David Gandy, Founder of David Gandy Wellwear / Emotionally Durable Fashion

David Gandy Wellwear is a world first concept bringing apparel and wellbeing together in a lifestyle brand that fuses fashion, function and feeling. Inspired by the supermodel’s 20 years of industry experience and based on the scientific benefits of wearing soft, comfortable clothing, the 20-piece debut collection offers a definitive range of essentials that puts the emotional wellbeing of its customer at its very heart. To achieve this the brand takes a multi-sensory approach to design, evoking a sense of wellbeing through exceptional comfort, style, fit and quality. With studies showing that simply touching smooth fabrics can create a sense of psychological wellbeing and reduce negative emotions, Wellwear’s use of tactile fabrics is key. The best natural fibres, including Pima cotton, lyocell and modal, have been chosen to guarantee ultimate softness . Fabric constructions have been selected for their natural functionality, such as body temperature regulation and moisture wicking, to create an additional layer of comfort. The brand also pushes the boundaries on affordable fabric innovation by applying technical treatments to garments to physically enhance the wearer’s wellbeing. These include anti-odour and anti-bacterial properties which reduce the need to wash clothes after every wear, increasing longevity of the garment and in turn having a positive wider environmental impact, and the use of Aloe Vera plant extract which has wound healing, anti-inflammatory and moisturising properties.

In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interview David Gandy, Founder of David Gandy Wellwear about the founding story of his new clothing brand concept which was put together during the Covid-19 global pandemic. Our host Peter Brooker and David talk about the obstacles and limitations of building a brand without meeting suppliers and team members in person, what Wellwear stands for, the science of comfort, why anti-bacterial fabric is sustainable, fast fashion, funding, and charity sponsors. 

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Transcript

Unknown: 0:12

Hello and welcome to another episode of The menswear style podcast. I'm your host Pete Brucker. Well we've got an exciting show today I've got David Gandy on the phone, he's going to be talking about the launch of his new fashion and lifestyle brand David Gandy, well were a world first concept bringing apparel and well being together and a lifestyle brand that fuses fashion function and feeling that for Yes. Sorry, inspired by David's 20 years of industry experience and based on the scientific benefits of wearing soft, comfortable clothing, the 20 piece debut collection offers a definitive range of essentials, that puts the emotional well being of its customer at its very heart. And here is David to talk about the brand. And we start with asking why now? Why now? Good question. So is it seems to be the first question that everyone is asking. Its foremost, many reasons for that it's been in my concept, I suppose my own my own brand awareness going in my head for quite a while, something I wanted to achieve. Something that I kind of wanted to put all my 20 years experience into. And yeah, it was something probably came into about about 10 years ago. But of course, I wasn't experienced enough. I didn't, I didn't. It's a big, big undertaking. So that's when really we, I went back to basics a little bit bit like little like I did with modelling and wanted to observe before actually sort of jumped, jumped into the deep end in some ways. And that's where we had the collaboration with with m&s and we had Dave again, your autograph, so we had that for nearly six years proved a great success and turned out to be one of the biggest loungewear and sleepwear brands in the country, which which was good. And I learned from that I learned as the side of the other side, you don't see from the modelling side, which is the, of course the production, the factory, the design, marketing, PR, creative, the whole works really, of course, I've I've directed a few things and being creative director to a few brands as well. But that doesn't have anything to compare to what actually, you know, designing a range for every season actually entails. So once I got that under my belt, and if I was totally honest, I'm not sure if I would be sitting here talking to you about it, if it wasn't for the band. You know, I got meant to schedule, usually and the pandemic, you know, one of the positive things among many negative things allowed us to sit down and, and allow me to think about where I wanted to be what I wanted to do. And obviously this was the natural step, my best friend Charlie t have just started a branding agency. With a lot of experienced people Claire and Tom who are the well were team was easy you've met and we started putting the concept together. Right? So that was that's how it came about really. And I'm interested to learn what the obstacles were of launching a brand and getting a brand like this off the ground during a pandemic Can you touch upon not being able to meet in person was was obstacle one, of course, not being able to visit the factory, the big obstacle to so we're producing manufacturing in Portugal. So it shouldn't have been a massive problem to visit the factory but of course it didn't matter where you were or how far away it was you you simply couldn't visit and that's a major part we wanted to go and look at materials and manufacturing processes we brought in Katie into the group and she has worked for a number of very prestigious luxury brands. And she no this is this is a forte she knows exactly what we what we were what was required from the concept, the best factories to take us forward with that with the with the sort of tech in the wellness element, I suppose that we needed along with the quality and along with pricing and everything else so so she took care