Styles and Profiles: Jacob Bagwell
PHOTOGRAPHY: D.P. Jolly
NAME: Jacob Bagwell
OCCUPATION: Sales Representative for Rick Owens
AGE: 22
NEIGHBORHOOD: Brooklyn Heights
It’s funny to think about how much clothing can impact an outsider’s perspective on someone. Having never spoken a word to Jacob our entire first year of high school, I was determined to be his friend. Jacob was the only high schooler I knew that could wear suits and newsboy caps to class and be perceived as a legitimate badass. When we landed in the same class my junior year, I sat next to Jacob and hoped our friendship would instantly ignite. However, Jacob was a man of few words and I was quite shy myself. But clothes speak louder than words and Jacob’s outfits had been telling me that our paths were meant to cross. For the first few days of attending class together, our outfits would converse. Jacob and I were on the same wavelength, and even if we had nothing else to say to one another we would acknowledge each other’s existence with a “cool shirt” or “nice tie.” Eventually our small talk progressed, turning into discussions of fashion, world issues, and gossip, beginning a friendship that has lasted to this day.
Now, as a twenty-two year old, Jacob’s style has evolved beyond suits in class, but still speaks a language of its own. Jacob’s personal style is inherent, sleek, and effortless. He can just as easily rock a simple t-shirt under a tailored suit as he can a sequined shirt and cargo pants. For this week’s Styles & Profiles, we took a walk around Jacob’s neighborhood, Brooklyn Heights. As we strolled down The Promenade, I watched heads turn one by one, intrigued by Jacob’s look— just as they would as we walked down the hallways of our school some years ago.
LOOK 1
COAT: Rick Owens
PANTS: Rick Owens
BOOTS: Rick Owens
On His First Style Memory:
I was a small child and my mother dressed me up for professional photos at a photo studio here in Brooklyn, a long, long time ago.
On What Style Means To Him:
Style is an extension of oneself and a way for me to be closer to me. It’s about self-love, not paying attention to what’s trending.
LOOK 2
TOP: Rick Owens
CARGO PANTS: Rick Owens
BOOTS: Rick Owens
On How He Would Describe His Style:
Avant-garde, sometimes dramatic, sometimes androgynous. I love black, white, and shades of gray. I don’t like when people wear a costume or something that took a lot of effort. I like simplicity.
I love lots of movement mixed with things that are structured and tight-fitting. I like for things to wrap around my body or sit sharp and straight. I like simplicity and complication at the same time. I just like what I like and I wear it.
On Where He Draws Inspiration:
Art, futurism, good taste, and how someone carries themselves. Elegance that is dark and a bit gothic. Worldliness and experience. Sophistication and confidence. Structure and decay.
LOOK 3
BLAZER: Rick Owens
PANTS: Rick Owens
TOP: Rick Owens
BOOTS: Rick Owens
On His Favorite Place To Shop In Brooklyn:
My favorite place to shop is from the comfort of my home—the Internet is where I can look for hours for that one piece I’ve been coveting from someone’s archives.
On His Favorite Piece Of Clothing:
A pair of tailored cargo’s from Rick Owens that I own. They have movement and make me look taller. When I move, it looks like I am walking on water. They remind me of sophisticated raver pants. I also have a draped shirt called the Trunk-T that wraps around me, in a unique faded color we call “dinge” that’s also my favorite—it looks like art.
On His Biggest Style Mistake:
I don’t believe in mistakes—just learning. The biggest style mistake someone can make is following what everyone else is doing or dressing for the approval of others.
On What He Would Buy If Money Were No Object:
My favorite piece by us [Rick Owens] is called the “Glitter Moreau Cargo Peacoat.” It has wool sleeves one with a pocket for your cellphone, each sleeve takes 8 hours to make. On the entire left side is a humongous pocket made from down that could fit a medium sized animal or a humongous bottle of whatever drink of your choice.
On What Brooklyn Means To Him:
It’s where I was born and where I call home. It is my life partner.
If you like what you see, you can follow Jacob on Instagram @jacobbagwell
