Each month we will feature a gentleman who shows exceptional style and wears tailored suits with effortless grace.
This month we are featuring my client, GQ Best Dressed candidate and Labour MP Chuka Umunna.
Chuka grew up in Streatham and studied Law at the University of Manchester, University of Burgundy and Nottingham Law School. He then went on to specialise in employment law as a practising solicitor in a city law firm. With his sights set on a career in politics, Chuka was first elected as MP for Streatham in 2008. He then acted as Shadow Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills from 2011 to 2015. He’s also had a career as a DJ!
It was in 2007 that Chuka ventured into the world of Savile Row tailored suits, choosing me as his first tailor. Ten years on, I still dress Chuka and even made the perfect suit for his achingly classy church wedding – a three-piece morning suit with a dove grey double-breasted waistcoat.
CHUKA UMUNNA’S STYLE
I can only describe his style as classic, elegant and understated. He oozes a cool demeanour, so to dress him too ostentatiously wouldn’t be appropriate for his personality, his job or his position in the community. While I’ve always designed for him what I feel is appropriate – simple clean lines and subtle tones. Chuka has given some guidance with regards to colours as he definitely can’t be seen in anything too outlandish!
Chuka shows that being understated never goes out of fashion. He does this so well that he was crowned number 29 in GQs 50 Best Dressed Men in Britain 2016 – an accolade I’m personally very proud of.
WHO HE’S IMPRESSED
So many people admire his look and ask who dresses him – even GQ journalist Tony Parsons was inspired:
“Partly it is the way he carries himself – calm, relaxed, supremely confident – but also it is those bespoke suits he wears from Alexandra Wood on Savile Row…But I always loved the way that Chuka Umunna dresses – fresh, sleek but deadly serious” – Tony Parsons, GQ
The Evening Standard even dubbed him Labour’s best-dressed in an article that explored the trend for rising political stars to up their sartorial game. Although Esquire reported that some critics have dismissed him for looking too sharp and dressing ‘too well’ for a politician (no such thing I say!).
I think he’s a style role model whose smartly tailored wardrobe shows pride and respect for himself, his constituency and his country. I think these quotes say it all:
“With a sleek polish that is more House of Cards than Houses of Parliament, Umunna has brought the sartorial flair of a new generation of British men to politics. His bespoke suits are made on Savile Row – and by one of its first female tailors, Alexandra Wood.” – Jess Cartner-Morley, Fashion Editor, the Guardian.
“The Guardian referred to the MP for Streatham and Shadow Business Secretary until September 2015, as the “GQ man” and we’re happy to take that as a compliment.” – GQ
So am I!
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