My dear fashionistas, welcome to a new fashion story on the Mr.M blog. Copenhagen is known as a fashion metropolis where fashion knows no borders. During my visit to the capital of Denmark, I saw that the style of the locals is quite open and they don’t know the term understatement, while Tod’s suede jacket is a living definition of timeless elegance and understatement which is the exact opposite of the Danish avant-garde style.

This fashion story was born on the Nyhavn quay, in the heart of the Danish capital. Around me stood wooden sailboats, and behind them a row of brightly colored houses. In front of such a backdrop painted in brown and beige tones, my outfit seems even calmer. The contrast was not overly emphasized, but it was completely coordinated.

WHY THE TOD’S SUEDE JACKET STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT IN THIS LOOK

I made the decision about the main piece of today’s fashion story quickly. Tod’s suede jacket has the cut we’ve known for decades: dropped shoulders, straight front, ribbed collar on the waist and sleeves. This cut originates from aviation clothing, and today it belongs to the classic men’s wardrobe.

Color is crucial here. The warm drape shade is right between sand and tobacco. Therefore, it goes well with blue, white, cream and gray tones without any problems or efforts. None of those combinations seem like stepping out of the comfort zone.

Suede leather as a material, in itself, requires some courage. The surface absorbs light instead of reflecting it, so the jacket looks softer and warmer than smooth leather. Likewise, every crease remains visible. The material records movement, sitting and leaning on the fence.

That’s why Tod’s suede jacket feels like a living piece. After a few seasons, it takes the shape of the wearer’s shoulder. Smooth skin ages differently, often more evenly, but also more impersonally. For me, that’s the key difference. I like clothes that become personal over time. A jacket that looks exactly the same after five years usually means I haven’t worn it enough.

THE ORIGINS OF TOD’S: FROM A SMALL WORKSHOP TO A LUXURY ICON

The story of Tod’s begins in the Italian region of Marche, in Casete d’Ete. There, in the late 1920s, Filippo della Valle started a small shoemaking workshop in the family home. Even before that, the region had a centuries-old tradition of shoe making.

The turning point came with the grandson of the founder. Diego della Valle, born in 1953, grew up among molds and leather. In the mid-seventies, he traveled to New York with suitcases full of samples of his father’s production. There, he convinced the big fashion houses to entrust him with the production of shoes.

In 1978, he took over the family business and gave it a new name: J.P. Todd’s. The prefix disappeared in the late nineties, leaving only Tod’s. There are two versions about the origin of the name. According to an oft-quoted story, he found it in the Boston phone book. Della Valle himself claimed something else for years: he was looking for a short name that was easy to pronounce in all languages.

Over time, the house grew into a group. Under the same roof today are the Fay, Hogan and French Roger Vivier brands. The shares have been on the Milan Stock Exchange since 2000, and the family withdrew the company from the stock exchange in 2024. What appeals to me most about this story is the consistency. The house grew out of craftsmanship, not marketing.

WHAT DOES THE GOMMINO REVEAL ABOUT TOD’S CRAFTSMANSHIP?

No piece explains Tod’s better than their Gommino loafers. Diego della Valle designed it at the end of the seventies, after a trip to the United States. There he noticed the shoes of racing car drivers, with soles that do not slide on the pedals.

The result arrived in 1979. The Gommino has 133 small rubber studs on the sole and a completely soft upper. The name comes from the Italian word for rubber bands. The creator himself described them as gloves for the feet.

The detail I like to recount concerns the first commercials. Della Valle used old photos of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepber to give the young brand a patina of decades. The move was bold, and the audience believed the story.

Why is this important to the jacket in this story? Because the same logic is behind the entire clothing collection. The house starts from materials and comfort, and only then adds form. Antelope jacket does not have any decoration that does not serve a purpose.

The collar lies flat over the shoulders. Flap pockets sit right where the arm falls. The zipper slides without snagging, even when the jacket is half unzipped. You don’t notice any of it at first glance, but you feel it all throughout the day.

