Public Magazine

JOE FRESHGOODS PAGE 18

NEON DREAMING PAGE 44

HYPERBRANDED PAGE 26

MEET THE STREETS PAGE 29

TOKYO IS REWRITING THE RULES OF FASHION PAGE 30 TREND TIME PAGE 33

OUT WITH THE NEW ...IN WITH THE OLD PAGE 38

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C O N T E N T S

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CONTENTS ISSUE 07 07 10

MEET THE EDITOR Public Editor in Chief Donnie Jordan introduces Issue 07 for Fall 2018.

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Tokyo Fashion week reveals some of the best street style trends.

Photographer Matthew Sperzel’s shots from the Shibuya area of Tokyo tell the story of a culture not afraid of maximalism. Lots of outfit inspiration to be found here.

DROP A PIN When it comes to fashion, the location can be as important as the clothes. Different cities bring on different points of view and styles, which is why we are tracking the hottest cities in fashion to catch the trends early.

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JOE FRESHGOODS

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TREND TIME

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HYPERBRANDED

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MEET THE STREETS

The fashion world has renewed its love affair with the logo for Fall 2018 and it’s bigger, bolder and brasher than ever before.

Public focuses on the style of the streets, so who are these everyday models?

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OUT WITH THE NEW ...IN WITH THE OLD For fashion fans, vintage shopping can be one of life’s greatest joys.

Often all about the thrill of the hunt, there are few things as satisfying as unearthing a piece from another era. However, learning how to buy vintage clothing can be tricky, which is why we have pulled some expert advice to get you started.

The streetwear designer who counts Chance The Rapper as a day-one fan explains how he built his brand and why community comes first.

There is always a hot new trend to be explored and experimented with—this seasons we are taking a look at the white sneaker trend and how best to style it.

TOKYO IS REWRITING THE RULES OF FASHION

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NEON DREAMING Lots of brands show during fashion month. While the usual suspects in each of the big 4 fashion capitals draw a lot of attention each season, and special circumstances periodically warrant extra attention, Prada has made its home on a different plane altogether. The Milan-based design house has our collective, undivided anticipation and attention every season, no “buts” about it.

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DONNIE JORDAN As the leaves change into autumn colors and suddenly everyone is dressed in layers again, those of us at Public are gearing up for another exciting fall on the fashion calendar. We are coming to you this season with some exciting new content that will hopefully help our readers to rule the streets yet again this fall. From hyperbranding to neon Prada, there is a lot to look forward to.

In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, we have also been discussing a push for more sustainable fashion so look out for some new content that we are hoping to introduce going forward. This issue it comes in the form of our vintage feature, a hot topic for fashion lovers everywhere.

If it is your first encounter with Public, thank you for coming, and if you are back for more, welcome—we think you hope you will enjoy taking on Fall 2018 with us. As always—connect with us on Instagram or Facebook, we love hear from our amazing readership!

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j o e f r e s h g o o d s

JOEFRESHGOODS STREETWEAR UNDERDOG The streetwear designer who counts Chance The Rapper as a day-one fan explains how he built his brand and why community comes first.

ABOVE: JOE FRESHGOODS SITTING OUTSIDE FAT TIGER WORKSHOP IN CHICAGO. BELOW: JOE FRESHGOODS WITH FAT TIGER CO-FOUNDER AND SENSEI DESIGNER VIC LLOYD.

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drop—which was a small run—sold out in two days. He released a much bigger batch on February 2, recruiting Chance as the model; they've been friends since 2009, when Freshgoods was working at Chicago streetwear staple Leaders. The second release sold out in just five days.

“Chicago needs more love. People love our music. So I wanted them to love our fashion.”

of trends in the city. Then in 2006, he and Jones began interning at Leaders, which was known for its iconic phrase “Lead Never Follow,” and for being a cultural hub for local hip-hop with in-store performances. “The Leaders era birthed everything,” Freshgoods tells me.

During his time there, he found a kinship with Chance, Rockie Fresh, Vic Mensa, and the whole SaveMoney crew; they all came up together. Freshgoods and Jones helped Rockie with his first show around 2011, and local rappers, including Mick Jenkins—who pops by Fat Tiger to hangout during our interview—continue to support Freshgoods’s endeavors today.

In summer 2012, he opened what he calls his “first fake storefront” in the garage of the home he shared with notable Chicago photographer Trashhand in the Pilsen neighborhood. Freshgoods sold clothes he designed, which he had made by a local manufacturer, coming out of the gate with some of his more wellknown pieces, like the ever-popular “Dope Boy Magic” tie dye hoodie. “Everybody in Chicago used to stop by,” he says.

