Two months into a new decade and the chunky sneaker shows no sign of stopping. As the footwear trend continues its indisputable global reign, Dolce & Gabbana released a new range of its own take of the sneaker style.
The Italian brand released two new sneaker models. The first, the Day Master, is all about utility and volume. Anchored by a grey color palette for a retro ’90s appeal, the chunky sneaker is lightweight and accented with subtle leather detailing — a solid minimal essential for any sneaker collection. On the other hand, the NS1 sneaker is a little more daring. With pops of color — available in either red, black, grey, or pink — and geometric features, the shoe is a sportier take on the chunky silhouette.
The Dolce & Gabbana Day Master and NS1 sneakers are available in select stores and online now.
To celebrate the end of summer, this week we’re publishing full cover stories from past issues of ESSENTIAL HOMME. Today, social media star Cameron Dallas discusses how he navigates his blossoming IRL celebrity.
Shot by Austin Hargrave. Styled by Jason Rembert. Words by Jonathan Shia.
In perhaps his most popular YouTube entry yet, Cameron Dallas does little more than sit for stitches. The social media superstar had cut his foot after stepping on a tin lid while filming with fellow vlogger Nash Grier. “Real talk, call 911 or something!” Dallas exclaims on screen. Narratively anticlimactic, the scene continues as the pair tries to lessen the gush. After heading to the hospital in an ambulance, Dallas grips his friend in pain while the wound is sewn up. That the video has been viewed nearly 18 million times (and counting) is reflective of what young fans have come to expect today—intimacy, humor, and a healthy dose of embarrassment.
Now 23, Dallas labels the video a “freakout,” confessing to a somewhat overblown reaction. But exaggeration is the natural language of social media, where melodrama only increases the chances of getting memed. The art of being a celebrity in 2017 requires openness and constant availability, whether you are Beyon- cé announcing your pregnancy with an elaborately arranged photo- shoot or a teenager from Southern California asking the doctor if you’ll have to “wear crutches.”
Since the hospital visit back in February 2014, Dallas has come a long way. With 5.6 million subscribers on YouTube and over 20 million on Instagram (now the most important platform), he has parlayed social media stardom into a web that now encompasses music, movies, his own Netflix series, and a new role as the face of Dolce & Gabbana. His is a fame that could not have existed even five years ago—before social media became a global pastime and a fount for new talent of all kinds. While there is no denying that Dallas’ boy-next-door good looks have leveraged his success, his status as one of the most prominent YouTube crossover stars proves there’s something more to the young adult. “I’m constantly surprised by what you can achieve through hard work and perseverance,” he says. “It’s crazy, the opportunities are endless.”
Dallas first started this social media journey in 2012, posting carefully curated photos of himself and funny videos that involved pranks and gags on Instagram and Vine. He says he never imagined back then that it would become a career, but rather that he was drawn to it for the same reasons any other teenager would be. “I just did it because I wanted to,” he laughs. “I did it to have fun.”It wasn’t long before Dallas began collecting his first fans, moments he recalls as “really special.” Without the layers of management and PR that celebrities from film, music, and sports are protected by, young social media stars are prized for their intimate connections with these rabid followers. Speaking directly to their fans—more often than not teenage girls—these new superstars are rewarded with passion and loyalty, something Dallas mentions he is careful to honor: “I love connecting with people directly,” he says.
With these built-in audiences, fashion crossover, it seems, was only inevitable. After tweeting “I want to be a Calvin Klein model,” in 2011, it became a literal dream come true when Dallas fronted the brand’s denim ad in early 2016, appearing also in the label’s #mycalvins campaign later that year. This past January, he reached a new level of prominence: In a shimmering printed suit, Dallas appeared in Dolce & Gabbana’s Autumn/Winter 2017 runway show, leading a lineup that also included other social media phenoms such as Luka Sabbat and Will Peltz, as well as a slew of notable celebrity spawn like Presley Gerber (son of Cindy Crawford), Rafferty Law (son of Jude), and Levi Dylan (grandson of Bob). The collection, which featured the brand’s trademark sharp tailoring and ornate detailing, was meant to serve as a bridge between the designers and a younger generation. “Domenico [Dolce] and Stefano [Gabbana] are amazing and really made me feel comfortable throughout the whole process,” he recalls. As the opener, Dallas was tasked to be the first on the runway as soon as the spotlights went on, but he tried to avoid nerves by focusing on the fun of the experience: “The one thing I was thinking about was not falling. I was just realistic and thought, ‘I’m not going to mess this up.’ But it would’ve been really funny if I had.”