TOD’S TODAY: WHERE HERITAGE MEETS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

There is one episode that tells me a lot about the character of this house. In 2011, Diego della Valle offered 25 million euros for the renovation of the Roman Colosseum. The Italian state did not have enough funds for that work at the time.

The first phase of the works started in September 2013. Experts removed soot and deposits from the exterior facade by hand, using brushes and water mist. Work on the exterior was completed in 2016, and the monument remained open to visitors throughout the renovation.

Della Valle repeated the same explanation several times. He claimed that the project has no commercial goal and that he sees it as an obligation to his own country. The group later supported other ventures, among them the restoration of the hill that inspired Giacomo Leopardi’s famous poem.

I admit that news like this affects my attitude towards the brand. Buying an expensive piece of clothing always involves the question of value. I like it when there is more than just a logo behind the price.

Of course, no great house has a perfect history. Over the years, Tod’s has gone through disputes over signs and relationships within the group. However, the connection with Italian craftsmanship and Italian heritage remained unchanged.

TOD’S: THE DETAILS THAT DEFINE A GREAT SUEDE JACKET

This is the question that readers ask me most often. The answer starts with the hand, not the eyes. Quality suede has a short, dense and uniform fiber. When you run your palm over it, the surface changes tone, then immediately returns to its original state.

The next sign is weight. A good tumbled leather jacket feels lighter than it looks. The skin is thinned to the point where it falls down the body but still holds the shape of the shoulders. A hard and heavy jacket usually means poor processing.

Then I look at the seams and the interior. The ribbed collar must be sewn straight, without curling. The lining should slide over the shirt, otherwise the sleeves will rise with every movement.

Maintenance is simpler than people think. I use a soft brush and always go in the same direction, once a week. Water stains disappear on their own as soon as the material dries at room temperature. Heaters and direct sun are never an option.

I emphasize one thing in particular. The antelope does not like the rain, but it does not have to avoid it at all costs. A short shower will not cause damage, while an hour under strong wind and water will leave a mark. In Copenhagen, I therefore followed the forecast more seriously than usual.

HOW I WORE THE TOD’S SUEDE JACKET IN MY EVERYDAY STYLE

The rule I apply is as follows: the main piece of clothing, in this case the jacket, stands out, while the rest of the outfit complements the whole story. That’s why I brought a butter colored polo shirt under it, without a single visible sign. The jeans remained classic and dark blue, with a relaxed leg.

Tod’s suede jacket looks best unbuttoned. Two vertical zip lines are then visible, elongating the silhouette. When I button up only the bottom third, I get a slightly tighter look, suitable for colder mornings.

The length of the sleeves deserves attention. The ribbed collar should fit exactly on the wrist, so that it reveals the watch when the hand moves. The photos from the quay show exactly that relationship between the jacket and the watch. The color of the shoes holds the whole outfit together. Sand sneakers repeat the tone of the jacket, only a few shades lighter. Because of this, the eye travels from top to bottom without interruption, so the figure appears taller.

I would change only two things for the evening. Instead of sneakers, I would wear dark brown moccasins, and instead of jeans, I would bring classic cut pants. The jacket would remain the same, but the impression would change completely. This is precisely where I see its greatest value.

OUTFIT

Leather Jacket: Tod’s

Polo T-Shirt: Tod’s

Watch: Armand Nicolet

Backpack: 1900

Denim (Jeans): Missoni

Sneakers: Carlos Santos

WHY I CHOSE NYHAVN FOR THIS FASHION STORY

Nyhavn means New Harbor in Danish. The canal was dug between 1670 and 1673, by order of King Christian the Fifth. The plan was drawn up by the Dutch fortification engineer Henrik Ruse. The work was carried out by Danish soldiers and Swedish prisoners of war from the war that was fought from 1658 to 1660.

The purpose was completely practical. The canal connected the sea with the old city center near King’s Square. Ships unloaded cargo and fish there, so the area had a bad reputation for a long time. Beer, sailors and fights were part of everyday life.

