This is what all straight men will look like in the future.

There are only two things you need to know about Andre Benjamin: 

1. He is African American.

2. He is heterosexual. 

You can forget the Grammy's, the millions of records he sold as part of the duo Outkast, the kid he has with Erykah Badu and that summer we all spent shaking it like a Polaroid picture. Now that Mr. Benjamin is settling into life as a fashion designer, these are his two biggest set-backs. Or at least that's what he told the crowd at Holt's when he dropped by the Toronto store on Tuesday to launch his line, Benjamin Bixby. 

According to your boyfriend Shinan Govani: 

Being "an African-American," he allowed, was a bit of a challenge, especially since there's a perception that hip-hop stars "will throw their names on anything."

"But," he then added, firmly, "I'm not a gay man," implying that that fact was not an asset. Oh, not in the world of fashion!

It's not often a straight man can cry wolf over his sexuality, but I guess I'll let Benjamin have it. After all, this is the fashion world we're talking about, where Gareth Pugh's boyfriend gifts him a nipple clamp and it makes headlines. Straight males are as common in fashion as gay ones are in sports. That said, many have still managed to become top designers.

And we can't erase all the harm Lil' Kim, Nelly and Beyonce's mom have done to Black fashion design, but Andre can rest assured the white in Anna Wintour's eyes will recall all the best-dressed lists Andre made before he dropped the 3000. He hasn't been doing an excessive tour of the tents like Kanye, but Benjamin has been making fashion headlines for years. He's seasoned, smart and most importantly fashionable. 

Despite Andre's dark skin and tendency to touch female bodies for more than measurements, I think he'll still survive as a designer. The preview of the collection looks simple, clean and wearable. 

Now if only he'd sell me one of these.