, in that it's English without being completely from England. The jacket I'm wearing is called a "Teba", it is based on the English hunting jacket used in the countryside during the early 20th century that eventually went out of fashion in England. It was resurrected in the 70's by a Spanish aristocrat, the Count of Teba, who made some changes to it, making it more appropriate for use in the city as well as the countryside. I think the Spaniards and the English have similar understated tastes, but I think the Spanish colour palette is a little stronger and more saturated, probably because of the weather. I am a big fan of the shirts and ties that Michael Hill of Drake's designs and I think it complements the Teba well. Navy grenadine is a Drake's classic and against a complicated shirt pattern with texture, it creates a more harmonious balance compared with a plain silk foulard, which can be too plain for casual use. I always enjoy wearing The Armoury's military chino, which we based on a vintage pair of trousers brought in by one of our good customers. It has full, comfortable legs and it is my favourite trousers for wearing when travelling. I am wearing one of my favourite designs of all time, a very early Reverso from 1936, when the companies Jaeger and LeCoultre first merged to become Jaeger Lecoultre. I find the quality a little bit delicate so I do not wear it very often but I am very happy to own such an important piece of watchmaking history.