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Meet Dr. Ravi Kapadia (@drkapadia), a surgeon and entrepreneur living in Newport Beach, California, with a classic and timeless sense of elegance.
Ravi, what does it mean for you to be a Modern Gentleman?
I think being a modern gentleman goes beyond personal style. I think its important to have some basic skill sets in your armentorium, such as being able to change a tire, cook a meal and pressing your own shirts while being mindful and respectful of everyone’s opinion.
When it comes to style, where do you mostly get your inspiration from?
I really love the style of Ralph Lauren, Alexander Kraft, and Matt Hranek. My grandfather was a bespoke custom tailor and always made it a point to have his pants perfectly tailored with the hem hitting the top of his shoe and his shirts were always well pressed and tailored. Growing up, my father carried on with the same tradition and instilled those values in me. But it wasn’t just the way he presented himself, but also how he carried himself. At a very young age he taught me chivalry (letting a lady out of the elevator first), the importance of a firm handshake and to treat everyone with respect regardless of their socioeconomic status.
What’s your personal style signifier?
A signet ring with my family crest, a classic timepiece and loafers. I am even known for doing surgery in my favorite pair of loafers I have had since my residency.
What are your favorite wardrobe essentials?
Although my day job allows us to dress however we want, sadly most physicians now are dressed in scrubs or poorly-tailored outfits. I do not subscribe to this, I mean c’mon we are having people trust me to cut their loved ones open and fix them! As I was once told in my training, you have to look and dress the part. Growing up, surgeons were known to have a sartorial elegance to them. I always knew I wanted to be a surgeon from a young age and told myself I would keep that tradition alive when I became a surgeon.
So typically during the week, I am always in a tailored suit usually navy or grey with a white or blue shirt and simple tie adorned with a pocket square. I wear a lot of suits from Ralph Lauren Purple label and lately have been wearing Alexander Kraft’s personal line (Alexander Kraft Monte Carlo). However, on the weekends, I keep it fairly casual, usually in a linen or chambray shirt with shorts or white denim in the summer and naturally paired with Loro Piana summer walks or belgian loafers. For the colder months I trade the loafers out for Cowboy boots (tribute to my Texas roots) a cashmere rollneck and a Barbour waxed jacket.
What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
I really enjoy watches and a good cigar. Back in 2017 myself and three of my co-residents shared a similar passion, and to keep our text messages sorted, I quickly named our text thread while I was walking to the operating room, “Horology Homies”. We were encouraged to take this to social media and started our page @horologyhomies. Since then, the passion remains strong, we have become involved in RedBar and Watch Club Society and our good friends at Hodinkee featured us last summer as one of the top accounts to follow. And what better way to catch up with our group regarding the latest in horology than over a good cigar and negroni?
I loved it so much, that I had the opportunity earlier this year to be a co-owner of a cigar company, Oyla Fine Cigars (@oylacigars). We utilize aged Nicaraguan tobacco with long filler and currently have two blends in a corona and robusto cut. We are working on other blends that will be released later this year. The best part of this tobacco adventure is that its founder happens to also be my first mentor in surgery I met in 2010 in California, Dr. Jan Eckermann. It’s almost like my passions brought me back full circle to California.
What does your ideal Sunday look like?
My week can get a bit hectic with my day job so I really cherish my peace and quiet on the weekends. I really enjoy reading the paper copy of The Wall Street Journal while I drink my coffee on my terrace. I typically use the afternoon to read and prep for the week ahead and turn in for the evening after a nice warm shower and clean shave.
Describe an interesting trip you have taken and tell us and what’s the next destination on your bucket list.
Not necessarily an interesting trip, but when I was living in West Virginia I used to go hideout for the weekends in a small town called Elkins and used to stay at this amazing family owned cabin called The Forks Inn. The rooms had breathtaking views of the mountains, and downstairs was a restaurant. The owner’s brother is a former Michelin star chef who was trained in Paris and brings fine dining to Appalachia. It was probably the best mental reset I had. I am hoping to make my way over to Switzerland later this year.
Tell us what can never be missing in your liquor cabinet.
Campari, campari, campari.
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