There’s a certain romance to the open road. Long stretches of highway that disappear over the horizon, roadside motels and the unhurried rituals of life in transit. For our September Let Taste Live issue, that spirit takes on a distinctly masculine edge, as models Tom Hearn and Jake Ernest slip into the role of modern-day truckers, caught somewhere between the Australian outback and a daydream.
Photographed by Jake Terrey and styled by Thomas Townsend, the shoot finds its subjects in the spaces between destinations. They hang from the back of a truck tray, lean out of passenger windows and loiter in sheds, inhabiting the landscape with an easy, unstudied confidence. There are hoses to drink from, motel rooms to pass through and nowhere in particular to be. It’s a vision of masculinity that feels both nostalgic and irreverent, drawing on the iconography of the working man while allowing room for a little mischief.
There’s something compelling about the collision of these worlds: fashion-minded men against the roughness of the road, immaculate coats against the unvarnished realities of life outdoors. Nothing feels overtly precious. Hearn and Ernest are free to sprawl, wander and waste an afternoon.
This is a reminder of the pleasure of being in between. A little dust, a little downtime, a long drive with no real destination.
Experience the Let Taste Live issue in its entirety this September, available on newsstands from Monday 7 September 2026, and through our online shop. Find a stockist near you.
PHOTOGRAPHY Jake Terrey @ Hart & Co.
FASHION Thomas Townsend
MODEL Tom Hearn and Jake Ernest @ Priscillas
HAIR & MAKEUP Darren Summors @ AP—REPS
STYLIST’S ASSISTANT Koby Dulac-Daley
Special thanks to Maclin Lodge Motel and Gold Wheel Chinese Restaurant.
Feature image (from left): Tom wears FENDI shirt, jeans and shoes. Jake wears GOLDEN GOOSE jacket and jeans.
