Alongside the seemingly untouchable Fantastic Man, 10 Men is one of those magazines that we wait impatiently for each season and gets Steve so excited when it is available in the local newsagent. It is the only fashion magazine which, while providing strong fashion editorials, features and interviews, makes us chuckle to ourselves on public transport (inciting strange looks from fellow commuters). The cause of our mirth is Richard Gray who, as 10's Fashion Features Director, provides more than his fair share of content for each issue. We had grins like a pair of Cheshire cats when Richard dropped us a lovely email to thank us for our recent Magazine in the Spotlight post where he commented "truth is it brought a bit of a tear to the old glass eye and lump to the goitre" so we grasped the opportunity to interview him with all four hands...we appreciate that some of the references might be lost in translation but we hope you enjoy it nevertheless because we certainly did....
Style Salvage: How did you get into the men's fashion journalism? What excites you most about men's fashion?
Richard Gray: I fell into it - like falling down a big slimy well. In fact, I look a lot like her from The Ring - but I've got more split ends. I studied modern languages not fashion. Verstehen Sie? I like new. And clever. Not things for shopping. Grrr....
SS: Is there an agreed 10 men man/muse, if so who? Who would you say is the target reader?
RG: I think our fella likes lager and Eastenders when Kathy knitted her own jumpers in the kitchen. He also like clothes. And is looking for the 'new tight jean'!
SS: What has been your favourite fashion moment of your life/career so far?
RG: When I lost a stone before Christmas and could fit into my old Comme peg trousers from the first ever men's collection. Cue gasps of admiration from Hactor Castro - who was jelly bags beyond. Ha ha!
SS: If you could go back in time and experience one fashion moment, what would it be?
RG: My mum tells me this story (I think she may have made it up) when her and Aunty Sue watched Top of the Pops in the very early 60s, The Supremes were on and they loved their bib and brace dresses (never seen before then). When they came home from work the next day my Nan said: "Go to your bedroom and look on your beds" And she'd made exact copies of the ones on TV the night before. I love that! My mum said they wore them with boots that following Saturday night and everybody commented when they went dancing. I'd go back to then.
Richard Gray: I fell into it - like falling down a big slimy well. In fact, I look a lot like her from The Ring - but I've got more split ends. I studied modern languages not fashion. Verstehen Sie? I like new. And clever. Not things for shopping. Grrr....
SS: Is there an agreed 10 men man/muse, if so who? Who would you say is the target reader?
RG: I think our fella likes lager and Eastenders when Kathy knitted her own jumpers in the kitchen. He also like clothes. And is looking for the 'new tight jean'!
SS: What has been your favourite fashion moment of your life/career so far?
RG: When I lost a stone before Christmas and could fit into my old Comme peg trousers from the first ever men's collection. Cue gasps of admiration from Hactor Castro - who was jelly bags beyond. Ha ha!
SS: If you could go back in time and experience one fashion moment, what would it be?
RG: My mum tells me this story (I think she may have made it up) when her and Aunty Sue watched Top of the Pops in the very early 60s, The Supremes were on and they loved their bib and brace dresses (never seen before then). When they came home from work the next day my Nan said: "Go to your bedroom and look on your beds" And she'd made exact copies of the ones on TV the night before. I love that! My mum said they wore them with boots that following Saturday night and everybody commented when they went dancing. I'd go back to then.
16 back issues of 10 Men...SS: Aside from the ones you contribute to, what are you your favourite magazines?
SS: We love 10's new blog so keep up the great work! Do you read any blogs and if so, what is currently on your blogroll?
RG: www.eastvillageboys.com is flicking wonderful.
SS: We are sure there are a number of budding fashion journalists reading this. What advice would you have for someone who was looking to get into fashion journalism?
RG: Think. Have I read this, said in this way, before? And break all those rules. Who said an interview needs a conclusion? And why can't the interviewee interview the interviewer (not sure I know what that last one means). Also get a sub - my syntax shocking is...
SS: What is inspiring your own personal style at the moment? Do you have any style icons (long or short term)?
RG: Love this question... ermm... I'm heavily into Doctor Robert from The Blow Monkeys and I look like a lot like that little dwarf man from Fantasy Island (Youtube), so anything he wears.
SS: If you could live in a different era which would you choose to live in and why?
RG: I'd have lived in the 80s, I hear it was amazing. Parp!
RG: www.eastvillageboys.com is flicking wonderful.
SS: We are sure there are a number of budding fashion journalists reading this. What advice would you have for someone who was looking to get into fashion journalism?
