With a record-breaking career, a net worth north of half a billion pounds, and some of the best abs in the business, there are many reasons men want to be like David Beckham. But, it’s not only the ceiling-smashing success and stacks of cash that impress, Golden Balls’ personal style gets us green-eyed, too.

A smart mix of classic wardrobe staples and contemporary tweaks, Beckham’s style exemplifies that rare mastery of menswear so often copied, yet never equalled. It’s the kind of look you want to steal, which – short of laser-dodging your way into one of DB7’s many mansions – isn’t really possible.

Or is it? Cue H&M’s Spring 2016 Modern Essentials collection, selected by David Beckham – the latest collab between the global style icon and Swedish powerhouse. Twenty-seven pieces strong, it’s a value-for-money blueprint to Beckham’s go-to combinations that’ll not only save you money on looking good, but a court appearance for breaking and entering, too. Two birds and that.

As is befitting of a style-savvy former sportsman and current businessman-model-father-of-four, Beckham’s latest range is meant to be lived in – whether you’re squeezing in a workout before the school run or hotfooting it to a date after a day in the office. Sitting right in the sweet spot between sportswear and tailoring, it’s a collection made up of the cornerstones of the modern-day man’s wardrobe – from the humble tee to sharp single-breasted suit.

“I’m always updating my wardrobe with a mix of tailored and casual pieces, which is why I love this new Modern Essentials collection by H&M,” says Beckham. “These pieces are so versatile, and can be worn in so many different ways. The mix of tailoring and updated classics creates the perfect wardrobe for the season ahead.”
Beckham speaks of a wider trend washing over menswear: the lessening gap between super-casual and buttoned-up. It’s a shift that informed this Modern Essentials collection from the off: “[For this] spring we were looking at the evolution of men’s style, and how different garments have joined tailoring as a new uniform,” says Andreas Löwenstam, H&M’s Men’s Head of Design.