Joey wears Gucci hat, Versace sports tee, Polo Black Label jeans, silver Jordan 1s, Kenzo iPhone case
Bradley wears Louis Vuitton Beanie, Bradley Garret Leigh Sunglasses and aNYthing T-shirt
Many of us who grew up in the 90s look to the years just before 9/11 with a certain reverence. There was a feeling of naivety growing up in that seemingly utopic time, a feeling of youthful confidence expressed through personal style. Most of us wore variations of the same gear: backpacks, jerseys, hoodies, t-shirts and jeans. The differences in design were subtle from piece to piece, but it was the brand names (and their associations) that set items apart. Looking back at how we dressed through that period, there is certainly an element of disgust and regret, but we cannot deny that underlying layer of nostalgia, that feeling we had rocking the gear the first time around.
We’d mix mall labels with sneakers and covet luxury items that were unattainable status symbols. Brands were more than a representation of taste or quality, they could provide a sense of belonging; entrance into a cooler world. This is an emotion that new labels unabashedly evoke in 2013. Consider this editorial an ode to unsubtle branding and the powerful impact it continues to have on fashion.
Rhamier wear Crooks & Castles Fitted & Supreme L/S T-Shirt
Stylist’s note
“I was going through a mallrat-eurotrash-pinoy-guido phase in 2001, 16-17 years old wearing all sorts of goofy logo-heavy shit meanwhile tapering my eyebrows, lining up my non-existent sideburns, spiking my hair, etc. Strangely, I was voted best dressed junior year of high school in Berlin…? Of all the prodigies at the time, Aaliyah sticks out most in my mind. In particular, Red Album Aaliyah in the We Need A Resolution video dancing on a virtual stage, wearing a loud silver D&G monogram belt—a belt I subsequently became obsessed with. When I moved to New York in 2002 and finally had access to ebay, I went HAM, scoring a knockoff DG belt which I proudly wore with a pair of real D&G bleached- washed elastic jeans. Same year I bought some Burberry fabric to sew on my AF1s. Over a decade later, Rocky and I shot this with friends in celebration of my 28th birthday.
