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Greg Serebuoh

Spring/Summer 2014: Fashion Week Faves in Men’s Shorts

by Greg Serebuoh

dsquared2 campaign

dsquared2-spring-summer-2014-campaign-marlon-teixeira

It’s officially spring, and though the weather on the east coast isn’t quite reflecting that, I figure I might as well give Mother Nature a gentle nudge in the right direction with some wishful thinking. In preparation for the inevitable coming of warm weather, I wanted to take a look at shorts in this year’s Spring collections. I’ve pulled together a list of some of the designers that caught my eye.

Nautica

I’m starting with Nautica for those of you who are looking for something stylish but not too crazy (because if you’ve read any of my past articles, you know I love a little crazy). Its nautical aesthetic is totally compatible with Spring/Summer fashion and makes for some great shorts.

nautica ss 14 1nautica ss 14 9nautica ss 14 2

The Spring collection has a classic, relaxed feel but still manages to add a bit of edge with longer capri-style pants, colorful prints, and some subtle touches, like asymmetrical lines and pockets.

nautica ss 14 10nautica ss 14 6nautica ss 14 3

Nicholas K

I really enjoyed Nicholas K’s Spring collection. It has the sort of otherworldliness that I love, as I mentioned in my Future Fashion article, and the shorts feature a long, slender cut, unconventional lines, and a muted color palette.

Nicholas K SS14 3Nicholas K SS14 1Nicholas K SS14 2

Versace

Versace’s Spring collection brings sophistication, elegance, and flair to its shorts with bright hues and fine fabrics. I’ve also been noticing a tendency towards shorts well above the knee this season, which I’m liking.

versace ss14 1versace ss14 1versace ss14 3

Kenzo

I’m not 100% sure that I would personally wear the shorts from Kenzo’s Spring collection, but I like what they are doing visually, and I sure would love to see someone else rock these in a creative way. This season’s shorts capture the eye with lively prints and flowing fabrics.

kenzo ss14 1kenzo ss14 4kenzo ss14 2

Dolce & Gabbana

I am loving Dolce & Gabbana’s collection this season, particularly in the shorts department. Maybe it’s their Sicilian mythology theme (I am a huge mythology nerd), or perhaps it’s the fact that the collection makes me think of flashy, European beach style of the 1970s (one of my favorite decades in music and style).

dolce ss14 18dolce ss14 17dolce ss14 15

I’m also really loving the prevalence of warm hues and the sheen in the fabrics, which have me feeling like it’s already summer.

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And if you have the balls (literally and figuratively) to wear these “zungas,” as we’d call them in Argentina, I fully encourage it.

dolce ss14 4dolce ss14 5dolce ss14 2

 Sibling

Ok, now most of Sibling’s line is a little wilder than what I’d normally wear, but I love the playfulness and the energy of their work: exaggerated proportions, distorted lines, intricate knits, and pastel colors. At the end of the day, I appreciate an interesting aesthetic concept, even if I wouldn’t necessarily wear it, and I often find inspiration in work like this. I’d also live to model some of this stuff.

Sibling SS 14 7Sibling SS 14 9Sibling SS 14 4

I was (pleasantly) surprised to find what appear to be “sweater shorts,” which are probably completely impractical but also kind of amazing, in their Fall/Winter collection. It all seems very fun and free.

Sibling FW 14 1Sibling FW 14 4Sibling FW 14 2

I also think it’s great that they obviously encourage their models to smile. I’ve been asked to smile on the runway before, and it ain’t always easy, but it’s definitely a welcome departure from the usual pomp. In any case, the spring collection has a few pairs of shorts that I’d actually consider wearing myself.

Sibling SS 14 6Sibling SS 14 3Sibling SS 14 5

Phillipp Plein

Phillipp Plein’s Spring collection has some of my favorite shorts this season. The collection draws its inspiration from the casino world.

phillipp plein ss14 8phillipp plein ss14 3phillipp plein ss14 9

The German designer’s line merges elegant high fashion, sexy urban swag, and a fun, sporty functionality.

phillipp plein ss14 1phillipp plein ss14 7phillipp plein ss14 2

Viktor & Rolf

The Spring Lookbook for Viktor & Rolf got my attention because the collection and the model are giving me Sexy-Harry-Potter-Hogwarts-Upscale-Prep-School Realness in the best possible way. The shorts are cut longer and are designed like dress slacks with fine fabrics.

