Well suited

It's all about style for Tim Dobbs. Photo / Babiche Martens

As the director of the fashion label Working Style, Tim Dobbs does everything from working on design concepts with his creative team to store merchandising, to travelling the world on the hunt for great fabric and inspiration.

Dobbs and his brother Chris put together their passions for suiting and tailoring almost 20 years ago to launch the label and grow it to the brand it is today. Dobbs' taste for tradition and classic English style has helped inform the growth and aesthetic of the brand. He tells us what else he loves.

10 FAVOURITE THINGS

1. 1950s French lockers
I found these lockers in a little antique shop in Sanson in the North Island. They are incredibly heavy and were a mission to move into our house but they perfectly fit our hallway. They are inscribed with a badge stating they are from Lyon in France, dated 1950. I'd love to know what factory they actually came from; I bet they could tell some great stories.

2. Killer Queen book
Queen has been a favourite band of mine since I was a pimply teenager. This book is an official Queen collector's item produced for their 30-year anniversary. It's a rare find, with only 2500 copies ever printed. It's signed by all the remaining band members and even has the official seal of the actual Queen. (I'd love to know how they convinced her to do that.) I couldn't believe my luck when I spied this little piece of rock 'n' roll nostalgia in Paul Smith's Floral St store in Covent Garden, London. It seems to be full of amazing finds. I was shocked at the price but knew it had to be in my suitcase.

3. Vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Watch (circa 1940)
A truly special find. I spent forever searching for this vintage watch, eventually finding the model I wanted. I've had the watch completely overhauled at the official Rolex servicing centre in Switzerland - it's now in primo condition. The only problem is that it's self-winding, so it's made me late more than a few times.

4. New Zealand art
I love collecting art and have purchased some special pieces over the years. I mainly have New Zealand art. My favourite piece is Ralph Hotere This is a black UNION jack, probably because it is the first piece I ever purchased. I kid myself that art is an investment, but in reality you never want to sell it and when you do you're dealing with such a niche market.

5. Old Leather Chairs from Parliament (circa 1920s)
When I was living in Wellington I heard that all the furniture from the old Parliament buildings was being auctioned. I found these beauties for $400 each. They are the sort of chairs the old boys used to sit back in to discuss the important stuff. They are well-worn and have original turned legs. If you look closely, on the arms of the chairs you can see where some stuffy minister has picked at the leather, while mulling over some important decisions.

They are in need of a refurbishment, but for now they sit in another powerhouse of democracy - albeit in the minority cabinet - my man cave.

6. My garden
When we bought our Grey Lynn villa, we inherited a backyard which was not our style. It's still a work in progress, but we're working hard to get it the way we want it. Gardening is new to me, but I'm really enjoying it and happy to give it the constant attention it needs.

I did get a bit carried away with the lawn though. I ripped up the old grass, laid new seeds and as the piece de resistance I installed a professional sprinkler system. It was only after a rather frightening water bill that I pulled my head in.

7. Working Style tailor-made suits, by Eddie Von Dadelszen
Nothing makes me feel better than slipping on one of my tailor-made suits. I have a fetish for beautiful cloth and I don't usually hold back when having a new suit made. They are tailored by one of our key senior people, Working Style's creative director, Eddie Von Dadelszen. Eddie is technically trained in tailoring and design, and he has a superb ability to cut a beautiful suit. My latest suit has a gingham shirting lining and is made of ultra-fine cashmere - a knock out. Although well out-of-date now, my first suit from 1990 was a ripper. Made from a cloth from the Biella region of Northern Italy, it is a heavy pinstripe and in those days this look was bang-on.

8. My band
My mid-life crisis is all about rock 'n' roll, so about two years ago I started a band with a group of close friends. It's been a huge amount of fun and a great way to relax. We started off practising in our garage until my partner turfed us out for the sake of our neighbours. We did sound really awful and it was quite embarrassing. But, since then we have practised very hard and if you don't mind me saying so, are sounding pretty damn good. We play covers and it's a real buzz when we manage to rip a song off well. My favourite songs that we play are Nirvana, Smells like Teen Spirit; The Angels, No Secrets; and the classic 80s punk song by the Clash, London Calling. We have about 20 songs in our repertoire now.

9. Plinius Class A amplifier
This amplifier produces an unbelievable sound and is a joy to listen to. At "one" on the volume dial the sound is strong, powerful and incredibly clear. It is an awesome example of top-notch New Zealand engineering.

10. My bar
I have a very understanding partner and when we renovated our home she allowed me to put a drinks fridge and bar in our lounge. Although I don't drink spirits, I've filled it with good quality whiskies and gins as I have a dreadful collection of friends who love the stuff. When recently in London I purchased a humidor for the bar. Again, I don't really smoke cigars, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.