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David Gandy: the world's most in-demand male model

As the world's most in-demand male model, David Gandy is constantly on the move. Sheryl Garratt catches up with him between flights.


David Gandy: "I used to go economy, which was tough because I'm 6ft 3. But that's my life and it always has been."

The first thing you notice about David Gandy is that he is startlingly handsome. When we meet in the bar of the Ivy Club in London, I almost do a double take: it's like the page of a glossy magazine has come to life, all tanned, tall and perfectly stubbled. The second thing is that he's actually quite shy, which is endearing, and not what you'd expect from a man who shot to fame by cavorting around in unfeasibly tiny white trunks in Dolce & Gabbana's now-iconic 2007 Light Blue men's fragrance ad.

This 32-year-old from Billericay in Essex is now said to be the world's highest-paid male model, and was the only man in the line-up of British supermodels who strutted their stuff during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. 'It was lovely to be represented,' he says. 'England isn't the best at everything, but with fashion, we are pretty much up there. We have so many iconic fashion brands, and the girls here from Kate and Naomi to Lily are the top in the world. We should shout about that.'

When we meet, Gandy has just come back from his third trip to LA in a month. He is due to be in Barcelona two days later, shooting a campaign for Massimo Dutti, then he will have just one night back at his flat in Fulham - an area he chose for its proximity to Heathrow - before setting off to Miami. He'll be there for five days - shooting, then fitting in a visit to his parents, who have a house in Florida - before travelling up to Scotland for an event with Johnnie Walker, one of the brands he is working with (as an ambassador for its premium Blue Label whisky), then back to Barcelona, and on to Paris. And this, he says, is a fairly typical fortnight's work.

'It's pretty intense. You're talking 85 to 90 flights a year. And I've been travelling business class for only two or three years. Before that I used to go economy, which was tough because I'm 6ft 3. But that's my life and it always has been. I'm probably a bit of a loner in some ways. Travelling as I have for 11 years, you become very comfortable with yourself.'



Gandy was born in Essex, of working-class parents who built up successful businesses, first in freight, then in property. They too are keen travellers, and used holidays as a way of educating David and his sister, Claire, who now lives in Spain. 'We've been on float-planes to see the brown bears in Alaska, we've been to see the Amazon rainforest, to the Galapagos Islands. My dad thinks he's David Attenborough II, really.'

Gandy was supposed to be skiing in Whistler the week we meet, but cancelled when work commitments began piling up. 'I cancel a lot of holidays,' he says. When he does get away, he tends not to follow the fashion herd. 'When they talk about Ibiza, I'm talking about trekking to see gorillas in Uganda.' Africa is his favourite place to travel. Last November his parents went to South Africa for a month, and he met them for a week-long safari in Botswana. When out fishing, their boat was hit by a hippo, and when their Land Rover got a flat tyre at night, the lions they'd gone looking for found them instead. 'Suddenly, there were three of the biggest males you've ever seen. It was pretty spectacular,' he enthuses, adding that he loves the back-to-basics feel of bush camping. 'It's the only time I really relax. There are no mobile phones, no Wi-fi, I go to bed at 9pm and I'm up at 5am. Africa is very close to my heart.'

Gandy has some friends in the fashion industry, but his closest friends are from Billericay, and most are as successful as he is. 'Half of them are in finance. They're the friends you can go back with and in five minutes you're ripping the p*** out of each other. We've all grown up together, and some of them are having babies, which is exciting.'

His own relationships - with Mollie King from the Saturdays, and more recently the model Sarah Ann Macklin - tend to excite tabloid comment, but it's not something he wants to discuss in interviews. He has spent a lot of time building up his online profile, and any ad campaign featuring him now gets media attention, but he can't understand people in the public eye who are constantly tweeting about their private life. He will say that it's sometimes easier to date someone in the same industry. 'When you're on a shoot with a beautiful girl and being intimate, you've got a crew of people around you and it's the most unromantic thing. But people don't understand that if they haven't experienced it themselves. There's always going to be a jealousy factor there, which is taken out if you date someone in the industry.'

He is far more comfortable talking about another love: cars. He writes a car column for GQ magazine, and when travelling within Britain he'll usually make sure he has a good car to review. He is working with Jaguar on a short film to promote the new F-Type, so he has an XKSS in the garage at the moment. He is also restoring a 1960s Mercedes Benz 190SL. 'It has so much history to it,' he says lovingly.

