These gents have style in spades. A closer look reveals the personalities behind all that panache.
DAVID HOFFMAN PHOTO COURTESY OF PENDRY HOTELS & RESORTS
DAVID HOFFMAN
GENERAL MANAGER OF PENDRY NEWPORT BEACH, PENDRY HOTELS & RESORTS, PENDRY.COM/NEWPORT-BEACH
It’s an exciting year for David Hoffman, the new general manager of the forthcoming Pendry Newport Beach. An integral part of the Pendry Hotels & Resorts family, Hoffman is toasting his 20th anniversary with the hospitality titan as he prepares to open its eighth property this fall. Guests can expect 295 rooms, the well-appointed Spa Pendry, a sparkling new pool deck and bar, and the debut of Clique Hospitality’s first O.C. restaurant, SET Steak & Sushi. “As we move toward the opening, we are also excited to introduce The Elwood Club,” adds Hoffman, who most recently served as the opening general manager of the award-winning Pendry West Hollywood. “The club will include a private restaurant, a pub with a golf simulation room, a cabaret lounge and a member boardroom.” Here, Hoffman details the style and grooming essentials that keep him looking dapper on the job.
IN THREE WORDS, I WOULD DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS RELAXED, CONSISTENT AND WITTY.
MY ULTIMATE STYLE ICON IS MY FATHER, WHO HAS SPENT 40 YEARS IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND NEVER MISSED A BEAT OR A TREND.
MY SIGNATURE DAY LOOK IS A STYLISH PAIR OF JEANS, A DAVID DONAHUE SHIRT WITH A VERSATILE FULL-ZIP VEST AND A COMFORTABLE PAIR OF WOLF & SHEPHERD SHOES.
MY SIGNATURE EVENING LOOK IS A TAILORED, IMPECCABLY CRAFTED SPORT COAT AND A QUALITY DRESS SHIRT ENHANCED BY A POCKET SQUARE, ALL MATCHING THE OCCASION AT HAND.
THE MOST TREASURED PIECE IN MY WARDROBE IS MY JEWELRY BOX. IT WAS GIVEN TO MY FATHER I N 1965 TO HONOR HIM BEING NAMED CAPTAIN OF THE LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS BASKETBALL TEAM.
A MAN IS NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT AN EYE-POPPING POCKET SQUARE AND A GREAT PAIR OF STANCE SOCKS.
FOR KICKS, I ALWAYS WEAR MY UNDER ARMOUR HOVR PHANTOM 3S, THE MOST COMFORTABLE ATHLETIC SHOE EVER.
MY MAIN GROOMING ESSENTIAL IS FINDING THE PERFECT LUXURY BARBER AND TIMING THE VISITS JUST RIGHT. A GREAT HAIRCUT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM.
MY SIGNATURE SCENT IS MIN NEW YORK’S MOMENTO.
MY FAVORITE WATCH IS A FOSSIL ME3161 NEUTRA. I WAS JUST GIFTED ONE, AND IT HAS BECOME MY EVERYDAY CASUAL GO-TO.
MY ULTIMATE FASHION SPLURGE IS A GREAT PAIR OF CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN DRESS SHOES.
MY FAVORITE MEN’S BRANDS ARE PETER MILLAR AND HART SCHAFFNER MARX.
THE TITLE OF MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY WOULD BE HA!SPITALITY: HOW I BRING FUN TO LIFE AND HOSPITALITY EVERY DAY.
THE FIVE THINGS LEFT ON MY BUCKET LIST ARE TO VISIT THE GREEK ISLANDS, GO SKYDIVING, ATTEND WIMBLEDON, TAKE A PLEIN-AIR PAINTING CLASS AND ATTEND A TAPING OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
IF I WEREN’T IN MY CURRENT CAREER, I WOULD BE A SPORTSCASTER. MY DREAM IS TO ANNOUNCE A GAME SEVEN WALK-OFF HOMERUN.
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRO DRAGUICEVICH
GEORGE ESQUIVEL
FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ESQUIVEL DESIGNS, GEORGEESQUIVEL.COM
Orange County native George Esquivel’s rise to fashion stardom began with putting his best foot forward. “I designed my first pair of shoes in roughly 1994; they were made for me in Baja,” recalls the founder and creative director of SoCal’s Esquivel Designs. “After picking up the first pair I designed, I was hooked.” Little did he know that top musicians, actors, athletes and business moguls would be equally impressed. “No Doubt was one of my first major celebrity clients,” says Esquivel, who cites being a finalist in the 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund as a catalyst to propelling his brand to international recognition. “The hot pink bubblegum boots that Gwen Stefani made famous were by us.” From there, his client list grew to include everyone from Guns ’N’ Roses and Nine Inch Nails to Lebron James and DeAndre Jordan to The Rock, Brad Pitt and Elon Musk, among many others. His famous footwear has also graced the big and small screens across Friends, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Drew Carey Show, G.I. Joe and Green Lantern. Next, the visionary will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by reimagining New Balance’s iconic 550 sneakers for a giveaway in partnership with Shoe Palace. Sole mates, indeed.
