Dylan Efron and Antoni Porowski on Personal Style and Going Viral

So how did you two meet?

Dylan Efron: Well, I knew Antoni way before he knew me, because I watched Queer Eye. My girlfriend got me into it. Then we ended up meeting at a Filson event in Seattle, we flew to Whidbey Island on a seaplane. Filson is a good representation of why I admire Antoni’s style in general: it’s masculine, it’s outdoorsy, it’s a heritage brand.

That was like two years ago. I was fanboying over Antoni at the event. Everyone’s drinking, celebrating, but he’s up at 8 AM running by himself, staying in shape. That really speaks to the way he ties together fashion and health and wellness.

Antoni Porowski: We were moving the same way on that trip, running around and moving lots, while others were hungover and staying out. We were the first ones to be like, I’m crashing.

And we’ve DMed here and there, because Dylan travels more than I do, and it’s really aspirational. We give each other recommendations on places to go. He’d message me every once in a while, asking about a brand or something I was wearing. Then I went to the Todd Snyder show [at NYFW] and he reached out, saying, “Hey, Traitors reunion is coming up, tell me about the look.” It’s really perfect for Dylan, super Americana, classic cuts, wider shoulders.

Dylan: I was like, This is what I want to look like in New York.

You both have a pretty strong sense of personal style. What’s important to you when it comes to style?

Antoni: I’m a very nostalgic person. I have a strong loyalty to things that I responded to when I was a kid. Ralph Lauren is a big one for me, I remember the campaigns. It’s always for me about pieces I can tie into my actual lifestyle. My stylist, Chloe [Hartstein], always asks me, “When you look back at this photo 10 years from now, are you gonna be embarrassed?” I always try to remind myself of that. At the same time, I refuse to get ready in more than five minutes. I don’t have the patience to put a full outfit together. I see a piece I like and build from there.

Dylan: That’s a much better answer than mine [laughs]. I’m born and raised in California, so I grew up in board shorts probably nine out of ten days. Board shorts, white tee, no shoes, that’s my comfort clothing. I loved camping, if I wasn’t at the beach, so I love having rugged clothes — like jeans I haven’t washed in two months with mud stains. I don’t like being put in a box. My only real style until now has been board shorts and shirtless. So I love the idea of dabbling in fashion. I’m very much on my fashion journey right now.

Antoni: The board shorts and t-shirt is very classic Abercrombie.

Dylan: I’ve always wanted to get into fashion. That’s why The Traitors press run has been so cool, it’s a chance to actually do that.

Antoni: I could see you in like, a nice suit but with a little carabiner dangling. Make it personal.

Dylan, how did you approach what you wore on the show?

Dylan: I really just wore a lot of what I already had. It turned into a real comfort sweater look. I was never really going for best-dressed there, but I was definitely the most comfortable. I was wearing Birkenstocks and a sweater every day.

Antoni: My heart was singing when you wore the Birks. I hated those like six months ago, but now they’re my entire identity, it’s all I wear.

Dylan: We’re living in this crazy castle, and I’m treating it like home in Birks and a cozy sweater. And here’s [Chanel] Ayan in this garment she can barely move in. [To Antoni] Do you wear clothes that, like, limit your flexibility?

Antoni: I mean, as much as I love Japanese raw denim–

Dylan: [Laughs] Oh no way, no way.

Antoni: If I go out to walk my dog and can’t move my limbs it’s just awkward as hell. And I can’t hide my expression if I’m unhappy, I have a terrible poker face, the photos are going to show I’m not comfortable. It always has to be comfortable, that’s why I love vintage.

Dylan: It goes back to fitness for me too. If I work out in the morning I know I’m going to feel amazing the rest of the day. As soon as I put on raw denim and can’t touch my toes, I feel like shit. So much of style is about being comfortable in what I’m wearing.

Antoni: This is a raw denim hate piece.

Dylan, this is your first really big press circuit. What’s that experience been like for you?

Dylan: It’s been a lot of fun. On the show, I’m pretty much just myself. So on these talk shows, I don’t have to put on an act. It’s not like I was playing a character and now people are seeing the real me. The part I’ve been enjoying is that I don’t have to be anything but who I am.

Antoni: How’s the actual schedule?

Dylan: The schedule is insane. I can’t look at anything but today, I have no idea what’s going on tomorrow.

Antoni: Like, doing a 10-hour hike in Peru, versus a 10-hour press tour — one is physically straining, but I’m prepared for that. I get so exhausted when it’s even just a five minute live segment.

Dylan: It’s a workout for your brain, which I’m not used to. [Laughs]

Antoni: We’re just two dummies who’d rather be climbing a rock.

You’ve both had viral internet moments for various reasons. How is it dealing with that?

Dylan: It’s fun, honestly. The key for me is to be able to laugh at myself. You can’t take yourself too seriously, you have to be in on the joke. You have to lean into it.

Antoni: I think the shared viral link we have is Evan Ross Katz [both laugh]. Viral moments are strange because it’s fun, but — there’s this quote, like, when I enter a room I want to be seen, but I want to be left alone. There is something fun about the electricity and excitement of being in the cultural zeitgeist, but it’s also terrifying. It’s also crazy when you have to explain a pop culture moment to a parent.

