Power dressing: Ugo Colombo
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Ugo Colombo, 52, is the founder and chief executive of CMC Group, a Miami-based real estate development, construction and investment company.
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Suit by Alessandro Martorana
Alessandro has been making my suits for years. Either I’ll buy the fabric from him or buy the fabrics in London and bring them to him. He has my measurements so does the first fitting and then when I’m in Milan for business, I go in for a proper fitting. We’re all made a little differently, so by wearing custom-made as opposed to off-the-rack, I don’t need to compromise. I grew up in Italy with my father having all his suits made, so it’s tradition. Light fabrics are key in Miami with the tropical climate in the summer.
Shirt by Pavani in Milan
Once a year, I order shirts in batches of 12. But I always have a hard time throwing things away, so I end up having more shirts than I know what to do with. I stick with thin cotton in white or light blue. The same woman who made my father’s shirts makes mine. I have my initials monogrammed, but I never have a chest pocket. I also have my left cuff made wider to accommodate my watch. For me, it’s all about fine-tuning.
Tie by Ermenegildo Zegna
I own too many ties to count, and each morning I just look in my closet and decide what I want to wear with my shirt. Years ago, I would have said Hermès made the best ties but now they’re all so well made that I’m not stuck on any one brand any more. I liked this one for its width and colour combination. The tie is an expression of my mood – I just pick one and go.
Shoes by Mantellassi
These were custom-made for me by my shoemaker in Florence. A custom-made pair of shoes will last you a lifetime. I have a high arch so it’s also harder for me to find dress shoes that fit properly. On average, I have a few pairs made for me each year. Today I’m wearing slip-ons I’ve owned for about 10 years – partly me being a bit lazy. I wear a lot of brown shoes – brown suede as well – because it’s quite common to see men in Europe wearing brown shoes with grey suits.
Watch by de Grisogono
This is the Power Breaker model made in a limited edition. I’ve had it for about seven years and it was a present from [de Grisogono founder] Fawaz Gruosi, who is a friend. I have a lot of watches but I like how unique this one is with its combination of gold and brown gold. It’s not obvious, but if you look at its profile, it’s shaped like the front of a Formula One car. A watch is the only item a guy can wear in the same way a woman wears jewellery. I generally wear this during the day with more casual wear.
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