It's a Jungle Out There
Chances are pretty good that if you've left your house lately, you've spotted a pack of twenty-somethings running around town wearing what appears to be stuffed animals on their heads. Likely, you've thought "WTF?" Upon first glance it's a bit bizarre. But Spirit Hoods, the L.A.-based brand behind the faux fur animal hoods, seems to be taking the city by storm.
Since the brand's debut at the Pool Tradeshow in Las Vegas this past February, the fuzzy headgear has turned up en masse at Confederacy during a recent Shipley & Halmos spring collection party, has been spotted on singer Kesha — who is said to own the entire collection of zebra, panda and bear styles — and made major rounds at Coachella, too.
INTO THE WILD: Mark "The Cobrasnake" Hunter captures Coachella festival-goers in their panda and wolf-themed headcandy.
"We're very inspired by festival culture," said Alexander Mendeluk, 24, Spirit Hoods' designer and one of its four owners. "Our tribes go to Burning Man and Coachella and I'm always seeing people dress funky." The philosophy behind the whimsical product is that groups of friends are more like "tribes," a notion that seems to have taken center stage ever since Zach Galifianakis talked about his wolf pack in The Hangover.
Coincidentally, the other day in Franklin Village, a tribe was spotted wearing the brand's wolf headdresses — which come complete with paws.
FOXY LADIES: Local apparel line Wildfox Couture uses Spirit Hoods' black cat style (along with America's Next Top Model Nicole Fox) in their latest ad campaign.
"We want people to not be able to take themselves so seriously," said Mendeluk. "But they're not just fun and goofy. It can actually look sexy."
A sexy stuffed bear worn as a hat? Sure. Lindsay Lohan topped off her lingerie with a Spirit Hood during a recent photo shoot with lensman Tyler Shields. Mendeluk, a budding actor and director, is no stranger to the wild himself, having played roles in both Twilight movies. He and partners Chase Hamilton, Ashley Haber and Marley Morotta had little knowledge of the apparel industry before deciding to create their line. According to Mendeluk, his "tribe" travelled to the Pool tradeshow with no contacts or any idea what to expect.
"And we opened thirty accounts," he said. Spirit Hoods are currently sold in Portland, Japan and on the brand's website. And Mendeluk is hopeful that talks with local retailers including Fred Segal and Kitson will pan out.
"It's like being a rock star," Mendeluk says of the culture that is being created around the double-take worthy hats, which come in nine styles, each available with or without paws ($59-$129). "You put it on and people want to honk and touch you and pet you and take pictures with you. What piece of clothing can you buy that does that?"