The Right Luke

So a few days ago i met up with one of the North West's leading Personal Stylists Luke Sutton. Having heard so much about fashion from a male perspective, i was honestly astounded. From his quirky personality right down to his professional styling, Luke really isn't one to miss. Whether you're in a style rut, need some inspiration to create a look that is suited to you and your personality this guy knows exactly where to begin and where to draw the line. 

Read on to find out his style secrets and get the scoop on what Luke's views are on maintaining a body beautiful no matter what size you are...

A little birdie tells me you're one of Manchester's leading personal stylists? So what would you say sets you apart from the rest?

Oh stop it, you’re making me blush! I think what sets me apart from other personal stylists is that I am not wrapped-up in the latest trends or what celebrities are wearing. Yes –I do follow ‘what’s hot and what’s not’, but I don’t force these styles upon my clients.

I’ve found that most women would rather have a wardrobe built to last –that’ll look stylish and modern for years to come, and not date as the trends change. I aim to give them just that; showing them how to keep their look current and fresh without becoming a slave to fashion!

How did you get into the whole notion of become a personal stylist? And have you always had a love for fashion?

Yes –I’ve always loved fashion. In fact, that’s how I first started in the industry –as a fashion stylist! You know the fella running up-and-down dressing umpteen people at once during a photo shoot? –that was me once upon a time!

What is it that excites you about styling women? Is there a particular age group you are geared towards, or are you willing to help any woman who's stuck in a fashion rut?

Essentially I am able to style anyone, and in years gone by I have worked with an astounding mix of clients, from all walks of life… But my real passion is for helping curvy women, and so my business, The Right Luke, has evolved to cater to this widely unrepresented niche market and to help these women celebrate the beauty of a full-figure.

What is your approach to styling? 

Well, my top priority is to ensure whoever I’m working with is relaxed, comfortable and confident… Once they are at ease and able to open up to me, it becomes very simple and we can set-to the task of building a stylish new wardrobe built of timeless outfits that will never date, despite the ever-changing trends.

So I see it's a complete no to following the ever changing trends of the fashion world. How would you say then is the best way to stay 'fashionable' without getting caught up in following the trends?

It isn’t a complete no-no, but following trends should be done with caution. They change so quickly, you can be fashionable today and outmoded tomorrow… I think the best way to always look up-to-date is to integrate timeless pieces into your wardrobe. If you look for clothing that has lines that aren’t trendy, but always look good, no matter the latest style, you have a winner. This includes pencil skirts, sheath dresses and simple blouses. These are items of clothing that could hold their own in any decade, not for being at the height of fashion, but for their simplicity and quiet class.

A wardrobe built entirely of classic garments could be quite boring. But given the simplicity of such pieces, it is very easy to inject some of your personality into each and every outfit; a bold print blouse, statements heels, or whacky accessories, the decision is yours.

You can even subtly integrate the trends into your wardrobe this way too. For example, if floral prints are “in” at the moment (which they are!), you can still look fashionable with a floral print dress worn with a classic navy blazer, coloured opaque tights and rugged knee-high boots –a perfect casual look built to last.

What are your top three high street stores to shop from? And why?

Without a doubt my favourite high-street store is Jigsaw –especially here in Manchester. I also like Jaeger and LK Bennett... Why? Well, for different reasons really. Jigsaw has a large store with plenty of space to browse freely. There is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed by the sheer mass of clothing available is there? Jaeger, because they always have simple (but extremely well designed!) pieces that you can dress up or down easily, that make great foundations for a capsule wardrobe. And LK Bennett, for me, is the ‘go-to’ store for formal dresses and tailoring of exceptional quality.

Being male, I bet many people compare you to Gok Wan. How do you go about setting yourself apart from good old Gok? 

Everyone loves Gok don’t they? –myself included! And I can’t complain when I get compared to him, I really can’t.

In all honesty, our work is very similar. I often joke with my clients how it’ll be just like working with Gok, only without the humiliation of being in your knickers on national television… Or in your knickers at all for that matter!

We'd love to know a secret style tip!

Once again, I’ve been reading news stories about vanity sizing and also how sizes can vary considerably between designer/store/brand. So my style tip (I’m not sure how much of a ‘secret’ this is) would be that women should expect to have up to three adjacent sizes in their wardrobe at any one time.

Any past style cringes of your own?

I wouldn’t know where to begin! And there will probably be some in future. We are all unique, and what appeals to us today may not appeal to others. And what appeals to us tomorrow probably won’t appeal to everyone else either! As long as we are confident in what we wear and accepting of ourselves, our style choices shouldn’t matter.

That said, it is often the case that poor image and style choices knock our confidence and make us feel worse. This is why the work of an image consultant, like myself, is so powerful!

On a final note, I bet many of the women reading this are dying to know how and when they can get you booked in –after all, it’s Mothers Day tomorrow! So, could we have a little information on the services you offer as well as any additional roles you take on when styling?

Of course! I offer a range of services including one-to-one consultations such as wardrobe weeding, and personal shopping. As well as group consultations and style parties. And newest to my repertoire (I love that word!) is the online style analysis for those who can’t travel into Manchester to work with me.

Details of all services can be found on my website, www.lukesutton.net, where you can find booking/contact details as well.

So come on ladies what are you waiting, pick up that phone and get booking. Whether it's for yourselves or a gift for a loved one, Luke really knows his way around the fashion scene.