The Fat Jew Trolled Fashion Week With His Dadbod & Toast
The designer wore white after Labor Day with boat shoes and his cute dog. Photo: Getty Images
On Wednesday, my editor couldn’t find a single person to cover The Fat Jewish’s debut fashion show, which is ironic considering he has one of the most followed Instagram accounts, an adorable dog who stars in fashion campaigns, and a line of wine white girls love. So despite my being a cranky person who doesn’t usually do favors, I sucked it up (it is my job, after all). I even tried to be positive about the whole thing—until I got there.
The coaster that doubled as my standing seat assignment.
The Dad Fashion Show was held at the Standard hotel, where many other up and comers have shown their designs in collaboration with MADE fashion week. I got there just in time, which earned me a standing spot right next to the DJ whose equipment was inside a BBQ. A video kicked things off, showing real home videos and flashes of photos—most likely stolen from YouTube and Flickr, definitely not credited. Then, a spotlight turned on and a regular dude who could’ve been plucked from the sidelines of a soccer game a few blocks away at Chelsea Piers walked out onto the runway. The next man appeared to be pried away from the street corner he calls home with the promise of a few bucks, a hot meal, and some clean clothes. Another was most likely a friend of Ostrovsky’s. One man appeared to be a real model, but he only had a four pack, not six, so he’s clearly desperate for work.
All were instructed to keep straight faces despite the ridiculousness of the situation: working a catwalk in a “Grillfather” apron or a wool turtleneck carrying a Gustav Klimt book as an accessory. The soundtrack was just so dad with songs like “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Born to Run.”
The man with no teeth. He got the most laughs and was hamming it up for the crowd. Photo: Getty Images
While it was funny to see grown men strike a pose, there was something sad about the whole affair. The clothes—flannel shirts, sports jerseys, and ironic tees—were from the Salvation Army, or purchased using Amazon Prime; you’d find them in any dude’s closet. One model, who got the most laughs, appeared to be high, and didn’t have a single tooth in his mouth.
Also, there were no dadbods, as previously promised. The physique that says “I go to the gym occasionally, but I also drink heavily on the weekends and enjoy eating eight slices of pizza at a time,” was noticeably absent. Ostrovsky found the men through a Craigslist posting or friends. “Dads don’t care, and everybody wants to look like they don’t care,” Ostrovsky told The New York Times. “The inspiration was my dad, who will literally wear anything I give him, like a free Chase Bank shirt with Jeremy Scott basketball shorts that have hamburgers on them.”
When I came back to the office and explained to my coworkers that I thought I was missing the whole point, they hypothesized that maybe I don’t understand irony. Fashion Week outsiders are always saying,“I can make that myself” or “I can buy that that at a vintage store” or “Forever21 will have that in a few weeks, why should I spend thousands on it?” So maybe the Dad Fashion Show was a parody. The tees with moth holes in them were actually eaten by moths; the jeans with rips in the knees were made so from wear and tear; and sneakers were worn for comfort and function not trendiness. These are clothes you can afford on everyday bodies.
For all the flack Ostrovsky’s gotten for plagiarism, turns out his original idea was actually pretty genius.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
