Male model Joshua Williams is known for his all-black-everything attire and his excessive number of tattoos. PAUSE recently had the pleasure of meeting Joshua Williams from AMCK Models and asked him a few questions about his look and his career.
Tell us a bit about yourself; name, age and where you are from?
Joshua Williams, I’m twenty-two years old and I’m from West London – Shepherd’s Bush.
Tell us about some of the magazines and designers you’ve worked with.
Some of the magazines I’ve worked on include VMan, W Magazine, Rollercoaster Magazine. Designers – A lot of up and coming designers for lookbooks and stuff like that, but they’ve been really cool and different.
What was your favourite show you’ve walked for?
Definitely the main one will be Spencer Hart, because it’s a tailored suit brand and it was something I really wasn’t expecting to get. I was in two minds about the casting because tailoring and suits – I really didn’t think it would go. I ended up going, and it was the first show I ever walked as well.
What were you doing before you started modeling?
I was an apprentice in a tattoo shop.
How did you start off in the industry?
My friend was signed with an agency and he told his agent about me. We got in contact over email and he called me in, I went into the office and just ended up signing.
How has your life changed since you became a model?
It’s changed quite a bit. In terms of fashion, every aspect has changed. It’s a lot different transitioning from the tattooing world to fashion, so it’s changed quite a bit.
What are some of the highlights of your career?
One of the coolest things I’ve done was work on a Kanye West project with Nick Knight. That was definitely the most fun project I’ve worked on for me. Another one was a fashion film or W Magazine with Cara Delevingne. That was pretty cool.
Tell us about your own personal style.
My own personal style is pretty much black 24/7. I’m not a big fan of colour in clothes.
How many tattoos do you have?
In the thirties somewhere. I wouldn’t know exactly but it’s in the thirties.
You have a certain image, how do you think you fit in the fashion industry?
It’s difficult because obviously when you have facial tattoos especially, a lot of brands just won’t use it full stop. But, there’s always a market for the urban, and there’s a lot of brands that like to incorporate the alternative looks, so it’s kind of filling that gap. It’s always about trying to break barriers. There will always be some brands that want that one tattooed boy, and you want to try and fill that spot.
Do people stereotype you because of your tattoos?
People are always going to see the way you look and expect you to be a type of way, then they’re always misunderstood, or mislead by that image that you portray.
Tell us more about your new line.
It’s a collaboration with another designer called Lamis (Khamis) and we share a lot of the same fashion interests, like black fashion, so we decided to make a ten top collection first. It all long, black draped clothing and later on we’re going to release a full line of trousers, jackets, hats, all type of stuff.
What is the worst thing about being a model?
It’s the whole waiting game. But that’s also the best part of it as well; it’s kind of vice versa. You never know what’s round the corner, or you never know how much work you’re going to get. At the same time, that can be good because it’s always exciting that you never really know what’s coming up next and what’s next to happen.
Interview by: Ernela Vukaj & Johnson Gold
Video by: Michael Itela
SEE FULL PHOTOSHOOT BELOW – Photos by Jack Alexander
Also check out the Urban Opulence cover editorial featuring Joshua Williams
Male model Joshua Williams is known for his all-black-everything attire and his excessive number of tattoos. PAUSE recently had the pleasure of meeting Joshua Williams from AMCK Models and asked him a few questions about his look and his career.
Tell us a bit about yourself; name, age and where you are from?
Joshua Williams, I’m twenty-two years old and I’m from West London – Shepherd’s Bush.
Tell us about some of the magazines and designers you’ve worked with.
Some of the magazines I’ve worked on include VMan, W Magazine, Rollercoaster Magazine. Designers – A lot of up and coming designers for lookbooks and stuff like that, but they’ve been really cool and different.
What was your favourite show you’ve walked for?
Definitely the main one will be Spencer Hart, because it’s a tailored suit brand and it was something I really wasn’t expecting to get. I was in two minds about the casting because tailoring and suits – I really didn’t think it would go. I ended up going, and it was the first show I ever walked as well.
What were you doing before you started modeling?
I was an apprentice in a tattoo shop.
How did you start off in the industry?
My friend was signed with an agency and he told his agent about me. We got in contact over email and he called me in, I went into the office and just ended up signing.
How has your life changed since you became a model?
It’s changed quite a bit. In terms of fashion, every aspect has changed. It’s a lot different transitioning from the tattooing world to fashion, so it’s changed quite a bit.
What are some of the highlights of your career?
One of the coolest things I’ve done was work on a Kanye West project with Nick Knight. That was definitely the most fun project I’ve worked on for me. Another one was a fashion film or W Magazine with Cara Delevingne. That was pretty cool.
Tell us about your own personal style.
My own personal style is pretty much black 24/7. I’m not a big fan of colour in clothes.
How many tattoos do you have?
In the thirties somewhere. I wouldn’t know exactly but it’s in the thirties.
You have a certain image, how do you think you fit in the fashion industry?
