N. Hoolywood Casted “Real Boys,” Not Models For Its Spring 2016 Show

N. Hoolywood S/S 2016, Getty Images

Every so often, there are brands like DKNY or Hood By Air who opt to cast kids from the street for their fashion shows, instead of those muscly specimens who dominate the menswear scene. However, these brands tend to cater to a younger audience—I can’t imagine any Wall Street-type in an emblazoned HBA T-shirt (though, it’s last NYC collection was shown in an abandoned bank in that exact neighborhood). It’s safe to say that these labels are for the kids.

N. Hoolywood S/S 2016, Getty Images

On Tuesday night, the Japanese designer Daisuke Obana began his Spring 2016 show (45 minutes fashionably late) for N. Hoolywood, employing kids from the Cooper Union Art School in NYC instead of models.

“We have been street casting since I started N. Hoolywood 15 years ago,” Obana told Yahoo Style. “So this is becoming our style.”

Backstage at N.Hoolywood, Getty Images

The boys varied in size, color, and aesthetic; many of them unusual. And although they might not have been at ease with the fashion scene — many b-lined down the runway with eyes shifting to show goers —  Obana says that’s what makes these boys truly unique to his collection.“They are not aware of being models, so we can see the simplicity on their faces, and the way they walk,” he said.

But where does Obana find his model muses?

“Our team goes everywhere in NY—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and New Jersey. Where and how we scout is different—it depends on a season’s theme—and it’s confidential!” he exclaimed, almost protective of his cool-kid-clan.

Getty Images

The clothes, too, provided simplicity: there were full navy looks, color-blocked T-shirts, and perfect denim jackets. There were some playful elements, like a grouping of neoprene-like scuba ensembles (they looked very comfy whether you were deep sea diving or going for a nap).

“Some kids don’t have perfect bodies, but they are my image of the season,” Obana concluded. The show wrapped, and I was stuck with Obana’s model muses in the freight elevator going down, where they all congregated in the corner. “Let’s go to Chipotle!” they chirped—spoken like true college kids!

More from Yahoo Style:
Thaddeus O’Neil Sends Bloody Vampire Surfers Down the Runway For His First Show
Todd Snyder Takes Us To the Italian Riviera for Spring 2016