Penn Badgely is the new face of Maison Valentino’s new Essentials campaign, and fans on Twitter just can’t get enough.
Penn Badgely so far…
Made famous by his roles as Dan Humphrey in ‘Gossip Girl’, and later Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s ‘You,’ Penn Badgely is an actor cherished among Gen-Z. He has been the face of iconic shows- even though he portrays a psycho stalker for the greater part of his roles.
Badgely has been a familiar face in young adult shows and movies for most of his career, also appearing in the hit movie ‘Easy A.’ In interviews and other appearances outside of filming, he exudes charisma. His quirky personal style is perfect for the new Valentino collection. The reaction to Badgely becoming the newest face for Valentino has been immense, especially on Twitter.
But that doesn’t stop fans from loving him. And, much like in Gossip Girl, mixing Penn Badgely and high fashion seems to be the trick to producing something legendary.
Fans of the actor have been getting ‘Joe Goldberg’ style obsessed with his feature on the GQ campaign, labeling it as ‘iconic’ and praising the campaign, photography and the model.
Analysis of GQ’s Campaign
Combining Penn Badgely’s effortless charisma and Valentino’s casual collection, GQ has created a vision for the collection to represent freedom. This is seen through free-flowing tailoring. This enforces its earthy theme by shooting the campaign in a studio designed to look like a lush green garden.
Perhaps the aim of shooing in the studio designed like a garden, instead of an actual garden, is to represent the nature of Valentino’s collection.
Furthermore, the setup of the photoshoot also speaks to Badgely’s role in ‘You’. Instead, this time, he is placed in a box and gets observed, much like his victims throughout the seasons.
The clothes and what they represent
Badgely adds to the relaxed/formal paradox by posing casually and almost humorously. His unique poses portray an element of fun and laidback sophistication.
Again, the juxtapositions are evident in the photographs. Badgely’s poses, the backdrop and the outfits all present different vibes and energies, that when cobined produce exactly what Valentino wanted the garments to show.
In the video, Badgely is seen dancing around the set in an unchoreographed manner, with a robotic style of music layered over the top. His movements match the beat and music, creating a stunning audio-visual project from GQ.
The video seems to represent an awakening into spring, perfectly timed as brands begin to move into their Spring/Summer collections. The video, matched with the loosely tailored, earth-toned clothes, signifies the beginning of spring perfectly.
The clothes are relaxed and free-fit, juxtaposing with the brand’s signature, bold presence. Valentino described it as ‘a collision between formalwear and couture’.
This is evident with the soft silhouettes and neutral color palette. It remains an elegant collection with a touch of comfort. Neither aspect of the clothes outshine the other, and with Badgely’s effervescent personality shining through, it makes for a stunning visual.
The collection is described as male contemporary fashion, including a mix of casual and formal wear. It contains button-down shirts, chunky high and low-rise trainers, suit jackets, and cargo trousers.
Valentino’s official tweet for the collection said they looked to Badgely to ‘tell a story of fluidity and redefinition’. They also write that the collection is a ‘dynamic, timeless and versatile wardrobe’.
The classic iconography of Valentino is embellished on some of the garments, and a neutral, earth-toned palette is present throughout the entire collection.
As a luxury brand, prices are not affordable to all, with the lowest-priced item being the belts, which start at £390.
