One of the exquisite drawings of Joelle Batens in the book Mr.Blue
‘Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.’ The quote is linked to Albert Einstein, and of course, there’s a lot of truth in it. Success should never be the sole goal in life, although it’s great when it comes along eventually. The quote sits in one of the last pages of Mr.Blue, a wonderful book which was recently published by Butch Tailors, one of Belgium’s most successful menswear brands. Have you ever heard of Dominique Vindevogel? Well, you may address him as Mr.Blue from now on.
Dominique Vindevogel on the job, signing his book Mr.Blue, in London's Arts Club
The first time I met him I was quite impressed – as first impressions can go. Neat suit, great shoes, no socks, and that impressive bunch of white hair (and a smile). Mr.Vindevogel is of the rare kind. The kind that wakes up in the morning, ready for a day of hard work, yet thinking: what shall I wear today? He has always been a man of style, even years before he entered the fashion business in the Nineties. Tailoring to every gentleman’s needs, Dominique comes up with the best look for someone who’s willing to play the game. And yes, that works. Both for the tailor and his clients.
Another drawing by Joelle Batens for Mr.Blue
Butch Tailors has a couple of stores in Belgium, but much more important is the so-called ‘flying tailor’ concept. Dominique flies to any client around the world, whether he’s situated in Miami, Istanbul or Mumbai. These last few years he has brought together leading gentlemen from across the globe, making them suits, suits, and more suits. For one family in India, there were 300 suits.(And that’s fact-checked of course) Butch Tailors caters to the needs of companies such as Kempinski Hotels, Porsche and Radisson Group, providing them with sartorial identities.
Publishing Mr.Blue, a true collector’s item featuring a how-to-dress kind of attitude, was just simple logic, coming from a man whose vision always takes him further. The book (which was launched in London’s top of the notch Arts Club) is a brilliant guide for a modern gentleman who wants to know what to wear and how to wear it. It tells you how to knot your tie, the many collar variations of a shirt, and even how to understand button rules. And oh yes, the beautiful drawings (and the book design) are by Joelle Batens and the blue used for the book is Pantone 286.
How to wear a suit...
One of the quotes in the book I adored is by Hardy Amies, longtime dressmaker to the Queen of England. ‘A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.’ So true…
