THE BIG INTERVIEW
We begin to talk about the subject of this interview – what identifies his signature sartorial look. One might reasonably suppose that most actors surrounded almost constantly by costumes might not be so enthusiastic about clothes themselves – civilian dress for a player of the stage or screen. But as it turns out, classic as his look certainly is, it is refreshingly simple and signature.“ I like clothes having a feel as well as a look,” he begins.“ I always try to buy clothes made of a fairly distinctive fabric. Also, I am sturdily built( here a wry smile) – large chest and short legs, so I can never really wear closely tailored garments.”
But that said the essence of great tailoring is, as Sir Hardy Amies had it, never to look too tight. Great tailoring is usually formfitting and form following. Callow cites a great favourite of his, Issey Miyake whose genius he salutes and favours Emenegildo Zegna ' s suits“ which suit me well and the fabrics are so interesting. I can ' t wear very colourful clothes but I love a whole range of browns, bright copper especially. My mother wanted me to look like a country gent which was preposterous because we were poor!”
This early“ rus in urbe” look has clearly permeated and Callow is confident with the elegant simplicity and no-frills identity of his chosen garb. Clothes, though un-fussy can also be as vital as more experimental ones – possibly even more so – trusted friends in the wardrobe. Couturier and Chanel supremo Karl Lagerfeld once said something about truly great clothes becoming classics in the wardrobe. The key word, it might be said, is“ becoming”, almost like living entities. Callow certainly understands what he believes can be style disasters for almost all.“ Pork pie hats and sandals with colours all incredibly muted, make no sense at all. – as if they have been studied in a manual. I suspect that men of my age have their clothes bought for them by their wives and betray nothing about the individual.”
Despite what one might call a relaxed, even casual ethos, the actor remembers always loving purchasing those“ oneoff garments which never went into production – absolutely unique and quirky”. He cites the one-time Covent Garden boutique in the 1980s Les Deux Zebres, where small runs and indeed one-offs appealed to the urbane dandy types of the time. Today, he likes the edgy minimalism of South Molton Street ' s Vertice which offers a mixture of Italian and French relaxed tailoring and some unusual Asian garments which are hard to find elsewhere in the capital. These are unusual and limited editions, sourced by one charismatic gentleman, Giovanni, who cut his teeth in the demanding world of high fashion represented by Gianni Versace.
“ I suspect that men of my age have their clothes bought for them by their wives and betray nothing about the individual”
Here, he mentions his mother who used to work at one-time shirting stalwarts, Raelbrook where a high end range of garments was produced which might have been an early influence. Created by one Dodi Van Del, these shirts Callow remembers as extravagant.
I ask the obvious question. What is his take on style and fashion?
“ Style is an individual sense of oneself.” And fashion?“ A statement of idioms.”
Callow is not naturally, off stage or screen, of the visually loquacious sort. Simplicity, directness and a tangible sense of never wanting to waste time seem to permeate his very being. That is why his wardrobe must perform for him much as, but in a different way, as he R
SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE 47