This story originally appeared on the Gents Cafe Newsletter. You can subscribe here.
Meet Mr. David Darke (@daviddarke) from Bristol, UK, co-founder and Operation Director at full-service web agency.
David, how do you define your style?
Being part of the tech industry, where the dress code is jeans and a hoody, it doesn’t take a lot to ‘dress smart’. I strive to push against those standards.
What does it mean for you to be a Modern Gentleman?
To me, being a gentleman, modern or not, boils down to how you treat others. Respecting and granting time to people for listening and learning while in the same instance being conscious of the work you leave behind for others.
On a day-to-day basis, I try to represent this by how I listen to interact with my team. Never assuming I have the right answers, I want to hear and understand other points of view.
When it comes to style, where do you mostly get your inspiration from?
I truly love Instagram and get a lot of ideas from there. For instance, @flannels_and_tweed has been a great inspiration for me.
What’s your personal style signifier?
Not one thing in particular, however the majority of the suit jackets I own are in a lightweight, unstructured Italian cut rather than a heavier, traditional English style. I generally “run hot”, so I would much rather wear a lighter suit and layer up than something too heavy.
What are your favorite wardrobe essentials?
A Fox Brothers X WM Brown Project Negroni Fannel suit.
What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
My hobbies usually involve working on improving a skill. I’m fascinated by coffee and particularly espresso. It’s a challenging art to master, so working through the trial and error of creating consistent, great tasting shots has been very satisfying.
Gear: Lelit Mara X
I’ve always loved to cook and recently made the leap and purchased a Kamado-style ceramic grill. I’ve enjoyed the learning process that comes with cooking over fire (and in the outdoors in general).
Gear: Kamado Joe Classic III
I have played the guitar since I was a teenager but it’s only in the last few years that I’ve focussed on improving my technique and it’s made such a difference.
Gear: ESP LTD James Hetfield Snakebyte in Snow White
Photography’s something I’ve always dabbled in. Over the next few years, I really want to get into more street/urban style photography.
Gear: Sony Alpha IV
What does your ideal Sunday look like?
Relaxed and based around a big lunch, preferably boozy. I’ve recently become a father for the first time so I’m looking forward to forming new traditions with the little one as he grows.
Describe an interesting trip you have taken and tell us and what’s the next destination on your bucket list.
My wife and I spent several weeks in Canada on a slow road trip for our honeymoon. Starting in Calgary and ending in Vancouver while passing through Banff and Jasper National Parks. The lakes and general beauty of the region is awe-inspiring.
Planning on exploring some of Italy next year (have to hold out due to the little one). It was very difficult to watch Stanley Tucci’s recent series “Searching for Italy” without buying a plane ticket immediately. I’d also love to return to Canada to visit some of the other national parks and lakes.
Tell us what can never be missing in your liquor cabinet.
The holy trinity: Campari, Gin and Vermouth Rosso.
Never miss a story – subscribe now to the Gents Cafe Newsletter, a bite-sized read about men’s lifestyle to enjoy over a coffee or a nice cocktail.