“While there are countless jeans available,” Kraft explains, “quite often the choices are extreme: either high-end
‘designer jeans’ that cost a small fortune and boast lots of useless design gadgets, or they are cheap fast fashion
items, made in sweatshops at the other end of the world from inferior materials and under horrific conditions, both
from a human and an environmental standpoint.”
For Kraft, what’s already out there fails on the aesthetic front too: “Many jeans nowadays seem to have more holes
than cloth, or look like they’ve been treated with battery acid. And it is probably best to politely gloss over
super-skinny jeans that require shoe horns to get into, or Seinfeld-era inspired dad-jeans that are highly
unflattering even on supermodels and athletes. So I set out to create a pair of jeans that is made to the highest
sartorial standards, but is universal in appeal and discreet in its perfection.”
Aptly called ‘Perfect Jeans’, and made in Italy from high-quality, mid-weight Italian denim, Kraft’s jeans are slim
but not skinny; are mid-rise (thus avoiding the equally risible dad-jeans or hipster looks); are very comfortable to
wear and, simultaneously, flattering; have a pleasing mid-blue colour and a natural looking, medium fade; can be
rolled up, cut or shortened according to personal preference; and come with an array of small game-changing details
such as solid brass buttons engraved with the Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo logo, red pockets and lining (invisible
from the outside), and a small woven label inscribed with Kraft’s favourite Italian proverb, “La classe non è acqua”
(“Class is not built on water). Smaller sizes are available for female clients.
Meanwhile, when it comes to white jeans - a subject close to Kraft’s heart, by virtue of his days as a polo player -
the choices, Kraft says, have traditionally been even more limited: hence, his introduction to the Monte Carlo
collection of a pair that follow the same tenets as the blue jeans, and are made from the finest Japanese selvedge
denim (discerning buyers will, on receipt, immediately marvel at the red interior thread) and have a comfortable
weight, in keeping with white legwear’s polo traditions.
Two gaping voids in the market, then, admirably filled: but Kraft has also had other gaps on the menswear scene on
his radar: hence the introduction to Monte Carlo of the AK MC Chinos, which hit the sweet spot between casual jeans
and the more dressy trousers the collection already boasts. Cut from a high-quality cotton that has been pre-washed
for optimum softness and fit (and yet, surprisingly, they’re hard-wearing and machine-washable) the trousers’ slim
cut makes them as comfortable as they are flattering.
Moving upwards to the torso, the AK MC James is a denim shirt, available in a lighter or darker hue, crafted in Italy
from a super soft chambray cloth. It’s extra-long and finished with mother-of-pearl buttons. Devoid of breast
pockets for a cleaner look, the shirt has a slightly higher spread collar and ‘cocktail cuffs’ (astute readers will
have worked out by now which ‘James’ the shirt is named after). “This shirt is the perfect mix of casual-looking
fabric and elegant cut and details, making it the ideal choice for a connoisseurs who still want to benefit from
sartorial sophistication even when wearing an informal look,” explains Kraft.
Elsewhere, those who are enjoying the single-breasted PPJ (Private Plane Jacket) will surely want to invest in the
new double-breasted version to add a generous dash of nonchalance to their Summer wardrobe. Set to become the
flagship product of the new ‘Casual Elegance’ strand of Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo’s output, it’s made from a
wool-slash-cashmere mix from one of Italy’s most renowned mills and is completely unstructured. In short, it’s yet
another reason to get very excited about travelling again. On receipt, check under the collar and behold the
discreet embroidery of the Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo logo.
Also bolstering AK MC’s jacket repertoire are: a new summer jacket in a subtle Prince of Wales check fabric whose
linen/silk/wool mix combines the lightness, sophistication and robustness, respectively, of those three fabrics,
along with safari jackets in navy or greige with the requisite patch pockets and belt, but cut with a shorter,
slimmer silhouette than traditional models. Kraft’s unique sartorial interpretation has similarly been applied to a
new pair of Gurkha trousers in ‘café au lait’ cotton (they have a cleaner, flat-fronted look, a moderately enlarged
waistband and lengthened front buckle).
Expect more - plenty more - from Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo in the coming weeks, including tennis jackets, summer
cashmere crew neck sweaters, long-sleeved sartorial polo shirts, embroidered sweatpants and other luxury
sportswear.
