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Meet Mr. Evan Klein (@evanlklein) living between Mexico City and Montreal. He’s the founder/editor of Klein’s Journal and creative director of Ameland, a menswear company launching in June 2022.
Evan, what does it mean for you to be a Modern Gentleman?
I think the answer to that can often be kitschy, but for me it’s about self-awareness and betterment. It’s easy to say that manners and social grace are the core components of being a good man or a “gentleman”, but it goes much deeper than that. How are we doing emotionally? As men, I don’t think that gets talked about enough in a way that reaches the younger generation. The better we’re doing mentally the better we can help others and advocate for each other. Being able to do the work offline and applying those lessons to the world at large is hugely interesting to me. At the end of the day, emotional intelligence is the key to the game. If you met yourself in third person, what would you think about him? What would he have to say? These are the sorts of questions I think about these days. Everything else is cake.
When it comes to style, where do you mostly get your inspiration from?
So many places. I’m a visual person and I’m obsessed with everything. From the Tumblr days to Pinterest, there’s so much that gets me excited online. In the real world, it’s the everyday guys that inspire me. People like Brock Korsan, the SVP at Warner Records, and Jeremy Langmead, the founding member of Mr. Porter. I also love what Kyle Shiels is doing with Uncommon Man. On the brand side of things, I’m especially inspired by designers out of Asia. Shops like Sillage and Harago are the coolest things to me right now.
What’s your personal style signifier?
Accessories. I think a good outfit can be bland without them. I’m fairly conservative but I envy anyone in a neck scarf and a handful of rings. Maybe that’s why I always have too many buttons undone.
What are your favorite wardrobe essentials?
For one, a good pair of wide pants. I love the casual and loose look when it’s done right. If I can get away with it, I’ll almost always prefer something that’s loose and comfortable over something slimmer. The second is a good shoe or slip-on. When you have two dogs, accessibility is everything. For me, I always need something versatile that I can slip into quickly for any occasion. The right loafer usually does the trick.
What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
Literature, movies, and entrepreneurship. I grew up writing and publishing fiction and I’ve always loved good films, especially foreign films. The Great Beauty is probably the best film of the last decade for me. It was like a case study on style and aesthetics. Anything by Sorrentino is amazing. It was only later on that I realized how much I loved starting new ventures and learning how to combine creativity with business. With Klein’s Journal, I’m able to tap into my passion for writing and editorial while also thinking about revenue streams. And for Ameland, I’m able to work with my hands and talk about real-world logistics, which is something I’ve really missed these last few years. I come from a family of creatives but nobody ever fully executed on their talents. I feel like I have a certain obligation.
What does your ideal Sunday look like?
Being in the country or by the beach with my dogs. I have a 4-year-old Irish Wolfhound and a 1-year-old rescue from Oaxaca. Whenever we take trips out of the city we’re the happiest trio in the world. If we can’t get out of the city, we’re at the cafe and watching movies at home.
Describe an interesting trip you have taken and tell us and what’s the next destination on your bucket list.
I recently did a 72-hour road trip from Mexico City to Toronto making stops in Austin, Nashville, and New York along the way. It was just me and my two dogs and we had a great time. A few weeks later we did the same trip in reverse. Being that I’m somewhat restricted when it comes to travel, I’m looking forward to trips to Belize and Honduras and visiting my brother in Colombia. I love unexpecting places that are off the beaten path.
Tell us what can never be missing in your liquor cabinet.
Truth be told, I’m not a big drinker anymore. That being said, living in Mexico City it’s practically illegal not to have a decent mezcal in the cabinet.
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