-
- Ronnie McDonald Tiger of Sweden Menswear
I hover outside the Table Bay Hotel. My hands are clammy – from nerves not the heat. I’m here to interview Tiger of Sweden’s Ronnie McDonald (responsible for the menswear tailoring department). I’m a tad intimidated by all things Tiger, the brand – were it a religion I would bow down to it. I spot him easily; sauntering towards me, clad in black. We shake hands, order coffee and sit. He’s a jovial man – I like him immediately. Interviews pivot on the tedious: this is his seventh in two days. Pretty sure he’d rather be checking out Cape Town, I stash my notes and the exhaustive biography provided by his agent.
What’s your favourite party trick?
My spinning back kick to put out a cigarette… well, until I hit someone in the face!
Any OCD compulsions?
Does looking in the mirror count?
Biggest fear?
Boredom.
Grooming tips?
It’s okay to blow-dry your hair. Took me 20 years to figure that out.
Who would you choose to be stuck with on a deserted island?
My family… no, my yoga mat… no my Gibson SJ200 guitar!
What turns you on?
Sex.
Favourite saying right now?
“Chill Winston” – a quote from Lock, Stock & Barrel.
Favourite tool?
A hammer can fix just about everything.
What style item stands out in your mind as having had an impact on your decision to go into the clothing industry?
Mid-Nineties, the height of the Rave Era – a black leather collared top from John Richmond’s diffusion line Dazed, which once had the pursuers of alternative style in a spin.
Favourite item in your wardrobe?
Undoubtedly a black oversized overcoat by Robert Dicks that I acquired recently and wear almost everyday. I spent some time working for him in 1996. My two big loves were born there – tailoring and overcoats.
Best and worst part of your job?
The best part is undeniably getting to do what I love, being in an industry I thrive on. Travelling is also a major plus… I get to travel all over the world to the shows, fairs, mills… The downside? I miss my kids.
Favourite dish to serve?
Beef Wellington or a pulled pork sandwich NY style.
Have you ever used sex to further your career?
I wish.
Favourite movie?
I’m torn between Martin Scorcese’s black comedy After Hours and Roman Polanski’s The Ninth Gate.
Holiday destination?
Skiathos – instant spiritualty.
Favourite book?
Lanark: A Life in Four Books by Scottish author Alasdair Gray. He wrote it over a period of 30 years.
Car?
I’m a two-wheel man – and own my dream bike – the Triumph Bonneville Ltd Edition Black.
Style icon?
Gary Oldman – a tour de force on the big screen.
Sitting back I think to myself – Ronnie Mac Donald you’re quite a tour de force in the fashion world.
