NONEXISTENT: Bringing Midwest Emotion To East Coast Fashion
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NONEXISTENT
Written by Sloan Varunok in partnership with Kulture Hub
With every streetwear designer looking to be the next Supreme, Jeremy Lopez offers an alternative.
Launching Nonexistent Collective in 2019, Albany-based Lopez draws on darker inspirations. Influenced by sadboi culture, skulls, flowers, and pale pink are par for the course in Nonexistent’s works.
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Lopez brought the desolation of his hometown and midwest emo influence together to bring a sense of serenity. His pieces tend to feature pink flowers, which he says relax him. With nature being a feature in his work, Nonexistent artwork puts you in serenity.
Said Lopez in our interview,
“There’s nothing around me, and where I grew up. So a lot of my art came from me just needing something to do, and to let my feelings out, too.”
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Pale pink is a color prominently featured throughout Lopez’s art. According to him, the salmon color is one that puts him in a calm mood. What calms him he hopes will have the same effect on others.
“Whenever I’m having an anxiety attack or I’m feeling really stressed out, flowers are something that always put me in a relaxed mood. Pink, also, is a color that chills me out, it’s very pleasing to look at.”
Self admittedly struggling with anxiety and depression, Lopez’s art is a release for his heavier feelings. Channeling these stresses into art, he started Nonexistent Collective for other people who feel the same things, letting them know they’re not alone.
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On Nonexistent’s Instagram (@imscaredofpeople), he shares others’ art on his stories. As Lopez puts it, “I want the world to see it.” Nonexistent Collective is a place where artists can be part of something bigger. He offers a place for those sadbois and sad girls to create commiserate.
With fashion as his favorite creative medium, Lopez enjoys his art most when worn on the body. While he’s been drawing since childhood, it’s when street fashion caught his eye, and Lopez decided fashion design was the way for him.
“ONCE I STARTED DESIGNING CLOTHES, THAT’S WHEN I KNEW THAT’S HOW I WANTED TO GET MY ART OUT,”
Lopez explains.
NONEXISTENT
“The black Nonexistent beanies seemed to be the most popular, so those are coming back.”
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Lopez’s designs found a balance with Midwest Emo minimalism and East Coast streetwear aesthetic. The two are not often thought of in the same vein, but how often have they been brought together? For those of you who like your long tees with a touch for the macabre, this is definitely the brand for you.
A week ago, Lopez dropped his new design on Instagram, featuring his jester head flower vase in black. The jester mask, appearing somewhat frequently in Nonexistent’s designs, is something of an icon for the brand.
This newest drop is only the latest in what is slated to be a prosperous career for Jeremy Lopez. On top of being essentially a one-man act, he is amazingly humble and kind, something you don’t always get with such talent.
The brand may be Nonexistent, but it’s certainly not invisible.
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