Johnny Pigozzi Wants To Make the Urban Djellaba Happen
Fashion designer, art collector, venture capitalist, photographer, and all around Renaissance man Jean "Johnny" Pigozzi officially opens his flagship store LimoLand in the Meatpacking district next week, but we got a peak at the store and, more importantly, Pigozzi's first full menswear collection yesterday. Pigozzi is a colorful character--literally. It's evident in the decor of the store (carpeted in AstroTurf, dotted with overstuffed aqua-colored arm chairs) and the clothes themselves. Limoland's blue-faced mascot, Mr. Limo, is based on the work of late Tanzanian artist George Lilanga, and Pigozzi describes him has "the most elegant limo driver in the world," who is "a bit of a snob." He likes that Mr. Limo looks so different from a "'pretentious' polo player or a 'menacing' crocodile." Before he started his own line of basics in 2007, Pigozzi shopped in Harlem because it was the only place he could find his size (XXL or XXXL) in what he calls "fun colors." Harlem's vibrancy has certainly inspired his first full menswear collection.