How Carmy from ‘The Bear’ turned out to be the unlikely fashion star

Often, the true tell of a scintillating TV series isn’t only deduced by how distinguished the cast members are or how juicy the plot goes. Sure, the aforementioned factors hold considerable weight, but it’s only until its fashion nuances fall onto good graces that you know the show has tipped over a certain virality threshold. When the plan was never to generate or birth wardrobe inspiration—case in point: heartrending titles like Sally Rooney’s book-to-TV adaptation Normal People, making ‘Connell’s Chain’ a trending accessory as seen on its scene-stealing lead Paul Mescal. Then, just recently, the onslaught of quiet luxury appointed in HBO’s leading drama Succession. Now, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (played by Jeremy Allen White) from FX’s The Bear has stirred up the same feverish buzz—roping in the attention of menswear enthusiasts—all stemmed from a simple, oft grease-stained white tee. 

Upon closer inspection, Carmy’s sartorial leanings were already hinted at during the first few scenes of its pilot episode. A stack of vintage Levi’s selvedge denim in his possession, to which he desperately sold off to pay off his debts. Throughout the entire series, we see the hotly-debated white T-shirt off his back funnelling its own fan club, with multiple threads on Reddit speculating their guesses on where the tees were from. Everything from outlines of tags to loop wheel cotton constructions were considered; no stone left unturned when it came to the construction of a simple tee. Subsequently, the costume designers answered the raging queries via New York Magazine: citing labels like German basics company Merz B. Schwanen and Japanese-made Whitesville. 

In an unassuming turn of events, the burdened chef working in a grimy kitchen grew to be a lauded menswear symbol—with the backings of a wool jacket from NN07 and not to mention, extremely well-fitted black pants, that happened to be another integral part of Carmy’s work uniform. However, this suave picture is just another illusion of nonchalance, well perpetrated by the show’s costume designers—that was never intended to go unnoticed. As a chef that’s obsessive and a stickler of habits, it’s well fitting that Carmy would be meticulous and selective of his garments, giving into the simple, important fixtures like craftsmanship and history. 

The attainable authenticity within the show’s wardrobe doesn’t hurt either, which is probably cause for the internet’s fixation on what’s in the fictional chef’s shopping cart. A well dresser who’s cordially normal. The average Joe with concerted taste. Below, see how to emulate Carmy’s style.