Around a decade ago I was looking for a great holdall that was relevant for work and big enough for travel, and so decided to invest in a Bottega Veneta holdall. Working in fashion, I knew the brand heritage and of its expertise in leather goods, but I never imagined that 10 years later I would still be using it. It’s black, though now it has worn to grey, and has its signature Intrecciato leather-weaving around the base and top parts of the bag. It’s incredibly soft and slouchy but has proved to be remarkably resilient and gets better with age. It’s a timeless piece and was well worth the money.
Intrecciato-panelled leather weekend bag, £2,340; buy on matchesfashion.com
It has to be the humble, honest and versatile British brogue, or to be more exact a Grenson brogue. This piece is equally comfortable if you team it with a formal suit or a pair of jeans, but at all times looks superbly dapper in any situation they find themselves in.
Archie leather brogues, £230; buy on grenson.com
My favourite item of all time is the Saint Laurent leather biker jacket. An all-round classic, it never gets old and is so versatile you could wear it with almost anything.
Black leather motorcycle jacket, £2,750; mrporter.com
The Oxford shirt has been a big part of my wardrobe for many years. It’s known for its distinctive weave and button-down collar. The shirts are comfortable, laid-back and versatile enough to wear casually or with a tie, and today they are more known for their “preppy” look. The Oxford shirt can be found at brands such as J.Crew and Ralph Lauren, but this understated and cool shirt is by French label AMI.
Slim-fit button-down collar Oxford shirt, £110; buy on mrporter.com
I have a Helmut Lang denim jacket from his last-ever collection and have yet to find one as good – until now. This one from Gucci fits exactly as a denim jacket should; plus it’s got a massive tiger’s head roaring on the back. What’s not to love?
Embroidered denim jacket, £1,110; buy on gucci.com
My choice is my vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional from 1967. What can be cooler than a watch identical (it wasn’t upgraded in any way) to those worn by astronauts on the moon? However, the good thing is that the Omega Speedmaster Professional is still made. The movement is now different, but the watch has changed little and even the more recent version has been regularly worn in space by modern astronauts on the International Space Station. I love the timeless design and solid hand-wound movement (in the early days it was thought, incorrectly, that an automatic watch wouldn’t work in zero gravity). A good early vintage example can cost the price of a brand new watch, but as an investment and with its direct links to early NASA astronauts, it’s worth hunting for one.
Omega Speedmaster watch, £2,960; buy on omegawatches.com
