Inspired: Blondey McCoy
- Words Grailed Team
- Date August 27, 2019
Style is relative. In our hyper-trend driven climate, our current icons often push the envelope of what we wear and how we wear it. Blondey McCoy, however, is firmly not in that camp. Rumors run rampant where the English multi-hyphenate came from, but one thing is for certain: the kid can dress. At just 21-years-old, McCoy is universally recognized for his decidedly classic sense of style. While streetwear associations are clear—McCoy has personally launched two labels in the space—his penchant for cardigans, wide pinstripe trousers, trench coats and no-nonsense adidas mean he resembles the most stylish version of your grandpa. Even with dad-style currently peaking, McCoy's wardrobe transcends the trend, a clever mix of high-fashion classics with traditional skate garb that defies the genre while still wholly encompassing it. A mix of '60s posh and '00s chad, McCoy is the current face of London.
This was not always the case. Raised in the New Malden suburb outside London, McCoy, who's parents split at an early age, grew up mostly alone. The youngest of three, the half-Lebanese half-English Brit kept to himself following his parents divorce. Finding it hard to connect with others, he quickly gravitated towards skateboarding, where he learned to channel his frustration and found a family of his own. A regular at notorious London skate spot Southbanks, Blondey's hard-hitting style caught the attention of his peers. Soon enough he dropped out of school, signed a contract with adidas and eventually, Palace. By the age of 15, McCoy launched his own streetwear imprint, Thames, which eventually collaborated with Palace as well. A creative director before the age of 16, McCoy felt trapped by the confines of streetwear, and chose to instead focus on his passion for art, first through photography and later through installation and sculpture. Within three years, the 20-year-old had a Damien Hirst collaboration, an eponymous label (Blondey) and a Burberry campaign to his name. He was voted Style Icon of the Year by Vogue Hommes and walked in Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuttion debut. Yet, a pill-addiction left him stranded.
Now sober, McCoy focuses on his art, skating and above all creating. Openly confessing that the only family he ever held close were his grandparents, his late grandfather is an on-going inspiration, the source of his off-kilter posh style—one of his infamous signet rings belonged to him. He's since walked away from Palace, today preferring to focus on himself, his craft and his future. This self-aware attitude, relative distaste for fashion and passion for previous generations is precisely what makes him a modern style icon.