Illustrations by: Rodrigo Saldaña
While shoes have been known to reveal the man or at least his journey, I am a firm believer that his overall style, what he wears from head to toe is a better indicator of how he maneuvers through life in its entirety. As a tailor I have dressed both gangstas and politicians (often their similarities were closer than just their taste in fabrics) – I have dressed men of revolution and men of God and while their threads were the same, their characters were as alike as high noon in the Sahara and polar night in Alaska.
My mornings typically begin the same depending on which time zone I awake in. I spend the majority of my time calling New York, London, Tokyo, and Lagos home. For the next 15 daysI’ll be in New York, so my routine typically begins going for a morning stroll, dodging pigeon droppings from above, and remnants of dog feces that the owners either chose to overlook, or are just too lazy to pick up. From there I stop by my favorite coffee house for an oolong tea, Americans still haven’t mastered the art of great coffee, so I happily drink my tea and peruse The NY Times for a few minutes. As I head back to my shop I do my usual people watching, nothing beats watching New York’s women, all of whom seem to be vying for a lead in Sex In The City. Some say it’s an attitude, I can’t help believing it’s just something in the New York water. I still get a kick out of the city being an extension of the Broadway stage.
It is now 10am as I look at my watch and move away from the French windows overlookingCentral Park. Time for my first appointment,You’ll have to excuse me as I answer the door.