Two years later, Freshgoods, Jones, Owusu, and a fourth designer Vic Lloyd— they all met at Leaders—were in a position to open their first brick and mortar store in Logan Square, calling it Fat Tiger.

Freshgoods got his start in Chicago’s DIY fashion scene via a job as a sales associate at the now-defunct streetwear store Fashion Geek in 2005, after graduating high school. It was one of hottest brands at the time, and in his eyes, started a lot

“After trying to force names, we decided to call ourselves something that would sound like a band,” says Freshgoods.

The four men became co-founders of the shop, running their individual lines out of Fat Tiger: humorous hoodies from

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID RASOOL ROBINSON

On an overcast day in Chicago, a group of men are crowded around the counter of locally revered clothing store Fat Tiger Workshop, their laughter boisterous as a string of Drake songs filter through the sound system. There’s Fat Tiger co-founder Joe Freshgoods in black track pants, a red beanie, tattered grey t-shirt, and his infamous crocs; two of his fellow co-founders, Terrell Jones, in a “Chicago Over Everything” sweatshirt, and Desmond Owusu, in a “Squad” hoodie and jean jacket; and party host and store regular Hustle Simmons, with a black cap snug over his long locs. Freshgoods is trying to ask them a serious question, but his friends take it in turn to flame him, their laughter soaring.

This kind of affectionate ribbing is the nature of Chicagoans, but there’s maybe more reason for it today than normal.

Freshgoods has just returned from Los Angeles, where he spent the previous Sunday night partying with Chance the Rapper and friends, in celebration of Chance’s three Grammy wins.

Though it was untelevised, you might have caught GIFs or footage of Chance accepting the award for Best Rap Performance while wearing a black hoodie that read “Thank You” in small, white lettering on the front, and on the back —alongside a tough-looking bald eagle— “Obama 44,” the typeface reminiscent of a basketball jersey. That sweatshirt is a staple from Freshgoods’s most recently viral clothing capsule, Thank U Obama, which he released on President Barack Obama’s last day in office, January 20. The first

BY TARA MAHADEVAN

j o e f r e s h g o o d s Freshgoods’s Don’t Be Mad (DBM) line; an East Asian-inspired streetwear collection called Sensei designed by Lloyd; t-shirts and jerseys adorned with Chicago slang by Jones’s Vita label; and various items in the youthful line Squad—which often features a reworked Nike logo—by Owusu.

In 2015, the store expanded to their current location in the West Town area, and sometime later this year, Fat Tiger will move again—to an even bigger warehouse spot. “It’s just been a story of constant growth,” Freshgoods tells me.

“Literally from my mom’s basement to now.”

I sat down with Freshgoods in a corner of the store, sandwiched between ACG and Magnificent Coloring Day posters, to learn more about his upbringing within his hometown’s DIY fashion scene, why he continually supports young Chicago talent, and how Fat Tiger has created community within his city.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DEUN IVORY

Why was working at Leaders so important to your development?

It was when the kids were coming by: Chance, Vic [Mensa], everybody. We were just all kids.

I was working retail, and we just saw everything happen. Saw everybody now that’s in their dreams, following their dreams. Leaders don’t get enough credit now; it was the cornerstone for a lot of people. That’s why I’m so big on Fat Tiger being like the hub for creatives. I want them to be able to come in and chill.

I started DBM with $80. I used to work at a print shop [as well as] Leaders, so I’d print all the tees and I just put it out. I used to package it up like dope, or cocaine or whatever. And it just sold. There was a point where I was selling a lot of my own clothes under the table at Leaders. I was like, “Hey, I work at Leaders, but you want a shirt?” I’d pull it out of my bookbag. I was doing that, [and it] kept getting bigger and bigger. I came up with this shirt that said “MONEY HOES CARS & CLOTHES”—that was the jumpstart of like, “Wow, I’m making like $60 every two minutes.” That shirt went really Tumblr crazy.

I started learning the game. Fast forward a little bit, I end up getting fired because I couldn’t focus on Leaders because my own brand was doing good. Something just sparked and just made me take everything a little more seriously.

Shortly after I came up with the Rihanna hat. If I was to write a book, the first chapter of the Joe story would probably start off with the Rihanna hat, because that was the first [time] where I was like, let me try to figure out marketing, let me play off people’s emotions.

The first time I really noticed DBM was when Chance wore your tie dye hoodie on the Acid Rap tour.

The tie dye hoodie, I was selling out everyday.

It was one point in time where everybody in Chicago had that tie dye hoodie. It was like the

thing: I’m from Chicago, I gotta have the tie dye hoodie.

