"Ken-ergy" Is Real, and It's Coming for Menswear
Ahead of the ‘Barbie’ premiere, Ryan Gosling’s blonde-headed doll has become the poster child for a new wave of “himbo” fashion.
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“I have that Ken-ergy,” said a proud Ryan Gosling while promoting Greta Gerwig’s forthcoming Mattel-inspired movie-of-the-summer, Barbie. The actor, who’s poised to star opposite Margot Robbie as Ken in the massively-marketed pic, is talking about the psyche that fuels the icy-haired, muscle-packed and heart-eyed doll he depicts. But while the air-headed character might appear rather straightforward, the “Ken-ergy” Gosling speaks of is much more complex than it seems.
“You have a Ken in your life, and you know that Ken has Ken-ergy,” Gosling told Entertainment Tonight. “Ken’s got no money, he’s got no job, he’s got no car, he’s got no house. He’s going through some stuff.” Despite this Ken-undrum, one thing the plastic doll does possess is an extreme case of vanity (and a killer wardrobe): while his life might be a total disaster on paper, he never fails to look like he has all his ducks in a row. “In my case, [the Ken-ergy] came on like a rash and then it turned into a tan,” Gosling added. “And then suddenly, you’re shaving your legs; and you’re bleaching your hair, and you’re wearing bespoke neon roller blades.”
Warner Bros.
Still, there’s an insider-only nature to this Ken-ergy that no one seems to be able to fully explain. “I don’t know how to articulate it, really,” said Robbie. “I think it’s definitely a play on BDE [big d*ck energy]. You hear that and you’re kind of like, ‘Yeah, we all just know…We know what you’re getting at.’”
Issa Rae, who plays President Barbie, says Ken-ergy is “a whole lot of nothing;” and Kate McKinnon, or Weird Barbie, sees it as a commentary on gender roles: “I think it’s a recognition of the ways in which masculinity under patriarchy is limiting, and [Ken’s] outfits prove it because they look really stupid.” Gerwig, meanwhile, feels that it’s better left undefined: “You know it when you see some Ken-ergy, but to put words around it, it’s really to diminish the Ken-ergy.”
Above all else, Gosling confirms, “We know that it’s real.”
Warner Bros.
In Barbie’s world, Ken is an accessory. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery; he comes along for the ride, seated shotgun in her hot-pink convertible. She’s a diplomat, a Supreme Court justice, an author, a lawyer, a doctor, a mermaid and the president, all at once; his job, as Gosling puts it in the film’s trailer, is “beach.” She wears the crown; he is her loyal subject. She thrives on productivity; he lives in blissful idiocy. She’s everything, he’s just Ken.
On McKinnon’s thought train, Gosling’s Ken plays the “stereotypical” female part. He is the supporting character. He is required to shave his legs and dye his hair for the role. He is subject to criticism of his body. Where traditional gender roles are reversed, Ken embraces elements of conventional feminity. He is enthralled by his appearance: his sculpted physique, his coiffed hair and his outfits, which never fail to expertly coordinate with those of Barbie. It’s this desire to achieve superficial perfection, this willingness to surpass society’s standards for attractiveness, and, as Vogue’s José Criales-Unzueta puts it, “this sartorial himbo spirit” that defines Ken. Outside of existing for Barbie, Ken’s only other purpose is looking hot. This is Ken-ergy — and it exists far beyond the bounds of Gerwig’s on-screen world. In fact, it’s particularly strong in modern menswear.
Frazer Harrison/Filmmagic/Samir Hussein/Wireimage/Getty Images
Frazer Harrison/Filmmagic/Samir Hussein/Wireimage/Getty Images
For the film’s Los Angeles and European premieres, Robbie emerged as a real-life Barbie in custom, high-fashion attire, from designers including Schiaparelli and Vivienne Westwood, referencing some of Mattel’s most iconic dolls. Gosling, meanwhile, took to the pink carpets wearing pastel suits and shirts that were unbuttoned to below the chest, with grown-out blonde hair and a necklace featuring an “E” pendant in signature Barbie font that honored his wife, Eva Mendes. Here, Gosling exhibits true Ken-ergy: his undone suits articulate just enough doll-inspired appeal, while he lets the film’s Barbie (Robbie) and his own (Mendes) remain at the fore.
