TAG: The KING Collection

SWAGGER
Frank Sinatra had a theory—one that Sean John Combs understands to a degree. Sinatra believed that swagger, the art of captivating an audience sometimes with no more than a quick wink of an eye, could not be taught. Swagger, he opined, was pre-determined in a person's DNA. And if you weren't one of the lucky recipients, you appreciated it from the sidelines, hoping, in vain, that one day you too could make an entrance that damn near causes heart palpitations. Combs summarizes this act of mesmerizing: "I would agree with Frank that swagger can't be taught,” he says. "It's something that you're born with.” He then remixes the statement slightly. "But I also believe that there is swagger in all of us. The question is, do you have the belief to bring it out?”

I WEAR MY SUNGLASSES
Sinatra's invite by phone was a straight shot. Black-tie affair. Dress accordingly. Arrive promptly. And most importantly, have sunglasses on your person. Combs, a shades connoisseur, sees the reasoning behind Sinatra's solicitation. "Shades keep the mystery,” he says. "I think one of Frank's reasons for wearing shades when you're partying is because you don't want to live in the truth. You want to live in the fantasy. And when you look someone in the eye, there is nothing but the truth.” Shades-less while making this statement, Combs is much more tangible—more human. And that's not a place he wants to be with interviewers. "Your eyes are the most vulnerable part of your body,” he says. "My reason for wearing shades, aside from it going with my image and cool factor, is I don't really like people looking into my eyes and going into my soul. That ain't for everybody. That's for my friends, family and my woman.”

Continue reading more about Diddy's Sinatra connection in the December '06/January '07 issue of KING

More Photos From Diddy's TAG Shoot