I remember vividly Chance coming to my

house five years ago, asked me for a tie dye hoodie. He lost his. I gave him another and he literally wore that shit everyday.

“What we’re doing right now in fashion is very unique—we’re sur viving with our own stuff. No Nike, no Adidas, no Raf. We’re doing good, we ain’t hurt, we straight.”

W H O

You and Jones are from the westside, and Lloyd and Owusu are from the southside. How does Fat Tiger brings those areas of Chicago together?

We’re a community store, we’re like a barber shop. That’s what I like to call my store—you’re gonna see that with the new store—but I want people to feel relaxed coming in here. I want to give back to a lot of kids. We do a lot of stuff that people don’t know about, helping people out. I know that we do it because we got so many kids from all parts of the city that mess with us. But I don’t think when we did this, we had the intention to bridge the sides together.

A LOOK INSIDE FAT TIGER WORKSHOP, LOCATED ON MILWAUKEE AVENUE IN THE WEST TOWN AREA OF CHICAGO.

Your brand was Dope Boy Magic originally.

Why change it to Don’t Be Mad? I got in trouble with a brand called Dope Couture. He was just sending me letters about wanting me to change my name, blah blah blah.

I ignored it but the letters kept getting more and more intense. I thought of the most clever thing in the world, let me just make it Don’t Be Mad. It’s kind of a diss to him, it’s kind of positive.

DBM is so much cleaner, Don’t Be Mad. It ended up turning into a global thing that kids love wearing. It’s a good, positive message. So everything ended up working for the best, but I really can’t put dope on stuff no more because of that. It ended up being a blessing in disguise —shit is super corny.

You’ve gotten other cease and desists, right?

Yeah, I got one from Rihanna, Champion, and later on from Kanye, for the 2020 president shirt that I did.

What role do you think fashion plays within Chicago’s artistic and musical renaissance?

We’ve seen each other grow up. I think a lot of stores like Leaders, we been behind artists from the first steps. We go hand-in-hand. Like us giving Chance and Vic and all the other kids tour stuff, even merch. I secretly help out a lot of artists with their merch now.

Fat Tiger undeniably supports young Chicago talent. What about that is important to you?

That’s what keeps us alive. I don’t really make a living off 30-year-olds—the youth keep me afloat, so I have to make sure what I do is to give back to the youth because they give to me. That’s my main goal: to make sure that we do our workshops, we talk back to Chicago youth and help them out. And not even just Chicago youth, but people that need help. With our workshops, we get people that’s 14 and we get people that’s 38. We’re like a community store, we pride ourselves in just selling our own FALL 2018 | PUBLIC MAGAZINE | 19

j o e f r e s h g o o d s

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products, so at the same time, I just want to make sure that we’re giving people our flavor of how we do stuff.

What we’re doing right now in fashion is very unique—we’re surviving in almost downtown Chicago, with our own stuff. No Nike, no adidas, no Raf [Simons]. We’re doing good, we ain’t hurt, we straight. We make all the blogs. Not a lot of people around the world doing what we’re doing. A lot of kids look up to that so we want to tell our story. It’s history.

Why do you think it is crucial for Chicago to have its own brands?

Chicago need more love. I made a jacket that says “Made In A Chicago Hood”—I wanted to have people that have never been to Chicago wearing Chicago stuff. That’s all. People love our music, that whole Chief Keef era where everybody was like using our slang, loving our music. So I wanted them to love our fashion.

MADE IN A

ABOVE: FRESHGOODS WORKING ON VINTAGE TOWEL PROJECT. BELOW: VIC LLOYD ON FAT TIGER LAPTOP.

CHICAGO

TOP PHOTOGRAPH BY DEUN IVORY; RIGHT BY HIVE SOCIETY

HOOD

You really banked on a moment with your Thank U Obama collection. What pushed you to create it?

Sometimes I look at myself as the CNN of clothing. Sometimes when somebody pass away, when something crazy happens, I be like, Nobody else going do it, lemme do it ‘cause I’m going to do it correctly

With the Obama’s being from Chicago, I remember how I felt the day Obama won, it was the litest night in the city. I feel like a lot of people don’t know that. It was like hugs, kisses everywhere—love. I never experienced that energy like that, that was mind blowing.

I remember going to sleep that night like, a black man became president, I can do anything. I kept that philosophy—I’m doing what

I want to do. [Terrell and I] had this vision in grammar school, and I was just like, I had to do it. So I dropped a flyer in October—I didn’t know the clothes I was doing, I just said Joe for Obama. It got a lot of traction, people taking this serious. So I put it out and it did good, it sold out.

