With a post-internet aesthetic embedded into the brand’s DNA , the viral American label Praying incorporates satirical phrases into street style looks that have taken the fashion world by storm, attracting the attention of even Blackpink’s Lisa and music sensation Olivia Rodrigo. Praying is also no stranger to crossover collections, having collaborated with fashion industry giants Gucci and Adidas. VOGUE Japan interviewed Alex and Skylar, the designer duo behind the brand, to discuss their thought process and the irony behind Praying.
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“God’s Favourite”, “Trophy Wife”, “Main Character”- these quirky Internet quips also catapulted Praying to popularity. I discovered the brand after seeing Olivia Rodrigo carrying their Twilight shoulder bag on Instagram. Having dedicated my high school years to Edward Cullen, I clicked on the brand’s page without a second thought. Praying’s designs are full of American pop culture references. The brand’s “Brangelina” and “Desperate Housewives” prints on their bags and crew necks look almost comical – in a chic way of course.
Praying’s website design is also a key element of the brand’s DNA. The replication of a typical Y2K website includes a ‘visitor count’ banner, short inspirational phrases, and a minimalist colour scheme, all of which align with the brand’s image.
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Praying’s collections have quickly become popular among pop culture lovers and fashion enthusiasts, and Blackpink’s Lisa also happens to be part of that group. We spoke to Alex Haddad and Skylar Newman, the duo behind the brand, to find out more about how the brand came to be, the meanings behind their designs, and their future plans for Praying.
Vogue Japan: How did you start Praying?
Alex: We were friends throughout high school and university. In 2019, the two of us found ourselves unhappy with our jobs- I was in LA working in architecture, and Skylar was in New York on business. We spent a night drinking and talking about the absurdities of the world using dark humour. As a final joke, I decided to put our conversation on T-shirts.
The short, provocative sentences and the simple designs were like memes, and the T-shirts unexpectedly became a social media sensation! By 2020, whilst everyone was working from home, we focused all of our time on developing the brand.
Skylar: When I used to work in IT, I would create merchandise for films and artists, and design websites and cheap t-shirts. I knew Alex was a very creative person, so it was only natural that we started working on designs together.
Vogue Japan: Where does the satirical design inspiration come from?
Alex: The inspiration comes from the ills that we often encounter in our daily lives, so the quotes and designs we have chosen are doubly meaningful. The ‘Brangelina’ bag, for example, features the couple’s years together, ‘2005-2016’; the commemorative design is our way of mocking the overzealous attitude towards pop culture in modern society.
When these phrases are stripped of their original context and meaning, and printed on clothing and products on a large scale, they are transformed into a provocative message. These messages also rely on both the wearers and onlookers’ interpretation to give them substance. Naturally, people perceive our message from different perspectives, and ultimately interpret them in their own way. The principle behind it is very simple, yet I find the difference in interpretations very interesting.
Vogue Japan: Distorting the font and design of the brand name ‘Praying’ seems to be sending a message of sorts. Can you tell us more about this?
Alex: Religion aside, I think the act of praying is a testimony to people’s weakest moments. From my perspective, talking to God is a strange act. The fact that scriptures mainly consist of words also coincides with our design of using words as a main focus.
For Skylar and myself, the design process can also be described as a type of prayer. We look for irony and injustices in our world and aim to transform darkness into humour; the alternation between positive and negative seems to reflect our current society. Thus, our bent logo is is also a symbol of this distorted perspective.
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Vogue Japan: Praying’s designs resonate with the values of modern society and has become one of the hottest brands in fashion today. What do you think about this?
Alex: It’s amazing to me that a brand that started as a joke has become loved by so many people.
Skylar: Our first viral item was a bikini with a Catholic prayer quote “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”. Despite the criticism, the bikini has been the subject of many Internet memes, and our brand recognition increased dramatically. Alex is Catholic and I’m Jewish, but we both didn’t mind the satire.
Alex: It’s interesting to me how a product that mocks Instagram culture ends up going viral on the app. Personally, it adds another dimension to the concept and message of our brand.
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Vogue Japan: Celebrities have fallen in love with Praying’s designs too! What does the future hold?
Skylar: In April, we collaborated with Gucci’s online concept store, Gucci Vault, to create a limited-edition collection of heart-shaped tops and plaid dresses. Gucci Vault is overseen by Alessandro Michele himself, so it was an honour to be chosen for the project. When he contacted us to discuss a collaboration, I couldn’t believe it.
As a continuation of the collection, we have custom-made Olivia Rodrigo a stage version for her debut US tour, ‘Sour Tour’. We will also be presenting a joint collection with Adidas in June. In addition, we have continued to explore the different directions we can take ‘Praying’ in, and we hope to take the brand to the next level.
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