THE ELEGANT REVOLUTIONARY

Alexander Kraft, the style icon, entrepreneur, owner and Chief Executive of such companies as the luxury-real-estate behemoth Sotheby’s International Realty and the ultra-charming hotel-restaurant La Maison Bleue in Provence — and the world’s greatest Jedi Master of curating life as an expression of his impeccable taste — has enacted a revolution. Not a revolution of political dissent. Not an armed insurrection against an oppressive hegemony. But one that is just as radical. Because, after years of preparation, he has launched his eponymous clothing brand — and, yes, I think it is the most exciting expression of classic style and tailored elegance to emerge in recent memory: beautifully designed garments, exquisitely crafted by an artisanal tailoring factory in Puglia, using only the best Vitale Barberis Canonico and Lovat Mill fabrics, but intentionally priced far below market expectations in order to make it a symbol of a new, value-conscious post-Covid-19 world.

Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus, it was Kraft’s passionate desire to offer the best. I was also able to negotiate favourable terms with top-end suppliers because they wanted to be part of this groundbreaking project and were proud to have the name of their mills displayed inside the jackets. Finally, I reduced my own profit margins. By doing all this, I was able to pass the considerable combined savings on to my customer, who, to me, is the most important person in this equation.”