Geoff K. Cooper Talks Italy, Billy Porter, And The Value of Fashion Stories On Film
WITH GEOFF COOPER
in the case of Geoff K. Cooper, you might discover that with growing space for individuality and expression comes a larger-than-life style with vacancies readily filled With gratitude and joy.
Photography, Kirk Truman
Words, Brandon Scott Roye In Conversation with Geoff Cooper
VIEW GALLERY
We all strive to radiate light and warmth. To give off energy which is absorbed by another, only to be shared selflessly with yet another. Just like the sun.
While we were away this season, staying at home like Anna Wintour so fervently told us to, there were times when we forgot to seek out the light. Maybe we forgot how to, altogether.
Speaking with Geoff K. Cooper—founder of Sagaboi and editor for the Evening Standard men’s fashion and lifestyle category, I was reminded that luxury very simply means seeking out moments of stillness in the light, unapologetically. Keeping your ear to the ground, listening patiently and confidently for the heartbeat of familiar and unfamiliar spaces which we actively, and sometimes even unconsciously, invite into our lives.
The modern man is able to discern what he truly needs, rather than wants, knowing that there is always more to give than there is to receive. As you read about Geoff’s every day, I encourage you to take inventory of your current surroundings and upcoming schedule for the hours and months ahead.
The bell has rung for us to return to quality and authenticity because celebrity culture is moving in the opposite direction.
THE LOOK
Shirt, Shanel Brown UK
Make space and definitive plans for taking in the luxury that is light and warmth. It is a necessity that we could never live without. In the words of Geoff, “Chase the sun. Chase the sun. Chase the sun.”
THE LOOK:
Suit Jacket, Sagaboi
BO: Let’s start off with what you’ve been up to, both personally and professionally, throughout this year.
GC: London has been my home base for years now, beginning with month long work trips for fashion week. Through building such a strong base of friends and collaborators here, I left the US right before the 2016 presidential election to live in London full-time. I know that I made the right decision.
The past two years were the tail-end of Sagaboi which is a platform I founded to explore men’s fashion and lifestyle through a multicultural lens. This was spawned after taking a year off reconnecting with my roots in Trinidad and Tobago. I realized there was so much beauty and culture which wasn’t shown through a multicultural lens outside of general tourism content, and so I became the editor-in-chief of GCaribbean, a men’s fashion magazine. The stories were much more global than expected with silver linings across each island, leading to me stepping away from G Caribbean to do my own thing, Sagaboi.
About 2-3 years ago, we decided to create our first print issue and right after the launch party where we shared a sneak peek of the magazine, we were scammed by the printer. We never got to see the hardcover book and after having to release digitally instead, we found ourselves in a traumatic headspace. So, I decided to take a rest from Sagaboi and soon received an opportunity to join the Evening Standard Insider team as their Men’s Style Editor.
Slowly, I’ve been finding my way back to Sagaboi. I’m dealing with what I consider to be a tragedy, being a printing scam, which left me numb for a long time. The magazine will look much different next time and the past two years have served as a beautiful vehicle for discovery.
With Miss Rona coming through, I took a step back and asked myself, “Have you done all of the things that you wanted? Have you visited all of the places that you wanted? Have you done the things for others that you wanted, be it family, friends, or your partner?”
I’ve wanted to visit Puglia for so many years now after visiting Italy time and again for work. So, I booked a trip the day before I left against everyone’s advice and of course, took every health precaution along the way. With it being 30℃ in Italy and a low 13℃ in London, I just decided one day, “I need to go to Puglia right now. No questions asked.”
And it’s funny, everyone in Italy is operating with a sense of normalcy. I haven’t been anywhere since March so I was expecting shock and awe, but it felt like breezing through the Caribbean. This trip gave me a new perspective as it pertains to the pandemic. While I fully respect that we need to be cautious, I do believe that we can enjoy life through it all.
BO: It sounds like you love chasing the sun?
GC: Just yesterday, I was looking into Istanbul and it was only 23℃ which is a bit too cold. Once it’s 26℃ or above, I’m there.
Recently, I started collaborating with a brand called Bioniq, a health hacking app which offers a thorough analysis of your body’s mineral levels. The range for Vitamin D is between 24 and 120. However, I found that mine was far below at 16 which was chemically affecting my mental health.
