Slimmer, sleeker, darker, stronger

HONG KONG — Last weekend, I helped my brother shop for a suit. I had just finished reading the cover story of Hypebeast’s Archetype Issue on fashion’s Prince of Darkness Hedi Slimane, and was more than inspired to convert a willing victim into a member of the Church of Slim –– longer, semi-tuxedo suits cut close to the body, cigarette-trim pants and darkness all around. But alas, he wanted to be “pimped out.” Clearly, Hedi was not his peg. So I pinned a photo of Pharell rapping in a skinny suit to the Pinterest board in my head for the five whole hours that we had to shop. Fresh from a visit to G2000 stores in Hong Kong, where the brand was born and raised, I had more than enough boards mentally pinned to find a decent ensemble.

The G2000 stores in Hong Kong proved that this quiet revolution that has stirred corporate dressing has leaped from the pages of magazines and into actual stores. No one wants to look like, as my brother says, “an old businessman” anymore, and the new fall collection as well as the stores’ new looks address this new need. The branches in Manila, which are in the East Wing of Shangri-La Mall and Robinsons Magnolia, are not far behind –– some pieces of the autumn/winter collection, represented by warm jewel tones with neutrals as anchor items, are already available. The two branches we visited in Hong Kong, though, have fully-embraced the new image of G2000 through the Wardrobe and Lifestyle concepts.

G2000 has been around since 1980 and the brand is known for sticking to its strictly young-corporate aesthetic, but recently its stores and new collections have been seeping with freshness and a more relaxed, even cooler vibe. I would have never expected to see a suit with a super narrow lapel, or a trench coat made of chiffon, or cherry red cape at a G2000 store, but there were plenty of these and more at their branches in APM Millennium City in Kwun Tong and New Town Plaza in Sha Tin.

In an interview with G2000 founder Michael Tien, who visited Manila just last month for the opening of the G2000 flagship store in Shangri-La Mall, he said, “Back in the ‘80s, there was a lot of casual wear, a lot of competition. We decided to focus on work wear because there were a lot of young people who needed to look presentable. The mission was to help young people who are struggling in their first few jobs to look good without paying too much so they can spend their money on other things.” With this at its core, the brand grew popular with the working set and built 50 branches in Hong Kong without making major changes with its product line.

He even told me that the shirt he was wearing then was the same design G2000 has been making for the past decade and a half. “We have 16 colors that we’ve changed every six months for the last 15 years,” he said. Call it stubborn, but this formula has worked in favor of the brand as more fashion-forward labels invaded malls. G2000 provides a steady stream of reliable staples that are made for mixing and matching and designed to last. It captured a loyal following of twenty- and thirtysomethings who, Tien said, eventually graduate to more expensive brands when they get their first big promotion –– however, there is always a new batch of bright young things in need of dependable clothes, and this is the brand’s advantage.

Lifestyle Concepts

G2000 at APM Millennium City in Kwun Tong features the Wardrobe concept, which gives it a more polished, sophisticated version of previous G2000 layouts. There is a balance of cool and warm with black shelving and wood furnishing, which creates a space that invites customers to stay longer. The lighting is flattering –– not too bright, not to dim, and presents the colors on the clothes accurately. There are enough mirrors for those who don’t want to bother with queuing for the dressing rooms, which are also worth seeing, by the way. Interspersed with racks of clothes are lifestyle photographs, décor and live plants.

The branch at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, meanwhile, features the Lifestyle concept, which is a lot brighter, more spacious and has more sheen. Lacquered white shelving, metal accents and LED signs that identity the women’s and men’s sections make it easy to navigate. Compared to the Wardrobe concept, which features spaces that draw customers to key pieces from the collection, the White concept at G2000 New Town Plaza has items neatly spread out and easy to find in one scan. The newer Wardrobe concept will be applied to the next G2000 branch opening in Robinsons Galleria very soon.

For now, at the branches we have in Manila, we get the best of both worlds –– there are thematic spaces that feature coordinated pieces, as well as wide-open areas that give customers a good view of the merchandise. The development of new concepts reintroduces G2000 as a lifestyle brand that not only carries reliable work wear, but also fashionable pieces for men and women that range from formal to weekend wear. The brand is now also more adventurous when it comes to fabric and design, but don’t expect cropped tops or bedazzled sweaters –– its aesthetic remains minimal, but it now uses fabrics that are not commonly used for corporate wear, such as breathable, lightweight materials for suits, and breezy fabrics for women’s jackets. The designs for men’s shirts, suits and pants are a lot slimmer, while designs for women feature more solid colors and details like bejeweled collars, accent buttons and texture blocking.

The autumn/winter collection, in particular, is a feast of jewel tones –– tan, mustard and camel as well as grays and lots of black are the anchor hues of the G2000 women’s collection, with accents of navy, cherry red, deep green and fuchsia. The men’s collection has a wide range of suits, which at first look the same until they are fitted –– as Tien said, rarely does G2000 follow trends, so you wouldn’t see purple suits in the store. Instead, the brand experiments with cuts, designs and fabric, and these are things better experienced on the body than just seen on the rack.

Ed Dizon, group brand manager for Robinsons Specialty Stores Inc., the exclusive distributor of G2000 Hong Kong in the Philippines, said they’re bringing in a lot of exciting pieces from the collection to Manila. “There’s a chiffon trench coat that we’re bringing in for women, as well as a lot of new cuts of suits for men. We’re bringing in fall pieces that are not too warm for our climate, pieces that are still wearable,” he said. Mina Quizon, general manager of RSSI, like a real woman of fashion, added, “It’s so cold at offices anyway, so wearing a cape or a thin coat is acceptable now.”

Whatever look we’re going for, whether mystery or swagger, ladylike or bossypants, minimalist or over-the-top, we’ll always need basics. In terms of suit dressing, the rules have changed with the rise of variety and the revelation of new cuts. The silver three-piece ensemble that I most associate with Sean Combs circa J.Lo. has been replaced by slim pieces in darker colors. With the blinding metallics out of the way, corporate dressing for men has realigned itself with its subdued roots, but has adopted a sleek, modern silhouette –– a look that Hong Kong brand G2000 has mastered for years. As the brand starts to grow in the Philippines, we get to see G2000 transition into a sleeker, darker, stronger look, much like the suit is morphing from a basic piece of clothing into an article of fashion.

* * *

Robinsons Specialty Stores Inc. is the exclusive franchisee of G2000 in the Philippines. Its flagship store is located at the 4th Level, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing. It also has a branch in Robinsons Magnolia and soon in Robinsons Galleria.