Winston Duke Talks Personal Style, Futurism, and Making New Friends at the Off-White Show in Paris

Though his designer wardrobe and the ease in which he mingles with his front row seatmates may suggest otherwise, this Fashion Month marked a first for Winston Duke. “In the past I’ve attended Men’s Fashion Week, but I had yet to experience the women’s collections, and I was curious to see the differences between them,” he tells Vogue from the Saint James Paris hotel in the City of Light’s 16th arrondissement. Following a whirlwind trip to Milan where he attended Etro and Marni the actor arrived at Paris Fashion Week to further that education at the Off-White show. “My relationship with the fashion industry has been growing, and I thought this [was] the perfect opportunity to continue exploring that budding relationship,” he says, adding that hoped to deepen his understanding of the distinction between houses.

Like scores of his fellow fashion enthusiasts, Duke has paid close attention to the Virgil Abloh-founded Off-White in recent seasons, taking note of its direction with Ib Kamara at the helm. Seeing the show in person did not disappoint. “I personally felt like I saw a lot of risk-taking, and that always appeals to me,” he says. “I saw a lot of designs that employ graphic playfulness and color, which resonates with me being part of the Black diaspora. Color is like a second language to me, and seeing it playfully done in a very youthful modern way was exciting.” The collection, he says, also radiated a global appeal. “I could see many of the designs on the streets of Tokyo or Korea; I could see them on the stages of American concerts as easily as I could see them on the streets of Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.”

Duke is especially versed in the global street style landscape. A recently appointed UN ambassador for Sustainable Tourism, the Trinidad and Tobago native has traveled to 14 countries over the past year—picking up some personal style inspiration along the way. “In my travels, I encountered a lot of modernism, modern architecture, and what I would call futurism,” he says. “This truly shifted my sense of style. I love sleek designs that deconstruct old narratives and redefine them in cool, new ways. I think that’s where I am as a person and as an artist.”

Perhaps Duke can add stylist to his resume soon, too. This Fashion Month, and for the past few Men’s seasons he’s attended, Duke has selected pieces from brands and styled them himself. For the Off-White show, he landed on a hoodie and wide-leg jeans topped with a varsity jacket. Ever a fan of accessories, Duke completed the look with sunglasses and a faux fur trapper hat. “As an actor, you are not always working every day, but there are still ways to interact with storytelling, and playing with my wardrobe has allowed me to do just that,” he says. “I’ve been able to show more whimsical and street culture sides of myself.”

We’ll soon catch Duke on screen, starring opposite Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt and Aaron Taylor Johnson in The Fall Guy, out May 3. “Ryan Gosling and I play stuntmen who have to solve a particular crime using our unique talents,” he says. “It’s a very funny and action-packed film, and I’m excited for the world to see it.”

In the meantime, see how Duke does Paris Fashion Week.