A lot of stuff be jokes that I don’t be thinking will take off like that. I don’t take a lot of stuff serious like that. I don’t go into stuff knowing it’s gonna go this crazy. I ended up making every blog. Every blog. I feel like I have more eyes watching me, what I’m doing. I know the Obamas saw it. I heard they like it.

FALL 2018 | PUBLIC MAGAZINE | 21

W H A T

t r e n d w a t c h

HYPER BRANDED WRITTEN BY NATALIE ZAJESKI

Gucci! Burberry! Balenciaga! Versace!

The fashion world has renewed its love affair with the logo for fall 2018 and it’s bigger, bolder and brasher than ever before.

The need for loud, shouty branding fell out of sartorial favour in the late 1990s after maximalism reached fever pitch and a wealth of counterfeit goods saw it characterised as gauche and tacky.

Around that same time Phoebe Philo’s “Celine effect” also kicked in causing many brands to adopt a subtler, minimalist approach to branding. But fast forward to present day and it seems people are no longer ashamed of wearing their luxury logos from head to toe.

Now, the fashion houses that made their name repeating logos are back with a label feast after years of relegating it to shadows. At Fendi the brand’s monogrammed bag made a huge comeback, this time coming sheathed in the F logo to create geometric designs. While a jacket-style fur coat worn by Kendall Jenner struck the perfect balance between glam and garish.

Similarly, for spring/summer 2018 Donatella Versace paid tribute to her late brother Gianni with a runway festooned with 1990s-style insignia. Here, the designer revived the house’s iconic baroque print and Medusa heads on everything from retro jumpsuits and strong shoulders to silk shirts.

On various other runways, designers also presented T-shirts emblazoned with their respective logos from Gucci’s double G motif to Balenciaga, Emporio Armani and Sonia Rykiel.

But, which one will you choose?

The simplest and most fashion-forward way to align yourself with a brand, wearing a logo on your sleeve enters the wearer into some sort of unofficial club that only equally style savvy folks will recognise.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY: DOUGLAS CHAPMAN

And, while there are plenty of possibilities when it comes to choosing how to wear them, we believe the choice is best kept simple with a T-shirt or bag bearing confident lettering.

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TOKYO IS REWRITING THE RULES OF FASHION

BY EMILY COWPER This season marked photographer Matthew Sperzel’s 5th time covering Tokyo Fashion Week, which he describes as “my favorite market to cover—the best street style in my opinion.” He shot these photos in the Shibuya area of Tokyo over six days, where most of fashion week takes place. “Aside from shooting arrivals/ let-outs at runway shows, I like to wander the side streets and back alleys of Harajuku, scoping out even more street style between shows,” he told me.

Looking through his photos, I understood why he loves it: Tokyo street style offers a departure from New York and Paris street style that feels more than geographical. Struck by the bevy of trends that were sometimes pieced together in a single outfit, I saw a sort of home-spun maximalism that felt surprisingly authentic next to the often hyper-branded offerings of “mainstream” fashion weeks. The rules felt rewritten, and I walked away with a slew of outfit ideas to pull me out of my current slump.

A GOOD TRENCH COAT CAN BE A FULL OUTFIT

I’ve been looking for an oversize khaki trench like this for months (it needs some HEFT) and these looks sold me on the idea even more.

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STRIPES MAKE GREAT UNDERSHIRTS

I love the idea of wearing a classic striped shirt and trench as a prim underlayer to an irridescent cheetah coat. It creates the illusion of a scarf, and reminds me of my grandmother in a good way.

I’ve been dragging my feet on the pajamas-asclothes trend, but I think I’m ready now, especially when I see them worn with sunglasses. Seems kind of like a win-win: you either look surprisingly cool or overwhelmingly casual.

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ALL PLAID PATTERNS TECHNICALLY MATCH EACH OTHER

I usually gravitate toward clashing colors over patterns, but clashing plaids and checks is a satisfying compromise.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNIE JANSEN

PAJAMAS AREN’T PAJAMAS WHEN YOU ADD SUNGLASSES

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HALF-TUCKS DON’T HAVE TO LOOK SLOPPY

The half-tucked button-down has a reputation for embodying the kind of care-free casualness of J.Crew models and dads on boats, but when done carefully with a crisp shirt under a blazer, it looks more intentionally asymmetrical and dressed up.

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T-SHIRT + SILK SCARF + BLAZER + JEANS = ALWAYS CLASSIC

Simple math. Also, I love twin outfits as a rule.

SNEAKERS MAKE A PLAIN MAXI DRESS LOOK LESS “I’M ON VACATION”

I’m not a huge maxi-dress fan, but I love how these are styled with sneakers. Would go to dinner in this.

