David Gandy is relaxed. The Essex-born supermodel is sitting in his light-filled kitchen, sipping a glass of water and reflecting on his almost 25-year career.
At 45, Gandy's striking dark brown hair, sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes have been at the centre of some of fashion's most iconic campaigns of the last two decades, and he is one of the few male models to become a household name.
"I always say that I was inspired by the female supermodels," Gandy says, name-checking Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. "You don't even need to say the surnames.
"It's not like I've ever got to that status," he laughs.
It was Gandy's contract with Dolce & Gabbana that catapulted his career, with the model fronting a campaign for the brand's Light Blue fragrance line - to this day, arguably his most notable work.
