Casting for a men’s show in Milan last week, we noticed that significantly more than half the boys we saw were wholesome, sweet-faced and all-American. After years of edgy, quirky, sometimes alien-ish models, the new Americans are bringing a dose of classic good looks back to the runway. Keep reading to see three of our favorite boys from L’Uomo Elite Milan.
Here are three of our favorite new boys from L’Uomo Elite Milan.

Martin Gruca
Hometown: Utica, MI
“I’m a student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor — I just finished my first year and right now I’m thinking I might major in BBCS, which is like neuroscience, or maybe something in the business school. I did one show during Milan fashion week and one in Florence. When I’m not modeling, I sightsee a lot. I love architecture and I try to take so many pictures. I actually uploaded about 400 onto the internet this week.”

Andre Martinez
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
“This is my first fashion week, ever. It was difficult the first day but it’s been an adventure, it’s been fun. I’m playing baseball in college, I got a scholarship for baseball at Cedar Valley, near Fort Worth. My parents were worried at first [about traveling for fashion week] but I don’t know, they need to understand that I’m growing up a little bit, I need to get out on my own. I’ve been doing good, so they should be proud of me.”

Kevin Taylor
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
“Modeling is an interesting business — there are a lot of intricacies you don’t see from the outside. It’s not as much glamour, it’s a lot more work than I think a lot of people can see from just looking in. My real life thing is school, studying a lot and just trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I’m still a sophomore in college, I major in biology. I love nature and I love cells.”

Photography Chris Vidal
The boys are all wearing clothes by Laitinen

KEYWORDS: fashion week, laitinen, models