When he was 19, Grailing King thought he’d give modeling a shot. But the industry didn’t seem as accepting of Black models as it is today, so he moved onto another career. For the last two decades, he’s taught visual merchandising and store design at a fashion school in New York.
Then about two years ago, after a conversation with his model niece, King’s old flame sparked back up. He had a photographer friend take a few test shots and sent them to some 35 agencies—and all of a sudden he was modeling. King, 64, and his bushy white beard have since shown up in runway shows for brands like Zegna and J.Press, and appeared in a number of ad campaigns. “I’m having fun,” he said.
King is part of a mini-boom in older male models—guys in their 50s and 60s. These days, Major Model Management vice president Nadia Shahrik represents an estimated 60 to 75 older men, a marked increase from the 15 or so in her stable a little more than a decade ago. “In the last three years, it’s really picked up,” she said. “I just think there’s a sophistication and elegance that any age group, woman or man, [is] attracted to.” Ralph Lauren has long used older models in campaigns, but it’s no longer a surprise to see brands like J.Crew and Todd Snyder casting gray-haired fellas in shoots next to men half their age.
For the brands employing them, the fact that these men look their age, complete with lined faces and salt-and-pepper (or just pure salt) hair is the point. Jack Carlson, the president and creative director of J.Press, cast a number of older models in his most recent runway show. In a way younger men can’t, he explained, older models “can almost put on anything and look cool,” he said, provided it’s well-made and fits right. “They just bring a sort of swagger and confidence to every look.”
As Daryl Dismond, a model and ambassador for the hotel Faena New York, put it, the guys most likely to spend big money on high-end tailoring are likely to be closer to his age than his son’s. “Our customers are the baby boomers,” said the 64-year-old. “They can spend $7,000 to $15,000 on a suit.” undefined undefined The career path of the older male model—sometimes referred to in the industry as “classic” models—isn’t always obvious. Some guys start modeling in their 20s and never stop. Some, like King, only come to it later in life. Others have returned to it after decades away. But their unique career paths have plenty to teach non-models of any age about personal style, self-confidence and how to age gracefully. Here’s what they’ve learned.
Don’t hide your age—and embrace (some) color
An entire segment of the grooming industry is dedicated to helping men avoid going gray. But some older male models suggest there’s nothing to fear about entering one’s silver fox years.
King’s signature is his Santa-grade white beard. He’d long neglected to grow one, worrying that it would make him look old. But he wore a bit of scruff to one casting appointment and got the job—plus instructions not to shave. Now, he said, “more and more clients like the beard.”
Ben Shaul, 61, remembers having disagreements with agents over his desire to grow a beard in the clean-shaven ’90s. He prevailed, and he’s still got it—even if it’s a bit grayer these days. He’s even noticed that some items—like a pair of green-framed glasses—stand out better against gray and white hair. “The fact that I was going white allowed me to wear color,” he said.
Exercise for life, not vanity
To be clear: You don’t wind up a model in your 60s by not being good-looking. “They’re handsome dudes,” Carlson said. But when it comes to exercise, they’re more focused on maintaining longevity than getting swole.
King does tai chi, yoga and meditation. Tim Easton, perhaps best known for his work with Ralph Lauren in the 1990s, rides his bike, roller skates and goes to the boxing gym. Dismond is an avid Citi Bike user and tennis player. “If it hits 50 degrees, I’m outside,” he said. As Shaul, a frequent cyclist, put it: “I am active because I want to be active.”
Wear in your clothes
After years of working with the best designers and stylists, older models know the difference between a just-OK jacket and a life-changing one. Scott Barnhill, 48, starts by assessing the shoulders—that’s the part of a coat that absolutely needs to fit.
Another lesson: Something a little worn often looks better than the shiniest thing. “It’s like that brand-new pair of white sneakers. You’re just going to have to wear them to break them in,” Shaul said.
These guys are living proof that things get better—and cooler—with age. “I have things that I wear that are over 30 years old and they’re in mint condition,” King said, citing a beloved Brooks Brothers jacket. He likes to add a pin or a brooch to the jacket to really make it his, before pairing it with jeans.
And…take a good picture
Anyone can learn a thing or two about what makes a good image from John Barnes Pearson, one of the few men tagged with the “supermodel” sobriquet in the ’90s. “Just relax and look down the lens. Think like you’re listening to a story from one of your favorite relatives,” advised Pearson, 60, who balances modeling gigs with work for an electric car company. “Be still within yourself. Know that you’re a badass, and you look good and they’re taking a picture for some reason.”
