< PreviousTRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 6830/12/2021 01:37:55 PMDAVID IS GOLIATH When the opportunity arose to feature perhaps the most influential male model of all time in these pages, it was too good to pass up. With the launch of his own brand, David Gandy Wellwear, we knew it was time for a proper catch-up with ‘Chuckles’ Gandy... photography arnaldo anaya-lucca fashion direction grace gilfeather special thanks to Land Rover David Gandy has always gone at his own pace, often leaving others bobbing about in his wake. He has managed to untether himself from the well-trodden career path of a model to become a brand in his own right. Yes, Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue commercial in 2007 ignited his career, but there are plenty who might not have been able to run with the opportunity that gave them. There is always, don’t forget, the next hot model around the corner. So let’s not underestimate what Gandy has achieved in the 14 years since. A series of good decisions — such as the patronage of Battersea dogs home, a cause close to his heart as a muscular dog lover (figuratively speaking), and his support of men’s fashion and craft — has made him the ambassador that everyone wants and the champion we all need. This brings us to 2021 and this shoot, in which David has returned to The Rake to star in his first non-cover editorial fashion shoot in a long time. Why? Well, if he were going to return to any magazine for this kind of project, The Rake is a wise choice, worthy of his experience and intelligence. There is, however, a catch. You may notice that slotted into these looks, which Gandy wears with unsettlingly rakish aplomb, are pieces from his new brand, David Gandy Wellwear. It was perhaps only a matter of time before the clothes he loves to wear became the clothes he made. “I want to change people’s perception of what an everyday essential can be,” he says. “I wanted to make a brand for everyone, and you can see in our campaign that there are men and women of all ages and races, as that is what I believe a brand should be.” The collection is accessibly priced, but he has paid a lot of attention to the designs and the fabrics used, in order to guarantee longevity and ethical sourcing. The fashion industry is a colossal contributor to the climate crisis, but it is also something that people have turned to as Covid has forced our habits to change. David wants his brand to be the sweet spot within that. The prices top out at $115 and the fabrics have anti-odour and anti-bacterial properties (what they call Wellwear Breathe), which means the clothes do not need to be washed as often, adding to their green credentials. With aloe vera giving anti-inflammatory and moisturising properties, this is clothing in which wellbeing plays an active role. This is the beginning of Wellwear’s journey, but for David Gandy it is the next step along a path carefully negotiated in a career that has never looked better. 69 TRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 6930/12/2021 01:38:01 PMTRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7030/12/2021 01:38:09 PM71 Section opener & opening spread: Kent glen plaid wool suit jacket, Gregory glen plaid wool suit trouser and blue denim western shirt, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; dark brown burnished calf leather Lingfi eld boot, Crockett & Jones; Dudel sunglasses, Moscot. Avigation BigEye A7, titanium, Longines. Opposite page: Black wool Chesterfi eld coat, navy Gregory pinstripe wool blend suit, white cotton poplin shirt and black silk tie, all Ralph Lauren Purple Label; Dudel sunglasses, Moscot; black Country calf leather Abisko boots, Myrqvist at The Rake. This page: Black wool Chesterfi eld coat, navy Gregory pinstripe wool blend suit, white cotton poplin shirt and black silk tie, all Ralph Lauren Purple Label. TRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7130/12/2021 01:38:15 PMTRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7230/12/2021 01:38:22 PM73 Opposite page: Navy blue virgin wool silk Virgilio suit and sky blue cotton shirt, Brioni; navy Pindot silk cashmere tie, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; beaver felt Fairbanks trilby, Lock & Co. Avigation BigEye A7, titanium, Longines. This page: Navy blue virgin wool and silk Virgilio suit and sky blue cotton shirt, Brioni. Avigation BigEye A7, titanium, Longines. TRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7330/12/2021 01:38:30 PMBrown leather and shearling Douglas jacket, Cromford Leather; white heritage Henley in 100% cotton, David Gandy Wellwear; charcoal fl annel single pleat trousers, New & Lingwood. TRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7430/12/2021 01:38:38 PMTRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7530/12/2021 01:38:47 PM76 This and opposite page: Camel suede Valstarino jacket, Valstar; ecru cashmere Submarine roll-neck, Private White V.C.; white 100% cotton Heritage jogger, David Gandy Wellwear; Dudel sunglasses, Moscot. Avigation BigEye A7, titanium, Longines. TRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7630/12/2021 01:38:52 PMTRME_68-87_ Fashion David Gandy_11914735.indd 7730/12/2021 01:39:01 PMNext >