In a strange and very 2017 turn of events, an Instagram meme celebrity has taken to the catwalk in Milan. Elliot Tebele, the admin of @fuckjerry, joined the ranks of Ermenegildo Zegna’s male models as the brand presented its fall/winter 17 collection.
There doesn’t appear to be any greater thematic link between Tebele’s meme prowess and the collection itself, so don’t get to thinking the Italian menswear label is launching a sly critique at the rising popularity of Instagram casting. Perhaps it’s better to take this as confirmation that Instagram casting isn’t about to slow down any time soon.
Social media stars with huge followings — and we’re not talking about the Instagirls — certainly have their foot in the door of that fashion world. Vine star Cameron Dallas starred in a 2016 Calvin Klein campaign, and sat front row at Calvin Klein Collection during last year’s Milan Fashion Week.
Tebele’s casting has proved contentious, as he’s a controversial character on the meme scene. He’s known to crop creator’s watermarks out of their original memes when reposting them to @FuckJerry. The removal of attribution is, of course, considered bad manners.
Credits
Text Isabelle Hellyer