A stylish conversation with Milan Kelecsenyi - Refined Menswear Consultant, Budapest
Dear readers, after taking a short break for my new perfume launch, I am glad to return to my desk and start writing this new blog; the first thing that comes to my mind, is bringing you all something about refined menswear.
As we entered the new hot season, we all start to update our wardrobe with our beloved summer clothing, or at certain points, more resort clothing. For those of you who are trained with a pair of good eyes, and know what clothes work for your body and your personal style best, congratulations! You are your own style compass and know your way to achieve the best look for yourself! But what if some of us are not? Can we still enjoy a certain indulgence from refined menswear? Yes, of course you can! One of the best people to turn to, besides your personal tailor, is a great menswear and style consultant.
A style consultant, although it might sound like a fancy and glamorous term, is not just for red carpet celebrities or the elite and famous. Someone like you and me can hire a style consultant to help us revamping our personal image, and with the right one at hand, they can even give you some of the most valuable advice on what kind of clothes, fabric, pattern or color will work best for you, keeping you grounded in the timeless style in the world of menswear; today, I am thrilled to invite one of the dashing classic menswear consultant, Mr. Milan Kelecsenyi, to talk about his work in refined menswear consulting, his passion for classic menswear, and of course, some tips on pulling off the best summer wardrobe for all of our fine gents this year!
From his youth, Milan has developed an interest in tailoring menswear, possessing a pair of great eyes for exquisite and luxurious fabrics, and visual sensitivity to what construction of a piece of clothing will look good on a certain person, which makes him excel at giving great advice for gentlemen who strive to look great and feel empowered. With his own showroom office based in Budapest, Milan constantly keeps up his work by offering a seamless and unique classic menswear consultation service, alongside his own trusted tailor, to dress those who strive to look their best and create some positive changes in their lives. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
My Modern Darcy: Hi Milan, great to have you join us today. First thing first, I know that you are passionate about classic menswear, and I’d like to know what makes you choose menswear consulting as your profession? Is that something that you’ve been yearning for when you were young?
Milan Kelecsenyi: Hi My Modern Darcy, thank you for having me. I had a passion for style from a very young age, and I remember accompanying my father when he got his suits in our hometown. Later on, in my teenage years, I had an interest in music subcultures (where style was always very important) and fashion with a capital F. Actually, I started my career as a stylist assistant, working on fashion shoots, movie and advertising production and styling for TV shows. At the same time, the menswear era online made me very curious about classic style and I learned a lot during that time. I felt that my forte is dressing people in real life rather than in show business, this led me to work in menswear retail, write my own blog and later on, to become store manager at a bespoke tailoring house in Budapest. I very much enjoyed consulting with clients about their commissions, we developed a good range of private label products, and bought accessories from some of the best manufacturers around; after a few years, I felt that my work was done there, and felt an urge to start my own business.
MMD: What makes you so interested in classic menswear? And what particular element fascinates you?
MK: Cut, fabric, color, proportion, and the endless variety to create true, personal style for the individual. The tailored coat is still the most complicated piece of clothing, at the same time, it is the basis of a classic wardrobe, it is one of the few pieces that transforms the wearer, and it has that superpower. I believe that classic style (with contemporary flair) makes most men look their best. Everybody needs a classically proportioned suit in their wardrobe, and it is a necessary “tool” to perform well in some of the most important occasions in life, also, it’s not worth much without the right pair of shoes, I must add.
MMD: Classic menswear consulting is a relatively niche profession, and you focus on providing a ‘custom wardrobe’ service to your clients. Can you tell us more about how the process looks from start to finish?
MK: I developed my own label of tailored clothing, and I dress my customers depending on their needs and wishes, always in custom clothing under my own brand. I offer a complete wardrobe from overcoats to suits and shoes. During the first meeting, we start with a discussion; there are many different scenarios, some guys come to me for their first custom garment, some are more advanced in building their wardrobe. I work with the “modular wardrobe concept” in mind, and I want to create pieces that can be combined with their existing pieces in the closet, whilst creating the most looks possible and build a versatile wardrobe; the goal in the long run is that we use 100% of our wardrobe, eliminating impulse purchases and feeling comfortable because the clothes were made for our body specifications. As with other custom clothing brands, I always do a first fitting in a master garment, then the orders go into production. The final fitting is conducted with the finished garment, with production time in 4-6 weeks depending on the complexity of the item.
