Jack Guinness For UGG AW14
For Autumn/Winter 2014, footwear giant UGG Australia has chosen model, DJ and menswear personality Jack Guinness to front its new men’s boots collection.
The four-piece range, made up of heavy duty and classic shearling-lined styles, is intended to stretch across work and play. Handy for someone like Guinness who may find it hard to see where one ends and the other begins; especially when playing a set at the BAFTAS or London Olympics 2012 official after party.
UGG’s accompanying AW14 campaign focuses on the British multi-skilled scenester’s life post-wrap on a shoot, off the decks and away from the parties (or at least in the hours before them). It’s at these times the Cambridge graduate’s true colours show.
FashionBeans managed to catch five with Guinness to find out about the latest title to land on his CV…
FashionBeans Q&A With UGG’s Jack Guinness
FashionBeans: Tell us about your new role with UGG.
A lot of other modelling work I do I just turn up, do my job and go home. This is much more about a person and the moments that make you who you are. So instead of just looking for a face, UGG wanted someone who has different interests, someone they could reveal another side of – like who they are when they’re not at work.
For me, my ‘moments’ are about being at home with my friends. I have a bar in my house called Jack’s bar which is hilarious and lots of fun, so my story is about me relaxing, wearing my UGG boots with my friends at home, when I’m not suited and booted.
It’s the real me, the relaxed me. It’s about us having fun, playing music and just larking about.
Would you describe it more as being a brand ambassador?
Exactly! It’s a fuller story, about me as a person. It is really fun for me because I get to get across who I am. People might have seen me wearing suits and being quite still but this is a really dynamic story about who I am outside of work.
It’s going to be a really fun campaign, people are going to like it because it’s got lots of personality. The images have recreated the bar in my flat with my friends, so it’s just me, very relaxed.
How is home Jack different to work Jack?
One is the way I dress. So if I’m going to an event I’ll be dressed up quite smart whereas at home I’ll be more relaxed. But I like to try to be the same person all the time.
I think if someone has worked with me on a shoot and then they go out with me for a drink afterwards or meet me socially, I like the fact that I’m the same person; just relaxed, friendly and up for it. Those are the kind of people I love working with.
You’re suited and booted in work, what’s your style like at home where the campaign is set?
When I’m wearing suits to events it’s really fun, I love getting dressed up. Then there’s this other side of me that’s either very relaxed or very active.
When I’m in the countryside or climbing a mountain or working in the garden or having fun with my friends – that’s the UGG side of me!
The men’s shoes are brilliant, we have bits of tweed which is really cool, it has a heritage feel to it. Then we have classics like the Chelsea boot which is for the more rock and roll side of me.
Those are all equal parts of me but they’re different sides, and that’s what this story is about; exploring the fun, dynamic side.
So what’s a typical day for Jack Guinness?
Well it depends, when I’m working I’ll get up really and go off to do my job but when I’m off I like to sleep in.
I might have been DJing the night before – I’m quite a night owl. Usually I wake up, have a coffee, go shopping, maybe go to a museum. I love cultural stuff.
What drew you to working with UGG?
What I loved was that they were interested in telling more of a story about who I am as a complete person. It’s really exciting when a brand get you, want to know you more and get that across in a fun, exciting way.
The whole shoot is about me having fun with my friends – we’ve got a film as well that goes with the stills – so you get a real sense of me larking about, having a laugh and feeling really comfortable. It was just feeling like someone understands you, plus I love the shoes.
My preconceived ideas of UGG was more about the classic girls boots but then I did my research and got the lookbook and the men’s shoes are brilliant. Some of them are very classic but they’re modern as well – they’re very manly. I think people might have previously thought of UGG as quite a feminine brand but these are definitely man’s shoes. They’ve got the comfort of UGG but with the strength of workwear.
When you hear ‘rugged boots’, you don’t immediately think of UGG. So what is it about these boots that is going to change that?
I think it happens as soon as you see them. When I showed up to the shoot there was a line of shoes and I asked which ones are UGG and they said all of them, which just shows my preconceived ideas were wrong.
I think as soon as people see them, they’re going to get it, so I’m really excited about showing them off. There’s a huge range, enough for one every day, but there’s a visual continuity between them. They feel like the same guy wears them which is unique.
Which ones are you wearing today?
My favourite, the Chelsea boot. You can dress them down and make them really relaxed or they can be quite smart – I think that flexibility in a shoe is good because if you make an investment in a shoe you want to be able to wear it to different types of occasions.
Just because you’re wearing a suit, it doesn’t mean you have to be boring and old-fashioned. You can be dynamic with a fun boot.
Tell us more about this bar.
We’ve had some pretty amazing people through the bar over the years, it’s quite a meeting point. It’s great fun, I think everyone should have one even if it’s just a little bar at the end of the couch. It feels quite 1970s having a bar in your house but it’s a place where everyone can just relax; it’s a comfortable, private place.
We sing lots of karaoke which is great fun. I just use a laptop but there’s a band who live upstairs and they bring their amp down – we’ve blown it in the past because we went so loud singing Rolling Stones!
Everyone has karaoke personalities, which I love. I love the people who pretend they don’t want to sing and then they get a couple of drinks in them and you can’t get them off.
What does the bar serve? Give us your top three drinks.
I can make cocktails: everyone loves sex on the beach! Then I guess shots are fun, I don’t want to make it too boozy, maybe just a Jägerbomb.
I did go to a guy’s house once and he had a Guinness pump, which I thought was the bottom line in luxury. I think that’s the kind of thing I’ll do when I’m older.
UGG Australia’s new AW14 men’s footwear collection is available now, in stores and online at uggaustralia.co.uk.
