“I guess I am a morning person – although it definitely depends on the night before and what's expected of me during the day. But I’m not hitting a 6.00am spinning class at SoulCycle – no, that’s definitely not me. I have a quick coffee, plenty of water, and wherever I am, I like to work out, that’s true. But I also love my sleep. I love my peace and quiet in the mornings, when I can read and catch up on the news. What’s important is that whatever I’m doing that day – and it can change a lot – I’ve learned over 20, 25 years that I need to look after my fitness with some morning exercise; gym or running. Then I’ll get dressed and start the day.”

Relieved to hear he’s human after all, this brings us onto the burning question: the outfit of choice. We’re with Huebl as he models Panerai’s latest collection, the downsized Luminor Quaranta – a 40mm Luminor, available at launch in white, blue and black-dialled versions, all retaining the typical Luminor shape – so it makes sense to start with wristwear.

“Usually during the day, I wear a more classic or more rugged watch, and perhaps change that in the evening to something simpler or more glamorous,” Huebl says. “But every morning, I do take a watch out of my case and switch them around.”

Does he consider himself a collector? “There are definitely people who have more, and more expensive watches, but I have to admit I do collect watches. I think I have 25 now. They're not all super extraordinary pieces, but all of them mean something to me.”

Speaking of meaningful watches, his first proper watch, bought for him as a graduation present by his grandfather, was a Panerai. “Lots of friends of mine had Rolexes, but I wanted something else and Panerai was the brand that came up on my radar,” he says. “I noticed that Sylvester Stallone was a big fan, and you would see Jason Statham wearing them. I’m 6ft 2in, so I can wear a 44mm Panerai. But I also love a tiny, thin tuxedo watch.

“I like that Panerai has released a smaller collection for men. They’re very comfortable to wear. Maybe my perspective has changed, but maybe it’s the watch market. Either way, at least the men I know don’t wear these massive, ostentatious watches any more.”

Away from watches, Huebl recognises that his personal style has also changed in the last few years – partly in response to circumstances, but also in line with a general shift away from formalwear.

“Four or five years ago, we would wear three piece suits to the shows in London… but then somehow my personal fashion changed by going to Milan and Paris more often where nobody would wear ties. Then, through Covid, the world became much more relaxed as well.

“Now my new go-to feel is just to be super comfortable and unrestricted in my clothing. This whole ‘proper’ look that I used to have, a button-down shirt, blazer or a suit, that is still in my closet for special invitations and venues, dinners and the like. But during the day, I’m going for a sort of – how would you describe it? ‘Italian high-end casual’ maybe.”

Once the morning’s routine is out of the way, Huebl concedes that there is no such thing as a typical day – his time split between too many creative disciplines to be formulaic. But despite the enviable portfolio of work, his feet are kept on the ground.

“I do have some desk work, whether it’s design work, collaborating with brands, reviewing photos, or – yes – Zoom calls. A lot of my work is with companies in London and Europe, so I have a five to six-hour window to connect from New York,” he says.

“But I’m out a lot; I’m always amongst people. I want to see stuff. I want to get inspired by my environment. Whether I’m meeting someone or not I take time for lunch – it is important to go outside, take a break, take things in, just being by yourself for a moment. I do like that time where I switch my phone off an hour for lunch and just concentrate on my company.”

Born in Hanover, Germany, Huebl has lived in Berlin and London before settling in New York some 18 years ago. Prior to the pandemic, daily life for at least half the year would include travel – regular trips to Paris, Milan, Barcelona or further afield to Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney and countless other shoot destinations. It sounds like a foregone conclusion that he’s a city dweller through and through, but maybe not for life.

“The older I get now, the more I'm yearning for countryside,” he says. “My friends who visit are always all so excited and they tell me they can feel the energy of the city – and, of course, New York does have that because it's so compact. But I really do enjoy the off time when we go to Long Island, the Hamptons or when we drive upstate into the Catskills.”