FANTASTIC MR FOX

'A celebration of classic style with a bit of cheekiness,” is how the Dubai-based designer Adrian Azodi describes his debut collection of fox-themed men’s accessories. “They’re a dash of cavalier irreverence.” Frivolity aside, his range of cufflinks, tie and lapel pins, created under the guise of Monsieur Fox and made by hand in the UAE, are a seriously impressive little haul. Aimed at the dapper dandy about town and a tribute to nature’s most wily, crafty creature, each beautifully crafted sterling silver or gold-plated piece incorporates a fox’s face, bushy tail and paw print. “They’re great conversation starters and a way to dress up without taking yourself too seriously,” says the suitably cosmopolitan Azodi. Originally from California, he moved to the Middle East two years ago, and has been working on Monsieur Fox for the past 18 months. Not only is this Azodi’s first line of accessories, it’s also his first foray into fashion. A graduate in business and psychology and with a masters in Middle Eastern studies, his previous job was at an oil and gas company in Muscat. But Monsieur Fox is no hobby. After introducing him to stores in the UAE, Azodi plans to show him to international buyers at the Pitti Uomo show in Florence next month and then expand into foxy scarves, pocket squares and leather goods. “Right now we have a couple of designs in the sampling phase with a silk house in Como, Italy,” he says. “It’s so beautiful there, it seems natural that they can make beautiful fabrics and patterns come to life in silk and cashmeres.”