Gallery Dept: An Artistic Fashion Hybrid, Gallery Dept is not just a fashion name; rather, it’s an art-to-apparel creative movement. Gallery Dept, the brainchild of artist and designer Josué Thomas, has managed to distinguish itself in a streetwear landscape inundated with brands. This unique take on design — one that focuses largely around individualism, self-expression and unabashed creativity has captured the hearts of fashion folk as well as celebs all over. We take a look at what truly sets Gallery Dept apart and the reason why it continues to be an international hit everywhere.
Gallery Dept was founded simply to blur the lines between art and fashion. A multidisciplinary artist, Josué Thomas started designing his own custom apparel out of his Los Angeles studio/gallery/work space.documents(21420129) It immediately garnered attention as his designs demonstrated a raw, DIY aesthetic. The brand name Gallery is a double entendre; up there, it’s home for the arts and down here — its space to make fashion. Thomas wanted to transform the class into something much simpler and cooler, into upcycled couture—a one-off item that he could imbue with its own story.
Gallery Dept All Gallery pieces are uniquely crafted, with a strong emphasis on the physical nature of creating that often involves deconstruction, distressing and painting. With his signature, Thomas treats each garment as a canvas — seeking rich textures to brush upon. It is this focus on the individual that means every ring will be different making them a wholly unique and one of kind item. Shop the newest Gallery Dept collection.
The Los Angeles-based Gar$$on also took on some of his streetwear influences in styling this one with a bandana. Their designs often include bold graphics, paint splatters and distressed details mixed with patchwork to add on a feeling of rugged-refined aesthetics. Whereas some might see these marks as flaws in the jewelry, one could also argue that they are incorporated into purposeful imperfection — likely a sounds-like-Instagram-pablum wonk phrase to her fellow fans of authenticity and actual originality instead of cookie-cutter fashion.
Gallery Dept serves as a welcome antithesis to this fast-fashion era that we inhabit and one that continues its unrelenting march towards sustainability. The brand has a heavy focus on upcycling, utilizing their editing magic to turn old garments into something fresh and wearable. Doing so not only minimizes waste but also provides a more interesting and complex item. A commitment to the idea of fashion as a story; with memory above all and, therefore able also to look forward.
Gallery Dept combats modern throwaway culture by utilizing vintage materials in their designs; By doing so, they are able to change the overall appearance and make t-shirts look authentic without selling out. It gives each garment-whether it be a pair of jeans or jacket-a narrative and makes its way into the consumer DCs story as well, fitting squarely with an ever-growing interest in conscientious fashion choices.
Among the many celebs who already fucked with Gallery Dept are Migos and Diddy, to name only a few. The brand has been made even more prominent in popular culture by celebrities such as Kendrick Lamar, LeBron James and Kanye West. In sum, these endorsements have solidified Gallery Dept as a player in the streetwear game of thrones.
The brand’s partnerships have continued to drive its power. Meanwhile, its collaboration with Lanvin took the Gallery Dept aesthetic and applied it to a luxury fashion house (think: high-fashion meets streetwear sensibilities). Illustrative of how the brand effortlessly crosses over into new fields, these collaborations echo its versatility and wide appeal on a global scale beyond conventional fashion realms. Discover the latest Gallery Dept Hoodie collection.
But what really differentiates Gallery Dept is its dedication to cultivating a creatives community. The brand is not selling clothes, instead it promotes a cultural movement to express oneself artistically and collaborate. While Thomas’s Los Angeles-based studio is a creative haven and retail space for his multimedia collaborations in art, fashion and music. This space reflects the brand’s philosophy that clothing creation should be a form of art relations.
Known for their pop-up shops and limited-edition releases, Gallery Dept has gained a cult following in the fashion world as well. The events are more than just shopping experiences, though: They’re opportunities for fans to connect with the brand on a community level in what Raes calls “the world of Gallery Dept.”
But as Gallery Dept grows, its impact on the fashion world is now undeniable. In a world where the industry pushes for trends and profit, their brand has stuck to its roots of being authentic and true-to-art. Built on its foundation, true to that North Star of creativity- Gallery Dept has cultivated a brand about much more than clothing— it marks a lifestyle,a mentality and movement.
My guess is that Gallery Dept will keep moving forward and keeping the game on their toes. Mixing a unique concoction of art and fashion, boasting sustainable practices only makes for the best “chin-check” Gallery Dept written in permanent ink all over it. It is a different type of brand, one that views fashion as self expression —a canvas to incite positive change.
GALLERY DEPT goes beyond the confines of a fashion house for those 21st-century kids. The clothes themselves have a life of their own, but at the end it is not about that. Galley Dept has become a hotbed for the people who actually give hoots about what they wear and stand for merging art with fashion, embracing sustainable practices while building creativity community.
In a fast fashion and highly transient world, it is refreshing to explore the Gallery Dept approach which celebrates individual beauty through creative expression. It is a joy of individuality, a tip of the hat to bygones and an aggressive march forward — one at a time.