Kenyatte Nelson on far leftEsquire Magazine announced the winner of its 2008 Best Dressed Real Man contest on yesterday's Today Show. Contestants submitted photos in their finest fashions and a fashion mission statement.
Fellow Florida A&M University alum, Kenyatte Nelson, was named the winner. His prize package, worth $40,000, included: an IWC watch; a round-trip flight on a Bombardier Lear Jet; a VIP trip to Switzerland; a trip to NYC for the September issue Style shoot; and a $10,000 Esquire wardrobe.
Excerpted from Esquire.com
Kenyatte Nelson, 31, brand manager, Cincinnati
Models himself after: His dad. "He said that if you're a book and your clothes are the cover, you should dress like a New York Times best seller."
Corduroy blazer by Kenneth Cole; shirt by Calvin Klein; bow tie by Roundtree & Yorke; pocket square by Saks Fifth Avenue; jeans by H&M; hat by Batsakes Hat Shop. Sweater and boots are vintage.
Mission statement: "My fashion philosophy is similar to my philosophy on life: Man at his best, in fashion or fatherhood, exercises unyielding passion and understands that incremental effort can yield exponential results. If life is truly every man's work of art, I choose not to paint it with broad strokes, but instead explore the details and create a masterpiece. I am Esquire's Best Dressed Real Man because I dress how I strive to live: beautifully."
