“In preparation for his Hollywood pin-up era we’ve reimagined Mescal, in turns, as Rock Hudson, Paul Newman and Marlon Brando,” reads the foreword from ES Magazine editor Ben Cobb. “All of which means biceps, armpits and tattoos. You’re welcome.”
Paul Mescal was photographed by Steve Harnacke and styled by Ben Schofield for ES Magazine. Credit: Steve Harnacke
The white tank was popularized as an undergarment in the 1920s, designed to keep collared shirts sweat-free. Worn alone, it carries with it an innate erotic spirit — it’s a type of dressing that hints at undressing, akin to a corset worn with jeans. Brando infused the shirt with a unique sexual energy when he played Stanley Kowalski in the 1951 film adaptation of “Streetcar Named Desire,” Elia Kazan’s shadowy picture that bares many things typically kept hidden. Kowalski and his wife Stella live in a rundown, open-plan one-bedroom home separated only by flimsy draping, where the couple must change clothes in front of one another. Brando’s oil-stained white tank becomes an extension of this overexposure.
“The white vest is a cinematic icon, a timeless symbol of seductive allure,” Cobb told CNN over email. “Paul wears it well.”
Paul Mescal was photographed by Steve Harnacke and styled by Ben Schofield for ES Magazine. Credit: Steve Harnacke
Prada was one of a slew of designers who showed plain white tank tops for Fall-Winter 2022. Credit: Estrop/Getty Images
In his ES Magazine shoot, Mescal’s tank is playful styled in more ways than one, considering his fast-tracked journey to acclaimed actor (and heartthrob) has hinged on his portrayals of complicated masculinity. Far from the hypermasculine image the top conjures — particularly in the US, where the garment became colloquially, and now uncomfortably, known as a “wife beater” — Mescal has built a cult following through characters that are vulnerable, flawed and often tearful. Even off-camera, Mescal embodies a softness not afforded to previous generations of men.
“Women have been objectified by men throughout history — and still are,” he told ES Magazine when asked of his own experience of fame and fetishization. “Nudity and sexuality in art and film and theatre are beautiful and important. It’s important that we don’t let the aftermath… impact the choices that we make creatively.”
And Mescal won’t be hanging up the white tank top any time soon, with a forthcoming run of “Streetcar” opening in London’s West End theater district in March.
Top image: Paul Mescal photographed by Steve Harnacke and styled by Ben Schofield for ES Magazine.