ViktorRolf SS14 3ViktorRolf SS14 2ViktorRolf SS14

Dsquared2

Dsquared2 is probably my favorite collection this season in terms of shorts. Their aesthetic always feels very New York chic to me, and nothing gets me hot like New York chic!

dsquared2 ss14 2dsquared2 ss14 5dsquared2 ss14 7

This season’s theme was “Island Paradise,” but the collection still manages to feel very urban upscale. It also features several well-fitted, high-cut shorts, which I have been fancying lately.

dsquared2 ss14dsquared2 ss14 3dsquared2 ss14 8

So think warm thoughts, make a spring wardrobe shopping list, and imagine yourself lounging on some warm beach in a pair of sexy shorts. Soon enough the seasons will actually change, and your bare legs will once again see the light of day!

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: Argentina, art, Beach, beachwear, capris, creative, Dolce & Gabbana, Dsquared2, fashion, Germany, island, Italy, Kenzo, model, mythology, Nautica, NEW YORK, Nicholas K, paradise, Phillipp Plein, season, shorts, Sibling, spring, ss14, style, summer, swimsuit, swimwear, Urban, Versace, Viktor & Rolf

Stripped Fashion: 5 Ways to KISS

by Greg Serebuoh

David Gandy Crop

David Gandy 1

It’s probably clear by now that I have a special place in my artist heart for fashion that is edgy, quirky, avant-garde, or unconventional. Still, if there is one thing I value more than innovation, it’s versatility, and though I love to see crazy geometric shapes or odd combinations of materials in fashion, I’m also a sucker for an outfit that dazzles with its simplicity or its flawless execution of a classic aesthetic. Plus, with the coming of warm weather, being able to strip down with style is a huge asset. So I want to take a moment to talk about 5 ways to KISS – Keep It Simple and Stylish.

1. Seek Out Quality Materials

Whether you’re wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a tailored suit, high quality fabrics and materials can make the most straightforward outfit look like a million bucks. Saint Laurent exemplifies the power of premium threads and classic style.

Yves Saint Laurent SS13 1Yves Saint Laurent SS13 2Yves Saint Laurent SS13 3

Quality fabrics not only look better to the eye but they also tend to last much longer and rest on the body in a more flattering way. Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2014 campaign prominently features this magic combination of quality and simplicity.

Bottega Veneta SS14Bottega Veneta  SS14 2

Bottega Veneta SS14 3

Of course, higher quality usually means higher prices. Still, an investment in a few top quality pieces may be worth your while, particularly if they have the next key trait.

2. Value Versatility

Sleek, basic wardrobe often works with any number of looks and can be dressed up or down. Lanvin’s Pre-Fall Lookbook makes this explicit as it brings formal and casual sensibilities together.

Lanvin Pre-Fall 2013 LookbookLanvin Pre-Fall 2013 Lookbook 3

Lanvin Pre-Fall 2013 Lookbook 5

Look for the pieces that will look good with anything.

3. Focus on Line and Shape

Simplicity in line and shape can also make a classic look captivating. I am loving Tom Ford’s Fall/Winter 2014 line, which is both elegant and sexy because of its classic lines and timeless style.

Tom Ford FW13 1Tom Ford FW13 2Tom Ford FW13 3

Tom Ford FW13 4Tom Ford FW13 5Tom Ford FW13 6

Classic pieces can complement the body without a lot of ostentation, emphasizing the fundamental beauty of the male form.

4. Exude Ease and Comfort

Simple style that seems (and hopefully is) really comfortable, creates a relaxed and effortless air that is also incredibly sexy. To be fair, this is not wholly dependent on the outfit itself. It has a lot to do with how it is carried as well. David Gandy is a master of simple and sexy.

David Gandy 1David Gandy 2David Gandy 3

David Gandy 4David Gandy 5David Gandy 6

Anyone else wondering what he’s carrying around in all dem bags?

Also, whoever styles Mr. Gandy is well aware of the fact that henley shirts look hot on just about anyone.

5. Give it Edge 

Sometimes what really makes a simple outfit rock is one minor twist. Valentino’s last few campaigns take basic concepts and give them a bit of edge with thoughtful details.

