One of the many breakout stars of HBO's It's a Sin, fan-favorite actor Omari Douglas has been taking in and processing the outpouring of love the show has received for its honest portrayal of HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ youth in London.
"I think the biggest takeaway for me has been just how powerful television as a medium is and it can be especially in the UK," he tells PAPER. "In the past year with everything that's been happening in terms of the pandemic, everyone was sort of struggling to feel their sense of worth, but when a show like this comes along I think it just sort of proves our worth as artists and that we are sort of contributing to society."
His character Roscoe captured viewer's hearts for his carefree personality and unapologetic nature. "There was definitely a sense of having to step out of my comfort zone a little bit," he says of the role. "But I definitely related to him in the sense of his independence or his want for independence. The ambition. He's a dreamer. That was the thing that I kind of instantly connected with, you know, moving to London and just wanting to live your life and have the best time."
The actor is also playing a more sartorial role as one of the cast members of a new AR experience hosted by H&M in honor of their collaboration with London-based designer Simone Rocha. Since they couldn't host a big launch party in the wake of the pandemic, H&M created a series of pop-up books with British painter Faye Wei Wei that bring the collection to life via QR codes.
Douglas, who's featured in the pop-up books alongside Helena Bonham Carter, Kaia Gerber, Rowan Blanchard and Paloma Elsesser. "I think it's really whimsical and there's also the sense of it being really romantic," Douglas says of Rocha. "There's also this kind of Renaissance element in there. I feel that with her collections there is that sort of childlike-kind of excitement that you get with seeing and wearing her clothes, but equally it's so considered and mature and it's so well-crafted and really bold as well."
As this is Rocha's first time creating a full menswear collection, Douglas is particularly excited about some of her more ornate pieces. "The one I love the most has the pearls that line collar," he says. "I think she's been able to sort of embellish all of the menswear with a definite sense of femininity. I love that at the moment that a lot of menswear is being pushed by women. I just love that aesthetic. I love that there is a great sense of femininity in clothes."
H&M x Simone Rocha is available now in stores and online at HM.com.
Photos courtesy of H&M