The Long and Short of It

“Between 10th and 11th grade I grew six inches,” says menswear designer Waraire Boswell, who now stands 6-foot-7. “It was so difficult to find clothes, and I was fighting that for years.” He started paying attention to clothing as a teenager (“I realized girls liked it”), but it wasn’t until four years ago that he decided to launch his own label and solve his fashion conundrum.

The Altadena native had a degree in African Studies from Cal State Northridge and was working in the mailroom at a talent agency, where he was reprimanded for reading Esquire and Vogue Men on the job. With no formal training and zero connections, Boswell, now 28, joined forces with a patternmaker for his collection, which caters to regular, tall and athletic men.

Made-to-order suits, pinstriped trousers and sweaters are all part of the lineup, which he describes as “urban diplomat.” Solid, striped and plaid shirts come in bold colors such as pink, lime green and sky blue and feature extra-wide French cuffs, zipper detailing and deadpan labeling such as “Le Col” on a collar. A recurring motif is Mordecai, an Irish terrier once owned by Boswell. The pooch is emblazoned on shirts and embroidered on corduroy three-button blazers. “Men used to just have basic brown, black and blue,” says Boswell, whose current fans include Colin Farrell and Andre 3000. “I’m into color, fit and looking smart. I don’t make outfits; I make pieces that are interchangeable, whether you want to wear them with loafers or Vans.”

Waraire Boswell is available at Lisa Kline Men and Satine in Los Angeles, Fred Segal Santa Monica and Planet Blue in Malibu.