In Medias Res: Justin Dean
- Words Grailed Team
- Date October 4, 2016
"In Medias Res" is a new column in which photographer Chris Fenimore links up with some of New York City's most interesting people to see what they're wearing throughout the week.
Name: Justin Dean
Age: 36
Occupation: Men's Buyer at Kith
Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
Favorite shop in New York City: Kith, then Dover Street, La Garconne and If Boutique.
Favorite restaurant in New York City: La Bonbonniere
How did you get into fashion: While I was in college studying philosophy, I got a job at the mall to help pay my way. So, that was a way into retail. But in a deeper way, I think it was seeing Wim Wenders' Notebook on Cities and Clothes, which I saw in my teens and exposed me to Yohji Yamamoto. It's a beautiful film. I grew up watching a lot of films, and, in particular, Blade Runner was a huge influence on me from a young age. I loved the design and mood of the film, and the clothing in particular was very evocative. I liked how it expressed character, and it instilled in me a love of big overcoats.
How would you describe your personal style: I like simple, modern takes on classic styles—CDG & Yohji are my favorite labels. I also love elevated workwear—Junya, EG, Post O'Alls. I enjoy mixing the old and the new, and tend to wear only black, grey or dark navy.
Current favorite piece(s) in your closet: Vintage Black CDG Overcoat from the early '90s. I live in it Fall/Winter.
How long have you been using Grailed: Since inception. Selling and buying.
Most memorable Grailed come up: My most memorable Grailed experience involves Nico, actually. I was selling three long EG shirts (all amazing, but I no longer felt they were me), and within an hour of posting I got a text from Nico asking if I was certain I wanted to part with such beautiful pieces. (He immediately knew it was me who posted them.) He ended up buying them from me, and I was happy they found a good home. I appreciate that Grailed is a community of like-minded individuals who all love these pieces.
Favorite fashion designers: Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, Daiki Suzuki.
Ultimate grail: Rick Deckard's brown overcoat from Blade Runner.