David Flack, the renowned interior designer who transforms million-dollar homes with daring materials and bold color combinations, has revealed an unexpectedly humble fashion preference: $20 Uniqlo AIRism t-shirts. Despite his high-profile clientele and luxurious design projects, Flack's personal style philosophy centers on simplicity and comfort rather than extravagance.

The Australian designer, who gained prominence after styling singer Troye Sivan's home, describes his personal fashion sense as far less complex than his interior work. "The way I dress is less complex than my interiors," Flack explains. "I'm very daring with materials and color combinations in my work, whereas my personal style is quite pared back." He recently started incorporating more color into his wardrobe after his husband Jason encouraged him to move away from wearing black constantly.

Flack's wardrobe essentials reflect his preference for timeless, functional pieces. His three must-have items include Levi's boot-cut jeans, a bomber jacket, and handcrafted Japanese Matsuda sunglasses that resemble little goggles. The oldest piece in his collection is a vintage 1970s leather jacket in tobacco color with a cowboy aesthetic, purchased in Brooklyn, New York. His most recent addition showcases his willingness to embrace contemporary trends: a pair of Balenciaga 3XL runners with massive soles.

When it comes to specific occasions, Flack has developed a strategic approach to dressing. For air travel, he opts for an all-black ensemble featuring oversized cotton pants, his beloved $20 Uniqlo AIRism tee for breathability, slip-on Salomon runners, and a Norse Projects bomber jacket that remains wrinkle-free and professional enough for immediate business meetings. His first date outfit with his husband consisted of tailored pants, an oversized black Acne button-down shirt, Acne trench coat, and Bottega Veneta Tire boots with green soles – the boots making him taller than his usually taller husband.

The designer's fashion influences span multiple decades and designers. He particularly admires the 1990s era, having grown up during that time, and appreciates seeing current references to that stripped-back, casual aesthetic. Among contemporary designers, he favors Raf Simons for his clean designs and sense of color, noting the beauty in simple but significant details. He also admires JW Anderson for the playful surprises and quirky nuances in his work.

Flack's fashion journey began in his twenties when he moved from rural Australia to Melbourne after coming out. Working at Ralph Lauren provided him with opportunities to explore fashion and experiment with various outfits, both successful and unsuccessful. He fondly remembers this period as "a fun time" of discovery. However, he also recalls fashion missteps from that era, particularly a phase when he mistakenly believed he looked good in trilby hats.

Accessories play a subtle but important role in Flack's style. He wears his Tessa Blazey wedding ring and a gold Cartier Juste un Clou hoop earring as his go-to jewelry pieces. His fragrance of choice is Ex Nihilo's French Affair. Currently, he's coveting a Jacquemus Canevas de-Nîmes denim jacket and the Bottega Intrecciato North-South tote bag for future purchases.

Despite his appreciation for fashion, Flack maintains clear boundaries about what he won't wear, specifically velvet suits and white suits. He's particularly enthusiastic about current trends, especially Generation Z's embrace of early 2000s and Y2K aesthetics. His most frequently worn shoes are Salomon XT-4 S/Lab sneakers in various colors, which he wears throughout the day.

Flack's fashion icon is Yves Saint Laurent, whom he admires for being prolific across multiple creative fields including fashion, interiors, and art collecting, with an incredible sense of color and embellishment. This admiration reflects Flack's own multi-faceted creative approach, bridging the worlds of interior design and personal style. His typical working day wardrobe alternates between casual jeans, t-shirt, and runners, and more polished dress pants with white shirts and smarter shoes, depending on his schedule and client meetings.

For relaxed Sunday casual wear, Flack prefers a colored Acne t-shirt paired with jeans, embodying his philosophy of comfortable simplicity. His approach to fashion demonstrates that successful style doesn't require expensive pieces – sometimes the most beloved items in a designer's wardrobe are the most accessible and practical ones.