HOW many people remember that the Iron Lady's son, Mark Thatcher, was roped in for the launch of Giordano? Mickey Lee does. He also remembers that originally, the range was pricey and that it was only after some radical re-thinking, that Giordano took offand became the huge success it is today.
Like a hawk, Lee watched the profits mount and five years ago he was ready to swoop. Alas, his employers had other priorities.
''I told the Puma people: now is the time to do a second line, but they delayed and delayed, and in the end nothing came of my proposal. It's a pity they didn't act on it, because that's when they could have grabbed a share of the market, but they only wanted to do sportswear.
''True, they'd built up a strong image, but the trouble with sportswear is that it doesn't expand easily.'' As Giordano proved, the reverse is true with casualwear, especially when you pay attention to quality control and keep prices competitive.
Now, at 42, Mickey Lee has finally hopped on the bandwagon - and what a jolly ride he gave the well-wishers who flocked to that new consumers' paradise, Times Square, Causeway Bay, for the launch of Living Basic.
''Wow!'' breathed the celebrity-strewn crowd as eight formidably aerobicised bodies, hand-picked by fashion choreographer Richard da Silva, sent the temperature soaring on Level Six at the first Living Basic shop.