Surf culture may end at sun-kissed locks and sea spray for some, but designer Thaddeus O’Neil doesn’t see it that way. His menswear label, while heavily inspired by the “hobos of the sea” draws inspiration from a multitude of muses including the influential French poet Arthur Rimbaud. In his latest video, he blends the laid-back beach culture with the artistry of the 19th century poet. Titled An Interview with Rimbaud, the two-minute film depicts model and artist Michael Bailey-Gates as Rimbaud being interviewed by Ernest Hemingway, played by O’Neil’s dog (appropriately named Hemingway). It should be noted these two authors were not contemporaries—Rimbaud passed away eight years before the birth of Hemmingway—but we aren’t about to fault the guy for artistic license.
In the short, the well-dressed Rimbaud answers a series of questions put to him by a shaggy-haired Hemingway. As he answers in prose, he goes through a series of outfit changes that you’re sure to miss if, like us, you were too busy staring at his wavy hair and chiseled cheekbones. If not, you’ll notice a summer-ready lineup of cuffed pants, casual cardigans, collared tank-tops and printed shorts.