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CROSSBODY BAGS CAN (SHOULD?) BE WORN AT BELLY-BUTTON HEIGHT

Almost every bag & fanny pack in this batch of street style is worn extra-high, around the waist or chest. Why are the rest of us wearing bags around our hips?

ROOMY SUITS MAKE NICE WEEKEND-WEAR

I spotted so many dressed-down dress-up clothes, per above, not so much in how they were styled but in how they fit: loosely, casually, unseriously. It made me look at my blazers, trousers and button-downs in a new way. Like for Saturdays, for instance.

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OUT WITH THE NEW...

...IN WITH THE OLD 38 | PUBLIC MAGAZINE | PUBLICMAGAZINE.COM

MAKING THE CASE FOR VINTAGE SHOPPING

WRITTEN BY ANNIE MOELLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM STONE

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or serious fashion fans, vintage shopping can be one of life’s greatest joys. Often all about the thrill of the hunt, there are few things as satisfying as unearthing a truly incredible piece (or five) from another era. However, learning how to buy vintage clothing can also be tricky and, frankly, overwhelming. What’s the difference between real-deal vintage garments and simply used clothing?

What pieces are worth shelling out for if you’re new to buying pre-owned?

To answer these questions and more, we enlisted Doris Raymond, who has been buying and selling vintage clothing for over 30 years at her Los Angeles store, The Way We Wore, a veritable mecca for rare finds such as museum-quality beaded gowns, 1950s Pucci blouses, Chanel suits, and Hermes jackets.

“

Vintage denotes something special— that an item has stood the test of time and has proven to remain relevant for any number of reasons— timelessness of style, quality, historical or cultural significance or interesting provenance.

” FALL 2018 | PUBLIC MAGAZINE | 39

“

There is usually more handwork, more attention to detail and a tendency for durability that you don’t see much any more in contemporary fashion

”

As the go-to spot for discerning lovers of vintage fashion, it’s no surprise that Doris’s store was given its own reality show—”L.A. Frock Stars”—which aired last year on the Smithsonian Channel. The show featured visits from some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names, such as Dita Von Teese. We also saw Rihanna’s stylist seeking items for the singer’s Grammy Awards ensemble, and Raymond pulling potential items for Lady Gaga to wear on tour.

Even if you’re not in the market for a high-end pre-owned piece, Raymond insists that everyone’s closet could use a few vintage goodies to add that special something to an otherwise ordinary wardrobe. Here, the fashion forager offers insider tips on how to buy vintage clothing like a pro, and score killer high-style find

FIRSTLY: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VINTAGE AND THRIFT

What is it that sets vintage clothing apart from simply used items? Raymond explains: “You can find great vintage items in thrift stores, but you shouldn’t find obvious thrift items in a vintage store. Vintage denotes something special—that an item has stood the test of time and has proven to remain relevant for any number of reasons—timelessness of style, quality, historical or cultural significance or interesting provenance.”

A few interesting things to keep in mind: Signs that a garment was manufactured before the mid-’60s are metal zippers, side-snap closures, saw-toothed, and union labels printed in blue.

WHY WE THINK VINTAGE IS WORTH IT

If a piece of clothing is more than 25 years old, it’s probably endured because of superior fabric and craftsmanship. Vintage clothing also tends to be easier to customize because it has wider seam allowances for tucking in or taking up. Little compares to the thrill of finding a statement piece that you know no one else will be wearing at the party. It’s even eco-friendly because you’re reusing fabric and saving energy on production of a new garment.

But best of all—you knew we had to bring this back to your bottom line—vintage wares provide better value for your money. Well-made pieces range from $10 for lingerie and shoes to $350 for boutique coats. Case in point: Bridgett Artise, designer, shop owner, and author of Born-Again Vintage, cherishes the Alexander McQueen coat and Chanel jacket she nabbed for $7 and $15, respectively at a Salvation Army in New York City. (Her tip: Always be on the lookout for undiscovered stores and sources of vintage, before their secret is outed.)

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START WITH A CLASSIC

If you’re a neophyte when it comes to vintage hunting, it’s worth seeking out something timeless to start. “A good first piece of vintage for the newly initiated is something basic and classic,” says Raymond. “Perhaps a 1950s beaded cardigan or a 1960s little black dress. Make it something you can wear over and over again that won’t lose its luster right away.”

IT’S NOT SIZE THAT MATTERS, BUT UNDERGARMENTS

Often with vintage, it’s not the size but the undergarments that truly make a piece fit correctly. “Sizing standards have changed through the decades, but not as much as ladies undergarments have,” says Raymond.

