Wild West

from Sunday News [New Zealand] 16 January 2000

thanks to Jo Fergus for this article

Who wouldn't have swapped places? Surrounded by five gorgeous young Irish lads who can throw together a tune with those soft melting voices while doing a quick two-step - life is tough.

The fresh-faced lads of Westlife - Nicky, Bryan, Shane, Mark & Kian - were in Sydney to promote their new self-titled album when Sunday News snapped them for a fashion shoot.

They donned the suave gear of two of our top Kiwi designers - Workshop and World - while letting us in on a few fashion secrets of their own.

The fantastic five's fashion tastes include glitzy international labels Dolce & Gabanna and Gucci. But they were quite fond of our Kiwi labels - so much that the lads might pop over for a shopping spree.

With a hectic tour schedule the boys struggle to find time to shop and have enlisted a full-time stylist - who also dresses ex-Spice Geri Halliwell.

Westlife - managed by Ronan Keating, lead of top Irish band, Boyzone - stormed the charts with three number one singles, Swear It Again, If I Let You Go and Flying Without Wings.

And with all that fame the boys have image at the front of their minds.

"You have to look your best for your fans," says Shane. "They want to have you on their wall looking the best.

Bryan wears: $149 black nylon vest and $159 denim jeans from Workshop "I really like these clothes. If I were shopping I'd buy them. I like to wear casual stuff, loose fitting clothes and stuff like that. These jeans are cool - I don't like anything too tight."

"Most of the clothes I wear are top labels like Dolce & Gabanna and Gucci. Our stylist goes out and buys a whole lot of clothes and then I choose something. But I'm the tallest in the group so most of the clothes are picked for me."

Nicky wears: $349 coated linen jacket from Workshop "I'm a big designer freak. I like stylish clothes and I like to wear things that stand out. But I also like baseball caps, funky tracksuits and fitted leather jackets. I like to think I have an eye for fashion. Now I'm in the band everything is done for me. The stylist knows what I like - black, white and blue. And I love purple."

"These clothes are really nice. I like Shane's as well. He looks a bit like Ricky Martin. It looks like really good quality stuff. If I was in New Zealand I'd definitely shop there. When you travel the world you pick up unknown designers and I'd love to get into that."

Kian wears: $158 canvas jeans, $68 grey screen print top and $179 light grey vest from Workshop.
"My fashion sense is very fussy. I'm majorly into my clothes. If I don't like something I won't wear it. I might spend $900 on something then get home and decide I don't like it. I'd never go back to clothes I wore last year. One item lasts one season."

"I'm a label freak. The first thing I look at when I pick it up is the label. I like Dolce & Gabanna mostly - and Versace and Versus. But if the stylist bought me something that cost $30,000 and I didn't like it, I wouldn't wear it."

Mark wears: $169 denim short sleeved shirt and $69 red printed T-shirt from Workshop.
"I'm not really very fashion conscious. I'm not fussy. I just put my trust in the stylist. When I go shopping I can't really go with people. Sometimes my Mum and one or two of my friends with the same tastes go but I prefer to shop by myself. If something costs me a lot of money I make a point of wearing it."

"I wear the clothes that are the band's image but I do love to dress up. When I pack I have a little think about what I'm packing. I prefer comfy things like tracksuits and trainers. I wear mostly black and navy, some white and red. I really like these clothes from New Zealand. I like these tops."

Shane wears: $69 Workshop black motif T-shirt and $229 black piped pants from World.
"I like stylish clothes, tight fitting. But then I like to look cas' and wear a leather jacket with a pair of turn-up jeans too. You have to look the best you can. We don't get much time to shop. We have a stylist who goes out and buys 20 outfits for each of us. And then we buy the odd thing every now and then."

"I like Gucci and Dolce & Gabanna. I'd rather buy the real thing, like a quality jacket. My favourite item would be my oxblood leather jacket. I wear it in the new video."

article © Sunday News