Preppy superheroes invade Thom Browne’s Fall 2012 runway show

I respect Thom Browne because he just doesn’t give a fuck. Well, I suppose that’s not entirely true, I think he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks and has a lot of fun doing it. The images above are from his Fall 2012 runway show and boy what a doozy this collection is. To me the models look like preppy superheroes, which as it turns out, look pretty rad. You’ve got the ‘roided out HUlk types, which totally crack me up because you know those models weigh like 120 lbs. And then you’ve got the masked vigilantes, outfitted with leather, studs… and bow ties. I don’t claim to know what it means, but I certainly do enjoy it.

To see Thome Browne’s full Fall 2012 collection, click over to GQ.

Bobby

Shipley & Halmos get a visit from The Selby

I’ve long been a fan of the clothing produced by the duo of Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos, better known in the fashion world as Shipley & Halmos. I have a black cardigan that I’ve owned for a couple of years now that is hands down the best cardigan I’ve ever owned. There’s something about the cuff of the sleeves that fit perfect, some bit of elastic that makes it so that the ends never get stretched out. It’s a perfect detail that makes it a perfect cardigan.

Browsing around The Selby I noticed he paid the guys a visit and shot their space, so I thought I’d share it here. Having a space that inspires you is always important, and well, if I had a space like they did I would turn out amazing things every few minutes. It’s cool that everything in their space is mostly completely white, but is accentuated with punches of color. There’s a really great, lived in feeling to the space which makes the space feel so natural and wonderful. Hopefully something about their space will inspire something in your own.

Bobby

Achieving success the Viktor & Rolf way

Finding success in life is a difficult path, and they’re different for each of us. In a recent interview with Viktor & Rolf over on The Talk, they mentioned how they started out and how they continued to thrive.

When you started out as young designers, did you ever think you would achieve the amount of success that you have?

Viktor: Of course it’s pretty great to be successful. But when we started out we didn’t have a blueprint of how we imagined our career going. On the one hand there was this ambition and conviction that we wanted to work at the highest level possible and then on the other hand a very pragmatic approach, being very aware of what we could and could not do. You immediately assess the risks you can and cannot take. That doesn’t sound like a business plan, but that was, and still is, the approach we have to our work. We control everything.

Everything?

Viktor: Everything. Not just exhibitions, also collections, perfumes, everything. Of course we work with a team, but we’re very involved in everything we do.

The idea of maintaining control in everything you do is a really great point. It’s extremely hard to keep control of your creative world, especially when money starts to become involved, and it’s oftentimes that much harder because you’re forced to do so much yourself. The joys of having things your way and to your liking far outweigh the struggles you may face.

Bobby

Yohji Yamamoto and his avant garde spirit

Photo by Nicolas Guerin/Contour by Getty Images

I was reading an interview with Yohji Yamamoto over on the The Talks and found this particular part inspiring. Have you found something of your own?

I simply cannot stand people’s tendency to become conservative. There’s always a move back to established conventions, otherwise upcoming waves would be soon categorized as common sense. Even the term avant-garde – avant-garde is now just a tiny fashion category. It became so cheap and pretentious. I hate it. But still, I strongly believe in the avant-garde spirit: to voice opposition to traditional values. It is not just a youthful sentiment; I live my life by it. Rebellion. You will only be able to oppose something and find something of your own after traveling the long road of tradition.

Bobby

RRL’s Take On 1920s Australian Mug Shots

Earlier this year, a collection of 1920s Australian mug shots surfaced and made the rounds on the Internet, where people were taken aback by how visually beautiful and even “cool” these mug shots looked. As you see above, there are a few of the 1920s mug shots and…a few impostors! Two of the above are actually shots from the current RRL lookbook. Can you spot which are authentic and which are imitation?

The rugged Ralph Lauren lifestyle brand currently features these looks on their website, showcasing this season’s styles for the brand. The concept is genius, as their aesthetic lends itself so brilliantly to their look. Of course these are admittedly a little silly as they are recycling an idea that was used to document criminals, but the execution of the idea in such a truly authentic looking manner is quite a feat. I really did have trouble figuring out which were from the 1920s and which were from 2011 when inserting these photos, but–if you haven’t figured it out already–the second and fourth photo are the impostors.

Catch more 1920s mug shot inspired photos on their website and, if you have a few extra Benjamins in your pocket, be sure to pick up some of the looks.

KYLE