Whereas men’s fashion was once limited to gender boundaries and uninspired designs has evolved today’s stylish man — one who isn’t afraid to prioritize fashion with bold modern looks. Gone are the days when men were afterthoughts in fashion or on the red carpet. These days, men’s fashion is a playground with various elements.
From street style to haute couture looks ripped from the runways of Balenciaga, Coach or Marc Jacobs, rappers, actors, athletes, and other Black entertainers are modeling for major brands, front row at fashion week, and muses of sought-after designers. They’re confidentally wearing bold prints, colors, fabrics and shapes. And their style isn’t limited to their clothes, they’re experimenting with hair color and styles while rocking natural locs or fresh fades.
We truly believe that you can have anything you want in life if you dress for it. And these men look the part! We rounded up some fashionable fellas, whose style speaks volumes. From Steve Harvey’s tailored suits, to Offset’s unconventional streetwear, and Lewis Hamilton’s diverse attire, here’s our list of the celeb men whose style we’re obsessed with.
1. Dwyane Wade
While the professional basketball player spent most of his career playing for the Miami Heat, it’s really the heat he brings off the court that has us obsessed. The moment he and Gabrielle Union started giving us high-fashion looks dripping in couture we knew that they were onto something special. The three-time NBA champion’s style has evolved over the years because the style game was very different when he made his breakthrough. Wade told CR Fashionbook, “When I first became a part of the NBA, I didn’t believe in any of ‘that fashion bullshit’ either. I wore my pants low just like the rest of the players; all I wanted to do was fit in.” He admitted that it wasn’t until he matured that he realized that fashion is a means of self-expression. “Dressing how I wanted allowed me to define who I was and who I wanted to be.”
2. Steve Harvey
The godfather of comedy’s motto: “Be fly ‘till I die.” It’s safe to say that Harvey lives up to that mantra every day. Now with the help of stylist, Elly Karamoh, he has elevated his colorful suit aesthetic in ways that keep us wanting more. With Karamoh’s help, the entertainer has effortlessly found the intersection between style and confidence while remaining age-appropriate. In an interview with GQ, Karamoh shared that when he started styling Steve Harvey, it was a big assignment. “People had their own opinions and a full picture of what Steve Harvey should look like or does look like, full of expectation. And I just wanted to take that off. My goal was to always make him a fashion icon in my own right.” And just like that, Karamoh and Harvey make up a dream team that overstands the assignment time and time again.
Durkio has quite the cult following because of his music and fashion choices. It’s hard not to love him because of his fresh authenticity. He always shows up as his full self whether in a cape or in a t-shirt. So much so that even the folks over at boohooMAN created a collection around his likeness. Shane Chin, Head Of Design at boohooMAN, said, “Durk has been a long-standing muse for me. He keeps it super authentic with a vibe centered around the whole Chicago wave, which I wanted to capture in the designs of this denim capsule.” Chin continued, “Creating this collection was effortless but so fun- which I think is reflective of his look on the whole.” The online retailer created a capsule collection consisting of over ten looks varying in colors and styles.
GQ has dubbed Migos one of the most “out-there dressers in hip hop, mixing colors, prints, and brands with ebullient tenacity.” And for bandmate, Offset, that’s absolutely true. The Atlanta rapper has so much style that even Balenciaga had to have him rip the runway during the spring 2022 Balenciaga show in Paris. The Balenciaga creative director, Demna Gvasalia, cast Offset himself; he made sure to keep him on-brand in baggy trousers, a slouchy leather jacket, and a long plaid shirt. He went from dreaming of attending Paris Fashion Week to walking for one of the biggest fashion houses – what a full circle moment. “Streetwear is all I had. All I believed in. Growing up, my mama didn’t have the money to buy me big-name brands. I never felt a part of the high design,” Offset said in a clip from his tv show The Hype on HBOMax. He went on to say, “Sean John was big for me coming up. I felt like Sean John was Gucci.” Look at him now, sitting front row at Gucci shows. We love that for him!
