Recent Royal Academy graduate Devon Halfnight LeFlufy (yes, that's his real name) has been California dreamin'. The Belgian designer's Spring/Summer 2014 collection is a trippy tribute to LA street culture, complete with loose-fitting tanks and palm tree sweatpants. Shot by Belgian-based photographer Alex Salinas, Devon's lookbook images only heighten the SoCal mood. In these previously unreleased photos, the collection is surrounded by concrete, the occasional Solo Cup, and, of course, plenty of sun-drenched and saturated colors. We caught up with Devon to discuss these exclusive images and how he recreates LA in Antwerp.
Shop all Devon Halfnight LeFlufy HERE
OC: What inspired this collection?
Devon Halfnight LeFlufy: In this collection we explored the hybrid iconography of Los Angeles and its subcultures. In some ways, though, [the] "True Believer" [collection] is just an amalgamation of things we were into that had a golden thread running through them that created the narrative that makes it something more. The collection really began as a fixation on California and just grew from there.
Tell us about working with photographer Alex Salinas.
Alex is easily my favorite photographer (maybe tied with David Sims). Such a pure talent. It is so effortless how he works and I am so honored to get to work with him. We now collaborate on all my visual material and it is one of the [most fun] parts of building up new projects.
What was the concept of the shoot?
Alex and I never works with heavy concepts. Instead we try to catch the main threads of the atmosphere of the collection and work around them. In this case it was about teen sensuality and escapism as well as a surreal uncanniness.
Where did you shoot these images?
Everyone always thinks we shot this in LA. I guess it has something to do with the light, but actually it is shot just outside Antwerp. On Sundays the whole country shuts down and there is no one around. It is so airy.
What are the masks that the models are wearing?
The masks are painted by NYC-based artist Brian Kokoska. His work played a big role in the runway collection. The masks are a direct reference to LA escapism and the identity issues that are inherent in these cultures. Of course this can be a heavy topic, but for us the masks touched on it without being too serious. Escapism is just a part of contemporary culture and this fascinates us.
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Photos by Alex Salinas
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Palm tree sweatshirt and Palm Tree Pants both in green
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Shop all Devon Halfnight LeFlufy HERE
OC: What inspired this collection?
Devon Halfnight LeFlufy: In this collection we explored the hybrid iconography of Los Angeles and its subcultures. In some ways, though, [the] "True Believer" [collection] is just an amalgamation of things we were into that had a golden thread running through them that created the narrative that makes it something more. The collection really began as a fixation on California and just grew from there.
Tell us about working with photographer Alex Salinas.
Alex is easily my favorite photographer (maybe tied with David Sims). Such a pure talent. It is so effortless how he works and I am so honored to get to work with him. We now collaborate on all my visual material and it is one of the [most fun] parts of building up new projects.
What was the concept of the shoot?
Alex and I never works with heavy concepts. Instead we try to catch the main threads of the atmosphere of the collection and work around them. In this case it was about teen sensuality and escapism as well as a surreal uncanniness.
Where did you shoot these images?
Everyone always thinks we shot this in LA. I guess it has something to do with the light, but actually it is shot just outside Antwerp. On Sundays the whole country shuts down and there is no one around. It is so airy.
What are the masks that the models are wearing?
The masks are painted by NYC-based artist Brian Kokoska. His work played a big role in the runway collection. The masks are a direct reference to LA escapism and the identity issues that are inherent in these cultures. Of course this can be a heavy topic, but for us the masks touched on it without being too serious. Escapism is just a part of contemporary culture and this fascinates us.
Photos by Alex Salinas
Palm tree sweatshirt and Palm Tree Pants both in green
