Wardrobe: Adams Holland and Timothy Woods • The Nob Hill Gazette

2022-06-25 04:35:48 By : Ms. Jessie Lee

“It’s all about design,” says Adams Holland, who with his partner of 31 years, Timothy Woods, has integrated this distinguishing characteristic into every aspect of their lives. Woods is an accomplished chef and gardener, while Holland is a skilled graphic designer. They’re both the culinary masterminds behind Palo Alto high-style chocolatier Timothy Adams, for which they’ve created over 100 original bonbon designs.

And that’s not all. Holland and Woods, both 61, also possess designer clothing collections that could make a man drool into his dirty martini. Some elements may seem far out, with patterns, colors and asymmetrical silhouettes. But that’s the point. It’s not understated style — but it’s style.

“We’ve got the basics in clothing,” Woods says. “We’re looking for statement pieces. Long ago, I learned that if you have good pieces on, you will feel better and people will notice.”

Holland agrees. “Some people spend money on a great car, but for me, if my environment is not pulled together, I feel depressed.”

That’s why even the black-and-white checked dog bed awaiting the couple’s sixth English cocker spaniel is a designer item, created by Italy’s Etro. The couple’s 1,300-square-foot Sausalito home — with views of Angel Island, Tiburon, Belvedere and the Bay — is filled with Asian art and pottery as well as additional print-laden textiles. Although both men are relentlessly drawn to pattern and color, their personal styles differ, so they never exchange clothes (helpful in avoiding arguments).

“There’s a casualness to Tim’s style that I don’t have. He wears a lot of sweaters; looser, less structured pieces; Hermès scarves; and lots of bracelets hanging low on his arm,” says Holland, whose style is more classic. “I don’t do whimsy well, as far as shape goes.” On this day, he is wearing straight, lean white corduroy pants by Zegna held up by a leather Hermès belt, with a fitted Etro vest patterned in ’60s hippie figures. Navy Etro shoes provide a glimpse of his Brooks Brothers blue-and-white striped socks.

Adding three inches to Woods’ height today are his red lug-sole loafers by Alexander McQueen, a label both men love. “The clothing has the best tailoring,” Woods says. “There’s a lot of modern rock and roll going on with it.”

Woods’ ensemble also includes a Gucci shirt in sky blue, red and white stripes; relaxed-fit Giorgio Armani poplin pants in blue; and a red Hermès bandana (he has a large collection and wears one every day). Woods is sporting an apron with a French toile de jouy depicting rabbits, the central character in the Timothy Adams logo that Holland designed. It is among the many patterned aprons that Holland had made for Woods with fabric from Britex. “A lady in our store offered me a Chanel handbag in exchange for it,” Woods says.

The couple arrived in the Bay Area a decade ago after many years in Fresno, where they furnished their restaurant, Echo, with 80 original Frank Lloyd Wright chairs they found in a funeral parlor. Both got the fashion bug early. Woods discovered his first fashion piece at Perry Ellis when he was a teenager. In college, Holland wore only Armani. “I bought an Armani coat that was outrageously expensive,” he recalls. “But when I’d had it for 10 years, I broke it down to what it cost over time and it had value!”

Today, Woods’ wardrobe brims with a Gucci topcoat of which only 10 were made. Even his pajamas are designer: red-and-white plaid Gucci shorts.

Holland can compete with a smart Gucci black leather jacket from the Tom Ford era and a small navy-and-red shearling Armani blanket that he ties nattily around Woods’ neck.

“It matters what you wear,” Holland says. “I like fashion because it’s a love affair with beauty and feeling good about yourself.”

Below: Timothy Woods is all smiles in his Yves Saint Laurent bow-tie silk shirt, plaid Gucci pants and Dries Van Noten boots. His silk-lined Gucci coat plays double style duty, with one half in charcoal wool and the other in a robust plaid with Japanese anime characters. Meanwhile, Adams Holland coordinates with a Dries Van Noten ivory crochet sweater, Neil Barrett houndstooth pants and gold boots by Alexander McQueen. His Fendi wallet is also in hand.

Above: Adams Holland wears a paisley shirt and plaid vest by Etro with Vivienne Westwood leather shoes, while Timothy Woods — his partner in life and business — wears a Gucci ensemble with Alexander McQueen loafers and a Hermès bandana.

(Go on, you know you want to.)