A collaboration between Durban-born, Brooklyn, New York-based artists and graphic designer Louis de Villiers, formerly known as SkullBoy, and Amanda Laird Cherry Apparel; the limited LDV x ALC capsule examines how we present ourselves to the world and how the world influences the way we present ourselves, with the further idea of how creatives flex on their own capacities and talents. ”The concept continues to expand on something that I have been talking about in my work for the past couple years, [but now I’m] exploring this idea in different ways” explains de Villiers.
Photograph by Fotobooth Durban
Featuring a printed hoodie, embroidered t-shirt, reversible bucket hat and printed tote bag which was launched in July at FLEX & FINESSE, a cultural event curated by de Villiers and hosted at Open Plan Studios in Durban. The pieces in the capsule were carefully selected by de Villiers and the team at ALC. “We wanted a capsule [where] someone who wears the t-shirt would also respond to the hoodie and the tote, it’s kind of a lifestyle package,” says Brendan Sturrock, ALC’s menswear designer. Alongside the capsule, de Villiers curated 11 artists from Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town to design limited edition tote bags with a variety of different styles and voices.
Photograph by Louis de Villiers
“The core graphical icon of FLEX & FINESSE is the smiley face icon holding up his pinkies to his mouth like the classic hip hop trope or Instagram flex when you’ve got a new grille you put up your hands and show off the new grille so using that as a universal symbol of stunting on people,” notes de Villiers. The other imagery present in the capsule is a potted plant, a reference to de Villiers’ upcoming work which sees him transferring the idea of social media onto ceremonial objects such as vases.
Photograph by Njabulo Magubane
With regards to flex & finesse, de Villiers notes the following: “Flex & finesse is all smoke and mirrors. If you realise you have some control over how you are perceived or the energy that you put out into the world there is a lot of power in that. Becoming cognisant of that is important”. The LDV x ALC capsule launches today, the 21st of November, at BUZZART19 17h30 in Durban and is also available at Space+MAN in Rosebank. Catch Louis de Villiers’ new show “Sacred Currency” at Kalashnikov Gallery in Braamfontein on the 30th of November.
Photograph by Louis de Villiers
