Tyler The Creator for L’officiel Hommes Magazine

Tyler, The Creator: "I feel like a lot of people have the good style stack"

Tyler Gregory Okonma, 28, choosing to add The Creator to her name, ran the risk of ridicule. But his creative career - from discs to graphic creations and now in fashion via a collection made with Lacoste - defuses any possible malice: Tyler is indeed a capital Creator.

In the spring of 2019, Tyler, The Creator had just released IGOR, exceptional album by its depth of field / song, opening the windows wide on a scattered intimacy way puzzle. A few months later, we still have not done the trick. It all started in 2007, when he did his scales (not very academic but wildly exciting) in the Odd Future collective. He had to extend the gestures sketched out in groups in his solo career, demonstrating over the discs a staggering capacity to turn his doubts into a powerful fuel, enriching his palette with new nuances. By signing the Lacoste x Golf le Fleur collection, Tyler confirms the sharpness of his stylist's eye. Sense of color (delicious lychee, impeccable mascarpone) and respect for the heritage of the house gave birth to 16 pieces. Archive pieces diverted with mischief, these silhouettes resemble their creator: animated by a vivifying spirit, carried by a attention to details indicating that the creativity does not prohibit the humor, they release the strength of their obvious seduction.

The Official Men: Tyler, The Creator, your artist name, says all of you ... 

Tyler, The Creator: It was the one of my Myspace account, created when I was 16 years old. It was rather a joke. But she stayed.

You have protean talents: singer, producer, graphic designer, videographer, screenwriter ... and designer. Where would you place your fashion designer know-how? 

I do not have any ! I do what I like, and what looks cool to wear, for me and my friends. But know-how can not do everything. There are musicians who write very good songs and who can rap. But their music is not so good, and their concerts are void. I know pianists who know how to play everything, but that's not why they are creative or singular. The most important thing is not the know-how, it's knowing what you want to do.

 

When and why did you decide to do fashion? 

I like clothes. I do not know if I like fashion, but I really like clothes. And create.

 

You launched your brand, Golf Wang, in 2011. How would you summarize this adventure? 

It was amazingly exciting. As I just said, I love to create, get started in new projects every year, and watch the reactions. I do not know if this will continue forever, but I love adding new elements. That's what amuses me the most.

 

How far does Golf Wang differ from your musical universe? 

Any. The brand represents exactly who I am, what I like. There is no difference between Golf Wang and the music.

 

How would you like the message of your brand to be perceived? 

There is no rule, no code of conduct to follow. I want everyone to know. Just because you are 17 does not mean you have to wear only T-shirts. Cardigans are not reserved for old people. It is a strange prejudice to associate cardigans and shoes that are not sneakers in old age ... I do not see what age has to do with what we wear. I wish my brand encourages people to no longer worry about this kind of clichés.

"What I can tell you is that I was crazy about Lacoste when I was a teenager, totally obsessed with their polo shirts, which corresponds to the time when they started to change the colors and to propose polos in pink. , in pastel, I loved pink or light blue ... they drove me crazy! "

Which of your friends would you like in a campaign for Golf Wang? 

I would rather choose someone met on the street, by chance. He may be 43 years old or 16 years old, but right now I have the feeling that a lot of people have the right stack. That's what I want to see in my commercials or loobooks. They are imperfect, but absolutely unique. When I meet a guy like that, I take his picture, his coordinates. That's how I did the casting of my last show: I met one of the models in a bookstore. One of the faces of the campaign of my collaboration with Lacoste is that of a girl who was in one of my shops in Los Angeles.

 

How was this collaboration with Lacoste? What image did you have of the brand before?

I would like to tell you a great story, but honestly, I have no memory of how it started. What I can tell you is that I was crazy about Lacoste when I was a teenager, totally obsessed with their polos. This corresponds to the time when they began to vary the colors and to propose polos in pink, in pastel. I loved pink or light blue ... they drove me crazy! Working with them on this collection was very simple, their teams left me very free, they loved everything I sent them. From the beginning, I wanted the line to be mostly unisex. I never understood why the masculine versions of a women's room had to be black or dark blue. I wanted there to be many beautiful colors, suitable for all genres.

Do you have other projects with the brand? 

At this point, I do not know. I can only tell you that everyone I've worked with is amazing.

What is the name of the crocodile, how old is he, where does he live? 

Stany is 68, he hates his family but buys sandwiches every day. He lives in Nebraska.

With which other house or designer would you like to work? 

With Phoebe Philo, wherever she is. With Marni or Chanel, to go further on bags, accessories, shoes.

Younger, what was your style? 

I think he was unique. I changed regularly. I will not wear some pieces that I liked at one time, but in my eyes they were cool.

 

What would you wear for your very last concert? 

Nothing but my favorite hat. And shoes that I made, Converse Golf le Fleur *, ideal to jump in all directions.

 

You love playing with words ... Your creative world has surreal aspects. Can you improvise something? 

Honestly, when I was 16, yes. But yesterday, the potato flew away around 5 o'clock. The microphone will not be able to scream tomorrow. I do not understand a word of what this little dog says. If you put jam in the engine, the car will drive faster. Tomorrow you will catch your plane. Yesterday I met a taxi driver who did not speak Spanish, so I offered him a house.

 

What creators, dead or alive, would you like to invite to dinner? 

Steve Jobs.