From Crocs and clay shampoo to leopard tees and fashion icons in his contacts, Simon Le Bon proves he’s still every bit the stylish frontman we fell for.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times’s Scarlett Russell, Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon opened up about his favorite things, signature style, grooming secrets, fashion regrets (or lack thereof), and the influence of his fashion-forward wife, Yasmin. And in true Simon fashion, it was equal parts charming, surprising, and undeniably cool.
Still Got the Look
When asked how he feels about those legendary ‘80s outfits (think eyeliner, shoulder pads, and blazers with sleeves casually pushed to the elbows), Simon didn’t flinch. “I’m not embarrassed by any of it,” he declared. In fact, he remembers the moment when a backstage towel trick by drummer Roger Taylor turned into a full-on fashion trend (aka headbands and wrist bands). “By the end of the week, it was in the fashion pages of newspapers.”
This is peak Duran Duran lore: one bandmate rips up a towel to beat the heat, and suddenly half the UK is doing it in the name of style.
Yasmin Le Bon: Personal Stylist and Style Referee
On date nights with wife and model icon Yasmin Le Bon, Simon dresses to impress—and to avoid the dreaded label of being “too Simon.”
Her curated combo for him? A Tom Ford beige and brown checked jacket, a leopard-print tee, and faded Uniqlo jeans. It’s polished, a little wild, and totally him (but Yasmin-approved).
“She likes me to mix things up,” he said. “Otherwise she’ll say: ‘It’s too Simon, it’s too matchy-matchy.’”
Style Crush: Harry Styles
Simon may have been a trailblazer in rock ‘n’ roll fashion, but even legends look up to new icons. “Harry Styles has done the most for men’s fashion recently,” he said. “His willingness to be experimental is fantastic.”
So much so, Simon bought himself some baggy, printed velour trousers from Dries Van Noten. Somewhere, Harry is nodding in approval.
From Hiking Boots to Haute Couture
Despite his red carpet pedigree, Simon is quick to shout out his love for practical footwear. “Hiking boots. I love to walk and I love my feet to be comfortable,” he said. He’s also got a soft spot for Barbour ankle wellies and, yes, Crocs—for taking out the bins, of course.
But don’t let the Crocs fool you. Le Bon is a man of high taste. He name-dropped Grace Coddington, the inimitable creative force behind Vogue, and reminisced about fashion week seats beside her. “She’d say: ‘Simon, stop jogging me, I’m trying to draw!’”
The Legendary Closet Lives On
In case you were wondering what happened to all those unforgettable Duran Duran stage outfits—yes, he kept them. “I’ve kept all of it, every outfit,” he said. “I’d love to do an exhibition.”
Please, Simon. Let us into the glittering archive!
On Grooming, Beards, and Smelling Like Summer
Simon also revealed his latest grooming obsession: NeoRio, the new Duran Duran fragrance he co-developed (yes, the band is now in the scent game, too). “It’s a really summery daytime fragrance,” he said.
As for his hair secrets? Shampoo is out. Instead, Simon swears by a Moroccan clay called Ghassoul and the occasional apple cider vinegar rinse. “You’d think it would stink… but it gives my hair body and some stiffness.”
His beard, though?
That’s negotiable.
“I don’t like it when my beard gets too white—I either shave it off or put some colour on it because you can’t have Duran Duran fronted by Father Christmas.”
The Most Stylish Party He’s Ever Been To?
Just a casual evening at Nick Rhodes’s birthday bash in mid-’80s Paris. Guests included Bryan Ferry, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Amanda Lear, and Serge Gainsbourg. There’s even a legendary lost Polaroid of Simon, Nick, and Serge once framed on the wall of the restaurant… until it mysteriously disappeared.
As Simon put it, “People were obsessed with Serge in Paris.”
Final Thoughts from the Frontman
Simon may not consider himself a “real peacock” like Nick Rhodes, or quite as effortlessly photogenic as John Taylor, but that mix of effort, edge, and ease is what’s always made him stand out. “I have to try a bit harder than those guys,” he said humbly.
But fans know the truth, Simon’s always been fashion royalty. Whether in towel headbands, leopard tees, or velour trousers, he doesn’t just follow trends. He makes them.
Credits:
Original interview by Scarlett Russell for The Sunday Times, April 5, 2025.