DEERDANA’s minimalist portrait tees have been on our fashion radar for some time.  But when Jay-Z broke out their Basquiat for his now-famous subway ride to Brooklyn a couple weeks ago, we knew the NYC brand had hit the tipping point. Featuring a mötley crüe of iconic characters hand-scrawled onto classic white cotton tees, DEERDANA takes a wardrobe staple and gives it the tastemaker treatment. They also have their finger firmly on the pulse. From Rick Ross to Frida Kahlo to Maggie Smith’s Countess on “Downton Abbey,” their subjects transcend pop- and sub-cultures, and can best be qualified as, quite simply, cool.

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A few months ago I discovered the whimsical world of Hello, Brute: a collection of hand-cast polyurethane resin toys brought to life (with a very fashion-forward and bright coat of paint) by Portland designer Jon Knox. Jon describes his creations as “an all-boy crew who are often stuck somewhere between the best and worst moments of their lives.” I totally fell in love with the character Danny, a discombobulated-looking nerd with slightly stoned doe eyes peering out from behind thick black prescription frames and decided to dig deeper… I was honored to have had the opportunity to ask Jon some questions about his design career and the newest addition to his shop: Pepper (seen above) of which 5 signed, limited-edition 9″ figures are up for grabs (for a wee sum of $175) in the Hello, Brute shop!

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