Yes, I Love Chalamet Too

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Timothée Chalamet’s venture into the world of fashion is impossible to ignore. (Facebook)

By Isiah Magsino

Coming up with a topic to write about for my first column piece of this semester was difficult. I asked myself, “What do I want to complain about now?” Sitting there, I explored my options: how annoying the double-gold G Gucci belt is, Virgil Abloh’s “designing,” how people should probably thrift more and the list goes on.

As my search continued, I realized that most of my articles consist of me complaining about something and sounding like an overly judgmental fashion grunt.

“You should pick something overlooked and celebrate it,” said my roommate, Leilah. Seeing that this is a new year with a “clean slate,” I agreed.

Though he is definitely not overlooked, Timothée Chalamet’s venture into the world of fashion is difficult to ignore. The young star of “Call Me By Your Name” was recently spotted sitting front row next to Frank Ocean at Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton menswear show earlier this month.

Chalamet even received a special shout-out post by Vogue Magazine through an Instagram image of him and his squad moments after the show. Front row at a fashion show consists of an extremely exclusive seating arrangement reserved for celebrities, supermodels, editors and influencers. People such as Anna Wintour, A$AP Rocky and Kylie Jenner are considered front row royalty, a group that Chalamet may be joining sooner than later.

But before his Vuitton front row presence, Chalamet made it obvious that he was a fan of Abloh’s designs earlier this year at the Golden Globe awards in Los Angeles. The actor show-stopped the red carpet in a black tailored shirt and black trousers, topped with a signature Virgil Abloh Louis Vuitton structured harness.

I am not one to swoon over popular celebrities, but Chalamet made my mouth drop. Against the famous Golden Globe shrub every celebrity takes a photo at, Chalamet effortlessly combined elegance and mystery in one red carpet moment.

Furthering my interest in Chalamet’s ascendance to the role of fashion’s newest it-boy, the insanely charming actor also seems to have the support of my current favorite creative director: Sarah Burton.

Sarah Burton is the creative director of the insanely provocative fashion brand Alexander McQueen. She seems to support Chalamet’s fashion endeavors, as he has appeared on the red carpet not once, but twice sporting the highly desired fashion label.

The more memorable of the two took place in London at the premiere of his movie “Beautiful Boy.” There, Chalamet fully embraced his role as the “beautiful boy” and wore a tailored jacket and pants that were covered in flowers seemingly painted onto the garments.

There have been numerous times where I witnessed men attempt similar looks but fail miserably, as their attempts end up looking like cheap Zara knock-offs. Chalamet, however, pulled it off with no sweat.

But why do I care so much about the actor’s fashion journey and bold choices? I care because it is nice to see the evolution of men’s fashion choices manifesting under the spotlight.

It is great to see male celebrities and other powerful figures pushing the boundaries further than just the classic black and white tuxedo. Don’t get me wrong: the classic black and white tux is still extremely elegant and sexy, but it is nice to see other elements of men’s fashion on the red carpet that were non-existent not too long ago.

Before Chalamet, former One Direction heartthrob, Harry Styles, championed Gucci tailoring and Alessandro Michele’s old-school silhouettes and intense embroidery.

And finally, A$AP Rocky is the first menswear ruler in fashion and has received the style approval from literally everyone in the industry. (Maybe not everyone, but you get the point.)

These men walked so that Chalamet could run, and trust me, Chalamet is running.

The actor’s red carpet and fashion moments inevitably receive praise from major fashion outlets such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, GQ, Paper and more. I have yet to be let down by his fashion choices.

Men’s fashion is evolving and everyone interested should participate.

From the current men’s fashion month that is happening overseas, I have noticed many of the forward leaps that the designers are taking.

Claire Waight Keller at Givenchy is one example of this. Her latest collection in Paris continues to push men’s tailoring as her collection included a series of longer-line jackets, high ruffled collars and bell bottoms. Her collection pushed men’s boundaries without trying too hard or being obnoxious (think Moschino).

Designers like Waight Keller are pioneering the evolution of menswear. It is time that people recognize this evolution and fully embrace it. The whole fashion industry is supporting it alongside celebrity heartthrobs.

Next time you, your boyfriend, dad, brother or whoever is shopping, pose the question: “Do I really want to be boring this time and buy the Hermès belt with the tacky H as the buckle?”