Interview with Gui Bo - a modern style icon

Gui Bo is the epitome of a modern style icon. He is sometimes called one of the world's most photographed men, who has been a favourite of street style photographers for many years. The basis of it all is a passionate interest in fashion and classic men's style - not to mention quality footwear.

Gui Bo is originally from Montreal, but after periods in San Francisco and New York, among other places, he has now landed in the south of France. When he was younger, he was a professional football player and later a well-known hip hop artist, DJ and producer. Back then, he dressed relatively similarly to what he does today, focusing on well-fitting suits and jackets, often a hat, and then well-cared for shoes.

In the hip hop world, he stood out enormously with those outfits - in the "menswear" realm where he is now, it's obviously more at home. We're not talking extreme excesses though, although he does wear some patterns, it's mainly sober and earthy colours, often double-breasted jackets, and lots of brown and black shoes. And given that this is a man who back in 2012 was reading Swedish shoe blogs translated with what was then a rather shaky Google translate, he certainly harbours a genuine interest in shoes.



When you meet someone who don't know who you are or what you do, how do you describe yourself?
- I like to say that I'm "a man of influence". So not "an influencer", but the other way around. I work as style consultant, I help and collaborate with various brands, and also do freelance work as a sort editor for magazines.

Okay, so you are not a fan of the definition "influencer"?
- No, at least not in the way the word has become associated nowadays. I mean, if we look at Pitti Uomo where we are now, I would say that the peak for classic menswear was in 2014, since then this section has been destroyed by all "bloggers" and "influencers". It's not just about Pitti, but in general.

How do you mean?
- It's about difference values now, more individualistic values, people do it all for themselves and one don't have to be good at anything just good at promotion. Most are not at all inspiring. I want to promote this elegance, and then go deeper and talk quality, style. I want to truly inspire others and educate on clothing and footwear. That's why I'm happy that most of my followers and so on are 18-35 years, not older.

How would you describe the way you dress?
- Classic elegance with a modern twist. I once labeled myself "French Britalian gentleman farmer, with an American twist".

And what type of shoes do you wear the most?
- Loafers, definitely. Tassel loafers and Belgian loafers. Always. But I also love double monks, derbys etc. I love shoes and have 300 pairs, two rooms in my home are only shelves with shoes, and some I showcase in a living room. But I sure know I'm lucky with where I am today, and know to appreciate it. Coming from where I come from, with poor parents who struggled in many ways, I know I'm lucky.


Ducal Firenze shoes in part Caprincha leather.

If you only could keep one pair of all those shoes, what would it be?
- Oh, man, that is hard. But, okay, I'd probably choose a pair of brown cordovan double monkstraps from Edward Green, or a pair of my Herring loafers.

What do you choose first, clothes or shoes?
- Depends, but I think more often I choose my shoes at the end. But if I have a pair of shoes I want to wear, I choose how to dress for them.

How would you say the development of the shoe side of "#menswear" has been in the last decade?
- It's been crazy, people have access to so many new shoemakers these days. Before most would know about maybe ten brands or so they could get shoes from, now there's like 150 brands. Internet has made it all so accessible.

And how do you think it will develop in the next ten years?
- I think one thing is that we will see more Made to Order, perhaps also even more Made to Measure. People like to have choices, and many dare more today. Then likely things will continue to become more casual, but it's hard to say in what way. Things always go in cycles, and I hope and believe classic elegance will always be around as well.


Gui Bo with his wife Angelique Noire.


Quick facts about Gui Bo:
Age?
- 52
Where do you live?
- In the South of France
Family? 
- A wife and four kids, between 18 and 28 years old.
Could you tell us something special about yourself that few know about?
- I was a professional football player back in the days, and played in some top league clubs in Europe.