THE ANSWERS with . . . John Pearson

You could say John Pearson has benefitted from great jeans. The 58-year-old, regarded as the world’s first male supermodel, was discovered at age 18 while managing a denim shop in his hometown of Hull, in northern England. Three years later, in 1986, he moved to New York, where he worked for everyone from Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein to Levi’s and Gap, often shooting with photographers such as Helmut Newton and Mario Testino. A “good day in the office” moment: starring alongside Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington in the music video for George Michael’s Freedom! 90.

In the nearly four decades since coming to America, Pearson has appeared in over 100 commercials and countless magazines. But perhaps his most personal project is the one he cofounded in 2020, the lifestyle and mental-health website Mr. Feelgood. “It’s like a campsite chat,” he says of its insightful interviews. “We all need to try and learn to open ourselves up to new experiences and new perspectives.” JUSTIN FENNER

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

We live in an Ed Niles1 house, and I can look at the sunrise over Hidden Hills [California] from our bed. And then I say, “Thank you. I’m grateful for being here and for having another day.” And then I make coffee.

What apps on your phone do you use the most?

Well, I’ve stopped using CNN. It’s just too depressing. I’m so embarrassed to admit it, but I use Instagram the most, just because I’m trying to do it for Mr. Feelgood.

Do you have any personal rituals?

I do meditation. I started with Transcendental Meditation2, but now I just find 10 minutes to be still.

What have you done recently for the first time?

An ayahuasca ceremony. One of my older sisters passed away unexpectedly a year ago, and it was a terrible shock. And after coming back from England, I spent six months grilling a friend I’ve known for 40 years about it. I had an extraordinarily gentle, beautiful, connected experience. It was a good 14 hours, and I didn’t look at my phone once. I don’t want to get too hippie-dippie, but it made me realize that death is a part of life, and you have to surrender, to some degree, to the flow of life.

What in your wardrobe do you wear most often?

Cucinelli pants. And a lovely, lovely navy-blue corduroy cashmere suit by Thom Sweeney that I’ve been wearing daily and feel great in. And I’m working with this designer in New York called Stephén Seo. He’s made me an exquisite cashmere coat, and when I travel, I take that with me.

Do you have a uniform for certain occasions?

I’ve just given you three designer names, but I’m pretty unfashionable. I’m the guy who lives in Buck Mason T-shirts and keeps it very simple.

Ed Niles is a Malibu-based architect known for the dramatic modernist homes he designed in the late 20th century, which are prized for their connection to their surrounding landscapes. Pearson’s residence was built in 1979. Transcendental Meditation, or TM, is a silent technique popularized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who began teaching it in India in the 1950s. His most famous students were a band of English rockers called the Beatles.