British GQ April 2017

When Alastair Campbell was Tony Blair’s press secretary, and then director of communications, he was nothing if not partisan. Like all good political gatekeepers, he would brook no criticism and was immune to discussion. What Alastair was selling was scripture and you either took him at his word or were banished from the court. At the time (1997- 2003) he was vilified by a press corps that found itself unable to manoeuvre around Downing Street or Whitehall without his tacit blessing. If as a journalist you were somehow crazy enough to go against Campbell’s wishes, or you dared to contradict him publicly, his wrath would be enough to convince you never to do it again. After all, one should never forget that Alastair was the original inspiration for Malcolm Tucker, the…

The best menswear items in the world Don’t miss our hugely popular weekly roundup of the coolest new men’s clothes, shoes, scents and accessories on the planet, live every Monday morning and added to each day of the working week. Your style shopping list sorted. Cooking up a storm with Stormzy on Facebook Live You’ve probably read about Stormzy’s new album (which will be out by the time you read this). What you might not know is he’s also joining GQ Staff Writer Eleanor Halls for a Facebook Live where he will indulge his other passion: baking. Mary Berry, eat your heart out. Gifts for the most important woman in your life (mum) Yes, she’ll love bouquets, spa days and candles, but why not surprise the person who gave you life with something more original…

Mariano VIVANCO On 29 April, Wembley stadium will host the biggest fight in British history as the 21st century’s most dominant heavyweight, Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, faces our cover star, Britain’s undefeated Anthony Joshua. Photographer Mariano Vivanco, renowned for his nudes, shot Joshua shirtless for the cover. “When I looked at the images of the shoot, what struck me was how good Joshua looked in every single one,” says Vivanco. “That’s a sure sign of a great star.” Robert CHALMERS Brussels’ Molenbeek district is known as the crucible of European terrorism, so Robert Chalmers went there to meet its benighted residents. “Molenbeek has developed a unique connection with individuals capable of the most appalling acts,” says Chalmers. “But the notion that the area is a more brutal version of south-central LA is vaudeville.” Thomas SCHENK This…

Hardly a day goes by without someone lamenting the modern obsession with smartphones. Whether it’s a newspaper article about how our children are turning into phone-toting zombies, or an office conversation about the lack of social skills that much-maligned millennials are decried to possess, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the fastest-selling technological advance in history is sending us just as rapidly back to the Dark Ages. As someone who works in the techobsessive world of digital media, it’s sometimes hard to remember it was ever any other way. Phone-shaming? Cell-bashing? Whatever phrase we invent for it, it’s not OK. It’s true that we are in the middle of a cultural shift towards a place where health, wellness and mindfulness are suddenly at the top of everyone’s, well, minds. That’s fine…

New York DJ duo Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, better known as The Chainsmokers, were as surprised as anyone by their three Grammy nominations this year, including Best New Artist. “Dance music isn’t very present at a lot of award shows,” Pall points out. “People in the US once questioned how hip hop fitted in and now we’re in the middle of that with dance music.” Recently, the pair have been breaking into other worlds besides. They have created their own VR experience, in which fans don headsets to witness them performing at a blissed-out festival. That kind of innovation, they say, is crucial. “We don’t want to just be doing the same thing every year in bigger rooms.” There’s no Grammy for Best Performance In Virtual Reality yet. Probably just as…

Hair apparent To make a career of your lunchtime workout, you’ll need hair like Samson. Your audience isn’t men who want to bulk up, it’s women who want to watch you whisk up an omelette with your top off. Simply the vest There’s a time and a place for side-boob. As most women know it’s never on a Stairmaster at the local gym. The Fitstagrammer’s saggy, drop-collar T-shirts disagree. Lean, mean, selling machine Come 2018, James Bond will be brandishing a floret of broccoli rather than a Walther PPK. For Fitstagrammers the bigger the audience, the more blatant the brand tie-ins. No one should be this happy, especially not about Tenderstem broccoli and coconut oil. Not even Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace, wielding a spoon the size of a ladle while standing in front of a deconstructed triple…