“Every era of the 20th century has a distinct silhouette that required specific shape-shifting garments—from corsets to girdles to bullet bras and beyond.”

This means a specific vintage garment might not look the same today without a specific undergarment, so its worth noting that before you buy.

KNOW YOUR ERAS

“Typically the easiest eras to shop would be the ones closest to now. There would naturally be more of an abundance to choose from,” Raymond says.

“The easiest eras to fit into a contemporary wardrobe would be the eras from the latter half of the 20th century (1960s on). Items from before that might be considered too costume-y if not incorporated well into your personal style.”

a pre-owned item over something brand new?

Because it’s probably made better. “A general rule of thumb, especially for higher-end designer pieces, is that the older the piece the higher the quality,” Raymond explains.

“There is usually more handwork, more attention to detail and a tendency for durability that you don’t see much any more in contemporary fashion.” Not to mention that—with a vintage designer item—you likely won’t spot any other gal on the street carrying that same bag or wearing that same jacket.

DO YOUR RESEARCH IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO SPEND

That said, Raymond warns against splurging without doing a good deal of research first. “I wouldn’t recommend investing a great deal of money on anything you might buy on a whim.

Learn how to spot condition issues, what eras work for you and how collectable an item is before you jump in,” Raymond advises. “Vintage fashion as an investment is best left to the truly educated. It’s important to know how to recognize and identify the signs that may make an item valuable and collectable. You should be well versed on couture, designers and detail.”

To better educate yourself, talk to people who run various local high-end vintage stores or seek out local vintage dealers.

TAILOR IT

Today’s clothing is designed to have “hanger appeal,” to make it look better on the hanger— and spur impulse purchases—than on your body. But with vintage, you never know how beautiful it is until you slip it on. Also, remember that most vintage pieces are easier to alter than anything you’d find at a big box retailer nowadays, so think creatively.

WHY BUY VINTAGE VS. NEW

A quality vintage garment or accessory can cost as much as current couture (ahem, vintage Chanel) so why would someone choose

If you fall in love with something that doesn’t quite fit, remember that vintage items can always be nipped and tucked to make them perfect for you. “Don’t be afraid to invest a little

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WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND SHOP IN STORE IN NYC OR ONLINE AT WHATGOESAROUNDCOMESAROUNDNYC.COM

This NYC-based boutique is the go-to place for high-end designer finds. Toting one of the best vintage Chanel collections out there, you can snatch up everything from the classic black flap bag to chunky ’80s jewelry adorned with the double Cs. However, if Chanel isn’t really your thing, there is plenty of vintage Moschino, Kenzo and YSL to go around (and come around).

BUFFALO EXCHANGE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE US

Buffalo Exchange is a privately owned, family-operated fashion resale retailer that buys and resells used clothing. The company has 49 stores in 17 states across the US and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona where Kerstin Block opened her first store in 1974. Customers can buy used apparel as well as trade in their own used clothes. The value of a trade in is calculated by a trained buyer, and then the customer can receive a percentage of that value in cash or store credit.

TREASURES OF NYC SHOP VIA INSTAGRAM AT @TREASURESOFNYC OR ONLINE AT TREASURESOFNEWYORKCITY.COM

Launched in 2013 by two 28-year-old New Yorkers, Robert Bird and Brittany Blanco, Treasures of New York City maintains an impressive inventory—covering everything from rare Chanel bags and Fendi jeans to Gucci sunglasses and all of the saddle bags your trendy heart could desire. When something is sold, you can be almost certain that TNYC has a few more in stock, and if they don’t, they’ll send you similar options should you be interested directly through the app.

THE REAL REAL SHOP ONLINE AT THEREALREAL.COM

The RealReal is an authenticated luxury consignment marketplace where you can buy and sell luxury goods from top designers across women’s and men’s fashion, fine jewelry & watches, fine art and home. Shoppers enjoy up to 90% off retail prices and sellers earn up to 70% of the sale price of their items. The RealReal offers international shipping to 61 countries.

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bit of money to have it properly tailored to your body. If you invest $25 [or] $30 in having the cuffs shortened or the waist slightly taken in so that it’s not puffy, it can make the difference of looking frumpy to looking like it’s tailor-made,” says Raymond.

That said, there are items from another era that simply cannot be altered, so it pays to be aware of your body’s proportions. No matter how much you adore the fabric of a coat or the drape of a dress, if they’re too short or long-waisted it may not read right, Raymond points out.

FEEL THE FABRIC

You may fall in love with a beautiful garment, but check to see if the fabric is in good condition. “I always like to really look at and touch the clothing, to make sure it still has life in it. Vintage pieces often get brittle and dry and shatter. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than investing some money in something and having it fall apart on you.” If a garment looks like it’s cracking, pulling, falling apart, or fading, it’s probably wise to leave it.

