Penned by our co-founder Buzz
When considering the essence of Silver Fox, I found myself searching for the quintessential figurehead—someone who truly embodies its spirit. I envisioned a person marked by maturity, sophistication, and worldly wisdom, exuding charm, confidence, and impeccable grooming. This ideal wasn’t just about appearance, but about a harmonious blend of experience, self-assurance, and grace. I had an archetype in mind, a vivid image of who that person should be and how they might carry themselves.
Paul Croughton, Editor-in-Chief of Elite Traveler and formerly Global Editor-in-Chief of Robb Report, has spent more than two decades chronicling the worlds of travel, style, and culture.
As a kid, I was captivated by the magic of magazines, and the name Paul Croughton quickly stuck with me. Watching the dramatic changes he brought to Robb Report, it was clear he had a rare ability to influence not just with his writing, but also with his cultural vision. He took what was once a rather stuffy publication and revitalised it—bringing in talented new writers and, most importantly, shifting the tone to feel fresh and welcoming for readers, making the stories both educational and inspirational.
That same philosophy is evident in his new project at Elite Traveler, a luxury lifestyle magazine distributed on private jets, and in some of the best hotel suites around the world, as well as private subscriptions. I remember him telling me that a good magazine — like a good collection — is like a great dinner party. You want variety, surprise, and flow from one course to the next. But it should spark joy and curiosity, and not follow the obvious path.”
Thinking back to our first meeting five years ago at the American Bar in London, I realised my choice of venue was accidentally spot on, given Paul at that time was based in New York and had just flown back to the UK. Now that he’s returned home and lives just outside the capital, it feels right that we’re meeting at Claridge’s x Dante—a setting that perfectly captures Paul’s dual affinity for London and New York. Claridge’s stands among the world’s finest hotels, and Dante, named the World’s Best Bar in 2019, is an old haunt of Paul’s from his New York days. It’s the perfect backdrop for our conversation, which naturally drifts between these two cities.
What’s the biggest difference between London and New York in terms of dressing?
There was a very eclectic sense of style in New York. I noticed quite young guys wearing very English things—tweed jackets with a Barbour over the top, country clothes in a very metropolitan city, in a way that it would feel a little bit too cosplay for London. But they had a very unselfconscious way of wearing it, pairing them with, say, white jeans, which gave it more of an Anglo-American twist.
I’d never worn white denim before I moved to New York — and I now have many pairs of denim, chinos, cords, in every shade from white to cream and ecru.
When I first arrived there, I was surprised by how rarely I saw men wearing tailored separates. This was in 2018, and the CEOs and readers I met would tell me they had a wardrobe full of Italian suits for the workweek, but come the weekend it was Gap jeans and Carhartts for mowing the lawn. There was a noticeable lack of that elegant, effortless “in-between” wardrobe. That’s where I see you guys bridging the gap.
Now though when I go back I see a lot of people in great tailoring, wearing it in interesting, stylish ways.
Whereas for London?
In London, older men tend to be more traditional, though often with a quirky twist. The city offers a remarkable blend of old and new—family heirlooms and vintage pieces passed down through generations are frequently paired with the odd contemporary addition. There’s a strong sense of heritage at play: a flannel suit, a vintage ring, a classic watch. It’s less about assembling an entirely new wardrobe and more about adding nuance and texture to what you already own. Taking traditional roots but constantly evolving it. And yourself.
What I find interesting about men’s style — mostly in the classic sense — is how little it changes over time. Consider old Hollywood films or illustrations from the 1920s and 30s: the proportions may evolve, but we’re still wearing essentially the same thing, particularly in terms of jackets, when we want to look polished and put together.
What’s more specialised with what you guys do at The Anthology is with colour palettes and fabrics, which can take essentially the same garment and transform it from something very formal to a piece that’s more like a cardigan.
The older I get, the more I appreciate tailoring, and the more fun I have with it.
Take the shadow stripes I'm wearing here: you can style them in very different ways—a white shirt and black knit tie, a sawtooth denim shirt, knitwear. I love their versatility, especially when made with a soft shoulder. Personally I find a more structured, architectural shoulder harder to dress down.
