David Gandy's editorial for Glamour Spain (June 2013)

By Carol López

David Gandy is the major model of the world and in this report we discover why.

Malpensa Airport (Milan) The city welcomes us with its usually gray sky. Walking past the duty free shop, a succession of giant Dolce and Gabbana pictures instantly transports us to Summer in Sicily. Light, heat, wind, salty air, the scent of lemon, the touch of the uncomfortable Tyrrhenian beach pebbles.....The cold sensation dissipates. It is as if in just those few seconds we traveled the thousand kilometers that separates a stern and sophisticated Italy of an Alpine paradise from the regions of the south. Monica Belluci and Bianca Balti watch us from a 10 x 10 instant snap shot, ones in which Dominica Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have managed to capture the essence of Summer in the South.

But in Milan we have to meet David Gandy, the model that best represents the energy of the Mediterranean so often imagined by designers. The man puts a face ( and what a body!) to the advert that is forever etched in our minds thanks to a tiny white pant.

The vital and anarchic atmosphere of the kitchen of an arty flat in the heart of Milan takes us back to Sicily. The Glamour styling and photography team have a arrived from market with artichokes, basil, tomatoes, speck(ham), parmesan, red wine and a fish that weighs more than five kilos. A pot of al dente spaghetti rages on the fire. As if moved by a spring, the prop master removes from the scene the watch that the best model in the world has just taken off his wrist before getting to work. "Can we leave it there? It was a gift from Stefano," asks David Gandy.

Frying pan in hand, the man who spent his youth lamenting because he could not get into a pair of Heidi Slimac pants confesses that he loves to eat. "But I have to take of what I eat, so I follow a Mediterranean diet with lots of white fish, grilled vegetables and organic food."

He is fond of luxury cars ( he has a classic jewel in his garage and he writes a column for GQ magazine about cars), he has launched a style app (davidgandystyleguide.com) and a fitness app (davidgandyfitness.com), writes a blog for Vogue.uk and has his own foundation aimed at raising funds for charity called Blue Steel Appeal. With this initiative he has managed to involve his collegues in the fashion world such as Kate Moss and designers such as Stella McCartney and House of Holland. There were Ebay auctions to meet Naomi Campbell, VIP passes to go backstage for a Victoria Beckham fashion show and a spend a day with Gandy on one of his photo shoots, these are some of the things done to raise money for underprivileged children. The name he chose for his foundation was taken from the movie Zoolander, it is a statement of intent regarding his vision of the fashion business: The fashion world is a bit too serious. the industry needs more of a sense of humor.

He summarizes his beauty routine in four simple words: Moisturizing cream and gym." Born in Essex, east of London 33 years ago, he has worked for brands like Ermenegildo Zegna, Carolina Herrera and Massimo Dutti. the White Pants Guy has no time to complain about is overwhelming genetics.

His potent and viril image traces the archetypal Mediterranean man of the collective imagination. Maybe that's why, upon seeing him for the first time in 2006, Domenico and Stefano knew that David Gandy was the guy they were looking for. There was no casting, a chance encounter in London, one in which the model didn't even think to go to. But his agent persisted and convinced him that he could not return home without meeting the Italian designers in person. "When we were introduced, Stefano and Domenico eclaimed: WOW! David Gandy, Dolce and Gabbana... We share initials, DG!" It's been seven years that have resulted in three Light Blue campaigns, directed by Mario Testino, in the idyllic waters of Capri.

"Measurements", "girlfriend" and "hot" are the most typed searches when you enter his name into Google. On the first one he says " There are no tricks or magic wands. It's only possible with daily training." He does an hour a day, six days a week. On the second we found out he broke up with British model Sara Ann Macklin (current Topshop image) after being together over a year. About his blazing looks, Gandy downplays it with such poise, that one comes to think he is right and that he's not that attractive. This perverse thought barely holds for a split second, the time it takes to blink. You open your eyes and you are faced with reality: Gandy is physically impressive. But the model insists: "It's an honor to have become the sexy prototype of a Mediterranean lover, but I am only like that when I pose in front of the camera."

 Our conversation is interrupted by someone offering  us something to drink. " Cappuccino, espresso..?" Gandy opts for tea, an unexpected choice for an Italian production team. There is no tea in catering, there was no tea on the list for the prop team...In the kitchen that served as the backdrop for the photo shoot we find a can of Earl Grey. "Seeing me for the first time, most people think I'm Italian- laughs- but I'm actually very British." The tea is nothing more than just one anecdote, but his sleek menswear vision clears all doubts. Gandy has what the English call charm. He tells us that his wardrobe is traditional with contemporary touches. And your style? "Very old school. My icons are McQueen and Newman." He admits he's scrupulous about shoes. 'Everyday I see guys with horrible shoes, and I think that is essential: You need to buy good footwear and take care of them. A good pair of shoes is an investment."

He realizes as a male model his greatest challenge is to be as good as his female counterparts ( before him, top models such as Claudia Shiffer, Eva Herzigova, Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundshen or occasional models such as actress Scarlett Johansson have been the face of brands that have subsequently signed Gandy.) "Men do not have as many possibilities as they do. Jeans, pants and suits." he says. "That's why I blindly trust classic tailoring. We bet on a good tailor made suite without hesitation."