Leslie Odom Jr. Joins J.Crew's New Campaign — and Calls Chadwick Boseman a Lasting Style Inspiration

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Leslie Odom Jr. has an eye for style.

The 40-year-old Hamilton alum recently chatted with PEOPLE about his love for all things fashion, while sharing his excitement about his latest partnership with J.Crew for the Spring 2022 Campaign.

A longtime fan of the brand, Odom Jr. describes the "hand in glove" partnership as "a perfect fit" not only because the campaign's focus centers around personal style and creativity, but because he's drawn to the heritage label's "classic" pieces.

"Number one, you can hold onto them longer and you are more likely to look back at pictures of yourself and not want to cringe – and nobody really does that better than J.Crew," Odom Jr. tells PEOPLE exclusively.

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The actor recalled one of his first memories of the brand, saying, "It was the brand that I would save my money and splurge on when I was in high school and college."

He continues, "Once my bank account grew into it a little bit, I could really depend on J.Crew for my side jobs and survival jobs, my interviews… I'd get two J.Crew suits, go to the tailor, get them fitted real nice, and they would stay in my closet for years and years."

The multi-hyphenate has quickly become recognized as a style icon, having graced a number of red carpets over the years while serving up a variety of diverse looks that range from fresh-off-the-runway pieces to colorful streetwear.

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"Red carpet, we take a little more risk," says Odom Jr., who collaborates with stylist Avo Yermagyan on his wardrobe. "I'd say the last five years or so, there's been a trend in menswear to peacock a little bit, to have fun, to not be afraid of color, and to not be afraid of patterns."

The One Night in Miami actor shared that he prefers to leave "fashion risks" to the professionals – especially when it comes to award season, red carpets, and press days.

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"In those moments, I want to wear something that is going to lead to a good time," he says. "Most times when I'm allowed, I'll vote to push me a little bit or to guide me into something that I wouldn't necessarily pick out on my own."

J.Crew's emphasis for the Spring 2022 Campaign is centered around the idea of using surroundings to guide fashion choices. As a native New Yorker, Odom Jr. not only seeks inspiration from the city streets, but from his friends and fellow artists as well.

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"A lot of times I'm looking at the older cats. I'm looking at Miles Davis. There's something that I really love about late fifties fashion for men," he says while adding, "But man, I love Anderson Paak."

Odom Jr. has an extensive list of style icons, but he mentioned that there's one person in particular who fuels his passion to create — the late Chadwick Boseman.

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"I loved Chadwick for lots of reasons both on and off screen. He was also a trendsetter, super unique, and a part of that whole wave of menswear really taking bold steps away from looking like the penguin all the time," he says. "Chadwick wasn't afraid to expand our idea of masculinity and what a man could be on the red carpet."

In addition to the lengthy list of legends who've made significant strides in the fashion industry, Odom Jr. cites women as an inspiration as well due to their "consistency and the fun that they have" – specifically his Needle in a Haystack costar, Cynthia Erivo.

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"Watching my good pal, Cynthia Erivo, who I adore and really doesn't miss an opportunity to step on a red carpet in the boldest, precious, most creative way has been a huge inspiration too. I love everything that her team does," he says.

While Odom Jr. has a roster of icons that push his fashion potential, it's the streets of New York that he credits as inspiration, saying "You won't find a more stylish city in this country."

"The New York style that inspires me most is people intrinsic to the culture of those boroughs," he adds. "It's not about dough. It is not about labels. It really is about confidence and individuality and culture," he adds.