Modern Day Dandy
Building the “Denis Frison” brand is an experience that has brought me to meet countless people in the farthest reaches of the world. No matter where I am, whether in Monte Carlo, Los Angeles, Japan, New York or, my hometown, Milan, I meet people who are in search of expressing the essence of themselves through their wardrobe. It’s my role as the designer to mediate this process.
Sometimes, though, you meet people like LA-based artist, Andy Dixon - people who have such a deep understanding of their sense of self, and a profound awareness of esthetic, color and form. When this happens, and you get us together in a room, the possibilities are truly boundless.
I recently visited Andy in his LA studio to chat about his point of view as a quickly rising star in the LA art scene… I hope you enjoy!
“Who is Andy Dixon?”
I'm an artist based out of Los Angeles who is interested in exploring the taboo relationship between art and luxury.
“Our passion for art is one of the first things we connected over. Tell us about your story and why you decided to move to LA.”
I actually spent my teens and twenties making music more than visual art but was always painting as a hobby. Eventually I decided that making visual art is what fulfilled me most and made the switch, moving to New York for a brief time from Vancouver, Canada, where I was born and raised. Once my work visa expired and I had to return to Canada to renew it, I started thinking about living in LA as opposed to returning to New York. Los Angeles is closer to my family, a little more affordable, the weather is better, and it just felt like something really special was happening there in the arts. I'm happy with my choice to do so and am really falling in love with Los Angeles.
“tell us about how you view denis Frison as a brand.”
I really connect to Denis Frison and his brand - I think we share similar tastes in Italian tailoring and I love that it's both referential to classic tailoring but also uniquely modern in the details and fabric choices. This juxtaposition of old and new is similar to what I do in my own work.
“What about your style?.... Your passion for Italian tailoring and the idea to wear a colorful suits?”
I've always been interested in colour. From a very young age, I remember playing with colour blocking - mismatching the lids to my felt pens, combining certain coloured lego blocks, etc. In the same way that a chef would say two spices become greater than the sum of their individual parts, I see the same thing with colour combinations. The dream is to wear the same silhouette every day allowing me to play with colour.
“Back in the day artists used to wear tailored clothing, today the relationship between art and elegance is changed, tell us about your idea of incorporating tailored silhouettes in a contemporary style.”
I think my style references the past you're talking about, when garments weren't just bought off the rack and things were made specifically for an individual to capture their personal spirit. But my style also pushes contemporary ideas of masculine and feminine and what colours are considered appropriate by societal standards. I supposed it's a kind of modern day dandyism.
“who’s denis for you as a person behind the brand?”
Denis is a uniquely creative person. He is not only an exceptional tailor but also a true artist himself.
What he’s wearing
A vintage cotton/linen denim suit featuring a classic Denis Frison detail configuration: two covered buttons with peak lapels on the jacket, and trousers with a single pleat, a 14cm extended waistband and 4cm cuffs.