David James Gandy
London Collections: Men was the most empowering one to date for me. You have to understand that I have seen this event grow over the years. David Gandy was the first person I have ever interviewed. I don’t know David personally and I am not a David Gandy fan.Try and spot one shot with me and David Gandy posing arm in arm; you won’t find one. That is what I call a David Gandy fan. Why I interview him is because he is an ambassador for men’s fashion generally and he is relevant to MenStyleFashion.
Over the last year David has been interviewed by so many. Like him I am building a brand that is my heart, my life and my passion. I feel that pressure too, so in coming into London Collections Men this time I was so excited to see how many journalists and bloggers were inspired by MenStyleFashion and my interviews with Mr. Gandy. Yes I am a trend setter and I have to be ahead of the game and innovation is the key in building any brand. You have to take risks. Look at my interviews a year ago and see how many people were now interviewing David Gandy. I had to change my strategy very fast within the first hour, the first catwalk.
I am impulsive and try to think out side the box in building MenStyleFashion. So due to everyone doing the same thing, trying to extract something from David Gandy, I wanted to ask him different questions. I am trying to understand where at 33, he goes from where he is now. How does he feel to see younger guys looking just as good as him? Is heading onto the silver screen an option? So I chose not to hold the camera this time and try to engage a little closer the celebrity life David Gandy is about. Hands up, I wanted to see some raw emotions for you guys to understand that being a celebrity is hard work. For me I would not want to live in his shoes. In fact that celebrity life shows how much pressure he is under.Therefore as an observer, in my view: there is a celebrity, get me the hell out of here.
David Gandy What Next?
The pressure that this man is under is intense. I observed him for three days, I observed him from a distance most of the time. People are onto him, grabbing him, feeling him, wanting a photo of him. They want to say to the world for that given moment ‘he is my friend.’ The reality is for me and you he is not our friend. He is just doing his job. His world is the same as the world I am working with. David Gandy the male model, just like world champion athletes, do partake in a very long lonely journey. Who can David trust? How can he connect with people that he is not sure if they are going to affirm him or come at him with bad public stories. Who is David’s Goliath?
What do you do next when you have done it all? He can have any woman or man he wants. He can have all the cash, high end luxury pleasures. He has posed in top magazines, worn the finest suits. He looks great, he has a fabulous body. He drives fast cars, eats in the best restaurants and has access to the best male grooming tips on earth. He is a trend-setter. He is the King David of Fashion.
I am an encourager and any man that gives Gracie Opulanza some interview time is simply what I call A RISK TAKER.
I’m excited to see what David Gandy will be doing for 2014?
What was his David versus Goliath moment?
He is very tall
He never stops working
