Why Is Tobey Maguire The New Face Of Prada Menswear?

by Justin Fenner | 6:15 pm, June 13th, 2011

Picking celebrities for fashion ad campaigns isn’t the most difficult task in the world, but we think the people at Prada might have gotten a little too caught up in all their IPO wheeling and dealing to really focus on their fall menswear ads. And we say that because they picked actor Tobey Maguire to star in them.

It’s not that Maguire is a bad choice, but there are so few things about him that scream Prada. He’d be a great face for, say, a new line of Timex watches or those great rolled up shorts from Dockers. We just don’t think he’s the best face for a company that’s as big (it’s worth $15 billion, according to some estimates) or as sexy as Prada.

The one thing Maguire has going for him is that he looks so much like the young, gaunt, unconventionally attractive male models who normally star in the brand’s campaigns. But when you look at it that way, Prada could have just hired a model. We can’t even think of the last time the company hired a male actor or singer to front one of its campaigns. Maguire’s presence in the ads don’t necessarily do anything for the brand — or for the actor himself.

Still, we don’t think any of these considerations crossed anyone’s mind, because the ads are here — and Macguire is really excited to be in them.

“A great supporter of the arts, Miuccia Prada has inspired a culture of creativity that is woven through every aspect of her company, from her collections and campaigns to every design detail in her stores” said Maguire. “I have such admiration for her artistry and I’m thrilled to be a part of Prada’s fall campaign.”

We wish we were this enthused, but Maguire as a Prada model is about as good an idea as the dangling modifier from his statement in the press release.

[The Daily Telegraph]

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