Who Is Thomas Doherty?

When you speak of Thomas Doherty, you think: theatre. The breakout Harry Hook of Disney’s Descendants, disheveled yet spunkily roaring in attire. You think of a wealthy playboy bringing scandalous edge to Gossip Girl, or vampirical thrillers showcasing a dangerously lustful man. But Doherty is more.

Where have I seen Thomas Doherty?

The Scottish actor and singer from Edinburgh has built a career defined by range. He played Sean Matthews on Disney Channel’s The Lodge, Harry Hook in the Descendants film franchise, Max Wolfe in HBO Max’s reboot of Gossip Girl and Walter De Ville in the 2022 film The Invitation.

Now living in New York City, chasing pavements isn’t Doherty’s way. He moves with intention, approaching acting as a work of the mind, where creativity and purpose intertwine. Musical theatre, in particular, is where he feels most alive. “I realized that the only way I could sell myself as this awkward, malnourished botanist was to really energize the character—and you get the licence to do that with musical theatre,” he tells FASHION. “The way I played it was so emotionally intense and physically exhausting that I sweated through my T-shirt, jacket, and trousers every night—my knees will never be the same. I loved it so much.”

Still, Doherty is already looking ahead to his new project, which continues to draw on the dramatic side of his art. “It feels a bit like I’m shedding a skin,” he says of stepping into this new chapter.

This spring, he branches into new territory with Paradise—a role that is haunting, loud and yearning to be unleashed. It marks a departure from the charming boy-next-door roles Doherty has often played, moving toward something darker yet unsettlingly familiar to him.

And so, the roles he refuses to be typecast in don’t end when the cameras cut—they surface in the details of personal style, from the strand of hair falling across his forehead to the shoes that carry him forward, each choice made with intention.

What makes Thomas Doherty’s style so intentional?

Doherty often carries himself with sophistication, yet there’s always a hint of spunk in his style. On casual days, he leans toward relaxed, effortless fits, while for dressier occasions he tends to favour a simple, well-tailored tuxedo—sometimes with subtle nods to the Victorian era, like a black bow tie or a waistcoat peeking through.

After attending The Glenlivet event with his father, where he launched a campaign of seasonal cocktails featuring art, music and winter fashion, Doherty took to Instagram, saying that seeing him in the Doherty family tartan, standing proudly beside him, is a memory he’ll always cherish. He paid homage to his Scottish roots in an aqua-blue tartan kilt that he helped design—a woolen, checkered cloth sitting just above the knees—paired with a 90s Raf Simons sweater and Helmut Lang boots.

For the Tell Me Lies carpet, Doherty wore a charcoal-grey Dior top with subtle striping that rippled under the light. Sleeveless, with a slit just below the chest, the look carried a quiet edge, finished with a diamond bracelet from Tiffany & Co.

Off-duty, he’s often at home with his dog, Daisy, in a simple white tee and beige khakis—possibly lived-in pieces pulled from the back of his closet and worn with ease, pieces that feel instinctively minimalist yet effortlessly comfortable.

Doherty now joins us as the face of FASHION’s March 2026 issue, opening up on his insecurities, his belief in art as essential to survival, and the purpose behind the life he gets to live.

One of the cover looks, styled by Toronto-based stylist Ashley Galang, sees Doherty sporting subtle cheetah-print Moscot glasses and a sleeveless Giorgio Armani vest, tattoos peeking through—adding a soft hint of raw character.

Stepping into the world of fashion shoots, Doherty stands as a quietly assured figure in modern menswear—sophisticated yet simple, where home meets edge, and personality coexists with the rules he knows when to bend.