Jesse Williams Thinks His Younger Self Would Say “Well Done” About His Thom Browne Look For The 75th Annual Tony Awards

Jesse Williams’s approach to getting dressed is both logical and methodical, and for last night’s Tony Awards, he leaned into that with a custom tuxedo by celebrated American designer Thom Browne. The actor, who rose to fame on the hit ABC series, Grey’s Anatomy, was nominated for best featured actor in a play for his part in Take Me Out. (The play, which was Williams’s first, took home the Tony for best revival.)

“[Thom Browne] has been taking some really interesting, daring leaps [in] not only who they’re dressing, but how they’re dressing folks in the last couple of seasons,” Williams tells Vanity Fair. “It seemed like an interesting fit because they’re a solid institution in terms of a fashion house.” Solid indeed. Known for his modern approach to classic American tailoring, Browne has dressed everyone from LeBron James to Michelle Obama, and has a brand identity that can be spotted a mile away thanks to the signature red, white, and blue tabs adorning much of his clothing.

For the Tony Awards, Williams opted for a made-to-measure tuxedo in cavalry twill, marked by five ticket pockets, satin lapels, silk faille suspenders and an oxford cotton tuxedo shirt. Pebble grain long wing brogue boots completed the look, which was fitting for an actor nominated for his role as a baseball player. 

And Williams’s look for last night — as well as much of what he’s worn recently — was largely inspired by living in New York over the past few months. Describing the city as its own runway, he’s looked to be a bit more expressive recently. “When I think about [my] fashion in the last couple of months and then for the show, I think I decided as we started this that I’m bringing my personality and the work that I put in,” he says. “I don’t need the clothes to compete with that. “I’m the expression, you know? I didn’t want to try to get too wacky and compete in that sense. I think I’m approaching this with the more mature, forward facing stage in my life. I wanted the [Tony Awards] look to be solid and let all of the pronouncements around it be the flavor.”