Streetwear Spotlight: Literati Clothing

Article written by: Asmara Wreksono
Posted on: August 26, 2009

Appreciating music goes beyond tapping one’s foot on the floor and bobbing one’s head to the rhythm.  It’s about the content of the music, and that includes the lyrics.  You usually sing it, but now you can wear the lyrics in awesome graphic interpretations thanks to Literati Clothing, a Boston-based new streetwear line, which interprets lyrics through thought-provoking images.  Starting off its launch with designs inspired by artists like Ryan Leslie, Jay-Z, Gym Class Heroes, Nas, Fabolous and Whitney Houston, Literati is ready to put a new mix in the streetwear game.  SoJones.com had the privilege to exclusively talk to Literati’s CEO, Patrick Rhodes-Vivour, about his up and coming clothing line.

We’ve heard that your clothing line is majorly inspired by popular culture, especially song lyrics. Would you elaborate on the concept behind this?

Throughout the course of history, humanity has been blessed with word-smiths; men and women whose words strike a chord with the mass consciousness. Some of these word-smiths implore us to higher philosophical ideals, while others celebrate life and its intricacies by offering a different and unique view point. From Socrates to Plato, JFK to MLK, Jay-Z to Lupe Fiasco, the craft of these word-smiths are both a reflection and testimony of our times.

At Literati Clothing, these words evoke images which we graphically illustrate poetically. We want to stimulate a new found appreciation for words in people, while making a bold statement.

Describe this season and next season’s looks. Include anything in the popular culture that you would like to be another source of inspiration -beside lyrics.

Our current collection is bold, direct and unapologetic. We used familiar and iconic images with a twist to capture the essence of some very bold statements.

Next seasons look will be more metaphorical — very in-between the line, connect the dots kind of statements. The themes of our next designs will revolve around the concepts of “psychology of color” and “politics as usual.” For example, “politics as usual” is inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Tibetan monks. We are very excited about these new designs.

What celeb or well-known figure(s) exemplify the brand?

Being literati is not about super status, wealth or fame. It is about a desire to understand and appreciate the craft of putting words together, as well as the meaning behind works of art. Celebrities that exemplify the Literati brand and concept include Chris Martin from Cold Play, Kanye West, Nina Simone, Lupe Fiasco, Me’Shell NdegeOcello, Jay-Z, Keri Hilson and Travis from Gym Class Heroes.

Any product placements on celebs, in movies or videos to keep an eye out for?

Literati Clothing has many future endeavors, but we’d like to keep that a surprise!

Any expansion plans? Maybe an accessories line in the future?

Right now, Literati Clothing is focused on T-shirts, hoodies and sweaters. In the future, we plan to get in to publishing and limited edition art prints. We can say that we will always stay true to the orginal philosophy of Literati-collectible art inspired by exceptional people in Literary arts, music, inspiring pop culture and of course, philosophy. Ultimately we cannot rule any new endeavor out.

What themes/looks/styles do you see your brand moving away from?

Literati Clothing is trying to create a niche for itself, and most importantly, develop a cult following. There are a lot of code and underlining elements embedded in our designs, which, over time, people will start to look out for. Our aim is to create designs that defy the generic idea of style while constantly creating fresh, interesting and collectible pieces.

What has been a surprise fashion hit over the last year? (a particular piece, a look or even another brand)

An interesting surprise is the acceptance and use of colors like purple, orange and bright green in urban wear. It has produced some very interesting pieces. It shows that fashion has no boundaries and limitless potential.

Literati clothing is retailed for $30.00 – $39.00, and can be found on their website: www.iamliterati.com