David and Phillipe Blond met when they were teenagers--two young, hungry New York creatives who, like many, were enchanted by nightlife. "It was actually my prom night," says Phillippe, seated beside his partner in work and life in The Blonds showroom in midtown Manhattan. "I skipped prom and snuck into The Roxy with my best friend. And David and I met that night. So...skip your prom--you might get lucky." Whether it was luck or fate, the meeting of David and Phillipe led to an ever-growing alternative fashion empire that merges their mutual interests into handmade clothes fit for rock stars. "It's all the things we had in common and all of the things that inspired us as children--from Jem and the Holograms and Old Hollywood bombshells to Barbie and Catwoman," says David. "Technically, everything we do is based around those inspirations and that's what links them all together."
And after nearly two decades, those inspirations have enchanted and inspired the masses--and the musical elite. Name a pop diva and odds are she's performed or been photographed in Phillipe and David's work: Beyonce, Gaga, Ariana, Nicki, Britney, Mariah, and one of their personal favorites, Daphne Guiness. The British heiress and rock icon was the centerpiece of The Blonds F/W 2018 collection earlier this year, and we were on hand for every glistening moment--from a private interview with the designers themselves to seeing their angel-and-demon-themed creations make their way from backstage mayhem to runway ferocity. It was one of many occasions when the couple's pristine handiwork caused Fashion Week guests' jaws to drop, and they're poised to do the same on Friday night, when their S/S 2019 collection, inspired by Disney villains, makes its debut.
"Fashion is fast," says Phillipe. "It's glamorous. It's a giant, rolling ball of fire that doesn't stop. You've always got to think forward and keep going." ...And draw on the fantasy that fired you up in the first place.
Video:
Produced and directed by R. Kurt Osenlund
Cinematography and editing by Carmelo Castro-Netsky
Developed by Prose Productions exclusively for Out Magazine
All clothing by The Blonds
Photography by Carmelo Castro-Netsky
