Style Strategies
⇾ Keith James, Designer
The “gentlemen milliner” on investing in luxury and travel
After years of selling hats from the trunk of his car while completing college, designer Keith James moved to Atlanta in an attempt to leverage his opportunities and dreams of becoming the largest African-American-owned luxury brand. It was there that retail giants like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman picked up his line of handsome hats. Dubbed the “gentleman milliner”, James is now known for his stylish collection of hats for men and women, mixing classic lines and silhouettes with modern materials and colors is most noted by the brand's trademarked red under brim. Fans include everyone from Lebron James and Floyd Mayweather to Beyoncé and Martha Stewart.
Now, the brand is expanding. There's even more varieties of hats, along with luxe leather goods, accessories and fragrances. And when we sat down with the jet-setting James to talk about how he shops, we found out that he's currently in the final stages of designing shoes for the brand. “It's our first footwear collection, which is slated to include both sneakers and an elevated yet casual Chelsea boot that can be worn dressed up or down.” Such is the ethos of Keith James. He's a man who revels in luxury and yet remains completely down to Earth.
Describe your personal style in
five words or less.
So fresh and so clean.
What’s the best thing you’ve bought under $20 recently?
Probably lunch from Tender Greens.
What was the item that you thought about the longest before buying?
My Ferrari, for sure. It was my dream car since I was a kid so it felt right, but obviously the price had me thinking long before buying. I went with the 2023 F8 Spider, red with black interior.
What’s something you’re looking to buy at the moment?
That's a loaded question! I'm always looking, but I would say I'm most interested in figuring out a way to buy my time back at the moment.
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Three favorite brands, currently?
Outside of Keith James, it would be Alo for sportswear and TOM FORD and Brunello Cucinelli for luxury goods.
What’s your footwear rotation
look like lately?
Right now, I'm wearing our samples mostly to get a feel for the fit. But also the Lebron trainers, I'm wearing those a lot, too.
LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD x FaZe sneaker,
$170 by Nike
Do you shop more online or in person?
Online is easy, but I shop more in person for sure.
What city has the best shopping?
London, for me, is the best—especially in the winter time. The outerwear is on another level. So is the vintage shopping. I love stopping in at Selfridges when I'm in town. They have such a diverse and wide array of options of everything you could want.
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Necessary extravagance?
Travel. It's where I learn the most and get the most inspiration.
The one thing you refuse to spend money on ...
Clubs. And nightlife in general. It's just not what they used to be, man.
Essential T-shirt,
$75 / $56.25 by Theory
What’s something you buy multiples of (either by design or by default)?
Probably workout clothes and white T-shirts. When I find what works, I stick with it. Theory's Essential crewneck is a favorite tee.
What’s one shopping tip or hack that you can let everyone know about?
I don't know if I have a “hack” for you, but I can tell you, even as a someone who appreciates the finer things, a man doesn't have to spend a lot of money to look nice. It's about the effort you put into it.
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