My dad worked in the City and wore a suit to work every day of his life. In my 20s that was the last thing I ever wanted to wear. I have never worked in an environment where I had to wear a suit or tailoring, but I definitely moved toward it, particularly once I moved out of style mags and started working at The Sunday Times. I now wear a jacket by choice pretty much every day for work, and I’ve been doing that for about 20 years.
Is tailoring “grown-up” clothing?
I don’t know if it’s grown-up, per se. I can see how some might get that impression, as it might be what their fathers or grandfathers wore. But if you look at awards shows and red carpets, you see twenty-something actors wear a version of a suit. You don’t have to look like an old man in a suit or jacket. You just have to figure out how to style it.
Tailoring is still a shorthand for quality and seriousness, and a sign of respect.
Let’s turn to your professional journey.
What is luxury today? How do you define it?
It’s such a difficult question, and the predictable answer is time. Most people would like to use their resources to free up more time to spend with the people that matter to them, doing the things that matter to them. Certainly, having lost both my parents in recent years, that’s now what drives me.
How important is taste in what you do, particularly with your work with high-net-worth individuals? How did you cultivate yours?
I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve always been able to write about and work with things I enjoy. In the earlier days of my career, I wrote about music, film and style, with brilliant, smart and funny people. It never felt like work. Now I get to focus on the best experiences, products and ideas across the world, whether it be style, tailoring, travel, cars, watches, art, design, food, wine — and the people and communities that make them. I’ve found that as my taste has matured, craft has become more important. My interests have become broader but narrower. You drill down more tightly on things you get obsessed with.
So, would you consider tailoring a luxury?
I think people find it challenging to separate cost from luxury. ‘Luxury’ is often equated with the most expensive option, but that’s not always the case. Quality and the experience around it is more important. In the context of tailoring, the process of working with a tailor to create a suit, shirt, jacket that is uniquely you, to think about how you want to wear it and what you want it to say about yourself, is a privilege I know people value greatly.
What is your vision for Elite Traveler?
I want it to become a cult brand—one that views the world through a lens of taste and beauty and that the most successful, sophisticated people want to be part of. I want Elite Traveler to be synonymous with showcasing extraordinary experiences and products, as well as the stories of fascinating people.
Building a community around that, not just in print and online but a physical community of men and women who can join together at gatherings around the world, is the next step. Bringing collectors and interesting people together for intimate events in remarkable, unusual venues, with wonderful food and wines, where they can discover new things — that’s sounds like a pretty engaging project to me.
Some personal questions on style.
How would you describe your style?
I favour relatively muted colours, understated. I would say “Understated elegance without being too buttoned up.”
Favourite cocktail?
Gin is my drink, so my favourite cocktails tend to have that as the root. I love a Gimlet, Aviation, Martinez, Hanky Panky… but my go-to currently is a Last Word, a prohibition-era drink that is equal parts gin, green chartreuse, luxardo and fresh lime juice. It’s strong, sharp, bracing and delicious.
What does this stripe suit say to you?
I like the laid-back formality of it. Pin stripes and chalk stripes had significant connotations of city boys in the 80s and Gordon Gekko on Wall Street, with a cutaway collar and braces. That’s not my vibe at all. This suit, though, feels cool and perfectly suited to the evening. You could certainly wear it to the office, but I think it really shines at dinner or in a stylish bar.
As we introduce our new “Obsessions” series for 2026, what’s your latest obsession?
I’ve been collecting vintage barware for years. I love the fact that nobody has ever made a cocktail in anger. If you’re raging against the world, you’d grab a bottle of whatever and drink, you’re not pouring out measures and thinking about garnishes. Some of my cocktails shakers are 100 years old and when I’m making a drink I think about all the people who have used it before, and all the fun it’s given people —and the stories it’s been part of.
But I’ve just finished renovating a house, and I’ve been researching vintage lamps and furniture, so that’s been taking up more of my time than it strictly should, I suspect.
It’s been a real pleasure having Paul as one of our longstanding patrons. We sincerely thank him for sharing such a lively and insightful conversation with us. Also special thanks to Claridge’s and Dante for letting us to take over the space for this shoot. It is their last few days of pop-up in Mayfair, London, till the 1st of January, 2026. Do stop by for a few drinks before the year ends.
As mentioned, our “Obsessions” series will debut in 2026, spotlighting individuals with unique and fascinating passions.
We hope you enjoy reading—wishing you a cosy and wonderful holiday season! It’s time to cocoon now.
