Cult of Individuality
Neighborhood: Flatiron District
Type of Place: Women's Clothing
Jeans
Description:
Yesterday’s news unearthed a startling revelation: Forty-eight percent of women ages 18 to 49 get more excited when they find a great sale on denim jeans than they do over having sex. Forty-eight percent! The results, which were reported by People Magazine editor Susan Kaufman, are certainly surprising, but they do illustrate just how important finding the perfect pair of jeans can be to some people. That said, we are excited to bring you this week’s Window Shopper feature that focuses on the famous California haus of denim designed by Ron Poisson known as Cult of Individuality.
Located in the upper reaches of the legendary Limelight Marketplace, Cult of Individuality sells only denim—jackets, vests, shorts, shirts, and obviously jeans in every possible variety. Take, for instance, the selection of cuts for men: Cult jeans come in relaxed versions in 29 different wash varieties plus the trendier “Rebel Straight,” and “Rocker Slim.” Variations for women are even more exhaustive: First there’s the “Bohemi Bootcut” “Flirt Leggings” (jeans with a tiny bit of spandex), “Teaser Skinny” “Karma Straight” and—our favorite—“Alter-ego Boyfriend”. Although prices range from $135 to $165 on the website, we did find a nice selection of jeans for both men and women in the $85 range, comparable to most major retail chain stores.
Designed to feel as though you have been wearing them for ages, Cult of Individuality jeans are probably the softest you’ve ever laid your hands on. Imported Japanese denim is “weathered, worn, and personal” and cut to match vintage styles. The variations come also from the company’s hand-washing techniques, which drastically change the look and feel of each pair and enable people to choose the denim that best matches their own look.
The shop is as war-town and weathered as the jeans themselves. Outfitted in distressed woods that were salvaged from a barn in upstate New York, the small boutique feels warm and inviting without being country simple. And the restored stained glass window, which serves as the store’s main backdrop, plays dreamily off the faded blue jeans that hang everywhere.
Celebrities adore these jeans—photographs of them wearing the denim are all over the store—and since the company’s launch in 2009, they have become a hit on both coasts. Check out Cult’s selection of other denim items, too, such as the classic button-down shirts ($98), jackets ($135-$145), shorts ($78), and “vintage” T-shorts for places like the Thunderbird Hotel in Sin City. Cult also sells cool “trucker” hats ($24) and, according to the website, will soon offer women’s cargo pants. So trek to Chelsea to see what all the fuss is about. All this business about cults in a once-upon-a-time church and the importance of jeans—there must be a connection somewhere. - Joann Jovinelly
Cult of Individuality
656 Sixth Avenue (W 20th St)
(at Limelight Marketplace)
New York, NY 10111
(212) 226-7585
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