Club 21 x Shentonista: Travel With Paul Smith — Leaving It All Behind

Clinton, designer.
Suit from S/S2016’s ‘A Suit To Travel In’ collection; cotton short and silk tie from Paul Smith; Clinton’s own shoes.

Nicole, designer.
Wool suit, wool sleeveless knit, No.9 leather clutch, all from Paul Smith; Nicole’s own shoes. 

If there’s one lady who looks good in a suit, it’s Nicole. In real life, though, her self-assured air of insouciance belies a much more affable and down-to-earth personality. The same goes for Clinton; despite the fact that each time we’ve photographed him for the site he’s impeccably dressed to the nines in a suit of his own design, he’s just a guy who really wants to hang out over a bowl of bak chor mee. We find out more from this stylish couple who prove that the best travel companion is your soul mate and best friend — even better if they’re combined into one person.

Shentonista (S): What does travel represent to you? Why do you like to travel?

Nicole (N): The experiences, the cultures, and I think to get something different from the formality of Singapore.

Clinton (C): To me it’s just experiencing different cultures, and learning about why they do things in certain ways.

S: What is your favourite place to travel to and why?

C: For cities it would be Tokyo and London; for a beach holiday, it would be Yanoi. It’s a private island between Phuket and Krabi, and it’s not crowded at all, so it’s the perfect place for beach holidays.

N: For me, it’s Seoul, I guess? I go there quite often so I think I’m a little more biased towards it (laughs). I think over time, as we go to places more often, we get to know more people in each place, who become friends.

S: Do you tend to plan your trips? Or is it all free and easy?

C: Free and easy. I think that’s how you get to see the culture of the place, to soak in the atmosphere, rather than planning to visit tourist destinations.

N: We actually don’t go to tourist destinations. In Japan for example, we’ve never visited Mount Fuji and Disneyland even though I’ve been there so many times!

S: Describe your dream travel experience/trip.

C: I don’t think it’s really a dream, but I would want to visit these three places in one shot: Florence, then Naples, and Como. I like these cities, especially Florence, and I’ve heard that Naples is beautiful. I like Italian food a lot so that’s a big catch for me. Como would be to really just relax.

N: For me, I want to go to places like Russia and India, to experience their cultures and to see how they live. It’s something different.

S: What’s something you learnt while you were travelling? Or one memorable experience you had while overseas? 

C: That you need to get out of Singapore (laughs). A memorable experience would probably be at this Robot Restaurant in Tokyo, which was quite interesting, and quite weird. People would start dancing and laser lights would start flashing. (How did you find out about the place? Did you just stumble across it?) We Googled it actually! One of our Japanese friends told us to visit.

N: I remember that one time when we were lugging who-knows-how-many luggages through London. We were travelling from Central London to Liverpool, right?

C: Yah, we were supposed to take a train to Liverpool, and we had all our bags with us.

N: We didn’t expect there to be so many stairs!

C: In London subways there are no escalators.

S: What’s your packing process for travelling like? Do you have any tips? How do you manage to stay stylish even when travelling?

C: It depends on what kind of trip it is. I always choose colours that are easy to match, something that can go along with almost anything — whites, blues, or light blues. As for pants, always go for darker colours, or khakis. That’s really so you don’t have to think so much when you’re overseas about matching your clothes. (Do you think guys have it easier?) Yeah I think we do! (laughs)

N: For girls, I’d say pack one evening dress, like a black one. Even if my itinerary doesn’t seem like I’d need it, I feel like it’s always good to have one just in case. I also like to pre-plan my outfits because, like Clinton said, it’s one less thing to worry about.

S: So when, for example, you go to Seoul for Fashion Week, you plan your outfits in advance too?

N: Yeah that’s what I do, for every day I’m there (laughs). Even though those were winter outfits, I was wearing them at home, and thinking: “Oh my God, it’s so hot!”

S: What’s your favourite mode of transport and why? It can be in Singapore or overseas.

N: In Singapore, it’s definitely driving.

C: Yeah for sure. It’s convenient, and I can go anywhere I want without the hassle of waiting for cabs, thinking about routes, and worrying about catching a return cab.