of that for us. But that being a you know from a from a creative element from a creative side, not being able to sit around the table and just, you know, sort of talk over ideas and work off of each other was the hardest thing of course, zoom and Microsoft Teams and everything is is great, but it has its limitations at the end of the day. So yeah, that there were there were, you know, we have to remind ourselves where we are at the moment of where we were sort of last year and actually how far we've come from Pretty much putting this together through a through a pandemic and through lockdown, which of course wasn't in the plan of course but there you go you have to have to adapt pretty quickly to things that jumped out was this the idea for this release was it for of before lockdown and before the pandemic because it seems like one of those kind of perfect brands that maybe percolated during the pandemic of you know the concept of casual wear but also you know, smart wear that you can wear outside of once you've been at home for a few days. In some ways that we've we've were adapted a little bit to that but you know what I had with m&s with loungewear, and sleepwear, the concept of that is what we've sort of brought forward and I always wanted to expand the line with m&s and we've constrained a little bit within reason being with the m&s family and you know, you got your thing before really loungewear was like all like new category of thing that everyone was talking about from from last year because you know, I that was a concept I'd come up with, I mean m&s to come up with five or six years ago so of course everyone then catches on successful elements of successful niches and then everyone was doing loungewear course so if they weren't they quickly rushed into production to to take on board the way people were dressing last year in lockdown the pandemic so we The concept was it had to move on the concept had to move on from there and that's when we're bringing sort of the element of a powerful brand and wellness together wellness is a it's a massive massive sector something that's ever going to be growing especially in menswear as well you know women's wear as women sort of beauty well being a makeup is is fairly established in men it's ever growing grooming and well being as an ever growing segment so we wanted to blend those two together we were coming up with lots of names well where was a part of the brand we had brand new well and then you know the simplest thing we kind of said it took about tone of voice and and simplifying it to the customer what what are we actually starting from well were summed up everything new so it became David Gandy well where and the wellness element comes into looking at it really scientifically in some ways we've I just wanted to go back to look at how this sounds a bit strange but why why are there certain bits now wardrobe Why were there certain pieces in my wardrobe that I wear until they're pretty much threadbare Why do they make me feel good when I had them what makes me feel good when I'm wearing them and it's a lot to do with quality a lot to do with comfort style fit. And the list got longer and longer and longer but if you if you look at this from a scientific point of view and there's been studies done on this that people work better people socialise better when they're when they're comfortable and when they're confident of course so when you're seeing this now with with the banks that are saying these people was essentially the employees you don't have to wear suits you don't have to wear formal clothing anymore that you can come into the smart casual more comfortable wear and that and this is apparently improves productivity students who are more comfortable and more confident in what they were wearing, produce better results and apparently we just kind of much nicer better people it apparently can even encourage you if you're wearing that's the sort of more leisure you know sort of day where also encourage you to more exercise or go to the gym I'm not sure if that's true but it might work do you know it's so true and I've had a couple of events this week where I've just been deciding kind of what outfit to wear and you know what, how to go buttoned up and how to kind of present myself best and so many times I've put on something that I feel like looks good and is kind of the best would look good in a photo here's me and my best shirt and my best tie but yeah I'm kind of walking around very pressurised almost like compressed in this in this suit as it were which is nothing against suits. I do enjoy wearing suits and ties but for every occasion it can become a little bit intoxicating so I think Yeah, I can certainly certainly Yeah, we're not we're not we're not bashing the suit. That's the last thing I do because I'm I'm you know, tailoring and suiting is a major passion of mine. And it will be new I've just been to a number of events myself and I love putting a tuxedo on I love putting a suit on but even myself who probably would would wear your tailoring suiting all the time or a piece of tailoring sitting I you know I didn't want to wear the the element of breaking everything down is like you said you know if you've put a full outfit together before suiting and tailoring outfit together, it can feel constrained. Now there are ways around this with tailoring which is unstructured sort of tailoring, however It was to the point where where can you still be comfortable working, you have the softest clothes, and still have an in golf, these are all in golf and we needed to sort of put them into your everyday wear so a sweatshirt or you wanted to wear suit with them, as we call them, our heritage sort of joggers, they're very utilitarian s kind of job kind of richer turned up at the ends and quite wide legs. And so that was some of your photos for the press release. Yeah, they were my favourite piece so so so just get like, how can you combine this wardrobe, which