You don’t suspect any of that today. The north side of the canal has a row of houses made of wood, brick and plaster, painted in yellow, blue, red and ochre. The oldest among them is number 9 and dates from 1681.

When you look more closely at the photos, you will recognize the inscriptions on the facades. Hyttefadet, Skipperkroen and Havfruen have stood in the same places for years. The latter name means mermaid, a sweet connection to Denmark’s most famous statue.

The south side looks completely different. Luxurious palaces are lined up there, including Charlottenborg. Since 1977, that part of the canal belongs to the museum port, so berths are reserved for old ships.

WHAT TRACES DID HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN LEAVE IN NYHAVN?

Hans Christian Andersen spent about eighteen years of his life along this channel. He changed addresses but never left Nyhavn. When you walk along the quay, you pass three houses that were his home.

The first bears the number 20. He lived there at the time he published his first fairy tales. The building was built at the end of the seventies of the eighteenth century, and today there is a commemorative plaque on the facade.

The second address bears the number 67. The house was built in the eighteenth century, and Andersen spent the longest period in it. And there a plaque with his name welcomes visitors.

The last address is number 18. The writer moved there in 1871 and stayed there until his death, in August 1875. Today, the building hosts visiting artists and scientists.

The bridge over the canal also has its own story. The first crossing was temporary, wooden, and was opened in 1874. The current bridge has been standing in that place since 1912. In several photos, I’m leaning right on his fence, next to a candelabra covered in stickers.

I love that the mix still works. One bridge connects fairy tales, sailboats and tourists with cameras.

HOW DOES MISSONI DENIM ELEVATE THIS LOOK?

The jeans I wear are signed by the Italian company Missoni. The cut is intentionally unobtrusive: high waist, straight leg and classic five pockets. The indigo is darker than most models today, so it goes well with the caramel color of the jacket.

A small coin pocket hides the surprise. Its interior is lined with fabric with colorful stripes, in turquoise, yellow, red and gray. That detail bears the signature of the house without any logo. The photo from the second part of this story shows it up close.

The story of the Missoni house begins in 1953 in Gallarate. Ottavio, whom everyone called Ty, and Rosita Missoni opened a small knitting workshop. They met five years earlier, in London. He then ran the final of the four hundred meter hurdles race at the Olympic Games.

Everything changed when they discovered the rachel system knitting machine. That machine made it possible to knit multiple colors in the form of a zigzag line. This is how the sign that the whole world recognizes, known as fiamato, was born.

The first big job came in 1958. The Rinascente department store ordered five hundred dresses with vertical stripes. They were the first dresses with the Missoni label.

HOW DID THE MISSONI FAMILY CHANGE ITALIAN FASHION?

The house moved to Sumirago near Varese, where the family built both a factory and a home. The windows looked out on the Monte Rosa mountain, which Rosita was particularly fond of. Colors from those slopes often ended up on knitted pieces.

They staged their first Missoni fashion show in Milan in 1966. The very next year, an incident took place that went down in fashion history. At a fashion show in Florence’s Pitti Palace, Rosita noticed that the models’ bras were showing under the thin material.

She asked the girls to take them off. Under the strong spotlights, the dresses became transparent, and the news went around the world. The house received huge attention overnight, and Milano started on the road to the fashion capital.

The founders handed over the business to their children in 1997. Ottavio died in May 2013, at the age of ninety-two. Rozita left us on January 1, 2025, at the age of ninety-three.

When I put on their jeans today, I think about that tenacity. Seven decades of work in the same place, with the same signature. That’s why I don’t see the hidden colorful pocket as an ornament. I experience it as a signature of a family.

TOD’S: WHY DOES A SILK POLO SHIRT CHANGE THE WHOLE LOOK?

Underneath the jacket I wear a Tod’s polo shirt, in the color of butter. It is knitted from silk thread, with short sleeves and two buttons. The edges of the sleeves and the bottom have a ribbed finish, so the shirt falls nicely over the waist.