Valentino SS14 2Valentino SS14 3

Valentino SS14 5Valentino SS14 6

Jeans and a tee with one eccentric accessory. A sleek suit with a pair of fly sneaks. A plain top with a quirky bottom. Or striking colors paired with classic cuts, as in Tom Ford’s Spring/Summer 2014 line.

Tom Ford SS14 2Tom Ford SS14

Tom Ford SS14 3

 

A word on Tom Ford. It’s no coincidence that he has come up twice. It was actually my recollection of the gorgeous style of his film A Single Man that inspired this article. I was as blown away by the aesthetic of the film as I was by its story.

     A Single Man 1A Single Man 2

a single man 2A Single Man 3

Ford’s brilliant film is a testament to the fact that simple, classic style when thoughtfully executed can make a huge impression.

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: A Single Man, art, Bottega Veneta, Christopher Isherwood, classic, Colin Firth, David Gandy, dolce and gabbana, fashion, Film, Jon Kortajarena, julianne moore, Lanvin, Matthew Goode, Nicholas Hoult, Paris, premium, quality, Saint Laurent, simple, spring, style, suit, summer, tom ford, Valentino, Versace

100% Sexy: When Pride Becomes a Fashion Statement

by Greg Serebuoh

Power Is Sexy Shot

Tom Middleton

What do I love so much about 100%G?

Ever since I’d first heard about it, I had been trying to find the answer to that question. I met Peruvian photographer César Mansilla Sialer on a photo shoot for a swimwear campaign I was modeling for, and he was, as I like to say, the answer to all questions, so we stayed friends. It was César who first hipped me to 100%G (or OHP), a designer from his hometown of Lima.

Its design concept was straightforward. Skillfully cut, limited edition T-shirts made from soft, Peruvian cotton with simple words printed on the front.

G Shirt     Grey Shirt

Its online presence [NSFW] and marketing were equally straightforward. Witty and irreverent posts about boys, sex, and fun, pics of guys around the world sporting their gear, and campaigns that had a raw, DIY quality, like stealthy captures of those genuine, private moments, of modeling a new favorite outfit or dancing with total abandon in front of the mirror before a night out on the town (you know you do it too). Still, there was something more that drew me in.

It certainly helped that the face of its campaign was my old friend Tom Middleton, one of the former stars of Fuerza Bruta and current cast member of Hombre Vertiente. Tom’s devastatingly handsome looks, radiant smile, and tangible kindness made the shots effortlessly steamy.

Tom Middleton Campaign

 Tom Middleton Campaign 4     Tom Middleton Campaign 2

The fact that the shirts framed the male form perfectly didn’t hurt either. And yet, there was more.

I still hadn’t figured it out, but I knew I had to be in on it, so I reached out to 100%G and ordered a couple of shirts from its latest campaign, “Party Animals.”

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As I pulled my new shirts out of their packaging, reveling in the feel of the soft, smooth fabric against my fingers, my eye caught the writing on the inner printed tag: “One Hundred Percent Gay. One Hundred Percent Love.” G is for Gay? Apparently I had missed something key.

Pool Shot

I took a look at its website: “Made 100% for the gay community. In Lima, we noticed an absence of trendy, fun, cool clothes made with the gay person in mind. That’s when the idea for 100%G began. We make our shirts using 100% Peruvian gay cotton, some of the best fabric in the world.”

Wish You Were Queer Shirt     Screen shot 2011-12-23 at 7.41.20 PM

First of all, clap clap clap and snap snap snap for the use of the term “gay cotton.”

But seriously, as I got a glimpse into the thinking behind the brand, everything began to come together for me, and I found my answer.

I love 100%G because it is deliciously sexy. If you know me well, you know that I love sex, not only as a physical act in which to partake (often…very often) but also as an idea. Sex or sexiness for me has to do with a lot more than just naked bodies and dim lighting or indeed marriage and heavy promises. It is a basic energy that courses through all of life, and 100%G taps into that fundamental energy in order to encourage a different kind of (gay) pride, more human, more inclusive, more complex, less complicated.

Party Animals Campaign

The irreverence. The unabashed, playful sensuality. The unapologetic attitude, free of rigid definitions and precarious binaries. And the beauty. Real beauty. The kind that comes not just from a pretty face and a hot body, but from an easy smile, a mischievous nature, a relaxed poise. Beauty that isn’t afraid to get messy, silly, or frisky. Beauty that doesn’t take itself too seriously because it knows that it’s here to stay.

