When Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia sent real-life dads down his Spring 2018 runway on Wednesday at Paris Fashion Week Men’s, (not to mention invited the ultimate Twin Peaks daddy, Kyle McLachlan to sit front row), daddies officially became fashionable. It’s been a long time coming, with ultimate bachelor George Clooney recently becoming a dad, Barack Obama now leaning in to off-duty dad jeans, and the rise of “dadcore” in general, which includes fanny packs and dad hats. But in 2017, being a dad can mean so many things. In fact, you don’t even have to be a dad to be a “zaddy,” a word with the same connotations of “bae” that Kim Kardashian recently made mainstream with her special Father’s Day merch. There are also “Art Dads,” a term Virgil Abloh collaborators Tremaine Emory and DJ Acyde invented last fashion week, “Gorp” daddies, which is a term used to describe outdoorsy style for those who have no interest in exploring the great outdoors. And then Grindr daddies, who might welcome a scolding. Here, a comprehensive guide to fashion Daddies today.
The Art Dad
IRL Inspirations: Andre 3000, Julian Schnabel, Justin Vernon. Where you’ll find him: Dover Street Market, a Bon Iver concert, MoMA PS1 book fair. From left to right: Off-White Spring 2019, Virgil Abloh.
The Casual Daddy
IRL inspirations: Scott Disick, Tony Soprano, Rev Run. Where you’ll find him: On private planes, at the mall, enjoying bubble baths and pedicures. From left to right: Versace Spring 2018, Todd Snyder Fall 2017, Versace Spring 2018.
The Eastern European Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Kurt Cobain, if he was from Tbilisi. Where you’ll find him: Zurich. From left to right: Balenciaga Spring 2018.
The Gorp Daddy
IRL Inspirations: James Franco in 127 Hours. Where you’ll find him: At Patagonia on Bowery, Brooklyn Boulder, not actually on a hike. From left to right: Vetements Fall 2017 & Moncler Gamme Rouge Fall 2017.
The Goth Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Marilyn Manson, Rick Owens, Jack White. Where you’ll find him: In another life. From left to right: Rick Owens, Givenchy Fall 2017.
The Grindr Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Wolfgang Tillmans, Casey Spooner, Andy Cohen Where you’ll find him: Mykonos, the West Village Equinox, Instagram Stories From left to right: Hood by Air Spring 2017, Tom of Finland x Nicopanda “Come to Daddy” capsule collection.
The Italian Daddy
IRL Inspirations:The Godfather, Marcello Mastroianni, Frank Sinatra. Where you’ll find him:Pitti Uomoin Florence, an outdoor café in Milan, Carbone in New York. From left to right: Giorgio Armani Spring 2018 & Daks Spring 2018.
The Marfa Daddy
IRL Inspiration: Kevin Bacon in “I Love Dick.” Where you’ll find him: Tending to his cactus collection, crying in the desert, drinking Pacifico. From left to right: Visvim Spring 2017 & Vetements Fall 2017.
The National Lampoon Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Gilligan, Bill Murray in What About Bob?, Paul Newman. Where you’ll find him: Boca Raton, Rockaway Taco, Greenpoint bars. From left to right: Fendi Spring 2017, Fendi Fall 2018, Marni Spring 2018.
The Post-Gender Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Young Thug, Prince, early Elton John. Where you’ll find him: Picking the kids up from Montessori school. From left to right: Versace Spring 2018 & Gucci Cruise 2018.
The Seinfeld Daddy
IRL inspirations: Jerry Seinfeld, Barack Obama, Steve Jobs. Where you’ll find him: New York diners, New Balance outlets, taking strolls. From left to right: Gucci Cruise 2018, Gosha Rubchinskiy Spring 2018.
The Skate Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Mark Gonzales, Brian Anderson, Tony Hawk. Where you’ll find him: Somewhere that you cant’ find him. From left to right: Gosha Rubchinskiy.
The Zaddy
IRL Inspirations: Stylish and suave daddies who are not necessarily dads, like Trevante Rhodes. Where you’ll find him: Wherever you want to see him.
The 9 to 5 Daddy
IRL Inspirations: Don Draper, Patrick Bateman, The Wolf of Wall Street. Where you’ll find him: Their office, strip clubs, yachts. From left to right: Fendi Spring 2018, Balenciaga Fall 2017.
