These successful Boston gents prove that success also comes with an eye on the art of fashion.
Style Icon: His 5-year-old son Gus Marketing Director for Bodega and Visual Artist (bdgastore.com)
Whether it be his creative illustrations or minimalist fashion sense, less is always more for Scituate native Matthew Zaremba. On the day-to-day, while examining the human experience through his sketches, the artist rocks earth-toned utilitarian and contemporary street style rooted in the history of East Coast streetwear and skateboarding. “The coolest people are not wearing stuff. Look at someone like Mick Jagger. The dude’s been wearing a black tee and black jeans forever and he looks incredible for his age,” explains Zaremba. “The coolest people stick to what they know because they’re cool for a reason. They will look cool with the things that they have or the things that they can get in a modest way.” No longer feeling the need to keep up with the trends, he sees the issues with hyperconsumerism and likes to dress in small independent brands, as well as Carhartt WIP and Nike footwear. Quality pieces serve as the foundation of the artist’s look, with hints of accessories dotted throughout. “I’ve always been more into a toned-down style because, just like art, I think less is more,” he shares. Plus, as a ’90s/2000s teen, music serves as a significant inspiration for Zaremba’s style—especially elements from ’90s hiph-op, rock ’n’ roll, blues and the post-punk scene. “Growing up, you could totally tell what somebody was into by what they wore,” he says. Beyond music, Zaremba carries over a decade in the streetstyle industry with him, but at the end of the day, he believes style is less about what you wear and more about how you conduct yourself and what you do. “I think style can really transcend aesthetics, almost to the way you carry yourself,” he notes. “I also say that about art.”
Style Icons: Daphne Guinness and Michèle Lamy
Maker (chrestrepo.com)
If Christian Restrepo could have any runway piece in the world, it would be from Alexander McQueen’s fall 2008 collection, The Girl Who Lived in the Tree. “The first half of the collection is a fusion of Victorian silhouettes with British punk undertones, all very monochromatic. And the later half of the collection just explodes into this beautiful moment of volumes, colors, embroidery and tulles,” Restrepo, who is a Boston-based American Colombian maker, says. The piece that he would select is the finale look: a voluminous crimson red silk coat that’s paired with crystal-embellished slippers that’s inspired by the girl’s descent from the tree to meet her prince. “If I could have that finale look and just walk around my house like that and go to Starbucks in it, that’s what I would do,” he adds. In general, Restrepo is highly attracted to structure and symmetry in clothing, which can be seen in his own collections SIGILO and A El Mismo. Another one of his collections inspired by former New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham also exemplifies this with linear play, flowing forms and an abundance of textures—it debuted at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 2017 as a part of the Nasturtium Celebration. Interestingly enough, Restrepo’s personal style takes a more relaxed approach with light similarities from his designs. “I think my personal style is a little more subtle with these few key hero pieces,” he says, noting his glasses and shoes as examples. When it comes to favorite brands, Rick Owens is at the top of his list. “His clothes bridge masculine and feminine qualities really beautifully,” Restrepo explains. So much so that he’s collected some of the designer’s runway pieces, including at least 10 from his fall/winter 2015 line Sphinx. “It’s a really beautiful visual story with this mythical kind of pre-ancient feeling to it,” he says of the collection presentation. “The models had their faces covered in gold leaf, which I thought was so striking. But it’s all of these beautiful voluminous silhouettes in wools and down material and leathers, and all beautifully embellished with sequins, but very geometric and linear.” In all, Restrepo emphasizes the importance of individuality in style. He concludes, “It’s important to give yourself the space and patience to figure out who you are... and not care about what society is going to say and think, because at the end of the day, no one actually cares. And at the end of the day, you have this one moment to exist in, and so we should have fun with it. And as long as you’re happy and comfortable in what you’re wearing, that’s all that matters.”