The house he has just bought in Fulham is a three-storey Victorian that he intends to renovate completely, applying for planning permission to dig down into the basement, even under the garden. 'We're going to get every square foot we can out of it,' he says with relish. 'I can't wait to get my teeth into it.' In the meantime, he is living in a flat nearby, its spare room full of vintage finds for the new house. The morning after we meet, he was planning to get up at 6am to drive to the Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton. 'I'm jet-lagged anyway from LA, so I'll probably be up at that time with a cup of coffee.' Gandy likes to alter or repurpose his purchases. 'My kitchen roll holder is actually an old skittles game, and I have an old French carpenter's unit, that's the main part of my kitchen.'



Eventually, this could turn into a new career. He often comes back from trips lugging lamps or picture frames, and thinks there's a gap in the market here for stylish, beautifully made reproduction furniture such as that sold by the upmarket US chain Restoration Hardware. 'Someone approached me about doing it, but it's not quite the right time at the moment.' There is also chatter about him launching an acting career, but he says he'd only be interested if the right role came along. 'I've had offers for films: 300 II and Spartacus . People see you in a pair of white pants and they think you're going to do that for ever. But I'd rather shave my head and lose a few stone and someone wonder if it's really me, rather than it just be, "Oh there he is, in his underwear with his top off again." For now, he is happy to be a film investor instead: he helped fund John Cusack's forthcoming British-made thriller The Numbers Station , because he liked the script and loves Cusack's work. He runs his own production company to create short films and software apps, such as his new fitness app, and the David Gandy Style Guide, which is still selling well two years after its launch.

Today he is wearing a white Ralph Lauren cardigan, a grey Massimo Dutti shirt he picked up on a shoot and a knitted tie from Reiss with some ultra-faded jeans he bought in a vintage shop in New York. He ripped them, but liked them so much he's had them repaired. 'That's how stylish I am!' he scoffs, pointing to the stitching on his knee. He insists that men don't have to spend a lot of money to look good. 'I love Ralph Lauren, but I never pay full price. I only ever shop there in the sales. I'll be in Marks & Spencer as much as in designer gear, probably more so.'

Gandy recently spoke at the Oxford Union alongside Esquire 's editor Alex Bilmes, and voiced the opinion that men's titles should approach fashion more like women's magazines, showing celebrity looks and how to recreate them on a high-street budget. 'Alex said he didn't think there was a market for that, and I think there is. But now I'm in charge of editing the men's section of M&S Magazine, so I will be bringing more of that into it.'

Like most models with a long and successful career, Gandy has a good business brain. He has a degree in marketing from the University of Gloucestershire, and says his move from anonymous catalogue work to being his own brand was carefully orchestrated. 'Nowadays all the brands are using celebrity faces. For some jobs I'm more likely to be up against Brad Pitt and Clive Owen than I am other models. But I saw that coming.' Modelling is, of course, one of the few professions where women routinely earn more than men. 'Male models were at the bottom of the pecking order when it came to a shoot,' Gandy says. 'If there weren't enough rooms in the hotel, the first people to move into a worse hotel were the male models. Even the stylist's assistant would stay in the nice hotel. If other male models want to put up with that, that's up to them, but I wanted to create more for myself.

'Of course, men are never going to earn as much as women: I read that last year Gisele earned £19 million. The top supermodels have their PRs, their PAs, their branding managers, the best agents. It's a business, and that's why the male models are never taken that seriously. They seemed to be very happy to just be there and to be treated the way they were.'

It is hard to talk about male models without thinking of the 2001 film Zoolander , a hilarious send-up of the fashion world starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as two absurdly stupid models. Stiller's character, Derek Zoolander, is known for his signature pout, which he named 'Blue Steel', and at the end of the film he reveals his new look, the impossibly beautiful 'Magnum'. Instead of avoiding the inevitable Zoolander jokes, Gandy has wisely chosen to embrace them. He recently launched a charity to raise funds for Comic Relief, starting with an auction of money-can't-buy items and experiences involving the likes of Naomi Campbell and Victoria Beckham, whom he met at the Olympics and bonded with over a few choice Essex jokes. The name of his charity: the Blue Steel Appeal . Not the Magnum? 'That I'm keeping for something else,' he laughs.