100%G says that it is “STRAIGHT FRIENDLY.” Of course it is. Because the sexiness that it ascribes to is the kind that Idris Elba can wear just as easily. Or James Franco. Or Legolas Greenleaf (proud geek here). Or Lupita Nyong’o. Or you. It’s the guys and girls that turn you on, not just with their looks or what they say, but with the titillating ease with which they live in their own space. An uncomplicated confidence that is flexible, free, and universal.

Damian Fox      Loverboy Shirt

At the base of the blog entries, the campaigns, the aesthetic, and the fashion design is this basic principle. I interviewed 100%G to get a bit more insight into their vision.

Tell me how 100%G began.

OHP was born out of a design project created by El Cartel Design Ghetto, out of a need not only to create a product that was commercially viable but also to communicate an idea. We strive to use skillful design to represent a lifestyle. We want to represent the gay lifestyle in a fun and light way.

Party Animals 2     Party Animals 3

Your campaigns and your branding seem to have a very specific intention. What inspires your choices in that regard?

We openly celebrate gay lifestyles and the idea of facing everything with a positive attitude. It has been an interesting task since we are based in Peru, which is a really conservative country. Even so, we’ve been noticing an incredible trend in the country, thousands of guys are coming out of the closet, and we obviously wanted to do what we could to make sure they were well represented.

What does it mean to be sexy?

Sexy is being exactly who you are. It’s being true to yourself in words and actions. It’s being part of a multifaceted, global community. Sexy is being proud of who you are.

Red T-Shirt 1      Power Is Sexy Shot

Tell me about your current campaign.

Our current campaign is in dialogue with the issues that face our community today. We’re using it to support 100% Equality.

 One Hundred Percent Summer

 

Filed Under: FASHION, LGBT, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: Argentina, Cesar Mansilla Sialer, Coming out, community, cosmopolitan, design, designer, Equality, fashion, Fuerza Bruta, gay, Hombre Vertiente, Idris Elba, james franco, Latin, Latin America, Legolas, lgbt, lifestyle, Lima, lord of the rings, love, Lupita Nyong'o, nightlife, Orlando Bloom, party, Peru, queer, sensuality, sex, sexuality, style, t shirt, tee, Tom Middleton

4 Ways to Make Your Style Work for Your Body

by Greg Serebuoh

Luke Guldan_Sexy Ropa Interior

As a fashion and underwear model, I often get asked what diet and workout regimen I follow to maintain my body. But, let’s be real, not everyone needs to have a model’s body, and you certainly don’t have to have a body like Luke Guldan to rock an outfit.

600full-luke-guldan     Luke Guldan shirtless

So I wanted to discuss four ways that every guy can use style to bring out the best in his unique shape.

4.  Play to your strengths.

If you want to use style to make your body look as good as possible, you first have to recognize that regardless of your body type or what future goals you have for it, there is something about your body right now that is beautiful. It’s up to you to decide what that “something” is, but it’s important that you do decide and then begin to think about how to work it.

James Corden GQ Cover     Slim Build Guy

For example, the slender form of thin men can create the illusion (or reality, if you’re tall) of elegant, long lines. Bring out that stylish sophistication with long, slender-cut clothing or pairings of short and long pieces (a short bomber jacket with skinny jeans, for example) to highlight those lines through contrast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt mastered this kind of elegance in his skinnier days (apparently he’s JACKED now).

Joseph Gordon Levitt - Glamour     Joseph Gordon-Levitt 1

Joseph Gordon-Levitt 2     Joseph Gordon-Levitt 3

Other ideas are thin ties, lengthy, low-hanging scarves or necklaces, especially if you’re tall, and shirts that open up your collarbone area and create a long line from the base of the neck to the chin, especially if you’re shorter.

 Open button down shirt     Long knit scarf

The frames of heavier set men can create a sense of prominence and strength. Consider ways to make your style look decisive and formidable with solid blocks of strong (not necessarily loud) color, fearlessly bold stylistic choices, and larger accessories that match the power of your frame (e.g. watches with large faces and ties with thicker knots).

Blue Blazer     Messenger Bag

Corbin's style

Bigger guys also look great in suspenders, as an alternative to belts. And don’t forget SHOES. A fly pair of shoes can add the perfect amount of polish and balance to any outfit. That goes for everyone actually.

