Sit up lads and take notice. Having just won the 2019 National Designer Award, and offering relaxed menswear staples that effortlessly blend the sartorial with casual elegance, Christian Kimber is a designer to watch. Editor-in-chief Norman Tan sits down with the British-born designer to discuss his path into menswear, his brand’s signature style and being tapped by Lane Crawford in Hong Kong.
There’s something undeniably likable about Christian Kimber. For someone who has just won the 2019 National Designer Award presented during Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF)—past winners of this prestigious award include Toni Maticevski, Strateas Carlucci and Dion Lee—he is refreshingly grounded. The trophy sits proudly on the back shelf of his handsome Fitzroy store, its golden curved silhouette complementing Kimber’s offering of Italian-made shoes and folded long-sleeve polos, but he doesn’t refer to it during my visit. Not even once. Rather, as I nosy through his latest menswear offering, mentally checking items into my shopping cart—a drawstring field jacket, that broken-in cotton chore jacket, a garment-dyed denim shirt with a floral under-print—he is busy fixing me a drink and apologising for the state of the store.
“Sorry for the mess,” Kimber complains. “We just had our fall/ winter presentation this morning, as you know, and we’re still trying to get the store back in order.” I have no idea what he is talking about; the store is immaculate but for a box in the corner. “Thanks for coming by the way,” he continues. “Did you enjoy the presentation? It’s small, but that’s all we can afford to do now.” It was lovely, I assure him. “Sorry I didn’t get a chance to really chat to you earlier,” Kimber adds. There he goes again, another deferential apology. “But I’m glad we can sit down now and have a chat.” He’s honest and endearing. Charming, but almost anxiously so.
This story is from the May 2019 edition of Esquire Singapore.
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This story is from the May 2019 edition of Esquire Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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