About
Professor Badass is a viral image macro of a man strutting down the street dressed in a steampunk-like outfit. It was discovered that he is actually Kevin Stewart, a fashion designer for ESPN magazine.
This guy is equal parts Shaft, Lex Luthor and Doctor Who. If anybody was going to possess superpowers, but still be cool about it, it’s Professor Badass.1
Origin
The original picture was first posted to The Sartorialist on July 18, 2008. The image macro was posted to Reddit on October 11, 2008 receiving a significant number of upvotes.
Search
“Professor Badass” search traffic appears to have started in the fall of 2008, with a sharp spike in March of 2009.
A TinEye search reveals significant reposting of the image.
Being aware of his internet fame
In June 2010, Kevin Stewart had an interview with qu3stions.com about his work in the fashion industry.
The last question deals with the Professor Badass meme itself.
The following is Kevin Stewart’s reaction to it :
3Q: I usually only ask three questions, but I have one more for you: how do you feel about the “Professor Badass” meme, and the adulation that your own personal style has received as a result?
KS: Its funny that you’ve seen that photo. That was one moment many of my exploration of style. The beard I wore at the time had taken on a life of its own, and grew in salt and pepper. It made me look years older than I am. It just made sense to look that way at the time. I also had a thing for the civil war. It’s a long story. Dressing for me is fun – it is a part of me. If other people get what I’m doing, great. That’s always been my approach to dressing. “Professor Badass” will always be a part of me. It was very cool that I was given that name for that photo.
In the field of publishing I’ve had the liberty to try out different styles. Deep down I’m an updated-traditionalist. I believe in the tradition of looking good as a confident man.
Resources
1 Cracked