Wear it your way - Mario

It’s early. The shutters are barely up, but Mario is already in full swing—steaming milk, flipping bacon, and shouting hello to a regular walking past the window. This is his place: Mario’s Café, a corner of Kentish Town that’s as iconic as the neon sign on the wall.

We spent the morning with him, moving between the hum of the coffee machine and the clatter of forks on plates. No script. No setup. Just Mario, doing what he’s done for years: serving up food, conversation, and a sense of place.

He’s wearing a ripstop overshirt over a knitted sky-blue polo, with a flat cap and his usual grin. Nothing flashy. Just pieces that work hard, fit right and feel like they belong. It’s the kind of look that doesn’t try too hard — but still says something.

“It’s all about rhythm,” he tells us between coffees. “Knowing your space. Knowing your people. Knowing when to talk, when to listen.” And watching him move between the grill, the espresso machine, and the front tables, you understand what he means. He’s not just running a cafe. He’s conducting it.

There’s an ease to Mario’s world, but that doesn’t mean it’s without effort. Every corner of the place reflects care. The blackboard specials. The mugs are stacked neatly. The patina of a well-loved countertop. This is the kind of character you can’t fake.

Over breakfast, we talk about London, about changing streets and regulars who’ve been coming in for decades. He shrugs, smiling. “You just keep showing up. That’s half the job.”

That sentiment runs deep in how Mario dresses, too. Functional, dependable, classic. The kind of clothes that can handle a ten-hour shift but still look good when he pops out for a pint afterwards. The Lyle & Scott overshirt he’s wearing has that same energy—hardwearing, familiar, quietly sharp.

And that’s the point. Style doesn’t always come from reinvention. Sometimes it’s about consistency. Craft. Being present. Being proud. Mario’s not trying to be anyone else. He doesn’t need to be. He’s already built something with meaning. And that, in itself, is timeless.

“We didn’t need to direct much. The shots came naturally. Mario poured a perfect coffee. Mario tucking into a full English. Mario laughing mid-sentence, surrounded by regulars who didn’t bat an eye at the camera. Because this is his normal. This is his stage.”

Mario wears: LW2204V_Z271 and KN2215V_W487