🔥FIRE SALE🔥 No. 21
We're back with a guest edit from Enzo Escober ✨—writer ✍️, dance machine 🕺, and a certified stylish member of the youthful intelligentsia 🧐
🔥FIRE SALE🔥 is back after an extended hiatus. My apologies to all who are looking for new suede jackets or vintage workwear pants! The day job has been day jobing, and with that came a lack of correspondence. As a way to thank you for your patience I have a real treat! The first FIRE SALE guest edit by my good friend Enzo Escober. Enzo is a writer, bookseller, and a beaming ray of sunshine in a dark New York winter. He’s addicted to dancing, putting smiles on strangers' faces, and of course…clothing. His work has been featured in Guernica and the Los Angeles Review of Books. He co-hosts Diva Discourse and co-hosts a book club at McNally Jackson with fellow bookseller Morgan Thomas aptly named Enzo & Morgan's Batshit Book Club, where they recently read one of my all-time weirdo freakshow catholic masterpieces, The Book of Margery Kempe.
Unfortunately, I have to caveat this piece by saying that Enzo contributed this to me many moons ago. Due to my procrastination, many of the pieces he picked have sold. Nevertheless, let Enzo’s shopping guide serve as inspiration—a glimpse into a distinct taste and palette that Enzo himself acknowledges has evolved from mere costume into authentic personal style. I’ll let Enzo take it away!
Hello! Enzo here. And welcome to my island!! Have an ice cream and walk with me.
So yall are catching me at the dawn of a new epoch. For the past few months, I've been ensconced in a sartorial chrysalis of sorts. Have you ever looked at your closet, tried on things that have always looked good on you, and found that they no longer feel as honest? Lately I've been taking a good long look at my clothes—fine-tuning things, weeding out impulse buys, separating the peacocky once-a-month garments from the holy grail staples, and brutally surmising whether they were truly right for my body.
A lot of people up until this point have described my style as "costumey," which was definitely a spot-on drag/compliment. A friend once told me I dressed like a toy that had just turned into a real boy. And that was a fun way to be. I love an editorial fit, am a sucker for a cute reference, and most importantly, believe that people should dress with a sense of humor. The most cherished pieces in my closet that fit this category are: a WWII USA sailor uniform I bought on eBay and which arrived with black-and-white pictures of the original twink who wore it, a cocaine-coded black overshirt with poker cards, casino chips, and the words LAS VEGAS appliqued in sequins, and a matador hat that I liked to pair with a black, lapel-less Issey Miyake blazer. And these were all very fun fits, but I simply couldn't wear them everyday!
Recently, I've been revisiting the worn-in basics of my wardrobe, and investing in pieces that are streamlined yet still striking. (My favorite purchase of late: a pair of black jeans from Lemaire that I copped from Grailed. They're the brand's signature twisted silhouette: fitted in the waist, curved at the thighs, tapered at the heel. They look great with pointy black shoes and a carelessly tucked-in button-down.)
For the record, I'm not advocating for such buzzy, meaningless catchalls as "Quiet Luxury" or "Elevated Basics." I feel like these are less sensibilities than they are templates—helpful at times, but fundamentally lacking in human zest. Subscribing to them only dooms us to a state of drip constipation, where every move we make is in service of a predetermined, ossified vision. What is at stake here is true personal style, depth, surprise, the sense of a story told through dress.
So just because I've pivoted away from my usual rotation doesn't mean I've left a bunch of banging pieces in the back of my closet, never to be touched til Halloween. I've had such fun finding ways to sneak in some of my more outré garments into my subdued looks. Like those sailor pants? They make a showstopper of any fit, what with their huge, flotation-device legs and ridiculous array of buttons. The only downside to wearing them is how many of these buttons I have to undo when I pee. How did sailors get head like this? Are these pants or a chastity belt?
Anyway, here is a peek into my likes, saves, and pipe dreams. They may not all be popping in color, but boy, are they cool.
These gorgeous pleated slacks, from the Korean brand Ader Error, are so effortless. In motion, they give off the most wonderful ripples. You know what I love best about clothes? Folds. I love a garment that's just swimming in its own folds. The ones I've linked to are gray, but the brand also does a sick darker color, which you could probably pull off as the bottom half of a suit.
This Jones New York sweater is made of a silk-mohair-nylon blend, and with its drop shoulders and roomy fit gives off that prepossessed, worn-in look that cartoon characters who wear the same fit every day have.
The best kicks I've bought all year were these vintage pair of white and blue Diesel sneakers, which I copped at Harley's on the Lower East Side. They were cheap because they were pretty gnarly, but I took them to a cobbler who re-glued the soles, and then they were golden. I love the shape of them—wide and square-toed without being clownish. Here's an identical pair in weathered black. Check out the darker paneling detail on the toe. Imagine those peeking out from under your pants. Hello, we are the feet!! Here's another SICK blue/lime green colorway. They are sadly too small for me, but if they fit you, please buy them and wear them for me.
So, remember my sailor pants? Here's a reimagined pair of that American classic from Helmut Lang. And with only four buttons, you'll have no trouble peeing at all!
The fabulous people down at Komune on the Lower East Side put me on to this jacket from Cmmawear, and it's a total piece de resistance. It's nylon taffeta and suede, and the architecture is masterful. The sleeves curve outward, and the folds (folds!) of the suede crinkle together in the most sculptural way. The ends of the sleeves have a little hole you can put your thumb in, so they double as little half-gloves. Also, the front zipper isn't cut straight—when left open, the jacket has this parabolic effect. It goes with everything, and I want it.
I love this jacket from Eckaus Latta. Barrel sleeves, great denim, boxy without being too cropped, and crazy back paneling. An unnecessary yet delicious detail? The inch-long tab sticking out after the last button, adding balance and symmetry to the whole structure. Also, if you’re drawn to the seams of denim, this jacket has PLENTY.
If I had this Yohji blazer, I would wear it every day and it would make me feel like Lydia Tar striding into rehearsals with blood in her eyes. The cut is just beautiful, and I enjoy having a few extra buttons that exist purely for theater.
David here again! Just a reminder: if you enjoy our 🔥FIRE SALE🔥 or know someone looking to enhance their style, I offer two personal styling services:
Virtual Package ($150): Includes a detailed style consultation, bespoke moodboard, and curated shopping list.
In-Person Package ($250): Offers all the perks of the virtual package plus a personalized in-person shopping experience.
Interested? Book here!