Craig Robinson
“I’m often inspired by people with stories of strife, lawmen and criminals, political figures, activists, drafted military men, and people near death. They are the ones that make me understand that it’s important to live for now.”
occupation: menswear designer
Early in Craig’s career, there was a crossroads between music and fashion. He says that he chose fashion, but in a way, he chose theater – “there is a non-reality [about clothes]. You can sew up your own reality.” The amount of imagination and passion that goes into Craig’s customized clothing is more worthy of a screenplay. The ankle-length mohair toggle sweater was designed while envisioning himself as a grumpy older man – he’s sitting by himself in a house where no one comes to visit him, he can’t pay the bills, he’s carrying a shotgun, and blowing holes in the wall. By then, he…
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Thomas Crowley
“I often think of when Henry David Thoreau wrote, ‘To affect the quality of the day – that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.’ I don’t presume that Thoreau had waistcoats or cufflinks in mind when he wrote this, but it inspires me nonetheless. What one wears truly does have an affect on how he feels about himself, how others treat him.” Thomas Crowley
occupation: wine director of the Bar Veloce empire
Thomas was one of those people that stopped me in my tracks when I saw him in the subway station, with his rich and passionate taste for modern classicism in dressing. Standing still as a monk in his prototypical custom suit: “two-toned shoes, patterned socks, and stingy brimmed fedora” (perfectly shaped for his face).…
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Mister Burton
occupation: playwright, poet, and tie designer
“Be yourself, take time to get to know yourself and love and embrace everything about you, and always keep your pinky up.” Mister Burton
What happens when as a young boy you are “different” (meaning sensitive), with a strong artistic streak (in James’ case, “a Taurus, ruled by the goddess of love and beauty”), and is a misunderstood and solitary figure in his neighborhood? At fourteen, James found alot of inspiration from a superstar named Cyndi Lauper, who sang a song that said it’s okay to be different (coincidentally, she and James grew up in the same town). As soon as James felt the confidence to step into his imagination, and implulses, instead of caving to the norms, he started ripping up his clothes and painting them. Fast-forward about twenty-five years, and welcome to James’ “wildest dream,” his life, filled with a cast…
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Shail Upadhya
occupation: artist in the medium of clothing
“People are very insecure as far as fashion is concerned. It’s just something they do to look good and not be criticized, so a quick answer for them is to buy for the brand. I am my own brand.” Shail Upadhya
Shail is in the process of becoming “honest with himself” and finally fully discovering the artist within. He was born in Kathmandu to a family of politicians – three of Shail’s uncle’s were Prime Ministers of Nepal. Though he has always loved dressing up, his parents wanted him to have a “respectable” job, so he became a diplomat at the UN rather than following a creative pursuit. Despite working in politics, Shail’s inner “Lord Gaga” has gotton lots of attention, including meeting Andy Warhol at Studio 54 in the ’80s and numerous features in Bill Cunninghan’s style section of The New…
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Cator Sparks
“[London] is such an amazing place. Period. I’ll never forget riding the subway one day when I saw a man in a bowler, a bow tie, a cane, and a wax mustache. He just looked at me and winked. And I just [thought], ‘This is it kids. This is what I want to do.’” Cator Sparks
occupation: writer, blogger, and dandy
Cator loves the Auntie Mame quote, “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death,” because for him, you have to live it and breath it all in. And he does – this man is all passion. We recently emailed him to let him know that his post was coming up, and we received an automatic response saying, “Greetings! I am away for a wedding in the depths of Africa, therefore I have no internet access, only tribal drums and smoke signals.”…
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