There are few things in this world as gratifying as a dinner party that seems to stretch on forever. The sort of evening that blurs into the early hours, one wine turns into many, strangers become friends. Particularly when the occasion offers an excuse to dress up, dust off a dinner jacket, bring out your favorite cufflinks. It’s exactly why this is the time of year we look forward to most – when we get the opportunity to gather a group of excellent men for a night of good food and conversation.

This year we convened in Toronto, making our way downtown to an institution, one of the city’s most esteemed restaurants: Barberian’s Steak House. Full of warm timber and white tablecloths, entering feels like you’ve been transported to another time. Local style advisor Vince had suggested the private dining room there. Upon walking into the beautiful cellar, walls stacked with over 15,000 wine bottles, a glass chandelier at the center, we were glad he did. We welcomed fourteen guests – some old friends, some new, and a couple from our own team – each dressed in their own black-tie attire curated specially for the event. Looking around the long table, we were filled with pride to see such an eclectic mix of styles, from the effortlessly classic to incredibly bold – everyone expressing only themselves.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ defenseman Mark has collaborated with us a couple of times now. Most recently, on a collection curated with fellow NHL player Andrew. For this event, however, he returned to our first collaboration , sporting the luxurious three-piece tuxedo he created especially for events like these. Crafted from a fine mix of wool and mohair, the tux was unmistakably ‘Mark’ with a detail he adds to almost every suit: wide peak lapels. Overall, his black-tie style is balanced, finding a perfect equilibrium between classic style and modern touches like the velvet plain toe loafers.

Our Style Advisor from the Atelier Munro House Toronto came in a look that would make James Bond blush. There’s nothing quite so iconic as an off-white dinner jacket, but Jeffrey somehow made it even more so with the addition of wider shawl lapels. Exclusively made from bamboo, we love this version as it is one of our most sustainable fabrics and particularly practical by virtue of its many excellent and colliding benefits of cashmere-esque softness, cotton-like breathability, and silky drape.

Mark wasn’t the only hockey player from the league to join us. Toronto Marlies Forward Joseph Blandisi came in swinging with bold choices from head to toe. The centerpiece was a velvet dinner jacket in a deep eggplant hue, made all the more impactful by wide peak lapels. He brought balance to this statement by pairing with black, traditional pieces including a studded white shirt, superfine woolen trousers, and a satin bow tie. But not before finishing with a flourish: shiny patent tassel loafers.

One gent who certainly brought holiday spirit to the table was Style Advisor Kevin. It’s no secret velvet is one of our favorite fabrics for this time of year – and his rich, dark green dinner jacket is a prime example of why, radiating a blend of festivity and luxury. He kept his styling fairly formal with a pleated tuxedo shirt with studs and black wool-mohair trousers, with the addition of a last touch of the decadent material on his black plain toe loafers too.

If you’ve seen The Wire or the recent Netflix hit Dahmer – Monster, you may be familiar with this next guest’s work. We’ve had the pleasure of dressing the director for the last two Toronto International Film Festivals – seeing him at dinner in his suave look it was abundantly clear he is no stranger to red carpets. Clement’s tuxedo demonstrates a subtle artistry that is not surprising given his eye for detail. It’s decorated with a just-visible jacquard paisley, offering visual intrigue when up close or in certain lights. For the rest of his look, he stuck to the classics, choosing to style with a pleated tuxedo shirt with studs, black satin bow tie, and of course, calfskin oxfords.

Yet another guest from the hockey world was an Executive Partner from Raze Sports, Todd. We would describe his approach to black tie as timeless in aesthetic, yet modern in function. He went with perhaps the most classic of looks for this kind of event: a black tuxedo with satin shawl lapels, matching trouser stripe, and bow tie. Yet on the other hand, Mark employed a much more contemporary consideration of comfort and practicality to his choice of fabrics – crafting the tux from a clear-cut wool woven with stretch for maximum mobility and his shirt from pure, breathable cotton.

We also invited Vince’s long-time client and friend, Realtor Brett Starke. The two have been working together for years, most recently on his looks for the Amazon Prime reality series Luxe Listings Toronto. When asked how he felt at dinner, Brett replied, “I feel like myself, but poised, more confident, and with better posture.” He was certainly standing tall in his wool-mohair tuxedo in a timeless midnight blue. Not one to shy away from the spotlight, he opted for a strong silhouette: the double-breasted jacket with wide peak lapels.

Adam is an American Artist who lives and works in a beautiful studio at Niagara-on-the-Lake – so beautiful in fact it actually became one of the locations of our fall/winter campaign. His black-tie look showcases his creativity beautifully, with the painter effortlessly layering tonal shades of blue and embracing texture with a deft hand. The elements of texture came from one of our favorite fabrics of the festive season: velvet. He wore the decadent jacket crafted with peak lapels with a matching bow tie and paired with wool-mohair trousers and a studded stretch cotton sateen shirt – all in midnight blue.

As expected, our Creative Director from Amsterdam likes to get equally creative with the expected dress code conventions. Though he selected a fairly traditional midnight blue tuxedo with shawl lapels and classic pieces, Joachim added a twist with a modern monochrome palette. He layered all-dark tones with a midnight blue cotton shirt, matching pocket square, black Ottoman bow tie, and black velvet loafers. He was also the only one at the table to wear our new cummerbund, a final touch that offers an impeccably polished finish to the look.

A newer face to the table was award-winning Anchor and Journalist Donnovan. His look for the event is sophisticated with a modern, festive charm. The dinner jacket combines a classic cut with the not-so-classic color: green. Vince suggested this particular fabric as the dark moss is a refined shade and complements his skin tone flawlessly. While most of his styling stayed within tradition, he carried the festive decadence through to his feet with a pair of green velvet plain toe loafers.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s CEO Mark Williams arrived in an ensemble curated earlier in the year for our collection together. With deep blues as his base, the fully tonal look is a subtle yet equally impactful style – an approach continued in his powerful wide-peak-lapelled tuxedo and modern takes on styling. Instead of the usual, Mark experimented with luster and texture pairing a sateen tuxedo shirt, velvet bow tie, and matching loafers. The focal point and finishing touch: an oversized bow tie.

If you prefer to dabble around the edges of tradition, this look by Canadian businessman Jordan may inspire you. The ex-exec of Rogers Communications put together a timeless tuxedo with some subtle twists. Rather than classic black, he went for a refined shade of midnight blue, with a tonal jacquard paisley. From a crisp white cotton tuxedo shirt to black satin bow tie and calfskin oxfords, the rest of his look remained within the realm of classics.

Toronto Business Development Leader & Style Advisor Vince arrived in a distinct look that’s a little louder than the rest. His light gray tuxedo is designed with black contrast lapels for a striking extra element and an anchor to his styling. The stand out however is probably his choice of fabric. Crafted from a blend of wool with 25% silk it lends a silvery luster that feels appropriate for special occasions and is sure to turn heads. The shine didn’t stop there with a satin bow tie and tassel loafers in patent calfskin too.

Last but certainly not least impressive is Gaurav. Store Leader, Buyer, and Style Advisor at the AM House Toronto was completely unafraid to defy the norms of black tie, creating a head-turning tuxedo just for the occasion. After a conversation with fellow advisor Vince and a stroke of genius, the decision was made to experiment with combining the cold-weather favorite corduroy, with a statement silhouette. The result was a striking navy double-breasted tux that feels uniquely perfect for cold winter evenings. Even his styling strayed from tradition with a studded white sateen shirt featuring a tonal checkerboard design and tassel loafers.