17 questions to a well-dressed man – Carlo van den Broeck
Photo credit: Carlo van den Broeck
Perhaps you’ve come across this gentleman on Instagram already as he is regularly posting his outfits which are always a joy to see. He is a gentleman that has been all over the world; studying in Australia where he started dressing up and moving after that to the UK where he worked in the Crockett & Jones flagship store on Jermyn Street. He was caught there by the beauty of leather and started digging further into that. This brought him to a Tannery Course in the BLC Technology Centre Ltd and after that he started studying bag making in Florence, Italy. After having enough knowledge and skills he started his own company Atelier de Corium in Belgium to sell women’s leather goods. Recently he shifted towards menswear and leather goods as he realised his passion is more on that side of the trade. And whether Carlo wears a polo shirt, a cardigan, or a full suit, he’s doing it with a certain elegance that made me ask him to answer the 17 questions to a well-dressed man. Luckily, he was willing to do that so you can enjoy reading his answers below.
What are you wearing today?
Today I’m wearing a chambray removable collar shirt without a collar, brown linen double pleated trousers, our silk wool socks and our red velvet slippers.
If you had to choose to spend money either on a suit or on a watch, what would you choose?
This will all depend if the suit is bespoke or RTW and on the type of watch.
What jewellery could a man wear?
Men are allowed to wear whatever jewellery they want.
Personally, I only wear watches as there is a risk of other jewellery snagging on my tools and machinery.
Tie or a bowtie?
I am definitely more of a tie person.
Do you remember your first jacket?
My first full price RTW jacket is a Cream Corduroy Jacket by an Australian brand called Herringbone.
It is still in my regular fall/winter rotation.
What is your favourite watch?
One of my Grail watches is the 1969 Omega Speedmaster.
Until then my favourite watch is my Omega Speedmaster Day/Date
Fountain pen or ballpoint?
As much as I like fountain pens, I smudge my writing since I’m left-handed.
I prefer a rollerball pen, I guess that kind of falls under ballpoint?
Have you found the perfect garment yet?
no, maybe eventually if I ever get the chance to go bespoke.
Explain your biggest passion in one sentence?
My biggest passion is probably a tie between coffee and menswear
What is your guilty pleasure?
Good food, videogames and vintage shopping
Who is the best dressed man in the world for you?
If I had to choose one person’s style I really like, it’s Marcello Mastroianni.
It’s not just about the clothes but it’s the way he carried himself.
The best book you ever read?
Quiet by Susan Cain. It’s a book that has really opened my eyes and made me more self-aware of myself and my introverted personality.
Which city should one go shopping?
For shoes I would go to London.
For clothes I would go to Milan since Italian brands fit me better and also be because of the Navigli Antique market.
Tweed or flannel?
Definitely Flannel, it’s not as scratchy.
The most elegant restaurant in the world for you?
The most elegant restaurant I’ve been to is probably Asakusa Imahan Kokusai Dori Honten in Tokyo, Japan
Describe your style in three words?
Eclectic, colourful, sartorial
Best purchase you did in the last 6 months?
I was lucky enough to find a second-hand RTW jacket made from vintage VBC cloth that I missed out on a few years back.