Justin Bieber Dreams Of Designing His Own Menswear Line
Justin Bieber is a mix of total fashion styler when he wants to be, and shirtless, free spirit when he’s hanging with his bros.
As it turns out, beneath those abs, there beats the heart of a fashion designer. The Biebs wants to design a “men’s brand of fashion and streetwear” someday, as he told Women’s Wear Daily in an interview a few hours before playing an extremely well-received set at a Calvin Klein Jeans hosted music event in Hong Kong last week.
Justin wouldn’t be the first musician (insert actor/model/rapper/famous person) to diversify into fashion. However, the “Where Are Ü Now” singer isn’t rushing where — sadly — The Hoff didn’t fear to tread.
As the Canadian told WWD, the example of Kanye West’s tortuous transit into fashion has informed the 21-year-old’s view that he should wait until he is ready.
“It’s just such a big deal… I just want to make sure it’s perfect and right and take my time with it,” Justin explained.
He continued, “I know Kanye has been working on his stuff for years and failed, and came back and tried again — and failed. It’s about trial and error and I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.”
“Fashion’s definitely really important,” he went on, “but I got to make sure I’m ready for the failing part of it because I know that comes with it. It’s not easy. It’s not like putting out an album.”
West is co-producing Bieber’s in-the-works album with Rick Rubin, and likely occupies a mentor status for the young superstar.
The Biebs’ men’s fashion line aspirations shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has been watching the heartthrob strut his stuff since arriving on the professional music scene back in 2008.
Fast forward to 2015 — a huge comeback year for Justin Bieber, everything at stake and everything to play for — high fashion has played a key role in amplifying different images of the singer as he re-presents himself to a cynical media and judgmental general public.
Bieber was unveiled as the new face — and body — of Calvin Klein Underwear and Jeans for Spring 2015 in the first week of January. Despite an attempt by a website to pass off a photoshopped GIF as an “unretouched” image from his CK shoot, the campaign broke the Internet and expanded the brand’s social media penetration by millions.
A Vogue spread followed, L’Uomo Vogue and Men’s Health covers, a photo shoot with Le Karl Lagerfeld, two spots in Mario Testino’s iconic “Towel Series,” and a stunning Balmain-clad red carpet turn at the May Met Gala in NYC. It’s been full-on fashion for Bieber for the year so far.
Small wonder, then, that the transition from Stratford boy to superstar designer-in-waiting probably isn’t that far off.
It will be interesting to see if Justin’s seemingly fun and close relationship with Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing (they reportedly speak “on a weekly basis”) leads to a modeling deal and a team-up fashion line at some point down the line.
Time may tell what a Justin Bieber fashion line looks like, although the singer did say he’s “really into, like, drapy things, drapy sweaters, layering pieces” at the moment. One thing is certain, the singer is grateful to be able to learn, and be around the company of the big fashion names feting him.
“Just being recognized by the fashion world in such a way so far has been awesome,” the Biebs enthused. “I’m excited to venture into a new lane…. Really new and something I’ve always really liked, but now I’m just moving forward into that direction.”
So, readers, any ideas on what Bieber would call his menswear line? Do not say swaggy.
[Images via Jason Capobianco/WWD]
