Cue the music, here comes the band
April 28, 2006 | 12:00am
It’s a tradition as old as time. Or maybe as old as the relationship between singer/muse Marianne Faithful, who made waves with her critically-acclaimed records and stormy relationship with Mick Jagger, and the late British fashion designer Ossie Clark, who made a name for himself in the swinging ‘60s popularizing garments like hotpants and maxicoats.
Designers have always found musicians to be a fount of inspiration. If pop stars aren’t starring in their ad campaigns, like Christina Aguilera and Madonna for Versace or Lil’ Kim for Marc Jacobs, they’re taken under their wing and turned into a fashionable butterflies, like folk singer Devendra Banhart under Karl Lagerfeld’s black widow-esque tutelage. The world of fashion and music overlap so often, like in the cases of J.Lo and Diddy (where the artists, after years of being dressed by overzealous stylists in pricey borrowed clothes, become so enamored with their purchased style they deem themselves worthy of the title of designer) that the lines between singer and designer simply fade into a blurry over-hyped MTV documentary.
Taking their cue from what seems like a flourishing tradition between two intensely artistic industries, the trend-friendly, highly-wearable Human took the bit and took on Cebuano band Cueshe. Famous for their stirring single Stay from their debut album "Half Empty, Half Full", the group, led by singer Jay Justiniani on vocals with Ruben Caballero on vocals and guitar, Jovan Mabini on lead guitar, Jhunjie Dosdos on keyboards, Fritz Labrado on bass and Mike Manaloto on drums, have made their way to the forefront of fashion, bagging an endorsement deal from Human. Having been tagged as a constituent of the highly-esteemed pogi rock group, an organization that bases membership acceptance on looks, the band has amassed a huge team of fans, including Quark Henares, a self-professed "cueshean," who became a supporter after co-directing the video of their latest single, 24 Hours. "Cueshe is not the face of pogi rock – they transcend all and have become pogi rock itself," says Quark. "Krazileh!" Clearly, the man’s a fan.
The band sports a slew of Human’s latest looks, a literal marriage of college prep and some good old rock n’ roll style. Inspired by the goofy un-ironic takes on prepsters, the label sent out a stream of colorful polo shirts in the girliest of colors (a creamy pale pink with vivid thin green stripes) then juxtaposes contrasting silk-screened patterns to subvert the effect (in the pink polo shirt’s case, a white image is scrawled nattily over the chest). There are quote-worthy lines inscribed in gothic letters over crisp navy shirts, as well as brighter T-shirts in an almost iridescent sky blue. Eye-popping colors like a fiery red orange, sunny yellow and deep pink are paired with more sober hues of army green, pale blue and ash.
Even the most dapper of college students will find no fault in Human’s striped twill trousers, a staple for any man with an eye for trim silhouettes and an offbeat sense of humor. (Try explaining the concept of twill trousers to a dazed college junior in hemp accessories and birks and you’ll get the joke.)
Military details offset the collection’s scholarly charm with camouflage trousers and cargo shorts. Otherwise utilitarian items like T-shirts and jackets get an update with military-themed emblems, patches and embroidery.
Though the latest collection takes on an embellished, rock-esque direction, conservative dressers will find that the Human essentials, like their classic crisp men’s collared shirts in white and pastels, are happily in stock. And if that’s too staid, then the chains, trucker hats and stylish leather belts will leave even the biggest trend whore sated.
Now both Human and Cueshe fans can come in and find (crazily enough) that both old and new styles are definitely in vogue with the mod label.
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