Men, Lingerie, and the Queer Gaze: The Bold World of Manos
Discover how one photographer is reshaping masculinity through tender erotic imagery.
Photographer Manos has a rare gift for turning vulnerability into power. Based in North London with Greek Cypriot roots, their work embraces tenderness, playfulness, and sensuality — often pulling from vintage influences while rewriting them for a modern, queer gaze.
Growing up, Manos didn't always see himself reflected in traditional standards of male beauty. Born with a cleft lip, they developed an early fascination with how beauty is perceived — and who gets to define it.
Over time, with family support and committed self-discovery, Manos embraced their individuality as something uniquely powerful. "My features are unique to me, which makes me special – so why not embrace them?"
Now, they are helping others embrace identity, sensuality, or authenticity. Through their photography, they invite their audience to step outside rigid expectations of masculinity and beauty, offering a new vision where genderless self-expression is celebrated.
Manos’ work reminds us that confidence isn't about fitting into a mold. It's about owning every part of who you are, exactly as you are — about being willing to be seen.
Discovering Photography, Discovering Voice
Photography entered their life early, beginning with disposable cameras and a fascination with capturing life's fleeting memories. But a life-affirming moment came in school when a simple conversation with a career advisor made them realize how much they valued the camera over any other creative outlet.
The advisor asked Manos, "Would you be more upset if your art supplies or my camera were taken away?" From that point forward, the lens became their primary tool for storytelling.
Today, at 26 years old, Manos balances photography with a full-time job as a creative at a social media agency. Their personal work —including the ongoing Manos Mag — fuses editorial polish with a raw, voyeuristic, and erotic energy that feels both nostalgic and entirely fresh. "I love the aspect of the viewer being a fly on the wall — tucked behind the door frame or below the horizon of the bed."
Expanding Sensuality Through Queer Gaze
Much of Manos’ recent work explores the intersection of male bodies and traditionally "feminine" signifiers, like lingerie. In their photos, delicate fabrics and soft poses don't undercut masculinity — they expand it.
Their portraits challenge the restrictive binaries still present in the queer community and invite their audience to reimagine sensuality on their own terms. Manos encourages those conflicted by the images to "forget the social stigma" because "it [lingerie] looks so sexy on a male body, too!"
Inspired by vintage men's magazines like Honcho and Drummer, Manos’ imagery is rich with references, but is a world all its own. Their growing audience shares tips on lingerie brands, builds each other up, and explores the exciting possibilities of self-expression beyond the usual bounds.