SAY NO TO PLASTIC

We’re all guilty of letting our clothes hang around in those pesky dry cleaning bags, but Raymond says it can be especially harmful to vintage pieces. “Never store your things in plastic—ever! Because plastic, if you think about it, doesn’t allow a garment to breathe.

So if any moisture exists in the air, or let’s say you take a shower and your closet is next to your bathroom, the moisture accumulates and can cause deterioration or even mildew.”

ABOVE ALL…

Have patience. Many people get turned off because it’s so much stuff. Start with an hour at a time. If you do, you might just find a perfect sheer flowy dress. After all, the standard used to be that yarns and knitwear should not pill, silks should not wrinkle when crushed, and linens should drape nicely and not feel stiff and wiry. Nowadays, that’s called couture.

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ARTICLE BY ELSA BRODARICK PHOTOS BY MARSHALL MCGARITY

NEON DREAMING PRADA 2018 A lot of brands show during fashion month. While the usual suspects in each of the big four fashion capitals draw a lot of attention each season, and special circumstances (highly-anticipated debuts, go-away shows, etc.) periodically warrant extra attention, Prada has made its home on a different plane altogether. The Milan-based design house has our collective, undivided anticipation and attention every season, no “buts” about it.

The question is: Why ... exactly?

The fanfare which we associate with Prada is certainly not an age-old practice for the house. For the uninitiated, Prada, which was founded in 1913, originally functioned solely as a leather goods company, started by current CEO and creative director Miuccia Prada’s grandfather, Mario Prada. When Mr. Prada died, his daughter took over, and eventually, she brought her youngest daughter, Miuccia, on board.

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By that point, Miuccia had received a Ph.D. in political science, trained as a mime, and joined the Communist party. Alongside her husband, Patrizio Bertelli—whom she met at a trade fair in Milan in 1977 and with whom she shares the role of CEO, since she stepped down from her position as Chairman in 2015—Ms. Prada has revolutionized not only her family’s business but the fashion industry as we know it, in a variety of ways.

In turning her family’s company into the globally-reaching brand that it is today, Miuccia started small, first focusing her attention on updating the selection of accessories. As the New York Times put it, “In 1978, she designed a black nylon rucksack that would later take the world by storm.”

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NEON DREAMS

“Praises due to the most fly, Prada” – Kanye West

Since then, Ms. Prada has transformed the company entirely, taking it from a small leather goods business to a much-admired brand, known for its eccentric designs, to a contemporary design powerhouse with annual sales of over $5 billion. In 1988, Prada debuted its first womenswear collection; it was met with critical acclaim. Menswear followed in 1995.

Fast forward twenty years and the house, which is reportedly worth about $13 billion, operates in 70 countries. Thanks to an array of pop culture references—whether it be movies (The Devil Wears Prada is just one) or music (lyrics, such as “Praises due to the most fly, Prada,” courtesy of Kanye West)—even those outside of fashion’s circle have become acquainted with the design house.

In short, the house, under the control of Ms. Prada and Mr. Bertelli, has come a long way.

Maybe more interesting than the brand’s rise to household fame or its 2011 listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which brought in $2.14 billion is Prada’s ability to hold hostage both fashion’s inner circle and those on the periphery with its offerings each season—even if sales have been lackluster in recent years.

To adequately discern exactly what Prada’s staying power is, we have to look to the brand’s underlying appeal. It does not have the logo-centric hold on consumers like, say, Louis Vuitton or Gucci with their bold accessories, even though Prada’s upside down triangle trademark is far from being ambiguous. In actuality, it is heavily replicated by counterfeiters.

But the essence of the brand goes far deeper than simple typography; that is what Miuccia, one of fashion’s great intellectuals desires. “I hope they don’t just buy because there is a logo but because the object is relevant to them,” she said of her brand.

It is, of course, not a secret that Miuccia designs for a special breed. Her designs and overall aesthetic, in fact, has been given many labels, but ones that immediately come to mind include: eccentric, ugly, strange, in bad taste (courtesy of Giorgio Armani), expensive.

Ms. Prada is familiar with these assessments of her brand: “I was very much criticized for inventing the trashy and the ugly.” And she owns up to it: “Ugly is attractive, ugly is exciting.

Maybe because it is newer. The investigation of ugliness is, to me, more interesting than the bourgeois idea of beauty.” At the end of the day, Miuccia is a thinker, a challenger of conventional notions and norms.

