A-list men are driving the hottest fashion and jewelry trends on red carpets and runways.
“Fashion is part of the daily air and it changes all the time, with all the events. You can even see the approaching of a revolution in clothes. You can see and feel
everything in clothes.”
—Diana Vreeland
Who’s the hottest presence on red carpets these days? While Jennifer Lopez, Cate Blanchett, and Kerry Washington always rank high among the most anticipated fashion-forward actresses at major events, it’s actors like Harry Styles, Billy Porter, Regé-Jean Page, and Timothée Chalamet who are driving many current style conversations.
Men’s fashion is having a moment due to actors like Harry Styles, Billy Porter, Regé-Jean Page, and Timothée Chalame
The A-list ladies of Hollywood will always enjoy high-wattage moments in haute couture and high jewelry, but their male counterparts are capturing attention to a degree perhaps never experienced, wearing bespoke suits and dramatic, gender-fluid looks in rich colors and textures, often accessorized with a splash of diamonds or pearls. As the cultural zeitgeist begins to embrace new ideas about masculinity, fashionable men are clearly having a moment.
Celebrity stylist Warren Alfie Baker, who counts Andrew Garfield, Justice Smith, and Zachary Levi among his clients, noted during the most recent awards season that the shift in men to become increasingly more adventurous with their red-carpet style has been palpable. “What’s great about Andrew [Garfield] in particular is that he looks good in a lot of styles, while he’s also game to try different things,” says Baker, who styled the “tick, tick … BOOM!” star almost exclusively in Saint Laurent throughout the season. “He’s the loveliest, most collaborative person on the planet. When you work with someone who’s so cool and interested in fashion, it makes your life as a stylist so much easier.”
The shift in men to become increasingly more adventurous with their red-carpet style has been palpable
Fellow stylist Jeanne Yang, whose clients include Jason Momoa and Simu Liu, agrees. “The guys I work with are asking a lot more questions, especially about color, fabric, and fit,” she notes. “When you work with an actor, he places a lot of trust in your hands to make sure he looks good and feels great when he hits that carpet. But that trust also has enabled them to spread their wings a bit the last couple of years. They’re definitely more curious, and they want a look that feels anything but basic.”
No performer embodies that idea more than Harry Styles, whose audacious approach to his onstage and red-carpet looks evokes thoughts of David Bowie’s chameleon-like choices throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. In 2020, Styles became the first solo male artist to grace the cover of American Vogue by himself—wearing a dress. A Gucci brand ambassador for the past several years—first appearing in the Italian label’s ad campaigns in 2018—lately, Styles has elevated his presence in the house, teaming up with creative director Alessandro Michele in a capsule collection that debuted in June. Dubbed Gucci HA HA HA, the name isn’t only meant to convey the playful attitude of the duo’s friendship and their resulting designs; it’s also simply a nod to the initials for Harry and Alessandro.
Harry Styles has elevated his presence at Gucci, teaming up for a capsule collection, HA HA HA that debuted in June
“Harry has an incredible sense of fashion,” Michele says. “Observing his ability to combine items of clothing in a way that is out of the ordinary compared to the required standards of taste and common sense and the homogenization of appearance, I came to understand that the styling of a look is a generator of differences and of powers—as are his reactions to the designs I have created for him, which he has always made his own. These reactions restore me with a rush of freedom every time.”
The idea of creating Gucci HA HA HA occurred to him one day during a phone conversation with the British actor and singer/songwriter, Michele says. “I proposed creating a ‘dream wardrobe’ with him, starting from those small oddities that come together in childlike visions,” he explains. “We ended up with a mix of aesthetics from ‘70s pop and bohemian to the revision of the image of the gentleman in an overturned memory of men’s tailoring.”
The Gucci HA HA HA collection features a mix of Romanticism and English tailoring, and aesthetics from ‘70s pop
That mix of Romanticism and English tailoring is seen in double-breasted coats crafted of Prince of Wales check or the mother-of-pearl buttons that adorn a dress shirt. Treated denim jackets, velvet suits in unexpected colors, printed pajamas, retro-inspired bowling shirts, pleated kilts with leather straps and buckle closures, and details like frog fasteners on hooded coats are also key to the collection.
Dapper dressing is also impacting current jewelry trends, with the latest collections often embracing a gender-neutral strategy. Styles and other stars have also played an integral role in this category. Mikimoto’s latest collection is Passionoir, highlighting unisex pieces crafted of black South Sea pearls set in rhodium-plated silver. That collection has quickly gained popularity, partly due to the influence of Styles, who’s often seen sporting a pearl necklace for moments both casual and formal. Brooches are also enjoying a decided uptick in interest as the adornment to a tuxedo jacket—from Jared Leto, also a Gucci ambassador, to Dan Levy, who wore a floral Cartier diamond brooch with his double-breasted cream suit by The Row to the 2021 SAG Awards.
“Crazy Rich Asians” star Henry Golding, meanwhile, was named the first-ever male ambassador for David Yurman earlier this year, sharing the latest ad campaign with Scarlett Johansson. Photographed at a pair of glamorous Manhattan locations, Casa Cipriani and The Carlyle, Golding says the vibe of both the shoot and the Yurman brand suited him perfectly. “I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the city many times for both personal and professional reasons, and each time I feel more and more a sense of belonging,” the actor says. “David Yurman is a testament to the city’s heritage and values, and I’m honored to be the face of a brand whose timeless works of self-expression continue to connect us all.”
Eight Gucci stores are located within the Brookfield Properties portfolio, at Iconic Collection destinations:
Ala Moana Center | Honolulu, HI
Brookfield Place NY | New York, NY
Miami Design District | Miami, FL
Oakbrook Center | Chicago, IL
Pioneer Place | Portland, OR
Shops at Merrick Park | Coral Gables, FL
The Shops at La Cantera | San Antonio, TX
The Shops at The Bravern | Seattle, WA
Tysons Galleria | Washington, D.C.