Silk here does three things at once. First, it gives a quiet sheen that smooth cotton never achieves. Second, it cools the body during the day, because the fiber allows air to pass through. Third, it holds the shape of the collar without a single seam of reinforced tape.

The collar deserves special praise. It sits softly, but does not fall over the collar of the jacket. Therefore, the appearance remains neat even when I unbutton the top button.

The color is carefully chosen. Butter is warmer than white and much milder than yellow. With caramel suede it creates a gentle transition, instead of a sharp border. A white t-shirt would look rough in this place.

This shirt solves a common problem. Men in their fifties often choose between overly sporty and overly formal outerwear. A knit polo shirt falls right in between. It looks decent with a jacket, and completely relaxed with a jacket and jeans.

ARMAND NICOLET: WHO IS BEHIND THE WATCH BRAND?

I wear a Swiss watch by Armand Nicolet. The story of this house begins in 1875 in Tramelan, a mountain village in the Bernese Jura. Armand Nicolas, the son of a watchmaker, then opened his own workshop.

Already by 1902, the workshop was making pocket watches with great complications. One example had a rose gold case, an enamel dial, a single-button chronograph, a full calendar, and a mechanism that strikes the hours and minutes. Several such pieces are still standing today in the house museum in Tramelan.

The founder died in 1939, so his son Willie took over the business. Under his management, the workshop grew into a large manufacturer of mechanisms for other brands.

The seventies and eighties brought the most severe crisis. Quartz movements flooded the market, and many old Swiss houses closed their doors. Armand Nicolet survived thanks to reputation and cooperation with big names.

A new era began in 1987. Willi Nicola then met Rolando Braga, an Italian lover of watches. That acquaintance gave the house a direction that it still follows today.

ARMAND NICOLET A844AAA-AG-M9742: WHAT’S BEHIND THE REFERENCE?

The Armand Nicolet model I’m wearing belongs to the M02-4 line. The stainless steel case has a diameter of 42 millimeters. It comes with a steel bracelet with a folding clasp.

The dial is the most beautiful part of this watch. The silvery surface is decorated with the guilloche technique, so the light travels through tiny concentric lines. This is why the tone changes with each hand movement. In the photos taken along the channel itself, it is clearly visible.

It is a self-winding chronograph. Inside is the caliber SW-500 movement. Two small dials keep track of the elapsed time, while a date window sits next to the number three.

The case is protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The back is transparent, so the mechanism can be seen without any tools. Water resistance of one hundred meters covers all everyday situations.

What makes this watch special is the price-performance ratio. A Swiss chronograph with a guilloché dial and transparent back usually costs much more. A house with a history of more than a hundred years offers here a serious piece, without loud marketing.

With caramel suede, steel looks clean and calm. The silver dial echoes the tone of the zipper, rounding off the whole look.

1900 & THE GRANDE TEMPO BACKPACK: THE STORY BEHIND THEIR CREATION

The Grande Tempo backpack I’m wearing is signed by the brand 1900. Behind it stands the family company Manifattura Ceraolo Moroni, with more than forty years of experience. For decades, they have been making luxury packaging and leather accessories for major watch and jewelry houses.

The brand name hides an interesting game. The abbreviation MCM, written in Roman numerals, gives the number 1900. The heritage is thus written into the name itself.

The philosophy boils down to one sentence from their story. True luxury is not exaggeration, but balance, precision and attention to detail. Production is designed in Italy, and engineering is done in Switzerland.

I particularly like one detail. The metal parts were made exclusively for this brand, and they looked for inspiration in the watch cases of Gérald Genta. When you hold the buckle in your hand, that connection becomes completely clear.

The backpack model I’m wearing is called the Tempo Grande. It is made of grained leather, with brushed leather inserts. A distinctive detail is the angled zipper, which goes over the upper part of the backpack.

The interior is well thought out. There’s a padded laptop compartment, phone pocket, card holder, key hook and two pen holders. There are two pockets on the outside with a zipper.

WHY DO CARLOS SANTOS SNEAKERS DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION?

