Clothes shopping might a chore for some men, but for Lebanese-Australian fashion blogger Elias El-indari, it is a passion. If you were to open his wardrobe in his Jumeirah Village Circle apartment, you would find “endless items of clothing” – including more than 50 pairs of shoes, more than 20 suits, and stacks of pocket squares.
“There are also all the suitcases on top of my wardrobe and under my bed,” the suave 25-year-old says. “My wardrobe turnover is crazy. As a blogger, I need to invest in new pieces all the time, so that I’m able to show variety.”
El-indari aims to inspire men to take more pride in their appearance through his blog, SMF. With 25,000 hits a month, it has become one of the most popular men’s fashion and lifestyle blogs in the Middle East.
He believes that men in the region need to be educated about fashion – because “it isn’t their number one topic of choice”.
“The guys have the money to buy clothes, but they still tend to tag along with the women when they shop,” he says.
El-indari started his blog, which initially stood for Sydney Men’s Fashion, four years ago when he was a digital-marketing student in the Australian city.
“I was one of very few men talking about this topic,” he says. “Within a year, I’d reached 10,000 followers.”
When El-indari moved to Dubai after graduating, he started to focus on men’s fashion in this region, adding in tutorial clips for men on subjects including how to perfect a tie, and how to pack a blazer when they’re travelling. He has 37,300 Instagram followers – 24 per cent of whom are female.
“You have a lot of women that want their husbands to dress in a certain way,” says El-indari. But he also believes men are slowly changing their mindset when it comes to fashion and, for example, starting to gain an eye for an impeccable suit.
The blogging is a hobby, complementing El-indari's day job as a promotional manager for BrownBook magazine – "an urban guide to the Middle East".
Although he knows he can “pull off killer outfits” (including a kimono, turtleneck and chinos recently, while in Paris for fashion week), he also emphasises that he is a blogger, not a model.
“I’m short, hairy and have a big nose, so I don’t quite fit the characteristics of a model,” he says.
His self-confessed “ordinary looks” are the main reason why El-indari believes he has become such a hit on social media.
“Men actually look at me and think, ‘He’s just like me,’” he says. “‘He’s a normal Arab-Australian guy, living abroad, trying to make a decent living and enjoying life to the fullest.’ A lot of guys relate to that.”
Although not a professional model, this month, El-indari got his first taste of the catwalk when he was invited to join in the Milan Fashion Show, at the Dolce & Gabbana men’s autumn/winter men’s show.
Having spent the previous four years attending international fashion shows as a spectator, it was a life-changing experience to be a part of the action, he says.
“Walking the catwalk was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” he says. “It gave me an opportunity to see the work that these brands put into collections behind the scenes – the choreography, the styling and make up, and all the tailors that have to alter the outfits. It was an incredible feeling.”
Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana even gave El-indari and the other models the chance to pick the outfits they wanted to wear on the catwalk. El-indari chose a three-piece, burgundy, embroidered suit.
“They wanted us to be super comfortable, and also to be ourselves,” he says.
He says that when he is having a day off he might do a “smart-casual” look – but never “casual”.
“On weekends, you’ll find me in maybe a clean pair of white sneakers, denim, chinos and a plain white over-shirt,” he says. “For work and dinners, I try to always keep a blazer on and look smart. Of course with Dubai’s summer, I’ve also invested in a lot of linen.”
He is given most of the clothes he showcases on social media by the brands, either to keep or borrow. But he also likes to indulge in shopping for himself. His biggest indulgence so far was a €2,500 (Dh9,846) Prada bomber jacket.
“But trust me, I’ve worn it enough times to make up for what it cost,” he says.
El-indari is an ambassador for a number of luxury brands, most notably IWC Schaffhausen and The Galleria in Abu Dhabi. But he is keen to highlight affordable brands on his blog, too.
“I didn’t want to keep it very luxury, because not everyone can afford high-end prices,” he says. “So I also wear more affordable brands.”
He often chooses European locations for his fashion shoots, and enlists UK-based fashion photographer Darrel Hunter. He only charges brands when working on bigger projects, where he has to pay for photographers and flights, “to cover my own fees”.
But El-indari says he would never charge luxury brands such as Dior or Louis Vuitton.
“Having them on the blog helps to bring on board other brands, who want to be seen as being of the same calibre,” he says. “It makes them very keen to work with me.”
Top 5 tips
1. A gentleman’s suit should always be well-fitted, with sleeves never passing the thumb and no more than one crease at the bottom of the trouser leg.
2. All gentlemen should be well-groomed. This includes a distinctive and unique fragrance for everyday wear. “My favourite fragrance is Ambre Nuit by Christian Dior.”
3. Shoes must always be polished and stored in dust bags to maintain their quality.
4. Complement a necktie with a nice, subtle pocket square. He likes scrunching up pocket squares, as it allows you to showcase the different colours across the piece.
5. When attending a black-tie event, a gentleman must always wear a wing tipped shirt, a bow tie, cufflinks and black patent shoes.
• Get more of El-indari's fashion advice at www.instagram.com/eliaselindari and www.smf-blog.com
artslife@thenational.ae