We know them for their modern-meets-classic clothing, but we’re starting to reallize the Shipley & Halmos boys are into more than just designing our dream wardrobe. Soon, they will be book publishers. In lieu of showing this fashion week they’ve chosen take on a huge project.

Last night, we caught up with Jeff Halmos and Sam Shipley on the Women’s CO-OP floor of Barneys’ Madison Avenue store, the first stop on their “Fill In The Blank Photo Tour.” After almost four hours (two in men’s and two in women’s) of meeting with customers, the pair was exhausted. “Four hours is way too long,” we heard one of them say, with 13 days and 12 cities left to go.

In each of the cities they visit, the designers set up a professional photo booth to take pictures of willing Barneys CO-OP customers, who will also fill out a mad libs-esque questionnaire followed by a release form because, come fall, select photos and questionnaires will be compiled into book intended to create an expansive portrait of the Shipley & Halmos customer. If last night’s guests were any indication, that customer is cool and stylish and if anything the book will likely contain some great street style. We’re also pretty curious about how all those mad libs will come together. The book will be called “We’re An American ______” and will be sold at Barneys stores.

We love this idea and wanted to hear more about how it came about and what the future looks like for the young designers, so we talked to Jeff (Sam was busy playing photog).

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