For designer entrepreneur Timmy Ang and his clothing label Dean and Trent, the geek has finally taken the spotlight… and a lil’ sexy back.
A humid afternoon in the metro is oftentimes the perfect excuse to escape the sun and engage in some gastronomic and retail therapy. While the former is something I thoroughly employ in almost all kinds of situations, hence the corpulence and the regular food binge, the latter is a pursuit I am not always able to indulge in — not for anything, but the persnickety aesthetic, the grueling “clothes-speak,” and the physical and metaphorical steel I demand of the things I wear.
Shopping rule no. 1: It has to fit. Rule no. 2: It has to look different. And Rule no. 3: It has to have that certain je ne sais quoi where the magic never fades. While very few local retail brands have been able muster all three elements, one clothing label has consanguineously thought within and without the box and stood out from this ridiculous brat pack. With his sartorial sensibilities, textures, and ability to look back and move forward with each collection, Dean and Trent and its proprietor Timmy Ang, over a palatable plate of Brooklyn pasta, reveals the two extremities of Dean, his design inspirations, and just who the heck is Trent.
YOUNG STAR: When did your interest in fashion first spark?
TIMMY ANG: My story’s different. I always took it for granted. I grew up in a clothes factory. Every day, I’d literally pass through knitting machines and fabric. And I’d absolutely hate it — it was dirty. So, for that whole stage of my life, I’d be like, why are we in this business? Then when I was in the States, I worked at Abercrombie and realized, I’m paying this amount for an oxford stripe shirt. What is my family business? I pieced it all together eventually and started making clothes.
You come from a family of textile makers. What’s that like? Any pressure?
They’ve actually been very supportive. A lot of my strength comes from them, giving me advice on how to handle things. It was my own undoing coming here — and at least they supported that.
How did Dean and Trent first start?
It started with a really basic collection. Just classic stuff like hoodies and henleys — basically anything I would wear. It’s sort of like my whole experience of living in the States — stuff that are extremely preppy and casual. It’s like a whole Americana brought over to our shores.
What type of male does Dean and Trent cater to?
There’s a huge yuppie crowd right now who go out after work and go drinking. And so they want clothes that can translate from day to night. That’s my market. Interestingly enough, there’s also this select group of people who loves to wear cardigans. And that same crowd is always on the lookout for the next new thing. So they go to Dean and Trent.
Where did the names Dean and Trent come from?
Well Dean actually came from Dean Martin. He’s one of the guys from the Rat Pack. His clothes were always really slick and classic. He’d wear a V-neck sweater and underneath it would be a basic shirt. Then he’d top it off with a really nice hat. Then you have James Dean who was edgier and more rebellious with his leather jackets.
And Trent?
Trent is just an add-on. My brothers are named Timothy, Theodore, and Thomas. So I was like, if had another brother or a kid, I’d probably name him Trent. Plus if it was just Dean, that would sound kind of weird.
How do you usually source out inspiration for your collections?
I usually get inspired by watching old movies. There’s this channel, TCM, where I’d catch movies like West Side Story, or see Fred Astaire in Singing in the Rain. I take the feeling from these and create a whole collection based on that feeling, or from the fabrics I am constantly supplied with. I also take inspiration from certain time periods within the United States that are uniquely their own.
What’s your design maxim or philosophy like?
I’m not as risky as other people. I’m more of a play-it-safe kind of guy. But for me, it’s all in the details — like the way the shirt is sown together, or a different material you can use for the buttons. I want people to take a closer look at my clothes. Each piece tells a story.
Who are some of your idols in the world of men’s fashion?
Band of Outsiders, Rag & Bone. I also really like the simplicity of some brands and how they’ve managed to maintain themselves. I like the longevity of Gap and the operational expertise of Zara.
What message are you trying to convey with your clothes?
What’s old can be new again. And you should never hesitate to try to do something different with what you’re wearing. Being different in terms of what you wear isn’t really about being ostentatious. I want people to form their own certain style and not be in a box.
Any plans in the future to design for women?
A lot of women, I was told, were buying from Dean and Trent because of the plaids, the cardigans and the hoodies. They seem to like the men’s sizing.
What’s next for Dean and Trent?
Collaborations. I’ve been teaming up with all these people who can make capsule collections for my brand. They probably know more than me but I try to also give them my own designing 101.
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For more info on Dean and Trent, visit www.deanandtrent.com.