THE DADDY ISSUE STARRING DAVID GANDY
Written by: William Buckley
Effortlessly suave and impossibly handsome, supermodel and creative director David Gandy’s impeccable style and magnetic charm are everything we need on the cover of Sorbet's Daddy Issue.
Anyone on the planet with a pulse has probably felt it speed up when faced with David Gandy’s iconic campaign for Dolce&Gabbana’s fragrance phenomenon, Light Blue. Reclining in a bright white boat, David dons a pair of bright white drawstring swim briefs, that seem almost blinding against the supermodel’s sun-kissed skin, glistening in the sun, with a shining shock of dark brown hair pushed back above his signature ice-blue eyes. Known for provocative photography, Mario Testino’s POV was shocking at the time (2007), and the global campaign was the fashion talk of every town.
Since then, David Gandy has risen through the model ranks – he is now widely considered to be the most successful male model of all time, and the highest-grossing male model in history. And while he could have just been sitting pretty at the top of the modeling game, he has expanded his resume to include: fashion writer (he has written for British Vogue, Evening Standard, and The Daily Telegraph), and creative director. He launched a loungewear collection in collaboration with British high street store, Marks & Spencer in 2014 which reportedly generated £80 million in revenue over the course of five years, and saw the release of the company’s fastest- ever-selling swimwear – makes sense. And now, David has a loungewear label of his own. Launched in 2021, David Gandy Wellwear combines his love of wellness with comfort, which makes sense too – David has been celebrated for his fitness since he first stepped in front of a photographer, he launched a fitness app back in 2012, and he is also the face of and ambassador for the popular supplement, Vitabiotics Wellman; fit!
And while juggling all this incredible life,David became a daddy. He welcomed his first daughter, Matilda, in 2018, and his second, Tabitha, in 2021. So, for our Daddy Issue, of course we caught up with the most successful male supermodel of all time to talk about his super status, the super David Gandy brand, Wellwear, and most importantly, his life as a super daddy.
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WILLIAM BUCKLEY: Where are you, David? It looks lovely. Love that color.
DAVID GANDY: I’m in the top of my house. We’ve got a cupola, which I call the turret, because I’ve always wanted a turret. It overlooks Richmond Park.
WB: Oh gorgeous, I’ve always wanted a turret too.
DG: Yeah, but it’s freezing…
WB: I bet. Obviously, you’re the most successful male model in the world. But how did you get into modeling in the first place? Did you ever think you would get to where you are now?
DG: I think I was naive at first, I didn’t know much about the industry and I had no idea where it would take me or how that could be achieved. The first five years were observational. I kept myself to myself, but I started to see so many different areas that I could get into. So I couldn’t understand why male models, at that time, had reached a glass ceiling and why they weren’t at the levels of the female supermodels. Why did male models stop at a certain point and venture into acting or something like that instead. I was curious and I wanted to challenge that. For how I got into modeling, it started from a competition on television where a friend of mine sent in some photos without my knowledge. I was at university and went onto the TV programme and ended up winning that competition. The prize included a contract with Select Model Agency. It didn’t start particularly well; I worked with a few brands and did a lot of commercial work for catalogs. Then, during my first show season – virtually my only show season because I didn’t like the weeks of casting and it’s just not what I wanted to do – I walked for Dolce&Gabbana. My first show was Dolce but it was another five years before we met again. Well, I wasn’t supposed to meet them, but photographer Mariano Vivanco was having a dinner with Domenico and Stefano, and my agent said, “You’ve got to get in front of Dolce&Gabbana again”. So they asked Mariano if I could pick up some airline tickets that I needed for a job, but really it was to get me in front of Stefano and Domenico. Of course, they were polite and asked me to stay for dinner. Two weeks later, I had a Dolce&Gabbana campaign, and two or three months after that, I was doing their show in Milan. Then, Heidi [my booker] called me and said, “We’re negotiating on a fragrance”. Days later I was in Naples and on a boat with Mario Testino to shoot Light Blue.
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WB: Wow, the iconic Light Blue. So you’d made it?
DG: It all sounds very easy, but there was a big gap before I was on that boat with Mario. During the first five years, I got to work with a few female supermodels and I’d often ask them questions about how they ran their business. They were brands, after all: Naomi, Kate, or Elle, you didn’t need a surname. I thought, if I got the platform to do it, I needed to build my brand within the male model industry. And it’s having a name outside the industry too. So that’s what we worked towards. Once Light Blue came out, that changed everything. That was the beginning. I set strategic goals and started to build on the opportunities I was given, building my own name. Then Dolce approached me to do a book together, followed by an underwear line.
