STEPHEN SPROUSE
RESURRECTED
80s designer Stephen Sprouse took his inspiration from Andy Warhol and the day-glo 1960s, infused with a New York City downtown punk aesthetic. As impressionable 20somethings in NYC, we eagerly ventured to his 3 story shop in Soho on a weekly basis, buying whatever we could afford from the sale rack. We were in awe of the explosion of silver and bright colors found in the interior of his shop and as well as on the clothing racks. All too soon, his pop emporium closed and left us devoid of inspiration.
Another Sprouse memory comes to mind. A casting agent spotted us at a nightclub and asked us to be extras in Tama Janowitz’s Slaves of New York movie. We ditched work to be extras, only to discover that Sprouse was the costume designer and we were in the nightclub fashion show scene featuring his latest collection. What a thrill! Meeting Sprouse and his muse, musician Debbie Harry for the first time backstage at a Patricia Field fashion show, was another highlight of our youth.
In 2009, Roger and Mauricio Padhilla authored the Stephen Sprouse book https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847832163/ with Rizzoli. This book functioned as our Bible and inspiration for this Ponyboy shoot. However it was his collaboration with Marc Jacobs/Louis Vuitton, as well as Target in the early 2000s that really brought his name and designs to the mainstream general public. Revisiting Stephen Sprouse was a remembrance of his brilliant and futuristic designs/artwork. Long live SPROUSE!!!!! Model Jamie Vogt from Wilhelmina Models NY. Photography Alexander Thompson. Stylist/editor Maria Ayala. Makeup James Vincent. Hair Ahbi Nishman.