Maybe this is what is so attractive; Miuccia’s desire to investigate, analyze and comment, more often than not with herself in mind. Prada is, after all, a distillation of the designer herself, her style, her thoughts on the state of the world.

In a 2013 article, the New York Times wrote of the house’s design mastermind: “Prada pleases herself, and she does it with dedication.

She makes what she wants to make.” And what is it that Miuccia wants to make? She wants to do more than simply manufacture clothing; she wants to make a statement, which is likely one of the factors that keeps us coming back.

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Of her approach to fashion, she said: “I am trying to work out which images of the female I want to analyze. I’m not really interested in clothes or style.” Of her Spring 2015 menswear collection, she told Vogue Runway: “Just ‘clothes’ is boring. We need more passion, more humanity.”

Maybe we are all so taken with Prada because it is not just about fashion, never just a collection with superficial beauty; there is always more to it than meets the eye.

Prada described her womenswear collection as “uniforms for the slightly disenfranchised” and it is something that rings true to this day, despite the transformation that occurs each season. And that is an interesting point. Her collections do vary quite a bit over time.

In this way, Mrs. Prada and her label remind me of something Raf Simons told Harper’s Bazaar last year—in categorizing designers, he said: “In fashion design you can divide people into two groups. You have people who come with an aesthetic that is there forever, even if it evolves. Then you have people I call jumpers.

One season it can be this; the next season it’s completely something else.”

Somehow Prada is firmly situated somewhere in-between. As for the innovation that occurs each season under the Prada label, Cathy Horyn penned an article on the designer in 2015, writing: “Miuccia’s answer to high fashion in the ‘90s, when she introduced Prada’s notion of ugly chic, wasn’t just personal; it was a rebuttal to Milan’s system of presenting a consistent style and silhouette each season. She really challenged that notion by changing Prada’s direction every season, often dramatically. The consequences of that move have been profound. Because unlike most of her competition, Miuccia isn’t obliged to stay within this narrow lane of expression.”

Similarly, the Washington Post’s Robin Givhan wrote: “The motivating force in Prada’s aesthetic is reinvention. Over the years, her collections have shifted from being encrusted with baubles to being positively barren. Sometimes they have exuded a teasing pleasure in feminine wiles and then they have been nearly asexual and then have gone back to being wholly exhibitionist.”

And from here we derive yet another reason for the flock en mass to the label each season: To see what Miuccia has up her sleeve, because it can be so very unpredictable; Mrs. Prada has the ability to keep her Prada-philes guessing.

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And beyond innovation, Prada is known for the depth of her collections. Over the years, Tim Blanks—during his Style.com tenure—explored both the profundity and the intricacies of the Prada, writing: “Any Prada collection is a finely woven web of reference and allusion.” On another occasion, he wrote: “You can’t pin a Prada collection down to one scenario.” And still yet, “Prada’s collections always reward reflection,” just to reference a few points.

With all of this in mind, Mrs. Prada is not the only cerebral designer; Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van Noten and many of the great Belgians, in general, Alexander McQueen, and a handful of others, have been given this title.

It seems that we are left with the unconventional and idiosyncratic aesthetic of the brand as one of the driving forces behind its continued success. This type of success could have been measured in terms of critical response and financial growth. Prada was, for quite awhile

“Ugly is attractive, ugly is exciting.

Maybe because it is newer. The investigation of ugliness is, to me, more interesting than the bourgeois idea of beauty” – Miuccia Prada

there, experiencing stellar sales increases (that is no longer the case), while also simultaneously being labeled as “the season’s high point.”

For instance, “I’m trying to make men more sensitive and women stronger,” Ms. Prada once said of her process.

Looking back to the brand’s wares, themselves.

In terms of aesthetic, Prada is deeply original.

Miuccia, with her many visual and cultural references and no particular is arguably one of the forces responsible for pioneering the production of a slightly off-kilter wardrobe.

In a time when we are so thoroughly bombarded by mindless forms of entertainment and unenlightening garments that fail to balance the scales of art and commerce, of clothes almost exclusively created to appeal to the population’s incessant desire for instant gratification, it is somewhat surprising that fashion that requires anything of a second thought would survive.

The house’s strangely beautiful collections are wearable and intelligent, influenced largely by the sartorial conventions of bourgeois Milan.

The garments—which portray a sense of awkward sexuality and complexity that is unfussy, an off-hand aura of luxury, and a play on classic shapes—provide a substantial take on fashion, on personal style, on dressing, in general.

Perhaps there are still some out there who value the complexities that are inherent in thoughtful, well-designed fashion or maybe most people just like the ugly/pretty dresses.

Implicit in the house’s often drab palette, sober luxury, and tailored clothes is a perspective.

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