It’s not often that a male model comes along and sparks as much interest in the male population as the female, until David Gandy that is. The Essex-born supermodel who began his career in 2006 has become something of an icon in the world of male modelling and has been crowned our man of the week.
With career highlights including the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue fragrance campaign and covers for magazines such as L’Optimum, Twist and Details, David Gandy has of late been propelled to superstar status. But here at Inhale Fashion we are interested in one thing only: his personal style.
High fashion models are often as famous for their off-duty style as they are for pounding the catwalks, with most popping up on street style blogs across the world. The “model-off-duty” look is synonymous with grunge – casual separates with an edgy twist – and it’s an effortless cool that often only a male model can possess. David Gandy, on the other hand, is not your average male model and when it comes to his off-duty style you will be hard-pushed to find somebody who dresses quite as exceptionally well as he does.
An advocate of men’s style (he even has his own style guide App), David Gandy is rarely seen out in anything less than a three-piece suit. He is outspoken in his views on men’s fashion, recently quoted as saying “A guy’s wardrobe has to come back to tailoring. We have such a heritage in this country. Why does everyone want a polo shirt and three-quarter-length combat shorts?”[1] And when it comes to his personal style, he is paving the way for a revival of traditional English tailoring.
David Gandy in casual mode will often see him in a great pair of bootcut denim jeans accompanied by a simple t-shirt, a smart wool or tweed blazer and a knitted scarf depending on the season. While “casual” for the average male may imply sweatpants and trainers, these two items of clothing seem non-existent in the wardrobe (and quite possibly vocabulary) of Mr Gandy. He is religiously well turned out but really comes into his own when on the red carpet. Suits are what Gandy does best and whether opting for a simple single-breasted suit and tie or the more formal double-breasted three-piece suit complete with pocket-square and cufflinks, there are few men who can rock a suit quite like David Gandy.
When trying to emulate Gandy’s penchant for exquisite tailoring, remember that you do not need to break the bank on Savile Row. All it takes is a well-fitted suit with a nod to heritage (think leather elbow patches or tweed fabric) and you too could be as dashing as David.