Leaping Big Man In Suit     Purple Shoes

3.  Balance your visual proportions.

Careful use of style is a great way to enhance and balance the proportions of your body.

If you’re heavier set, think about wearing clothes that give more angular shape to the body and that are more fitted up top to accentuate your broad shoulders. Blazers are great in this department, as are cardigans, tapered vests, or well-fitted jackets. Also, try untucking collared shirts. A choice hat can help balance your silhouette by adding a bit more height to your look, particularly if you’re on the shorter side.

big guy vest     tumblr_my3uuiEj2g1skauswo1_1280

tumblr_mrw11fNkHO1qbs8teo1_1280     Autumn Ensemble

If you’re slim, wearing more layers can add some visual “weight” to your frame. Stay away from oversized accessories. Use your small waist to outline a V shape by wearing shirts that are well-fitted at the waist and that accentuate your broad shoulders (if you have them), or create the illusion with a wider neckline, cap sleeves, or a jacket or blazer, perhaps with very subtle shoulder padding.

img-4489-400x295     Deep Neck and Long Necklace

26423a567c5b11e2aae322000a1f9858_7     Slim Outfit Layers

2.  Wear clothes that fit.

Know your correct size. Then wear it. A lot of people wear clothes that are way too big for them, often to hide weight or the lack thereof. However, this usually just makes things worse. An old acting teacher of mine once gave me this critique after an acting exercise: “You are the biggest, most noticeable person on the stage, and you are trying so hard to be the smallest, which makes you stick out like a sore thumb.” Focus on proudly highlighting your strengths, rather than hiding your (often imagined) weaknesses.

Skinny Suit     f989fa9ac279d5a9c315aaf30c10785b

Still it might not be the best idea to wear clothes that hug every inch of your being. Take the time to find the cuts and the fabrics that are snug in the places you want to highlight and that loosen up or add shape elsewhere. Even if you’re showing off a muscular frame with a tighter shirt, make sure it’s not too short, or it will be distracting.

1.  Carry yourself like you ARE somebody.

All of this said, there is absolutely no reason for everyone to strive to create the illusion of the conventionally accepted ideal male form. Nor is there anything wrong with subscribing to certain conventions. At the end of the day, what makes a strong and lasting impression in questions of aesthetics is a coherent concept and a confident commitment to it.

Happy Suit     Santiago Artemis

This is more important than anything else I’ve said.

I happen to prefer certain conventions in terms of the male form, but the streets of New York would be god-awful and unspeakably boring if everyone had the same taste as I. If we all recognized this, we’d stop judging each other and be less afraid to do whatever the hell we wanted, style-wise and otherwise.

Whether you take my advice or not, whether you’re in haute couture or sweats, whether you’re heavy set, slim, muscular, tall, short, or “average,” the way you carry what you wear (including your posture) and the way you feel about yourself when you wear it will ultimately determine the impression that you leave. I was lucky to have a mother who always told me to “Walk like you are somebody!” and it made all the difference. I love what Harvey Guillen has to say in his interview with Chubstr about his style as a big man. Nothing drags down a potentially amazing outfit faster than a person that’s insecure wearing it.

S4

So decide what is beautiful to you, what is beautiful about you, or what you would like to make beautiful. Organize your style choices around it. Then commit to that shit, and wear it like you ARE somebody (because you are), no apologies.

Take a note from this guy (extra points if you know what he is referencing) because he actually WINS.

Grace Jones Doppleganger

What are some of your tricks for playing up your beautiful bod?

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: accessories, big and tall, blazers, body, chubstr, Don John, fashion, fit, fitness, GQ, Harvey Guillen, hat, heavy, James Corden, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Luke Guldan, Manhattan, model, NEW YORK, Photography, Santiago Artemis, scarf, shoes, skinny, slim, style, suits, tailored, tall, thin, watch

Fashion Flash-Forward: The Future in Fashion

by Greg Serebuoh

Ulrico - The Visitors - G7 3

Manhattan Psycho

I am admittedly a sci-fi nerd. The other day I was reading about jazz musician, performance artist, and Afrofuturist philosopher Sun Ra and his iconic work Space Is the Place.

Sun Ra Head Dress 2     Sun Ra Head Dress 1

It got me thinking about the fact that futurism has continued to find its way into fashion and aesthetic concepts, from Jean Paul Gaultier’s costume design for The Fifth Element to singer Janelle Monae’s Metropolis cycle.

