Brand To Watch: LPD NY

In 2013, hip-pop notables and runway models traded in their sexy body-con ‘fits for everything sporty-chic. This year, fashion’s cool kids are reviving the '90s trend and making it today's style staple. Burgeoning designer, Benjamin Fanlight, is an innovator who took the trend to another level—virtually overnight. The NYU grad hit the mark the day he introduced his "Team Dolce/Team Gabanna” jersey style t-shirt designs to the tight-knit Tumblr community. Fanlight’s remix of the sports tee became a cult favorite, making his dreams of a luxe streetwear brand into a booming business: LPD NY.
Benjamin’s small, in-demand company has grown popular over the past year, and is currently featured on prominent e-commerce sites like Net-A-Porter and VFiles. The 22-year-old student-turned-designer admits he still can’t believe this all manifested from a single Tumblr post. The collection continues to gain co-signs from fashion’s favorite muses and hip-hop acts, including Travi$ Scott, Rita Ora and A$AP Mob.
VIBE paid a visit to LPD NY’s intimate Chelsea showroom where Benjamin welcomed us and shared the brand’s inspiration.
"I started the line as a way to unify fashion followers, allowing a more direct and casual way for them to show their love for whatever designer (much like fans and athletes)," he said. "I figured it was a little unfair that the only way you could show you loved Prada was to wear an expensive runway piece, so the tees kind of cut out economic or social factors that might have stopped people from participating in fashion in that sense.”
He presented his Winter 2013/ Spring 2014 ready-to-wear collection includes detailed varsity jackets, wax-dipped sweat shorts and city-specific graphic tees.
Get acquainted with Benjamin Fanlight and his designs above.—Diarrha N'diaye