The Society Archive’s Marcus Allen has had a remarkable rise, growing from a dialed-in vintage dealer to one of New York’s most influential stylists in just a few short years. Now, after getting the fashion world’s attention with his artfully trashed baseball caps and plaid boxers, Allen has taken The Society Archive to the runway with his debut ready-to-wear collection, “Dogma,” which premiered at New York Fashion Week on Sunday.
Society’s design language draws from the brand’s deep well of vintage references, which is really just an extension of Allen’s ever-expanding personal closet and styling trunk. These pieces—chunky flannels from the ‘60s, ‘90s sportswear, suede vests, toasted tuxedo jackets, and a plethora of golden-era Abercrombie—draw from Allen’s formative teenage years in Boston spent playing high school sports and hanging out at the mall. But Dogma isn’t merely an archival rip. He, along with associate creative director Izaake Zuckerman and design director Lucas Randall, adds another layer to the Society universe by mashing its disparate references into a singular version of prep, one that’s decidedly less buttoned up than the norm. As Allen describes it, “it’s like you’re in a tuxedo at McDonald’s.”
The debut, which blends beach culture with Napoleonic flourishes, leaves no doubt about who the Society guy is: a hot jock with an appetite for the beach, vintage flannels, and fancy nights out. Square-jawed, washboard-abbed hunks strutted through the room, decked in plaids and palm-tree prints that morphed into button-ups, pajama bottoms, and sarongs. Plush orange vests buddied up with layered boxer shorts and aqua socks, while printed terry cloth fused with Edwardian velvet to make a cape-turned-beach-towel fit for a surfer king. It’s a hell of a mix. Here are some of the coolest pieces from the collection.
Silk Board Shorts
These board shorts are among the clearest distillations of what the Society Archive’s collection is all about. With their cargo pockets, a lace-up fly, and Velcro waist adjusters, they reference classic surf shorts, but instead of quick-drying, abrasion-resistant nylon, they use luxurious silk taffeta in a classic beach patrol red. Silk and Velcro? Tension is right.
Kenyon Parks / Courtesy of The Society Archive
Kenyon Parks / Courtesy of The Society Archive
