This is Charly Beil, a fresh-faced 21-year-old intern at Endeavor and NYU film student in NYC whose style cannot be called "geek chic" because Charly is the real deal. Unlike being referred to as a "hot mess," a "hot nerd" is a major compliment and should be worn as a badge of honor: Nerd style is the new yuppie chic.
I spotted Charley while dining out with Chloe Domont (a future director, plus the ultimate gamine) and a group of very-early-20-something (I call this generation the Obamination) NYU film students and one Harvard genius at Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown. Even with all the actor/director types sitting around, it was Charley who was the real character at the table. His nerdy persona was so convincing that it was as if Mommy flies in from Los Angeles (his hometown) every morning just to comb his hair and pick up his underwear off his bedroom floor. But if you're truly examining young Mr. Beil’s look it's actually more Beatnik With a Brain with a pinch of '80s New Wave than a pale Urkel with pink full lips. His predictable (yet trendy) eyewear (from Paul Smith) may reflect the mood of the late Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent himself, but on Charley they scream “according to my calculations" -- very geek with glee (Nutty Professor) meets style personified (Buddy Love). Though he may seem like any super dork character in your run of the mill teen movie, Charley is the kid who knows how to create fun wherever he is he and with whomever he's around. What’s refreshing (and disturbingly sexy) about him is his sincerity.
What’s right about Charley is what’s wrong with most designer/luxury fashion ads in this economic climate. While Dolce & Gabanna’s latest campaigns (I LOVE IT mainly because I love this particular collection), Banana Republic and The Gap (models sporting casual cool) got it right, sophicated realness is definitely lacking. Hey Marc (as in Jacobs), consider using real nerds in your ads for a honest feel (realness did wonders for Dove). Someone like Charley is the embodiment of the Marc by Marc Jacobs boy without the post grunge electric disco edge. (Donatella should consider NaNa or Kimmie for Versace.) In fact, Charley is very much like the real Marc Jacobs (who himself WAS a hot nerd as WAS fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti and super editor Adam Moss). His personality in still pictures leap from the frame! Charley’s Facebook photo albums are a visual HEAVEN and remind me of one of my favorite website called squareamerica.com.
When I asked Charley (who was wearing a Marc Jacob’s shirt the night I met him; he’s also wears APC, Opening Ceremony and Steven Alan…some nerd), about his future plans, he responded timidly (and trying not to show his hand), “I wanna be an agent for writers. Well, actually I wanna be Ben Silverman”.