Janelle Monae - Electric Lady     Fifth Element - Gaultier

Fifth Element - Ruby Rhod     Janelle Monae - Archandroid

Something about the distant future inspires us to imagine new possibilities and make bolder aesthetic choices. When I was researching for my performance piece about an extra-dimensional traveler, Arken: Searching for Wonder, I sought out images of futuristic fashion for inspiration. Here are a few images and designers that excite my mind.

This editorial from Numéro Homme called “Manhattan Psycho” effortlessly merges classic style with a sci-fi sensibility.

Manhattan Psycho 7Manhattan Psycho 6Manhattan Psycho 3

Coco and Breezy’s entire line of edgy accessories has futuristic overtones, but its “20/20” campaign is all about what accessorizing will mean in the future: “‘Planet C &&B’ is a world that consists only of fresh air and extreme sunlight where normal eyes cannot stand to view without being covered.”

Coco and Breezy 2Coco-and-Breezy-20-20-The-949

Kay Kwok presented some out-of-this-world design concepts at his FW14 fashion week show in London. I don’t know if I’d wear this stuff on a regular trip to the grocery store, but I wouldn’t mind owning one of those visors, and I’m sure I’d cause a splash if I received dinner guests in that ET two-piece.

Kay Kwok AW14 1Kay Kwok AW14 2

Lee Roach’s line has a much more subtle sci-fi flavor as he makes use of shiny materials and contemplates how our evolution will result in more streamlined fashion, by eliminating collars and lapels, for example.

lee roach fw 14 3lee roach fw 14 4lee roach fw 14 6

Nasir Mazhar‘s FW14 collection updates men’s sportswear by exploring geometric shapes, distorted lines, quirky accessories, and shiny space suit sheen.

Nasir Mazhar AW14 1Nasir Mazhar AW14 2

In the “Warriors” editorial, Holly Fox-Lee imagines how modern-day hip hop style might evolve, fusing  it with an ancestral tribal aesthetic and taking it to extremes in terms of shape, scale, and materials.

Holly Fox Lee 2     holly fox lee

Holly Fox Lee 3     Holly Fox Lee 1

This editorial called “The Visitors” in G7 magazine features my buddy Ulrico Eguizábal, who I met while I was modeling in Argentina. Not only does it use the concept of alien “visitors” to play with size and shape, but it also imagines a future style that challenges our current gender norms in fashion (thank goodness), using elements typically associated with femininity, like shoulder pads and long flowing fabrics, to highlight the male form in a fascinating new way.

Ulrico - The Visitors - G7 3Ulrico - The Visitors - G7 2

Some of my favorite futuristic designs (and the ones I’d be most likely to wear in day-to-day life) come from Skingraft, which makes nuanced use of a lot of the earlier-mentioned elements, geometric shapes, extraterrestrial mystique, and interesting combinations of materials.

skingraft 1skingraft 4Skingraft 2

skingraft 3skingraft-collection-automne-hiver-2012-2013_80597_w460Skin Graft AW 12 Draped Shirt

Finally, INAISCE is one of my personal favorite designers right now, in part because it incorporates futurism into its larger design concept to create clothing that is arresting, undeniably unique, and totally wearable. Not only do I absolutely love the campaign for Fall/Winter 2013, but I’m also ecstatic to see another tall African model, South Sudan native Ger Duany, take center stage with his beautiful, otherworldly features. Africans unite!

INAISCE 2INAISCE 3INAISCE 4

INAISCE 1INAISCE 7INAISCE 5

 

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: Africa, Afrofuturism, alien, Argentina, Arken: Searching for Wonder, artistic, Bruce Willis, catwalk, Coco and Breezy, creative, Editorial, ET, experimental, extraterrestrial, fashion, Fashion Week, futurism, FW14, G7, Ger Duany, hip hop, Holly Fox-Lee, INAISCE, inspiration, janelle monae, jazz, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jona, Kay Kwok, Lee Roach, London, Milla Jovovich, Nasir Mazhar, Numero Homme, NYFW, performance, runway, sci-fi, Skingraft, South Sudan, Space Is the Place, style, Sun Ra, The Fifth Element, The Ones 2 Watch, The Visitors, Tribal, Ulrico Eguizabal

