Oh, Godfrey. Gorgeous as ever, in a bejewelled burgundy blazer worthy of big-screen royalty © Video by Leon Kiong for herworldPLUS
Calling it as we see it: Godfrey Gao's sex appeal is through the roof, just absolutely gargantuan – as big, if not bigger, than his much-remarked upon, generously girthed palms. (He gives a great handshake, by the way: Reassuringly firm and resolutely masculine.)
Let’s count the ways he rocks our boat. For starters, Godfrey can carry off just about anything: The perks, we suppose, of being both a runway-ready 1.93m tall and the first Asian man ever in Louis Vuitton's 160 years to front a campaign back in 2011.
Speaking to Godfrey in a sitting area cloistered away from the bustle and bedlam of this year’s Audi Fashion Festival, the bona fide supermodel rocks an embellished burgundy jacket with a boyish self-consciousness that's just incredibly endearing; he later confesses to us that he’s sweating bullets about having to walk the runway for Ashley Isham – a feat which, by all accounts, was pulled off in fabulous fashion.
He’s hilarious in a laid-back, self-deprecating way, too. When asked to describe his off-duty wardrobe, Godfrey gestures to his Very Important Suit (compliments of Ashley Isham, natch) and grins. Next mission in life: Catch Godfrey shooting hoops with his pals in a velvet tux!
Staying on the sartorial side of things – boxers or briefs, good sir? Godfrey pauses for a nanosecond, as if teasing us with the possibility of a risque rejoinder, but lets on that he’s more of a tighty-whities sort of guy, especially when he’s in snug jeans or grosgrain pants. Fans, now you know!
Style-related shenanigans aside, the impossibly good-looking swain’s an SK-II Men ambassador for good reason – his scruffy stubble is set off by spectacularly supple, enviably clear skin.
His secret? The “miracle water” of the single best Japanese skincare brand in the entire universe … no, but seriously, Godfrey says he used to be lackadaisical about his grooming regime, and that the single best beauty tip he can give is to not use body soap on one’s face, a faux pas he used to commit prior to being acquainted with “proper” skincare.
Oh, and guys surreptitiously reading this over the shoulders of your girlfriends, you have one more reason to be jealous of the man: The clotheshorse eats like well, a horse.
Insider scoop: He adores chicken rice. The first order of business whenever he graces our sunny shores? Making a beeline for Boon Tong Kee on Balestier Road for a heaping plateful of the greasy grub. (And yes, you’re welcome to send a generous cheque our way, proprietors of said chicken rice stall.)
The genetically gifted gent also subsists on cartons of Red Bull; by all accounts, Godfrey’s only diva-like demand is to request for cans of the high energy drink to be carted to his hotel suite. How he manages to look like that on his frat-boy diet is anyone’s guess, really.
Other bits and bobs we noticed during our chat with the chap: The last we spoke, the Canadian-Taiwanese stud slipped rather adorably into Mandarin, but this time round, Godfrey’s English is virtually Downton Abbey-ready. This can only mean one thing: Hollywood, brace yourself.
One last stray observation before we sign off: Besides getting his tongue around the Queen's English (and we're sure he does plenty of other great things with that particular appendage), Godfrey is every bit as kind, patient and obliging as we remember him to be ...
Which only begs the question: Who’s at the daily receiving end of this sweet treatment?
We try to skirt around The Girlfriend Question by asking him what he would wear on an evening date, but Godfrey is understandably coy about his romantic affairs – as he has every right to be, given that the good man endures the invasive flare of flashing bulbs in public appearances like a long-suffering soldier in combat.
Key takeaway from our tête-à-tête? Godfrey Gao can eat anything, wear anything and hell, just about do anything. Boy, the girl that finally nails his heart is one lucky, lucky woman.
Don't believe us? Take a gander at our exclusive video chat with the good guy, and try not to fall into a swoon.
You can follow Godfrey Gao on Facebook, Twitter, Weibo and Instagram.
For more information on SK-II, visit www.sk-ii.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook and YouTube.
Audi Fashion Festival 2014 is held at the Tent@Orchard from May 14 to 18, 2014. Tickets are available at sistic.com. For more information, go to www.audifashionfestival.com. Get updates on AFF 2014 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AudiFashionFestivalSingapore, on Twitter@AudiFashionFest and Instagram @AudiFashionFest and by following the hashtag #affsg.