Style Icon: The NBA
Head Coach of the Boston Celtics (nba.com)
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on a slew of popularity of athleisurewear, and even as we trickle into the new normal, it seems like comfort is here to stay—but with a fashionable twist. “Over the last few years, on the coaching side, we didn’t have to wear suits anymore. We’ve all been leaning toward comfort,” explains Ime Udoka, head coach for the Boston Celtics. But, of course, keeping an image that’s crisp and clean is still of the utmost importance. Udoka does this in a variety of ways but mainly looking toward sweatsuits from brands like Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Alexander McQueen. To add a touch of his own personal style, the former Nigerian national team player looks to footwear. “I find the shoes I like and I stick with them,” he says. “A stylish shoe can really make the difference.” His sense of style stems from childhood, when he’d watch basketball games and take note of the great players of the ’90s and their looks off the court, as well as coaches at the forefront. “That’s something that caught my eye when I was younger,” he adds. But in all, the coach leads all facets of his life with one key piece of advice. He concludes, “Whatever your peers are doing, do the opposite. Don’t be a follower.”
Style Icon: James Bond
General Manager, Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences (rafflesboston.com)
For Oliver Dudler, true style comes down to one simple thing: tailors. “I love my tailors,” Dudler, who is from Switzerland, says. “I still have my tailor at the Peninsula in Hong Kong, who I use regularly for my suits.” Yes, you read that correctly: Hong Kong. Dudler, who’s been in the hospitality industry since 1986 under names like the Peninsula, Gstaad Palace Hotel and Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, lived there for three years. He’s also resided in Beijing, Cambodia, the Philippines, Maldives and more. To say that he has a knack for wanderlust is an understatement. It’s in Hong Kong, however, that the dual citizen fell in love with British tailored suits, jackets and shirts, and even after coming to the U.S., he’s stayed true to his crisp, clean uniform. Styled with it are often shoes from Bally, Jim Thompson silk pocket squares and decadent ties from Hermès. “Call it old-fashioned, but they are just beautiful and practical,” he says. He even enjoys donning three-piece suits to work, although Dudler does note that he’s seeing a more relaxed, yet styled, dress code from guests—think suits without ties, but still with an aesthetic that looks chic and put together. Between his own personal style and what he’s seeing from his new city, it’s this attention to detail that flows directly into his profession as general manager at Raffles Boston, which is slated to open in the spring of 2023. “There’s a different level of quality and detail, which I appreciate,” he explains. “It’s very much the same way we are at work. We try to tailor everything at the hotel for our guests, and I do like that connection with whoever made my clothes.”
Style Icon: Harry Styles
Global Real Estate Adviser (louiscarucci.com)
When asked about who his favorite style icon is, Louis Carucci chooses none other than Harry Styles. “He’s so unapologetically out there. He doesn’t conform to any of the norms. He doesn’t try to be anything except for what he wants to be, and I love that spirit,” Carucci, who recently became global real estate adviser at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, says. He tries to reflect the same attitude in his own look, which ranges from business suits to funky leisurewear depending on the day. He describes it as “active businesswear.” “Very professional looking, but still functional and ready for anything else the day presents in an active lifestyle,” he adds. But even then, Carucci still has sophistication—his go-to outfit is a crisp white Christopher Cuozzo shirt with a pair of Lulu Commission pants paired with Concept high-top socks, Louis Vuitton belt and Jordan 1s. “One thing you’re very, very unlikely to catch me in is a traditional pair of dress shoes,” he explains. “I’m a big sneakerhead; I probably have over 300 pairs of sneakers. I really like to dress up my professional style with a funky pair of Jordans or a cool pair of Nike Dunks. … I think that kind of gives a little bit of a nod to the things that my generation values and what is indicative of the style of my generation.” While his attachment to Nike is deep rooted, Carucci enjoys pairing the shoes with brands like Gucci, Alo and Christopher Cuozzo. “The type of image that I’m trying to portray is a person who has attention to detail and is professional, but who still has their own personal touch and awareness of style,” he concludes. “You have to leave room to have a little bit of fun.”
Photography by: JOHN HAPPEL; HEATHER MCGRATH; COURTESY OF THE BOSTON CELTICS; LINDSAY AHERN; MICHAEL BLANCHARD
