I was highly intrigued by the way Danish label, Junk De Luxe, defined its brand concept: “sartorial slovenliness, remodeled vintage gear, and chic clean-cut T-shirts. Halfway between sophisticated tailoring and progressive Danish contemporary design, the Junk protagonist is combining heavy knits with elegant ‘couture’ pieces…”Junk De Luxe was founded 1986 in Denmark in 1986 by Thomas Gundorph, who imported original secondhand jeans from the US, which he redesigned. Soon, in 1992, the first Junk De Luxe collection was on the shelves of Europe.
Junk De Luxe prides itself on the art of combination—ambiguity and contradiction which are not only inherent but also symbolic to its name: street fashion with a hint of Savile Row; a dash of clean-cut Rock ’n Roll.
What is unique about Junk De Luxe is you: the pieces are designed to highlight your personality without overshadowing it.
Junk De Luxe drew its inspiration from the beatniks, who in turn were inspired by writers and poets like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs who popularized existentialism. Junk de Luxe writes:
“The young generation of fans gave rise to a whole panoply of beatnik gear: beards, torn and loose sweaters, loose turtleneck collars, loden coats, worn slacks or jeans, crumpled corduroy jackets and shirts set of by unshined shoes. English tailoring became part of street wear existentialism and statements. Second hand fashion was born!”