He also has an unpaid ambassador role for Battersea Dogs Home. He can't have a dog of his own because he is away so much, but he often goes to visit the rescue animals. 'The last London Collections was absolutely manic: 60 shows and presentations, the press launch for the Blue Steel Appeal, parties and dinners every evening. The morning after, the first thing I did was to go to Battersea and spend a couple of hours with all the puppies.'

This is, of course, so Derek Zoolander that I start giggling, and he is gracious enough to join in. He wants to use his high profile to do some good where he can, he says - and besides, it's pretty clear who gets the last laugh. 'I get to travel around the world, I work with the most beautiful women, the best creatives, I enjoy myself and I earn a lot of money,' he says. 'Now, have you got to be stupid to do that, or have you got to be stupid not to do that?'

[March 15, 2013] Right Man: RM / Middle man:MM / Hostess:H / David Gandy: DG /Julia Ebeling:JE

H: Das ist David Gandy, das best bezahlte Männermodel der Welt
This is David Gandy, the highest paid Male Model in the world.

MM: Hmhmm, aber wie lebt so ein Supermodel eigentlich Privat? Unsere Reporterin Julia Ebeling dürfte diesen Mann in London besuchen und hat natürlich auch mal nachgefragt ob der 33 Jährige noch zu haben ist.
But how does the private life of a Supermodel look? Our reporter Julia Ebeling had the opportunity to visit the man in London and to ask whether the 33 yr old is still available

W: Ich bin gespannt.
I am curious.

JE:Die letzten Stufen. David Gandy wohnt ganz oben, wie passend.Ich bin gespannt.
The final steps. David Gandy lives on the top floor. How appropriate. I am curious

Zu Hause beim heissesten Typen der Welt.
At home with the hottest guy in the world.

JE: "Hi David schön dich kennen zu lernen!"
"Hi David, nice to meet you".

DG: "Hallo, find ich auch, komm rein."
"Hello, nice to meet you too, come in."

JE: "Danke."
"Thank you."

In der Küche wartet er schon, überlebensgroß. In echt wirkt David aber gar nicht überheblich sondern im Gegenteil sehr Bodenständig.Überraschend.
In the kitchen he waits already, life-sized. Surprisingly, David is actually very down to earth and not at all arrogant.

"David ich hab dir deutsches Frühstück mit gebracht."
"David I brought you a German breakfast."

DG: "Ey toll."
" Oh, great."

JE: "Ich hoffe du magst es".
" I hope you like it."

Puuhh, steht einem entspannten Frühstück also Nichts im Wege. Um den Kaffee kümmert sich David höchstpersönlich, das kommt angeblich selten vor.
Puuhh, nothing beats a relaxed breakfast. David makes his own coffee. Allegedly a rare thing.

DG: "Ich bin ja ständig unterwegs. Reisen ist mein Leben!"
" I am constantly on the go. Traveling is my life!"

JE:" Und magst du das?"
"Do you enjoy it?"

DG:" Ja, ich liebe es!"
" Yes, I love it!"

JE: Und das sieht man. David bei der Arbeit. DIeses Werbeshooting 2010 brachte ihm endgültig den Durchbruch. Kein Wunder und so verdient er heute sein Geld: immer im Mittelpunkt , umgeben von schönen Frauen. Doch das heisst rein gar Nichts sagt er.
And you can tell. David at work. This 2010 shoot gave him his breakthrough. No wonder at all and this is how he today makes a living : always in the Center, surrounded by beautiful women. But it means nothing, he says.

DG: " Ich bin schüchtern, ich bin wirklich sehr schüchtern"
"I'm shy, I'm really very shy."

JE: " Ja klar, wirklich?"


" Yeah, really?"



DG: "Ja wirklich, das glaubt mir kaum Einer aber es ist so."
"Yes, unbelievable but true"

JE: Fällt mir tatsächlich schwer zu Glauben, auch das dieser ausgeschlafende Typ eigentlich ein Morgenmuffel sein soll.
Just as hard to believe, as this well rested Guy being a morning grouch.

DG:" Ich bin Morgens nicht sehr gesprächig. Bevor ich nicht mindestens 4 Tassen Kaffee hatte bin ich nicht ansprechbar."
"I'm am not very talkative in the morning. I am non-responsive until I've had four cups of coffee in the morning."

