Daniel RhoneMost people will recognise Mr Gandy and his white swimming trunks from Dolce & Gabbana’s light blue ad campaign but this super model from Essex is flying the flag for British fashion and fast becoming a style icon in the making. I suppose to me and many others he’s a bit of a hero. He’s a men’s high fashion model that looks healthy and has an athletic physique in a fashion world which is dominated by ultra-skinny male models. A rarity.
David has been modelling for 10 years and has been a firm favourite with dolce & Gabbana, so much so that in September 2011 they released a book in tribute to the model with photographs from shoots and campaigns by industry greats such as Testino, Klein and Vivanco.
David’s style came on to my radar a few years ago and it has a major hint of a throwback to the classic style icons such as Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, Paul Newman and James Dean. Now apart from the obvious (David’s god- like looks) his style has real classic detailing and tradition to it for instance, rolling the sleeves up on his flying jacket and tucking in his knitwear or t-shirt. You can also see Italian influences cross over in to his british styling roots when dressing as he wears tailoring with deep v tees and un-buttoned shirts.
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Mr Gandy is also a great advert for British tailoring and for how men should wear a suit. He does this with real variation and effortless style as he shows how you can mix up your formal look. For example throwing smart denim with a cardigan in to dressing down a formal look but still keeping it sharp and my personal favourite, wearing a American apparel loose crew neck tee with a 3 piece suit. David’s style oozes tradition and elegance but it also seems that he has a uniformed staple wardrobe. His idea of dress down which for many would be a smart casual look (crisp white tee, faded straight denim, cream shawl cardigan and brown lace ups) and apart from the gym he never steps out in trainers which shows a classy throwback ideal. He is also stepping outside the box and some might say taking risks with his style for example at London fashion week in March he wore a “great Gatsby” inspired pair of wide leg herringbone trousers with matching jacket and waistcoat plus a beautiful double breasted tan overcoat.
Mr Gandy is also doing his bit for the British fashion industry and is on the British fashion council committee with heavy weights such as Tom Ford, Harold Tillman and Richard James. For the first time this June the men get a week (3 days) as opposed to the one they’ve always had to show case the cream of British Menswear and it’s something that Gandy has always backed. In previous interviews you would hear him talk about the heritage of Savile Row and British brands such as Aquascutum and Burberry, therefore the importance for London to match Milan, Paris and New York and have a menswear week.
To conclude to me David Gandy is a modern day British style icon that shows really how you take inspiration from classic and traditional menswear. He also embodies true and old fashioned values with a real modest and humble exterior for which a lot of men could learn from. Class. He is the modern gentlemen.
Want to take inspiration from David Gandy’s style? Take a look at these product picks:
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