Perspectivism: Lex Sadler
Perspectivism: is a new weekly feature where we meet up with creative people within the community to highlight their personal style and chat about their perspective on the fashion industry.
Name: Lex Sadler
Age: 40
Location: New York City
Occupation: Musician and Creative Director
Favorite Stores: Patron of The New, Jeffery, Dover Street Market, Louis Vuitton, Maxfield LA, The Webster, BAPE, KITH
How did you get interested in fashion, and what are some of your favorite brands currently?
“My introduction to fashion was through sneakers. Growing up in Perth, Western Australia in the 80s, our exposure to American culture came predominantly through basketball. We always had the new Jordans. What we wore didn't matter, as long as we had the latest Js. I had 3s through 7s, all different color ways. These would be paired with whatever we could get our hands on; mostly Australian staple surf brands like Billabong, Rusty and Quicksilver, as well as your typical streetwear brands such as Stussy and Adidas.
My tastes have changed since then - these days I favor brands like Mastermind Japan and Visvim.”
How did you get into Japanese brands in particular?
“BAPE was the gateway to Japanese brands. I became familiar with Bape through James Lavelle and UNKLE sometime around the late 90s. He was always wearing this amazing camo snowboard jacket, with baggy jeans and Adidas. I just didn't know much about where it came from or where to get it. These were the early days of the internet so information was hard to come by.
Moving to New York in 2007 gave me more access to the product; I was able to walk into the BAPE store and buy stuff off the shelf (I'd be there pretty much every weekend). eCommerce changed everything too, of course.”
Music & Fashion seems to go hand in hand in today's culture, what is your personal view on how they tie in together?
“I think the two are inextricably linked. Music is much a visual art as an auditory art; the successful musical artists of our time know this and cultivate strong visual identities to match. I was into weird music and loved the look of British artists such as James Lavelle, Massive Attack, Goldie and Roni Size. They somehow took the American street aesthetic and added some grit to it. It was dark and moody, and I really liked the aesthetic.
Today, the tie in is more obvious, with many musicians collaborating on custom pieces (BAPE x Kudi) or entire lines (Kanye).”
What is your favorite part of working in the music industry?
“Traveling the world and meeting interesting people. I've been to places that I'd never considered visiting; Russia, a lot of Eastern European countries. There's so much interesting culture, food, and characters out there!”
What is your favorite memory involving fashion?
“I always enjoy the hunt for items; trying to find that one piece that just happens to be in my size and for a good price. One of my favorite memories was being on tour in LA, walking into Maxfield and trying on a Mastermind Japan horse leather jacket. They were one of the only Mastermind stockists in the USA back then, so it was a unique experience. The jacket fit perfectly; the $10,500 price tag not so much. Years later I scooped the same jacket off eBay for $3400 (I was the only bidder), and it still had the Maxfield tag on it. It was the same one I'd tried on that day in the store. Sometimes it pays to wait.”
What has been your favorite place to travel to for work or enjoyment?
“Tokyo. Probably my favorite city in the world next to New York. I love the layout of the city - its very walkable and the transit system is amazing. The food is incredible, and it is great to go thrift shopping for those coveted Japanese 'domestic brands.”
What is your favorite thing about living in New York?
“I love a walkable city. I like meeting people from all over the world; I love seeing everyone's unique style and individuality. Also, I feel like there's limitless opportunity here. New York is a tough place, but every now and then it will throw you a bone and remind you that it's the greatest city on Earth.”
What are some of your favorite pieces in your wardrobe currently?
“The aforementioned Mastermind leather jacket is a classic piece. I love a good bomber jacket, and the Mastermind x Porter MA-1 from their NewOrder collection has a great cut. I like winter clothes, I have a lot of great parkas with fur-lined hoods which I love - again, older Mastermind pieces. I wear a lot of black; I think it's flattering and luxe and the Mastermind aesthetic fits this look.”
What are your 3 go-to pairs of sneakers?
“This is tough as I own 300+ pairs. I've been wearing a lot of Off White recently. They're a hyped shoe, sure, but I just think Virgil really nailed the look here. It's a nostalgic look for me, reminiscent of the design aesthetic of the late 90s — the deconstructed look, the large Helvetica type. This was pioneered back in the days by design studios like ATTIK and The Designers Republic; they were hugely influential to me during the early days of my design career. It's a nice callback to those.
My favorite three are the Air Max 90, the all-white Presto and the OG Blazers.”
If you could own anything you wanted, what would it be?
“An apartment. I'm tired of paying NYC rent.”
What are some of your goals for 2019?
“I'm going through the United States immigration system, which is awful; I hope to be a green card holder by the end of the year. Then I can look at putting down some more permanent roots.”
If you had any advice to pass along what would it be?
“Live your best life; don't worry about what others are doing and don't compare where you are in life to where they are. Everyone takes a different route. Express yourself how you want to, whether it be art, fashion, music — be passionate about something. I think this leads to a fulfilling and fun life.”