With the menswear shows underway in Milan, we thought it a good time to pay tribute to one of our favorite sartorial inspirations, Steve McQueen. McQueen played rugged as well as he did dandy; classic in a trench, badass on a motorcycle, devastating in a suit (on its way off).

His February 1965 Harper’s Bazaar cover—art directed by Ruth Ansel and shot by the legendary Richard Avedon—marked the first time that women’s magazine ever had a man on its cover. Looks like Ansel and Avedon were on the money, as that cover continues to inspire others even today; take a look at this month’s GQ, featuring Michael Fassbender, below.

It’s an apt comparison considering the two actors’ broad appeal and range—not to mention blue eyes that can knock you sideways. But enough talk, certainly these images speak for themselves. —The Archive