we're not calling which is, you know, lifestyle essentials, into an everyday wardrobe. And that's what we've done. So every sort of, you know, piece of everything you're doing, like even if you're going to the gym, you know, we're playing with children, taking dogs or going to the office, going to the pub is we think, you know, we kind of know that they, they incorporate that you can incorporate pizza, well we're into everything. And this started from the basics of getting the T shirts, right you know, there's there's an element of you had, we looked at the way men shot, men shot very differently to women, men shot for necessity, they're very loyal buyers, they'll buy many pieces of you, once you once you've got everything right, with fit style colour delivery, then there'll be a very low customer. And that's what we looked at as well and simplifying it because there's an element to me that shopping is getting a little bit confusing. In some ways, there's so much choice. If you go on a very famous men's shopping online site that you put in white t shirts, you'll get a page of one of seven, anything varying from 300, from 30 quid to 1000 pounds t shirt, which sounds ludicrous, but so you have this choice and sometimes when people have so much choice, they do nothing. So what we've done is really tried to simplify it for men so if you're looking for sweatshirt if you're looking for hoodies, for joggers, sweatpants for you know sort of bomber sweats t shirt is we literally wanted to make the best. And it's almost like the quintessential sweatshirt t shirt. We're not trying to reinvent anything, but we'll just try and make it as functional. We say fashion and function and feeling and that's what we're trying to do with these functional pieces and stylish based but there's function to it. And we've put these elements of well where care and where breathe well where care is with aloe vera into the sleep with so it's moisturising, anti inflammatory. And well where care is antibacterial and anti odour. So what we're trying to encourage with that is not just from a, from a, you know, antibacterial sort of element in from that, well, where is the fact that you don't have to wash your clothing, as you know as much and your washing clothing is, you know, damages your clothing. It makes it last longer. It's bad for the environment, you're in so much water. And that from a sustainability point of view is, you know, you can't continue. So what we're trying to say is it's about quality. It sounds weird from a brand saying you don't need to buy as many clothes because that's the exact opposite to what most brands want you to do. But we're saying these things will really the items that we have in well will will last you a long, long time with Rolex. Yeah. I'm glad you touched on the sustainability element because I used to have my sustainable questions kind of at the bottom of a list for some reason, but when I was planning some questions for you, I actually had it at number two. And you've been in the industry for so long, David that how have you seen people's attitudes and brands attitudes towards sustainability change, you've got a lot of the older brands that have adapted or having to adapt very quickly to the requirements of people wanting sustainability and the demands of sustainable fashion. If you're starting a brand like I am then sustainably near sustainability has to be as you said, has to be at the top of your list now now we're not saying we're a sustainable brand. There's different variations of thoughts of how to make a fashion brand sustainable. Levi's, we're taking some of the Levi's route we're actually bring with them, but it's about producing less, at the end of the day. It's not about fast fashion, fast fashion is horrendous for the environment. fast fashion is also addiction for people. So you know, when I say you, if people look and they think they can buy a T shirt for five or six quid or address for a quid, and they think it's going to be sustainable when made ethically then I think they're going to be wrong. I could I could be surprised, but I don't think I am. But those items are never going to be quality that they're going to be items you wear a few times and then probably you know get rid of and you replace it with more and that's something that we have to change and that that's our limited sustainability that it's about. It's about quality things that last things you don't have to buy as much all the time. We've got elements or other elements into it. So we're gonna we're, we've reused BCI better cutting initiative Cotton's, we've natural materials. And that's a part of that. And that's something we did with. To go off on a bit of tangent we did with m&s, which we use in the suit is we use wool. And we use recycled wool. And recycled wool is biodegradable elements. So if it does happen to end up in landfills does happen to end up in. And, you know, being chucked out that that's a biodegradable element plastic isn't. So when you're looking at acrylics and polyesters. And people are, of course, taking plastics out of the ocean to make clothing and call themselves to stainable. But there's the element of where does that clothing go. And yet, if it's plastic, and if it's acrylic, if it's, you know, polyester, you can recycle, there are some good polyesters. But there's the element that we get from, from what I've always bought natural material or natural fabrics, natural fabrics, or you know, breathable, much more comfortable always, you know, the wicking elements of wool, and Cotton's are so much better. So you're just more comfortable than polyester. If you're if you've ever been asking a polyester top and you're ridiculously sweating, wondering why Yes, it's lovely and warm, but you're covered in plastic, pretty much so you're never going to be that comfortable in that item. So there's, there's no sustainable element to that. So yeah, there's different ways of people looking at people can call