The charmingly enigmatic artist Frank Ocean is hosting an exclusive party in New York City tonight. The new club night, PrEP+, is billed as “an homage to what could have been of the 1980s’ NYC club scene if the drug PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) — which can be taken daily to prevent HIV/AIDs for those who are not infected but are at high risk — had been invented in that era.”
In a recent interview with W, Ocean revealed that he’s been inspired by house music and club culture while working on his upcoming record. “I’ve been interested in club, and the many different iterations of nightlife for music and songs. And so the things I look at now have a lot to do with those scenes: Detroit, Chicago, techno, house, French electronic,” he said. Further celebrating the euphoric and carefree nature of old school club life, the party will enforce a strict no-phone policy.
According to a release, tonight’s event will mark the first in an ongoing series of parties, so if you’re unable to attend (ticket links have already been sent out) rest assure that a PrEP+ night could be coming to a city near you sometime soon.
Raf Simons and Fred Perry have released a new unisex capsule collection from their ongoing collaboration. Inspired by European club culture (a signature of Simons), the latest gear mixes subversive elements with Fred Perry’s British heritage. Hardware is a recurring theme within the pieces, with silver hoop embellishments in the shape of Perry’s wreath logo that look like nipple piercings decorating several tops available in black and pink. Another standout is the printed polos that are adorned with photographs of punk youth shot by Gavin Watson and George Plember. As far as collaborations go, the fusion of Simons’ hedonism and Perry’s classic foundation come together pretty effectively.
The Raf Simons x Fred Perry collection is available at select stores and online now.
Willy Chavarria consistently delivers striking collections that subvert rigid ideas of masculinity through a combination of denim workwear, sports gear, and clubwear. His recent Spring 2020 presentation in New York was no different — hyper-muscular models showed off their assets in flowy and open tops to expose different types of necklaces including chokers and gold chains. Upon closer look, each had been made up with fake scars on their faces offering a harsh contrast to the delicate structures of some of the early pieces. Chavarria played to his familiar strengths (workwear and uniforms in dark colors) while exploring billowy denim and trouser shapes, and was even able to sneak in some political commentary too. (The standout was an oversized black graphic t-shirt that asked viewers to call the president and tell him to “fuck off,” and listed the hotline for Trump’s re-election campaign.) Business as usual.
The second half of the presentation was much sportier and introduced the designer’s collaboration with K-Swiss. In contrast with the first looks, these pieces were bright with neon and pastel hues and featured an array of heavy branded graphic prints. Spiked leather bracelets and anklets gave some looks a heavier edge, which was emphasized with a range of spiked white sneakers.
A major suit revolution is underway, and Random Identities is the latest to jump into the ring. Since its launch in 2017, the Berlin-based designer helmed by Stefano Pilati has made waves with its androgynous and deconstructed style (some key pieces include a button-down shirt emblazoned with a painted on bra print), combining elements of utilitarian tailoring (utili-tailoring?) and underground club wear to subvert all the components of traditional menswear.
The label’s fifth and latest drop delivers more color than its predecessors — the result is a mix of glam-rock and warehouse rave. Blazers are cropped and fitted with the buttons removed, for optimum moveability. A series of monochromatic athletic halter tops/bodysuits are the perfect vehicle to tug the underwear-as-outerwear trend into the present while large chain necklaces (a staple for the young brand) anchor the collection back to its urban roots. The collection also features the debut of the B-03 boot and the designer’s inaugural denim range. If camp king Harry Styles headlined a show and hosted an afterparty at some undisclosed venue where guests aren’t allowed to use their phones, these are the clothes I imagine he’d wear. Or take off.
Random Identities 5th release is available now at Ssense and will launch at Dover Street Market later this month.
Ahead of its Spring/Summer 2020 collection, New York-based label Private Policy has released a limited-edition capsule collection. Inspired by the checkerboard print that has become a staple for the brand, the PIXEL collection skews the signature print with playful fervor that reminds me of those DIY rave posters from the ’90s. Some key items from the drop include a flowy viscose button downs, matching cyber-punk-inspired biker shorts, and a printed baseball cap with an added hoop detail that’s also available in rainbow print — it is pride month after all. And perfect timing for a brand that considers nightlife such an integral part of its design process.
The Private Policy PIXEL collection is available online now with more drops to be released throughout the summer. Check out some pictures (shot by Harvey Lee) below and read our interview with the designers here.
Inspired by themes of the “Other America,” luxury basics label R13 has opened a sleek new shop on SoHo’s Howard Street, alongside neighboring shopping destinations including Opening Ceremony, Rick Owens, and Reformation. The boutique — the designer’s first since the brand was founded back in 2009 — is a sprawling and immersive space that pays homage to various American subcultures. The store maintains a minimal and industrial interior aesthetic (the new normal in contemporary downtown retail) that’s contrasted with a series of large LED walls streaming various footage that’s more nightclub than clothing store.
New York-based designer Private Policy explores life beyond the club with some classic menswear staples. Bright accessories, including furry hats, dollar sign jewelry, and leather saddlebags, complemented traditional overcoats and parkas for when you leave the party and return to the regular hustle.
The jet-set lifestyle of luxury escapes is fine and all, but sometimes you just need a home away from home. Somewhere to see old friends and make new ones, with the comfort of a dream house and the amenities of the grandest hotel—a clubhouse, in other words. Fresh from finishing a glass-box-and-palapa resort in Tulum, Mexico, global hospitality company Habitas has opened two stateside.
For the East Coast location, Habitas transformed a six-story 1895 firehouse in midtown Manhattan into an urban hideaway. Upon entry, members are greeted at a reception desk made of repurposed luggage from a famed 1940s jazz singer, whose repertoire they can make their own at the 1955 Steinway Upright Studio piano by a fireplace in the ground-floor living room. Patrons can also enjoy a communal wet bar, refuel with espresso, and enjoy some snacks and tea service from House of Waris. Should they bring down the house, guests can set up shop in a state-of-the-art recording studio in the former firehouse stables across the courtyard, or access additional workspaces in the second-floor creative lab, break-out suites, or The Nest—a private event space for dinners and performances.
Additionally, Chef Jared Dowling of Anglophilic farm-to-table hotspot The Fat Radish has set up a program of de rigueur grain bowls and chia puddings freshened up with seasonal goodies. Plus, he regularly orchestrates full dinner events with one-of-a-kind menus served family style.
The Venice Beach branch, fittingly, is a little less about indulgence and more focused on health and fun in the sun while networking and socializing. The 1940s beach house on Abbot Kinney Boulevard has been furnished in a bohemian mix of Hollywood Regency and hippie-chic décor. Safari chairs and chaise lounges relax in pools of natural light pouring through antique windows still framed in their original redwood. An upstairs loft offers meeting and brainstorming spaces lined with Tatami mats; brainfood comes courtesy of the kitchen’s array of healthy snacks and an honor-system bar hidden behind a bookcase. Local artists installed pieces throughout the house, all overseen by an exterior mural nearby courtesy of the beloved Portuguese graffiti and street artist Vhils.
But the real star is the garden, with its glossy black benches and bright floral seating. Members can grab a complimentary surfboard to hit the waves or a beach cruiser to take a spin, then return and wash off the heat in the outdoor shower. Once the body is nurtured, guests can focus on the spirit in the wellness center, housed in a converted garage: some yoga, some meditation, and a little om sweet om.
AMIRI presented a vibrant collection for Spring/Summer ’19 with clear influences from the short lived nu-rave microtrend of the later aughts. Photos by Alessandro Russo for Essential Homme.
