Men's club collars trend in mandarin neckline
Out with the neckties, guys, and in with the mandarin collar ... it is chic, cool, comfy, and well, revolutionary.
But for a collar that started with Sun Yat-sen's army, the mandarin collar will be promoted by an uber-exclusive club.
On Tuesday, luxury Chinese label Shanghai Tang will launch the Mandarin Collar Society, an invitation-only club of 88 men successful in their own fields, who have decided to promote 'an oriental elegance'.
The society, which lists nine reasons why neckties should be discarded, has named four of eight 'ambassadors' - British sprint champion Linford Christie, Michelin star chef Pierre Gagnaire, Shanghai Tang founder David Tang and Shui On chairman Vincent Lo Hong-sui. Four will be announced later.
Among the founding members are socialites Allan Zeman, banker Alain Chrun, Andrew Yuen, Alex Van Damme and Bernard Au Yang.
'Not only are we inventing a new style, but also contributing to ease global warming. So take off your tie,' said Shanghai Tang's executive chairman, Raphael le Masne de Chermont.
He said the west tended to look at the mainland 'like a cliche - your Mao collar'.
'The Mao collar is actually an elephant-ear collar, which is not suitable for everyday wear,' he said.
'The mandarin collar is an officer's collar which allows you to be stylish while not wearing a tie. That is the whole purpose of the exercise which is to liberate the man from the necktie.'French banker Alain Chrun said he recently began 'to tie down' in his job, and admitted he wore his first mandarin collar 25 years ago.
'I liked the style of the mandarin collar. It gives a certain line on the neck which is beautiful. It is very convenient as well,' said the Cambodia-born, French-bred Chinese.
So what happens to the bow tie, the preferred sartorial accessory of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen? 'At least he is a step forward and dresses differently,' Mr le Masne de Chermont said.
