August 11, 2007

• How to Look Like a Fund Manager

  Wearing a suit and necktie from the same brand is a way to re-create that brand’s unique look. Suit, dress shirt, tie and bag all by Giorgio Armani. None but the brave deserves the fair, it was said in the past. Considering recent evidence the modern version of that adage might be: none but a fund manager deserves the fair. Popular anchorwomen such as Choi Yun-young and Kim Joo-ha are married to securities company workers, and there are rumors that celebrity Kang Su-jung is in love with a fund manager with a foreign securities firm. In the matchmaking industry, the value of finance workers is on the rise, thanks mainly to their image of being intelligent, chic and well-mannered, plus of course their stratospheric incomes. Here, some securities workers share with the Chosun Ilbo their secrets for getting the look. ◆ Ultra-luxury items The “fund manager look” is currently a major trend in overseas fashion collections. The high fashion look for men in 2008 is simply “hedge funds, hedge funds, hedge funds,” writes columnist Guy Trebay of the New York Times. To keep up with this latest trend, simple luxury style is not enough. For people who deal with hedge funds, ultra-luxury and even uber-luxury items are in. Everything from suits to sportswear to preppywear has become more luxurious than ever. Bottega Veneta and Gucci have introduced slim and sleek casual suits. Nike, better known for casual wear like polo shirts, has come out with jackets and suits called the “Wimbledon look”. But buying a full outfit can be pricey. Instead of changing their total outfit, many finance workers rely on luxury accessories from the likes of Montblanc, S.T. Dupont, and Hermes. ◆ Red ties with dark suits Navy blue is generally considered a calming and confidence-inspiring color, but for finance workers a navy tie is a major fashion faux pas. “We manage huge funds, so we have no choice but to pay keen attention to trends in global markets,” confided a finance man. “Since gainers on the stock exchange are marked in red and losers in blue, we wear red ties to please our customers.” Lee Yong-gyun, a consultant with foreign consulting firm Booz-Allen & Hamilton said, “I prefer dark suits to light suits since suits in light colors like silver and beige can look a little frivolous and don’t give the right impression.” In general, when people wear dark suits, it makes their faces look brighter and neater. Glasses are one of the most favorite fashion items among securities workers. Lee Jae-won, a fund manager with a foreign securities firm, said, “I’ve considered getting lasik eye surgery because of my poor eyesight, but people told me I look intelligent with glasses. So I decided to keep wearing them.” ◆ Analogue style, not digital Many people think all finance workers are armed with high-tech gadgets like PDAs and PMPs, but that’s not quite accurate. Sylvia Hwang, a stylist and team leader with Syso Communications, said, “Securities company workers frequently do business with CEOs who tend to be fairly old. I’ve heard those CEOs trust securities workers who jot things down in leather notebooks more than workers who use high-tech devices. In particular, fund managers love leather-covered notebooks or vintage-style briefcases.” (englishnews@chosun.com ) link: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200708/200708090014.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * what is the world coming to?  a guide to looking like a fund manager????  ladies, will you really perk up if you see the pictured dude strutting his stuff down the street?

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