Today, The New York Times profiled the “Stylish Ad Men and Women” of an Ad Agency in New York. I think I have what it takes to work there. Retweet this if you agree. Share it if you disagree.
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Today, The New York Times profiled the “Stylish Ad Men and Women” of an Ad Agency in New York. It’s the most pretentious thing you’ll read all week. Naturally, I put in a job application to work there.
Retweet this if you agree. Share it if you disagree.
Fingers Crossed!
New York Times — Ad agencies may be in decline these days. But don’t say that to the young execs at Droga5, the agency populated by 20- and 30-something creatives and account managers who look as if they spend as much time on fashion blogs as in pitch meetings.
Founded in 2006 by David Droga, the firm has won numerous major awards, and its clients have included Android, Coke Zero and Spotify. Last month, its Wall Street offices were swarming with employees who wore their creativity on their sleeves.
David Droga
Occupation Founder and creative chairman
Age 47
What is it like, surrounded by all these stylish young employees?
It’s funny, I know I have lots of fashionable people because they make me feel like I’m not fashionable. So I must be doing something right. It’s great. I love the quirkiness of the people here. It’s like the “Star Wars” bar.
You’re wearing a corduroy blazer.
I’m wearing a corduroy blazer. I don’t know where it’s from.
Let’s check the label … Billy Reid. You really didn’t know?
I promise.
Does someone buy your clothes?
No, no. If I walk past a shop and I see stuff that I like, I buy it. But I’d be lying if I said my wife doesn’t buy a lot of my clothes. She’s got a great eye.
Do you have a name for your look?
I’m casual scruffy. I was very anti any jackets and ties for the first 15 years when I left school. And now I’m sort of coming back to dressing better.
Occupation Art director
Age 32
I like your off-white opaque glasses.
They’re from the Oliver Peoples/Paul Smith collaboration. I got them a few years ago in L.A.
Your T-shirt says Babymetal.
Babymetal is actually a J-pop metal band. I went to a show a year ago, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.
And you’ve paired it with a very long gingham plaid skirt.
The skirt is from Miu Miu. I have a bit of high and low, but I don’t like to look pretentious. A lot of my pieces are inspired by my childhood and my teenage years. I was into anime, punk rock, overaccessorizing. This is basically the more grown-up look.
What does your jewelry say?
It says my name: Jen Lu. I had it made. I’m a Queens girl. This is the Queens hoodrat in me.
Tobias Lindborg
Occupation Junior art director
Age 21
You seem young for an art director. Are you an art genius?
I’m a college dropout. Berghs School of Communication in Sweden.
Where is your sweatshirt from?
It’s a couple of guys in Switzerland called Armes Armes Armes, who make them by hand. And this one was made with a French record label, Bromance Records.
Your pants are also sweats, so you’re kind of wearing a sweatsuit.
I guess I tend to stick to black, and yeah, I’ve never been a fan of button-up shirts. It’s a lot of T-shirts and a lot of sweatshirts. From OAK N.Y.C.
You could go right from work to the gym.
I wear a lot of, like, sportswear. I like Adidas most. I think they do the coolest fashion right now.
Do you like the Adidas and Kanye stuff?
I do.
Do you own any of it?
I don’t, unfortunately.
Chris Hill
Occupation Account manager
Age 31
You’re carrying a composition notebook. Old school.
For my notes, absolutely. I need to write on paper. I hate writing notes on my computer.
How do you describe your look?
Ghetto fabulous. Health gothic. Unless I have a client meeting, then I turn it down a little bit.
“Health” because you are really into fitness?
No. It just means that I wear sweatpants and black dresses that are like T-shirts.
Tell me about your snazzy sneakers.
My friend started a luxury sneaker brand called Kingdom. He sent me a pair to P.R. them.
And your big shark tooth: Is that for Australia, your homeland?
This is actually a Givenchy shark tooth necklace that my partner and I share. I love it. It does kind of represent Australia, I guess.
Oriel Davis-Lyons
Occupation Senior copywriter
Age 31
Is that a chambray shirt?
I think it is, yeah. I mean this is not too flash. But the jeans are from a place called Gustin. They’ve got this really cool model where they only make the jeans once they’ve raised the funds. So people go on and they pledge like $100 for a pair of jeans, and once they reach their goal, they make every pair. So there is no wastage.
Is it special denim?
It’s raw salvage denim that they source from Japan and Cone Mills. But the best thing about it is that it’s kind of the opposite of fast fashion.
You keep the jewelry minimal. Just your wedding ring.
Just that. I used to have more.
What did you used to have?
I used to have earrings in both ears, nose stud for a bit.
Gage Young
Occupation Art director
Age 25
Do art directors dress better than copywriters?
I would say so. We are a little more keen on what works, what makes up the entirety of your look.
Your coat looks like a fisherman’s raincoat. Where’s it from?
Topman.
And your black T-shirt?
All my basics come from Uniqlo. My chinos, they also came from Uniqlo.
And your toque?
This toque is from Vans.
Are you a skateboarder, or is it just cold enough today?
