Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1535713
T ruly gifted creatives often take an off-ramp from their usual pursuits and still find great success. Consider Tom Ford, who directed one of my top-10 favorite films of all time, A Single Man. The voice of the iconic designer known for crafting chic clothing equally fit for a dive bar in the East Village or poolside at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc easily translated to the cinematic. Now, interiors photographer Douglas Friedman has done a reverse Major Tom: He's stepped out from behind the lens to create a collaborative fashion capsule with menswear brand Ron Dorff. When retail whisperer Brian Bolke shared over cocktails that The Conservatory would be the sole Texas purveyor of the small collection, I needed to know more. Friedman is well-known around these parts, given that his home in Marfa is a social media hit (@thefriedmanranch has more than 12,000 followers and is actually for sale). He himself has a following close to 200,000, who like his posts about every chic interior or glamorous building that he's photographed — and, lest I forget, the occasional thirst-trap shot, such as the one of him shirtless on a yacht in the Islas Secas that has won too many fire emojis to count. He's one of the hottest photographers in the world — not only is his time booked by every renowned interior designer and glossy shelter mag, but he also looks like a movie marquee idol (think great-grandson of Errol Flynn). Ron Dorff, the French-Swedish menswear brand that launched in 2012 and is the definition of cool-boy minimalist casual, was a line that Friedman gravitated towards. Vanessa von Bismarck, a mutual friend of the photog and Claus Lindorff (founder of Ron Dorff), introduced the two, and voilà! A new beachwear capsule, appropriately named Wanted, is ready just in time for a summer seaside vacation. You can score a piece or two at The Conservatory; at one of the Ron Dorff flagship stores in Paris, London, New York City, and L.A.; or at rondorff.com. I just did — a pair of Cow Boy socks and a white Wanted T-shirt that I plan to wear with Orlebar Brown swim trunks. (Is pairing a shirt designed by a photographer with pool apparel known for its photographic prints just too on the nose?) You'll find everything from sleeveless sweatshirts with a '70s vibe ($180) and trunks ($145-$205) to terry bathrobes ($280). Prints such as Cow Boy and Wanted were inspired by Friedman's part-time residence in the high-desert ranchlands of Far West Texas. Take that name "Wanted" seriously, as the line will likely sell out toot sweet, so, start shopping. Meanwhile, I'm hoping I bump into Friedman soon so I can have him sign my tee. Most Wanted: Ron Dorff X Douglas Friedman Cow Boy Collab 32 By Billy Fong. Photography Douglas Friedman. Douglas Friedman in a Wanted T-shirt, $105, and left, Cow Boy socks, $38, at The Conservatory