Literary fame is often measured in finest sellers, Pulitzer Prizes and late present appearances. However Patrick Radden Keefe, a employees author at The New Yorker, has achieved a degree of celeb that almost all of his literary friends have in all probability by no means even thought-about: He has been a style mannequin.
Days into the brand new 12 months, J. Crew launched Instagram pictures of Mr. Keefe modeling the model’s zip-up Harrington jacket, knee-length trench coat and a go well with and tie. Among the outfits, like the ditch coat over a navy go well with and brown flecked tie, are fairly “All of the President’s Males,” casting Mr. Keefe, 48, within the throwback picture of a hard-nosed reporter.
Whereas Mr. Keefe described his swipe-and-you-missed-it modeling stint as a “lark,” he isn’t the primary New Yorker luminary to mannequin for a style label — and a mall-bound style label at that. In 1989, Joan Didion, then a 12 months into contributing for The New Yorker, modeled in a Hole advert alongside her daughter, Quintana Roo. The pair, in matching black turtlenecks, regarded just like the chicest beatniks on the block. Ms. Didion was billed merely as “author.”
On its Instagram, beneath the photographs of Mr. Keefe, J. Crew described him in loftier — although, after all, correct — phrases: “award-winning employees author at The New Yorker and New York Instances best-selling writer.” “Say Nothing,” his nonfiction tome concerning the Troubles in Northern Eire, was tailored right into a Hulu collection.
Certainly, Mr. Keefe’s literary bona fides appeared to be central to his attraction for J. Crew. “In a number of the pictures I’m holding a duplicate of The New Yorker,” Mr. Keefe mentioned. He was pleased to shill for his employer. “If there’s any universe through which in that type of weird format you may discover a potential reader,” he mentioned, “I’m down for that.”
Vogue labels typically enlist civilians as representatives for his or her manufacturers — notably of late. In simply the previous 12 months, the white-hot Italian model Miu Miu despatched retired 70-something physician Qin Huilan down its runway, and Loewe solid Sue Kroll, the Amazon MGM Studios head of world advertising, in its advertisements.
Aimé Leon Dore, Drake’s and J. Crew have tapped hairstylists, costume designers, professors, podcasters and advert executives for his or her advertising campaigns. The pondering appears to be that skilled fashions, with their gleaming smiles and genetically blessed appears to be like, are too polished.
However a man with a day job? Now that’s somebody the viewers can relate to. Bonus, for those who acknowledge him, Mr. Keefe can also be undeniably aspirational.
By way of believability of the messenger, it doesn’t damage that Mr. Keefe is a lifelong wearer of J. Crew. “The oldest garment that I’ve that I nonetheless put on is a J. Crew sweater that my mother received me within the ’90s,” he mentioned. “It’s not a large stretch for me to placed on an Oxford shirt and a pair of corduroys.”
The opinions of Mr. Keefe’s flip in entrance of the digicam have been glowing, if cheeky. “The brand new signal you’ve actually made it in journal writing,” learn a Tweet from a journalist colleague. The phrase “icon” was tossed round within the feedback part of a J. Crew Instagram submit with the images. One other remark: “Scorching.”
Right here, in an interview that has been edited and condensed, Mr. Keefe discusses this profession flip, what he makes of the response it garnered and if he received to maintain any of the J. Crew threads.
How did you get this massive modeling break?
I do know this man, Chris Black, who works with J. Crew — I don’t fully perceive the capability through which he works with them, however he does — and he urged me.
Did it’s a must to clear it with anybody at The New Yorker?
I did get a humorous be aware from Michael Goldsmith, my e book publicist at Doubleday. I hadn’t talked about it to anybody, and he noticed the photographs and mentioned, “I feel, , contractually you’re supposed to offer me a heads-up that that’s going to occur.” However no, I didn’t discuss to anybody at The New Yorker or something.
So, why do you suppose J. Crew solid you?
It’s within the style of what if we had common individuals, what if we had somebody who’s not a catalog mannequin, do this type of factor. They couldn’t get Daniel Craig, they usually had been like, all proper, who’s subsequent on our record?
As Joan Didion as soon as starred in a Hole advert, did you are feeling as if you happen to had been doing a Didion right here, following within the lineage of New Yorker writers starring in mall model advertisements.
I don’t suppose I had realized that about Didion. I want I used to be high-minded sufficient to have rationalized it in these phrases.
How did it really feel stepping in entrance of the judgmental digicam?
Surprisingly, it was enjoyable. A few of that is simply being a reporter by temperament. Should you drop me into any fully new state of affairs, I’m going to speak with individuals and ask them about their work and their lives. So numerous it was me speaking with the stylists and speaking with the man who was spending extra time on my hair than anybody has in my life.
However I in all probability wasn’t delivering the complete vary of expressions and poses that you’d get from someone who had any expertise doing this.
Did you might have any enter in your styling?
There have been a few issues I vetoed. I’m simply not somebody who’s ever going to put on a brightly coloured sweater knotted round my neck.
So then, how shut are these images to the way you truly costume?
A part of what was comical about this complete expertise is that at this level I hardly ever go away the home. I’ve been engaged on a e book for the final 12 months, so once I’m not reporting, I’m at residence in the identical corduroys and hoodies each day. I used to be dressing up because the individual I might be if I ever left the home. They stored giving me ties, and I haven’t worn a tie since properly earlier than the pandemic, however I had the muscle reminiscence to know the right way to tie it.
What has been your response to the reactions?
My youngsters mock me mercilessly. The images got here out properly — I feel — as someone who doesn’t essentially {photograph} all that properly.
Did you get to maintain any of the garments?
I did. My son is nearly as massive as me, and he’s now the proud proprietor of all of the shirts I’m sporting in these photos.
Along with some free gingham, did you receives a commission?
Sure. It was sufficient to depend as a pleasant gesture. However I’m gonna maintain on to my day job.
So no modeling company is banging down your door?
Thus far it has been deafening silence.
