While the costumes of on-screen superheros such as Wonder Woman, Super Man, and Cat Woman still occupy the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a real-life dynamic duo is currently rescuing the good people of New York with a penchant for sleek casual wear from all of the day-glo pieces that have consumed a once fashion-forward niche market.
Hood by Air is a unisex brand ran by friends Shayne Oliver and Raul Lopez. Their line consists of t-shirts, sweatshirts, outerwear, and winged long-sleeved tops. The silhouettes are cool but the brand’s aesthetic is a bit confusing: The pieces are very smart and futuristic, but it reeks of an early 90s sensibility.
For example, Salt N Pepa’s stylist — before Salt got saved — could have hooked the MCs up with this street gear for their tours and yet the modernity of the bat winged sweatshirt, in particular, is very much Paris right now. Confusing? Slightly. But nonetheless, I’m a new fan.