Since then, Dallas has been named a brand ambassador for the house, starring in both its spring and fall ads this year. “I don’t work with a lot of luxury brands like this, but every time I put on Dolce & Gabbana’s clothes, it feels like they were specially made for me,” he says. “I love the craftsmanship and I love the time and energy [the designers] spend to craft these pieces. It’s another form of art and I’m really humbled by the amount of work they put into it. The fact that they even let me appear in their campaigns is amazing.”
For someone used to being dressed by his mother (“She did an amazing job,” he jokes. “Shoutout to my mom.”), this deep and sudden immersion into the fashion world is both exciting and educa- tional. “I still don’t know a lot of things and I have to look to people to teach me,” Dallas says. “Fashion has been a tool for me to grow as a person. You can really express yourself in different ways and show how creative you can be.” It’s all gone so well, in fact, that he’s plan- ning his own line of clothing some time in the near future. “Yes, 100 percent,” he promises.
In the meantime, there’s the second season of his Netflix reality show, “Chasing Cameron,” to work on. Following Dallas, his family, and his friends from the Magcon circuit, the series of meet-and- greet events that let fans interact with their favorite social media personalities in real life debuted last December. And, while some reviews found it both gratuitous and strangely guarded, it was another step forward in the growth of the brand of Cameron Dallas. “I wrote the idea in my notebook a year-and-a-half ago and just put my eye on the prize and went for it,” he explains. “In terms of the honesty and authenticity, the show is exactly what I wanted. That’s what I like to do—that’s what we aim for.”
Even as his name finds new titles, Dallas hasn’t left behind the YouTube channel that brought him original prominence. In his most recent video the production values are unquestionably higher, but the same spirit of joy remains as he pranks a friend by filling his apartment with an inflatable bouncy castle. Dallas—like any young adult—still wants to have fun, but he is aware that he has a powerful voice he can use for good. “I think every day is an opportunity, so I’m constantly working on myself as a person and trying to help people around me,” he offers. “It’s important as a human to be nice and want more for others than from others.”
Models Alessio Pozzi, Stefano Berretti, Aurelien Muller, Cristi Isofii, Stefano Seminara, and more star in Dolce&Gabbana‘s Spring/Summer 2016 campaign, once again a celebration of Italian lifestyle and family, but this time a splash of China-inspired flare.
Famous for challenging the industry standard of the male model look, designer, fitness buff, and Dolce&Gabbana favorite, David Gandy, links back up with the Italian fashion house as the face of the brand’s newest addition to the Light Blue scent series: Swimming in Lipari. A masculine musk inspired by the crisp water of the Mediterranean, the limited edition scent’s campaign sees Gandy sea-side in Sicily and was shot by the legendary Mario Testino. Here the supermodel shares personal fitness tips to get that Dolce&Gabbana beach physique yourself.
Essential Homme: What is your typical training regimen? Did you alter anything specifically for the Light Blue campaign?
David Gandy: The most effective workout consists of circuits and supersets; it’s great cardio, plus you get the weight training too. For this particular campaign, I did alter my routine by increasing the amount I trained to five times a week and making each a tougher, more intense workout.
EH: What time of the day should one work out?
DG: Whenever you can fit it in. I think it’s best to get it out of the way in the morning, as it sets you up for the whole day. I usually have more energy first thing too, so I can really push myself.
EH: For those that can’t dedicate too much time to pumping iron, do you have any tips to maximize effort at the gym?
DG: No one needs to spend hours at the gym, you just need to change your lifestyle to fit in at least 30 minutes a day, which everyone can do. If you just take the same half an hour you would spend watching a TV show to do an effective workout, you’d feel so much better for it!
EH: Best ratio of cardio to weight training?
DG: It depends on what you want to achieve and what your goals are. If you’re looking to lose weight, you need to up the cardio. If you’re just looking to tone up, balance some cardio with more weight training.
EH: How do you feel about fitness trends such as classes, bootcamps, and juices?
DG: Classes are a great way to exercise and can be fun. The most important thing is to find an exercise that you enjoy so that you’re much more likely to stick to it. The results are incentives to keep training. Juices are nice, but I believe everything should be kept in moderation. Eating natural, organic, and healthy food is the best way forward, so as long as you stay away from processed foods, it’s fine.
EH: Post-gym grooming secrets?
DG: I use rose oil to keep my skin moisturized, but that’s about it besides spraying myself with fragrance to wake up.
EH: What are most guys doing wrong when they exercise?
DG: It’s not about how much time you spend there; it’s about how effective you’re being. Everyone is different and everyone needs to find out what works best for them and what motivates them to push themselves the hardest.
