BRAND NAME|BLACK SHEEP AND PRODIGAL SONS
DESIGNER|DERRICK R. CRUZ
HOMEBASE|LOWER EAST SIDE|NEW YORK CITY
Where did the name of your brand, Black Sheep And Prodigal Sons, originate?
It was inspired by a passage in Anatole Broyard's memoir Kafka Was The Rage. Coincidently when I first read the book back in 2006 I was living literally next door to where he had a bookshop on Cornelia Street. Though set in the 1940's West Village, I really felt a real kinship to his experiences. Seems many of us still come to this great city seeking self-redemption.
You were born and raised in Puerto Rico. What was it like growing up there? Did your heritage and background influence you as a jewelry designer?
I was actually born in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. I did grow up in PR, which as an environment did not influence either my choice to design jewelry or my aspirations as an artist. I will say that my heritage is a romantic one filled with lots of storytellers and that has never left me. Otherwise, I still believe that my artistic tendencies came directly from my father. He was the most creative individual in my family, an amazingly talented and passionate craftsman.
Your jewelry is very dark in its themes-funerary crafts, Native American mythology, and the occult. Could you tell us why you chose this direction as your base for all your collections?
I'm really obsessed with what can be gleaned from a vulgar knowledge perpetuated by myth and the retelling of personal experience. It's that part of how we express our human condition that I find most genuine and sincere, even in its vagueness. So I try to explore those ideas through my work in hopes of connecting with others via shadowy instincts.
For Spring/Summer 2010, you collaborated with menswear designer Austin Sherbanenko from Odyn Vovk on a series of special pieces (some are featured in "The Duel" editorial). Could you tell us how this collaboration came about and how it is different to collaborate with a fashion designer vs. designing on your own?
My SS2010 collection Theft of Light was inspired by my father who passed away this past spring. He was very active in Native American crafts and had a real fascination for shamanistic practices, so that became an instant reference. I can't remember how many hours we spent together pouring over his Edward S. Curtis picture books and admiring the amazing images of Navajo witch doctors. Turns out Austin was right on the same track and we quickly connected on our influences-happens often with us. That's when I thought I'd let myself touch on Austin's use of leathers and bold looks. I managed to combine that with some of my favorite salvaged materials such as vintage piano parts and some others rooted in Native American traditions, like braided horsehair. In the end I was able to create work that really served me personally during a very difficult time and at the same time highly complimented Austin's aesthetic.
Could you tell us more about your design process? Many people have no clue about the process from concept until the final product reaches the stores. How long does it take for a designer to create and achieve a finished piece?
That's a tough question. It's so very difficult for me with each collection. Conceptually, the ideas are usually very personal, that's always a starting point. I have to be passionate about the content and be willing to invest time into research and practically incorporate those ideas into my life. If it's about outer space, then I 'll read every book and magazine and I can get my hands on about it, meet astronomers, go to astronomy club meetings, attend operas about the subject, whatever it takes until the concepts are at my fingertips as tools. Then I can use the ideas metaphorically to design with, that's when the substance and connection between the objects and ideas become naturally evident.
The manual labor, well, that I just keep doing until an object feels and looks amazing. I don't count the hours, but I know I use lots and lots of them.
Going forward, how do you see your collection evolving?
I'm very excited about where things are headed. There is a rhythm and visible pattern that I finally see in how I work, and that realization is going to be useful. I see my work evolving towards a real honor for the physical qualities and potential of the materials I use. Having gained more expertise in traditional methods will really allow me to challenge what I've done before. I think toying with scale and color and promoting a real sense of wonder are my main goals for the future.
IMAGE|RYDER E. ROBISON
ACCESSORIES|BLACK SHEEP AND PRODIGAL SONS|
WWW.BLACKSHEEPANDPRODIGALSONS.COM
PRODUCER|JOHN TAN
COPY EDITOR|JONATHAN SHIA
SPECIAL THANKS|DERRICK R. CRUZ @ BLACK SHEEP AND PRODIGAL SONS, AUSTIN SHERBANENKO @ ODYN VOVK, RYAN TURNER FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
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