Main character menswear

For Troye Sivan’s stylist, Marc Forné, John F Kennedy Jr. is the ultimate summer style icon. Perhaps the OG poster boy for understated luxury, JFK Jr.’s warm weather wardrobe was built around effortless, preppy classics; around garments that age well, are both casual and elegant, and scream expensive taste. Think wide-cut pants, sporty tanks, oversized shirts, and sweaters. Pieces that, perhaps uncoincidentally, also feature on Forné’s list of summer styling essentials in this GUEST EDIT.

A young man sits comfortably on a wooden chair against a green wall, wearing a light shirt and beige trousers. A small fan is placed nearby.

Except Forné’s curation is a little less textbook. The Barcelona native is known for championing experimental fits, putting his celeb clients in looks that pull a headline — like the custom Paco Rabanne mirror bomb of a bodysuit Troye Sivan wore during the STGEO tour, for example — so, it makes sense that his summer packing list is a little more out there than your average.

Forné ticks off his summer musts: “Parachute long and short pants, tanks, knee-length swim shorts, denim, and a thin, cool hoodie.” He then throws “jewellery and a Loewe bag” into the mix, swearing by versatile accessories that’ll amp up an otherwise muted fit when the mood strikes. (He’d like toe rings and ankle bracelets to make a comeback, too, FYI).

Level up your summer

“ Never overstyle during summer. The fresher and lighter your look, the more stylish it will appear. ”

- Marc Forné

As for holidays, he says, “always pack light.” Forné stresses that fabrics should be kept thin and cool — don’t wear anything you’re going to sweat to death in, basically. “[And don’t take] anything acrylic; [just] cotton, linen, silks…” And vitally, “never overstyle during summer. The fresher and lighter your look, the more stylish it will appear. Looking like you’re truly enjoying summer and being carefree [is] the best tip. Helmut Lang by Peter Do does a perfect chic summer, in my opinion.”

Unlike his approach to styling, when we sit down to talk about how Forné found his footing in fashion, he’s quite grounded. “I had a very standard, regular life,” he says, “but my mum and grandma always loved to take me travelling around. My passion for travelling then shifted to an interest in what people wore and how they expressed themselves through fashion.” Today, the relationship between travel, people, and expression is where he finds a lot of his summer-style cues. “Summers in the Mediterranean are a main source of inspiration — the people in Italy or Spain, the Formentera vibes. Anywhere by the sea.”

Keep it loose, keep it cool

Obviously, that early interest in fashion has now grown into a full-blown career and found Forné working with some of the biggest brands in the industry, including Louis Vuitton and Thom Browne. He’s also launched his own clothing label — Carrer — a contemporary workwear outfit started in collaboration with his friend, the Spanish singer and actor Manu Ríos (who you’ll either know from the Netflix drama Elite or for being one of the 10+ million followers swooning on Instagram). The pieces Carrer produces feed right into the approach Forné outlined above — lightweight, relaxed silhouettes that feel both smart and off-duty.

“ Crop your clothes, cut some sleeves and long jeans, and do it with some nice music on. ”

- Marc Forné

A man wearing a sleeveless shirt and cap is pushing a red lawnmower across a grassy area, encircled by tall green plants and flowers.

Shop like a stylist

That said, it’s not uncommon for Forné to deviate from this light and breezy mood if the moment calls for a Dion Lee tie-dye crop top and pants co-ord, or if he feels like embracing “black for summer,” which is his current favourite trend. He’s not averse to whipping out a pair of scissors and chopping pieces up if they don’t fit the mood. For anyone looking to level up their summer vibe without spending, he advises: “Crop your clothes, cut some sleeves and long jeans, and do it with some nice music on.”

Other than that, just “get the classics and shop vintage.” Load up on brands like Levi’s and Carhartt and then continue that garment’s story. “I love to see pieces go through time, being and feeling used. I never take too much care of anything material at all.”