I grew up in Billericay in Essex with my parents, Chris and Brenda, and my older sister Claire. It was just a very normal British upbringing. I’m still friends with people from junior school who I’ve known since the age of four.
My parents started numerous businesses from home – everything from US property to freight forwarding – so, from an early age, I understood the time, commitment and dedication it takes to be self-employed, to grow your own company and be your own brand.
In 2001, when I was at university studying multimedia computing, my housemate entered me into a modelling competition on ITV’s This Morning. I had no idea about it, but ended up winning the competition and along with it, a contract at Select Model Management, the agency I’m still with 25 years later. Shortly after winning the competition, I left university to pursue modelling full-time.
I’ve always felt very fortunate that being in the fashion industry has allowed me to travel the world, meet some fascinating people and experience some amazing opportunities along the way. It was extraordinary to be part of an iconic commercial like the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue advert, which changed the industry for male models.
But it takes a thick skin to be in this business. You’re constantly interviewing or casting for work, the majority of which you aren’t going to get.
I’m happy to be working with M&S again, where my brand David Gandy Wellwear will be available online. I learned so much when we launched the David Gandy for Autograph range, which became a bestseller. Now my brand offers elevated essentials, made with Wellwear Breathe and Wellwear Care enhanced fabrics to improve the way your body feels.
Elevating the essentials with David Gandy Wellwear, now available at M&S
Credit: Marks & Spencer
When I first moved to London, I lived alone in Highgate, in a large one-bed maisonette. It had a shared garden and was a great find. I wasn’t there much because I was travelling with work.
I then moved in with two housemates in Fulham, south-west London, but again at that stage, I was doing about 90 flights a year. When my wife Steph (who I was introduced to by my best friend) and I got together, I had just fully designed, developed, and restored a Fulham townhouse, which took a year. It was a great house, and holds special memories because it’s where we were living when both of our daughters were born.
We bought our house in south-west London during lockdown after years of looking for the right home for our growing family. We knew we wanted London for proximity to work, but we wanted the size, privacy and space of something you would find in the country. I always admired a particular house when walking my dog in Richmond Park so when it came on the market, I knew it ticked all the right boxes for us. It was built in 1927 by the renowned architects Arnold Smith and Cecil Brewer and sits in half an acre with Richmond Park beyond that. We’ve added 2,000 sq ft to it but had to be very respectful of the architecture, which as a history fanatic, suited me just fine.
I’ve always been a curious person and like to get my hands dirty, so when I got the gardening bug, I really threw myself into it. My parents are keen gardeners and have a beautiful garden in the Suffolk countryside, so they gave me some advice. Since I began, I’ve planted more than 400 white Annabel hydrangeas, which bloom to more than a thousand heads, forming a border around the whole property. We’ve also added more than 2,500 plants and trees, but my main obsession is the lawn. I always recommend scarifying the lawn (like a deep clean!) at least once a season and pre-germinate your grass seed in water before you lay it.
My local area is friendly and very community-based, which we love. It’s honestly like living in the countryside with London on your doorstep. Our local pockets around Richmond, Barnes and East Sheen all have a gorgeous village feel to them, with some wonderful cafes and restaurants like Tower House and Scott’s Richmond. Being able to walk along the river before a long lunch in the summer is very special.
I always thought I was destined to be a dad of girls with a house full of women. Even my dog Dora is a girl, so I’m definitely outnumbered but wouldn’t have it any other way. People always ask if I ever wanted a boy, maybe because of my love of sport and cars, but my girls are just as active and sporty as any boy could be.
As well as hopefully being a fun dad, I’m also quite a strict parent. I think, as parents, it’s about finding a good balance between protection and freedom, which is why I have been vocal in support of a social media ban for children under 16. I’m hoping support for this will continue to grow and that the government will listen.
I’ve campaigned for better awareness around men’s mental health for many years, so when The Centre for Social Justice approached me about being part of its Lost Boys Initiative, I was happy to get behind it. We aim to champion a generation of young men who are falling behind girls in education and employment, are at a higher risk for poor mental health and are more vulnerable to crime and social issues. Young men need to be encouraged, and not labelled as toxic or a problem in society.
David Gandy Wellwear is available at marksandspencer.com
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