For Jacu Strauss, the South African-born artist, architect and hotelier, it is almost inevitable that his professional work influences his wardrobe. ‘It’s mostly design hotels, and we start with a palette, so I always have several colours on my mind,’ he explains. ‘Often by the end of the project, I will have a few things in my wardrobe that match it.’
Take his vision for the Flower Collector’s suite at the Pulitzer hotel in Amsterdam, which features a delightfully bold pink carpet: ‘I started shopping for pink blazers. It’s a great excuse to buy something a little bit unusual, and I can always blame it on my projects.’
Strauss’s work as creative director of the Lore Group – which owns the Sea Containers and One Hundred Shoreditch hotels in London, the Riggs and the Lyle in Washington, DC and (with the Pulitzer) the Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam – brings other elements of hotel design to his wardrobe, too. As well as flair and personality, his hotel projects have to also deliver on comfort, a facet equally present in his wardrobe.
He considers all of the senses too, just as he does with his guests’ hotel experience. “Those elements are how we accessorise – it’s your glasses, or how much or how little jewellery to wear. But it’s not just about the look of something, it’s also how you smell,” he says. “I don’t understand why people wear excessive perfume: it spoils an entire look when it’s overpowering.”
But his wardrobe, Strauss admits, is ‘a little bit excessive’. At one end are his painting clothes and casual attire – jeans, T-shirts and pastel Nike trainers. At the other is smarter occasionwear (Giuliva Heritage blazers, trousers by King & Tuckfield, and several Maison Margiela coats). He also shops secondhand on Vestiaire Collective and Grailed. “I like to have the right things for every occasion,” he says.
He loves fitted T-shirts by Danish brand Son of a Tailor, as well as knitted cotton styles from The Anthology. Jeans come from anywhere that makes them long enough. ‘I am 6ft 4in so it’s a real issue,’ he says.
Eyewear is another story: he has at least 100 pairs of glasses, and takes pleasure in wearing different pairs with different outfits. ‘My mum was very shocked when she saw my spectacles drawer,’ he admits. ‘I have this big case of spectacles that I’ve collected over the years, and at one point I’d thought I’d lost it, so I had to rebuy them – then I found the original case, so I have double.’
And they don’t need to be expensive – he has a tendency to break frames, so he’s a big fan of French brand Izipizi, which sells reading glasses from £35. ‘If you have to wear spectacles, it’s such a wonderful way of changing your look,’ he says. ‘I get the lenses replaced with my prescription, so if I break the frame, I have a few spare ones that I can pop the prescription lenses into.’
Although Strauss isn’t shy about injecting some colour and fun into his wardrobe, it never reads as OTT, and that’s an important lesson to borrow from too. ‘I feel out of place if I have to wear something that I feel is not me,’ he says. ‘I like my individuality.’
Five personal style rules
Lean towards the classic
‘Classic is something you have to establish and learn over time. If you’re just trend-led, it disguises your personality.’
Be yourself
‘Don’t dress how you think you want to look; instead, start from within. It gives me confidence and means I always feel comfortable in my own skin.’
Dress for the occasion
‘There’s nothing more annoying than going to an event and one person didn’t make an effort. It’s disrespectful. You can have your own style, but it needs to fit the occasion.’
Invest in forever pieces
‘In 2004 I popped into Alexander McQueen and was persuaded to buy a beautiful suit. I don’t know how long it took to pay off but I still have it.’
Adapt to the weather
‘In DC in summer it’s hot and muggy, so I stopped wearing certain things I wore in London because they just stick to you.’
Shop Jacu’s look
Blazer, £1297, Giuliva Heritage
Knitted cotton T-shirt, £93, The Anthology
Cupro trousers, £395, King & Tuckfield
Leather and rattan penny loafer, £260, Duke + Dexter
Reading glasses, £35, Izipizi
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