.jpg)
Today, we want to look back at 2009, our friend Ilknur Sozuneri from Turkey has brought to you this vintage interview of David Gandy for the Turkish magazine, Hurriyet. Thank you so much Ilknur for finding this rare interview, for translating it and for your kindness to us from the beginning, we really appreciate it.
May 02, 2009 By Sibel ARNA
Take the magnifying glass and look, you can’t find a flaw when you see him “If you are human, what are we, brother”, he is the one type that you riot. David Gandy (29), he is one of the most famous male models. He was the catalogue face of Massimo Dutti, Stefanel, Zara, etc. But he was well-known as Dolce&Gabbana’s underwear model.
Everybody remembers that he posed for Dolce&Gabbana's perfume on a boat. David Gandy, is the 2009-2010 autumn-winter collection face for Turkish brand Sarar. He posed on various corners of Istanbul, and he answered only our questions.
Q: How was your family?
D: A British family very, very normal. I grew up with my grandfathers and my grandmothers. My mum and dad are very disciplined. Both of them very hardworking.
Q: I know that you won a modeling competition and then you became a model.
D: Yes, but I joined that competition not by my own decision. When I was at the university doing a Marketing degree, my flatmate was interested in photography. He took some photos of mine, for homework, and sent those images to the modeling competition. I was shocked when they called me that I got to the finals.
Q: When did you came at the first level, did you become an instant success?
D: No, my career was run on very slowly. When I first started into modeling, very skinny and very thin guys were popular. All the biggest brand were working with that androgynous stereotype. They found me very handsome, as an old rugby player, my muscles were bulged. But I felt that in the future the models like me will be in great demand, so I waited.
Q: How did you make money when you were waiting?
D: I posed for the brands catalogues which were in the foregrounds, not the main catalogues. My first job was for Paul Smith’s catalogues.
Q: How did your luck turn?
D: Thanks to Dolce&Gabbana. It was six or seven years ago. My PR told me that, Stefano Gabbana had a big birthday party and I had to go there. Incidentally, I was sitting with Stefano and Domenico at the same table all night. Two weeks later, they called me for fashion show and they wanted to me to be a part of their new perfume campaign “Light Blue”.
Q: Did you remember the moment you first stood stark naked in the face of the lens?
D: I wasn't completely naked at any time.
Q: But I saw your completely naked images
D: They are trick photography.
Q: When didn’t it become a problem to undress next to others and to be in only your underwear?
D: I remember the first day I stayed in my underwear, I convinced myself that it is a very normal thing. But of course, I was comfortable since the first days. I don’t get undressed for everyone who says to get undressed. I get undressed for V Man magazine, photographers like Mario Testino or brands like Dolce&Gabbanna.
Q: Does everybody want you to get undressed?
D: Yes. They do, but I say no.
Q: How did you have a body like that?
D: I did three years in sports. But I love drinking, eating. I don’t do very strict diets. If I eat too much, the next day I will do sports for three hours.
Q: For how many years will you be modelling?
![]()
.jpg)
D: I think one more year, then I will quit.
Q: This means outright early retirement. Do you have another plan?
D: I am on the top of modelling. In this job, men aren’t at an advantage like women in this industry. For me, I don’t have a chance to be like the male Kate Moss.
Q: Don’t you want to be involved in the film industry?
D: Many people say it, but it requires some abilities. Maybe in the future, I will take some lessons, then we will see if I have the talent or not.
Q: Your fans are thinking that you have the Italian and Mediterranean fever. What do you think about that?
D: My foot! I wish I were, but I am exactly a British guy with this British accent.
Q: I want to finish and ask that question that those who have seen you: If you are a normal man, then what are the rest of us?
D: When someone asks me, automatically I’m trying to prove that I’m normal person.
Q: Are you on good terms with women?
D: I love them!
Q: The women, do they easily talk with you?
D: I have two close girlfriends, they thought that women are afraid of me and stayed back from me. But I’m not sure. Self-confident women come and talk to me.
Q: Are you one of the celebrities who think that you can date other celebrities?
D: Yes, we haven’t got a choice. There are always popular people around us. For example Brad Pitt, after such a beautiful woman like Jennifer Aniston, then comes another like Angelina Jolie, like a goddess on a movie set. It’s a very difficult situation.
White lingerie was in fashion again, because of me. I wear only Dolce&Gabbana underwear. I prefer white colour. Because White underwear was justified because of me, it is in fashion again. After I posed with White underwear, David Beckham posed with white underwear for Armani and he became Armani’s face.