I’ve been lethargic and sad when my friends usually call me for an ounce of joy to leave the conversation feeling lifted. For the past month and a half, I’ve been saying repeatedly, “No, sorry I can’t talk.” I’ve been so low because I was lacking Vitamin D and I had no idea. Now, I am actively chasing the sun. I’m putting mushrooms in the sun which increases their Vitamin D levels.
As we spent this year attempting to stay coronavirus free, we allowed other health problems and mineral deficiencies to creep in. Chemically, my mind was close to a state of depression.
Chase the sun. Chase the sun. Chase the sun. I mean that both figuratively and literally. Wherever there is light, move towards the light. There is no Vitamin D in the darkness.
The key to a good lifestyle, just like building muscle, is practice.
THE LOOK
Suit, Homme Plisse Issey Miyake; Rollneck Sweater, Canali
BO: Tell me more about your recent stay at Palazzo Daniele in Puglia, Italy.
GC: It was built in the 1800’s and handed down to the great grandson of the folks who built it. He partnered with a beautiful hotelier and they very intentionally call it a house, rather than a hotel. You can fix a sandwich in the kitchen if you like and I pranced around like it truly was my home.
They collaborated with an Italian linen company, Society Limonata, for the towels, curtains, beds. There was linen everywhere, exclusively. You walk out to the pool and it’s 30℃, maybe 29℃, and it’s absolutely majestic. I felt like an aristocrat, waking up every morning thanking God for this opportunity.
These are our last days of warmth before the winter and it’s already been seven months since I last traveled. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to my friends out of fear when they told me not to go. I wore my mask, washed my hands, and took every other precaution I would take here at home in London.
On the road to Palazzo Daniele, I’ve never seen so many olive trees at once before. Researching the significance of olives and olive trees, it’s used in many religions to anoint people. The Vatican even uses olive oil from Puglia and whether you subscribe to any religion, you will recognize this beautiful energy. I was able to tap into these moments of ease because everything and everyone in Puglia felt effortless.
You know, it was €1.50 for my cappuccino, meeting a friend at a nearby cafe. I realized when I was checking out that I only had €1.00 with me and yet, the owner gave me the cappuccino without hesitation. During this time when everyone is trying to save and make money, this barista not only gave me a cappuccino for 50 cents less than it was worth, he even offered to add cacao over the top. He went the extra mile when he didn’t have to and it was such a beautiful reminder that even when you’re in a state of truly needing more, you will always simultaneously be in a state to give of yourself. No matter how small.
Puglia was filled with lessons of wisdom and I highly recommend staying at the boutique home, Palazzo Daniele. It’s not about the famous people who have stayed there before. It is just so well appointed and as modern men, we deserve to really seek out spaces which speak to sophistication and luxury. And I mean “luxury” in terms of experience, rather than price point. In this moment, it was being surrounded by and covered in linen, exclusively. It’s such a lifestyle.
The modern man seeks out spaces which speak to them and lift their frequency. If your soul seeks a moment of sun, run after it. My Vitamin D levels are up and now, I am back.
BO: You seem to be very in tune with the meaning behind everything that you experience. How do you recommend listening to the spaces that you’re in?
GC: Be still. I find myself getting frazzled, it’s part of the human experience. We were socialized as children to be shocked, so our first reaction when something happens is to lean in. Instead, I’ve learned over the years to pull back when something is shocking. Look at everything from a removed headspace and simply take the next steps which are most beneficial to you.
As it pertains to the pandemic, I check the news every two days, I have my phone with me if my family needs anything, and I stocked up my favorite wines and pastas. When I walk into my flat, I want my space to be ringing with joy and free of paranoia. I am going to be still and make choices to increase my levels of joy.
The key to a good lifestyle, just like building muscle, is practice. Very early on in the pandemic, I realized that I have zero control over the world and even my family. You don’t have to freak out. Look at this from another vantage point and enjoy all of the things which you didn’t have time to before. Ask yourself, “How do I make this work for me?”
Empowerment is luxury. Luxury is a state of mind. You can find beauty in everything and the ultimate goal should be a lifted mind.
BO: Scrolling through your Instagram feed, I realized we have a shared love of whiskey and cuban heel boots. Talk to me a bit about personal style and the larger idea of what it means to learn and enjoy product that is signature to you.
