An interesting fact about singer/producer Labrinth is he once wore a pair of jodhpurs and he wasn't even riding a horse. Rather surprisingly, it was actually to the BRITs in 2011.
What we're saying is that here is a man who likes to push the envelope when it comes to dressing himself. While some of his choices may be a little unconventional, he's just as much a fan of Savile Row tailoring as he is of skinny jeans. It's this eclectic sense of style that means he always ends up looking sharp.
So, who better to ask about men's fashion? Here we discussed his top five music style icons and why.
Labrinth played at this year's Vodafone London Fashion Weekend
(Images: Rex Features)
Jimi Hendrix
"One would definitely be Jimi Hendrix. Even though flares aren’t really my style, he’s got a psychedelic swagger. Some of the stuff he wore was a bit like a sort of Tudor style, with all the big blouses and things, but it was cool. When he came on stage, I bet people thought ‘what the f**k is he wearing?’ but then when he performed they were blown away. I guess it just adds an extra dimension to his performance, like putting his music on his body."
Prince
"Prince is very inspiring. Especially in urban and black music. He wasn’t afraid to push boundaries and come in a little from the left. [When he first started] he didn't really fit into the mould of any other similar artists out there, so he really pushed it. Artists like him make me a little bit more confident in that way because he comes from a similar background. Something as small as skinny jeans, especially in terms of coming from an inner-city culture, can be a statement."
David Bowie
"What I like about David Bowie is that he doesn’t care. He has that rock 'n' roll attitude. When you have that confidence you just don’t care and you’ll wear anything, such as his face paint. It’s entertainment and you should be allowed to be whatever character you want to be. Maybe later on I’ll come out of my box more - I’d love to go to the extremes."
Bob Dylan
"I just love that Bob Dylan always looked cool even though he was massively casual. It was just the way he wore the clothes. That inspired me to have a similar mentality. So even if I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt, I still look cool. It’s not always about what you wear but how you wear it. For example, I've worn so many things before; I’ve worn creepers, I’ve had my ankles out, I even wore jodhpurs to the Brit Awards a couple of years ago and people were like ‘what’s wrong with you?’. That was a little bit out there for me."
Arctic Monkeys
"Do you know what? Alex Turner is cool. I like the whole look of Arctic Monkeys in fact. I just like fashion from the indie genre. Everyone brings something to the table, from the Beatles to the Kooks, as well as Jonny Cash. But then I still look to bands like the Temptations, and artists like Tinie Tempah and Asap Rocky for ideas. The way I look at fashion is similar to how I look at music. I like to take inspiration from everyone."
