Popularising style
Although the event went unnoticed by the general public, it appealed to the blogosphere of elegant men of all stripes, which virtually represents a million men of different nationalities, social status and ages around the world. Alexander Kraft launched his own ready-to-wear brand in the middle of the Covid period, and decided to do so by communicating exclusively on social networks, limiting the spread of information to potential buyers who do not follow the various specialised accounts of the digital community. Dandy met up with him for you.
Yves Denis
The rather surreal period we are currently undergoing coupled with the international community of elegant men can prove to be an advantage for the new brand when looking at it from a different perspective. Alexander Kraft confided to The Rake, our esteemed industry peer, that he “believes that the world after Covid-19 will be different from the one before it (…) that people will still want to spend, but will no longer spend without thinking. They will buy less, but with more consideration. “An analysis that justifies the positioning of the brand, as the elegant businessman has given himself the mission of proposing a collection of great classic elegance combining two qualities that are a priori antinomic: being of a handcrafted quality and applying prices that make it accessible to a larger percentage of people, especially the younger generation.
A point that we cannot overemphasize, having always professed that if elegant clothing corresponds first and foremost to a nature and a way of being, it also constitutes a passport to social life that one is never too young to possess from the age of 25/30 – in fact, from the very beginning of one’s working life. Alexander Kraft is a very elegant man, and he likes to stress the importance of an outfit for self-confidence – a truth that Ardavan Amir-Aslani, another elegant man and a go-to man for several governments, recently stressed in these pages – recalling how it had weighed in his favour during his admission interview to an elite school. In keeping with this virtuous consideration, Alexander was keen to make his brand accessible to the youngest of the Millenials, without compromising on style, which was to be the style by which the epitome of elegance became an icon of the Swann Society. The result shows that he has succeeded perfectly, and that the Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo brand has immediately established itself as one of the most opportune for the young elegant person starting out in professional life.
“Kiton quality at the price of a Polo”
To succeed in this squaring of the circle, the businessman used all that a quarter of a century’s practice of elegance at the highest level had taught him, both to determine the technical specifications of his collection and to select the workshops that would manufacture it in accordance with the rules of sartorial art. He found them in the south of Italy: two workshops for jackets, one for trousers and another for shirts. And it’s not over yet, as he will soon call on the skills of yet another for the line of jeans he is about to launch.
Dandy: How and when did you come up with the idea of a ready-to-wear brand in your name? Alexander Kraft: “It’s an idea I’ve considered for years, but it really developed with Instagram, as I’m often asked what I wear in the pictures, and my followers want to know where they can buy these items… I’ve always answered their questions by citing Cifonelli’s bespoke suits and the ready-to-wear Ralph Lauren Purple Label, but these are a bit overpriced for most, even though they are undoubtedly very qualified followers – more so than other Instagram personalities I believe. But definitely, custom Cifonelli suits at 8,000 euros or Ralph ready-to-wear at 3,000 euros are a bit out of reach for most people.
My idea was: “If ever I launch my brand, I will create a line that really has extraordinary quality but at an affordable price”. And last year, as I was going through a complicated period in my private life, I told myself that it was time to embark on this adventure, to clear my head; and I started to gather all the contacts I had: weavers in northern Italy, manufacturing experts in London and manufacturers in southern Italy. I started putting all the pieces of the puzzle together towards the end of last year and I defined my business model properly.
And this sums up your brand DNA perfectly…
It is based on five pillars. First of all, I use only the best fabrics, especially the Vitale Barberis Canonico flannels, which I love; and those from Lovat Mill in Scotland, who made my own tweed, which I designed with them and which has a feel closer to a flannel or cashmere than a tweed, so light and soft. Then a 100% made in Italy production, artisanal and ethical: no big factories but only small family workshops, which are all in Puglia, south of Naples. I have personally visited them all, I have seen how they work and I was amazed because it is even more artisanal than you might think: the only difference between them and the big factories is that they use machines to make the assembly. But the pieces are still cut by hand just as they are in the tailor shops: it’s a far cry from industrial manufacturing.
Your own shop, resellers: how will you distribute AK Monte Carlo?
This is the third pillar of my business model: an exclusive online distribution, via my Instagram profile, so as not to bear the costs of shops and staff. And this third pillar overlaps with the fourth, which involves communicating online exclusively while ignoring traditional channels.
