KidSuper Men’s Spring 2023

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The tag line of KidSuper’s show invitation read: “A real company built on unreal ideas.”

For his first in-person show on the official men’s calendar at Paris Fashion Week, Colm Dillane staged an auction, where models displayed 23 looks alongside the paintings that inspired them.

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“I mean, dude, I haven’t slept in, like, three months, because I had to do all the paintings, and then design a collection,” said the designer, whose Brooklyn-based collective works across fashion, art, music, film and video.

Guests including J Balvin, Tyga and Alexandre Arnault were handed numbered paddles ahead of the sale held at the fictional Superby’s auction house, a play on the name Sotheby’s. Famed Christie’s auctioneer Lydia Fenet, wearing a long dress and fingerless opera gloves from the collection, gave the event a professional gloss.

KidSuper Men’s Spring 2023 - Credit: Dominique Maitre/WWD
KidSuper Men’s Spring 2023 - Credit: Dominique Maitre/WWD

Dominique Maitre/WWD

Westside Gunn laid down $10,000 for “Jazz Club,” featuring a Miles Davis-like trumpet player whose outline was embroidered on the jacket of a pale green corduroy suit. G-Eazy paid $12,000 for “Washington Square Park,” details of which were used as appliqué motifs on an olive green ribbed sweater, and an allover print on cargo pants.

But the high point of the evening came when Russ offered $210,000 for the portrait of a woman that appeared on the show invitation, one of several works he successfully bid for. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been to an auction. Didn’t really see that coming — not mad at it,” said the rapper, who is a longtime friend of Dillane’s. “I actually lived in KidSuper’s basement for a couple months.”

The bidding war for the work rather eclipsed the beautiful pink and purple coat featuring a blown-up image of the painting. As if the auction weren’t distracting enough, Dillane enlisted non-professional models to walk in the show. “Saturday Night Live” veteran Kenan Thompson, wearing a workwear-style printed jacket and pants, and a hat decorated with paint brushes, drew the biggest cheers.

“Did I mention the model comes with the piece of art?” Fenet quipped at one point.

The buzzy happening cemented Dillane’s reputation as an industry talent to watch, after winning the Karl Lagerfeld Prize at last year’s edition of the LVMH Prize, and being one of the 10 finalists of the 2022 CDFA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

In all, the sale raised $529,000, a portion of which will be donated to foundations supporting young artists. “That went about $100,000 better than I thought it was going to go,” said Dillane, taking the stage after the finale. “I have an after-party and now I’m really rich, so you should probably come.”

Launch Gallery: KidSuper Men's Spring 2023

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