I WOULD DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CASUAL SOPHISTICATION.
THIS FALL, THE LOOK I WILL BE WEARING MOST IS UNLINED BLAZERS. I HAVE A FEW ON ORDER BY ATELIER MUNRO FROM GARYS AT FASHION ISLAND.
A MAN IS NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT AN AMAZING PAIR OF BOOTS OR SHOES—EVEN BETTER IF THEY ARE FROM US.
MY SIGNATURE SCENT IS LE LABO LABDANUM 18.
MY FAVORITE WATCH IS A SEIKO DIVER’S WATCH THAT WAS GIFTED TO ME IN 1989 BY MY NOW-WIFE. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY OBSESSION WITH WATCHES.
MY ULTIMATE FASHION SPLURGE WOULD BE AN ENTIRE BESPOKE CLOSET. IT WOULD BE A DREAM TO DESIGN EVERY PIECE OF MY WARDROBE.
THE FIVE THINGS LEFT ON MY BUCKET LIST ARE AN AFRICAN SAFARI, SPEAKING THREE TO FOUR LANGUAGES, LEARNING TO FLY A PLANE, TAKING THREE MONTHS OFF FROM WORK TO TRAVEL, CHARTERING A SUPERYACHT FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND TRAVELING AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
IF I WEREN’T IN MY CURRENT CAREER, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A CRAFTSMAN IN WOODWORKING OR A FIREFIGHTER.
PHOTO BY LUIS GUILLÉN
JEFF LEE
CEO, DIBS BEAUTY, DIBSBEAUTY.COM
It’s a beautiful life for DIBS Beauty CEO Jeff Lee, a Newport Beach native who’s helped the booming cosmetics brand grow more than 450% in its second year and earn the ultimate luxury seal of approval with an investment from L Catterton, LVMH’s private equity partner. Known for its vegan and cruelty-free makeup— including that Insta-famous Status Stick Highlighter— Lee co-founded DIBS after honing his business skills as a Wall Street attorney and as COO of baseball champion Alex Rodriguez’s ARod Corp. Degrees from Stanford University and Yale Law School have equally boosted Lee’s status—he regularly teaches and lectures at Ivy Leagues ranging from Wharton to Harvard. There’s also his love for fitness (he’s a NASM-certified personal trainer), mentoring others (he’s coached numerous Miss Universe and Miss World competitors), and philanthropy (he sits on the Director’s Alumni Cabinet for the Stanford Humanities Center and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations). These days, though, Lee has his eyes on the prize. “I’m excited to keep building out the DIBS Beauty team in Orange County,” he shares. “I’m a Newport Beach native, but I never realized growing up here that between PCH and the 405 is one of the biggest talent pools for the beauty industry.” Now that’s calling dibs.
I WOULD DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS INTENSELY FITTED.
MY ULTIMATE STYLE ICON IS SUCCESSION’ S KENDALL ROY.
THIS FALL, THE LOOK I WILL BE WEARING MOST IS MONOCHROMATIC. I ’M AT MANY PHOTOSHOOTS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, WHICH MEANS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING MAKEUP STREAKED ON ME AT SOME POINT!
MY SIGNATURE DAY LOOK IS AN ASRV TANK OR A RHONE SHIRT.
MY SIGNATURE EVENING LOOK IS A FITTED SHIRT AND THOM BROWNE JACKET.
FOR KICKS, I ALWAYS WEAR BOOTS BY THURSDAY BOOT COMPANY.
MY MAIN GROOMING ESSENTIALS ARE DAILY EXFOLIATION, AND I ALWAYS WEAR AT LEAST ONE COAT OF SUNLESS TANNER NO MATTER THE SEASON. I ALSO HAVE A DIBS PRODUCT WE PLAN ON RELEASING IN THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR THAT HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL—I CAN’T WAIT TO UNVEIL IT.
MY SIGNATURE SCENT IS DIPTYQUE L’EAU PAPIER.
MY FAVORITE MEN’S BRAND IS THOM BROWNE. FOR JEWELRY, I WEAR ONLY JOHN HARDY AND DAVID YURMAN.
THE FIVE THINGS LEFT ON MY BUCKET LIST ARE TO LEARN TO GOLF, CALL THE PLAY-BY-PLAY FOR A WINTER OLYMPICS, DRIVE THE ENTIRE COAST OF CALIFORNIA FROM MEXICO TO OREGON, APPEAR AS AN EXTRA ON A SHARKNADO SEQUEL AND LEARN TO SURF.
IF I WEREN’T IN MY CURRENT CAREER, I WOULD PROBABLY BE WORKING AT AN ATHLEISURE BRAND OR STILL BE A WALL STREET LAWYER. IT’S A TOSS-UP.
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