A Portrait of London.


A great portrait is all about blurring out the noise, capturing what’s essential. That’s why our portrait of London, shot by Darrel Hunter, focuses on what’s most essential to any great city: the people.

We’ve gathered a selection of Londoners to represent the city’s renowned creativity across a variety of mediums – from photography and art to music and fashion.

Approaching them as we approach the design of our Essentials, we asked each of them to choose the one thing that's essential to making their craft great.

What’s the most essential part of a great film? A great melody? Styling an outfit? Or simply a great day in London?

We were curious. You might be too. Read all about it below.

Creatives are wearing styles from our current line of Essentials and our upcoming Pre-Fall collection, launching June 2026.

Tanaka Saburi

CREATIVE PRODUCER & CURATOR

What’s the most essential part of a great curation of art?

Storytelling. Period.

Remember, some still view art as the intellectual property of the rich. But as a curator, I aim to dispel this misconception.

Curatorial success to me is judged by how well you can frame, stage, and set up a scenario where the viewer is so disarmed by the experience that they feel something. Feel something from what someone else created.

Darrel Hunter

PHOTOGRAPHER

What’s the most essential part of a great image?

To me, it’s personality.

There are so many elements that needs to come together to make a great image. But the thing I love the most is personality. When I can bring out someone’s mood or personality in an image, that’s the most important thing for me.

It’s a conversation between myself and the subject, which is then a conversation interpreted by the viewer.

Wilfred Cisse

MUSICIAN

What’s the most essential part of a great track?

The most essential part of a great track is the emotion.

We run on feelings so often and music is deeply spiritual. It can carry you through hard times, like a breakup, or lift your spirit before a night out.

Ife Ogunjobi

MUSICIAN

What’s the most essential part of a great melody?

It has to be memorable.

If people can't sing back the melody of your song, then it's not truly embedded in them. I want my music to be part of people's lives, to make their high even better and to bring healing through their pain. So, I have to make music that sticks.

Kit Swann

FASHION EDITOR, MR PORTER

What’s the most essential part of great styling?

 

Being able to know when you’ve done enough.

I think that great styling doesn’t need to be complicated and have a lot going on. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely also a time and a place for that – and it’s incredible when done right – but I think being able to edit your work is very hard – and very important.

It’s being able to look at something and take away parts that are fussy or unnecessary. Keeping track of what’s relevant to the situation and not thinking “what’s going to get me likes on social media”.

Aaron Christian

FILMMAKER

What’s the most essential part of a great film production?

 

As a producer, it starts with being overly prepared.

That means knowing your client, your shoot, your location, and your outcomes. Films are nothing without pre-production, and when that’s done properly, it allows everything else to open up. Then you can actually enjoy the creative side, be playful, and respond to things in the moment because the foundations are solid.

As a director, it’s all about respect and team chemistry.

Early on, I saw a lot of ego on sets, and it honestly put me off filmmaking for a while. If that was the blueprint, it wasn’t something I wanted to be part of.

What changed for me was realising I could build productions around my own values. And respect is a big one. Treating everyone equally, no matter how junior or senior they are. You are nothing without your team, and on a film set that team can be huge.

Chemistry is just as important. It’s about how you speak to people, how you make them feel seen and heard. When everyone feels aligned and respected, you can get incredible results – even when the shoot itself is challenging.

Alfie Cain

ACTOR & GREEN GROCER,
THE FRUIT SHACK

What’s the most essential part of a great day in London?

I think in London, the sun is the most essential part of a great day.

Everyone’s just a lot happier. It’s one of the best places to be in the world when the sun is out. Everyone’s just absolutely flying, whatever way you interpret that!