Wain, pronounced the same as the cape crusader/ trust fund baby Bruce Wayne, isn’t your average run of the mill architect in a black suit. He’s a murse carrying, suit wearing, pocket square flaunting professional that’ll put the real Mr. Wayne to shame. Whether he’s spending a night out on the town or surveying a New York building, you can bet your ass he’s doing it in style and class. One can say that he’s a heroine in his own right; a fashion heroine upholding the idea that men can look damn fine too.
Christopher Wain is one out of many embracing the idea that men can be snazzy, chic, elegant and sophisticated. From top to bottom, the first thing you’ll notice is his hair. Adding several inches to his height (5 1/2’’ to be exact), it is his trademark. To achieve the Tower of Babel that is his hair, Chris uses potent Japanese wax, ample amounts of hair spray and overall patience.
“It does take quite a bit of work. The secret is to blow dry the beast, have it fully dry and shape your hair before you even add any product.”
The process doesn’t end here.
“I use a Japanese wax to create the style I’m looking to achieve for the day, then finish it off with a strong hair spray my hair stylist recommended.”
These two pieces tame the doo pretty well. It towers above his scalp and combats gale force winds, humidity and sweat filled days.
His sense of style harks back to his adolescent days of first dates, pimple taming and SATs. When asked about the origin of his style, he recollects calmly.
“I decided to recreate my image in my junior year of high school, so I took a few chances and took control of my style.”
Chris would slightly shiver at the sight of his former self, but he shows no remorse for the way he used to dress himself.
“When I wore those clothes, it felt right, so I have no regrets.”
Leaving that part of fashion history behind, his current style is an evolution, years in the making (But, more on that later).
Working in New York City, Chris draws inspiration from styles he sees on the street. This is his way of keeping his style fresh and different. But no outfit is complete without a splash of his own character and flair. And every outfit is over the top. So, Chris easily stands out in a field that embraces casual, comfortable and often loose fitting clothing. He tackles fashion mediocrity with a collection of setups rich in detail, color and swag. But, Chris has one important ground rule:
“Once you’re dressed, you’ve got to embrace your outfit. The biggest part of style is confidence. If you own up to your fashion choices for the day, you’ll be fine.”
Chris also draws inspiration and confidence from the soccer and fashion extraordinaire David Beckham. Keeping a close eye on his outfits on the red carpet, magazine spreads and TV appearances Chris emulates a lot of his style. But it doesn’t end there. As a strong believer of evolving his own fashion, he doesn’t shy away from recent trends.
He struts his goods in a grey H&M suit. The black vest and pants, also from H&M, creates a bit of contrast to the entire ensemble. Chris blends in with the style savvy, cobblestone laden streets of Hell’s Kitchen. Even on a day when the temperature continues to climb, he tries to fight the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. And despite the heat, he showcases his love for detail with a heavy focus on fitment.
“I definitely pay much more attention to details, in particular, the fit of all of my clothes. Without the right fit, the articles of clothing don’t work as well.”
As the interview came to a close, Chris provided some knowledge for men just getting into fashion. And much like the view he had throughout the interview, he closed it by emphasizing it some more.
“Most people think that fashion starts and ends with the clothes that you wear. You couldn’t be any more wrong! Fashion is all about confidence, being bold and staying true to yourself.”
That’ll do Mr. Wain, that’ll do.