The Skinnys Is the T-Shirt Brand Every It Girl Obsesses Over
With a little over 24,000 Instagram followers combined, Los Angeles based T-shirt designers The Skinnys are the latest emerging luxury lifestyle brand shaping the way we see streetwear. Using imagery, self confidence, and aspiration for the finer things in life as focal selling points of the label, they’ve managed to grow a wide range of artist, influencers, and IT girls for clients, while staying true to the meaning of living The Skinny life.
So who are they? Rolland Ryan, 26, originally from Monroe, LA, now residing in DTLA, and Justin Cooper, 26, Los Angeles Native.
What does it take to be Skinny?
TS: Fearlessness and GUTS for sure. Embracing the LA Culture, being a little bitchy without being mean, while serving classy teas!
Who’s your target market?
TS: We love fashion conscious individuals, but literally any and everyone can wear our shit! We have a variety of T’s for guys and gals that’re pretty much unisex and OSFA (one size fits all). We live for fashion so when we first started, we did shirts with subtle, sometimes blatant, designer references.
So what was the beginning like? What type of designer references were used?
TS: We started with an idea for a simple T-shirt, reworking the Givenchy logo: GIVENCHIC. As the brand grew, so did the direction of the T-shirts. The reflection of The Skinnys lifestyle and personal preferences became a major part of our brand! I mean, look at the generation we live in, everything is about the lifestyle. Imagery is everything… it drives our brand and is our main focal point when selling. Like, Valentino re-posted our imagery on Insta AND tagged us!
Who’s been Skinny so far?
TS: Morgan of The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills actually wore our shirt on E!. Elisa Johnson, Draya from Basketball Wives LA and MintSwim, and Beyonce have been spotted via social media in our shirts. Most girls wear them over sized.
Elisa is super stylish and dope, how’d you finesse that?
TS: You know, just knowing a lot of people. Every person that we’ve gotten our stuff to, happened through a close friend/connect. That connect then gave it to them directly. So yea, just knowing people.
Trends you’re feeling for fall 16?
J: Metallic tones; pussy-bow blouses (iconic); Over sized tees with over the knee boots.
R: The over sized t shirt look mixed with the athleisure aesthetic. It’s comfortable and fits me best.
Fave shows from Fashion Week spring 17?
J: Gucci, of course; I love that Michele is bringing opulence back to fashion. People need to walk out of the house wanting to look rich. Y/Project was also really great; very current and really cool silhouettes.
R: Saint Laurent, Balmain.
Dream celebrity to see rocking The Skinnys?
TS: Rihanna for obvious reasons!
Indica or Sativa?
J: What’s the difference again?
R: Indicaaaaa
Kill, Mary, Fuck. Why? Zac Posen, Olivier Rousteing, Tom Ford?
J: Wouldn’t you like to know…I don’t kiss and tell!
R: *severe side eye*
One trend you’re sick of?
J: Chokers. They’ve become a fashion cliche and i’m tired of seeing girls walking around not knowing that they’re crooked!
R: Denim jacket. OFF THE SHOULDER (unless it’s done right )
Where’s the brands aesthetic and direction going within the next 2-3 years?
TS: We see ourselves doing ready-to-wear, jeans, shoes, and having a large footprint in the fashion world. We really want it to be a name that people know and immediately associate with the chic-est of the chic.
Lastly, How would you guys sum up your lifestyle? Where can we shop and keep up with all things Skinny?
TS: We make T-shirts that say “Skinny” and create imagery that captures the Los Angeles lifestyle because that is who WE are. The Skinnys as a brand, however, encourages everyone to be comfortable in his or her own skin, at ANY size. We shop at Barney’s, have lunch at the Chateau Marmont, and chill on the beaches of Malibu. The idea we have is that no matter who or where you are, you can be “Skinny in LA” too.
On Instagram @TheSkinnys
www.The-Skinnys.com and OAK NYC coming Spring 2017.
