Pete Davidson is the new face of H&M menswear

The 'SNL' star has become an unlikely trendsetter for Gen Z

Pete Davidson has been named as the new face of H&M menswear. Photo: H&M

Saturday Night Live comedian, Pete Davidson, has added “model” to his CV after becoming the face of H&M’s new menswear campaign.

The actor, 28, who has become an unlikely trendsetter for Gen Z, was tapped by the Swedish fashion giant to head up their new campaign. This is aimed at encouraging men to mix and match their wardrobes with new pieces from the collection and items they already own.

“Collaborating on this campaign was a great experience,” Davidson said. “We had a lot of fun creating the photos and content. The clothes are comfortable and feel great to wear, which is what I love about H&M.”

The brand said that featuring Davidson, who has become famous for cultivating his own “scumbro” aesthetic, was designed to “encourage men around the world to enjoy what they already own, buy vintage and add new pieces that matter from H&M’s menswear collections.”

‘Scumbro’ goes mainstream

As well as an obsession with styles from the '90s, Gen Z has embraced many different trends over the past few years.

Gorpcore, elevated basics, nostalgia and dystopiacore have all enjoyed their time in the style spotlight, but scumbro has remained steady and immune to changing tastes.

The aesthetic is characterised by wearing designer labels as casually as possible (as if you hadn’t noticed your jumper was Balenciaga), or by putting together ill-fitting or unfashionable outfits in clashing prints.

Along with Davidson, the current kings of scumbro style include: the comic actor’s close friend, Machine Gun Kelly; drummer and Kourtney Kardashian’s fiance, Travis Barker; and Shia LaBeouf. Justin Bieber has also embraced the trend.

The original scumbro is actor Adam Sandler, whose penchant for super-baggy shorts and oversized T-shirts remains the same on the street as it does on the red carpet.

“Pete encapsulates everything H&M loves about the new menswear mood, with his self-confidence and play with personal style,” said Henrik Nordvall, global business unit director for menswear at H&M. “He is so relatable, inspiring guys around the world to create the moment with their look themselves.”

A model for the ages

While Davidson couldn’t be further removed from the muscled-male-model aesthetic of the '90s, his look and his personality have becoming increasingly attractive to menswear brands in recent years.

The casual just-rolled-out-of-bed look has been embraced by menswear designer Thom Browne, who last August signed up Stranger Things’ David Harbour to be the face of one of their campaigns.

The H&M gig is not Davidson’s first foray into modelling, with his collaborations generally avoiding the traditional route.

Last December, he was approached by Calvin Klein to take over their Instagram account. Taking photos of himself in an array of the designer wear, he enlisted his friend, Machine Gun Kelly, to appear in an Instagram Live, during which they showed off their CK underwear.

He has also appeared in campaigns for Rowing Blazers and Moose Knuckles, with models Emily Ratajkowski and Adwoa Aboah.