With their offices traditionally situated in the city’s Central district and neighbouring Admiralty, finance workers can usually be seen congregating at the IFC Rooftop Garden or SoHo on weekday late afternoons, enjoying a pint or two with their affiliates.
Goodbye, Hong Kong: celebrity hairstylist Kim Robinson closes up shop
Goodbye, Hong Kong: celebrity hairstylist Kim Robinson closes up shop
For outsiders, it can be a real sight to behold: a sea of young men in suits, who all look similar from a distance, chattering in a language many do not understand that involves stocks, numbers and charts.
While many are kitted out in expensive suits, designer loafers and luxury watches, their counterparts in New York City have given rise to a popular Instagram account, Midtown Uniform, which chronicles the Patagonia vests and uniformly mundane outfits worn by finance bros in Manhattan’s Midtown district.
There are in fact many different types of finance bro, each with their specific fashion nuances. With help from a source close to the industry, here are five Hong Kong subgenres to stylistically dissect.
1. The ultra-rich
The Post’s source says that Hong Kong-based hedge fund traders have a particular look: a bespoke tailored shirt with rolled-up sleeves and no tie, who stroll casually out of their fancy offices in Central.
“‘Hedge funds’ are guys with investor money, who sit in front of the Bloomberg terminal thinking about ways to make money. That’s all they do, make money for their investors by whatever edge they have,” the source says.
“They earn enough money to not care, hence the low-key but expensive look. Probably wearing a HK$20,000 [US$2,500] pair of shoes, too.”
Ever since Covid, which normalised working from home, some hedge fund workers have been dressing even more casually, donning polo shirts and comfy pants in some instances.
But not all dress down. Some dress in expensive suits and designer shoes, carrying posh key fobs, probably for their Lamborghinis parked at IFC.
“These are the client-facing people who make a lot of money for key clients in private banking or the UHNW [ultra high net worth] group. They can be seen popping HK$100,000 bottles of wine at restaurants or having dinner at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.”
2. The professionally dressed
Business and retail banking means client-facing jobs, but lower salaries – though they are probably still earning more than most people in other industries.
“This category would be wearing a suit-and-tie outfit, and are way more likely to give out cards to individuals.”
Then there are those who work in banks and financial firms’ IT departments.
“They’d be wearing shirts, lanyards and glasses. IT in finance is its own special trade, in a banking system that is very different from tech jobs in the outside world.
“They usually earn more than the regular IT officer, but perhaps less than other finance bros.”
3. The tech bros
Finance workers who are in fintech – where technology is used to enhance financial services, covering banking and securities – or cryptocurrency generally have a more “techy” look, meaning they are a hybrid of tech bros and finance bros.
“You can tell them apart because they’d be wearing polo shirts and sneakers from Monday to Thursday, as opposed to other finance workers, who’d only dress this way on casual Fridays.
“They usually look healthier, too, with a yoga glow.”
It was reported in 2021 that Hong Kong was home to more than 600 fintech companies, a number which has likely only increased since.
4. The overdressed (but for what?)
One type of finance bro dresses in three-piece suits – not the most practical choice of fashion in Hong Kong’s humid subtropical climate.
“There’s this expression, ‘fail in London, try Hong Kong’, also known as ‘FILTH’. These are the ones in large pinstripes and bright colours, probably fresh off the boat from London.”
But they’re not the only people in Hong Kong who dress like this.
“If they’re wearing loafers and a waistcoat, they’re probably just pretending to be in the industry for whatever reason – perhaps to look important or try to fit in.
“People that actually work in finance don’t take such dress seriously.”
5. The ones who’ve given up
Lastly, there are finance bros who look nothing like typical finance workers, but definitely work in the industry.
“A short-sleeved shirt, a backpack and stubble. They’ve been working the same job for 20 years and have given up.”
But of course, there is value in every job, and they are equally important as the other stereotypes on this list, acting as indispensable support to the entire industry.
