At Home In The Mind Of Duckie Brown

December 11, 2009


Duckie Brown puts out the kind of collection that has very few recognizable, era-specific references. That's rare, especially in menswear. They've never done a James Dean collection and they don't do a take on prep or Americana. In fact, they talk passionately about resisting old tropes of masculinity and would much rather try to invent something new for gents to wear. Because of this pioneering, sometimes their collections seem to appear from thin air but get to know their world a bit, and you'll understand where everything is coming from.


For instance, you might think the hat we're now featuring in Fader 65 was inspired by an old-fashioned Fez cap, but if you ask, they'll actually tell you it started in their sketches, when they drew all the models with big block heads because they liked the odd proportion. And then they'll tell you they were inspired by a lady's granny hat from a musty store in upstate New York that had a rather peculiar square shape. You'll hear about Steven's love of an old British comedian who wore a similar shape on his head. And so on and so on. Duckie, I realized, is in the details and once you understand their world, you really understand their clothes. Part of that world is their amazing office/apartment where chiffon bows are stacked next to books and CDs and art made by friends and big chunky wood furniture, but most of that world is in their minds. Lucky for you we video interviewed them so you can take a peak yourself.

At Home In The Mind Of Duckie Brown