STRAIGHT FROM BROOKLYN: OUIGI THEODORE, THE BROOKLYN CIRCUS INNOVATOR DEFINES FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ART
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| Photo Credit: Roger Britton |
Mimi Jean-Louis: #TheWrestlingChic
The New York-based Haitian American icon Ouigi Theodore continues to elevate fashion's formula standards through his homegrown brand, The Brooklyn Circus/BKc. BKc was initially a menswear brand but has since evolved to be inclusive of womenswear, which curates its inspiration through bridging the gap between urban origins and moments in time.
Theodore's tenet is quintessentially also apprised by the streets of Brooklyn. Migrating with his family from Haiti at the age of eight, the impressionable youth also had style in mind. From his days running the halls of Brooklyn Technical High School—an educational institution famously known for having intellectually forward-thinking minds—to attaining a degree in History from SUNY Stony Brook University; to becoming this generation's fashion mogul, Ouigi Theodore's style and grace are transcending, to say the least. The Brooklyn Circus store opened its doors in 2004 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. For years, Theodore cultured a distinctive style that garnered accolades among notable fashion masters worldwide. Internationally, The Brooklyn Circus is a must-stop for the runway fashion enthusiast. Since then, his journey includes opening shops in Japan, most recently in Los Angeles, CA.
Resident #BRP fashion/sneaker aficionado Matth encounters his first recollection of Ouigi Theodore, "I recall my first memory maybe being in Hypebeast or HighSnobiety and thinking, 'this is Black class.' I remember saying, ‘this guy is about his business’; that's the energy he gave off. When you see us as Black men, this is what it looks like. When you saw James Evans, you knew what you were getting, and when I saw Ouigi, I thought, ‘how can I look like that?,’ even if I take pieces from his style," says Matth.
He recently curated a line collection in the Icons of Style for Macy's, Ouigi Theodore for Sun + Stone. "The collection includes lots of hidden references & details. I stayed true to my love of classic items & to making things contemporary & future-proof," Theodore says of the collection.
His style is apprised through time, captured by presentation, emphasizing inclusivity, quality, and sustainability. Emmy award-winning artist, filmmaker, and friend Mac Premo's studio resides a few doors down from BKc. Premo's style of repurposing objects into art has become a staple in his creativity. Hurricane Ida tore the east coast back in 2011, leaving the city with residual damage. While sorting through salvaged BKc objects to include renowned photographer John Midgley prints, Theodore offered his friend a few window display piping to incorporate into this series. The likeness of these two friends drove them to collaborate earlier this month on an art installation, See Hear, currently displayed at the BKc shop.
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| Photo Credit: Roger Britton |
See Hear is an attempt to use the language of collage to give physical form to this specific moment in this ongoing conversation. Entrusted to Mr. Premo are images that Mr. Theodore art directed, scenes, and moods he created, celebrating art and fashion, featuring Brooklyn Circus friends and community. Mr. Premo has created a collage series that masks the subject's face, representing ideas that often hide actuality: projections and assumptions. In stark contrast, other images depict what may lie behind masks, representations of new ideas and lessons learned over the years as a community member cultivated by The Brooklyn Circus.
"The importance of this collaboration," Mr. Theodore says, "is that the conversation is put into a form that other people can see and help it grow." Ultimately, he concludes, "See Hear is both an invitation and a challenge: Okay, we see each other, hear each other. Now what? Who is the invitation for? Who is the challenge for?" Mr. Theodore explains: "Everybody," he says, beaming, "It's the Brooklyn Circus. ALL are welcome."
See Hear is currently on view at:
The Brooklyn Circus
150 Nevins St
Brooklyn, NY 11217
ABOUT OUIGI THEODORE: Ouigi Theodore, the Creative Director of The Brooklyn Circus, has cultivated a unique style that has garnered recognition not only among the fashion pundits of New York but also from streetwise fans as far away as Europe, South Africa, Japan, Korea, and the UK. He has become a recognizable figure and has established himself as a trend forecaster for advertising and marketing agencies looking to get an edge in the market. Theodore has consulted on campaigns for Hennessy/LVMH, Sean John Vote or Die, Toyota, Casio G-Shock, American Express, PF Flyers, Liberty Fairs, ENVSN FEST, New Balance, Reebok, Deutsch Advertising, Sennheiser Audio. As founder of The Brooklyn Circus, one of the most influential retail concepts in the USA, he travels extensively, sharing The Brooklyn Circus/BKc perspective and the 100 Year plan of Style + Character. The Brooklyn Circus has recently collaborated with Macy's, Jack Daniels, and Todd Snyder.
ABOUT MAC PREMO: American, b. 1973; RISD '95; artist, filmmaker, commercial director. Mac's films have been exhibited in film festivals worldwide, and his art has been exhibited in galleries and museums in New York, Los Angeles, Belfast, London, Florida, and MoMA PS1 in Queens. Mac has won 13 New York Emmy® Awards for his video and animation work, including best commercial, photography, set design, and PSA awards. Sometimes he writes and performs one-man plays. Mac is an NYFA Fellow and lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two totally radical kids.
Mimi, our newest member of the #BRP crew, is a super-kickin' copy-gal, a TwitterSpaces co-host via @turnbucklespace weekly Tuesdays at 7p & Fridays at 10p ET and on @blackrasslin episodes Thursdays at 8:30p ET.
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