Daks don't dance

Classic British style descended like a London fog on Siam Paragon last Wednesday as clothing label Daks celebrated 115 years in business with an anniversary fashion show.

"Why have we lasted 115 years? Because of the quality, the image of the brand," explained Daks (Thailand) vice president Prapan Juengpattapong.

The label began in 1804 when Simeon Simpson opened a tailoring shop in London and his smartly cut trousers quickly became popular.

When the company moved into ready-to-wear apparel, Simpson took the first and last letters of the phrase "daddy slacks" to create the brand name that endures today.

Wednesday's presentation at Paragon showcased a traditional look that wouldn't have seemed wholly out of place in Simpson's day.

A coed cohort of models including Rujira Chueykuer showed a collection heavy on leather accessories, with shirts bearing Daks' camel-and-black check pattern.

For men there were handsome wool scarves, full-cut trousers and classic wool suits. For women there were stylish trench coats, cropped blazers and wide-brimmed hats.

Unlike similarly positioned labels like Burberry, Daks has resisted the urge to update its look.

 "Some brands try to make things younger," Prapan said, "but for us, if we wanted to make younger clothes, we'd launch another brand, because our customers still love the image."

This steadfast adherence to tradition has guaranteed an establishment following that includes Queen Elizabeth II, for whom Daks has made clothes since 1962.

"A typical male customer is age 40 and up and very established man," Prapan said. "He works in a company at a high level, and always likes to dress well."

The label has been particularly successful in Asia since 1991, when the Sankyo Seiko group purchased the brand from the Simpson family.

At Paragon, the Daks display also featured a number of limited-edition items, including Egyptian-cotton polo shirts featuring an anniversary check, a alligator-skin belt for men and an alligator-skin purse for women.

Prapan said he expected the Daks style - always timeless, never trendy - to endure for decades to come.

"Classic is not old or young. Classic is classic!"