Suit Geek n.10 Mr. Liu Hongwei
“Suit Geek” is our feature column where each month we reach out to one of our loyal customers & friends and ask him to share his work, life and his unique point of view on tailored suits & gentlemen‘s style.
On our tenth interview for "Suit Geek", also the last one of this year, we invited our client & friend Mr. Hongwei. Hongwei is a musician, and an investor. Today, Hongwei tells us stories about his other passion in life apart from music - classical menswear. He shares how he dresses himself on and off camera, some lifestyle stories, such as his love for Equestrian, and one of his favourite bars he recommends to us.
"I'm Hongwei, from Joyside."
On His Very First Suit
“My first suit was ready-to-wear. I got it when I was 16 or 17. I didn’t get it for any certain occasion, just purely out of interest in classical menswear."
"I didn’t know much about bespoke at that time, just thought that men should wear suits. So, I bought a black suit."
Liu Hongwei(Far Right) with Joyside
On His Journey to Tailoring
Justin : Why did you decide to wear a tuxedo on the show?
"For me, being on the camera and recording a TV show counts as a formal occasion, so I thought I should wear something formal. Also, the song I was performing wasn’t a super upbeat song, which allows me to play my guitar a bit more gently. That was why I went with a tuxedo.“
“I like that one a lot!“
Black tuxedo suit made by PRINCIPLE M in 2019 for Hongwei
Hongwei on The Big Band Season
“I really like classical menswear. They (other band members) sometimes think I dress myself a little bit too formal, but I like it that way. It fits my personality, too.”
“The clothes I wear, I mostly select them by myself, so I don’t really mind what others think of them.“
“I found Principle M online, three or four years ago. I wanted to do tailored suits, so I looked it up online, went through a bunch of stores. I just had a feeling that PM is the most suitable one for me, and that’s why I’m here.“
Navy Donegal suit made by PRINCIPLE M in 2018 for Hongwei
Justin : Would you still wear suits when you go out?
"Depends on the occasion, and what I’m going to do. I like casual stuff sometimes, mostly I’ll dress according to different occasions. However, a suit (or jacket) is a must!"
Justin: That’s exactly what I want to hear, haha.
Green Kerry Knoll jacket made by PRINCIPLE M in 2019 for Hongwei
“I really like the PM RTW Kruger. It’s really easy to carry around with me, and comfortable for an outer wear.“
PM RTW Natural Linen Kruger
On His Lifestyle
“I can’t cook. I don’t have the gift for cooking, haha. I wanted to learn, though. However, after a couple of tryouts, I realized I just didn’t have that in me.“
“If you want whisky, I recommend PeKinG Bar. They have a bunch of stuff you can’t normally find in China. They literally carry everything from other countries. ”
“I used to go out a lot, now I’m just too busy. I go to horse-riding track, staying at home, or going to the studio. It’s very healthy, right? I barely go out drinking ,anymore.“
“It’s been six or seven years since I first started horse-riding. I like it so much, madly in love, you could say.“
“I have a friend who studied at Oxford, he played polo in university. I saw him playing once and I thought that looked so cool, I wanted to do that, too! He told me, if I want to play polo, I have to learn how to ride a horse, first. So, I went to learn riding, and soon enough I fell in love with equestrian. Then, I decided to choose this over polo, haha.“
“Riding generates dopamine, which makes me feel excited."
Hongwei riding horses
Justin : Do you have a favourite song that you wrote?
"My songs? I don’t like them that much, haha."
Justin: Why?
"For me, when I just finish writing a new song, I like it and I feel so great about it. But after a while, you put it aside, you kind of forget the good feelings about the song because I have to move on and write new songs, again. Then, I always think that my next new song is better. Writing songs is a self-evolving process, I guess."
Justin : Can you recommend a song that you wrote?
"Maybe our first song after the reunion, If There Is A Tomorrow. I composed and produced it. That song was different from what we used to make."
“I started studying music when I was 13. I remember I went to this big shopping mall with my mom, looking for instruments. First, I saw a drum, then I said I could do that! My mom said no, this is too loud. But, I still wanted to learn something. Then, I saw an electrical guitar hanging on the wall, I said, I want to learn that. My mom still said no, that’s loud, too. But, I was pretty stubborn on it, and that’s how I started learning how to play the guitar. Later, I went to music school and studied composing.
Justin: “I wish I could say I didn’t have any regrets, but I’ve always wanted to learn guitar, or piano.”
Hongwei: “Sure, why not!”
Justin: “Maybe later, we'll see.”
Hongwei: “We can start a band together, Justin! Haha.”
