It happens every year: As awards season gets underway, a select few actors begin to emerge as red-carpet standouts. Among these anointed few are typically an ingenue or two, perhaps a more seasoned thespian, but they typically tend to be women, dazzling in a series of gowns with striking silhouettes and unexpected flourishes. Much rarer is the leading man who transcends the confines of the standard black tux to hold his own in the realm of star style.
Of course, Colman Domingo, the Academy Award-nominated actor who plays the titular role in Rustin, is no ordinary leading man. With a career spanning more than three decades, Domingo’s trajectory began in the theater, before extending to film and television. In addition to earning an Emmy Award for his work on Euphoria and a Tony nomination for a role in The Scottsboro Boys, Domingo is also an accomplished writer, director, and producer, but Rustin marks the first time the actor has stepped into a lead role. Judging by the myriad award nominations he’s received for his pitch-perfect portrayal of civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, it seems that this won’t be the last time Domingo will find himself at the top of the call sheet — or turning heads on a red carpet.
Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald (known professionally as Wayman + Micah), the stylists behind Domingo’s relentlessly debonair ensembles, are uniquely equipped to bring each exquisite look to life. “We both grew up in the church,” Bannerman says of himself and his creative partner. “To see all the people come in their Sunday best, and be as dapper as possible, I believe that plays a part in our work now.”
While the duo has been working with Domingo for years, they moved in similar circles before their official working relationship began. “We would run into Colman at industry events or premieres, parties, cocktail receptions,” McDonald explains. “We’d always have this affinity for one another.” As Domingo continues his powerhouse red-carpet run, it’s clear that this affinity has blossomed into a beautifully collaborative relationship that’s yielded a series of iconic menswear moments.
Here, the stylists talk more about the creative process behind some of their favorite Colman Domingo looks yet.
Colman Domingo at the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Party
Roxanne Fequiere: How did you and Colman evolve from acquaintances to creative collaborators?
Micah McDonald: We had brunch together, the three of us, and we just talked about our enjoyment of fashion and everything that [Colman’s] done that we’ve noticed, everything that we’ve done that he’s noticed. And then he just posed the question of working together. We were like, “Of course.” From there, we started working together, and then our fittings went to the moon from there.
This past year was an unusual one for those in the industry due to the strike. What was it like getting back into the full swing of the Hollywood calendar?
MM: Full throttle. We found out about the strike [ending] around 5 or 6 p.m. and had to get clients on a red-eye that evening. It was like a movie. On an awards season press tour, you’ll want to work over a four-month period of time — that was reduced to three weeks. We had done a lot of pre-planning, Wayman and I, we discussed everything at length and really had a game plan going into it, so that catapulted us to where we needed to be to get going.
How do you begin to think about building a specific look?
Wayman Bannerman: We start with a conversation. Not a conversation of, “What color you would like to wear” — it’s more about listening to them speak and just hearing what they’re inspired by, references that they may speak of in a conversation. We pull from those references, whether it’s a color in the sky or just something seen on a recent travel journey. Then we take those things that they gravitate toward and speak passionately about, and we start to build from there.
MM: We’re presenting a new face of what a leading man can look like. He can express himself, and have fun, and live in creativity, and really grow from there. Refuting that standard has been one of our biggest joys and a benchmark for us.
Colman Domingo at the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival
How do you balance your vision for an ensemble with the realities of making sure each piece is suitable for your client’s build?
WB: We always enjoy sartorial tailoring. We like to make sure that we still experiment with menswear, but also keep fit in mind. Colman’s in a place where he’s celebrating his fitness. He’s working out regularly, and he wants to show off his physique. We make sure the blazer is more structured, or we make sure the shirt that’s under the blazer is tailored and fitted well.
MM: Colman’s custom Hugo Boss look for the GQ Men of the Year party was really a cool moment because what we wanted to do was experiment with androgyny and sartorial tailoring as well. As you see, the blazer coat is a bit oversized, and actually, the look was inspired by a womenswear coat that walked in the show. We wanted to take that coat and make it a bit more masculine, show that clothing can be transitional between men and women as well, that some looks are really cool for either gender.
WB: Hugo Boss really hustled with this one. I think they nailed this in a week’s time?
Colman has also appeared in a number of monotone looks, often in unexpected colors.
MM: The Santoni shoes he wore at the Palm Springs International Film Festival were a favorite of his, and we were so happy that we were able to pair them with a monochromatic Zegna look. And this look was just perfect for Palm Springs because it felt formal, elevated, prestigious, and conservative all in one. We love the shape of the blazer — it’s fresh and modern, and it’s a newer take on menswear.
The Critics Choice Awards look was a knockout. Valentino haute couture with Louis Vuitton boots and Bulgari jewels. This look speaks for itself.
WB: We’ve grown really, really fond of the Cuban heel. As we say, we like to be high and lifted up.
MM: The Amiri look that he wore to the Astra TV Awards was a look that went viral for us on social media. We loved it because it was so clean and effortless and easy as well, and we paired this with Louboutin lace-up shoes. We wanted everything to look fitted here — we were really excited about this look.
Colman Domingo at the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Party
Colman’s ensemble for the Academy Museum Gala seems like a straightforward tuxedo at first glance, but when you look closer, there’s much more to it.
MM: Yeah, that was custom Louis Vuitton, a favorite of ours. As you zoom in on the pants, you see there’s a flare at the bottom. It was originally a straight leg, and then we tailored it to have a flare, which is really cool. It’s a spin on a retro look, and it feels very classic and chic, like he’s Colman Bond here. It’s one of our standouts.
WB: We play around with a lot of jewelry, but for this particular moment, these were Colman’s own [pieces]. We love the way he stacks his rings. He’s just a great creative partner.
MM: [At the Golden Globes, he wore] a collection of vintage pieces we had found. And then he’s wearing Bayard Rustin’s ring on the hand where the watch is.
WB: We like to do really cool jewelry finds, so we source from vintage shops, archival shops as well.
MM: That was a really cool look. This is another one where we re-tailored the pants to get the fit. It’s so cool with the brooches, the Omega watch, and the rings. We really wanted to make a strong statement and this really set the tone. We’re big fans of old cinema, people like Cary Grant, gentlemen with flair. I keep coming back to the word “flair” because that really explains Colman and his red-carpet persona.
WB: And Colman is the perfect conduit for that motif. He’s a renaissance man.
