Justin O’Shea, dumped at Brioni, now plans to fly solo

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Apr 5, 2017

Five months after being unceremoniously fired as designer of Brioni, tattooed ex-truck driver and former buyer Justin O’Shea has announced plans for his own collection. The contrast between his old brand and his new one – named SSS World Corp - could hardly be greater.

 
Brioni is owned by Kering, the world’s second largest luxury conglomerate and owner of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. SSS World Corp will be supported by 032c, a Berlin-based indie magazine that has a small e-commerce business. O’Shea plans to finance the new label himself.
 
At Brioni, O’Shea had the chutzpah to stage his debut – and only – Brioni show for the famed Italian menswear brand during Paris couture in July 2016.  However, this time Australian-born O’Shea’s new label will debut this June during the regular menswear season in the French capital.

A famously classy label, Brioni staged the first men’s runway show in Florence in 1952. Everyone from Clark Gable and James Bond to Denzel Washington and Casey Affleck (when he picked up his Oscar last month) have worn Brioni. Classical two-piece pinstripe wool Brioni suits currently retail for 8,349 euros on the French website of e-tailer Farfetch. On 032c’s website, its e-commerce store mainly sells old issues, baseball caps, tops and sweatshirts. SSS World Corp plans to eventually offer outerwear, shirts, T-shirts and footwear. However, the first clothing item presently on 032c’s website is a black T-shirt with the motif Suck My Dick retailing at 49 euros.
 
O’Shea has never studied fashion or trained in a design studio. Prior to Brioni, he was formerly the global fashion director of MyTheresa, the German fashion e-tailer. Oddly enough, on the day news broke of his new venture, O’Shea’s Twitter account still listed him as Creative Director of Brioni. No doubt the fashion industry awaits his latest venture with baited breath.