It’s difficult because obviously when you have facial tattoos especially, a lot of brands just won’t use it full stop. But, there’s always a market for the urban, and there’s a lot of brands that like to incorporate the alternative looks, so it’s kind of filling that gap. It’s always about trying to break barriers. There will always be some brands that want that one tattooed boy, and you want to try and fill that spot.
Do people stereotype you because of your tattoos?
People are always going to see the way you look and expect you to be a type of way, then they’re always misunderstood, or mislead by that image that you portray.
Tell us more about your new line.
It’s a collaboration with another designer called Lamis (Khamis) and we share a lot of the same fashion interests, like black fashion, so we decided to make a ten top collection first. It all long, black draped clothing and later on we’re going to release a full line of trousers, jackets, hats, all type of stuff.
What is the worst thing about being a model?
It’s the whole waiting game. But that’s also the best part of it as well; it’s kind of vice versa. You never know what’s round the corner, or you never know how much work you’re going to get. At the same time, that can be good because it’s always exciting that you never really know what’s coming up next and what’s next to happen.
Interview by: Ernela Vukaj & Johnson Gold
Video by: Michael Itela
SEE FULL PHOTOSHOOT BELOW – Photos by Jack Alexander
Also check out the Urban Opulence cover editorial featuring Joshua Williams
You’re very well known for presenting, but you’re very famous for winning Ireland’s Most Stylish Man. Would you say this has affected the way you shop; are you more conscious of people looking at what you’re wearing?
The first time I didn’t think it would, but I remember the first event I went to the week following the win, I actually suddenly thought about it for 20 minutes. I’m very haphazard, I get ready literally very quickly – shower, shaved, dressed in like 15 minutes. I remember getting ready and going, ‘Oh, I better actually think about this a little bit better, it should be a little more turned out.’ The first couple of times I appeared publicly following that I was a little bit more conscious, but then I just forgot about it and went back to dressing as I always dress anyway. But I guess you are slightly under the magnifying glass.
You’re just a little bit more, not under pressure but you feel like there are more eyes on you maybe?
Well people were going, ‘You’ve been called the most stylish man, what are you wearing?’ They just check it out.
Are they like, ‘Prove yourself!’
Yeah basically, like a little bit of a test.
Clothing credits: Villain SS14
So you won Ireland’s Best Dressed Man, who would you say the best-dressed man is in Britain, or some of the best dressed ones?
For me, there’s obviously lots of the obvious names that we know and we see about London Collections: Men, Tinie Tempah always looks great – he has an amazing sense of his own style and I love what he does in terms of mixing up street style with tailoring. But actually one of my standouts is Jeremy Hackett, of Hackett Menswear. He just looks incredibly dapper every time you see him, and so effortless too. I remember once I met him and he had a little tie clip stuck on his lapel, and he was like ‘Oh I wanted to wear a tie clip but actually decided it didn’t suit with my tie.’ So he just put it there and I thought, it’s those little gentlemanly touches that make you stand out so he is definitely one of my best-dressed men.
And only he could pull that off as well, don’t you think?
Absolutely, and do you know what? He’s such a gentleman as well, and I think that kind of compounds everything, it’s not just about how you wear it, it’s about the man you are underneath.
It’s a lifestyle, not just a fashion.
Well for him it absolutely is.
How closely do you follow fashion? You just mentioned how Tinie mixes street style with that classic kind of look, would you say you are more influenced by the runway, London Collections, or do you look more at street style?
Do you know what, I look at both and sometimes I’m influenced by them and sometimes I’m not. I think that’s the thing with menswear as well, it’s much more subtle, it’s dressing for the guy that you want to be and that you feel you are. So while at times I might see trends popping up, like a colour trend that might be something that I incorporate very subtly into what I might normally wear anyway. So it tends to be a little bit more laid back, not so trend driven, and I think that’s the most important thing for any man. It’s style VS trend, and I think the man who kind of focuses on dressing for himself will win it.
I agree, I think as well with men it revolves around certain classic things, like the trench coat, the 3-piece suits. I like how you take both things into consideration. What would you say are your essentials for this summer then?
For this summer I would say… actually I was only talking about this earlier on – I think I would go for a pair of David Beckham swimwear. I mean, the underwear give great shape, they wash well, they’re a good price point, I mean what’s not to like about them. They’re very comfy, I’m wearing them now in fact but you don’t need to see that. So I was thinking a pair of those shorts, or Orlebar Brown; I think they do amazing shorts. So that’s number one, I think number two would be obviously short-sleeve shirts, Hawaiian, hibiscus prints. Something loud, something fun, something that’s not taking it too seriously, but also bringing that into your tailoring. So if you have got an event coming up, maybe wear a smart double-breasted suit that could be quite muted, maybe navy or grey, and then boom – a printed floral shirt underneath, no tie, really slick.
And your third one?
My third one, and I’ve been killing myself trying to get my hands on a pair of these, a pair of cut out loafer/brogues. They were amazing; I can’t track them down anywhere. I think they’re just class.
Now let’s talk about your new collaboration with Louis Copeland – this is your second collaboration with him?
