On September 12, Larry David, the eye-catching star of HBO’s longtime awk-com “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” sat in the front row of the Staud fashion show in New York City. He didn’t seem to be enjoying himself. As models in cheerful primary colors rushed by, the 74-year-old comedian leaned over, plugged his ears, and stared straight at the floor. In an October Appearance at Jimmy Kimmel Live! Mr. David explained that the music on the Staud Show was just too loud for him. (Through an HBO representative, Mr. David declined to comment on this item.)
“Me, a fashion show … that’s a bit out of place,” he said to Mr. Kimmel after explaining that he was there because his friend, Hollywood super agent Ari Emanuel, with Sarah Staudinger, the designer of. who is engaged Staud.
Mr. David didn’t look too pleased at the Staud catwalk show during New York Fashion Week in September.
Photo:
Getty Images
Mr. David may be selling himself on the fashion front. In recent years he has become an unexpected fashion icon with his dedication to straight-cut khakis, thin V-neck sweaters, navy blue blazers and practical sneakers. In September, when the paparazzi caught Mr. David getting drinks with 25-year-old “Dune” heartthrob Timothée Chalamet, some joked on social media that it was just a meeting of two contemporary gods. “He wears what he wants,” said Usmaan Razzaq, 23, a college student and big “curb” fan in New York. “The way he puts things together, even though he doesn’t care, you can still tell that he looks well put together,” he said.
Mr. David is so adored that fans wear photos of him on their own clothes. In in the run-up to the premiere of the 11th season of “Curb” on October 24, the New York streetwear empire Kith released a collaborative collection with HBO that included a $ 70 t-shirt and $ 165 sweatshirt that featured Mr. David in one of his patented navy blue outfits and “woe is me” expressions. The entire slate sold out online within hours of its launch.
Larry is “a perfect example of what fashion could be as a tool for self-expression,” said Ronnie Fieg, founder and creative director of Kith, who said he was “one of the biggest fans of all time” of the show. Indeed, Mr. David is a prime example of steady, confident clothing that ignores all current trends. “Larry never tried to be fashionable in any way,” said Mr. Fieg.
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ actor JB Smoove models the Kith collaboration.
Photo:
Kith
Mr. David’s humble attire is miles away from the trend-boggling excesses of New York Fashion Week, but that’s exactly why people admire him. “I like his style. I think he uses a lot of classics, ”said Dewey Bryan Saunders, 38, a graphic designer in Los Angeles. He says he can go after anything Mr. David wears except his rag trainers – Mr. Saunders would advise swapping them for real loafers.
The appreciation of Mr. David as a seventy-year-old style icon has its roots around five years ago, when “Normcore”, a trend based on deliberately simple clothing, emerged. (Mr. David’s clothes, often from high-end labels like Armani and Zegna, are not always easy to price.) In 2020, GQ Magazine ran a Fashion shoot styled by Mr. David in his own so-ordinary-they-are-extraordinary clothes like gray theory t-shirts,
Khakis and dingy Ecco shoes.
“We are drawn to authenticity,” said Emilia Petrarca, senior fashion writer for New York Magazine’s “The Cut” style site, who sat across from Mr. David on the Staud show and a perfect one 40 second video clip the short-haired comedian in all his misery. Ms. Petrarca posted the clip on her Instagram and within moments her “phone” crashed when the crowd commented on “Mood” or republished the clip with “Me”. It has been viewed more than half a million times since then.
From Ms. Petrarca’s point of view, the charm of the clip lies partly in the steadfast demeanor of Mr. David. He has a front row seat for the latest fashion trends but is more concerned with keeping his eardrum intact. “Someone who doesn’t care has something so tempting, especially at Fashion Week where everyone is so interested,” said Ms. Petrarca.
To Mr. David’s legion of fashion admirers, he’s a man worth emulating. “I think Larry is very practical and comfortable, and as I get older I definitely see myself going in that direction,” said Andy Rosenberg, 35, director of branding at Mack Weldon, a menswear startup in New York. Mr. Rosenberg was particularly inspired by Mr. David’s usual summer layering combination of a light V-neck sweater over a T-shirt.
As a “curb” superfan, Mr. Rosenberg appreciates how Mr. David, who is also the show’s creator and showrunner, uses the show to ponder those absurd dress puzzles we could all experience, like the unsightly (and perhaps offensive ) “Pants tent”. or the loss of our beloved item of clothing due to dry cleaning. “He’s probably thinking a lot more about his clothes than it may seem on the surface,” said Mr. Rosenberg.
Some who like Mr. Davids normcore Bona fides admitted that she was a little puzzled by the Kith collaboration, which stuck images of her slightly wrinkled, well-dressed hero onto the acclaimed streetwear. A hoodie with Larry’s face on it felt like a superficial fashion statement to Kevin Burns, 33, a project analyst in Albany, NY, who sees Mr. David as the epitome of personal, trend-immune style. (According to Mr. Fieg of Kith, Mr. David’s team approved all items in the collection.) Mr. Burns would have preferred to see Kith bring out khakis and a black t-shirt, just like Larry wears it. For him it would have been a real collaboration that fits this real style icon. Of course, these clothes already exist and can be had for around $ 19.99
Copyright © 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8