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<figure class="wp-block-video"><video autoplay controls src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2310/2310_GMHK_Interview_Mark.mp4"></video></figure>



<p>Two consecutive weekends of typhoon and heavy rain have halted The Armoury team who were working non-stop to finish their new home on the fifth floor of Pedder Building in Central. It’s close to 3 pm and Mark Cho moves along his shelves and racks of canvassed Savile Row-style suits, bench-made shoes, crisp shirts, neckties and much more in a kind of reverential awe. The 40-year-old, internationally known as the co- founder of The Armoury, co-owner of Drake’s haberdasher and director of the Pedder Arcade, meticulously checks the smallest of details, including the spacing between the textile canopy of the shop ceiling.</p>



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<p>“Give me 10 minutes,” he says. “I just need to finalise a few things with our interior designer, then we can start [the cover shoot].”</p>



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<p>It feels like a tacit invitation to explore the whole floor of what will become the Pedder Arcade. Cho is the director of the much- anticipated project – a pitch he delivered to the Pedder Building landlords during Covid – to create a shopping arcade that will resonate with the ones in the UK, complete with a café and dapper essentials boutiques that will become a one-stop destination for lounging and shopping. </p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-77630" width="512" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-187x280.jpg 187w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043369-copy_p-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure></div>


<p>Scrolling along the floor-to-ceiling shelves, Cho pulls out, using one hand, his selection of six different looks for our cover shoot, and in the other hand holds his go-to energy booster, a Venti Iced Americano.</p>



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<p>At first, Cho may look like your typical businessman – oftentimes he puts on a serious face and dresses like a geezer. He has a cool composure that could read as seriousness, or perhaps he’s just drained from the weight of arcade preparation he and his team have shouldered over the past two years. Yet, he pushes through, like he has always in his life, and makes things work despite the situation.</p>



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<p>“I was originally a womenswear designer, but my parents wanted something more of a conventional career path for me. It’s an Asian thing, I know,” he says. “And so, for a few years, I worked in the banking industry. But then life has its way of bringing you to where you are supposed to be. A place where your passion really thrives. And 13 years later, I am still doing what I am really passionate about – tailoring and dressing people.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">King of uncool</h3>



<p>Born in the UK and simultaneously calling Hong Kong, the United States and the UK his homes, the Brown University alumnus confesses he was a bit of an outsider during his formative years. On his Instagram account, one can read and question the bio line that says ‘Making uncool uncool again’. Giving a very vague explanation, he says: “Perhaps that’s what I do best?” he gives a side smirk and at the same time a little shrug. “Growing up, I was like a mongrel because I moved around a lot.”</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-77631" width="512" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-187x280.jpg 187w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043432-copy_p-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure></div>


<p>Moving to a more serious note, he passionately articulates the inspiration he derived from the Japanese fashion entrepreneurs and creative directors of the ’70s to the ’90s, such as Hirofumi Kurino, Yasuto Kamoshita, Osamu Shigematsu, Kenji Kaga, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo. He sees them as a sort of God-tier in the world of style – strong personalities with no existing playbook to follow who basically figured things out on their own and set the tone for the fashion of their entire country, as well as having a knock-on effect throughout Asia.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tailored approach</h3>



<p>For Cho personally, though, it was the other way around – from Asia to New York. In 2013, having successfully become classic menswear retailers in Hong Kong, with their initial 2010 shop in Pedder Building joined by another in The Landmark, he and co-founder Alan See established The Armoury New York. They honed their abilities to design collections in-house and now have a unique selection of products that are exclusively under their brand.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-77635" width="512" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-187x280.jpg 187w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043558-copy_p-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure></div>


<p>“Our vision is to teach people to appreciate classic style and tailoring, to offer an enjoyable and personal customer experience, and to encourage people to buy less, buy better and appreciate their clothing,” he recaps.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Taking the fifth</h3>



<p>The Pedder Arcade passion runs deep. Almost part of Cho’s branding at this moment, it subtly informs the classic yet stylish aesthetic he has steered at The Armoury. And just as the Pedder Arcade will orbit around different players housed along the length of the fifth floor, Cho is the centrifugal force of his own creative team. His sense of dialogue and open-mindedness are evidently what makes him and his brand tick. Moreover, his ultra- responsiveness makes him the greatest ally on both strategic and creative fronts.</p>



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<p>“Expressing yourself through clothing is very important,” he says. “People need to be who they want to be. Expressing yourself through fashion is difficult because it changes faster than you yourself might change. You can be in fashion for a moment and then out of fashion the next. Or, you can be a slave to fashion and chase it forever.”</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-77636" width="512" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-187x280.jpg 187w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043727-copy_p-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure></div>


<p>The entire floor, best described as somewhat similar to the hallmarks of the tailor shop in the film Kingsman, is poised to be elegant, modern and romantic, with prices in the upmarket apparel boutiques ranging from HK$10,000 to $30,000. But as a thinking millennial, Cho is pragmatic, too.</p>



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<p>He says: “I don’t see fashion as exclusive to the rich and famous. If anything, there are so many wonderful deals to be had if you’re willing to use second-hand or old stock. If life is going to be a competition, then you can always compete with your imagination instead of your wallet.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Time is prime</h3>



<p>A man of many interests, Cho is in a permanent state of doing. Just recently, he was on a Discord chat about watches hosted by an international publication, in addition to the challenges of making a curated shopping arcade come to life before mid-October. He works at weekends too, which is why, he thinks, he could use a little help via a superpower to freeze time.</p>



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<p>“Ah! It must be nice to stop time even for a while. I never had enough time,” he says, while wiping his glasses, finger-brushing his hair and straightening his suit and tie ready to face our camera.</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-77634" width="768" height="512" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/h_S043463-copy_p-800x533.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure></div>