Jabari Banks came through with talent and style in his breakout role as Will Smith in Bel-Air, the drama series inspired by Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While he may be new to Hollywood, he has already left his mark on red carpets, magazine covers and more. When it comes to defining Banks’ personal style, he told GQ, “My personal style is always evolving. I always want to push boundaries with whatever I wear. I’m always eclectic with my style choices – they’re bold and bright. I want to endorse this idea that people can wear what they want.” It is clear that he isn’t afraid to take fashion risks as many of his looks include vibrant colors and luxurious textures. We are excited to see what this next generation of stye icons have in store for us and Jabari Banks is at the top of that list.
6. Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton MBE HonFREng is one of the best things to happen to men’s fashion. The British racing driver is one of the many athletes “undefining” what it means to have style. We also love how he diversifies the brands he wears as he dons everything from Burberry to Topman to indie brands like Ahluwalia. Best of all, Hamilton’s outer glow matches his inner glow. For example, in 2021, he bought a Met Gala table for emerging Black fashion designers, Theophilio, Kenneth Nicholson, and Jason Rembert. During an interview with Vogue, the athlete said, “We’re living in a time where diversity and inclusion is so important, and that’s why I started this organization [The Hamilton Commission] within my own sport.” He realized it’s very similar in the fashion industry. “A lot of young brands and designers don’t have the same opportunities, so that’s what really set me off.” We are inspired by Hamilton’s activism and it makes his style that more fly.
Pharrell’s style has empowered thousands of little black boys to take risks as it relates to fashion. This multi-hyphenate walked so that Tyler Creator could run. When he created Billionaire Boys Club in 2005 with Nigo, the founder of BAPE, he wanted the brand to be rooted in the mantra, “Wealth is of the heart and mind. Not the pocket.” It is still very much “a globally recognized clothing, accessories and lifestyle brand, whose blend of streetwear and luxury has influenced countless pockets of fashion, music, design and culture.” The legendary producer taught us that it’s ok to mix genres and gendered styles in order to define your personal style. At his core, he’s an artist so everything is about creating art even when he gets dressed. When googling Pharrell, the search auto-populates, “How do I dress like Pharrell?” proving he will forever be “him.”
Much like everything else in his life, Lakeith Stanfield does what he wants with his style. He dresses to make himself happy and that’s a motif we wish more folks adopted. The Atlanta actor paired Payless loafers and his mother’s leopard-print hat to the L.A. Film Festival in 2013 so there’s almost nothing this style chameleon won’t try. In his head, he’s just wearing pieces that complement the art in his productions. Now, you can find the actor taking over red carpets in YSL and posing for Vanity Fair in Gucci.
9. Damson Idris
As the self-proclaimed leader of the Dark Skin Society, we expect nothing less than dynamic looks from this Snowfall star. We can’t lie; this man puts the DAM in Damson! The British Nigerian actor is attracted to bold colors, striking shirts, tailored suits, and flawless skin which in turn makes him all the more attractive. He revealed to GQ that his love for fashion stems from the extravagant outfits his mother made him wear. “Aside from dressing me up in gold suits on my fifth and sixth birthday—but all my friends are wearing tracksuits—it was that African-going-to-the-weddings [outfit] and you’re wearing agbada you know. It’s got the diamond embroidery right there, and you’re just looking nice.” Idris’s addictive charm became popular when he took on the role of Franklin Saint on the hit FX show, Snowfall. We completely agree with GQ when they said, “Snowfall’s audience has steadily increased, so has Idris’s swag,” because his fashions are astronomical.
This streetwear aficionado also happens to be a rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. When he’s not entertaining us on screen or on record, he serves the most aesthetically pleasing streetwear looks that can only be donned by him. Harlem’s prince has managed to bridge his New York attitude and high fashion seamlessly. Rocky can rock pearls or a skirt and make it look ever so stylish. When GQ deemed him “The Prettiest Man Alive” in 2021, he told the publication, “The nails, the kilts, the pretty-boy swag, the pearls—I think it’s just being comfortable. I just express myself with fashion, and what’s fly is fly.” The fashion genius also said that his love for fashion comes second to his adoration for his star-studded girlfriend, Rihanna. And we must say that we love seeing the two of them together slaying streetwear like never before.