Model Alexey Kim on Making Style an Art Form

by Greg Serebuoh

Alexey Kim Editorial

As a creative artist, I am naturally drawn to other creative spirits that are unapologetically unique, nuanced in their choices, sophisticated, and undeniably fierce.  Enter Kazakh model Alexey Kim.  The day I met Alexey, he was wearing a slinky black tank top, a baseball cap tilted to the side, and acid washed jeans that were shredded and covered in silver spikes that I later found out he added himself.  I knew immediately that we would get along famously and was surer still when I caught wind of his quirky sense of humor.  Alexey not only has a truly artistic fashion sensibility but also the attitude and confidence to carry even his most avant-garde couture creations.  Needless to say he’s given me some great tips on posing when I’m modeling for photo shoots and has become my fashion hero.  Here’s a bit of our conversation about his career and his thoughts on fashion and style.

What excites you about fashion and style?

Personal style is what actually excites me the most.  There is a certain art to putting together a great outfit.  It is cool to see people getting clothes from here and there, from a luxury label and mixing it with a national retailer, to come up with their own unique way of making all the items work as a whole.

Alexey Street Style 10     Alexey Street Style 9

 

How did you get into modeling?

I was approached by a scout from Elite Models in Miami.  I was sitting in Starbucks crying my ass off.  I’m still thinking how awkward she must have felt when she approached me, looked into my mascara-smudged face, and asked, “Do you model?”  Just kidding.  I never wear mascara.

Name your three favorite new things in your wardrobe.

1.  Dark purple bomber jacket from H&M.  It’s short but warm, and the color is kick ass too.

2.  These shiny pleather pants that I got.  They are Alice & Olivia…ahem… for…men…  Don’t judge!  Men’s pants usually don’t fit me!

No judgment here.

I love seeing people’s reactions when I wear them, “Is that made from a garbage bag?”  Haha awesome!

3.  KTZ gloves.  They have huge pop-out red hearts on them, are too big, and aren’t warm, but who cares?  I just like them.

Alexey Street Style 8     Alexey Kim Street Style 7

What designers are you really into this season?

I’m always into Balmain, Helmut Lang, and Phillip Lim.  Balmain has the most impressive looking clothes while not being too over the top.  Helmut Lang is luxury necessities.  Clean lines, solid colors.  Phillip Lim – I really like his use and combination of colors and his fabric choices.

Alexey Street Style 6     Alexey Street Style 5

I know that you also alter a lot of your own clothing.  Where do you get your inspiration? Have you ever thought about being a designer?

Well I got my very first inspiration to alter something from…don’t you dare laugh at me…Britney.  Remember at some point she was all about wearing low-rise jeans, like in that video for “I’m Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman”?  You could almost see her babies come out.  Well, I wanted low-rise jeans too.  Do you think you could find those in Kazakhstan?  No!  Mom’s jeans all day every day for everyone!  So I cut off the upper part of my jeans, took in the sides, and attached the loopholes lower.  Now you could almost see my babies come out.  I loved it.  And yes, I think about designing every day.

Alexey Street Style 4     Alexey Street Style 3

You’re also a street style blogger.  What new trends would you like to see in men’s fashion?

I would like to see more men wear slick tailored suits with nice ties and watches, a pocket-handkerchief too, perhaps.  I also think long brim fedoras look sharp.

What advice do you have for guys that want to look stylish but aren’t as edgy or adventurous as you are with fashion? Where are some easy places for them to find good clothes?

Thing is, national retailers are doing the most right now.  You can go to H&M and buy something from their Dark Purple Label.  That’s a bit more expensive but also much more stylish and well made.  Or Zara.  You can come out looking like you just dropped money at an expensive department store.  When I buy something I always think, “Can I wear this with most of the stuff that I already own?”  It’s always best to recycle and mix an item with things that you already have.

Alexey Street Style 2     Alexey Street Style 1

 

What projects do you have going on now?

Right now I am starting my own digital design agency, and I also just had an important interview with a great fashion house.  Fingers crossed.

Alexey Kim Editorial 2

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, STYLE Tagged With: Alexey Kim, artist, Balmain, creative, designer, Elite Models, fashion, Fashion Week, H&M, Helmut Lang, male fashion, Manhattan, manhattan digest, menswear, model, NEW YORK, New York Fashion Week, Phillip Lim, style, Urban, Zara

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