On my feet I am wearing the Lonnie model from the Portuguese house Carlos Santos. The upper combines suede in two shades of sand, with thin dark lines following the cut. The beige sole provides warmth that white rubber would never provide.

The founder’s story begins very early. Carlos Santos started working in the shoe industry at the age of fourteen, at the Zarco company in São João da Madeira. It was the late sixties, in a country that didn’t think about luxury back then.

The young man ran from the office to the factory to watch the shoes being made. Later, he traveled the world, visited fashion shows and bought expensive shoes that he never wore. He took them apart in order to understand the techniques of the great masters.

Over time, he became a co-owner and then the sole owner of the company he started with. Today, the house has more than seventy years of history. Daughter Ana and son Armando work with the founder.

The Lonnie model uses the so-called Strobel construction. Thanks to it, the sneaker is soft and flexible from the first day. After walking all day on cobblestones, I felt it very clearly.

HOW DOES THE COLOUR PALETTE HOLD THE WHOLE LOOK TOGETHER?

When I look at these photos, I see three color families. The first is warm and sandy: jacket, T-shirt and sneakers. The other is cold and blue: jeans. The third is dark and calm: backpack and steel on hand.

The relationship between them is not accidental. Warm tones occupy the largest area, so they lead the whole impression. Blue serves as a base that casts the gaze downward. Dark brown and steel work as fulcrums.

This approach has one big advantage. You can replace each piece without tearing down the whole. A white t-shirt, gray sweater or olive pants would fit in without a second thought. The backdrop played its part. The houses in Nyhavn are yellow, red, blue and ocher. If I had worn something colorful, the look would have faded into the background. A calm palette was therefore the only sensible choice.

There is also a practical reason. I travel often, and my luggage is always limited. When all the pieces share the same color family, I get five or six different combinations out of one suitcase.

WHAT DOES THIS APPROACH MEAN FOR MEN’S TIMELESS STYLE?

Over the years, I stopped chasing novelties. Instead I build a wardrobe that repeats but never gets boring. Tod’s suede jacket perfectly describes that mindset.

It has no expiration date. The same cut existed thirty years ago and will exist in thirty years. That’s why I look at the cost spread over many seasons, not just one.

I apply the same rule to everything else. A clock with a mechanical drive lasts for decades with regular service. A genuine leather backpack becomes more beautiful when it gets the first signs of use. Suede sneakers can be cleaned and refreshed.

There is also a quieter, more personal side to this story. When I know things are going well, I don’t waste time in the morning. I open the closet, take my jacket and go out. That simplicity is worth more than it sounds. I always give the same advice to men who are just building this kind of wardrobe. Start with one great piece of outerwear. You can build everything else slowly, around it.

COPENHAGEN: WHAT WILL STAY WITH ME AFTER THIS TRIP?

Copenhagen has a special rhythm. People walk more slowly than in Milan, and they dress drastically more conspicuously than in Paris. Their eccentric elegance rests on the material and cut, not on the brands.

That’s exactly why this city seemed like the right place for this story. Tod’s suede jacket doesn’t ask for attention, but it always gets it. It belongs to the same school of thought as Danish design: fewer parts, better materials, longer life.

While sitting on a stone pillar by the canal, I noticed something interesting. A few passers-by stopped to look at the jacket, but no one looked for a logo for recognition. People recognize quality even without a label.

If you’ve been thinking about investing in a quality tumbled leather jacket, take this text as a little encouragement. Pick a color you already have in your closet, try on a few cuts, and pick one that makes you forget you’re wearing something new. That’s a sign that you guessed it!

How did you like my outfit today? I really tried to prepare this post with lots of love and I hope you like it! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or messages for me, you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via e-mail or social networks, which you can find on the CONTACT page. See you soon in new fashion adventures on the Mr.M blog!

With Love from Copenhagen,

Mr.M

This post is sponsored by Tod’s, Missoni, 1900 (Manifattura Ceraolo Moroni), Armand Nicolet and Carlos Santos brands. This post is my personal and honest product review.