(Text: Angela Bruno)
When clothing designer Kevin Carney and photographer Brandon Day, the duo behind The Generic Man, joined forces, they didn’t just set out to design shoes—they embarked on an anthropologic quest. In 2003, Carney and Day launched a “case study on adultism,” closely examining the art, fashion, architecture and music of their sunny and overstimulating L.A. homebase and the refined haute inspirations of Milan, where they mine the line’s maximum-quality materials and actually handcraft the product. It was in this way that Carney and Day not only came up with The Generic Man’s clean lines, but also its clever philosophy. Debuting in 2007, the Autumn/Winter collection was a fleshed-out representation of the data they collected, a movement the pair have dubbed Newdult: attainable luxury for the modern man, for whom logos are a no-go and dropping 500 bucks on a fresh pair of kicks is sacrilege.
“We felt the sneaker needed to evolve, not in an athletic way but as a classic, with beautiful last, leathers, components and soles,” says Day. “A sneaker you can wear with jeans and a t-shirt or a suit, that can let you be an individual—something to anchor you,” adds Carney, who also pioneered the menswear line Generic Costume and commandeers the boutique firm Generic Design (clients include American Apparel, Jeremy Scott, Burton and BCBG)...
(via Anthem)