Dylan: You have to know it’s gonna pass. You really can just turn off your phone. Sometimes the Traitors cast tells me stuff going on on X, but I’m not on there. [To Antoni] Actually, speaking of viral moments, can you tell me about being in the Taylor Swift Chiefs box?

Antoni: It was a day when I didn’t know what I was doing until just a few hours before. It was one of those moments when, obviously, you’re with Taylor, it becomes a whole thing because of who she is and the eyeballs she gathers. And you think, Oh, we’re going to watch football, no one will be paying attention to us anyway. But then it’s the opposite, because you’re in a fishbowl and everyone’s watching you.

Dylan: It’s like when you’re at a music festival and you just want to let loose and dance, but you’re worried about the cameras and everyone making fun of the way you dance.

Antoni: [Laughs] Oh, wow, you just triggered so many–

Dylan: This is a therapy session. [Laughs] But yeah, it’s all about letting go, for your mental health. I’ve been experimenting with, like, modern-day office hours. Technically I’m accessible by phone at all hours. But for me it’s been about forcing myself to put my phone on airplane mode when I’m at the gym, when I’m walking my dog, to just be offline for a sec. Probably this is why I love camping. As soon as I see the SOS symbol on my phone, it’s so much easier for me to be present.

Antoni: Oh, the SOS symbol for me is paralyzing anxiety.

Dylan: Social media was made because it’s meant to be fun. We’re supposed to be having fun doing this. If you treat it like a job, morning afternoon, night, you’re gonna get burnt out. Sharing should be fun.

Antoni: Do you feel like you’re getting recognized more, now, after Traitors?

Dylan: It’s still very new, so I haven’t felt much change. When I’m home, when I’m going to the gym, I’m not dressed up. There are moments when I’m grocery shopping, you know, with my headphones in and someone is asking for my photo. I’m like, Oh shit, I’m in Trader Joe’s right now. But genuinely I don’t feel much has changed, and I’m thankful for that.

Antoni: Boundaries are really healthy to have. I’m a true New Yorker, I’m speed-walking everywhere. I think we call it “gay fear.” I do have rules, if I’m sitting and enjoying a meal with friends, I’ll treat them with kindness of course, but I’m less likely to take a photo with them. If it’s my dad with me, he’ll start a whole conversation with them and pull up a seat for them at the table. But yeah, whether it’s on or off camera, it’s all about leading with kindness.

Dylan: I grew up with it a bit, watching my brother, too. I’ve been able to learn from him a lot. It’s tough of course, saying no to a photo, it’s disappointing to a fan. But we can’t be giving ourselves 24/7. My favorite is when someone says, “I don’t really know who you are or what you do, but my friend does, so...” [Laughs]

Antoni: So it’s Traitors finale day, how do you feel ahead of it?

Dylan: I’m excited to experience it with everyone, for everyone to see the conclusion. It’ll be a nice way to wrap it up. I had the experience in real life, and then this second experience watching on TV. It’ll be like putting a bow on the experience.

Antoni: You don’t get to see it early?

Dylan: Oh no, we’re watching every episode live. Sometimes I’m prepared for something I’m not looking forward to and then it doesn’t make the cut. Sometimes I forgot something and it ends up in there, like the “Miss Guided” thing. I didn’t remember that happening, I was laughing in real time with everyone else.

Antoni: Any regrets about things you’d said or done?

Dylan: It wasn’t really shown, but I was pretty convinced that Gabby was a Traitor. It’s hard to say I have any regrets, given that I’m still around in the last episode, but Gabby was amazing, and I probably wouldn’t have been in the final episode without her. So I think I was too quick to judge Gabby, because she is so quick-witted and it’s intimidating. I thought I had valid reasons and, of course, they were wrong. She could’ve been an absolute dick to me, like, This punk!

Antoni: This is where I defend you for a second, because you had a hunch about Bob [The Drag Queen] when everyone else was afraid to call him out. You trusted your gut and went with your instinct. I think that was when everyone fell in love with you. Like, Oh my god, this sweet guy is sticking to his guns even while he’s being demolished.

Dylan: I have a lot of respect for Bob. That guy is so sharp it’s crazy.

There’s been a lot of discourse around Danielle’s theatrics as a Traitor. How was that in real time, did the performance feel real to you?

Dylan: The thing about Danielle that didn’t come across on camera is that we all had this very genuine friendship with her. She’s an awesome person. I always looked at her as someone I could trust. Maybe the edit shows her a little more obvious, like the crying at breakfast. But also, at breakfast, I never looked around at anyone, because I figured people would associate staring with being a Traitor. I was just looking at my plate eating eggs.

Antoni: You were just trying to get enough protein.

Dylan: [Laughs] Those eggs went quick! But yeah, I think Danielle played a much better game than it appeared to the audience.

Antoni, would you want to be a Traitor or a Faithful if you went on the show?

Dylan: By the way, your strategy starts now. If you ever go on the show, people will remember this answer.

Antoni: I’d love to be a Traitor. But I’m a terrible liar. I’m an innocent Canadian boy, though, so I think I’d be a great Faithful, too.

Photography: Brian Meller
Styling: Antoni Porowski
Creative direction: Marcus Allen
Creative assistant: Izaake Zuckerman
Grooming: Emily Amick for Exclusive Artists (using Milk Makeup and Kevin Murphy)
Location: Ludlow Hotel