Experience the global detour with model Tom Bull for M. J. Bale planned for him to test the durability of Australian Superfine Merino wool suits. Check out:
We’re going to crush the man, but can we crush the suit? Our mate and model Tom Bull is en route to London to front our Winter 16 shoot, but we’ve joined teams with The Woolmark Company and planned a little global detour for him to test the durability of our Australian Superfine Merino wool suits. We’re calling this trip “An Unsuitable Journey” and while we can’t say much more for now (we want to keep Tom on his toes) we’re going to be broadcasting live from Facebook and posting to Instagram. Our man on the ground Tom Bull got off to a rocky start at Sydney airport: a broken windscreen wiper (do planes really have/need them?) meant an extra hour on the tarmac before take off. On arrival in Singapore we broke the news to Tom that it wasn’t going to be a quick stopover on the way to London – there’s an overnight bus to Kuala Lumpur. We made our way straight to the bus terminal to check in, where it’s fair to say Tom turned a few heads – apparently, he was a little overdressed – and killed a couple of hours at a karaoke joint, where Tom performed an impressive rendition of a local Thai hit (it seemed like he really knew the words, but we can’t be sure). We’re currently holed up in bus border control and Tom is pushing hard for an Uber black to our next location. If only he knew what we had in store. Man: not crushed, yet. Suit: impeccable.https://www.facebook.com/M.J.Bale/videos/1133507946680854/
This pic was taken in Kuala Lumpur just after we stepped off the overnight bus from Singapore. Tom had been hoping for some rest and another flight, but instead he got an overnight Greyhound that passed through two border controls. Worse, each time Tom thought he was ok to nod off, the lights came on and we disembarked to face armed guards. But at least the bus was fast. So fast in fact that it dropped him in the middle of KL two hours early – all dressed up and nowhere to go. Today was the day of truly unexpected drivers. Our first taxi driver was a colourful character, full of great stories. He proudly held up his right hand showing three fingers. It seems our mate used to be a bit of a brawler, but is a refined character now. Next we ended up hitching a ride with two friendly policemen. It seems they took pity on a weary-looking Tom and chauffeured him around Kuala Lumpur trying to find him a bacon & egg muffin. Finally, just to make us late – Tom hitched a ride in a couriers side car. We say hitched a ride, but really he just did donuts around a major roundabout. It’s fair to say that we’re beginning to push Tom over the edge. Hitting three countries in 24 hours will do that to a man. From KL he took an unfairly short flight to Bangkok (where it was even hotter). Making the most of his time on the ground between the two Bangkok airports he commandeered a Tuk Tuk for the afternoon, zipping from temples to street side markets and a muay thai bout. He even charmed his way into driving the Tuk Tuk until Bangkok’s insane traffic forced the driver to take back the handlebars. What started off as an easy transit soon fell apart at the seams, with Bangkok’s legendary traffic halting Tom’s thrills on the Tuk Tuk as he was forced to walk back to a train station on foot, before queuing for one of the most packed trains he’s ever seen. Back at Bangkok airport he’s spent the last 25 minutes trying to blag his way into the lounge. Charm looks like it’s winning, but his sun-cracked face, bloodshot eyes and wayward hair are working against him. Tom: gradually losing his cool. Suit: uncrushed.Bangkok, Thailand. Behind the Scenes shots from:
Tom arrived in Dubai in the middle of the night to news of his impending drive through the desert to Abu Dhabi. Undaunted, he insisted we head into town to hit the nightclubs. As great as the suit looks our minivan wasn’t cutting it next to the Ferraris, Porsches and Lambos, so he struggled to get a look in. After the bright lights of Dubai the highway opened into vast sandy desert, populated by good natured locals waiting for buses to work, drinking coffee and chatting away (which Tom loved, naturally – in case you hadn’t realised, the man can talk). And just to really test his limits, Tom threw in a few dune sprints for good measure.Dubai & Abu Dhabi, UAE. Behind the Scenes shots from:
En route from Abu Dhabi to Rome, we may or may not have encouraged the airline host to keep disturbing Tom… He was looking too close to sleep and we couldn’t have that. Our task of seeing whether we can crush the man was made even easier by a ‘touchy’ in-flight entertainment system and the one hour customs queue he faced at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport: sleepless eyes don’t amuse customs officials. Rome is full of stairs, and stairs don’t make friends with legs without sleep. After making his way to the top of one of Rome’s huge parks Tom encountered the travelling fans of Sparta Prague. Not afraid to let the boy from Perth out every now and then, he joined in the chorus (in Italian, or his attempts at it, no less). Making his way into town it finally dawned on him that Europe is at the end of Winter – a massive change from the desert he’s just come from and a stark reminder that the final shoot will be in the cold of London.Rome, Italy. Behind the Scenes from:
