Jason Schwartzman wearing Band of Outsiders.
Teetering on the cusp of mainstream, designer Scott Sternberg continuously nudges his brand slightly from the tipping point. Founded in 2004, Sternberg’s prepster line, Band of Outsiders, signifies a new wave of modern prep wear. The allure of his offbeat take on fashion derives from its indie-cred, and its ability to perpetuate an effortlessly cool vibe.
A former Hollywood talent agent with Creative Artists Agency, Sternberg left his job seven years ago to launch his label. With little design training, Sternberg soon garnered the attention of industry insiders winning the prestigious best-menswear-designer award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2009 in a tie with Calvin Klein creative director Italo Zucchell.
As the brand’s name suggests, Sternberg finds comfort in his outsider persona, embracing his prescription glasses and his geek-chic appearance. Thus it comes as no surprise that the face of the brand, which could effortlessly outfit any Wes Anderson film, rests with indie poster boy Jason Schwartzman.
Scott Sternberg at his New York showroom, Photo taken by Rebecca Greenfield for the Wall Street Journal.
Enlisting the help of Kirsten Dunst and James Marsden for his Spring and Summer 2011 collection, Sternberg reprised his signature Polaroid ad campaigns placing Dunst in Pasadena’s Huntington Botanical Gardens, while Marsden played whimsy in The Gaylord Apartments in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles.
Manufactured in Los Angeles and New York, the brand’s signatures tend toward classic staples that have been in existence for decades, and as such, probably won’t be going anywhere soon.
Polaroids Courtesy of Band of Outsiders.
