Introducing Homer, Frank Ocean’s ‘Impartial American Luxurious Firm’

Within the final a number of years, Frank Ocean’s artistic output has been tantalisingly sporadic. He launched a handful of singles and known as off the discharge of yet one more. He threw a collection of dance events in Queens. He launched a voter registration drive earlier than the 2020 election and appeared in a Prada marketing campaign. Principally, although, he appeared to be engaged on a mysterious undertaking about which little was identified. He rented an artwork studio in New York’s Chinatown, the place one in all his automobiles may typically be seen parked outdoors, and there have been whispers that he was launching… one thing. Positively not an album, although—a bodily factor. Was it clothes? Furnishings? Simply what Ocean and his small group of Blonded staff—architects, graphic designers, style creatives—have been as much as in his downtown workplace was anybody’s guess.

It seems that Frank Ocean has been designing jewellery. At this time, he introduced the launch of Homer, a line described in a press launch as an “unbiased American luxurious firm.” The primary Homer assortment is in depth, comprising dozens of diamond-encrusted bracelets, cartoon-coloured enamel pendants, patterned silk scarves, and gold rings sculpted into the phrase "OK." A Homer retailer is anticipated to open in The Jewellery Trade, an Uncut Gems-style emporium on the Bowery full of old-fashioned diamond setting and watch restore cubicles, on Monday. For now, the gathering is barely accessible on the retailer.

The undertaking has been within the works for nearly three years, a span that implies Ocean has approached Homer—the identify is described within the launch as representing “carving historical past into stone,” and is probably associated to Residence Document, an LLC Ocean registered a number of years in the past—with the extent of meticulousness and connoisseurship he brings to creating music (and shopping for couches). The items within the first assortment are designed in New York and handmade in Italy, and the diamonds are grown within the model’s personal home laboratory. The value factors vary from accessible to outrageous. Enamel plus-symbol pendants are $435, just like what you may discover at a neighborhood Canal St. gold store. After which there’s the "sphere legs excessive jewellery necklace," which is able to price simply shy of $1.9 million. (Sure, $1.9 million.) Ocean is aiming to succeed in his twenty-something followers in addition to the celebrities who have interaction in Instagram one-upmanship with their Ben Baller and Jacob the Jeweler items. (It’s straightforward to think about Lil Uzi Vert preventing, say, Quavo over a one-of-one Homer excessive jewellery chain.) Not many manufacturers embody each entry-level and excessive jewellery, however not many individuals are as mysteriously alluring as Frank Ocean, whose merch drops (to say nothing of his music releases) trigger multi-day, social media-driven information cycles.

Ocean has that uniquely compelling draw as a result of he’s carved out a one-person dwelling on the intersection of large international reputation and beautiful, area of interest style. He’s achieved billions of Spotify streams, however appears extra enthusiastic about amassing the proper previous Céline bag than in embracing the trimmings of movie star. Followers and style insiders alike have lengthy questioned whether or not—or when—Ocean would launch a undertaking that aligned along with his famously specific tastes in clothes. Although the final word ambitions of Homer are but unclear, Monday’s drop is billed because the “first assortment”—the primary, maybe, of many, together with a forthcoming collaboration with Prada. What’s almost sure is that Homer might be extra like Tyler, the Creator’s Golf Wang or A$AP Rocky’s AWGE—outlined by unpredictable drops and one-off tasks meant for a brand new era fluent in private model—than a world-eating Cactus Jack or Yeezy.

And whereas launching a brand new luxurious model with jewellery might sound barely out of left subject, Ocean’s personal private adornment has traced the shifting contours of masculinity in style. Within the Channel Orange period, Ocean sometimes wore the brash iced-out Jesus items and dookie ropes that after outlined the hip-hop aesthetic. Within the ensuing years, as DIY manufacturers and artisanal jewellers have launched pearl necklaces, diamond chokers, and dangly earrings into the menswear lexicon (and as luxurious manufacturers have adopted swimsuit by launched extra delicate types for males), Ocean’s style in jewellery has develop into softer and extra refined. In 2018, he posted a flowery bracelet made from emeralds and pink diamonds on his Instagram story, spawning dozens of Depop dupes. He took to carrying slim silver hoop earrings and refined cushion-cut diamond studs. On his 2019 GQ cowl, he wore a easy customized ID bracelet engraved with the phrase “Really feel Liked.”

It seems that Ocean’s fascination with making jewellery may need been hiding beneath our noses this complete time. In that cowl story, Vegyn, the co-host of Ocean’s Blonded Radio present, asks if he’s bought any resolutions going into the brand new 12 months. “I didn't do my final one, to be trustworthy with you,” Ocean replies. “My final one was self-decoration, and I haven't completed any of my jewellery, so I'm gonna carry that on to subsequent 12 months.”

At this time, lastly, Ocean’s quest for self-decoration has been fulfilled.

This piece was initially revealed in GQ US

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