It’s a rainy Thursday afternoon and I’m arriving at a studio in Wimbledon to interview Arsenal’s star midfielder Declan Rice, who is on a rare day off from training. As a football-watching, match-attending, north London-residing beauty editor, with two sons who wear Rice’s number 41 shirts when not in school uniform, I have a particular level of know-how about this poster boy for modern Premier League football.
However, if you had stumbled into this shoot and didn’t know about this high-performing athlete’s meteoric rise to becoming one of the finest English players of the past five years, you’d be forgiven for thinking the 6ft 2in, dark-haired lad from south-west London was a seasoned regular on fashion shoots.
He looks the part, too. Rarely seen without his usual Arsenal clobber, Declan – who has such stamina on the pitch his teammates have nicknamed him “the horse” – is dressed in an oversized Nanushka leather jacket with black trousers by Savile Row tailor Clothsurgeon and the sort of shiny black shoes that are intentionally clunky (by Walk London, in case you were wondering).
At 26, Rice offers a fresh perspective on how style-conscious men in their 20s approach their grooming and fashion choices.
“When I was younger I was more into a skinnier, snug skintight fit with my clothing. Of course I was copying my mates,” he shrugs, as we sit down in a quiet corner of the studio. “As I’ve got older I’ve changed my ways a bit. I now prefer a more relaxed, chilled look.”
Chilled, maybe, but nonetheless last September Declan made his runway debut for the Labrum menswear spring/summer 2025 show – a tribute to Arsenal football club – wearing a fitted, silk ribbon-embellished suit with Adidas Superstar trainers. The show, which took place at the Emirates Stadium, “was such a good opportunity,” he says. “I hope I’ll be able to do more. When I first heard about it I was a bit sceptical about how it would go down, but I loved it.” He tells me of the respect he has for professional models: “You don’t realise what goes into it, and the preparation and it was like going into a new world for me.”
On Monday, Rice walked the red carpet at the British Fashion Awards. While he may be accustomed to wearing sleek suits for awards shows, “day-to-day I can’t really wear a lot of outfits as we play so many games now, so I can’t be bothered to wake up and work out a whole ’fit. I just put on the essential bits and get to football.”
When he’s not training or at matches, he’s playing golf and spending quality time with his family. Rice has been with his long-time girlfriend Lauren Fryer since they were 17 and they have a three-year-old son. (Fryer was subject to cruel online trolling in recent years, which is why, understandably, Rice strictly requests no questions about his partner or family.)
Fashion choices aside, it’s clear Rice takes pride in his appearance. “I think most men generally look after themselves and it’s something I’ve been doing more as I’ve got older. After a shower I probably use every item in my washbag,” he shrugs. “I feel that’s important to me, as I’m sure it’s important to others too.”
This self-care involves a simple, consistent skincare routine. He’ll use a basic moisturiser every morning “and following my shower after training, too. I feel like it keeps my skin feeling fresh and healthy.” He’s not committed to one moisturiser in particular and tends to chop and change. “My mum used to buy me my moisturiser when I was a kid, and obviously now I buy my own! I have sensitive skin so I need something simple that won’t make my skin go red.”
He occasionally uses cooling under-eye patches. “You know in some films you used to see people with cucumbers over their eyes?” He smiles a wide smile. “It’s not that, but this helps. If I’m at a shoot then I’ll use them but you won’t catch me waking up in the morning and putting them on before I go to training.”
Like any modern Gen Z man, he takes his fragrances seriously and there’ll always be a bottle of something in his Arsenal washbag. “I’ve got loads at home,” he admits. “Growing up I’d be into the Creeds, the Diors, all that type of stuff, but I just go by what I like now rather than a big name. I’ll carry on using the same fragrance until it’s done, and then I’ll try something new.”
Does he spritz before stepping out on to the pitch? He shakes his head. “I spray myself before leaving the hotel for a big match, so it should stay on for the game, but not immediately before a match.”
Does he get any tips from his teammates? “Not really,” he shrugs. “Although, our new striker [Victor] Gyokeres looks after his hair, Ben White looks after himself, and Ricky [Calafiori, the club’s new Italian defender who has longish hair] can have his hair in so many different ways. Jurrien Timber always looks after himself, too.”
As for styling his own hair just before he goes out on to the pitch: “I always put a bit of water on my hair first, and then a sea salt spray and some kind of product to keep it back. My hair goes everywhere when I’m playing football, and that’s my biggest annoyance because during a match I get sweaty and it just drops everywhere.”
He has recently found a new favourite: the L’Oréal Paris (for whom he is an ambassador) hairspray.
Rice tells me his regular barber – who is on the shoot during our interview, and who he sees every 10 days or so – does his hair the best, “but otherwise it takes me five minutes to do myself. When I need it cut I give him a last-minute call and get him to fit me in.”
I enquire whether he uses anything in particular on his stubble, given that “beard care” seems to be a growing new category in men’s grooming. “No! I wouldn’t even know how to use a specific beard product.”
When I tell Rice that my local barber gets requests from young tweens and teens for what they call the “Declan” cut – short sides with a longer, grown-out style on top – he looks genuinely taken aback. “I still find it crazy to think that kids look up to me, because that was once me looking up to other footballers.” He pauses. “I’m really grateful to be able to be in this position. I’ve realised that as I’ve got older I’m always being watched. Kids are always looking up to you, they want to be like you. So it’s important I always apply myself in the right way. I respect people and I look after myself, and that’s the main thing.”
He tells me the footballers he looked up to as a child were Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Joe Cole. “They were some of the top English players when I was growing up. As a kid I would watch the games, study them and want to be like them. I still watch clips of Steven Gerrard just because of how he was as a player. He was all action, and I try to do that with my own game.”
Does he have any mantras or affirmations before going out on to the pitch? He shakes his head. “When I was younger I would feel more nervous going into match days, but not now… I’m generally confident going into games, not just for myself but when I look around at my teammates who are so good and our manager who is so good, I feel really lucky. Putting on the Arsenal kit is the best. I never take it for granted.”
There’s no sign of winding down for the festive period just yet. “We were supposed to be playing on Boxing Day which would have meant Christmas in a hotel, but now luckily we’re not, which will mean Christmas at home with my family.” He takes a deep breath, and sits forward in his chair, and grins. “But we play the 21st and 23rd, so depending on the results will decide whether my Christmas will go well or not.”