EXCLUSIVE: Mark Consuelos ‘Wore Nothing’ for Stuart Weitzman’s Spring Campaign, Talks Ambassadorship and Kelly Ripa’s Fashion Advice
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Mark Consuelos never pictured himself on a billboard when he moved to New York at the age of 24, but that’s exactly where the actor and talk show host found himself when Stuart Weitzman broke into men’s footwear last year — and he was tapped as the luxury brand’s first-ever male global ambassador.
Following the buzzy fall 2024 campaign, Consuelos — and his abs — are back in the spotlight as Stuart Weitzman‘s spring 2025 men’s campaign launches on Monday with a new set of seductive black and white photographs showcasing the brand’s latest footwear styles and signature minimalist aesthetic.
Consuelos’ knowledge of Stuart Weitzman can be traced back to Kelly Ripa, his wife and co-host on “Live with Kelly and Mark.”
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“My relationship with Stuart Weitzman has been one of just passing through my wife’s shoe closet and knowing the name because she wears them,” Consuelos said in an exclusive interview. “She has tons of them at work and in our home. So, when I was approached I was a little bit surprised. I’m like, ‘Wait, they make women’s shoes.’ And then they explained to me quickly that, no, no, they’re going for men’s shoes as well. And they asked if I’d be interested in doing it and I said, ‘Well, look, if it’s good enough for my wife, it’s good enough for me as well.'”
Photographer Ned Rogers, who was behind the fall 2024 campaign, returned to capture the latest photos of Consuelos modeling Stuart Weitzman shoes and, well, not much else.
Asked what message he hoped the campaign embodies, he laughed and said, “I was hoping it would embody a few more clothes, which was hilarious.”
Jokes aside, Consuelos expressed love for the campaign and emphasized the goal of raising awareness for the men’s line. He added, “They had these racks and racks of clothes, and I ended up wearing these boxers. And at the end of the photo shoot they’re like, ‘Hey, you could take anything you’d like to take that you wore.’ I go, ‘I wore nothing, I wore these boxers.’ But I was able to keep the shoes, obviously. And they are firmly in my closet, and they’re my go-tos now.”
The spring 2025 collection includes the Banner sneaker, a suede and leather lace-up shoe referencing the brand’s mixed-material 5050 boot; the Buzz loafer, a streamlined interpretation of a classic smoking slipper crafted with velvet; and the LA Derby, which is a leather derby shoe with a treaded rubber sole and stretch-infused fabric accents taking inspiration from the 5050 boot.
Jonathan Lelonek, Stuart Weitzman senior vice president – global wholesale, said, “Men’s footwear is an important focus for our brand, and I’m excited to continue to expand our collection. With the addition of new sneakers and dress shoes, we’re offering a more robust selection of styles to round out his wardrobe and effortlessly fit into his busy life.”
Consuelos admires Stuart Weitzman’s celebration of confidence as well as its ability to fuse comfort and style. Harkening back to the last collection, he specifically shared his appreciation for the heeled Adam boot, which helps those who are “vertically challenged.”
On that note, he was also able to do a bit of customization when it came time to curate his Oscars looks — he and Ripa were at the awards show and hosted an after-show the following day from the Oscars stage. His Stuart Weitzman shoe looks included a loafer and a velvet slipper; he explained he usually stays away from loafers for black tie events because he prefers a shoe with more height, but Stuart Weitzman was willing to tailor the style to his wishes.
“If my wife’s wearing her Stuart Weitzmans or a high heel, I’m seeing just above her eye line. So my input was, ‘Can you add a little bit of a heel to these loafers?’ And they did, and they looked great. It didn’t look awkward at all,” he shared.
Referencing the New York City billboard that showed off his last SW campaign, Consuelos spoke of how he never imagined such a feat when he arrived in the city as a young man — he appreciates it, even if his kids don’t have the same reaction. “In my 50s now to have that accomplishment — it put a smile on my face. And my kids, when they saw the billboard, they were like, ‘Oh my God, Dad, really? Really?’ But Kelly was thrilled.”
Consuelos also spoke of how his family members are reliable consultants when he needs feedback on his outfits that aren’t his typical “uniform.”
“[Kelly is] super honest with me. I would say it’s like 90 percent ‘That’s fine, that’s perfect’ and then 10 percent is like, ‘Maybe change that.’ If I’m really on the fence, and if I’m pushing the envelope, I’ll FaceTime with my daughter, who lives in London. I’m like, ‘Should I wear this?’ And I think she says, ‘That’s fire,’ or ‘That’s lit,’ or something like that — which I don’t know what any of that means, but it seems like it’s positive.”
While they’re branching into men’s footwear now, Stuart Weitzman maintains its focus on empowering women — and that’s part of the reason why Consuelos was chosen as an ambassador. He gave a sincere shout out to the women in his life who inspire him.
“My mother was just such a great example. My wife, I have the utmost respect, and she blows me away every day. And my daughter now who’s following in her footsteps, is a strong, confident woman. So again, I’m surrounded by them. I’ve been lucky enough to have great examples in my life.”
Consuelos went on to further praise Stuart Weitzman — both their messaging and their products.
“Listen, I love their positioning in the market, that they’ve always been strong supporters of women. I am also a big supporter of women. Specifically to the shoes, they’re super-comfortable and they’re — even the boots — super-lightweight, and they didn’t skimp on quality for comfort, and I think they look cool. At the end of the day, for a guy, if we can look cool and be comfortable at the same time, I feel like that, to me, is a good marriage.”
Speaking of marriage, Consuelos added that he can lord this interview over Ripa for at least a week.
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