Splendour of sartorial men

Sartorial splendour was on display during GQ's Best-Dressed Men of the Year awards this week. Fifty finalists were chosen, but only the top 10 attended Monday night's event.

Although we're more accustomed to seeing this year's winner, Oscar Pistorius, in a green and gold racing vest and shorts or deliciously topless in skintight mercury-like leggings for Thierry Mugler, he lookeddapper in a perfectly cut one-button Armani suit, crisp white Hugo Boss shirt and classic black Gianfranco Ferre tie.

''GQ men are not the type to flaunt their style," said editor Craig Tyson.

''We look for the men who bring originality, intelligence, and spirit to their look."

The event is in its seventh year.

Double amputee athlete Pistorius, pictured centre, is the first sportsman to win the award.

"He's at the peak of his powers, adept at overcoming odds and taking on officials and critics, so it was not unexpected that he brought his best game to our annual style showdown," said Tyson.

TV presenter and model Masego "Maps" Maponyane, top right, took the number two position.

He was at the event with his mother, Meisie Maponyane, who said: ''I pushed my love of style onto my two boys."

You may recognise Maps's gorgeous face from Edgars campaigns, but while he loves the glamosphere, as he calls it, he is also a student of sports marketing.

Maps doesn't box his style: ''I branch into different style zones. I take something from each culture club and mix it up: punks, drama kids, nerds."

''My look depends on how I feel on a particular day, but one of my defining looks is my spectacles - Paul Smith - slightly translucent."

Glasses are his big investment: ''I'm blind as a bat - so I think of them as my eyes."

For shoes, Maps again turns to Paul Smith.

''The man just has incredible design sense, which is quirky and classy."

Coming in at three is the incredibly sexy Jonathan "Ziyon" Christian, bottom left, vocalist and producer for Liquideep.

An avid shopper at British store Ben Sherman, Ziyon said he gets a lot of his style inspiration from blogs and looking through his closet to see what he can pull together.

But Ziyon is not fond of wearing hats.

''I don't have the head for them."

When asked what trends should come back, Ziyon answered: ''Nothing from the '90s."

A lover of his moustache-less goatee, Ziyon said that pocket squares are his other style staple.

''They add colour to any outfit," he said.