Named after the prestigious men’s gathering place in London, Bucks Club is a brand new line of belts, shoes and bags produced by Giovanni Masoni, a native Italian who now resides in the USA. A reflection of Masoni’s own aesthetic, the collection marries traditional Italian craftsmanship with a sporty, somewhat preppy American heritage style. The brand is currently best know for its wide assortment of woven belts in a variety of materials that are ideal for those whose waist size may vary a bit according to the day (or hour).
Masoni recently discussed his new venture with me….
What is the background of Bucks Club?
Bucks Club is new, fresh brand that I launched in August 2015. I am from Italy and I wanted to bring the best of Italy and American heritage together. The materials are from the finest mills. We supply ourselves from the same mills as Tod’s and Loro Piana and other luxury brands with the rayon, wool and other technical materials. And the leather is all from Firenze and is vegetable chestnut leather that will only burnish with time and become more beautiful. We are concerned about keep our materials’ quality high.
But the belts are actually constructed in the United States?
Correct. I manufacture in New York City. It’s more expensive but I believe that if you want to have an American made product this is the way to go. Also we have a very short shipping time being here in the United States. The turnover is very fast. If the material is in-house we can guarantee a two-week delivery.
What are your different styles of belts?
We have many different styles. We have leather belts, elastic belts, wool belts, cotton belts and we have woven leather/cotton/jute rope belts. Woven styles are our strength. Our new collection is really going to be mind-blowing.
You also offer shoes. But those are made in Italy?
Yes. Florence artisans make the shoes and handbags. It’s another type of process so it’s like America going to Italy and me sharing the American spirit with an artisan who will make these amazing products.
What are your bestselling items?
It really depends on the customer. We have a belt style for preppy, Ivy League kids and then we have another for Southern boys and another for a more downtown SoHo guy in black and gray. It’s really hard to say. We have so many models and the belts are really our strongest product today.
How about shoes?
With the shoes we are keeping ourselves on the classic and timeless pieces. We have a loafer and as you probably know, Italians wear them without socks, but in the winter you can have socks. Now we are coming out with a very nice pair of sneakers with a great leather. The shoes have a vintage denim look. The sneaker will be available at the end of April.
Who is your customer?
Bucks Club is for a proper gentleman. It’s for the gentlemen who have no age. You can be a gentleman at 15 and you can also not be a gentleman at 50. It means having style. It means wanting to feel good and to be well dressed. Comfort and style are very important to us. Most of our belts don’t have prongs so you can fasten it anywhere you want in the elastic. It moves with your body and it is kind of new each day.
