David James Gandy (born 19 February 1980 in Billericay, Essex, England) is a British model. He grew up in Essex with a mother and father who ran a property and freight company. After winning a televised model-search competition, he became a successful model. For several years, Gandy was the lead male model for Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana who featured him in their campaigns and fashion shows.
In an industry dominated by skinny models, Gandy's muscular build caused some menswear fashion designers to move to a more masculine standard. The increase in his popularity and name recognition resulted in a broad portfolio of magazine covers, editorial photo shoots, interviews and industry awards. He has gone on to participate in fashion-related and personal projects such as writing a blog for British Vogue, writing car reviews for British GQ, mobile app development and charity work.
In an industry dominated by skinny models, Gandy's muscular build caused some menswear fashion designers to move to a more masculine standard. The increase in his popularity and name recognition resulted in a broad portfolio of magazine covers, editorial photo shoots, interviews and industry awards. He has gone on to participate in fashion-related and personal projects such as writing a blog for British Vogue, writing car reviews for British GQ, mobile app development and charity work.