OG OC alum Max Vanderwoude Gross knows what he likes. His brand, Proper Gang, is only in its third season, but the cropped hem-and-boxy fit aesthetic has already become a signature PG silhouette. The designer's talent for mixing street and formal creates a look that's tailored and clean, but also just outside the line. This season, he brings a pop of bright color and print into the mix, using, for instance, vibrant yellow leather and leopard to freshen up a classic jacket. Opening Ceremony recently spoke with him on the phone to chat about Proper Gang's current look—and future outlook.
Shop all Proper Gang here.
Dana Melanz: Hi Max! To start, I wanted to ask if you had any specific inspiration behind your Spring/Summer ‘14 collection?
Max Vanderwoude Gross: One of the things that I was influenced by was an older man's leisure wear, like grandpa style, but in a young, fresh way. Like, an older man has been through life, so he has the liberties to wear things that someone younger might not feel comfortable wearing.
It's funny you said that, because I remember looking at the clothes and thinking, "This looks like old men on a golf course." I wasn’t sure if that would be insulting, so I didn’t want to bring it up... [Laughs]
That's a nice summer look, you know. You mix something a little formal, causal, sporty, it’s kinda like a mash-up. It's what I try to do with Proper Gang in general—putting together different worlds to try to create our own language. To be honest, I don’t know if I work the same way a lot of designers do, like I don’t have some photo or some historic figure that inspires a collection, per se. Ultimately, I try to make cool clothes that are wearable. Things I want to wear, things I think my friends wanna wear.
Did your grandpa dress like that?
Some stuff, yeah. He’s a cool guy. But, I think it's more just the mentality.
So, it’s like how people dressed back in the day. Even if you were just going out, you were put together.
Yeah, you were put together, but not too formal. It's like a walk-around-in-the-mall-kinda-outfit, but still looking fly. [Laughs]
To talk a little more about the particular pieces, you’ve used athletic-style mesh before, but this is the first season where it’s been super sheer. Are you introducing, as my colleague put it, the male midriff?
No—it’s called the layering polo, because you’re supposed to wear a T-shirt under it. I mean, however the hell you want to wear it, that’s the way it's supposed to be worn. But, my personal thought behind it is that the look is really to wear a tank under it, like a very Lower East Side, summertime BBQ kinda thing. That’s my thought. It’s not, "Let’s show off my summer abs."
How did you choose techy fabrics for your collection?
I think about what I want to wear in the summer, and how hot it gets in the city. New York is a big part, even though I’m not referencing something specific. Cotton is great, but it’s the same deal. How do I take something classic and make it something fresh, something you haven’t seen before? So, I use technical fabrics, but in a casual way. Like the red gingham shirt: It's classic, but you don’t usually see it in a Japanese fabric.
You mentioned the sporty look, but there’s also a prep school vibe. Something about the cropped pants makes me think about kids who j
Shop all Proper Gang here.
Dana Melanz: Hi Max! To start, I wanted to ask if you had any specific inspiration behind your Spring/Summer ‘14 collection?
Max Vanderwoude Gross: One of the things that I was influenced by was an older man's leisure wear, like grandpa style, but in a young, fresh way. Like, an older man has been through life, so he has the liberties to wear things that someone younger might not feel comfortable wearing.
It's funny you said that, because I remember looking at the clothes and thinking, "This looks like old men on a golf course." I wasn’t sure if that would be insulting, so I didn’t want to bring it up... [Laughs]
That's a nice summer look, you know. You mix something a little formal, causal, sporty, it’s kinda like a mash-up. It's what I try to do with Proper Gang in general—putting together different worlds to try to create our own language. To be honest, I don’t know if I work the same way a lot of designers do, like I don’t have some photo or some historic figure that inspires a collection, per se. Ultimately, I try to make cool clothes that are wearable. Things I want to wear, things I think my friends wanna wear.
Did your grandpa dress like that?
Some stuff, yeah. He’s a cool guy. But, I think it's more just the mentality.
So, it’s like how people dressed back in the day. Even if you were just going out, you were put together.
Yeah, you were put together, but not too formal. It's like a walk-around-in-the-mall-kinda-outfit, but still looking fly. [Laughs]
To talk a little more about the particular pieces, you’ve used athletic-style mesh before, but this is the first season where it’s been super sheer. Are you introducing, as my colleague put it, the male midriff?
No—it’s called the layering polo, because you’re supposed to wear a T-shirt under it. I mean, however the hell you want to wear it, that’s the way it's supposed to be worn. But, my personal thought behind it is that the look is really to wear a tank under it, like a very Lower East Side, summertime BBQ kinda thing. That’s my thought. It’s not, "Let’s show off my summer abs."
How did you choose techy fabrics for your collection?
I think about what I want to wear in the summer, and how hot it gets in the city. New York is a big part, even though I’m not referencing something specific. Cotton is great, but it’s the same deal. How do I take something classic and make it something fresh, something you haven’t seen before? So, I use technical fabrics, but in a casual way. Like the red gingham shirt: It's classic, but you don’t usually see it in a Japanese fabric.
You mentioned the sporty look, but there’s also a prep school vibe. Something about the cropped pants makes me think about kids who j