The Fashiongton Post: Steve, what are three words that describe you and your personality?
Steve Edge: Prophet, Madman, Wanderer.
F.P.: What was your first memory connected with fashion and style?
S.E.: When I was a young chap in Paris, I walked along Avenue Montaigne and looked into the window of Gucci. In the 60s, Gucci was truly amazing. The window display and the mannequins wrapped in Gucci were the most inspiring thing I had seen. I was particularly struck by the glass door with a crystal knob that you had to push to enter the store. I noticed scratches on the glass door and went inside to ask why. It turned out that the customers’ diamond rings were scuffing the glass! Wow, that’s style! I even wanted to buy the door as an art installation in my home, it would have made a fantastic story for when people come over.
F.P.: Do you have an old or vintage accessory that you are very fond of and continue to wear despite the fashion trends passing by?
S.E.: The majority of my accessories are vintage. I didn’t buy them because of fashion, but because I truly like them and they have become my old friends. One of my favorites is my Purdey cover coat, which I have had for 24 years.
F.P..: What would you advise to wear to stay classy and classic during the hot summer season when it is 30-37 degrees above zero in the streets?
S.E.: For me, Birkenstocks can be worn with everything. They are comfortable, keep your feet cool, and have now become a very fashionable item.
F.P.: What are four pieces of clothing you can’t live without?
S.E.: My Dries Van Noten overcoat, Oliver Benjamin morning suit, pashmina from Liberty, and my cord breeks from Purdey.
F.P.: What’s inside your bag on a daily basis when you are out? And what bags do you usually prefer to carry?
S.E.: Apart from the usual – keys, Mont Blanc pen, Oyster card, hayfever tablets, asthma pump in case the pollution gets bad – I always have a traveling fly rod and flies with me. I never know when I might come across a bit of water and if I can grab ten minutes of fly fishing at a canal before a meeting, I will!
F.P.: Who is a style icon or a person whose style you admire?
S.E.: Vivienne Westwood. She is quirky, incredibly talented, and her clothes are always cut exactly to my shape. Plus, she always brings an amazing twist!
F.P.: What brand name appears more often in your wardrobe if we speak about accessories?
S.E.: Oliver Benjamin. He is the greatest British tailor as far as I’m concerned.
F.P.: Name three rules of a gentleman that you follow and consider a must?
S.E.: Shoes, teeth, and hair!
F.P.: Do you collect anything?
S.E.: Too many things! From fly fishing reels and rods from the 18th Century to the modern day to butterfly collections. My log cabin is also full of tools handed down from my grandparents as well as modern ones, particularly Swedish axes, Opinel knives, and Finnish hunting knives.
F.P.: What is the best piece of advice you have ever gotten?
S.E.: My father gave me the greatest piece of advice. He said never give up. No matter how hard life can be, never say die. Tomorrow is another day.
F.P.: Name some movies that inspired you and those you love to re-watch from time to time?
S.E.: Seven Samurai, a black and white film, is one of the most inspiring films I have seen. It’s very evocative with a great story, and it’s good for your soul. I also like Vanishing Point; I love cars and speed!
F.P.: What shops do you love to visit in London?
S.E.: Selfridges, Liberty, and Gucci.
F.P.: What country would you be eager to live in if not the UK?
S.E.: Either France or India. I need to be diplomatic, my wife is half French and half Indian!
F.P.: Describe a regular day in the life of Steve Edge?
S.E.: Every day is bonkers. There are lots of meetings, lunches, and drinks, as well as time spent brainstorming ideas. I usually have around five meetings a day, sometimes double that, but I just love being with people and am passionate about what I do.
F.P.: Who would you recommend to us to take the interview from for the next issue?
S.E.: If only Salvador Dali was alive! But since he isn’t, I would suggest Oliver Benjamin, my tailor.
F.P.: And, finally, what would be your piece of wisdom or advice to the readers of The Fashiongton Post?
S.E.: Dress for a party every day, and the party will come to you. It has been my life philosophy since I was just nine years old when an aunt of mine passed away having never used the china that she saved for special occasions.
