AirPods Are Finally Chic

Phones have long been street style catnip—second, perhaps, only to a cigarette.

But one of the absolutely worst things to shoot is someone wearing their headphones. There’s nothing like a tangled mess of white wire or bulky black ear cushions to ruin a look.

At first, AirPods weren’t much better. They were kitschy—synonymous with finance bros and people who had money but didn’t know how to spend it.

But we are in the midst of a cultural revolution when it comes to headphones. The cult of AirPods is gaining strength online, and suddenly, to wear them is to flex one’s ability to purchase them—an affinity for the finer things in life.

Yes, AirPods are apparently fashionable now. At least according to the fashion crowd. From buyers to editors to models, AirPods have become a top shelf accessory this season. It says “Don’t bother me, I’m too important”, but also “You should still take my picture.” Louis Vuitton just debuted a pair of AirPod-esque wireless headphones that retail for $995, and Dior’s menswear collection included AirPod holsters.

Accessories for your accessory—it doesn’t get much more late-stage capitalism than that! Here is a selection of photographs I took at the most recent season of menswear shows, showing that AirPods are no longer an embarrassing thing, but just a thing.