themselves sustainable by taking plastics out of the ocean. And that is that sustainability, kind of you know, so we are saying that we're on a cycle with that. And we're constantly, you know, looking to better ourselves with this, of course, we're a young brand, we don't have massive amounts of investment. And it does take huge amounts of investment to do that. But looking at our factories, look at our beam being manufactured in Portugal. Yes, we have taken that taking that seriously. Great. Well, you mentioned investments there. I do often ask other founders, how they raise capital for a brand like this. Most people either put their own welfare, nor do Kickstarter campaigns, can I ask how this got off the ground financially, we funded Initially, the initial costs, and then went out for some seed investors only seed investors, sort of friends and family raise. So a lot of people had approached me before even doing something and that, you know, I mentioned to them that I would be doing something. And they said, when you do then show us the choice, the aim shows the investment pattern? Well, we'll definitely take a look. And being in 20 years, I had lots of contacts within the industry and lots of contacts of you know, in the fashion street that knew of the successes I've had with other collaborations. So yes, we went from there and have a very tight investment team. Who I look for people that add value to the brand who have experience not just in fashion, but you know, marketing and, and sponsorships and everything else. So yeah, we're really happy and proud that the investors a couple. Awesome. David, congratulations on the brand. I think it looks great. I really like getting back to, I think it was quite refreshing to see it come through just a little bit understated, no flashy logos, but practical. And again, you've you've elongated the sustainable element on there. I know you're not sustainable brand, but I think you've certainly put some nods towards it. So well. What was the most enjoyable part of the process for you? Was it getting the product or was it kind of seeing it for the first time, there was a satisfaction built in in everything really, I've seen the product, I mean, we see it for the first time, it's very rarely the product that you're going to see initially, you know, you'll see in the end, but we were very surprised at how close the factory got. And that's sort of you know, creative and design as well like flair and the designer. Got that got that right, we had to make a few touches. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and this is the first time I've I've To be honest, being able to produce items that I'm you know, 100% happy with, because there's always been elements of collaboration that you have to work within the confines of that brand or their limitations. So this is the first time I've ticked everything off to be totally happy and I wouldn't wouldn't allow anything to go on sale if I if I didn't, you know, if I didn't believe it was the best thing that could be done. which drives the team a bit mad now and again, of course, but there's a few challenges. No, it's nice. Definitely. We saw the pace of the creative element I've said before I sort of directed and creative design for brands and I do you know, I do love that. I mean a lot of the being found of a brand and working with a team. We've all got about three different hats on 15 different jobs. So sometimes the creative element gets pushed back a little bit, gets overtaken by all the other requirements in a brand. But the creative element was great and I had to I had to cost models. I'm in the campaign myself but we had lookbooks another campaigns I had to cost models to bring my vision and my creative monotones and marketing Guide to Life that's not the first time I've cast but i've i've always directly costed cost models and people and so to see that come to life for the first time and it's what we were trying to achieve with the creative was just something very very positive the whole brand is we want positivity and the campaign the there the post, everything we've got coming like no one's really seen much of it so fast, but I think I'll be surprised when they do it. There's a real kind of feelgood factor and sort of positive nature to it and that's and that positive nature so it goes towards also working with calm out and instal for soldiers which are our charity sponsors as well so all your well being and you know sort of mental well being as well so there's just yeah it's something I run with my with my sort of social platforms for a long time as I would never accept any negativity on that you know, there's always so there's always a bit of sort of tongue in cheek there's always some laugh even though I'm serious you know matters there's always a bit of tongue in cheek and and it's worked really well and people like I want people to come on to the website and come on to well where and come on to my socialism and go away feeling positive about it. And hopefully they'll feel positive when they're in the clothing and, and feel positive that you know, it's it's attainable it's not too expensive, they're comfortable. It's, you know, there's sustainable elements to it. And that's that was the concept from the start really, at the end of the day. Well, they can head over to you Instagram and see a bucket of water getting thrown in your face right now. I'm trying to think who I did that wasn't it might be mine. At the end of the day, yeah. That was that was our kind of last shot there and everyone was was not good. And so we just kind of thought why don't we just do something different? Give everyone another? I'm posting the video tomorrow Who? Who was who had the the task of tracking the water over? Nice. Well, at least it was water and not not slime or anything. That's true. Yeah. It would have been nicer that day. If it was if it was gin and tonic if it was totally honest. No, it wasn't. It was. That's it. That was