ZANG TUMMM TUMB ARTICLES “the first draft of history”

Killer!

Who is the sharpdressed dude in the leather strides, the bedspread for a shirt and the $2,700 “wine” coloured suit? Seal opens his wardrobe to the world …

“Ive got a really good idea. We should have my guitar in some of these pictures.” Seal is in a photographers studio, about to do a fashion shoot with Smash Hits and hes being very helpful about it. This guitar idea is a good one, only theres a problem. He came out without his keys and his guitar is in his flat. “Youll just have to break in,” he tells his assistant, who promptly catches himself a taxi to Kilburn to go about the business of busting down the front door at Seals place. Sadly, the guitar — a treasured Les Paul — never makes it to the final session because Seals on such good form that he doesnt need a prop after all. But then, this is his kind of photo shoot. Fashion is Seals thing. He loves it. He spends a fortune on it. Seal and clothes are like this. (He says the suit he wore when he went to pick up his Variety Club Award for Best Recording Artist of 1991 in February was “so sharp I could have sent it to get the award on its own!”)

“Ive got to have this,” he declares. Seals wallet is twitching. Hes just chanced upon a banana yellow jacket worth £580. Its love at first sight and, to make things even better, today its in the sale at £150. With a discount for being a pop star he gets it for £100! Before you know it, hes handed over a wad and bought it.

Hed like to buy a lot more. Theres only one thing stopping him from going bargain crazy today — hardly anything fits. The average swanky designer shop caters for people who live on one stick of celery a week. Seal, however, is positively strapping! Chest: 44"! Height: 6' 4"! Inside leg: 36"! Clodhoppers: size 11! Hes a man-mountain. And you cant argue with that.


Seal is wearing: Patterned shirt by Moschino, £90. Black leather trousers, made especially for Seal from Chrome Heart in LA. $1,200. Leather waiscoat: Seals own, “very expensive”. Blue velvet jacket by Yohgi Yamamoto, £1,000. White shirt, made for Seal by Jane Whiteside, £400. Wine suit, made for Seal by Tyler Trafficante, $2,700.

Photos: Simon Fowler
Stylist: Debbie Donovan
Words: Alex Kadis