(Above: original images photographed by Daniel Weiss)
From the mind of artist Jack Greer comes Iggy.
To introduce the newest addition to Bodega’s brand roster, Iggy, we first, for the benefit of a younger audience, have to set the scene for streetwear fashion in the 1990s.
First of all, the term streetwear didn’t actually exist in mainstream pop culture. The brands that would fall under the catchall streetwear category in the 21st century still carried very specific associations with the subcultures they grew out of, especially skateboarding. Second of all, for the average person, there was little to no cultural cachet to be gained from being interested in any of this stuff. The ahead of the curve subculture people that created and liked it were, for the most part, people you would never actually meet, tucked away in major cities. If you were lucky, you would have a handful of friends in your immediate circle who shared some interest in it. The most common reaction though was “what’s that weird thing you’re wearing,” except with a lot more swearing and slurs.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a kids today have it too easy thing. It just needs to be emphasized that, back then, the rewards connected to subculture related activities were limited. Subculture brands were run by and produced for people with specific tastes and similar temperaments. No one was getting hired by any high end labels or written up in prestige fashion magazines. Being popular enough to be sold in one or two stores at the mall that catered to the “alternative” crowd was a rousing success.
Iggy channels the spirit of a time when wearing an unfamiliar, culturally subversive graphic on a t-shirt was still considered a shot across the bow of most “normal” people.
From the mind of artist Jack Greer comes Iggy. Since its 2016 launch, Iggy has offered original illustrated graphic designs that recall the playfully twisted, cynically clever, anti-authoritarian mindset that streetwear was built on, along with a range of artful cut and sew garments. Whether you can remember the days when mainstream acceptability was the last thing streetwear was associated with, or are discovering these subculture roots for the first time, Iggy will feel like a genuine breath of fresh air.
Jack Greer, artist and designer, is one of the original members of the Still House Group in New York and is known for his project with Opening Ceremony on creating one-of-a-kind embroidered jeans jackets.
(Above: original images photographed by Mike Piscitelli)