Beyond the Barbie universe, pop culture and its fashions are rampant with Ken-ergy. Take this year’s Met Gala, for instance, during which many famous men assumed their supporting-yet-still-stylish roles. Where Suki Waterhouse wore a sheer Fendi gown covered in all-over pale yellow, coral and green floral embroidery, her partner Robert Pattinson opted for a black Dior Men’s tuxedo with a subtle, built-in skirt detail. Where Rihanna entered in a custom Valentino couture dress, made from silk faille cape, fronting 30 Camélias with 500 petals each, and commanding much of the staircase with a billowing train, A$AP Rocky stood off to the side, wearing a Lagerfeld-inspired black blazer, a white button-down and a kilt. For a moment, both Pattinson and Rocky surrendered their main-character mentalities to spotlight their even-more-main-character partners. Hi Kens!
John Shearer/Wireimage/Jeff Kravitz/Filmmagic/Getty Images
John Shearer/Wireimage/Jeff Kravitz/Filmmagic/Getty Images
Ken-ergy is not limited to straight men, and among several examples, Troye Sivan’s freshly-minted “Rush” music video is proof of this. The visual is a celebration of queer joy, with bountiful depictions of LGBTQ+ nightlife and its gritty dance locales where Ken-ergetic fashions thrive. Between choreography, Sivan and his entourage sport cropped tank tops, assless chaps, Jean Paul Gaultier’s skinhead trousers, camo cargo pants, John Galliano’s newspaper-printed swimwear, exposed jockstraps and backward hats.
Like Gosling’s Barbie closet, the music video’s wardrobe is defined by a mixture of hypermasculine pieces, feminine cuts and a lack of clothing altogether. It’s a conscious effort to look and feel attractive, bolstered by an undercurrent of subverted manliness. It’s not serious; it’s pure fun, all vibes. And therein lies the Ken-ergy.
In any instance, contemporary menswear is fueled by this idea of “new masculinity,” or an evolved fashion sensibility that’s unafraid of traditionally feminine or genderless silhouettes. According to Trendalytics, in the last 30 days, skin-baring tops and short shorts have seen 5% and 8% increases in market adoption, respectively; and per The New York Times, men are cropping their shirts more than ever before.
Ken-ergy embraces this, while still holding onto the root of menswear. But really, it’s less about the clothing items themselves and more about the motive behind wearing them — which is, in Ken’s small brain, to “be a 10.” Ken-ergy, in menswear, is all about idealism, and June’s runways were wealthy with it.
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Courtesy Of Brands
Dsquared2’s SS24 show saw chest-bearing cowboys wearing double denim silhouettes, and all sorts of ensembles decorated with star patches and embroidered details, much like the kitschy Western ensemble Ken wears in the film. RHUDE’s muscle-y models sported striped beachwear and preppy classics, both signature to Ken, while EYTYS, too, embraced doll behavior, offering tank tops and colored denim crafted with flattery in the front seat.
BLUEMARBLE put forth a number of shiny pants and bottoms, some of which fronted obnoxiously loud patterns like those oftentimes found on vintage Ken dolls. Saul Nash took a simpler approach, stuffing jacked men inside skin-tight monotone beachwear, complete with goggles and swim caps that felt reminiscent of the accessories in a deluxe Barbie box. More literally, JW Anderson delivered cuboid shirts and shorts that were fit for a life-size Ken. ERL crafted a number of costumes, including those for Lady Liberty and a knight, that would likely be ideal for one of Barbie and Ken’s rogue side quests. Jacquemus channeled jet-setting “himbo” style codes in tow. The list goes on, but you get the point: Ken-ergy is coming en masse.
“Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?” Gosling’s Ken dramatically sings on his solo track, titled “I’m Just Ken.” Perhaps that’s his fate, and if it is, he should be just fine. There’s an infectious joie de vivre that comes with Ken’s blank-mindedness, and his fashions are already beginning to define new trends. While murmurs of “quiet luxury” and “stealth wealth” continue to tirelessly echo through the fashion industry, maybe we’d all benefit from a shot of Ken-ergy. (Just one, though.)
