It's self-effacing it's hard-luck the shtetl stories. All those Coasters things are an amalgam of Yiddish and black humor.
In regards to being a fashion aficionado there's a certain amount of taking yourself seriously in the professional world. The self-effacing person can't completely go down the serious road. But I design and love when things are beautiful.
It demonstrates to his simple mind in the most positive manner that we have no prejudice against him on account of his race and that while he behaves himself he will be treated the same as a white man.