Zaddies are the unexpected stars of menswear runways

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about Gen Z slang, which has become so widespread among younger generations, and even among the bolder older ones, that I find it hard to form a thought without some seemingly silly quip. Once I started paying attention to how many times a day I use some piece of slang or a TikTok catchphrase, I came to the conclusion that maybe we are overdoing these expressions in everyday speech and losing some eloquence because of it, so I am striving to reduce their use. And yet, at menswear shows in Florence, Milan, and Paris over the past few weeks, middle-aged men have stood out, the kind the online world loves to call zaddies. And since I find this term exceptionally fitting, I will allow myself to lean on slang once again. While we use expressions like unc to prove that someone is too “old” and does not understand the jokes of younger generations (I believe that by some standards I am approaching unc status myself), menswear weeks show that being older is not so bad after all, but even advantageous and chic.

Zaddy is a term used to describe an attractive, charismatic, often slightly older (though not necessarily!) man. Yes, of course, it is a playful twist on the word daddy. And you know what? Zaddies are slaying! At a time when many in the fashion industry are actively fighting for inclusivity, zaddy models are yet another proof that age should not only not be a boundary in runway casting, but that sometimes middle-aged models make far more sense when it comes to presenting a collection. For example, the zaddy models at the Ralph Lauren show in Milan perfectly embodied the old money aesthetic the brand is known for, and then went viral. This American fashion house has periodically returned to Milan Fashion Week since 2002, and this season in particular it enchanted fashion enthusiasts with a new elegant menswear collection.

Related: Has aging finally become acceptable?

Ralph Lauren Fall 2026 Menswear, Acielle/StyleDuMonde

However, Ralph Lauren is not the only brand that chose to put zaddies at the center of attention on the runway. The fashion house Zegna presented a collection that blends retro and contemporary silhouettes, featuring male and female models of all ages. Lemaire unveiled a collection in Paris full of intriguing silhouettes and surprising colors, in which zaddies looked especially chic, while Brunello Cucinelli dedicated its Fall 2026 campaign precisely to stylish zaddies.

Although zaddy models are appearing more and more frequently at fashion weeks, it would be hard to say that brands’ tendency to hire middle-aged models is entirely new. For some time now, zaddies have been the faces of major fashion house campaigns, just think of the viral Loewe campaign with Daniel Craig, and frequent runway models as well, such as Willem Dafoe for Miu Miu.

By hiring models of all ages, brands are taking a step forward toward more inclusive fashion, and recent shows demonstrate that this is also a very favorable move for virality. The online world loves boundary-pushing and brands that are not afraid to embrace less conventional approaches. On top of that, 2025 was already the year of the zaddy, and it seems that this trend will not fade anytime soon. However, while thinking about the popularity of zaddies in fashion, the question inevitably arose of when women will receive similar treatment. While the online community has embraced attractive, middle-aged men, women are still waiting for the moment when our value will no longer be measured by youthfulness. In any case, inclusivity is very much in, and now all that remains is to patiently wait for zommies (or zothers? I trust social media will come up with a better nickname!) to be equally recognized.