Meet James Jagger, The New Face Of Jimmy Choo Men’s

Which men’s style do you admire?

Nick Cave, is always looking incredibly stylish, but, kind of like an outlaw. I’ve always admired, outlawish style. Miles Kane, is always really sharply-dressed. And of course the White Duke himself, Mr. David Bowie; I think he was always pushing the envelope of what men could wear, never being boring but he never looked silly, he was always just spot on.

What was your earliest style memory?

It’s quite hard to pin-point, I remember the first fashion item that I wanted which were some Reebok pumps. I was probably six years old and they had Shaquille O’Neil in the adverts and were called ‘Black Tops’ – I just coveted them so badly but I was six, I had no way to get them. My mum was still dressing me in sailor suits but I wanted Reebok pumps.

Were there any looks that really made an impression on you as you were growing up?

I definitely had a look that I regretted once when I was eight and I went to a Little Mermaid Party. Our housekeeper had spent three weeks diligently sewing me a Flounder outfit, the guppy fish. And I walk in to the party and every other eight year old boy is wearing a silk shirt, black pants, and has a sword, they all went as the prince and I was in this giant-foam guppy outfit! So, that was my first time where I realised that was not the right look for the occasion.

How would you describe your personal style? Do you have a typical uniform?

I wouldn’t say I’ve got a typical uniform, I kind of change it up a little bit. I’d like to say I try and go for an effortless style, without actually spending two hours in front of the mirror. I’m always dressing pretty dark and metropolitan influenced by London where I live.

What are your favourite places to go in London for a drink?

My favourite places to go in London for a drink? Oh, there’s too many, there’s a place in Stoke Newington called Original Sin, they make really good cocktails. The French House in Soho is a really nice pub that’s got a really good, theatrical feel. There are lots of old luvvies in there and it’s always got a really interesting vibe. I love sake, so I go to a few really good sake bars in London. There’s one called Shochu at Roka that’s really, really nice.

Where are the best places to hear live music in London?

It’s a tough one but I would say you can’t beat a packed out Brixton Academy, it’s always got a really good atmosphere and a really nice stage. I like the old theatres as well like Koko in Camden.

What’s your favourite Jimmy Choo men’s shoe from the collection, and where would you wear it?

My favourite shoe from this collection – I have to say are these boots, the Kurt, that I’m wearing right now. I’d wear them all the time. I honestly think they look really good with jeans but you could wear them with something smarter. Also the Foxley slippers which I would definitely wear with a smoking jacket, not that I have a smoking jacket but if I did, and a pipe, I would definitely wear them, they’re immense.

If you could step into someone else’s shoes for one day, who would it be, and why?

If it’s just stepping into shoes, I’d like to wear some of Prince’s platform purple sequin numbers, you know, I think that they would definitely turn heads and sadly he’s not going to be wearing them anymore, so someone’s got to do it.

What kind of music are you listening to right now?

I listen to a bunch of different stuff, I guess it depends on the mood. But, a couple of bands that I really like at the moment are a band from London called, Skinny Girl Diet, that are really great. And a band from Australia called Total Control, I really like what they’re doing. But I’m always listening to old disco, I just can’t stop listening to ‘80s disco.

What gets you on the dance floor? What kind of songs?

Sylvester, every time, just anything by Sylvester, anything by Pleasure Craft, any like, really funky disco will get me on the dance floor every single time.

And, what’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever worn?

I guess it depends on what you think is outrageous or not, I wore a really, really fetching little black dress on my stag do! I used to wear what I thought were hard core Punk outfits when I was younger; sprayed on jeans, brothel creepers in green patent leather and I had purple leopard print hair. This phase lasted for about six months and that was pretty outrageous. When I see photos of it now I slide them under the bed and it’s like, that’s a slightly embarrassing sort of time. But, you know, it was me …

Why do you think musicians have so much influence on men’s style?

Well, I feel like it’s one of the few vocations that gets people really seen. But more than that I think music is iconic, well, can be iconic. And musicians can become icons. So, actors are slightly different because they’re always portraying someone different, whereas, a musician is their own archetype and they’ll always be able to carry off a stronger look than someone else and I think that like anything in entertainment it’s a lot about fantasy and being able to think about yourself in someone else’s shoes and I think for most people when they go to a concert, or watch a video they’d like to be that person or emulate their style and attitude. I certainly think ‘Damn, I wish I was that slick looking, skinny as a rake, kind of, amazing guy’ when I see Nick Cave perform.

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