I love design too, so I wanted to get involved in the whole project but I didn’t have the experience. After 10 years, we started talking to brands like Marks & Spencer and then we worked on the David Gandy Autograph range. So my last goal was founding my own brand, which I knew was going to be tough.
WB: When did you think, wow, this is really big… I’m now a supermodel?
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YH: My dad was a young fashion designer of a men’s clothing company called Van Den Herick Shirt Makers, but he died in a car accident when I was 7 years old. So, my brother and I were raised by my extraordinary Dutch mother. This experience taught us to persevere in the most difficult of times in life. She passed along the most incredible work ethic. She made me clean toilets, iron on Friday afternoons after school, and clean my room at a very early age. I started washing dishes at a Chinese restaurant in my small town at age 12. All that seemed so normal at that time, she ran our home with a lot of love and discipline. I had so much respect for my mom and just wanted to make her proud. I am who I am because of her: down to earth and super practical. Unfortunately, she passed away four years ago and there is not a day that goes by without thinking of her, she was my anchor and I miss her very much.
WB: She sounds like a wonderful woman and I’m sure she was very proud. And when your children were young, did you ever think they would have the kind of fame they have today?
YH: Fame has never been a motivation for me, I always wished for my children to be strong, financially independent young people that could thrive in something they love to do and are passionate about.
WB: Now that they’re all celebrities in their own right, how does that make you feel?
YH: None of us are without flaws and being constantly watched by the world isn’t always easy. I am very proud of who they are as human beings, the way they conduct themselves in the world, their work ethic, kind hearts, and passion for others. I feel super grateful that they have found their own path that is authentic to who they are.
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WB: They also have some of the most beautiful genes on the planet. Did you mentor them in modeling? Was it a path you thought they might take?
YH: I’ve always had a passion for photography, so I’ve captured the kids since they were very young, which made them comfortable in front of the camera (and sometimes a little annoyed). I always thought they could be great models, but I didn’t want to expose them to that life before they turned 18. I wanted them to experience life away from the spotlight first. I guided them into the industry at a very slow pace, but it was always their choice at the end of the day. The universe just led us there.
WB: How do you balance the role of mum and mentor? Is it challenging to be both?
YH: Being their mom is my greatest accomplishment and number one priority in life. As their mother agent I am learning to take more of a back seat – they’re young adults now. They need me less and less as they have learned to make great decisions on their own, which is a wonderful thing because that means I did my job right. We brain storm and, of course, I am always here to catch them when they fall or hit a crisis (we adjust as we go) but I am super confident in our management teams and grateful for the magic we have created together over the past 12 years.
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WB: Wow, has it been 12 years already since you found fame on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Feels like yesterday. How was that experience?
YH: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was a very difficult time of my life because I was very ill and debilitated by chronic neurological Lyme disease. It was difficult to stay committed to filming three seasons of the show, but it was a blessing for the Lyme community because they could see the difficulties of this disease in a social setting on TV.
We all look so normal on the outside while suffering on the inside and the judgement from cast members is something that Lyme patients experience everyday of their lives within their community, family, and friends. So, from a spiritual perspective bringing awareness to Lyme disease and trying to find a cure affordable for all was the greatest gift I took away from that experience.
WB: I’m sorry to hear you were struggling. How are you doing now?
YH: Unfortunately, I still haven’t found a cure for Lyme disease, so I try to live a very balanced life and have grown to accept that the flareups are just part of my journey. I will never stop my search; I just went to Malaysia to meet Dr. Mike Chan who is by far the most advanced stem cell doctor. I have made it this far, and his treatment seems to be working for now, so I thank God for this experience and pray that I keep feeling this good.
WB: That’s truly the power of love. Make sure you show Khai our photoshoot, her Oma is a rockstar. Before we go, we always ask, what is your favorite flavor of sorbet?
YH: Mango.
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Founder and Editor-in-Chief Ali Y. Khadra | Creative Concept Studio Sorbet | Photographer Zoe McConnell | Editor William Buckley | Styling and Production Krishan Parmar | Skincare Rachel Singer Clark | Hair Brady Lea | Digi Op Nick Graham | Photography Assistant Carrissa Harrod | Fashion Assistant Thomas Brackley | Talent David Gandy | Watches Richard Mille at Ninety Mount Street | Location Courtesy of Carol Hayes Management | City London
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