David Gandy on his London Sock Company collection

Accessories are a hugely important part of a man's style and wardrobe. The best pocket squares and ties can prove to be excessively expensive, however, and I've never quite understood why. I've also wondered why there aren't more accessory sets consisting of a pocket square, tie and socks readily available. I hope my new My Style Collection for the London Sock Company is a solution to these problems.

The collection consists of three accessory sets, each one suitable for different occasions and styles. One pocket-square design is printed with a traditional tailoring pattern on either side, so it's a really versatile accessory that can be worn as two pocket squares. It was important, when designing the collection, to support British manufacturing and British weaving so the pocket squares and ties are made in the UK using really high-quality wool or silk, which is something we are very proud of.

My father was an entrepreneur and I learnt a lot from him – what it takes to build a brand or company and to become a success. What a lot of people don't realise is that as a model, you are instantly self-employed and have to run your own business. As soon as I could afford to, I wanted to invest in British brands and British individuals. I have always believed there is a lack of investment in UK businesses and I guess this is why, eventually, all our historic fashion and motoring brands will be foreign-owned or progress with foreign investment.

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Ryan and Dave [London Sock Company founders] approached me through a mutual friend a couple of years ago and we clicked straight away. They were Scottish, they were very funny and they could drink a lot of whisky, so I immediately liked them. It was obvious they were very enthusiastic about what they were doing and were also taking a huge risk in leaving their City jobs and branching into fashion. With my 15 years' experience in the industry, I immediately wanted to help in any way I could.

I like disruptive brands and marketing; brands that challenge the way we have thought about a particular service or item. I found that spirit in the London Sock Company and thought the idea of a subscription service and predominantly online sales was a brilliant concept. Now it has proved successful, we want to expand with ties and handkerchiefs alongside our stylish socks. I'm hoping this new collaboration will be the first of many.

DAVID GANDY was the first man nominated for Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council. As well as working as a model and fashion designer, he is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Ten per cent of proceeds from the My Style Collection by David Gandy will be donated to Style For Soldiers, a British Forces charity helping to rehabilitate injured servicemen and women; londonsockcompany.com