By: Iris Shen

In the past few decades, the famous icons of Western male beauty have been a narrow group of people – stars like Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio. But the idea of what the “perfect” man looks like is changing as the importance of diversity is understood by global brands.

Apps like TikTok and Instagram are helping to change male beauty standards by showcasing men who would not have had a platform before. While female stars such as singer Lizzo and model Ashley Graham have been widely celebrated, their male equivalents have been less in the spotlight.

“Stereotypical male aesthetics and behaviors are changing,” says Alexander Edmonds, a professor at the University of Edinburgh. “They’re no longer the ideal for younger people … this is happening a lot in East Asia, especially in South Korean pop culture.” With the rise of K-Pop bands such as BTS, Seventeen, and NCT, the ideal look has become more feminine, including make-up and vibrant-colored hair.

It seems that male models are slowly catching up with their female counterparts’ success in recent years. For example, US model Tyson Beckford was recruited by Ralph Lauren to be the face of the brand and has become the most famous black male model of all time since then. Model Sean O’Pry has carved out a career lasting more than 15 years, making him one of the richest male models worldwide. Originally from a small town in Georgia, he came in New York at the age of 17 with only $150 – and went on to secure contracts from big brands.

The male model Orlando Hobechi said recently in a Guardian article: “About four years ago I noticed an increase in the use of older models. Suddenly there was interest in older people’s stories.” According to Hobechi, longer lifespans have made the difference. “Age isn’t the turn-off it used to be. Over the last 30 years, we’ve seen cool young people age – you can be older now and still cool and relevant… People want to see people who look like themselves represented.”

Source article: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210707-what-does-the-perfect-man-look-like-now