Introduction
Freddie Browne is the walking embodiment of an eclectic mix when it comes to style. This brand ambassador definitely favours a look that’s worn in and comfortable rather than too shiny and new. It’s not a style he has just thrown together…it just appears that way. In fact, a Freddie Browne outfit has always been carefully curated. And always, with one eye on the history and functionality behind the pieces he chooses to wear.
Freddie Browne: Made in Chelsea
Born at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, it seems Freddie’s future had already been mapped out for him. He is a Made in Chelsea star actually made in Chelsea. Before gracing our TV screens for the 17th season, Freddie spent time in the “unfashionable bit of the Cotswolds”. He was educated at Bradfield College but that was where his studies ceased, and the partying began. However, school did ignite his love for clothes.
“In the last two years at school, we were allowed to wear our own suits, and I guess that’s when I started to take an interest in clothes. When I left school, I worked at Charles Tyrwitt in Jermyn Street, so I started working in the environment and learning more about gents’ tailoring.”
Freddie Browne: Vintage style
However, Freddie’s passion was not for the new shirts, suits and blazers that his job paid him to sell, he was all about vintage wear.
The 28-year-old said: “I have always been interested in the history of clothing and where it has come from. I love the influences that various things have had on the functionality of clothing, like the ticket pocket in a jacket. I am constantly on this quest to find the authentic item.
“Any old photos or footage, or even watching films, I am always looking at what people are wearing rather than what is actually happening. I like it when a costume designer has a good attention to detail.
“My buying habits reflect this. I cannot remember the last time I bought a new item that was not socks or boxers. I shop on Vinted or eBay to look for vintage old school items; good quality clothes tend to last longer too.”
Carefully curated
For classic car enthusiast Freddie, finding a Savile Row original, such as an item from Gieves & Hawkes or even Huntsman, is his idea of a shopping heaven.
Freddie does not just buy vintage clothing, he meticulously plans his outfits to ensure he encapsulates his unique style. He often blends casual items with formal pieces. A black or white tie outfit is never just a case of grabbing his suit from the wardrobe. Every element: the shirt, the cummerbund, the waistcoat, the cuff links, etc. are carefully curated.
“For something that seems so uniform, you have some exciting elements to play with to make it into your own personal expression. I am always searching for authenticity but like to try to push the boundaries too.”
The Salcombe Season
With this style nous on board, Freddie was a natural choice for our Salcombe Season photo shoot. It brought back memories of childhood visits to Devon and ice-creams on the beach, but it also saw him team up with The Traitors’ Jaz Singh (below). Both collaboration connoisseurs, they were the perfect pair on and off camera and were a pleasure to work with.
“It’s not necessarily what happens on camera; it’s the synergy that happens around the team. The understanding everyone had ensured we brought together the final vision. We all knew what we were trying to achieve. People sense that; they also understand what’s happening off camera to make it all work.”
Footwear for Freddie is relatively simply: a brown suede loafer. Herring had plenty of styles to offer him!
“The brown suede loafer is a staple for me. You can get in anywhere with them on. They are the ultimate shoe. They work with pretty much anything.”
Freddie also favours our skull black velvet slippers and when he turned up for the shoot, he was delighted to discover he had a Herring belt amid his case of his own outfits. Like Jaz, he was also a fan of our backless snaffle-trim loafer, the Snaff II (see below), but has since passed on his pair to his best friend, who styles them out with his dressing gown.
Whatever the look, Freddie likes comfort and the lived-in style.
“You don’t want anything to look too good, too clean or to polished. It looks like your shoes or clothes don’t have any history to them…they’re too new and shiny. You want your shoes to look like you have lived in them. I also want to be the most comfortable person in the room. Although I carefully curate every outfit, I never want to look too polished!”
This is where handmade shoes are ideal as the quality leathers mould to the wearer’s feet over time. If the shoes are Goodyear-welted, the soles can be replaced multiple times without losing the comfort factor of the uppers.
But what’s the final word from Freddie?
“If it’s old and eccentric, I usually like it. If it’s modern and eccentric, I am suspicious. You don’t want to be fashionable; you want to be stylish.”
If you want to find out more about Freddie and his sense of style, follow him on Instagram.
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