The Hound keeps moving

The Hound keeps moving

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
The Hound keeps moving

Let’s get one thing straight. Contrary to what some may believe, Bhanu Inkawat, founder and creative director of the Greyhound empire, which includes fashion house Greyhound and Greyhound Cafe, did not sell everything to Mudman, a Sub Sri Thai subsidiary, and neither has he released all control over it.

Bhanu and his Greyhound and Playhound design teams.

“Think of it as joining hands,” said Bhanu. “If you want to grow further and internationalise the system, you need a partner. It’s normal everywhere else, and I don’t quite understand the fuss. This is a way to grow strongly and that’s why we’ve joined with Mudman. It took a long time to decide. This is my baby. But what would happen 10 years down the line? Who would continue the legacy? I don’t want to just hand envelopes full of money to my employees when I have to call it quits one day.”

The “fuss” probably stemmed from the fact that Greyhound is one of Thailand’s best-known fashion brands, a pioneer of urban cool for three decades, from when the country first pried open its doors to global style. The fuss also came from the misconception that Bhanu, who remains the sole director for both Greyhound and Greyhound Cafe, has given his empire in totality, and allowed Mudman reign. But Bhanu sits on Mudman’s board on what Positioning magazine calls partial “share swaps”, and all structures of Greyhound and Greyhound Cafe remain as they always have — under Bhanu’s carefully crafted ideologies and keen eyes.

“Everything stays the same in terms of management and creative freedom. The changes are on board of committees level. It’s more like splitting responsibilities. The biggest deciding factor was the chemistry between us and Mudman. I believe that Greyhound can grow substantially under the shared philosophy. They understand who we are and they’re not here just to throw money at us. They believe in us enough that we can become a global brand when at first we were only aiming at regional level,” he said.

The brand Greyhound, which Bhanu started when he was in his late 20s, is now 34 years old. Under the umbrella are Greyhound Original, Playhound and Play Too, as well as other collaborative projects, and there are 17 stores in Thailand while the 18-year-old Greyhound Cafe counts at 10 locally.

With branches in Korea, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Indonesia for both clothing brands and restaurants, Bhanu aims to increase international outlets to 25 in five years time. Bhanu also added that he's looking into expanding Greyhound into other lifestyle arenas beyond clothing and restaurants.

Even before Greyhound came to prominence, Bhanu, who studied graphic design in the UK, already had a revered reputation as an award-winning creative director and highly ranked executive for Leo Burnett where he stayed for 25 years before leaving to concentrate on Greyhound full time. One of his subordinates who worked under him since his Leo Burnett days and now works part-time for him in Greyhound Cafe only has praise for his managerial style and attitude, as well as other Greyhound staffers and fashion industry figures who respect and look up to such a strong personality.

Bhanu's office is arranged in a tidy manner where every single piece of furniture and stationary is aligned neatly just like how every single strand of hair on a Catholic schoolgirl's head would be pulled tightly in a ponytail. Nothing is out of order and it's an established whisper that people under his charge also must keep their desks clean in accordance with his preferences. Never once seen in a shambles nor not composed and often in tailored jackets, perfectly fitted trousers and stain-free shoes, Bhanu naturally commands respect without having to scream for it, but he never seems to be intimidating nor uptight. His perfectionist outlook is offset by his kind manners and calming presence that earn him further regard. For a man who must lead a chaotic life, his serenity precedes everything else.

A hands-on approach has always been Bhanu's calling card. He's involved in every process from the ground up to various degrees. On the day Life met him at the modernist Greyhound headquarters, Bhanu was actually overseeing a fitting section for one of Greyhound's upcoming collections. As I expressed my surprise over discovering that a person of his position and full schedule still chose to participate in fitting sessions, his eyes smiled kindly, and said he would always be a part of everything his empire puts out. He explained that even though each brand has its head, they still come to him to "sell" their ideas, concepts, techniques, materials and key looks, and report on process, as well as overseeing the outcome.

A Greyhound store.

"If you're on a management level, and you are not involved in all levels in one way or another, you will lose out on the important details. When you're on the ground, you'll know where the problems are. I try to touch on everything I can from menu development to production process mistakes. If you're just looking from above, you won't be able to advise and help your staff. You must always stay in touch with them from the ground up. But you also must look at the big picture. You must know when to step in for details and back off for bigger pictures," he said.

"I'd like to think that I maintain quite a close distance with my staff and make sure to always be a part of the process, which makes it easier for them to talk to me, to ask me questions. If you're not involved, they'll think you don't understand what they're going through.

"Ever since my Leo Burnett days, my boss taught me that trial and error is an important process, but they can never become part of your brand if you keep breathing down their necks relentlessly and they won't develop a sense of ownership and passion in what they do. I still remember those words and I try to do the same with my staff," Bhanu added.

As a self-confessed workaholic, Bhanu starts working around 9.30am every day and sometimes stays until 10pm. He finds it best to concoct ideas when most of the workers have gone home. However, he finds times to hit the gym on a regular basis as it relaxes him. Of late, he's been combining work and travel.

"Work is my life. I enjoy working. It's actually not work as it is a part of my happiness. Perhaps I have as much fun as others when they go out to drink at bars. When I have time for a holiday, I try to get away to relax. Then I read and listen to music, but I get bored quite quickly. I always find a way to talk to people about work even when I'm on holiday. I always miss working when I'm not working. I guess I am lucky that I love what I do so much that it's become a joyful part of my existence," he said.

After 34 years for Greyhound and 18 years for Greyhound Cafe, Bhanu has propelled both ventures to higher levels as the years have gone by and managed to keep them relevant.

"We must always stay young. I feel that we have always done that. We try to mix old blood with new blood. We stay on trend, but never discard our own DNA. I think Greyhound people like to experiment, but that doesn't mean we follow the trends religiously. It doesn't meant we have to follow trends blindly; we must take what fits us. Personally, I love trying out new things. You must be hungry to always want to know what's going on. It doesn't mean you have to hang out in the happening bars all the time, but you must know what's happening in there."

Bhanu feels the Thai creative industry, especially in the realm of fashion is full of talented, edgy practitioners, but without proper support and clear direction many will falter.

"Creatively, our country has one of the strongest potentials [to break into international markets], but with a lot of factors from the lack of state help to relaxed attitudes or business naivety, we tend to be stuck. But brands like Sretsis, which has become successful outside of Thailand as well, is a good indication that we all can do it. We must also be aware that sometimes 'products from Thailand' are regarded with doubt. There are always question marks, so we must improve on quality control, as well. Greyhound has been around for a long time, and visitors and tourists know our brands well, but outside of Thailand we still have to count from zero. We just have to keep on working harder," he said. 

Asked if he plans to resign soon, Bhanu briefly paused to ponder.

"I don't really know how long I can go on working. I'm no spring chicken. This is one of the reasons why I decided to make the deal. I can see the potential for my staff to go on with a partner that truly understands our brand.

"The Greyhound brand is not just me. The staff are all part of the mechanics that make Greyhound what it is today," Bhanu explained.

"Greyhound is not just a fashion label. Greyhound is not just a restaurant. It's a brand... a lifestyle brand that can be extended to its full possibilities."

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