Love Junkie's New Take on Tattoos
For those who like the look of a tattoo but fear the physical pain or commitment of getting one, a Love Junkie artistically detailed shirt might satisfy their aesthetic craving.
Produced by ADG LLC, the Sun Valley, Calif.–based manufacturer that also makes Disney Vintage and other lines, Love Junkie uses tattoo art as the basis for the appliqueacute;s, embroideries, silk-screens and other details applied on its deconstructed cotton T-shirts, voile button-ups and corduroy blazers.
After launching its women’s line eight months ago, the company will introduce its men’s line Feb. 14–17 at the MAGIC International trade show in Las Vegas. Love Junkie for Men, bowing for Fall 2005, is designed by Brandon O’Rourke, an artist whose sister, Ashley, is ADG’s president.
O’Rourke originally collaborated on the women’s collection with Sandra Thorne. But after hearing suggestions that the women’s rock ’n’ roll designs could also work for men and receiving compliments for two shirts he made for himself, he ventured into the men’s category. His 50-piece men’s collection consists of button-up shirts, T-shirts, baseball tees and shirts that can double as light jackets. Love Junkie’s lines for men and women both feature frayed edges and dye treatments and will likely share one graphic for the Fall collection, which is inspired by tribal art. The difference is that the men’s clothes will be harder, with more severe graphics.
“With women, I still have to make it a pretty skull,” said Thorne, who joined ADG after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in 2000. “Most of my customers say my shirts are like jewelry.”
For Spring 2005, Thorne displayed peacocks and flowers on cropped pants belted with vintage silk scarves, pink elephants on long-sleeved tiedyed tops and crystal horseshoes on plaid poplin shirts.
O’Rourke tried to balance creativity with comfort. “I have to be very careful in getting the concept across and not making guys feel uncomfortable,” he said. O’Rourke has not finalized the wholesale prices for the men’s clothing, but he expects to charge $100 for shirt jackets, $65 to $80 for button-up shirts and $25 and up for tees.
The women’s pieces, ranging in wholesale price from $82 to $120, are already sold in 152 stores, including Tink in Japan, Tag Rag in Beverly Hills and Boogies in Aspen.
The women’s line is represented by L-Squared. For more information, call Lisa Loeff at (213) 244- 1259. For the men’s line, call ADG at (818) 252-7600. —Khanh T.L. Tran
