Literary fame is generally measured in finest sellers, Pulitzer Prizes and late present appearances. However Patrick Radden Keefe, a workers author at The New Yorker, has achieved a degree of superstar that the majority of his literary friends have most likely by no means even thought-about: He has been a vogue mannequin.
Days into the brand new 12 months, J. Crew launched Instagram photographs of Mr. Keefe modeling the model’s zip-up Harrington jacket, knee-length trench coat and a go well with and tie. A number of 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’s not the primary New Yorker luminary to mannequin for a vogue label — and a mall-bound vogue 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 pictures of Mr. Keefe, J. Crew described him in loftier — although, after all, correct — phrases: “award-winning workers author at The New Yorker and New York Occasions best-selling creator.” “Say Nothing,” his nonfiction tome in regards to 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 among the photographs I’m holding a duplicate of The New Yorker,” Mr. Keefe mentioned. He was joyful to shill for his employer. “If there’s any universe through which in that form of weird format you would possibly discover a potential reader,” he mentioned, “I’m down for that.”
Style labels usually 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 worldwide advertising and marketing, 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 and marketing campaigns. The pondering appears to be that skilled fashions, with their gleaming smiles and genetically blessed seems to be, are too polished.
However a man with a day job? Now that’s somebody the viewers can relate to. Bonus, for people 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 bought me within the ’90s,” he mentioned. “It’s not an enormous stretch for me to placed on an Oxford shirt and a pair of corduroys.”
The evaluations 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 publish with the images. One other remark: “Sizzling.”
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 bought 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 utterly perceive the capability through which he works with them, however he does — and he instructed me.
Did it’s important to clear it with anybody at The New Yorker?
I did get a humorous notice from Michael Goldsmith, my guide 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 present 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 assume J. Crew solid you?
It’s within the style of what if we had common folks, what if we had somebody who’s not a catalog mannequin, do this type of factor. They couldn’t get Daniel Craig, and so they have been like, all proper, who’s subsequent on our checklist?
As Joan Didion as soon as starred in a Hole advert, did you are feeling as for those who have been doing a Didion right here, following within the lineage of New Yorker writers starring in mall model advertisements?
I don’t assume 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. In case you drop me into any utterly new state of affairs, I’m going to talk with folks and ask them about their work and their lives. So loads of 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 most likely wasn’t delivering the total vary of expressions and poses that you’d get from any individual who had any expertise doing this.
Did you’ve got 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 entire expertise is that at this level I hardly ever depart the home. I’ve been engaged on a guide for the final 12 months, so once I’m not reporting, I’m at residence in the identical corduroys and hoodies daily. I used to be dressing up because the particular person I might be if I ever left the home. They stored giving me ties, and I haven’t worn a tie since nicely earlier than the pandemic, however I had the muscle reminiscence to know how you can tie it.
What has been your response to the reactions?
My youngsters mock me mercilessly. The photographs got here out nicely — I feel — as any individual who doesn’t essentially {photograph} all that nicely.
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 carrying in these photos.
Along with some free gingham, did you receives a commission?
Sure. It was sufficient to rely as a pleasant gesture. However I’m gonna maintain on to my day job.
So no modeling company is banging down your door?
To date it has been deafening silence.
