The Bruce Lee T-Shirt
About a year ago, I came across an article from the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the brand of T-shirts Bruce Lee liked to wear. I've see pictures of many people in old photos wearing them. So I guess back then, they style was very common.
The T-shirt is actually an undergarment, but Bruce Lee liked to wear them and wear it out. Bruce Lee was not just a martial artist of his time, but was also a style icon. To date, there are a lot of pictures and footage of Bruce Lee wearing the famous T-shirt. To be fair, the design is not that special. It is like any T-shirt with row of buttons on the front. So what's so special about it?
You have to wear one to understand why it is so good. The T-shirt is made by Lee Kung Man, one of the oldest local companies that are still based in Hong Kong. Their factory is still in Hong Kong and they have no plan to expand. They don't have stores or stockists outside Hong Kong. Hence Lee Kung Man can really be proud to say that their products are Made in Hong Kong. Production numbers are limited and so the level of quality is guaranteed. When going into their stores, it is journey to another age. Everything is old school and the staff will measure you. This is what I call service. None of the pushy sales staff like you get in some parts of Hong Kong. Lee Kung Man also sell other garments and cater for both men and women. If you are looking for good value, local products as souvenirs. You can't really do better.
I've been looking for this style of T-shirt for my club shirts. I love the retro look, but I failed to find any that are of good quality. I also wanted to get polo shirts with mandarin collars, but unable to find any decent suppliers. The feel of a Lee Kung Man garment is unreal. You would not find anything like this elsewhere. The feel is soft and quite stretchy. The T-shirt is really comfortable and does not hinder movement. Which is what you want in a good T-shirt. The fabric is special in another way, it helps wick sweat better than the fabric you see on football shirts. I have trained in one of these T-Shirts and I can say that it is really nice to train in. The sweat does not soaked up and leaving you feel damp and uncomfortable. This is an helpful if you are in Hong Kong, where it's often hot and humid. You can spend a lot of money on fancy hi-tech sports gear or posh thick pile T-shirts. I can say they are not as good.
People in the know will buy them and like me, will go out of their way to get one. Lee Kung Man does not advertise, they really on word of mouth and customers coming back for more. With so many pictures and footage with Bruce Lee wearing their garments. That's the best advertisement you can get. If its good enough for Bruce Lee, it's good enough for me. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.
The link for the article from the SCMP can be found here. If you want to buy a Bruce Lee T-shirt, please visit one of their stores. I don't think they do mail order.
