Fashion forward

Style maverick’s signature look: ‘Classic with a twist’

Would-be shoppers are forgoing expensive name brands and heading straight for clearance racks at neighborhood Goodwills and Value Villages.

For some, these may be new retail territories. For fashion connoisseur Ryan Jor El Coleman (www.facebook.com/ryan.jorel), they have been an important source for piecing together his personal ensembles for nearly a decade.

“Why go to the club or why go to an event and you have on a Gucci shirt and six other people in the club have on that same shirt?” asks Jor El. Instead, he says, “I’m going to wear what your grandfather wore and look better than you in it – and I paid $10 for it.” 

Photo by Tiona Fuller Photography

For him it’s not about the name brand or the cost as much as it’s about his head-to-toe style, which he describes overall as “classic with a twist.” From timeless prints like herringbone and paisley to his “funky” hosieries (socks), rolled-up pants legs, polka-dot bow ties and velvet slippers, Jor El declares that he’ll never dress like the “next” man in a room. 

In fact, while working in retail at a Ralph Lauren store in SouthPark mall, it was Jor El’s distinguished style that piqued the attention of a man who would later become his mentor.

“He was probably at that moment the best-dressed guy in there and he seemed like a knowledgeable fellow so I would do my shopping with him,” recalls Leonard Gresham, owner of Styles by Privilege.

A few years later Gresham invited Jor El to one of his staff meetings where he ultimately recruited him to work for his wardrobe-consulting firm.

From watching old films starring Cary Grant and Fred Astaire to documentaries on Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole, Jor El gleaned from his mentor the importance of “knowing your research.”

“I told him it’s really about a lot of study, you have to know your craft,” says Gresham. “People are not interested in your opinion unless they know that you know the facts first, which means you have to know the classics and you have to know the history of men’s clothing.”

Whether going on shopping expeditions or selling made-to-measure suits, Jor El has been building his clientele with Styles by Privilege while using techniques he’s learned along the way to continue “making his own lane in Charlotte.”

“He definitely has been a big help to me and he’s pushed me to branch out on my own and to pursue my dreams despite what may be against me, so I definitely thank him for that,” Jor El says of his mentor.

Having wrapped up organizing, hosting and styling his second full-blown fashion production, held at AKA Creative earlier this year, Jor El is setting his sights on hosting red-carpet events, styling celebrities and elevating his brand to the next level.

“Look out: This is only the beginning,” says Jor El. “I know that this year is going to surpass any dreams that I’ve had in the past ...”