A video contrasting male runway models for Gucci in the 1990s and 2025 is gaining traction on social media.
The clip shows top model Jason Lewis walking the runway for the luxury fashion brand in 1995, followed by a group of modern models who appear much skinnier.
The video has amassed millions of views online, sparking conversation about the transformation of beauty standards for men.
Highlights
- A viral video contrasts 1995 Gucci male model Jason Lewis with 2025 models, sparking debate on male beauty standards.
- Critics said modern Gucci models appear "less muscular", with many longing for the 1990's look.
- The fashion industry favors very thin, edgy-looking male models now, explained a modeling expert.
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Many critics said the modern models looked like they had “less testosterone” and “s*x appeal” than Lewis, as they did not fit the look traditionally associated with masculinity.
“Bring back 1995!” one user exclaimed.
“Thank god I was young in the 90s,” read another comment.
“Omg. It’s like changing to zombie land,” shared a third, while another wrote, “They look like boys, very disturbing.”
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One viewer complained that society is “taking power away from masculinity.”
“Testosterone 📉” another commented.
“This is funny, because back in the 90's we mocked these dudes for being too feminine and girly,” someone else interjected.
An additional user noted that Gucci and other fashion houses have shifted their creative strategies and are now hiring male models who look “prepubescent.”
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Similarly, one observer added, “Wow, couldn't it be because the fashion industry changed and are now mainly using slimmer models instead of fit guys... It's not as if guys like the first dudes did not exist anymore, smh y'all dumb af.”
Tricia Romani, who was the head of the Canadian branch of the Wilhelmina international modeling agency, confirmed this theory while speaking to The Daily Mail in 2016.
“For high fashion, that's definitely what they want. Very thin, edgy-looking guys,” Romani said.
"And they're designing the clothes in that way so if you had a model that was big and muscular, that wouldn't fit.”
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Neil Mautone, founder of the agency Red Model Management, told the outlet that the ideal male model is also taller than in the past.
According to Alexander Edmonds, a professor of anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, stereotypical male aesthetics are losing their appeal, particularly among Gen Z (people aged 14 to 29), who no longer see them as the ideal look.
Edmonds cited South Korean pop culture as an example, where the ideal has become more aligned with traditionally feminine features.
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This shift in aesthetic standards can also be seen in the clothing worn by male supermodels.
Historic fashion houses like Gucci have sent male models down the runway wearing silk ribbons and lace shirts, NSS Magazine reported, marking a trend toward gender-bending fashion.
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Asked about the modeling scene in the 1990s, Jason Lewis told Fashion Week Daily that the industry felt less robotic then than it does now.
The California native moved to Paris after attending college and shot to international fame following a campaign for GUESS.
“At that time, you didn’t have the corporatism that surrounded the party scene and the artistic culture that you do now,” he said.
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During the interview, Lewis also discussed the orange suit he modeled during Tom Ford’s tenure as creative director at Gucci.
“I walked in, I think it was anyway, his first revival show. Yeah, the orange suit…that was fun! He is so talented. The creative talent that was conglomerating at that time; it was so incredible,” he recalled.
“I love fashion, it’s such a creative space—from the photographers and designers to the stylists. It will always have such an important place in our society.”
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Additionally, the 54-year-old model spoke about the role of social media in boosting one’s personal brand, admitting he would have struggled with it had he begun working today.
“I’ve been a bit lax with this digital world. Nothing against influencers, but self aggrandizement is so f**ing boring to me! It lacks an element of creativity and the story that begs to be told.
“If I were to be doing it all again now, I’d be stuck with the social media thing, and I’d be really challenged with it.”
In addition to his modeling work, Lewis is also known for playing Samantha’s love interest in Sex and the City.
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