One of the more inscrutable celebrities of our time, Frank Ocean flits in and out of the public eye, often ‘disappearing’ for large spans of time. Now, the musician has emerged from wherever it is he goes to get out of the spotlight to launch Homer, a new independent luxury brand.
You’ll also enjoy:
Mr Porter Launches Small World To Champion Eco-Conscious Menswear Labels
Schiaparelli Fall 2021 Couture Keeps Elsa Schiaparelli’s Surrealist World Alive
Tweed Is The Eternally Stylish Fabric To Embrace This (& Every) Winter
Ocean’s brand Homer debuted late last week, with the inaugural collection comprising fine jewellery and printed silk scarves. Each piece is designed in New York by the Homer team and handmade in Italy. Homer takes a vibrant approach to jewellery, with pieces made from 18k gold and sterling silver and adorned with colourful hand-painted enamel and American-grown lab diamonds. Similarly, the silk scarves employ a broad spectrum of contrasting colours – think blue on yellow, green on red, and pink on yellow – manipulated into what appears to be Homer’s signature graphic; a round-edged plus sign set within a circle. The bold, bright colours reflect the ‘childhood obsessions’ Ocean mentions inspired his line, as well as the notion of ‘heritage as fantasy’.
The brand derives its name from the ancient Greek poet. “Homer is considered the father of history and history is meant to endure – the same as diamonds and gold – and I know Homer used papyrus, but I’ve always liked the idea of carving history into stone,” founder Frank Ocean told the Financial Times.
Eschewing the typical digital-first (and often only) approach taken by most new brands, Homer has set up shop with a physical store, located in the New York Jewelers Exchange in downtown Manhattan. To view the collection, prospective owners must either make an appointment to visit the physical store or request a catalogue through the Homer website. Essentially; you need to see it in person to own it.
The aforementioned catalogue is a vast offering in itself; at 160 pages it’s almost a book, featuring Ocean’s own photography alongside campaign imagery shot by Tyrone Lebon.
Words by Theo Rosen
Images courtesy of Frank Ocean & Tyrone Lebon for Homer