It is yes. The first collaboration launched last November and it was really us dipping our toe in the water. Louis is like a master tailor; he’s dressed everyone from Brad Pitt to Bill Clinton and everyone in between. I’ve worn a lot of his suits over the years and I remember last year I was kind of going, ‘I want to flex my design muscle,’ not even knowing if I had one or not because I’d never designed clothes before. But I know what I like to wear, I know how clothes should fit, I know how they should feel and I know about creating a good, solid silhouette. Obviously, he’s in the business of making the most fabulous suits, so we knocked heads and we created our first collection. It was an absolute sellout in record time and I was really nervous. I was really nervous because you can imagine, and artist paints a picture and sticks it on the wall and you hope someone likes it; it’s the same thing with clothes. That went down a storm, so we quickly jumped on the bandwagon and created the second collection which is obviously much more suitable for Spring/Summer. That launched about 2 weeks ago and again it’s going really well. There’s been lots of interest so I’m delighted.
What would you say are the similarities and differences between the two collections? Obviously your first one was an Autumn/Winter range, this one is Spring/Summer, but how do they differ and how are they the same?
Well the signature detailing, which was carried through from the first collection, is very much that broad, peaked lapel. It kind of harps backs to when men dressed as men; there’s something macho to it. It’s not about the skinny lapel; it’s very solid, definite shape. It’s very masculine, which personally I enjoy wearing. There’s nothing in between about this lapel; it’s on, it’s here, you can see it. Also double-breasted waistcoats actually, which I really like. We did a couple of double-breasted jackets, but with the double-breasted waistcoats it’s just something that has kind of fallen off the radar. We would have seen it maybe back in the forties or fifties, and you talk about women and women dressing cleverly, a double-breasted waistcoat just does something to the silhouette and the eye. I think it creates the impression of a six-pack even though you can’t see any flesh. Those buttons are just perfectly placed where those abs should be and it does the trick for me. So they are kind of the signature detailing which has carried through and then in terms of making it different, obviously different lighter, summer colours. We’ve still got lots of checks in there but we’ve got micro checks this season. We’ve got lots of navies because the navies and cobalt are big for this season, but again it’s not about being trend lead, it’s about looking at what’s good for a man. We’ve got gorgeous gingham; a 3-piece gingham which is brown and creamy – it is luscious. That one is actually a linen/cotton blend so for summer, if you have a summer wedding and you’re going to be in a hot country, it gives you the structure. We all know linen can sometimes be a bit horrible, where as here you get the lightness but you get the structure too.
Very clever, so you know your stuff?
Well I’ve learnt a lot, like the wool we use in the suits is top class, like 130’s – 150’s Italian fabrics so it feels so nice to wear. Plus every season I get a brand new wardrobe of suits, which is great!
Who would you like to see wearing your suits? Who would be your ideal person?
I would love to see Ryan Gosling. Matt Damon too, I think he always looks great although he could up the game on his suiting selection. I think Ben Affleck; I mean the classics. Channing Tatum, although I think he’s gained a few pounds. Even someone like David Beckham, obviously. Jamie Redknapp always looks good, I saw him at the BAFTA’s last week and he looked very sharp.
So we’re talking about celebrities, but let’s go to the history of fashion. Who do you think, in the past, has shaped men’s fashion to what it is today?
I think the classics really; the likes of James Dean. The images that were created are so iconic, and James Dean interestingly isn’t associated so much with tailoring, but actually if you do your research he’s worn some amazing broad peak lapel tailored suits. He’s like inspiration for me and I love the fact that he could throw on a leather jacket and a t-shirt and a pair of chinos and just look the business.
You have one hour to find a new outfit, which high street stores do you go to?
Topman, they’re so on point and great price point as well. Reiss do amazing tailoring. Actually I was in there the other day looking at what’s coming down the line for Autumn/Winter – some really good stuff. They’re going back to basics and focusing what they do best, which is great. Where else do I head to? I’d dip into River Island, Cos, Sandro – I really like Sandro.
Paul Smith?
Yeah, I like Paul Smith.
Ted Baker?
Less so, if I’m honest. I like high street as well, H&M do some great stuff. Their limited collection is really good quality and has a really good fabrics, a little higher price point but it’s stuff that’s wearable, durable and will last and are really well cut. It’s all about the cut.
Lastly, we can’t leave this interview without discussing your hair. Some would say it’s your trademark, how do you make it so perfect and what are your secrets to making it so volumised?
This may surprise you but I am very low maintenance, low-key. Time is of the essence and I spend most of my time dashing to an airplane, so I actually think the key, and my top tip for anyone is the cut. The one thing I do invest in is getting my hair cut pretty much every two weeks because it grows like grass, which is a good complaint let’s be honest, but if you want to keep that shape and keep a sharp look the sides have to be nice and tight, and then he’ll always cut into it so that it gives that texture. And don’t latent it in with product because if you put the product in you’re not going to get the volume.
Thank you for joining me here today Darren!
The Darren Kennedy x Louis Copeland collaboration is now available for purchase.
Presenter: Angelo Mitakos
Videographer & Photographer: Jack Alexander
