Describe your style for us, Anthony…

Elegant, comfortable and wide. When I was a kid, I used to wear a lot of suits. People would mock me because in France we don't have school uniforms. I thought it was so cool that in the UK, they wear uniforms. Then, I went to the US for two years. I lost my style because they don’t have any style; they wear sandals and socks. Now I'm more mature, and because I’m a model, I need to be more presentable. My friends and I always say we’re just going to wear suits every day. You can't go wrong with a suit. It's timeless. If you don't know about style, or if you can't find a style, like my brother, you will always look nice in a suit. 

The first time I came to London, I came with my mom for a week for vacation, and I was so impressed by people wearing suits here. They just wore them differently. Every once in a while, when an old guy’s wearing a beautiful suit, I’m like, ‘Wow, this guy looks like the boss.’ That’s why my style now is very tailoring heavy.

What influences the way you dress today?

Films like Goodfellas or Casino with Robert De Niro. It's classic Italian style. They wear a wide suit, shirts with a long pin collar, and a long tie. On YouTube, there are videos from the first cameras to ever record in public in Paris and New York. Everything’s in black and white, and you see that every man is wearing a suit. Nobody's wearing a t-shirt or shorts; they don’t exist. It's all just so elegant. 

If you could have anyone's wardrobe, whose would it be?

I would go with Tom Ford, the god of suits. Or Harry Styles. There is a photo of Harry at the Met Gala, I think, and he’s wearing a white suit and a white collar that comes out of the suit. Or Lewis Hamilton. 

Do you have a favourite item of clothing?

I have a leather jacket I bought on Brick Lane for £120. It's a big aviator jacket with removable fur on the collar and inside. I was working for Burberry last year, for the winter collection, so I was wearing similar jacket styles. I went to smoke outside because the job was done, when a designer came out and was like, ‘Is that our jacket?’ I'm like, ‘No, look, check the tag.’ I love this one. I’ve shot it multiple times, and every time people ask me, ‘Oh, where's that from?’ 

What pieces do you invest in?

I'm trying to buy more expensive pieces so I can keep them, and then they’re more original too. I don't want to buy cheap things that last me a year, shrink and then are thrown away. I like it when there’s a history to an item, when someone tells you, ‘This is a vintage Yves Saint Laurent from my mom and she’s had it since she was 20.’ I want to give my clothes to my grandkids or my kids, and they'll be like, ‘Yeah, that's my dad's suit.’ 

Where’s the best place to shop?

I love the vintage culture here in the UK. In my city of Bordeaux, there are three or four thrift shops, but on Brick Lane, there are 20 to 30 shops with every style you want – leather jacket, suit or coat. I found a leather jacket recently that I bought for myself, then for my mum in a different style, and one for her boyfriend too. 

And your favourite travel destination?

I stayed in Thailand for two years during Covid. In Thailand, you have freedom. You have your motorbike, and you can do whatever you want. Whatever you are into, there’s a store or shop for it. Do you like to play pool? There are 10,000 stores where you can play pool. You want to play volleyball? In Bangkok, there's a rooftop that has a volleyball court. When I go back to Bordeaux, I ask, ‘Okay, is there a pool place somewhere?’ No, there's not. For my first modelling contract, I went to Hong Kong for three months, and Hong Kong is really good. That city never sleeps; it’s full of energy. Everybody speaks English as well. 

Do you follow trends?

Nobody wants to say they follow trends, but when you look back at it, you're like, ‘Oh, I was following the trends!’ Right now, the trend is very like my style. It’s suit heavy, wide pleated trousers and a tight t-shirt. So right now, I guess I am on trend, but I also feel like it's my style. When the trend is over, I'll still be wearing it.

How do you accessorise?

I’m working on getting more accessories added to my wardrobe and I found the Seiko Presage watches really added something that I didn’t have in my outfits before. Everything just flowed and matched my looks. I don't like to wear sunglasses on a day-to-day basis because they’re just something on my nose, and they impair my vision. Some people wear sunglasses inside all day – that’s a talent! I want a custom signet ring for my pinky and will just leave it there. It comes back to the classic Italian style again. Old men don't wear jewellery, but they do have a signet ring from their family, and that’s a nice touch. 

You're going out for dinner tonight. Where are you going and what are you wearing?

That dinner SLMan invited me to – let's do that again! So, it’d be MR PORTER Steak House, but this time, let’s go black tie. Like in a movie, Tom Ford style, very nice and simple. Sometimes when you walk around London at night, people are wearing black tie, and it looks amazing. I wore a black tie outfit to my brother's wedding recently, but there was no dress code, and my cousins just wore a black shirt, jacket and jeans. I'm like, ‘Oh my god, we lost our style, this doesn't represent the French style.’ 

Shop now at SeikoBoutique.co.uk
 

Follow @CheekyAnthony
Photography by Sandra Seaton
With thanks to Montcalm Mayfair