MMD: Can you tell us what is the most challenging, and satisfying part of being a classic menswear consultant? And what is the most memorable experience you've had?
MK: Frankly, I don’t enjoy the administrative parts of the business and sometimes find it challenging to travel to clients' houses; during these visits, I need to bring a smaller selection of cloth samples, which sometimes stresses me out. There are memorable moments every week, such as handing over finished garments, seeing the reactions, and delivering the right cut always puts a smile on my face; getting good feedback is the best thing, and it drives me in my occupation. It helps me to give the most attention to all the pieces that I created for my clients.
MMD: In your opinion, why did classic (formal) menswear still have its place nowadays despite we have entered into a more dress-down era? What value does it hold?
MK: It elevates your mood, and it transforms your way of being, it can make you feel more professional or festive and conveys respect. I am a firm believer in soft tailoring for daytime, with the right cut according to your posture, it will be just as comfortable as a denim jacket or any casual layer. I never felt that tailoring had become irrelevant, despite many sources saying so, and I think there are too many men who unfortunately haven't experienced the appeal of well-made and well-cut clothing.
MMD: Can you tell us what is your favorite era of classic menswear? Also, how do you extract those elements and integrate them into your work, or even your own style?
MK: The golden age of Hollywood usually comes to mind, in particular the 1930s to the 1950s, I love the fullness in the cut, exaggerated lapels and soft shoulders and chest with drape. My favorite picture is Duke Ellington in a white, shawl-collared dinner jacket. I love to watch movies, old and new, read photography books, and browse Instagram, and I constantly develop my eye for details and silhouettes through these hobbies.
MMD: Let’s talk about yourself, can you tell us about your personal style? What is your signature ensemble look like?
MK: I have become more minimalistic in my personal style, and I have found that tonal ensembles work best on me. I like to showcase the cut and drape of the cloth, and frankly I use fewer accessories than I used to. I don’t like to overdress. A navy blazer with grey trousers is one of the most common looks, it doesn’t scream, and if it’s well-made, it conveys sophistication and attention to detail. I like to focus my attention on my clients, not on the fold of my pocket square.
MMD: Who are the men's style icons and artisans that you look up to?
MK: It may sound pretentious, but I look up to any artisan, as I can’t make any piece of clothing or shoes, therefore, I have a huge respect for them. I have visited many of them over the years and seen how painstaking the work it takes to create something beautiful. My tailoring partner, Massimo Pasinato, is a great example, not to mention his mother, who sews the Milanese buttonholes on the coats they make. There are a lot of tailoring houses and shoemakers I follow and love to look at their work, and I still learn a lot by examining their creations.
MMD: As the summer season is here, can you share some tips about the summer essentials of this year in a fine gent’s wardrobe? From silhouette to fabric and color, etc.
MK: Open weave fabrics are essential, Fresco wool for suits, wool / silk / linen for jackets, and Irish linen for casual tailoring; wider-fitting trousers with soft suede loafers or espadrilles, lighter and brighter colors come into play. Currently, I am very interested in resort style clothing, I love the laid-back quality of casual tailoring and we need more of that, it is far better than just becoming lazy and dressing in a T-shirt and denim all the time. If you look at the famous Apparel Arts illustrations from the 1930s, you can see many great examples of classic resort style, with the right update in color and texture, this look can serve as stylish daytime wear in the city.
MMD: When you hear the word ‘style,’ what does it mean to you?
MK: The manifestation of one’s personality, through outward signifiers. Manners, grooming, style of speech, and of course, appearance comes to mind.
MMD: Besides being well-dressed and well-groomed, in your opinion, what other qualities should a modern gentleman have?
MK: I find the word ‘gentleman’ has become overused in the last few years, it is just as much a marketing ploy as a realistic way of being. I try to focus on being well-mannered, respectful, humble and correct; being open-minded to new ideas and concepts of life is also important, rather than chasing the image that you have about yourself.
MMD: If someone comes to you one day and asks how they can become a great classic menswear consultant, what is your advice?
MK: As with any other profession: time, passion and dedication are needed; anybody can become a good menswear consultant in my opinion; the hard thing is to keep up the good work and stay inspired; of course, a service-oriented mindset helps a lot too.
Special thanks to Mr. Milan Kelecsenyi.
Image courtesy to Milan Kelecsenyi Budapest.