Enter The Emperor's Closet ... The Emperor's New Clothes

If there is one place where you would seldom find me, that place would be the menswear store. With the exception of unisex designer boutiques like Gucci or Hermès, I always hate being inside a menswear store.

Well, call me a menswear store hater or whatever you like but I always try to avoid entering stores where men shop because one, the interior and the ambience are too anal and does not evoke the urge to shop in me and two, I see more grey-haired guys than young ones buying!

However, there is one menswear store that caught my attention most since its inception last year and that lucky store is called The Emperor’s New Clothes or TENC.

A boutique best described as “a menswear store like no other”, TENC was founded by three men whom all shared the same yet profound passion in fashion – Casmad Sanuri (Memed), Ruben Emir Gnanalingam and Khairy Jamaluddin – and boasts an ambiance that you could not find in any other menswear boutiques around KL.

When I first entered the store, which was late last year, it was the interior – yes, not the clothes – that caught my attention.

Just imagine yourself being in one of those Ivy League frat homes - wooden fixtures, plush leather sofas and mahogany coffee table laid with glossy fashion bibles, and some antique artifacts to evoke luxury feeling teemed with relaxed lighting.

In addition, the pool table, which lies in the centre of the store, also plays an important role as one of the store’s attraction.

But the best part has yet to come. Unique interior décor approach aside, the other major factor that draws horde of fashionistas stampeding into TENC would definitely be its well-edited selection of clothing and accessories brand, thus befitting its quirky name.

Though it might be too long to list them all down, among sought-after brands carried by TENC include Antik Denim, Armand Basi, Citizens of Humanity, Earnest Sewn, J Brand, Mike & Chris, Project E, Jil Sander, Canterbury NZ and Helmut Lang.

Apart from that, Justin Timberlake die-hard wannabes (I’m referring to those who love emulating his style rather than listening to his works) will be enthralled to know that TENC also carries his premium denim brand William Rast.

A denim brand that runs slightly away from the clichés of other celebrity clothing brands, William Rast has garnered quite a lot of attention from fashion press worldwide plus a humongous following among celebrities and denim lovers alike. Even Justin’s ex-leading lady, actress Cameron Diaz has been spotted wearing William Rast a few times after the breakup!

Besides premium denim and designer togs, male fashionistas also can look forward to the exciting lineup of accessories and personal furnishings. Selling like hot cakes at the moment is the athletic Blinde sunglasses.

A superb brand of sporty shades sporting cutting-edge yet clean lines and silhouettes, Blinde shades, to date, have been seen shielding the eyes of Hollywood leading hunks such as Brad Pitt, Leonardo diCaprio and hottie-licious Matthew McConaughey.

Therefore, to experience what it is like to shop inside an Ivy League’s frat room or dressing up like an emperor (sans being humiliated in the public for being threadbare as in the ever-popular fairy tale), make your way straight to TENC today.

*Photos courtesy of TENC, William Rast and Blinde websites.

The Emperor’s New Clothes (TENC) - Lot 3.35, Pavilion KL, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur