Porter of Call
We ask Dan May, style director of Mr Porter, for his top tips and picks for the season—and what he packs for any trip, whether business or pleasure
May is known for his mash-up style, as seen here in a proper shirt and tie paired with a well-worn denim field jacket ’ve had quite a roundabout way in my career,” says the style director for Mr Porter, Dan May, who envisaged becoming a tennis player long before courting fashion. Growing up in South Africa and then schooled just outside London, May graduated from university with a degree in physical education and sports science. “I started my career as a personal trainer and got my foot in the door with a very short stint in modelling,” May recalls. “I eventually went back to school and studied photography.” He’s since switched to a position behind the lens and has become one of the most sought-after menswear stylists in London. May has taken on projects for labels such as Berluti and Paul Smith, and has dressed celebrities from Bryan Ferry to Jared Leto. May, surprisingly, has almost no rulebook when it comes to styling. “I don’t really have any guidelines other than ‘less is more,’ particularly with menswear. I tend not to like it when people overdress,” he says. “It’s really all about individual style.” And who should we keep our eyes on in the coming season? “Japanese designers— Sacai, Visvim, Kolor and Remi Relief—they’re having a real moment.” “You don’t need to spend a fortune on a good shirt—j Crew makes a great chambray shirt, a wardrobe essential for any modern man”
“I like to mix proportions; a fitted jacket goes with a looser pair of trousers and a pair of chunky brogues by Mark Mcnairy— I’m not very good with delicate shoes” “I love vetiver scents and I’ve used this one from Guerlain for many years now. I’ve explored similar ones from Tom Ford or Hermès, but I always come back to this”