I’ve been wearing it all winter. But I used to skate back in the day. So Vans has kind of stayed with me my whole life.
Andre Sawyers
Occupation Analytics analyst
Age 25
You have a nicely coifed beard.
Back in college, I wanted a line beard. My mom was like, “Why don’t you try growing it out?” And I haven’t looked back since. And so now she is like, “You need to take care of it, you need to put all these oils in it.”
What kind of beard oil do you use?
I have Scotch Porter, because I was featured on their billboard. So I use all their products.
Tell me about your top.
My camo is actually vintage. From an army online boutique I found on Etsy. This is a regular oversized hoodie from ASOS.
You’re wearing Vans. Are you a skater?
No, I just really do like the look.
What’s on your wrists?
This is a T-Rock watch, and this is a Boss Wrist bracelet. They’re both rose gold; they complement each other.
When you’re putting together an outfit, do you really think about it?
It depends on how late I am for work.
Occupation Creative director
Age 35
Your hair style is funky. What is it called?
There is no name.
Most people here are wearing a very tight silhouette. Yours is a little looser. Tell me about your sweatshirt.
I have a few oversized pieces in my wardrobe. Not all of them work super well, but I like the cut of this. It’s from a Toronto company.
And your pants?
Zara.
Really?
I know. The clothes just sort of fly under the radar, and it fits with a lot of things I’m more interested in. So it’s almost like a blank canvas.
You don’t seem like a guy trying to fly under the radar.
Oh, really? I try so hard.
How about your very colorful sneakers?
They are actually Stan Smiths, but they’re special edition. It’s that spinning wheel of death that comes up when your Mac is frozen.
Your Boy Ham
Occupation Sports & Pop Culture Journalist (editors note: he’s a Blogger)
Age 24
So… Red and Orange… you don’t see that combination too much.
I like to be unique. Stand out, you know. I’m a risk taking type of guy with my clothing. I’m not the type of person to be tethered down by the fashion expectations that socie– ahhhhh I’m just fucking with you. To be honest, I didn’t even realize I wasn’t matching until you told me.
What does it say there on your shirt?
Knights Basketball. Yeah, this my high school CYO jersey. The Sts. John & Paul Knights. We actually renamed ourselves the Knights because the original team name was stupid. SJP Jaguars? JAGUARS? I mean… come on. Knight beats a Jaguar any day of the week. This is the best team I have ever or will ever be a part of. I mean… we were just AWFUL at basketball. Won maybe seven games in four years. But we had a great time doing it.
The hat, is that corduroy? I love it. Where did you buy that?
Yeah how sick is this? It’s actually my dad’s from before i was born. There’s a little sweatband in it that’s turned completely brown. It’s actually kind of disgusting. But I wore it to the Super Bowl, and Justin Tuck signed a one day contract to retire as a Giant today so I hate to throw it on to pay tribute.
Okay, the shorts, tell me about th–
Well actually let me cut you off there. This is actually a bathing suit. Little trick for all the pet owners out there – if it’s raining and you have to walk your dog, wear a bathing suit. Pretty smart, huh?… Nah actually to be honest I have about five pairs of shorts that fit anymore and they’re all dirty. I’ve gained an outrageous amount of weight in the last month or so and ripped the inseam of three different shorts in the last week. Just write the rain part tho. Strike the weight gain thing from the record. You’re not recording right?
Yes, actually. I am recording.
Ah whatever, ask me about my sweatshirt.
Um… okay… tell me about your sweatshirt.
TIGERS BABY WHOOOOOOO. Yeah, this is my Clemson Tigers sweatshirt. Class of 2014. Really putting my Marketing degree to great use here, am I right? What were you? Let me guess, an English major, right? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Anyway, yeah… I wear this sweatshirt almost every day. Perks of home-office life. I was actually just thinking yesterday that once football season comes around I should wear this every day until we get revenge on Saban and Alabama on January 9th. You a football fan?
I write the fashion blog for the New York Times, are you really asking if I like football?
Touche.
Okay, well… How about that pullover? It looks like a drug dealing bear, but say Polo Sport. Where did you find that? Is that actually Polo, or a bootleg?
That’s a great catch. It absolutely looks like this bear will sell you an overpriced ounce of weed, doesn’t it? But yeah, this is my friends’s pullover. I have absolutely no idea where anyone would ever find something like this, but it’s mad comfortable. He left it here last week after watching Game of Thrones and he’s never getting it back. Sorry Mully, good looks tho kid.
Those shoes, they look trendy. Very tennis-mom-chic. Is that ironic?
No, I… I actually just thought they looked cool. I tend to ruin all my shoes almost immediately, so I got a nice white pair to kind of really test how long I could go before I ruined them. I mean… I’ll inevitably wear them to a dirty dive bar or drop hot sauce on them in my kitchen or maybe even find some creative new way to permanently ruin them. That’s just how it goes. But if I make it two or three more weeks like this, that’s a victory.
P.S. That modeling face tho… good lord. Someone get me on the phone with an agency.
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