How Steve Harvey's stylist evolved the 'Steve Harvey suit'

Steve Harvey is speaking out about his style evolution and is taking none of the credit.

The 65-year-old comedian and TV personality, who in the late 90s and early 2000s had a style synonymous with suit jackets that came to the knee, caught eyeballs, sparked memes and garnered overall praise from social media in October when he was photographed wearing more stylish and unique pieces.

Elly Karamoh, the 29-year-old stylist behind Harvey's updated Canadian Tuxedo, monochromatic, and mesmerizing peacoat looks, tells USA TODAY the updated fashion is all about their trust with one another.

"He knows I’m not going to put him in nothing too crazy … he just owns it,” Karamoh says.

The bold, colorful and well-tailored selections Karamoh has made for Harvey over the past few years reflect his personal fashion philosophy: "No one should be boxed into any category, women, men or kids. … There's no rule to fashion.”

Long before working with Harvey, Karamoh said he was always drawn to the "Family Feud" host's fashion sense. However, Harvey's wife, Marjorie Harvey, was not.

In an interview for Paper magazine's latest cover revealed Tuesday, conducted by Michael B. Jordan (who is dating Harvey's daughter Lori), Harvey said his wife introduced Karamoh into his world after previously scolding his fashion choices synonymous with "The Steve Harvey Suit."

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"I live with a fashion icon," Harvey told the magazine. "She got me out of the big suits to begin with. She just came home one day and said, 'I'm tired of being married to a pimp.' "

Harvey said in the interview while filming for "Family Feud Africa" his wife flew Karamoh in without his knowledge. Ever since he was hired to curate Harvey's closet.

"He dressed me for NFL Honors, the first year I did it, then that got a lot of pull," Harvey said. "The word he taught me that I never understood was range."

The comedian's "Kings of Comedy" style era caught Karamoh's eye. During this phase of Harvey's life, he rocked a signature, well-groomed afro and mustache as well as a loose-fitting suit. Men's style in the 2000s when "Kings" was released, emphasized conservative navy, black and tan suits.

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Harvey would often stray from the norm and don silkened pinstripes, peach, yellow or even green-colored suits.

"A lot of people will say Steve Harvey is big suits and color but I was intrigued by that. I was intrigued by the 'Kings of Comedy' color and the freedom and the boldness that he had," Karamoh says.

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Harvey's stand-up career eventually drew to a close and his entertainment role transformed into hosting specials, talk shows and syndicated TV programs like "Family Feud" and book deals. As his roles changed, so did Harvey's style — the suits remained loosely fitted but the colors were silenced to a more conservative black and navy.

"On TV, man, it was hard to get me out of my comfort zone. Shirt, tie, pocket square, suit, three piece, button-up. That's how I make my money, that's what works," Harvey told Jordan.

After Karamoh started working with Harvey in 2019, the stylist said he wanted to "bring back his colors, but in a very European silhouette.”

Harvey's updated looks have inspired jokes on Twitter, with users photoshopping photos of the entertainer to land jokes about him dressing like a superhero, even calling for a "Steve Harvey cinematic universe."

"Steve Harvey can pull off any outfit and make any bad response on family feud funny," one Twitter user wrote.

Another user wrote: "I don’t care what y’all say I like Steve Harvey outfits. His stylist (has) been on point lately."

With the ensembles he pieces together for Harvey, Karamoh says he hopes to inspire other people who are beyond their twenties and thirties to push the fashion envelope.

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"I would encourage older men, specifically, not to give up because I feel like once you reach the 40, 50 or 60-group, society puts you in a category (that) you should be more conservative or you should look a certain way," he says. "No matter what age you are, you still have that young kid inside you."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve Harvey style moments: Stylist weighs in on green suit