JE: Hab ich ein Glück. Richtig Gesprächig wird David beim Thema, klar, Männermode.
I am lucky. David is really talkative on the subject of, of course, Male Fashion.

DG:" Gute Schuhe sind wichtig, weil Frauen erkennen das sofort."
"Nice shoes are important because women recognize that immediately."

JE: "Wieviele Schuhe hast du?"
"How many pairs of shoes do you have ?"

DG:" Ich hab gar nicht so viele. Ich glaub es sind so 10 Paar, mehr nicht."
"I really don't have that many.Perhaps ten pairs no more."

JE: Ein Supermodel und nur 10 Paar Schuh, ich werde das noch überprüfen. Leider komme ich beim Frühstück nicht in den Genuss Davids kulinarische Künste zu testen, denn er kocht gerne.
A supermodel with only ten pairs of shoes, I'll have to check that. Although David enjoys to cook, I unfortunately do not get to enjoy David's culinary talents.

DG:" Keine meiner Exfreundinnen hat gekocht, keine Einzige. Und das ist gut so, weil wenn man zwei Chefs in der Küche hat ..."
"Not a single one of my ex-girlfriends cooked. And that is a good thing because when you have two chefs in the kitchen..."

JE: " Nein, dann wirds kompliziert."
No, then it becomes complicated."

DG:" Ja, dann gibs Krieg. Keiner traut dem Anderen, nach dem Motto: mach es so, nein, mach es lieber so."
"Yes, then you'll have war.. No trust according to the motto: make it this way, no, better do it that way."

JE: In der Küche hat der 33 Jährige also gern die Hosen an. Im Bad allerdings läßt er sich gern was von Frauen sagen.
The 33-year-old wears the pants in the kitchen. He however gladly listens to the when it comes to the bathroom."

DG:" Ich glaube Männer pflegen sich mehr wenn sie eine FReundin haben."
"I believe that men take better care of their body when they have a girlfriend."

JE:" Ja mit ihren Sachen!"
"Yes, with her stuff!"

DG:" Wenn ich eine Freundin habe benutze ich ihr Zeugs immer mit und merke: ohh das ist toll für die Haare zB."
"When I have a girlfriend I always use her stuff and realize: ohh this is great for the hair for example."

JE:" Und dann noch was für die Augen."
"And something for the eyes."

DG:" Ja, ganz genau!"
" Yes exactly!"

JE:" Aber ich habe gehört momentan hast du keine Freundin, stimmt das?"
" But I have heard that you currently don't have a girlfriend, is it true?"

DG:" Ja, das stimmt schon, ich habe momentan keine feste Freundin."
" Yes, that's true, I don't have a girlfriend currently."

JE:" Also keine Gesichtscreme grade?"
"So, No Face cream available?



DG:" lach* Nein, genau."
*laughter* " No, exactly."

JE: Ach Gesichtspflege wird doch auch völlig überbewertet, bei den Augen! Und apropos Frauen: ist er ein Gentleman?
Oh, facial care is completely overrated, with those eye!. Speaking of women: areyou a gentleman?

DG:" Ja. Ich bin total altmodisch!"
"Yes. I am totally old fashioned!"

JE:" Das ist doch gut!"
"That's good!"

DG:" Nein, manche Frauen mögen das, manche nicht."
"No, some women like it, some don't."

JE: Ich würde gerne noch weiterplauschen, aber David muss zum Flughafen, das nächste Shooting wartet. Bevor ich gehe kann ich mir aber das nicht verkneifen: ein kurzer Blick auf den Schuhschrank. Und tatsächlich, ich staune, sehr übersichtlich.
I would like to chat more, but David needs to leave to the airport, the next photo shoot awaits. Before leaving I couldn't deny myself a quick glance at the shoe cabinet. In fact, I us quite amazed.

DG:" Ich ziehe bald um und deshalb ist es nicht so aufgeräumt."
"I am moving soon and that's why it's not tidy."

JE: Aufgeräumt hin oder her, er ist ja auch nur ein Mensch und ich bin froh das er mir genau das sehr offen gezeigt hat.
Tidy or not, he's simply human and I was happy to see his openness.

H: "Ein schöner Mann!"
"A beautiful man!"