RG: Think. Have I read this, said in this way, before? And break all those rules. Who said an interview needs a conclusion? And why can't the interviewee interview the interviewer (not sure I know what that last one means). Also get a sub - my syntax shocking is...
SS: What is inspiring your own personal style at the moment? Do you have any style icons (long or short term)?
RG: Love this question... ermm... I'm heavily into Doctor Robert from The Blow Monkeys and I look like a lot like that little dwarf man from Fantasy Island (Youtube), so anything he wears.
SS: If you could live in a different era which would you choose to live in and why?
RG: I'd have lived in the 80s, I hear it was amazing. Parp!
SS: What item of clothing (if any) do you wish men wore more?
RG: I think we should all get naked and oil up - there'd be no wars or owt shit like that.
SS: We love your 'Ten people you should meet' feature but is there anyone you are currently desperate to meet?
RG: I'd like to meet Denise Robertson, agony aunt from This Morning - I read on Holy Moly that when she goes back home to Newcastle on the train she orders a G&T and a white wine. I bet she has some crisps too. I'd also like to meet Max Blagg, one of our writers who is the funniest man alive. We try and out do each other in email wars. I never get any flocking work done.
SS: Have you got any recommendation that you'd like to share with our readers? (shops, hairdressers, designers, websites, bars)
RG: I like all the vintage homeware bits in Liberty and in the sale it's all dirt cheap. I like Bang Bang in Soho too - there's an African fella who goes in there and sells all his old Comme from the 80s. I'm in there buying it all up. It smells a bit like wee - but one suffers for one's art. And I like
The Kings Arms on Poland Street in London, because they're all fatter than me which makes me look thinner. (taps side of nose and winks)
SS: Now this is your chance to ask yourself and answer the one question you wish you had been asked but have never had the opportunity to do so.
RG: I'm a bit scared of this because I don't trust myself. Ermmm... Maybe... 'How many people are in your head at any one time?'
Answer - Today there are about three: one thinks he's down-to-earth and doesn't care about fashion and thinks it's silly. Another one, who could be called Trixie Gray is really thin and plays amateur plastic surgeon when he walks round town and is a right cow. Then the last one is somebody small and quiet who would secretly like to go back home to his mum and work in a shop part time and not be jaded. Basically I'm a fucking freak!
SS: Finally, tell us what your ten favourite things related to men's style and fashion...
RG: Leggings (dye John Smedley ones black), Wigs! Political things. Un-preppy things. Black socks. Skinheads (over hairstyles in such a big bogging way - toooo predictable). Clean shaven. Sort of pegs worn with black cotton shirts, not designer-y just worn by people who don't know about fashion crap, say, like in an Essex nightclub. Chanel no.5 (j'adore). Black Levi 501s. There's other stuff too.
RG: I'd like to meet Denise Robertson, agony aunt from This Morning - I read on Holy Moly that when she goes back home to Newcastle on the train she orders a G&T and a white wine. I bet she has some crisps too. I'd also like to meet Max Blagg, one of our writers who is the funniest man alive. We try and out do each other in email wars. I never get any flocking work done.
SS: Have you got any recommendation that you'd like to share with our readers? (shops, hairdressers, designers, websites, bars)
RG: I like all the vintage homeware bits in Liberty and in the sale it's all dirt cheap. I like Bang Bang in Soho too - there's an African fella who goes in there and sells all his old Comme from the 80s. I'm in there buying it all up. It smells a bit like wee - but one suffers for one's art. And I like
The Kings Arms on Poland Street in London, because they're all fatter than me which makes me look thinner. (taps side of nose and winks)
SS: Now this is your chance to ask yourself and answer the one question you wish you had been asked but have never had the opportunity to do so.
RG: I'm a bit scared of this because I don't trust myself. Ermmm... Maybe... 'How many people are in your head at any one time?'
Answer - Today there are about three: one thinks he's down-to-earth and doesn't care about fashion and thinks it's silly. Another one, who could be called Trixie Gray is really thin and plays amateur plastic surgeon when he walks round town and is a right cow. Then the last one is somebody small and quiet who would secretly like to go back home to his mum and work in a shop part time and not be jaded. Basically I'm a fucking freak!
SS: Finally, tell us what your ten favourite things related to men's style and fashion...
RG: Leggings (dye John Smedley ones black), Wigs! Political things. Un-preppy things. Black socks. Skinheads (over hairstyles in such a big bogging way - toooo predictable). Clean shaven. Sort of pegs worn with black cotton shirts, not designer-y just worn by people who don't know about fashion crap, say, like in an Essex nightclub. Chanel no.5 (j'adore). Black Levi 501s. There's other stuff too.
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