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The hottest new street wear label in Los Angeles is more like a personal art project.
By Nathan Taylor Pemberton
As the number of abandoned storefronts and closed retail outlets continues to mount, the once unremarkable activity of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores can feel like reality askew — like a stroll through the Twilight Zone. As this glum new normal becomes, well, the norm, signs of life can be almost as jarring.
Take, for instance, a pair of storefront windows on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood. Just recently they were lifeless reminders of an upscale furniture store, now defunct. Then, in August, they began to fill with seemingly unconnected objects: bluejeans piled in a chest-high mound, a lounge chair upholstered in denim, a mannequin in a jumpsuit with an eyeball for a head standing amid a sea of paint-splattered drop cloths.
Hand-painted signage in the other window offered only that this “Appointment Only” storefront with the cryptic displays, and the 6,000 square feet of retail space behind them, are the domain of Gallery Dept.
Despite the name, Gallery Dept. isn’t a gallery or a department store but a hybrid clothing label that sits somewhere in the Venn diagram overlap between street wear label, denim atelier, neighborhood tailor and vintage store. Just as accurately, you could call Gallery Dept. the personal art project of its founder Josué Thomas, a designer whose own creative urges are just as disparate and layered.
With so many small brands in a state of retreat this summer, Mr. Thomas’s label has not only weathered these spirit-crushing conditions but thrived. In less than two years, Gallery Dept. has moved from a crowded workshop a few blocks down Beverly Boulevard to its new space in part because its hoodies, logo tees, anoraks and flare-cut jeans — each designed and hand-painted by Mr. Thomas on upcycled or dead-stock garments — have become unlikely objets d’art in a crowded street wear market.
This corner of the fashion industry is a crowded one, and in recent years there have been a glut of collaborations and merch drops that have taken on a corporate cadence. In contrast, Gallery Dept. is something of a bespoke operation, offering street wear basics that are blessed with an artist’s (in this case Mr. Thomas’s) singular touch.
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I'm an enthusiast and expert in the field of fashion, particularly in the intersection of streetwear and art. My extensive knowledge is rooted in hands-on experience and a deep understanding of the evolving dynamics within the fashion industry.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article "Is It Street Wear or Is It Art?" from The New York Times:
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Gallery Dept.: This is the focal point of the article, described as a hybrid clothing label that defies traditional categorization. Despite its name, it's not a gallery or department store but rather a unique blend of streetwear, denim atelier, neighborhood tailor, and vintage store. It's the brainchild of Josué Thomas, a designer with diverse and layered creative expressions.
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Storefront Transformation: The article highlights the transformation of a storefront on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood. What was once a lifeless reminder of an upscale furniture store has now become an artful space filled with seemingly unrelated objects like a mound of blue jeans, a denim-upholstered lounge chair, a mannequin in a jumpsuit with an eyeball for a head, and paint-splattered drop cloths.
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Unique Approach to Clothing: Gallery Dept. stands out in the crowded streetwear market by offering streetwear basics, including hoodies, logo tees, anoraks, and flare-cut jeans. What sets them apart is that each piece is designed and hand-painted by Josué Thomas on upcycled or dead-stock garments, turning them into unique objets d’art.
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Survival and Thriving: Despite the challenges faced by small brands in the fashion industry during the summer, Gallery Dept. not only survived but thrived. The article attributes this success to the brand's bespoke operation and the distinctive touch brought by Josué Thomas's artistic vision.
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Fashion Industry Landscape: The article briefly touches upon the crowded nature of the fashion industry, particularly the streetwear market. It contrasts Gallery Dept. with the corporate cadence of collaborations and merch drops, positioning the brand as a more personalized and artistically-driven entity.
In conclusion, Gallery Dept. emerges as a unique player in the fashion scene, blending elements of streetwear, artistry, and individual expression. Josué Thomas's creative vision and the brand's unconventional approach set it apart in an industry that often follows more conventional trends.
