Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Gok Wan about his new collection for Specsavers. Here's how it went:
The previous collection was inspired by the 40s and 50s, what’s the inspiration behind the new collection?
It’s gone a bit earlier actually around 1938-42. It’s very strong and square and looks a bit more business-like which is why I like it. I want everybody to wear high collars and bows etc and feel a bit intimidated which I quite like.
What would you be looking for in this year’s Spectacle Wearer of the Year if you were judging?
Pulling off their glasses, which they obviously have to do, and confidence for me is key. I've dressed squillions of models over the years and it’s always the most interesting ones, not necessarily the most beautiful but the most interesting that I get a kick off. They fascinate me and you want to have lots of fun with them.
What do you see as interesting? Who do you think is the most beautiful person?
MY MUM!
Good answer!
My mum is the most beautiful person. I think Scarlett Johanson and Anne Hathaway are incredible but this is the beauty that we’re told about. There are lots of people that aren't stereotypically beautiful but you look at and think you have the most wonderful face; people like Sarah Jessica Parker. I think the Mona Lisa is stunning, although she’s a bit old news really. I think actresses are more beautiful than models because you get to know them a little bit.
Do you think glasses have made a come-back and transformed geek to geek-chic?
I do. I think glasses are really important now. I think glasses are at the highest fashion position they’ll ever be at. They were very functional in the 40s and 50s and not really available to the working class. Now they’re available to everyone and they can reinvent or invent or stimulate a certain fashion. I think it will be hard for glasses not to be fashionable any-more.
Do you think it will get to the point where there is nothing more you can do with them?
No. Oh my God, I think we've only just started. From designing my collection you start with a decade influence and then you look at new materials then you find a colour- there is so much stuff that you can do. Glasses are very 3-D too because of how they position themselves so there’s lots of things you can do with hidden colours and hidden textures. It’s all incredible.
Do you reckon you've helped a lot of kids out with going to school and wearing glasses?
Definitely, one of the first things I do whenever a young child of 4,5,6 comes up to me in the street with their mum and they’re wearing glasses, I comment on them and say their glasses are really cool. I've done that a few times and one time recently I said it and afterwards the mum started crying and mouthed ‘thank you’ and said all the kids bully her at school for wearing them.
I think you've help quite a lot of people with that.
I hope so.
For men and women wearing glasses, what do you think would complement their look?
I think a moustache!
What if you can’t grow one?
Well I can’t grow one either, have to make do with eye-liner I like glasses to be juxtaposed against what you would generally do, so I love the idea of a ball gown or a full length evening gown and then whack on a massive pair of glasses. I love the idea of having bright orange, shocking hair then putting on yellow or red glasses. I like all the contradiction stuff so going against the rules we've been given for so many years. It really turns me on when you look at someone and think that’s hot. I love watching a woman put her glasses on…slightly sexual.
For next year’s spectacle winner of the year what would you advise candidates to get to be in with a better chance of winning?
Just be yourselves. We have such a mixture of people who come into the competition. People who are quite unusual looking- I think that’s great. So if you ever fancied yourself being in the limelight for one night only then just put yourself forward. What looks good is so varied.
What’s your favourite style era and what would you recommend for me, I’ll show you the glasses that I have…
I like the 20s and 30s. I like everything up to the 50s
(my glasses come out…)
I would NEVER EVER EVER have put you in those glasses. You've got like this bed-head shaggy hair, you've got piercing white teeth and bright orange lipstick clashing with your coral coloured jumper. You've got all these key style notes going on and then you whack on a really simple pair of glasses! You shocked me!
I've been told they’re my porn glasses.
They are slightly sexy secretary, I do like them but I would never ever imagine you pulling those out of your bag. For you, I would go for heavy structure that would kind of take over your eyes- you have a symmetrical brow bone too so I would have hidden those eyebrows and let your glasses be your real frame. I would go really big and I’d go for cream actually. I think a cream colour against your skin tone would look really unexpected. It’d look a bit ‘Downton’ actually.
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From the old movies, who is your favourite glasses style icon? I really like Marilyn Monroe’s in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’.
There’s a shot of Jane Fonda where she’s wearing a white shirt and a big pair of men’s glasses and that to me is just uber-sexy.
What about for guys?
Sidney Poitier actually. A really good looking strong leading man. He kind of changed the face of black men in film. Spike Lee too. Really sexy, strong kind of fuck you I’m a geek.
You call your glasses your babies, could you choose a favourite?
No, I mean you would never let one of your children drown before the rest, therefore I couldn’t do it.
I was just checking if you were going to be a good parent or not.
A very good parent, I love them all and I love them all for different reasons.
You've helped so many women feel good about themselves, would you say that’s the biggest perk of the job? What makes what you do so worthwhile?
Yeah I think changing people’s lives. In a real kind of non-Jesus kind of way. Just allowing people to live a little bit happier. A lot of these women do change their lives. It brings them from the brink of depression into a state where they can feel at one with themselves. I love helping people. I get a real kick out of it.
Are you going to do any more ‘How to look good naked’?
Not at the moment, I've got a new fashion show coming out which is very similar. I think it will come back but we are having a break. We've made a lot, we made bloody eight series. I want it to rest for a while, I don’t want people to get bored of it because I’d hate that show to go. It was a complete phenomenon around the world and I was so lucky to be a part of it.
