LUST, LABELS and HYPEBEAST
"PLEASURES is based on my past life experiences. Our graphic concepts represent specific time periods in our lives—tangible feelings and expression real people can relate to." - Alex James
In my personal quest seeking out all things thought provoking and exceptional, and without the aid of any marketing or PR mailers, there are occasions that I come across something I class as atypical amongst the sea of con-generic trends. Only the rarest of these leave me as smitten as I am now, and these are the stories I wish to share with you.
Whilst I am guilty of believing we've overshot the best music and subculture of any generation by some twenty-odd years even I can get tired of seeing the same shit over and over. Even more so when it's done systematically and with no personality or soul. Thankfully there are exceptions and better yet they are atainable.
Following the unexpected and frankly quite astonishing Elvis capsule, and more recently their collaboration with Hypebeast, LA brand Pleasures appear to be getting the recognition they richly deserve. You know the saying "If it ain't broke...", well the Hypebeast collection is inelaborate yet compelling, the perfect execution. Consisting of, in my order of preference, Worship, Hello, York and Machine graphic prints across hoodies, tees, caps and coach jackets it's as solid a collaboration as I've seen in a while.
Following the unexpected and frankly quite astonishing Elvis capsule, and more recently their collaboration with Hypebeast, LA brand Pleasures appear to be getting the recognition they richly deserve. You know the saying "If it ain't broke...", well the Hypebeast collection is inelaborate yet compelling, the perfect execution. Consisting of, in my order of preference, Worship, Hello, York and Machine graphic prints across hoodies, tees, caps and coach jackets it's as solid a collaboration as I've seen in a while.
Notably it shows that the brand is held in high esteem by a publication that has previously worked with labels deemed considerably more popular. With entirely reasonable price tags the items are already selling out over at HBX.
I couldn't post without mentioning a couple of the recent releases from the Pleasures online store. The first is the 'LUST' Reverse Weave Champion crewneck which was on my radar for a hot minute, but then it was gone. The bold colour, embroidered logo and strong printed graphic on the sleeves was never a doubt in my mind. I took too long to make a decision to purchase on the grounds of sizing worries and now it's too late. I'm still kicking myself. In the weeks since the release and subsequent unavailability of said crewneck, a hoody version appeared on Instagram further stoking my regret.
I love the philosophy of releasing what they want when they want in limited quantities. If you hesitate you miss out, it's just clothing after all. It's like Elvis sang in the movie Clambake; "How Can You Lose What You Never Had?". Still I feel these idiosyncratic pieces inspired by the past will see you well into the future in a way no lame xerox ever could.
-Bossman75
I couldn't post without mentioning a couple of the recent releases from the Pleasures online store. The first is the 'LUST' Reverse Weave Champion crewneck which was on my radar for a hot minute, but then it was gone. The bold colour, embroidered logo and strong printed graphic on the sleeves was never a doubt in my mind. I took too long to make a decision to purchase on the grounds of sizing worries and now it's too late. I'm still kicking myself. In the weeks since the release and subsequent unavailability of said crewneck, a hoody version appeared on Instagram further stoking my regret.
Next up is the 'LABELS' Reversible Bomber Jacket. There was previously a hoody version with this back graphic and I remember the desire for it having seen the Judgement Night OST CD spine reference. This is a gem for the graphic alone even before you consider the remarkable fact that the bomber is reversible and water resistant. Whilst many believe that 90s influenced graphic-heavy designs have oversaturated fashion in general, few brands have what it takes to stand out and fewer still genuinely drive the trend with any ingenuity.
"Fashion is cyclical. People who grew up in the ’90s now have some money and the means to push their ideas. To me, it was one of the best eras in history on a global scale." - Alex JamesI've been wanting to post something about this brand for some time but the intrigue and anticipation for what they'd release next kept me from clicking publish. I continue to be impressed by their ability to tap into an seemingly random cultural reference without hurting or distracting from their core aesthetic.
I love the philosophy of releasing what they want when they want in limited quantities. If you hesitate you miss out, it's just clothing after all. It's like Elvis sang in the movie Clambake; "How Can You Lose What You Never Had?". Still I feel these idiosyncratic pieces inspired by the past will see you well into the future in a way no lame xerox ever could.
Something that I think differentiates the brand from the rest is there's no Locals Only attitude. Instead they seem welcoming to all those with a desire to seek out past pleasures. They appear to be as genuine as they come, and I have a Burning Love for their Instagram page. That's a nod to number 33 of the official top 50 best selling Elvis songs. Thank you, thank you very much.
-Bossman75