<p>With the help of his takeaway iced coffee, Cho negotiates our six-spread photoshoot without a single flinch, even suggesting which lens would work best for each angle. </p>



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<p>In between effortlessly poses, including lounging on a newly delivered leather couch, he has a word of encouragement for our production team: “When you have a vision, you just have to stick to it and make it work.” As the camera clicks its last shot, he immediately shakes everyone’s hand before attending to another appointment.</p>



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<p>And unlike Kingsman’s heroes, Cho, The Armoury and the Pedder Arcade’s services are now far from being a secret. They all ace the dapper gentleman lifestyle with the right attitude, commitment and excellence.</p>



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<p>Interview &amp; Art Direction: Joseff Musa Photographer: Jack Law Videographer: Jack Fontanilla Venue: The Pedder Arcade</p>


Kings And Aces: Mark Cho, the visionary co-founder of The Armoury, tailors an entire floor of luxury shopping in Pedder Building

<p><div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-32097-1" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/1801/1801_GMHK_Interview_Mark.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/1801/1801_GMHK_Interview_Mark.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/1801/1801_GMHK_Interview_Mark.mp4</a></video></div></p>
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<p><strong>Mark Cho </strong>is the co-founder of classic menswear store <a href="https://thearmoury.com/"><em>The Armoury</em></a> and co-owner of British retailer&nbsp;<em>Drake’s</em>. Having worked in commercial real estate in the UK and China for many years, Cho decided to pursue his passion for clothing after helping W.W. Chan &amp; Sons Tailor with their London trunk shows.</p>
<p>Cho gives us the lowdown on the true meaning of classic menswear and the evolution of <a href="https://thearmoury.com/"><em>The Armoury</em></a>&nbsp;in this exclusive online Q&amp;A following our February 2018 print coverage.</p>
<p><strong>Having cut your teeth in real estate, how did you wind up working in menswear? </strong></p>
<p>I used to work in commercial real estate in the UK and China, and then about seven years ago I decided to pursue my passion for clothing.</p>
<p>I’ve been into classic, tailored clothing ever since I was a teen. The school I attended allowed students to switch from a uniform to a suit at age 16, so with that in mind I started investigating my options. Once I started peeling back the layers, I realised there were all these aesthetic and cultural rules that underscored classic menswear. I was instantly hooked.</p>
<p><strong>What&#8217;s the idea behind The Armoury? </strong></p>
<p>The tagline for The Armoury is “international classic artisanal clothiers”. A lot of people don’t realise that aside from the traditional British or Italian aesthetic, many other countries are making great classic clothing. We wanted to show the world that there’s great stuff in Spain, France and Japan as well as what you might expect from the more obvious tailoring regions.</p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-32103 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1.jpg" alt="Gafencu's interview with Mark Cho" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><br />
Your style seems to be the epitome of classic. Do you follow fashion trends at all?</strong></p>
<p>I typically stay within the realm of classic. I don’t buy overly designed clothing–it’s too trend-driven and ‘of the moment’. What I do appreciate about fashion, though, is that it’s a shared experience. It brings a group of people together for the sole reason that everyone is wearing the same thing, and I think that can be beautiful.</p>
<p><strong>How did you come to co-own Drake’s?</strong></p>
<p>I took over Drake’s in 2010. At the time, I had been purchasing ties from Drake’s to sell at The Armoury and W.W. Chan. The owner, Michael Drake, was looking to retire and he had no successor. He was starting to think about selling the company and I happened to be in the right place at the right time.</p>
<p>In my opinion, Drake’s has the finest neckties on the market. I love the aesthetic – it’s British but draws from French and Italian influences when it comes to colour. I grew up in the UK, so naturally I have an affinity for all things British<em>. </em></p>
<p><strong>You’ve well versed in the</strong> <strong>history of tailoring in Hong Kong. Is it an industry that can survive here? </strong></p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>I think there’s a viable future, but it will have to adapt. A lot of Hong Kong tailors have moved their productions to China. Unfortunately, Hong Kong has had a reputation of being a cheap and cheerful tailoring city for far too long, and they didn’t price in what it would take to keep the industry going for successive generations. It’s a real shame because the quality of Hong Kong tailoring is extremely good, and they’re quite cheap for what you get – perhaps too cheap. Many might not be able to afford taking on an apprentice. A lot of the good tailors are heading towards retirement with no guarantee that the next generation will take over. &nbsp;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-32104 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3.jpg" alt="Gafencu's interview with Mark Cho" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/700x466-3-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><strong>What’s the most valuable item in your closet?</strong></p>
<p>The Armoury collaborated with Tokyo-based clothier Tailor CAID to create a new aesthetic, which doesn’t happen often because tailoring is such a mature thing. We set out to make something original, and what we ended up with was the Model 99 suit, which I actually wore for <em>Gafencu</em>’s photo shoot.</p>
<p>The Model 99 is all about drape, which means that the chest in the jacket doesn’t necessarily touch the body. It harks back to military uniforms and the idea that the chest should be fuller and a little more curved..</p>
<p>It’s probably my most interesting and valuable garment because it’s the summation of my experiences with getting to know a lot of different people over the years and being able to put all those ideas and influences into one garment.</p>
<p><strong>Thank you.</strong></p>
<p>Catch our main interview with Mark Cho in&nbsp;<em>Gafencu&nbsp;</em>magazine’s February 2018 print issue, out now!</p>

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Kings And Aces: Mark Cho, the visionary co-founder of The Armoury, tailors an entire floor of luxury shopping in Pedder Building

The Perfect Fit: Clothier Mark Cho gives us the low-down on classic menswear