Jonathan Bailey Looks So Different From His Bridgerton Role In New Ad

The struggle of being a Jonathan Bailey fan is real. While he has plenty of upcoming projects to look forward to, including the highly anticipated Wicked adaptation in November and his return as Anthony in the fourth season of Bridgerton (release date TBD), there’s still an unbearably long wait for all of them. Fortunately, his shippers — whom shall be referred to as the JBayLeaves™, moving forward — have a reprieve thanks to his latest fashion campaign.

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the actor showed off his modeling prowess and starred in Emporio Armani’s Fall/Winter 2024 campaign. In a series of eyewear-focused portrait shots, Bailey channeled dapper CEO-core, a stark departure from Anthony’s Regency-era style.

Jonathan’s Eyeglass Campaign

In one photo by Karim Sadli, Bailey rocked 2015’s most hated trend: the groutfit (read: gray outfit). However, unlike the dreary sweatshirt-focused looks of yore, Bailey’s ’fit was especially elevated. He wore a textured jacket with silver embellishments along the lapel. Inside, instead of the typical button-up, he wore a turtleneck sweater.

The look’s pièce de résistance was much simpler: his aviator-style reading glasses. Eyeglasses are set to be one of the biggest accessories trends this fall. Fall/Winter 2024 runways were rife with the bookish aesthetic, with designers like Prada, Moschino, and Moschino, among others, outfitting their models in various optical lenses.

More Brooding Pics This Way

In a separate photo, the actor wore another gray-on-gray ensemble, albeit with varying textural elements and color gradients. He donned a patterned suit over a zipped shirt with glasses, of course.

Though the bookish, eyeglass-wearing look is reminiscent of his Emmy-nominated role as Tim Laughlin in Fellow Travelers, the GQ-style suiting is unlike any character he’s played.

The rest of his photos feature sunglasses instead of optical lenses, but the vibe is the same. Dressed in all black, he wears a tinted pair with a plastic-looking frame with his hair slicked back in another shot. Meanwhile, his accompanying ensemble included a knitted cardigan with a striped turtleneck top.

Naturally, Fans Were Thirsty

On Instagram, where he shared his campaign, fans flocked to his comment section to share some thirsty thoughts. One user wrote, “hello 911 I am on fire,” while another inquired, “OK, so when I order, do I get the man too or just the product?”

One follower even quoted his iconic Bridgerton line: “You are the bane of my existence and object of all my desires.”

Big same.