While recognized more for T-shirts, sweatsuits and camouflage gear in his roles as Rambo and Rocky Balboa, the superstar has created a new business to develop Stallone, a men’s lifestyle brand, for launch in 2012.

The business, appropriately named Sly Inc., is owned by Stallone, veteran beauty and retail executive Michael Henry and other unidentified financial backers.

“I thought the time is now,” Stallone told Men’sWeek. “I’ve lived a life where I know what has worked and what hasn’t worked. Clothing is the first step to building a character.”

When creating Rocky, he said, it was essential to find the right outfit. “If he wore white and pleated pants, it would have been a whole different thing,” he said. “Clothes affect one’s attitude.”

Stallone said the first time he personally became “truly involved in style,” was between “Rambo 2” and “Rambo 3” when he underwent a “huge weight change,” dropping from 185 to 160 pounds. “Nothing fit so I started buying custom clothing. I found out I really like this world.”