Whenever the 80’s are mentioned in conversation many stereotypes come to mind; bright colored accessories, neon, slap bracelets, teased hair, bold and loud makeup, and the oversaturation of both cyan and magenta. If you lived through the 80’s then you’re extremely grateful that the 90’s came along to rescue you from neon scrunchies. But for Amin Adjmi who was too young to experience it all, the 80’s are still alive and well and he just can’t get enough.
Three years ago, Adjmi decided to create Stay Cool, a fashion brand that shamelessly plays with all the aforementioned clichés. “I wanted to put a modern twist on the fashion of the past,” he says. “I love the colors they used, the laidback attitude, the overall style and aesthetic of this time period.”
Of course, not everyone was dressed like an extra in a new MTV show or Madonna music video but these clichés of 80’s fashion are whats left to inspire the “Stay Cool” brand and its recent pop-up with Parasol Projects. Adjmi does an excellent job of gathering all of your favorite nostalgic items from this iconic era and putting them all in one place to create his very own “cool” hangout spot on the Bowery.
“I want to give the idea that my clothes are vintage.” Adjmi adds, which gives each piece an extra feeling of comfort, so much so that his friends often call him to confess, “I’ve been sleeping in my clothes”. It feels true for the large washed-out yellow cotton sweatshirt he wears is quite huggable. There is a very west coast vibe that can be felt in his inspiration as he draws from 80’s surf brands such as Ocean Pacific, Surf Style, and Bolt.
The Stay Cool pop-up store is stunning and truly unique to the many pop-ups we’ve seen in this space. The floors are entirely covered with an electric blue carpet that immediately welcomes you into his universe. Deeper within the shop he has created his very own 80’s living room. Its graphic wallpaper was designed by Yoko Honda, the Japanese graphic artist, who with a quick google search will transport you digitally into the Stay Cool universe. On each shelf, you will find all sorts of memorabilia displayed in a seemingly random way that feels like his parents haven’t been home for a while. There’s the music of the 80’s booming from behind the couches and vintage sports magazines atop the coffee table. The time capsule truly works.
As opposed to a “digital only” experience of his brand, Adjmi decided to open his own pop-up shop to “bring people in and experience directly the identity of the brand.” Very well thought-out for his first-time pop-up, Adjmi was happily surprised: “There was an actual line to get into the store when we opened!”, which is quite impressive for a 22-year-old entrepreneur.
Stay Cool is now open at 208 Bowery, 11 am – 8 pm until June 11th.
Click here to book with Parasol Projects and view our previous, current and upcoming pop-ups.