Tyson Beckford on 30 Years of Modeling, Dandyism, and Defining American Cool

When you have an opportunity to shoot one of the most legendary models in the world for 48 hours, you make the impossible possible. With more than 30 years under his belt, Tyson Beckford, the original face of Americana menswear cool, returned to the Met Gala red carpet this week with a tailored Ralph Lauren look that was as much a tribute as it was a masterclass in timeless tailoring. Composed of a cream double-breasted dinner jacket accented with a red boutonnière, paired with black trousers, a crisp tuxedo shirt, and black velvet slippers, Beckford paid homage to the iconic designer, the model’s roots with the brand, and his 1994 Polo Sport debut campaign. With the night themed after Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, Beckford’s red carpet moment came full circle, celebrating three decades since he broke barriers as one of the first Black male supermodels to front a major American fashion house and become a household name. Yet, his career is so much more than runway and billboard achievements—Beckford has rallied pop culture appearances aplenty through his years of evolution. Whether he’s showing up in Sprite commercials, music videos, a Zoolander movie, or reality TV, Beckford has been a cultural constant with a signature confidence that only decades in front of the camera can bring, reminding the industry why he remains one of the most enduring faces in modeling. It’s a legacy that surpasses passing time, that makes even the average, stoic New Yorker come alive with uncon