《i-D》專訪 Band of Outsiders 創始人 Scott Sternberg - 回首品牌創立初始，並暢談最愛聯名企劃

2014 年正值 Band of Outsiders 創立 10 週年，這個由 Scott Sternberg 創立的洛杉磯時裝品牌以「叛逆理念」重新定義了現代美式風尚。無論是用 Polaroid 即時成像相機拍攝由 Frank Ocean、Jason Schwartzmann 和 Kirsten Dunst 等巨星出鏡的宣傳大片，還是在品牌位於紐約 Soho Wooster 街道的旗艦店設立 Momofuku 甜點食坊， Sternberg 總是特立獨行，以天馬行空的創意驚艷公眾的眼球。近日，這位隨性不羈的時尚設計師接受了知名時尚雜誌《i-D》的專訪，Scott Sternberg 回首了品牌從 2004 年創立至今的一路走來，暢談自己最愛的聯名企劃，並在最後展望了品牌未來發展方向。感興趣的朋友可以前去《i-D》官方網站在線閱讀專訪完整內容。

What was the climate like for an upcoming designer back in 2004? How do you feel that’s changed?

It felt like there were less young brands in the market at that time, especially in menswear. It also felt like there weren’t very high barriers to entry. Magazines were excited about new brands, not that they aren’t anymore, but I think now it’s a much more dense and cluttered environment. It’s become sort of a cottage industry, harbouring young designers’ careers. And that’s a good thing, because it keeps those barriers to entry equally as low as when I started. But it’s certainly more noisy and cluttered now.

What have been some of your favourite collaborative projects?

I loved working with Sperry Topsider back in the day. Not by design but just by chance, I really had a strong instinct that I wanted to make boat shoes – sort of fuck with them and bring something new to it. It opened up a whole new audience well beyond the core skinny preppy guy and expanded people’s perception of the brand. It was also really fun! We made some super imaginative product with them. They really gave us carte blanche to do whatever we wanted.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in the past decade?

I think the most important thing is to stay focused on a very clear message and very clear product. It’s so easy to be seduced by everything in the fashion conversation: other designers, what’s in stores, what’s selling, what might be a trend, what might not be, and everything in between. There are a lot of brands out there, a lot for a customer to buy, a lot of messages for them to take in and process and try to understand. So focusing and keeping things simple is the best approach for sure.