HAWKESHAW CONSULTING IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE APPOINTMENT OF CHINESE OLYMPIAN ALEX HUA TIAN AS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR GIEVES & HAWKES
At the age of just 18, Alex Hua Tian represented China at the Beijing Olympic Games, becoming the youngest rider ever to compete in the demanding discipline of three day eventing. Today, Alex is the only Chinese rider to compete at the highest level of international eventing.
24 year old Alex Hua Tian grew up in Beijing and Hong Kong and then moved to Britain to study at Eton. His natural passion and talent for equestrian sports were evident from an early age; he received special permission to compete as an adult when just 13. Now aged 24 and based in Cheshire, England, he has a stable of talented young horses that he is preparing for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
When he was 16, Alex’s father, Hua Shan, brought him to the Gieves & Hawkes’ flagship store at No.1 Savile Row, London to buy his first suit and Alex has been a devoted fan ever since. Gieves & Hawkes, founded in 1771 and one of the oldest bespoke tailoring companies in the world, is the epitome of elegant British tailoring and perfectly reflects the skill and heritage of three day eventing. Gieves & Hawkes is renowned for dressing legendary figures including the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Lord Nelson, Sir Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Mikahail Gorbachev and Bill Clinton. On his appointment as a Brand Ambassador for the house, Alex explains:
“My father instilled in me the understanding that it is the heritage and quality of their tailoring that makes Gieves & Hawkes so special. While wearing their clothes, one is conscious of following in the footsteps of great men and maintaining a tradition for understated British elegance. I am deeply honoured to represent such a wonderful brand”.
On the announcement Gieves and Hawkes’ Creative Director Jason Basmajian comments;
“Alex’s charm and sophistication are all a perfect fit with the values of Gieves and Hawkes. His love for the brand is genuine and began long before we met. We are very proud to dress such an accomplished and elegant young man”.
Alex will appear in the new Gieves and Hawkes film showcasing the spring / summer 2014 collection, shot on location on Lake Como by twice Oscar nominated British film director, Mike Figgis. The commercial will première in February 2014 to coincide with the start of the Chinese Year of the Horse. Stills from the advertising campaign, shot by Testino protégé, Eddie Wrey, will appear in spring 2014.