A Street Wear Designer Who Graduated From ‘Yeezy University’

Name: Philip Post

Age: 24

Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.

Now lives: In a three-bedroom apartment in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn that he shares with two artists.

Claim to fame: Mr. Post, who is also known as Prince Philippe, is the designer, painter and artist behind Dertbag, a Connecticut street wear brand that has been spotted on Kanye West, Tyler the Creator and others.

“‘Dertbag’ stands for ‘divine energy radiates through beauty and genius,’ and that’s exactly what I want consumers to feel when they’re wearing my clothing,” Mr. Post said. “I want my pieces to inspire them and simply make them feel beautiful and good when they’re rocking a fit.”

Big break: In 2016, Kanye West was photographed wearing a gray Dertbag hoodie while heading to a Vivienne Westwood store in London. After seeing the photo, Mr. Post reached out to Mr. West’s assistant and sent along a box of merchandise. Mr. West was apparently impressed; he called Mr. Post and asked to meet in New York City. The two clicked.

A few weeks later, Mr. Post flew out to California to work on Yeezy pieces for Seasons 4 and 5, as well as the Saint Pablo Tour. “I went to Yeezy University,” Mr. Post said. “My first year of college was working with Kanye. Best school in the nation.”

Latest project: In December, Dertbag opened its first store on East Sixth Street in the East Village, a cozy storefront with minimalist racks of clothing. “I wanted to expand my extension of expression by creating an epicenter in the city for like-minded people and artists,” he said. (It reopened this week for curbside pickup.) And in February, he unveiled 18 looks at a presentation during New York Fashion Week.

Next thing: On June 14, Mr. Post released a 12-piece summer collection, ranging from $28 to $40. “I want to create new luxury in terms of the luxury of being able to be comfortable in your own skin, and the luxury of being able to afford something well designed,” he said. “How can you argue with elegance or luxury that’s available to everyone?”

Self-taught: Mr. Post was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 10, and was home-schooled after missing too many days of class. The garage became his classroom. Years later, it also became his studio, while the guest bedroom became his office. “It’ll always be my first office,” he said. “I still work from there sometimes when I visit home.”

source: nytimes.com