Finally, the fifth pillar: pricing. My goal being to offer a Purple Label or Kiton quality at the price of a Polo, I have reduced the profit margins: I don’t multiply the production costs by 6 or 8 but by 2.5, which is the absolute minimum to be a little profitable. In return, I can offer really high quality products at affordable prices: take the jacket I wear today, for example: it’s made of Vitale Barberis flannel, has padded shoulders, open sleeve buttonholes, contrasting lining, a Milanese, buttons in real natural horn, AMF stitching: all those little details that enthusiasts are looking for – and it doesn’t cost 2000 or 3000 euros like at Ralph, but 700.
The other interesting feature of your collection, which proves that it has been designed with a consumer rather than a retailer’s eye in mind, is that all the pieces, suits, jackets, trousers, and even coats, are perfectly complementary and can be worn with each other
This is the philosophy of the brand: that of a permanent wardrobe with real capsule collection quality: you take any element and you can combine it with all the others. For example, I offer several white and ivory trousers that use a thicker Irish linen than the usual linens, which allows them to be used nine months a year. They are perfectly combinable with my Navy waistcoats, jackets and blazer. I also offer a very light cotton Corduroy which is also wearable for nine months of the year, and I am currently working on new models in cashmere and winter cotton; these can be bought separately, and at the same time, they go perfectly with everything.
Let’s talk about style. It’s rather obvious that you’ve kept your style, there’s absolutely no change with the look you had when you were brand ambassador of Cifonelli and Ralph Lauren: you’ll find the fitted jackets, the pointed lapels on the double-breasted blazer, the six-button double-breasted shawl collar waistcoat, the lapel trousers, the classic double-breasted jackets…
It’s actually 200% my personal style. Because clients have gone to Cifonelli saying, “I want exactly the same suit as Alexander Kraft”… I have gathered everything I’ve learnt over the last 25 years working with my tailors in Hong Kong, London and Paris, and transposed it to ready-to-wear: the tight fit, the lapels, the shoulders, a very high armhole, a padded shoulder; everything is as if made to measure, but at prices accessible to a larger percentage of people.
Wearability?
It was very important for me, I worked a lot on the cuts and I get a lot of feedback from customers who tell me “I don’t have a model size like you but I wear your clothes well, I feel like I’m perfect”, this really pleases me. There are very few houses that take the trouble to adjust ready-to-wear cuts like this.
You used to be a Cifonelli brand ambassador, I suppose today you wear Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo exclusively?
It’s clear that I am the best ambassador for my brand, but I am not going to burn my Cifonelli suits, I have about fifty of them, which I still wear with immense pleasure, but I rarely wear anything else since I launched my brand. The reason for this is purely to test the pieces in situ, enjoy the cuts and materials and make sure that everything is 100% perfect. I’d like to point out that there have been no photo adjustments on anything I wear: size, sleeve length, everything is standard. I’m wearing a lot of ready-to-wear for the first time in thirty years!
When did you launch this first collection?
I did the pre-launch on the 1st of May, in full confinement. It was a gamble, but I told myself that people who were stuck at home were frustrated, and needed something beautiful, to dream. And it worked well: the first collection sold out in 48 hours!
The advantage of selling online is that you know exactly who your buyers are, and with social networks you can refine the profile of your customers. So: who are the first Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo buyers?
They match the profile of my Instagram followers perfectly: they are Americans, English, Italians and French, some Germans too: great nations for the tailor culture.
A related but sensitive question given your price positioning: do you know the average age of your customers?
Yes: between 25 and 45 years old.
This is proof of a relevant price/quality ratio, and confirms – fortunately! – that there is a percentage of the young population that have a sense of elegance and want to be well dressed. Without being able – or willing – to devote a fortune to it. It can therefore be considered, especially in view of the Covid-19 situation, that you have made a perfect entry among the houses considered as elegant. What is your next step?
I am launching a line of “Elegant Casual” jackets made of 100% cashmere, without lining or shoulder reinforcements, which can be used as cardigans or travel jackets. They are jackets in the spirit of the first Loro Piana jackets, unlike the price as I will be selling them for 700 euros.
I am also going to launch chinos and jeans of very good quality and with beautiful details, but machine washable. Because we’re all always looking for the perfect jeans, but Kiton’s jeans cost nearly 1000 euros. Mine will be made in the south of Italy, in beautiful denim, will have a perfect fit neither too tight nor too wide, and will be sold for 180 euros. It should be available in early December.”
