Club White: the New Gentleman Colour

(A 2-minute read)

It all started with this picture of a window display at Ralph Lauren. 

I was on my way to a meeting and I walked passed this RL flagship store - it caught my attention. We have all seen white suits and jackets before, something often associated with weddings and ceremonies - nothing special indeed. 

But this one is different.

You can tell it is not your “normal” white suit even at a distance, for it seems it’s been designed for casual - rather than ceremonial - wearing, and its look seems to encourage you to do just that. With the matching black tie and pocket square, there is a definite upmarket “old money” look to it with a distinctive country club vibe. I found it fascinating. 

As an Apple Watch lover I thought “if I wear these suits, how could I make my watch blend in with such look?”

There was no easy answer.

For start the watch straps would have to be white - not just any white but creamy white. There aren’t that many white straps to start with - the most common is Apple’s silicon bands, but really they have to be leather to give that upmarket, country club vibe.

Not looking good, I decided to create my own.

It proved to be a challenging process, for white is not something leather vendors keep a lot in stock, let alone the different shades of white.  

Then there’s the type of leather and finishing. White is one of those colours in which the line between feminity and masculinity is extremely thin. As creators of products for gentlemen, we need to make sure that the end product’s attributes be faithful to the customers we serve.

Fast forward 6 months, we finally created the straps we wanted - a creamy white with a distinct nostalgic look on a special leather that has a coarse texture for a touch of masculinity.

We call it Club White, and it pairs beautifully with my new-found favourite - the white country suit.

We have made three versions with different stitchings and buckles for different watch cases. You can see them in details below, and on CHESS FB and IG.