By Manish Puri.
Illya Sobtchak is a menswear photographer and head of marketing and production for London-based denim brand Blackhorse Lane Ateliers.
I’ve long felt he would make a great addition to our ‘How to dress like’ series. Whenever I see him at events, his outfits – blending elements of Americana and workwear – always seem so well considered, and often stand out against the tailoring-heavy backdrop (not that Illya doesn’t enjoy a navy DB blazer or a well-cut suit) .
However, it was a recent post on his Instagram page, where he traced changes to the way he’s dressed over the past decade, that prompted me to reach out for a chat. The collection of photos, where similar ‘before-and-after’ looks were paired side by side, offered a really helpful and quite powerful illustration of that oft-used (and oft-abstract) term: style journey.
The diptychs (a few of which we’ve borrowed for this article) make it clear how small changes to silhouette, proportion and colour can enliven an outfit.
Which isn’t to say that the more recent looks are necessarily the ‘correct’ way (although I certainly prefer them). As Illya told me himself, while most of his followers favoured the latter looks, he did get some comments that preferred his older style.
But as is so often the case, the journey is really about understanding how to dress with intention: appreciating why ‘the rules’ became ‘the rules’, figuring out what proportions look best on you and trying different colour combinations. Then it’s about being patient while you assimilate what you learn, and giving yourself permission to do whatever feels most like you.
Illya, thanks so much for making time to speak with us. In your post, it sounded like a few things changed for you about 10 years ago which got you deeper into menswear. Can you tell us a bit about that please?
Yeah, it’s a bit stereotypical: I went through a break-up, and started going to the gym to make myself feel better as well as changing my lifestyle a little. I lost about 10kg, and with that my wardrobe had to change because I no longer fit most of my old stuff.
I said to myself, I’m going to go and buy things that are more considered, and invest in items rather than shopping off the high street, which is what I previously did.
I spent a lot of time on Reddit where people were recommending capsule wardrobes and ‘must have’ items like chinos and chukkas. But the thing I really connected with was raw denim, because I’ve always loved jeans – I just didn’t realise there was a whole movement around them, and that opened everything up for me.
A nice segue to the first pairing, can you talk us through these outfits and what’s changed?
The biggest difference for me is the silhouette of the trousers and the rise – these days I wear a higher rise, which is something I discovered through trial and error. Because, back in the day, even the quality raw-denim shops like Rivet & Hide were catering for a slim leg, streetwear style, which just doesn’t work with my body shape. I’ve got big thighs and plenty of junk in the trunk. So the top block for me is important.
And tapered jeans were also popular, but because I’m top heavy it gave me a bit of a carrot look. So I found a straight leg just gives me a better foundation and a better silhouette. These days I wear the wider leg model from Blackhorse Lane – the E6.
I’m also much more specific about having trousers or jeans hemmed to a specific length. I still have cuffs on jeans but I think with other trousers it looks better and cleaner and flows more naturally. And I think, with cuffs your leg looks smaller.
Here I notice two things immediately. The first is that it’s the same jacket, which has aged wonderfully. The second is how much double denim or dark blue-on-blue you used to wear, which is something I think a lot of menswear newcomers can relate to. It’s certainly how I used to routinely dress.
I think this is a particularly nice comparison to show because I bought this jacket in 2014 – it’s a Nigel Cabourn x Filson collaboration.
I’m generally more playful with colours now, less double denim. So today I’m more likely to pair this jacket with brown corduroy trousers or orangey duck canvas or a pair of chinos, rather than a darker pair of jeans.
I still wear it with jeans, but it’s also nice to draw out the browns and the olives and the earth tones. I try to make sure everything harmonises, without being overly matchy-matchy. Sometimes you get the balance right and sometimes you go too far. It’s always a learning curve.
One thing that doesn’t seem to have changed over time is your love of hats.
Yeah, I’ve always liked the hat as an accessory. I’m bald so it has a function in the cold and the sun. But it’s also a chance to style your outfit and play with it.
I also have a hat company with my mum called Hat’s Anonymous. She knits watch caps, which is why I would say it’s a signature of my style. It’s a passion project, just very small batch stuff.
These days fedoras and cowboy style hats are a bit more on trend. And I have a friend, Matt Kitter, whose company is called Sierra and South and he makes my hats. I love being able to support friends’ businesses in our community.
Some menswear guys are allergic to anything they perceive to be a trend. You seem more comfortable with the idea, even though you’re not actively pursuing them.
To a certain extent I don’t think you can escape trends. We all look somewhere for inspiration. We have to have some kind of source. Otherwise we’re just getting dressed in the dark.
I never feel like I’m wearing something totally original. I’m inspired by so many different people, but hopefully I give my take on it.
I love your summer outfit. I feel like this is how a lot of guys want to look in the summer, but never quite get right. What’s interesting to me is you’re actually wearing one extra item of clothing on the right, but you look more easy and relaxed.
I really had to learn to start enjoying summer outfits. Whereas before it was like, “Oh my God, what do I wear?”
My best advice is to keep things fairly simple and just make little changes to outfits, because you can wear this with chinos and maybe just tuck the shirt in.
I notice you wear more jewellery and accessories in the latter outfits too.
I think for a lot of us who dress in this kind of way there are some really common staples: your jungle jacket, your chinos, your loafers. So how can you make it a little bit of you? The way I would probably put it is I’m just adding a little bit of flavour to my outfit, and to everyday life.
And, as we chatted about earlier, it’s also a nice way to support craftspeople. For example, my motorcycle helmet (below) was painted by Jed, the letter writer who did the signs for Bryceland’s. It’s nice, I get to personalise my ride while supporting what’s going on in the London community.
Is there anybody you particularly like for accessories?
Yeah, so this guy whose brand is called Mount Hill. He’s based in Japan. I’d put him alongside Red Rabbit Trading Company. And the only other brand I wear is Good Art Hollywood – which I think Simon’s written about.
I notice on every current outfit you tuck your top into your bottoms.
Exactly. That was probably the biggest change, tucking my t-shirts, shirts or even knitwear in. I think it helps define your proportions – the rule of thirds that people like to go on about.
Whether you’re short or tall, it does help break things up and adds length to your legs, and I think a longer leg just looks nice.
You also mix in more smarter shoes now: loafers, slippers, etc.
I hated loafers for a long time, because suits and loafers were associated with where I worked – my background is IT and I previously worked for a construction company in the Docklands.
The tailoring and shoes I’d see in those environments were not something I’d really want to wear. It was Moss Bros, poor quality, and I just didn’t know there was a better way of wearing tailoring. I think part of me loving jeans and workwear was almost like a rebellion against all of that.
But I’m a sponge mixed with a social vampire: I like to be inspired by what I see around me. So when I started working at Blackhorse Lane I would spend a couple of days in the shop, and my friend Will, who’s the manager there, is very much into loafers and tailoring – he changed my mind. To the point where I’m like, “ Yeah, actually this can be cool.”
I think your environment is fundamental to how you dress. And, once something is opened up to you, it’s hard to go back to one way of thinking.
Manish is @the_daily_mirror on Instagram
Images courtesy of Illya who is @illcutz on Instagram
