DRESS CODE
Berlin tailor Maximilian Mogg stands out for having a house style that’s unabashedly his own. We picked his brain on everything from the superior style of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond to the horse bit loafers he can’t quit.
How early do you remember being interested in clothing—and how?
I honestly cannot remember a time when clothing didn’t matter to me. From the age of three or four, I kindly asked my mother to let me choose my daily outfits instead of her doing it for me. Fashion and aesthetics have always been important to me, but a truly pivotal moment came when I was around fifteen. I bought my first vintage Savile Row suit and had it altered—I was always rather slim and “suffered” from extremely long arms and legs. Experiencing how a well-cut jacket could completely transform my proportions was a revelation. As I was so slim, I searched for a style that made me appear more athletic—and British tailoring offered exactly that.
How would you describe your personal style in two words?
Cheeky traditional.
If you have a uniform, what does it look like?
My signature look is a double-breasted lounge suit—cut rather long, featuring a slim waist, a roped pagoda shoulder and belly-shaped lapels—worn with wide, high-rise trousers. I pair this with our signature long tab-collar shirts—mostly, but not always, with contrasting collars and cuffs—a vintage tie, and a pair of black bespoke horsebit loafers by my friend Leonard Kahlcke.
Who was your style icon when you were young?
Like most boys my age, I was captivated by Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond—his suits first drew me to British aesthetics. Later, I drew inspiration from a mix of figures such as Fred Hughes, Alexis von Rosenberg (Baron de Redé), Bryan Ferry, and Tommy Nutter—all of whom understood the power of tailoring and personality.
Who is your style icon now?
I admire anyone who embodies authenticity through their dress—and through their behaviour, movements, gestures, speech, and even musical taste.
How often do you edit your wardrobe, and how?
Since I’m fortunate enough to have most of my classics already covered, I browse our fabric selection at the start of each season and stop at fabrics that intrinsically speak to me. Then I ask myself—and close friends—whether the colour and hue suit my complexion. Only then do I think about what to make of it: DB or SB, three-piece or two-piece, and what kind of details. As I cannot throw anything away—probably because I’m too emotionally attached—my wardrobe only keeps growing.
What’s your travel kit?
It depends on the length of the trip, but for business travel I usually bring one or two travel suits with an extra pair of trousers—cut from a dark tropical wool or something similarly resilient and crease-resistant—along with a few crisp shirts, a couple of ties, and one or two pairs of my beloved horsebit loafers, which work equally well with black tie or jeans. As a frequent traveler, I always pack light and try to stay at the same hotels or clubs so I know what to expect in terms of service and amenities. You’d be surprised how annoying a missing iron can be before a spontaneous yet important business dinner.
Is there an article of clothing you got rid of—but wish you’d kept?
I still have nightmares about having a vintage Ralph Lauren DB 6x2 tuxedo—a true museum piece—altered by a random tailor in Düsseldorf when I was still new to the game. I wanted the extremely full-cut trousers—something I’d love today—taken in ever so slightly. Well, I got very irreversibly slim trousers back. Lesson learned.
What would you never, ever part with?
Apparently, my black bespoke horse bit loafers—ask my cobbler. I’ve had them resoled, repaired and patched up so often that my cobbler sends them Christmas cards.
What style rule is worth breaking? Which isn’t?
Worth breaking: That everything must “match.” Perfect coordination is terribly dull.
Not worth breaking: Proportion, fit, and craft. No matter how good your taste, if a garment fits poorly—or is badly made—you’ll have a hard time looking the part.
If you had to buy from a single designer or brand for life, it would be…
Maximilian Mogg. Can I really answer anything else? But if I had to choose another—or if I weren’t doing what I’m doing—I’d choose any atelier devoted to craft, integrity, and silhouette: perhaps a Savile Row house or an independent tailor with whom I share rapport and taste. As for shoes, I feel in very safe hands with Leonard Kahlcke and Korbinian Ludwig Hess at my side.
What independent designer or store deserves more attention?
Samuel Gassmann—the Parisian jeweller of my choice.
What style advice would you give your younger self now?
Patience.
A P.S. from Matt:
I have always wanted a Maximilian Mogg blazer made for me, and on my visit to Berlin, they were kind enough to make that happen. I really like their DB house style - a bit more structure in the shoulder than my Neapolitan style ones and a touch longer in the body. We chose a tan Holland and Sherry wool,silk and linen blend perfect for spring/ summer (and a Roman fall quite honestly). I couldn’t be happier to add this handsome blazer to my wardrobe.
THE RECIPE
I love blue cheese dressing. I enjoy it with a chicken wing and celery, I like it on a garden salad at my favorite upstate Italian restaurant Cortese’s (where I always order creamy blue on the side with their Italian dressed salad), and I particularly like it on a romaine heart or iceberg wedge! I have experimented with many recipes—and I figured I had it pretty dialed in (using local butter milk as my secret weapon)—until I tried my upstate neighbor Kippy’s. I had it when I was invited over to her place and I was blown away! What was this creamy blue deliciousness? It had perfect acid combined with a great tang of the blue cheese and was VERY creamy! I needed this recipe bad. It did not take much persuasion thankfully, and now, if I’m on the fly and forget the exact combo of ingredients, Kippy texts it to me. It’s now our house favorite and the gold standard for iceberg wedges and chicken wings.
There are a couple things that make this superior—good blue cheese or Gorgonzola is a must, and the combination of equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise. I always avoided this in my recipe for some reason, thinking I could get all the creaminess from the cheese and buttermilk. Well I was wrong. She also adds garlic (she likes granulated but I use fresh) which brings the flavor to another level. Remember, this is not an exact science, so adjust the ingredients to suit your palate.
The recipe below is a text from Kippy when she was on the road!
Equal parts mayo and sour cream, a touch of red wine vinegar, lots of fresh cracked pepper, granulated garlic to taste then I shred at least half the blue cheese and crumble some. Dried parsley. I use a wedge of either blue or Gorgonzola cheese.
My modifications below:
Substitute one to two cloves of fresh garlic
Omit the parsley
For a large wedge I would use 1/2 a cup of each sour cream and mayo (Dukes’s for me) and start with about 8-10 ounces of cheese. Vinegar to taste. Season to taste. I blitz all this in a food processor. You can thin it out with a bit of water if you like, but I like it thick and a bit chunky—not so smooth. It’s also nice to have a bit of leftover dressing in the fridge for snacking!
Enjoy!
Great newsletter. And that Mogg jacket really suits you well.
Great jacket! And the recipe - can’t wait to try that one.