the whole point of it really, that that again, it was just a positive finding that that was the thing of the whole vibe through the three days of shooting. I mean, I mean the model was he came for the second day, like no one wants to leave you know, and that's something I'm a big believer in getting on set and producing great atmosphere and I've had this one you were working with great creatives Mariano, Vivanco and Aldo and I actually shot the campaign, Mario Testino all these people and yeah, there's all there's always music, there's always a positive vibe as a close knit team. And you don't want to want to go home you want to carry on you want to carry on creating. And that's what I said to the guys and the models were just outstanding. Absolutely incredible all from my agency. Select what to wait and see who I've been with for 20 years. Those guys are all from their massive amounts of young talent to come through. Awesome. Well, David, the brand looks great. Thanks so much for coming on the show. David Gandy wherewhere.com is a place people can find out and also on Instagram David Gandy well where David I have one last very pertinent question for you and the last time we met was outside of the Spectre premiere down ham yard we're going back six years ago and we just came out of the of the film we were both waiting for a car I think or something. So six years later we have the new film no time to die Have you had a chance to see it? Yeah, I have I would think it was the hammer was rejected or wasn't a Jaguar Land right so my wife got a sneak preview last week. I have seen it so yes. Okay, so I have to get I have to get without any spoilers because people haven't had the chance to see it yet but just your overall broad impressions broadly impressed sporting person I'm sad to see Daniel Craig go if that that combined I think because we know this is going to be reportedly his last Bond film of course so I think he's such a great actor and done a great job so that's why I could kind of think really he was I thought I thought the film really great for March to bond. I certainly know and and what Daniel Craig is brought to the role. I think I think he's going to be a really hard You know, hard shoes to feel really, and that element but it's a good it's a good it's a long, two hour two hours 45 two hours 40 but I always think you know there's a good film when you don't look at your watch one so I was quite happy that you're watching the whole thing. Yeah, no, no checking on the mobile no need for toilet break. But I mean, I was really self conscious because I I went to the premiere, I was lucky enough to have the premiere. And I knew that I would be sitting down from like seven I'd have to watch all the royalty shake their hands, so they'd be like, half One hour and then there would be like two and a half hours of film so I'd be probably sat in my seat for close to four hours right so yeah, I didn't drink anything from 12 from noon that day so I was completely dehydrated going into that I didn't even have to I didn't even have to pee when I came out I got straight on the train and went home I went like 12 solid hours you see I didn't think ahead like that and then we polished off a cup of gin and tonics was watching Polish bond and then realised how long it was and yeah to have a couple of had a couple of toilet breaks so I've missed a couple of customers that didn't seem to seem to miss anything that I didn't understand the story but what did you think about it? What did you enjoy I really enjoyed it. I thought it was fantastic I fought the opening credit sequence with the DB five It was great to see that I thought the sets were incredible as well we've got some locations but also some of the sets like the layer for example that we've seen in the trailer. I think that harks back to a lot of great Ken Adam work and interestingly, if you heard the story from Jaguar Land Rover is actually when they were trying to do the stunts in the DB five and the jakirah xs is it was too slippery it was boiling and there's this sheet of dust that goes across the top and that you know backing off the drive it just couldn't drive it very fast because it was slipping everywhere in the place so apparently they poured I can't say the name of it name of the brand so gallons and gallons of a fizzy drink to all over the road so they can actually get to be able to understand things which is which is a major factor because it because I mean and I love that I mean one of the things that you're the defender you know the defenders covered like just jumping over the cliff and they had the stunt teams that were in charge of that and they were just some guy can't just get going higher higher they couldn't break the call and they were just going right let's see what this thing can do and just going on so being a petrol head I love that element to it so yeah, good entertaining watches exactly what one should be well I remember in the I don't know if it was the same this time around when we were in the ham yard for the Spectre screening It was a huge chair when the landrovers came in and piled into each other towards the end of Spectre so I can only imagine when once these guys started doing some barrel rolls it was it was pretty impressive stuff. Great. Well, David, thanks again Enjoy the rest of your evening and thanks for taking time to come on the show. And Absolutely. Well how about that? I could have spoken to David for hours about James Bond and and other stuff as well but especially James Bond. That is it for me. Don't forget to check out David's collection David Gandy worldwide.com follow the journey on Instagram. We'll leave all the links over on the show notes at info at menswear startup co.uk where you can find ever articles pertaining to fashion lifestyle, grooming, etc. If you want to get in touch with me, come on the show. Maybe Tell us about your journey and your brand. It's info at men's West outer coat at UK and until next time