occupation: aspiring shoe designer

“I try to dress for hope, not the apocalypse.” Brandon Acton-Bond

I was enlightened recently to the Buddhist theory that the most positive energy comes from being in the valley (a beginner) where the grass is growing and new things are being created, rather than at the top of the mountain where the air is thin and you are alone. Brandon has this type of inquisitive excitement for life and a burning desire to learn, discover and share in the details of whatever captures his imagination. Most recently it is his love affair with NYC, having moved here from London and where he feels anything is possible. In addition, his passion for the couturier Issey Miyake began when he met a woman who was so emotional about the designer that she has been buying his clothes for thirty years. Brandon is so taken with how personal he feels Issey’s clothing is that he wears a white t-shirt under his long cardigan (that he aptly calls Native American by way of Japan) so that one can appreciate the cut-out details underneath it. He has such an insatiable, child-like thirst for knowledge that he spent hours in Issey’s Tribeca store, learning about all of the specifics of their lines, like the purity of the dyes from the rain forest. A self-proclaimed “hippy from 2150,” Brandon loves the mix of romantic with futuristic, like the touch of capes, ponchos, and hoods with his silver trench and sleek aviators. Both worldy and innocent, Brandon portrays a style that is an expression of hope, with his use of color, and the sheer joy that he gets from making his imprint in the world.

If you like Brandon, you might also enjoy Shaun Stewart, Erik Bergrin, or Ludwig Kuttner.