Kyle Krause knows the value of a good tailor

FastCompany: Kyle Krause is a hands-on leader. As the CEO of the Krause Group , an Iowa-based holding company, this means regularly visiting many of the businesses in his portfolio and dressing the part for all of them. On a recent trip to Europe, which he visits monthly, his stops included the Italian soccer club Parma Calcio 1913, the winery Vietti, and Casa di Langa, a five-star resort. Despite the luxurious destinations, Krause maintains a Midwestern pragmatism to his attire. “It’s got to be functional,” he says.

Calling in from Parma, where he maintains an apartment, Krause is wearing a navy linen sport coat with a subtle plaid pattern, a linen shirt, whitestone-hued trousers (“I would deem them ‘JFK’ pants,” he says), and a pair of drivers. On his wrist is a two-time-zone Patek travel watch with a brown leather band. “I’m dressed very normal for me,” he says. Through the years, Krause, who is 63, has earned a reputation for being one of the most stylish people in business. While he came up during a time where suits and ties were de rigueur, he’s built a wardrobe around layering classic, but more casual, menswear garments.

[Source images: Andrea Cantini/Parma Calcio 1913/Getty Images, courtesy Parma Calcio 1913, SugarSatea ( Clip )/ CC-BY 4.0 , Adobe Stock (textures)] “What I wear isn’t dramatically different from what I would’ve worn a decade ago,” he says, noting that he was a student of GQ and Esquire magazines when he was younger and figuring out his style. “I’d rather be a little overdressed than a little underdressed personally,” he adds. “You can always take a jacket off.

It’s hard to put the jacket on if it doesn’t go with you.” Krause will throw on a tie once in a while for more formal destinations and, when in Italy, keeps a pair of Roa hiking sneakers in his car in case the day includes a trip to his vineyards. But no matter the garment, good tailoring remains consistent. “It compensates for my looks,” he jokes. Describe your style in a sentence. Contemporary, not trendy; relaxed, not casual; distinctive, not loud. What’s the one piece in your closet you’ll never get rid of? My dad’s watch. He wore a gold Rolex and bought it probably 50 years ago; he died 13 years ago.

My style is quite different from his, but the watch is not really about style; it is about him. It has a sentimentality that no new piece could replace. I wear it when I want my dad to be present at an event or experience. I had a grandson baptized two months ago and I made sure I wore it then. And Father’s Day and things like that. How long does it take you to get dressed in the morning? I do the thinking on Sunday. I look at where I’ll be, what I’ll be doing, and what the different settings require, and I lay out the week accordingly. Once the week begins, I want to be thinking about the day ahead, not deciding what to wear.

[Source images: Andrea Cantini/Parma Calcio 1913/Parma Calcio 1913/Getty Images, Roa Hiking, Sophie Backes/ Unsplash , Adobe Stock (textures)] What do you wear to a big meeting? Usually a soft, well-tailored jacket, an open-collar shirt, trousers, and shoes that suit the setting. I dress to feel good about myself, because that lets me walk into the meeting confident, comfortable, and focused. What’s the best piece of fashion advice you’ve ever gotten? Do not mistake formality for style. The best clothes let you feel like yourself while still being right for the occasion. What’s one thing anyone can do to dress better at work?

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While the article discusses personal style in business and its connection to brand strategy, it does not present groundbreaking insights or major industry shifts, making its overall impact moderate.