Meet Scott Donovan, the men’s fashion guru bringing exclusive brands to the North Shore
Scott Donovan is the mastermind behind Life For Men, a Takapuna men’s fashion store pushing the boundaries of colour and style.
We sat down for a chat with him to learn the ins and outs of masculine fashion, and his top clothing picks for 2025.
Hi Scott, tell us what you’ve been doing here with Life For Men.
“Life for Men was established in 2002. I wanted to put together a store that really pushed the guys’ boundaries when it came to colour.
We became well known for putting together pieces with international brands, you know, Ted Baker, Hugo Boss. I wanted to dress the men with an international flavour, but at a local level.”
We’re keen to talk about the brands, but first, what is the store like, what’s the team like?
“We’ve always had a great team of people working in store. Lots of people know Wendy, she has been working with me for close to 20-odd years. We wanted to provide a level of customer service that hasn’t really been seen before in the menswear business in the North Shore, but also throughout Auckland and maybe New Zealand.”
What kind of customer service are we talking about?
“I’m a real stickler for dressing people to their colours. Hence why we would have a lot of colour in our store. A lot of men are quite shy of colour, and what we do is we change that thinking. We make them excited about coming in to look at their next outfits. And we go beyond the store with service. I do a wardrobe consultancy. We’ll often deliver certain pieces by car. We go beyond the limit of what most stores will do.”
Tell us about your top brands.
“For a long time Ted Baker has been a top brand and an exclusive for us, but unfortunately they went into administration. We’re now becoming the home of Boss on the North Shore, and Scotch & Soda.
“A Fish Named Fred has been a really good replacement for Ted Baker, it gives men the embellishments and excitement with the blazers they’ve been looking for. Then you’ve got R2 Amsterdam. Really simple shirting, great button detail and embellishments. We’re the home of Superdry, an English brand with Japanese influence, and the home of Diesel on the North Shore.”
OK let’s break it down. What’s hot with Hugo Boss?
“Boss I’ve sold for 40-plus years, and know the brand intimately. It’s a really sleek, elevated classic menswear collection. It encompasses the whole workwear including suiting. And the brand is evolving too, into a softer collection for men working from home, and travelling pieces that we’re really excited about that we will be showing in store from this summer.”
What do you love about Scotch & Soda?
“What I love about Scotch & Soda is it pushed the boundaries on fit and colour. Each piece is very individual, so you’re not buying a shirt in a colour that’s available in another three colours. They’re stand-alone independent pieces. They’re pieces that last in the wardrobe a long time, you’re not buying basics.”
You seem really keen on A Fish Named Fred. What’s the deal?
“A Fish Named Fred brings the fun element to the work environment. Amazingly comfortable fabrics, often in a themed collection. We’ve had the brand in store for coming up two years and it’s certainly been a leader in store. Each season collection is a different look.”
Tell us about R2 Amsterdam.
“R2 is a great, very clean, elevated shirt collection which is a brand I chased for 10 years to have in store. For the last 12 months we’ve had nothing but great success with it. Keep a look out for the R2 travel blazer that has hit our store. It’s a great piece, and we’d love you to come in and try it. It’s my top pick of the year.”
And Superdry? English-Japanese sounds like an interesting combination.
“Yes, it follows a Japanese vintage heritage with an English spin. Superdry has been a great competitor for surfwear on the North Shore for men. Great quality t-shirts, great soft jacketing for walking the beach, walking the dog, a great piece to wear to the movies.“
Diesel is a much-loved Italian brand – what’s new on the scene there?
“Diesel has been returning to its roots of the early ‘80s. It’s gone more premium in its jeans collection, along with footwear. Lots of bright leather sneakers. If you haven’t experienced the Diesel Jogg jean, it’s a great travel jean, one of our strongest leaders in store. Come and experience those, especially if you’re travelling. It’s a pair you’ll return to buy again and again. They are amazing, you would not believe how many we sell, and that’s a premium product.
Scott’s top men’s fashion picks for 2025
- R2 Travel Blazer – RRP $649
- Diesel Krooley 2032 Jogg – RRP $679
- Scotch & Soda Mott Chino – RRP $289
- Diesel S-Leroji Low Sneaker – RRP $599
- R2 Amsterdam Travel Knit Shirt – RRP $279