N: When we’re overseas we like to walk a lot.

C: Walking is great for having an adventure!

S: Do you use any alternative modes of transport? Or do you wish you could incorporate them into your lifestyle?

C: Overseas, I’d like to skate more, definitely. It’s easy to because the pavements are better, the roads are more conducive, and sometimes it’s easier to get around with a skateboard. In Singapore though, it’s quite hard to skate around.

N: I take public transport more than he does, because I don’t have a driving licence. I definitely take cabs more often. I’d love to walk more in Singapore, but the weather is a little insane to do so.

S: Do you have any tips when it comes to balancing comfort and style?

C: Fabric plays a huge role, for me. If you’re worried about the weather, go for a material that’s breathable and more natural, instead of clothes made from polyester. Weight is also important.

N: I think you can definitely strike a balance between both. I always wear sneakers and pants, which are very comfortable. You just have to style them nicely.

S: Clinton, menswear has its own set of rules. What are some rules of thumb to follow, or things that you’ve noticed other men don’t pay attention to?

C: I don’t follow any rules.

N: Yeah he doesn’t follow any rules, especially the one on belts and shoes!

C: A lot of people think that black shoes should go with black belts, but I don’t think there’s a need to. It’s just a lazy man’s way of thinking, I feel. Personally I don’t really think it matters.

S: So what do you think about such rules in general?

C: You’ve got to know about them before breaking them, instead of trying to just break every single rule and end up looking like an idiot.

S: To both of you, what do you look for when it comes to a suit? Any top considerations?

C: Fit, fabric, and construction — those are the most important.

N: The colour and comfort level. It’s not so much about materials for me — that’s more Clinton, who’s more technical and anal about everything — I must feel comfortable in it.

S: Clinton, are you very technical about suits?

C: Kind of lah.

N: None of his suits are ready-to-wear — not at the moment at least.

S: What’s your favourite specification for suits?

C: It depends on what kind of suit I’m going for, but I’d rather go against the fashion for skinny lapels, and instead go for more traditional 3 or 3 1/2 inch lapels. Softer shoulders instead of too boxy or constructed ones, too.

S: What’s your biggest fashion faux pas? How do you think your style has evolved over the years/since we last saw you?

N: I’ve started to wear more colours instead of always black. If I wear black too much I seem extremely unapproachable. I’m trying to be more approachable!

C: Now I’m starting to dress more casually, because I think you can’t wear a suit all the time, and there are appropriate occasions to dress differently. I’ve also started to appreciate different brands.

S: While both of you aren’t working now, what have you learnt from your time at work? What’s the biggest lesson that your work has taught you? 

N: The importance of a work-life balance.

C: Compared to when we were working, now we have a lot more time to do what we want to do now. To spend more time together, to do more things that we can’t do while we were working.

N: And spend more time with our families as well.

S: What kind of journey do you hope 2016 has in store for you, whether it’s in your career, in life, or to new places? Any plans or projects you’d like to share about?

C: I want to travel more.

N: I know man, because we haven’t been travelling much when we working.

S: So where are you planning to go to next?

N: I don’t know, maybe Seoul again? We haven’t planned anything.

C: We are very impromptu lah, when it comes to travelling. It’s usually when we see pretty photos and think, “I feel like going there leh”.

N: He likes to book last minute trips!

C: (laughs) I always book last minute ones.

N: Like out of nowhere, “Let’s go!” “Huh why?” “Go lah!” “Ok lor.” (laughs)

This is a Shentonista project for Paul Smith and Club 21. 

Join in the conversation: hashtag #TravelWithPS on any travel-related Instagram post and stand to win one of three exclusive Paul Smith notebooks. Whether it’s your travel essentials, your daily commute, or a shot from a trip, let your sense of adventure guide you. The contest runs from 1st – 15th March 2016.

During this same time, pop by the Paul Smith Mandarin Gallery and Hilton stores to shop the new Spring/Summer 2016 collection, and mention #TravelWithPS to receive an exclusive 10% off selected items* from 1st – 15th March 2016. 

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