Details Magazine Robert Pattinson 2010 | Robert Pattinson: Details Magazine's 2010 Robert Pattinson Cover Story

The “New Romantics” have a new king. According to press releases from Team Pattinson and Barclaycard, the British actor and singer Robert Pattinson has been named the Global Brand Ambassador for the luxury credit card issuer, Barclaycard. As the Global Brand Ambassador, Pattinson will launch the brand’s new international brand card program, debuting this year in the UK and Europe, and later expanding to North America.

The King Of The New Romantics

With his boyish good looks, British accent, and dashing smile, Robert Pattinson has quickly established himself as the male equivalent to Megan Fox and Katy Perry. And like those megastars, the 28-year-old actor and singer is currently courting controversy. In December 2009, after only a few months of dating, Pattinson and his 24-year-old girlfriend, FKA twigs, made international headlines when photos surfaced of the couple kissing. The controversial photos prompted reactions ranging from “awkward” to “classy.”

Despite the negative press, Pattinson’s star is on the rise. In July 2010, he was nominated for a Drama Star at the Teen Choice Awards for his role as Quentin Tarantulin in the film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. In 2009, he was also nominated for a Choice Movie Actor: Comedy award for his role in the film, What To Expect When You’re Expecting. In October 2009, he was named the Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine, and in June 2010 he was named Sexiest Man Of The Year by FHM Magazine.

Barclaycard’s Bold New Ambitions

Since its creation in 1906, the Bank of England’s Pink Sheet has been a reliable source of financial information for traders and investors. But over the past decade, the role of the Pink Sheet has changed. No longer content to simply report on the economy, the financial press has taken a keen interest in all things fintech, or financial technology. During the 2008 financial crisis, the role of the Pink Sheet shifted even more, as it became clear that technological innovations, such as the development of high-speed trading platforms and flash freezing of bank accounts, had made a massive impact on the economy. Today, the Pink Sheet has the challenging job of reporting on technology’s influence in the financial world—and the effects this is having on the British economy as a whole.

Barclaycard is one of the UK’s biggest bankcard issuers, with approximately 17.2 million credit cards in circulation. The card is part of the Bank of England’s “big four” credit cards (Verve, Diners, Solo, and Solo Sapphire), which now also includes the Barclaycard.

Barclaycard’s head of marketing, Louise Parker, says that the brand’s vision is to create a world where “every human experience is enhanced by technology.” To that end, the bank is investing heavily in fintech innovation, and in April 2010 it became the first UK bank to offer Apple Pay, completing its transition from a traditional bank to a digital one.

Thanks to its position as the UK’s most popular credit card, Barclaycard is able to take a more active role in the financial world than most traditional banks. According to Parker, “We want to be at the forefront of this evolving industry, inspiring innovation and finding new ways to serve our customers.” This involves working with partners such as Google and Facebook to develop new fintech products and services. One such product is called MyBarclaycard, a digital wallet that can be used to store all your financial information, from bank accounts to credit cards.

Bringing The ‘New’ Back To ‘New Romantics’

While some may consider the term ‘New Romantic’ to be a misnomer, befitting of a ‘70s band whose music is so iconic it is often used to describe a style of dating that emerged in the 2010s, the moniker is very much relevant. Indeed, if the New Romantics are the architects of the modern day ‘cool’ couple, then the couple’s epitome, John O’Sullivan and Karen McCall, are the New Romantics. The former music critic and cultural commentator, whose work graced the pages of The Times, The Independent, and many other major newspapers, had this to say about the burgeoning trend that bears his name: “The modern‐day New Romantic is a combination of the traditional male attributes of sensitivity and nurturing and the modern woman’s practicality.”

That combination of sensitivity and practicality is exactly what makes O’Sullivan and McCall a fitting ambassador for Robert Pattinson. In fact, McCall says that to this day, people often describe her and her husband as “that New Romantic couple.”

O’Sullivan and McCall’s work, and that of other New Romantic writers such as Jemima Kiss and Katie Holmes, helped to codify the genre in the UK, and the fashion industry grew weary of keeping up with the new terminology. As a result, ‘New Romantic’ became ‘NR’—an abbreviation that stands for ‘New Romantic,’ but is more often used as an insult. So it is that the term is now considered anything but romantic—unless, of course, you’re referring to the music of the 1960s band, The Beatles.

An Iconic Fashion Style

The style of dating that became known as ‘New Romantic’ was defined by a rejection of the rigidity that typified traditional relationships. Instead, couples would emerge from their meetings and get-togethers feeling as inspired as they hoped to feel after spending the entire day together. The fashion style, music scene, and attitude that the term encapsulated became an international phenomenon.

From John O’Sullivan and Karen McCall, to Simon Cowell and Leona Lewis, to Taylor Swift and Joe Jonas, people across the globe now have a term that describes the way they feel about their partners. Perhaps most impressively, the fashion style has seen a recent surge in popularity among millennials, who are now naming and shaming celebrities, designers, and even themselves in hit memes.

Even those who feel that the label is somewhat reductive may enjoy the way that it evokes the perfect day, which is why it may catch on and why people may feel inspired to celebrate the style. In the end, it is only right that the ‘New Romantics’ have a king. The 28-year-old actor and singer has quickly established himself as the male equivalent to Megan Fox and Katy Perry. And like those megastars, the 28-year-old actor and singer is currently courting controversy. In December 2009, after only a few months of dating, Pattinson and his 24-year-old girlfriend, FKA twigs, made international headlines when photos surfaced of the couple kissing. The controversial photos prompted reactions ranging from “awkward” to “classy.”

Pattinson is undoubtedly an attractive man, but it is not only his good looks that have made him famous. His boyish good looks, British accent, and dashing smile have made him an international celebrity. Since its creation in 1906, the Bank of England’s Pink Sheet has been a reliable source of financial information for traders and investors. But over the past decade, the role of the Pink Sheet has changed. No longer content to simply report on the economy, the financial press has taken a keen interest in all things fintech, or financial technology. During the 2008 financial crisis, the role of the Pink Sheet shifted even more, as it became clear that technological innovations, such as the development of high-speed trading platforms and flash freezing of bank accounts, had made a massive impact on the economy. Today, the Pink Sheet has the challenging job of reporting on technology’s influence in the financial world—and the effects this is having on the British economy as a whole.