Henry Conway: ‘I identify more as macaroni than dandy’
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‘Dress down’ isn’t really a concept in the world of Henry Conway. Not for him the creeping ubiquity of tracksuits and trainers, or – perish the thought – the sloppy slouchwear of the pandemic.
‘You’re never going to see me in a pair of jogging bottoms, let’s put it that way,’ says the irrepressibly flamboyant Conway, 40, who has steered away from the label of ‘socialite’ in recent years to work as a party planner and talent consultant. And as you’d expect from a fellow whose working day starts after dark, his wardrobe is more cocktail-appropriate than office-coded.
‘I’m an absolute vampire. I work at night, and I do love a bit of costume,’ he says. Today, Conway is in an immaculate pair of soft-fit cream trousers, sailor top and foulard (with fan, naturally), but this is relatively low-key for the man who once wore knickerbockers, vintage military attire and a cape for a Hallowe’en party at Bran Castle in Romania, the historic home of Dracula (there’s a theme emerging).
‘I love dressing up – I grew up in the countryside and we’d spend hours playing with the dressing-up box – and think it’s just good manners to really show you’ve made an effort. I’m a man with 17 capes, after all.’
It’s an approach that comes into its own in party season: ‘It’s a time of year when going for it is really celebrated, even for men who don’t normally enjoy the limelight,’ he says.
He doesn’t subscribe to the notion that he’s an out-and-out dandy, however. ‘I would describe myself as a “neo dandy”, I identify more as a macaroni [the Georgian precursor to dandies]. All my references are historical; I love The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough,’ Conway says of the 1770 portrait of Jonathan Buttall resplendent in a cornflower-blue confection trimmed in lace, bows and a frilled collar.
Conway’s look isn’t a wild departure from the Gainsborough fantasy; cloaks, 18th-century costume shirting and robes form part of it. Childhood trips to Morocco with his family – his father is the former Conservative MP Derek Conway – fuelled his love of ceremony and attention to detail.
‘My father was very close to the Moroccan royal family, and at one point we went to a spectacular banquet in the desert. I was entranced by the djellabas, the embroidery, the craftsmanship.’
Today he buys robes from a textile specialist in Belgravia who deals in richly decorative pieces from Turkmenistan, and nightshirts from Austrian label P LeMoult.
Capes are a matter of practicality over posturing for Conway. ‘My work involves going in and out of venues, meeting people, and I run very hot. A cape can sit on your shoulders and it’s easy to shrug off, and more freeing. And yes, I do like the dramatic nature of it.’
That said, there’s also a traditional British practical side to Conway’s attire; vintage pieces handed down through generations are repurposed for today. ‘My grandfather’s Crombie coat is from 1938 and still going strong. It’s like armour; incredibly thick material and all I’ve had to do is replace the lining. They don’t make them like that any more.’
The fulsome beard is a relatively recent addition. ‘I was going for “minor Romanov”. Why not, eh? Given the excesses of my life, I’ll be the first thrown to the dogs come the revolution. I might as well lean into it, darling.’
Get the look
Mackintosh cape, £765, on sale from Cordings; Antra Designs robe, £125, Wolf and Badger
Sailor long-shirt, £160, P. Le Moult; Jacket with fine pattern, £280, Hirmer
Conditioning Beard Oil, £48, Tom Ford
