J. Crew Reaches for Bushwick Cred, Misses
A tipster sent me this lameness: J. Crew has a “limited edition” t-shirt from an imaginary “Trophy Tavern” at the nonexistent address of 259 Bushwick Avenue, adorned with a motif reminiscent of that of real-life restaurant Northeast Kingdom. What would possess them to create such a cred-less product? What would possess someone to buy it? Do I have to be a frat douchebag to get the appeal of wearing a shirt with a fake bar on it from a place one has never been? Because nobody who lives in Brooklyn would be caught dead in this — especially not for $52.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Someone from the area is a freelance designer and sold it to them!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
This is happening in all the fashion houses b/c their graphic designers can’t afford to live anywhere else in NYC, so in some strange and convoluted way, maybe this is starving corporate artist street cred.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
OMFG.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
come clean. Who did this?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Wow, that’s crazy! Maybe we should all buy them and wear them around the neighborhood. Yeah! And we can silkscreen “You’re in a hep of poop” on the back!
September 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
It had to be someone who lives out here.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I’ve been to the Trophy Tavern as many times as I’ve been to Northeast Kingdom therefore neither of them exist.
September 9th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
when I first moved to the neighborhood about 5 yrs ago I was browsing none other than Barney’s one day and to my surprise saw one of these bushwick high fashion t’s there. so nothing new except that maybe they’ve downgraded? or maybe that should be “become more populist”.
September 9th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
oh yeah and I asked the salesperson where the shirt was made and he said some bikers were designing them somewhere out in brooklyn.
September 9th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
yo dude- thats that bulll shit.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
What you saw in Barneys back then may have been Death Killers of Bushwick, which was a jeans and t-shirt company based out here. It was disolved a few years ago when the husband and wife team got a divorce.
September 10th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Why, o why, do people think it’s cool to act rough and tumble?
I’m talking about you Bushwick Country Club - you are NOT in Bushwick. NOT IN BUSHWICK.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
“nobody who lives in Brooklyn would be caught dead in this — especially not for $52.”
Whoever wrote that has never been to Williamsburg.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Dresden - would you perhaps know the person who made the design?
September 12th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Fuck that man, I’m gonna go buy one of these right now. Just like i have that shirt that says “hipster” on it in Hong Kong.
September 18th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
You dumbasses are just promoting this with a direct link to the product page….fucking idiots…every brand does this you douches!
September 18th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Nobody clicking through from this blog is in danger of being tempted to buy such an item, you braindead fuck. You’re one of those mouth-breathers who thinks advertising somehow compels people to spend their money on shit they don’t need or want. Which is why I wouldn’t expect you to realize that most brands are over the faux vintage fad. It’s so Old Navy.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
oh damn
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/thecity/21crew.html?ref=thecity
September 21st, 2008 at 2:40 am
Damn they quoted nearly everyone but me.
I guess I have to start saying stuff with substance.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:35 am
Why would anyone wear a t-shirt from a nonexistent bar? Isn’t the point to be proud of a place you enjoy getting drunk in?
Or -
Nothing spells whiskey in the afternoon like a limp-wristed fashionista wearing a $52 t-shirt and some pink-framed sunglasses.
September 21st, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Yes it’s sorta lame but isn’t also more than a little flattering?
September 21st, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Yes it’s lame but isn’t it also more than a little flattering? Just a little? No? Fucking liars.
September 24th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
south bronx is next
September 24th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
jeremy,
i can tell you right now you wont post this, but if you really care about bushwick you should know that your website is contributing to its end through gentrification.
peace
October 1st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
a. dresden- thankfully, anyone wearing wearing a $52 j. crew t-shirt is not a fashionista, rather some sort of dried-up frat boy and therefore more than likely would be scared of actually coming to bushwick because of the population demographics (> poor people and > non-white people than say, midtown).
b. steven- got news for you…unless you grew up in bushwick, you’re contributing to its end through gentrification, too. an article about a j.crew t-shirt is not going to ruin the neighborhood, for fuck’s sake!