Gentlemen Prefer Bonds
Mark Cho and Mats Klinberg’s discuss 15-years of timeless menswear wisdom, forged over Hong Kong coffees.
On a rain-lashed morning in Hong Kong, Mark Cho, co-founder of The Armoury, welcomed Mats Klingberg, the visionary behind Trunk Clothiers, into his Pedder Street flagship. Take-away coffees in hand, the two arbiters of refined taste—each marking 15 years since launching their respective ventures—settled into a corner of the atelier-like space amid rails of Neapolitan tailoring, Japanese selvedge denim, and shelves of artisanal accessories.
What began as a serendipitous reunion blossomed into a candid dialogue on enduring style, customer psychology, and the quiet art of building legacies in an industry prone to fleeting trends. Cho, ever the pragmatic aesthete with transatlantic reach from New York to Hong Kong, and Klinberg, the empathetic curator with intimate outposts in London and Zurich, revealed shared philosophies tempered by distinct geographies and personal evolutions.
Their conversation, moderated by yours truly, offered rare insight into the minds steering two of the world’s most respected independent menswear destinations—destinations that have become more than shops, but trusted confidants in the lifelong pursuit of refined self-presentation. My first question, "Congratulations on 15 years each. You’ve both survived an era of fast fashion, digital disruption, and global upheaval. What have you learnt about men and how they dress—and about sustaining a business in this capricious trade?"
Full feature out now at Elite Traveler.
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