The Sitch on Fitch: Culture | Models PROFILED!, Ryan Cooper...

Abercrombie's all-new leading man,
model and actor Ryan Cooper arrives in the glorious pantheon
of A&F Models with his debut this Fall 2015...
#AFModelsPROFILED

BEARING CAPTIVATING MAGNETICISM by dual play of fine rugged and gentleman element in spirit, driven force Ryan Cooper has now made 2015 his year! After starring as Victoria Justice's love interest in MTV's thriller Eye Candy (which was cancelled after the finale of season one, though nevertheless having garnered him further widespread attention for his role as seductive, enigmatic Jake), the twenty-nine year-old powerfully multi-talented heartthrob has now become the leading male face of a globally-renowned icon now embarking on a dawning new era, Abercrombie & Fitch.

A man of the world, the winds of fate have taken Ryan to most incredible life experiences, adventures and opportunities since birth...

"Ryan was born [on April 3, 1986,] in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to an Australian missionary family. His father traveled through PNG, Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand. After high-school in Auckland, New Zealand, Ryan worked as a carpenter for six years but rose quickly to fame in 2008 after he was featured in the DKNY Jeans campaign with Bahati Prinsloo. His rugged good looks landing him in campaigns for Armani Exchange with Izabel Goulart, Hugo Boss underwear, Trussardi Jeans and Esprit underwear with Gisele and Erin Wasson. He's been seen in television commercials around the globe for brands such as Paramount pictures, Garnier, Macy's and Just Jeans. From fashion, Ryan continued to extend his reach into film and television playing Bruce Hunter on the US soap opera One Life to Live, and PIERS, a gentlemanly-clad psychopath in JULIA, alongside Tahnya Tozzi, Jack Noseworthy, and Ashley C. Williams. Ryan continues to build his body of work spending time writing, directing and developing skills in all areas of the film world. His short film 'Left Behind', is about the confrontation between a mother struggling with her depression and a son's resolve and unorthodox method of helping her see reason. It was inspired by the lose of loved ones and in a effort to raise awareness for 'the blackdog institute' who research and help monitor depression and other mental illnesses. Ryan continues to work alongside Susan Batson as he explores characters in his writings and grows as an artist." - Biography, theryancooper.com

For Detail's online feature, Model in the Spotlight (which highlights noteworthy leading male models in the industry), Ryan shared in his 2013 profile that a female model friend had brought to her agency some random photos which they had taken during summer. He himself had never considered modeling, and she took it upon herself, knowing better, to bring him up to the attention of folks at her agency. While their general consensus was that he'd never be a model, the man who would become his manager saw in him what the others did not, and it was set!

In one of his first polaroid-style shots from 2008, Ryan, who, age 21/22 at the time, can be taken to have already been acquainted with the brand, can be seen in an Abercrombie & Fitch graphic tee self-styled with torn-off sleeves...

Left, Ryan in his A&F self-styled tee, image ABN@MH; and

the 2006 tee as profiled - incidentally this past May - by TSOF Guest Contributor

Peter M. from his private collection (see post).

If he'd have know then. And as aforementioned, it's all been one hard-earned awe since! As for career highlight so far, he mentioned to Details, "Having three billboards in Times Square—at the same time. That was very surreal."

When it comes to staying in shape and fit, Ryan - with a near 6'1'' ("Six one—almost. I round up. My three brothers are all six three. I got the arm length but not the torso length. They call me the missing link."), brown-haired, hazel-eyed physique - practices a diverse, strong repertoire of physical activities - "I do a whole mix of fitness. I like riding my push bike around the city. I also do hot yoga, kickboxing, and high-intensity interval training, and I eat healthy" - and, something he shares with TSOF Editor-in-Chief, more of a focus on plant-based diet, though, "I'm actually not vegan, strictly speaking, although I do often spend days or weeks meat-free. I find it can help to keep lean, and you have so much more energy when your body isn't trying to digest heavy foods. When I do eat meat, I try to eat organic."

"Bipolar, shabby, unsure. I wouldn't say I have a specific style. I feel very comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans driving my old ute. Or rocking a beautiful suit and driving a Porsche—but that's more of a future vision than a reality. How about: classy, not ostentatious." - In trying to surmise his sense of style, Detail online, 2013

In every sense, Ryan represents a most fitting selection to front the new Abercrombie & Fitch: he comes to represent the Abercrombie & Fitch man and with a great sense of modern yet heritage-mindful style.