Matt Barbet is a British TV presenter and journalist who has worked for the BBC, ITV, and now Sky. He is also a passionate cyclist. We met at a Rapha event a few years ago, and at the time we were both riding a lot more bikes than we are now.
Matt is a reader and menswear enthusiast. The overlap between that and his profession is something I’ve always found interesting, as it’s a field where presentations are important – a field where you try to make a special impression on the viewer, whether it’s the seriousness of a newsreader or the frivolity of a chat show.
It was great to chat with Matt about the limitations of appearing on TV and presenting on-site, and it reminded me of the reader profiles we’ve written. with patrick dodson Not long ago. I hope you find my perspective on menswear interesting.
costume 1
- Suit: Custom-made trunk
- Shirt: Custom Made by Emmet
- Tie: Anglo-Italian
- Glasses: Moscot
- Shoes: Edward Green
PS: Matt, I think you chose this first outfit to represent what you usually wear on TV. Why this combination?
MB: Well, generally you want to look professional and not wear clothes that will distract the viewer. Therefore, muted, dark tailoring is often paired with a white shirt and dark tie. Patterns can be distracting or create a bit of sparkle on camera. I have a Prince of Wales tie that I really like, but it doesn’t work very well. A canine in a suit is similar.
We were told to avoid red because it would bleed the screen, but now TVs are better and that doesn’t really happen. However, the general rule is not to wear green clothing when in front of a green screen. The term is “it key”. The colors are like that. That means the camera won’t capture it.
Some presenters have made wearing bold clothes part of their brand, like Channel 4 anchor Jon Snow. BBC London’s Asad Ahmad also wears a lot of interesting shirt/tie combinations.
Yes, I knew Jon before he retired and most of those ties were hand painted. Perhaps older presenters are more comfortable expressing themselves. Certainly, people are much more aware of how much the clothes they wear are part of their personal brand.
What other clothes are suitable for TV?
Soft shoulders are generally best. This is because structured shoulders can usually feel a bit awkward when seated with a jacket buttoned. If you have broad shoulders that can be emphasized with your posture and physique.
In terms of length, it may seem like a short jacket would be better when sitting down, but in reality, the jacket needs to be long enough to fit well. You’ll also want to think about the battery pack, which is usually strapped to the back of your pants.
Where did you get this clothes?
This is a custom piece from my latest commission, Trunk. The Dugdale fabric has a nice texture and the Anglo tie also has some stains, but they are quite subtle.
The shirt is white twill from Emmett. I’ve always loved Emmett shirts, this one has ‘Lord’ which is my favorite collar. This is a bit unusual since most presenters wear spreads.
Do other presenters ask what you are wearing?
Not often, but recently a co-worker asked me where my shoes came from. When I told him they were John Lobb he looked them up and his response was ‘I wouldn’t pay that much for a pair of shoes!’
Interestingly enough, shoes are one of the things people don’t pay much attention to because they’re always behind their desks. But it feels strange not to take everything into account.
Ah yes, what a newsreader looks like – the topic is Very early PS work. Do you know anyone who does that, wearing a suit on top and jeans or something else underneath the table?
No, unfortunately not!
costume 2
- Suit: Anglo-Italian
- Knit: John Smedley, Bill Nighy collaboration
- Shoes: Carmina
- Sunglasses: Celine
So this outfit looks similar, but a bit more relaxed. Do you think it was intentional?
Yes, this is what I wear when I wear a more relaxed style. For example, tomorrow I’m doing a show called UK Tonight, which is a bit more conversational, and I might wear a navy sweater like this under my suit.
Despite this, it’s surprising how many people still hate it. They react really strongly when male newsreaders are completely casual. Women are more comfortable and can wear anything from a denim shirt to a suit to a tie and that’s fine. On the other hand, they have to spend much more time on their hair and makeup.
You now have a short beard. Has that always been a part of your look?
No, it’s fairly recent. I actually brought this dress back with me after my vacation. It was cut short like this and the neck was shaved. And within minutes the controller called the show and told him to shave. But that wasn’t really possible during the three-minute commercial break, and nothing seems to have happened since.
Is there someone in charge of styling your channel?
Yes, I have a stylist and she is lovely. I was new to Sky, but once I got the feeling I knew what I was doing, she almost left me alone. He also advised me not to wear clothes that wrinkle a lot and not to wear a brown suit, which is not the color of the news.
Do you have a budget to spend on clothes?
Yes. But it’s not that far off when it comes to what’s featured in Permanent Style. I love tailors like Michael Browne, but that’s one of the many things I can never afford.
