Photo cred: Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca for David Gandy Wellwear | Image courtesy of Select Model London
In the world of male modeling, David Gandy has few equals. Celebrating his twentieth anniversary in the industry this year, the Englishman with the piercing blue eyes first came to worldwide attention in 2007 with his iconic campaign for Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue fragrance, featuring the azure Mediterranean, Capri’s famous Faraglioni, and Gandy wearing nothing but a pristine white swim brief. Since then, he has become a red carpet favorite; contributed as a writer to British Vogue, the Evening Standard, and the Daily Telegraph; and walked in the closing ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics alongside fellow British icons including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Karen Elson.
Earlier this fall, Gandy took the next step in his career when he launched David Gandy Wellwear, a line of everyday essentials designed for both physical and mental comfort. “I have been on the go nonstop for the past couple of decades as that is the nature of my career,” he explains, “but the pandemic presented a lifestyle change for me — as it did for everyone — in that for the first time in forever I slowed down and stayed in one place, which gave me the time to bring Wellwear to life.”
“Having experienced my own dark chapters, wellbeing is something that has always been important to me…I have championed men’s physical and mental wellbeing since I first started in the industry, so it was a natural fit that it would be at the heart of my brand.”
A collection of basics, loungewear, and other relaxed designs, Wellwear is the product of over a decade of forethought, brought into being thanks to last year’s temporary shutdown of Gandy’s day job and the suddenly surging demand for at-home outfits. With his frequent appearances on best-dressed lists thanks to his penchant for double-breasted suits, the 41-year-old might not be the most obvious spokesperson for sweats, but he insists that Wellwear is inspired by what he likes to wear during the majority of his life when he is out of the public eye.
Harnessing a wealth of new technologies also allowed Gandy to build a focus on all aspects of wellness into the line, working from the idea that physical and mental health are inextricably linked. “Having experienced my own dark chapters, wellbeing is something that has always been important to me, starting with the simplest factors of diet and exercise,” he elaborates. “I have championed men’s physical and mental wellbeing since I first started in the industry, so it was a natural fit that it would be at the heart of my brand.”
David Gandy and Dora in the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Muddy Dog Challenge, 2017 | Image courtesy of Select Model London
As he embarks on the next step in his career, Gandy is thoughtful when he considers the 20 years that have brought him this far. After his sudden rise to fame, he says he made a conscious decision, inspired by working with the likes of Campbell and Christy Turlington, to think of modeling as a business and not a “hobby,” as many male models do. “It was about branding as well,” he adds. “It was making yourself into a brand, not just a face that people recognized. It was the name that people had to recognize.”
Gandy credits his longevity in an industry that often churns through newcomers in years or even months to his long-term thinking and having the right team behind him. When asked to consider an alternate universe — in which he hadn’t won the modeling competition at 21 that launched his career — it’s clear that his thoughtfulness and compassion have been keys to his success as well. “I’m a little bit of a solitary person in many ways and I suppose I probably would’ve loved to have worked with animals,” he admits. “I probably would’ve gone into caring and looking after animals in extreme places. That’s my dream anyway.”
Those qualities look likely to be just as essential in his latest venture, as he looks to establish a clothing brand that focuses on larger considerations than just making us look good. “Our mission at Wellwear is to empower people to live happier, stress-reduced lives, with a greater sense of wellbeing and style. Through partnerships with charities and organizations such as Humen and Style for Soldiers, both of which I am an ambassador for, we aim to continue to raise awareness and incite change in people’s lives,” he explains. “I want the brand to be for everyone.”