The Fall/Winter 2014 Menswear collections yielded surprisingly synergistic layering combinations: bombers over button-ups, double-riders under coats, and turtlenecks and sweaters worn together, all seemingly effortless. With the weather cooling down, we found four unexpected, runway-inspired ways to ready you for winter, regardless of the occasion.
An infantry of iron-clad, medieval suits donned the brown Norman-inspired oak runway in Milan last week. But unlike in recent seasons, the tailored sports coats and straight leg trousers—staples of the classic Dolce & Gabanna—did not come paraded out on handsome Sicilian men scouted from the every day street, as typical for the brand. Instead, a team of familiar—if not just as handsome—faces commanded the show, including seasoned male models such as Tony Ward, Noah Mills, Adam Senn and Elbio Bonsaglio, Evandro Soldati, and Jae Yoo and new faces such as Mariano Ontanon, Arthur Gosses, Alessio Pozzi, Andy Walters, Oliver Cheshire, Sam Webb, Diego Fragoso, Arthur Kurkov, Sacha Legrand, Dae Na, and Sung Jin Park. An appropriate cast for a collection based on conquest.
The theme of the night was culture convergence, dating back to the historical invasion of the island of Sicily by a group of Scandinavians in the year 1061, and the group’s rule in the centuries that followed. The succession of Norman kings during these years (Ruggero I, Ruggero II, William I, William II, Tancredi, Henry VI, Federico II and Manfredi) brought with them an affinity for cold, Gothic colors (think Greys, bordeauxs, browns, and bottle greens), embroidery, and religious imagery from the Church of the Martorana. The influence of this escalated in a 75-look runway show that was as powerful as the inspiration it was based off.
Photographed by Sebastian Sabal-Bruce
Styled by Ana de Gregorio
Grooming by Daniel Rull using Chanel products.
Model: Robert Laby at View Management Barcelona
Special Thanks to Plato24.com
Now that the whole graphic-print underwear thing’s been done to death, there’s a slow trickle of minimal-minded underwear quickly filling the void. Mack Weldon, Bread & Boxers, Flint and Tinder, Comme Des Garçons Shirt, Ron Dorff…even Dolce & Gabbana… and now you can add a classic minded brand called Special Delivery. The new high end line, which sells at Jeffrey New York, uses 100% North Carolina Supima Cotton and favors a simple, monochromatic approach to their briefs, boxers, tanks and Tees, all of which have been cut in modern, slimmer shapes come in white, black, seafoam and a very dark grey slate.
While there’s a lot to look forward to, sartorially speaking, in this fall season of newly cool temperatures (even if its going to be like 80 degrees in New York City tomorrow), none is as particularly autumnal (or versatile) as the outerwear vest. Those sleeveless jackets that keep you warm, let you move around and, most importantly, give you plenty of layering options. This season’s biggest trends— from quilted and knits (which’ll transition from outer to under layers well come winter) to classic puffers and mixed fabrics—are waiting for you, after the jump.
The Quilted Vest
1) Kenzo Reversible Quilted Vest; $550 at barneys.com
There’s two kinds of gentleman wrapped up in this cotton and polyester (with corduroy trim) guy—nylon for when you’re feeling sporty, paisley for those more colorful moments.
2) White Mountaineering Quilted Pertex Taffeta Vest; $630 at ssense.com
Japanese minimal quirk at its most demure. Even the chest has concealed zip pockets.
The Knit
1) Miharayasuhiro Mohair Aran Knit Vest; $1852 at luisaviaroma.com
You’ll want to walk around with a permanently steaming mug of coco, or whatever, in this down feather lined mohair vest.
2) Wings and Horns Ombre Hand Knitted Vest; $425 at rodengray.com
We can trust the Canadians when it comes to knits.
The Mixed Fabric
1) Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply Multi-Patchwork Vest; $198 at ralphlauren.com
Here’s at least two fabrics we love about fall—suede in the yolk and faded flannel patchwork for the body.
2) Dolce & Gabbana Corduroy and Matt Nylon Vest; $1045 at luisaviaroma.com
Corduroy and nylon puff (here in an unassuming matt), stuffed with down feathers and accompanied by a hood will keep you looking fresh till perhaps the spring.
Backpacks aren’t what they used to be…and that’s a good thing. Plenty of designers have taken a liking to this particular form of portage which, lucky for your posture, is also the least stressful on your muscles. That means in addition to ease of wear, there’s more shapes, sizes and styles to choose from than ever before. And fall is perfect for backpacks and not just for the back to school set too. Gone is the back-sweat inducing heat and here are the days of starting fresh, getting down to business and showing off some brand new fresh looks. There’s no shortage to pick from this season—the trend has quite taken—so we’ve sifted through the gigantic pile and found the 25 coolest backpacks for Fall 2012.
