Zoolander 2: How to emulate Ben Stiller's pouting, bug-eyed look

What is worth borrowing from Zoolander? How about his presumably lucrative affiliation with the Valentino label, leather bomber jacket, or copious hair gel?

Alexander Fury
Thursday 11 February 2016 21:37 GMT
Comments
Derek Zoolander dressed in Valentino, autumn/winter 2015
Derek Zoolander dressed in Valentino, autumn/winter 2015

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The pouting, bug-eyed, suck-cheekboned "Blue Steel" stare of Derek Zoolander – Ben Stiller's male-model counterpart – has proved omnipresent of late. Not just because the sequel to the 2001 original is released nationwide today, nor because Stiller-as-Zoolander was featured on the cover of US Vogue and walked the catwalk of last winter's Valentino womenswear show (pictured above), but because it's been co-opted as the social-media self-portrait pose of choice for roughly the past half-decade. Eerily prescient.

Is Zoolander the harbinger of fashion's future? Maybe – and that's a sobering thought. I won't make a pun about "sobering" vis-à-vis the Blue Steel Ciroc vodka (1- see gallery above), released to coincide with the film in (what else?) a giant blue bottle.

What else is worth borrowing from Zoolander? How about his presumably lucrative affiliation with the Valentino label? The Roman flagship store plays a prominent role in the film (I won't ruin the flimsy plot), and the label's menswear frequently flurries into the flamboyance a peacock such as Mr Zoolander craves. This leather bomber jacket (2) is a quieter but no less luxurious incarnation.

Under such refined garms, you need a body to match. If nature hasn't endowed you – or if you simply can't be arsed – try the Zoned performance crew neck by Spanx (3). I'd portmanteau it as a "mirdle" – man-girdle, if you will – though it apparently actually helps to tone your torso, rather than just squeezing it into an aesthetically attractive mould (it does that too).

The finishing touch? Hair gel (4). Lots of it. And it's only £3.99!

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in