I have always been fascinated with the relationship between Music and Fashion. It truly amazes me when you hear a song on the radio from your teenage years and it instantly reminds you of the shocking t-shirt and trousers combo and hairstyle you were sporting when it was released. Haha.

For this weeks post I am interviewing one of my old school friends Tom Armstrong. He has that uber cool blend of personal style combined with an innate talent of knowing what is current in the music world also.

Keya – Hi Tom, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview for me. For the purpose of my followers, can you tell me what you do for a living?

Tom – I help run a creative agency with James Brown, who started Loaded magazine and went on to edit GQ among other titles. We have an online magazine called Sabotage Times and also do creative projects for brands.

Keya – I can see from your everyday style, you also are into Fashion. Does this go hand in hand with your profession? How did you get into your line of work?

Tom – Yeah I suppose it does – I work a lot with menswear brands and still do the odd bit of writing about style. It took me a while to work out what I wanted to do. I didn’t go to uni or get any A levels and I didn’t have a clue how to get into the media, I just sent loads of emails out with my writing and hoped someone would notice me, haha.

Keya – Is there a dress code at your work place?

Tom – Unless I’ve got a meeting I’m usually at home in a tracksuit haha.

Keya – What are your hobbies in your spare time and what are your “go-to” pieces that you always turn to at weekends?

Tom – Music. I spend so much time listening to new stuff it doesn’t leave much time for anything else. I’ve been DJing for years with three good mates and have been lucky enough to play some amazing gigs. We’re all into our clothes too, in fact two of them run a menswear label called Ardour Brand.

Keya – Are there any trends that you have seen in A/W 2015, S/S 2016 that you already have your eye on from the men’s collections?

Tom – It’s probably an old cliche but I don’t really pay much attention to trends. That’s not to say I’m not inspired by stuff all the time, just not necessarily what the catwalk dictates. At the moment I love the Ivy League style of the 50s and 60s – how very simple pieces can look superb when they’re put together well.

Keya – Looking back, what key trend past or present can you just NOT?

Tom – That whole Shoreditch nu-rave thing was pretty bastard about 10/15 years ago.

Keya -If you could only take 5 items to a deserted island, what would they be?

Tom – I’d dress like Jude Law in The Talented Mr Ripley. There could be hundreds of desert islands out there with blokes in fire outfits and no wifi connection to upload their pics to Instagram. It does make you think.

Keya – And lastly, where do you see the Men’s Fashion industry going in the next 5-10 years? Are there any major throwback looks which you see making a comeback in 2016?

Tom -In my opinion, the fashion industry is a bulky old machine that’s out of sync with the 21st century. I’d like to see more start-ups become successful by selling direct to their customers at a fair price, and I’d like designers to have a bit of imagination when showing their collections. Two catwalk shows a year at the same boring events aren’t going to cut it for much longer.

And there you have it guys, what an awesome insight into the wonderful world of Tom. Keep an eye out for him on social media (@sabotagetimes) on Instagram and at a trendy London bar near you in the future.

Until next week, take care

Keya x