Jason Jules on Ageless Style: Menswear, Moss AW25 and Timeless Dressing
Ageless Style Lessons From Jason Jules
Jason Jules is difficult to pin down. Model, stylist, creative director, author, editor, he’s worn as many hats as he has perfectly cut coats. Best known for his book Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style and his influence across both menswear and culture, Jules began his career promoting jazz clubs in London before moving into styling, art direction, and writing. Now, in front of the camera for Moss’s AW25 campaign, he reflects on memories, fit, and the power of ageless style.
Memories of Moss
For Jules, Moss carries a certain nostalgia. “I’ve always been interested in the brand for as long as I can remember,” he recalls. “It was one of the few brands that my dad would go to get clothing. We hired suits from Moss for my 21st birthday, a boat party, which was amazing. I have a picture of me wearing mine, but I refused to wear the bow tie correctly. I didn’t tie it up. Those memories came to my mind at the very end of the shoot. I got a bit emotional because it reminded me of my dad and my youth.”
Nerves and Perspective
Despite his ease in front of the lens, nerves are part of his process. “I definitely feel nervous before I get to a shoot. But I feel nervous before I do anything,” he admits. “When I like the brand, a lot of the anxiety is taken out because I know I already like the clothes.”
That perspective is hard-won. “I didn’t really start being on the other side of the camera until 10 years ago. Prior to that, I was styling and art directing, writing and editing and doing reviews. I’ve always been in the fashion and music publication world. Organising a shoot for i-D or The Face would have been a huge production. It could take weeks, and there’d be tons of people involved and super stressful.
“On the other side of the camera, I can turn up and then leave and as long as I commit 100% while I’m there. Afterwards, the real work is done by everybody else.”
The Details That Matter
What struck Jules most about the AW25 collection were the details. “I wore pieces that would be at home in my wardrobe, or rather I would be at home in its wardrobe,” he says. “They weren’t compromising on material details like real button holes on the jacket sleeves. You know they’re committed to giving their customers a lot of respect.”
He relished the versatility of the trousers. “I liked that I was wearing trousers that were flat front, and trousers with pleats set slightly higher at the waist. There seems to be this notion that there’s only one way of wearing trousers. I don’t subscribe to that. You wear a style that fits you at that time, that moment, that look that day.”
And then there was the coat. “The Epsom coat, a double-breasted coat with large collars. It’s just the epitome of luxury. Old school, classic menswear that you see in 1950s copies of Esquire. It’s perfect. You couldn’t get a more elegant rendering of that coat. It indicated everything about the collection.”
Putting it on was a moment. “Perfect. It gave me a feeling that we were doing something special, like I was working with an A-Team.”
The Daily Ritual
Clothes, for Jules, are never superficial. “There’s a feeling of satisfaction. Like I know I can handle what the day will bring. It’s self-confidence before getting the day started – identifying with the person in the mirror. Saying, This is the person I feel like. I can be the person I see reflected back. I’m ready to go.”
That philosophy informs his style rules, too. “Clothing is important, but it’s also important not to take it too seriously. You can be creative. Part of my criteria is to actually enjoy and experiment with the clothing I’m wearing every day. Just play and see what happens.”
Growing Into His Clothes
“I don’t think [my style] has particularly [changed],” Jules reflects. “I think my understanding of fit has improved. There’s a guy called John Simons – he owns a shop that was the first to sell Ivy League-style in the UK – and about five years ago, he told me: ‘Jason, you’ve grown into your clothes.’
“That’s what I had to learn: what fit really means. It’s figuring out how you can best embody the fit and make it your own. Quality has always mattered – never in some luxurious way, but in the little details, like the real button holes or certain stitching. Those little details found in Moss’s clothes add an extra level of elegance. The product will have a longer shelf life and longer wardrobe life than things that are just thrown together.”
Ageless Style
“There’s an idea that fashion is trend-based, but even within menswear the foundations are pretty timeless: like a button-down shirt, a pair of loafers, five-pocket jeans, a polo coat – these are always going to epitomise their individual genres,” he says.
“The challenge is to play with them and make them your own. You don’t have to be an expert – like you can tell a really good deep house record from a bad one. It’s intuitive.”
That intuition was sharpened in the clubs. “When I was organising clubs wearing Ivy League clothing, I felt like I was the odd one out. I was this kid wearing checkered shorts, a button-down shirt, and a pair of boat shoes, hanging out with kids who are into graffiti and skate and jumping on trains. I was told I was odd.
“The intent wasn’t to stand out. I just wore what captured my imagination and what I liked to wear. But wearing loafers to the clubs was seen as something novel and, again, weird.
“As I evolved and got into acid jazz, still wearing the same clothes, the guys who were making acid jazz records were wearing similar clothes. So I felt less odd. But my style didn’t really change.”
Ageless Style Lessons From Jason Jules
Icons and Influences
“John Simons, for one. Paul Weller. Paul’s style has always been within a framework, even though it constantly evolves. Miles Davis his style did evolve, but he evolved with his music as well.
“My entry to a world is either music or clothes. I remember reading an amazing biography about the actor Montgomery Clift. I knew nothing about him. But I saw his image on the cover and I thought, ‘this guy is so stylish’. I had to find out who the hell he was and what he was about.”
On Buying and Taste
“A bit of both, really,” Jules says when asked if he leans on store staff or goes it alone. “Certain stores are legendary. Supreme or Stüssy, a lot of the guys on Bond Street. Guys actually talk about the experience of going into those stores because of the people who worked there, and their awareness of not just clothing, but the culture. They bring that same kind of interest and commitment to style.
“Even if I know exactly what I want, there may be a size difference or colour option. I may be thinking, which is my tendency? And suddenly they kind of persuade me against that, hopefully. But I think by the time I’m going to actually buy something, I pretty much know what it is that I want.”
His advice for other men? “It’s about taste, really. You develop a taste over time. See it as a constant evolution and a growing understanding of what works for you. And really enjoy it, because it can be a creative process. You don’t have to look outlandish and crazy and artsy to express yourself. It’s about wearing what you really like and what you find satisfying.
“The key for me and clothes is that it’s about pleasure and enjoying them. If I feel great, then it doesn’t really matter what anybody says.”
On Layering
“Layering is about being prepared for all eventualities. I come from a working-class background where we didn’t have a summer wardrobe and a winter wardrobe. My summer wardrobe was my winter wardrobe, my autumn wardrobe was my winter wardrobe. If I didn’t have a scarf, but I had a jumper, I’d wear that as a scarf.
“I’m going out for the day. I’m going to start with a half-lined jacket. How do I make sure by the end of the day that I’m still good if it rains? If it’s cold, what am I going to do? OK, I’ll wear this sweater; I’ll have this scarf that I’ll wear in my side pocket just in case. There’s a level of preparation that’s carried with layering. But that’s also part of the fun as well.”
The Power of Clothes
For Jules, style is about connection as much as self-expression. “I’m always interested in what other people are wearing and why they’re wearing it. Being around people, talking about clothes, is a natural thing for me. I’ve made a lot of really good friends because of what they’re wearing. I’ll see somebody in the street and I’ll say, ‘amazing shirt. Where did you get it?’ Before you know it, we’re exchanging numbers and we’re friends for life.
“There’s a real power to clothes.”