Which tailoring brands have you tried?
I used to do a lot of shopping at Kilgour when Carlo Brandelli was there. I loved that one-button look and actually got married in a Kilgore tuxedo. I’ve used Richard James, Thom Sweeney, but Trunk is probably my go-to. I’ve known Mats and Tyler for a long time (Mats Klingberg and Tyler Brulé, founders of Trunk and Monocle, respectively).
I know the knit is from a Smedley collaboration with Bill Nighy, who told me he was a reader. Do you know him well?
We met a few times and had one interview. I’m also listening to his podcast ‘Ill-advised’ and it’s really good. He’s clearly playing a caricature of himself, but it shows too well.
He was charming in interviews too, but not always. He and Mark Rylance were the most genuine people I’ve ever interviewed. When I met him, Mark was the artistic director of the Globe Theatre, so he wasn’t yet an Oscar winner. And I remember he was so generous with his time. At one point he showed me how to project my voice across the world as we stood on stage looking at all the empty seats. It was really thrilling.
Are you a watchdog?
Not necessarily, but if I had the money I probably would. This watch is the only watch I own. I’ve had it for 18 years. I bought this with some money from my grandparents. It’s a little bigger than the trend these days, but I like it.
If you could get a second watch, what would you buy?
Maybe something simple like Day-Date or Datejust. Although I would be tempted to play President with all the gold.
costume 3
- Jacket: Vintage US Army Jungle Jacket
- Shirt: Kenneth Field Chambray
- Jeans: Bonkura
- Shoes: Wakowa
- Belt: Unknown!
Now I know this is your off-duty attire, but it reminds me of asking what you wear outside of the studio. Because you covered Afghanistan. Isn’t that right?
So did I, there was the Ethiopian famine, and so did Haiti. That was a few years ago, I wore so many clothes that I ruined my good shoes! Although the example that comes to mind is doing the artwork in the King’s garden at Highgrove, I didn’t expect to be outside and very muddy. These days, I mostly only wear rubber soles.
What clothes did you wear when you went overseas?
A dark shirt, maybe navy. It is recommended to wear dark materials as they do not easily retain sweat or dust. Some of my colleagues like to wear kefir scarves, but it never felt that way to me. Brands like The North Face and Patagonia come up a lot, but I generally like to avoid branding.
Everyone usually has a uniform ready to carry home in a bag. You should always have two passports. Because one week you could be in Israel and the next week in Syria.
But I guess you’ll never wear a military uniform like this jungle jacket.
No, because it may look more like the military than the media.
These clothes are better than what I wear at home, and I like wearing them to the office too. I usually leave my suit and shoes there and drive up from my house in Lewes in casual attire. The last two nights have actually been a nightmare. We were doing ‘The Wrap’ which ended at midnight and a lot of the highways were closed at night so it took a long time to get back.
Another advantage of dressing casually most of the time is that you’ll be less noticeable. I may be D-level when it comes to celebrities, but I do get recognition every once in a while, and that’s less likely in something like this.
What is your favorite casual brand?
A lot of Japanese people – I love second hand stuff at Marrkt. I love the emails they send every day. This chambray shirt is from there and it’s great. Chambray looks much nicer because it’s cheaper and you’ve already worn it.
I’ve always loved clothes, and I was a big trainer at the time. The best Nike of all time is the AirMax 97. Silver Bullet was released when I was 26 years old. I actually seem to buy them almost every time they come out, but now I tend to wear more canvas shoes like Wakouwas, or actually loafers. I’m looking for a good pair of tassel loafers. At some point sneakers with jeans become too ‘dad’.
And do you see the PS tote bag?
Yes, I love you tote you madeEven though it has been used so hard, it looks almost like new. The only stain it couldn’t handle was candle wax. Nonetheless, I don’t care about it.
me too Your black and white Donegal coatIt is an absolute timeless piece. I get a lot of compliments.
That’s good to hear. Was it difficult to find a jungle jacket?
Yes, I’ve been looking for it for a while. I wanted a medium regular, which of course is the most popular size. All I could find were medium long and medium short. Finally I found this in a big flea market north of Paris. In fact, if you find them in such markets, they are quite cheap.
I also added the jacket label to ChatGPT and aged it, and a lot of information came out. This was in 1966 or shortly thereafter. It was probably barely worn. It’s soft, but there’s no damage or stains whatsoever.
Thanks Matt, I really enjoyed it.
Same here. Simon, great catch-up.