GC: Last January, I discovered a Milanese luxury brand called Collini Milano. Ex-Kering executive, Carmine Rotondaro bought the brand and is now developing it. Collini had these glitter Cuban heel boots and I thought, “This is bold. This is Vogue, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Jackson.” I have two of their boots now and I think they’re coming back in such a big way. Bottega Veneta just had a kitten cuban heel for men walking down the runway. Balenciaga altered theirs with a squared-off tip.
I’ve never been to Cuba, but I have this crazy fantasy in my head. I think a cuban heel campaign needs to happen in Cuba. And yes, I love a good whiskey, and good rum. They each give you a lift.
I make a mean rum punch, a mean whiskey sour. I’m giggling like a kid talking about these things. They have to truly be quality if you want to experience them to the fullest. Even cuban heels can break your heels if they’re made poorly. And we all wish we didn’t know cheap whiskey and rum, but we do.
You know, I love an old fashioned. It’s my go-to, signature drink. I can actually have 20 of them and not feel drunk, but only with an old fashioned. I’m convinced it’s the bitters which were originally used for medicinal purposes. When I get home after one or 20 glasses, I feel at ease.
One thing about me is I never throw away shoes. I’ll always resole, reheel, and even recolor them. There’s a guy I know locally who can do just about anything to a pair of shoes. Earlier this year for a Love Magazine event, I prepared a pink silk suit and needed to turn my glittery cuban heels from red to pink. And so, he did.
People would ask over and over, “Who are you?” And as I’m giving photographers all of my best angles walking by the VIP area, the bouncer opened the stanchions without request. I was meant to be in that space.
Billy Porter screamed, “Darling, come sit next to me!” He couldn’t get over my suit and when I lifted my feet to cross my legs, he decided that he needed those boots immediately. His stylist bought him a gold pair the very next day. This is what I love about fashion. You don’t have to have loads of money, the blue pair, the red pair, the pink pair.
Play with what you have. And in the same way that we just connected over cuban heels and whiskey, people will see you from afar and know, “You are my people.” That is lifestyle. Like what you like, lean in, and your tribe will scream, “Darling, come sit next to me!”
Like what you like, lean in, and your tribe will scream, “Darling, come sit next to me!”
THE LOOK
Turtleneck, Shanel Brown UK
BO: What can we expect from Sagaboi the second time around?
GC: I want to delve more into personal stories in video format. Before, everything was images and words.
I have been collaborating a lot with Portuguese filmmaker Paulo Berberan. Seeing the power of film moves me. I love reading about people, but when you can just sit and watch someone tell their own story, or someone tell a beautiful story on behalf of another, there’s a power there that I have never engaged with. And so, I am moving fully into video content featuring normal people and what they’re doing to inspire themselves and others. I am finding a way to be more clear about people’s message and it’s not easy.
These street style photographers have always been the purveyors of style. Magazines hire them to shoot people and what they shoot influences the style of the season. I want to know who these people are. Who took that picture, why was it taken that way, and why did they find that moment to be important? Many street style photographers are moving towards this paparazzi’s eye which I’m not a fan of. That isn’t style.
A project I’m looking at is engaging with these street style photographers to actually photograph style, similar to Bill Cunningham in New York. He takes images not because a woman has five million followers, but because her style is just too good. I want to be one of the people who pushes for the resurgence of, “style, as it is”.
The fact is, most people who are extremely stylish aren’t about their following. The bell has rung for us to return to quality and authenticity because celebrity culture is moving in the opposite direction. If you spent five hours in makeup, of course you look good.
Let’s focus on style not because it was worn by Lewis Hamilton, Migos, or Ryan Gosling—but because the style itself resonates with you. When Paul Mescal from Normal People stepped out in hot shorts by Adidas, everyone said it wasn’t style because he’s not a style-focused guy. But, it actually is style. That image was reposted everywhere and now, hot shorts are back in.
I’ve actually been wearing boxer shorts as normal shorts. Everyone asked me, “You do realize that you’re at someone’s house in boxers, right?” and “Are you wearing underwear beneath your boxers?” They were shaken. And of course, now I have 3-4 friends asking where I bought them—£5 from Gap. First they laugh and then, they copy.
My biggest piece of advice for everybody is that something could happen tomorrow which fundamentally changes the way that we live. If you have the chance to experience something today, do it without trepidation. This pandemic has taught us that tomorrow is not guaranteed and if it is, it may not be what you want it to be.
So, enjoy today unapologetically in linen, boxer shorts, and cuban heels with an old fashioned in hand.
