When Dominic Sessa first arrived on the scene — the 23-year-old actor’s breakout performance came a few years back as the star of 2023 Oscar-bait flick The Holdovers — it was immediately apparent that he was destined for great things. Alongside becoming a favorite of elite fashion houses, Sessa has evolved from an unknown teen to one of the most in-demand Gen-Z actors of his generation, most recently tapped by cult studio cum kingmaker A24 for the imminent Anthony Bourdain biopic, Tony, where Sessa portrays the iconic chef and restaurateur during his earliest days in a rough-and-tumble Provincetown, Massachusetts, restaurant kitchen.
Any question about the actor’s chops — playing one of the most beloved culinary figures in modern pop culture is a tall order you don’t want to screw up — has been resolutely answered, both by the stellar reviews and, much more importantly, by Sessa’s red-carpet ‘fit for the film’s NYC premiere earlier this week.
In clear homage to his character — Bourdain had an uncanny knack for making anything he was wearing, from slim pinstripe suits to beat-to-shit cargos, feel loved and lived-in — Sessa showed up to the opening in perfectly relaxed (but, notably, not oversized) black tailoring, unconventionally paired with a checked red plaid shirt and low-profile white leather derbies.
The get-up, courtesy of Celine, deserves a Michelin star in its own right. Aided by the new breeziness that designer Michael Rider has instituted at the label, and brought to life with the help of veteran celeb stylist Warren Alfie Baker, it fits great and feels appropriately haphazard for an actor playing the guy who coined the phase, “your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park.”
But look closer, and its real genius becomes apparent. With its loose proportions, deceptively flattering detailing and thoughtful idiosyncrasies like the half-tuck (highly intentional, no doubt) and pant break, the ensemble is a true masterclass in effortless styling. In other words, it’s the perfect look for channeling Bourdain’s spirit of unforced cool without crossing the line into cringey cosplay.
The best part about the look is that with its forgiving silhouette and conceptually configurable styling, anyone can pull it off with enough confidence. So while I can’t confer Bourdain knife skills or Sessa’s star power, I can direct you towards some tailoring that’ll have people asking to see all your shitty tattoos and kitchen battle scars. Find it below.
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