Mark Cho

Born in the UK, Mark Cho has been a lover of classic styling since he was a teenager. In 2010, that prompted him to shake up the men’s style scene in Hong Kong by co-founding sophisticated gentleman’s outfitter The Armoury with fashion entrepreneur Alan See.

The Armoury specialises in menswear and accessories from a specially selected range of extremely high-quality suppliers who adhere to values of traditional craftsmanship. It also has its own brand, and features an extensive bespoke offering, as well as collaborating with other brands; its shops also regularly host visits from stars of the bespoke tailoring world.

The retailer’s flagship location is in the high-end Pedder Arcade in Central, which Cho also created, and which also houses his Armoury Study cigar lounge. The company has another Hong Kong outlet, in the Landmark, and opened a New York store in 2013; it now has two, in Tribeca and the Upper East Side.

In addition to The Armoury, Cho is the co-owner of Drake’s in London, a maker and retailer of men’s accessories and shirts that is mainly famous for its ties, with a retail space on the legendary Savile Row; it also has outlets in New York and Seoul. He took over the company from founder Michael Drake when he retired in 2010.

Cho, who previously worked in the banking industry, originally wanted to be a womenswear designer. He is an enthusiastic watch collector who has even launched his own idiosyncratic campaign to persuade watchmakers to make smaller dials. The Armoury has produced two watch collections, in partnership with independent watchmakers H Moser & Cie and Naoya Hida. In 2023, he raised more than HK$12 million from selling much of his personal collection at a Phillips auction.