MARK CHO

The menswear maestro on collecting watches and dressing for 'casual mode'.

- Eric Twardzik

IN THE CLOISTERED world of classic menswear, Mark Cho has made himself increasingly indispensable. In 2010, the UK-born entrepreneur co-founded The Armoury in Hong Kong with Alan See, an old-school-in the best sense-men's haberdasher. That same year, Cho also became the co-owner of Drake's, the heritage English tie-maker that has since rolled out a full apparel line with stores in London, New York City and Seoul.

Through The Armoury, Cho has become a prolific patron of tailors and artisans worldwide. The shops regularly host visits from bespoke tailoring greats such as Florentine Liverano & Liverano and the likes of revered Japanese shoemaker Koji Suzuki. The Armoury's in-house label, meanwhile, is produced by an international network of craftfocused experts.

Cho is the agent who binds them all together. He also serves as the business's affable front man, appearing in short videos uploaded to The Armoury's YouTube channel that showcase its clothing-plus his earnest enthusiasm for everything it has to offer. He also uses the channel, as well as his frenetically active Instagram presence, to share his other interests, such as watch-collecting.

The past 12 months have proved a banner year for Cho as they saw the 10th anniversary of The Armoury's arrival in New York, plus the brand's debut in Pedder Arcade, a new mixed-retail concept housed in a colonial-era building in central Hong Kong.

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