Deep Dive Into LA's Creative Collective: Brain Dead
Brain Dead is not one of those brands everyone is going to know. The Los Angeles based collective takes inspiration from art, skateboarding, comic books, films, punk, nature and more. This is not new, as there are many clothing brands that utilize visual imagery found in these counter-cultural, natural and creative fields. However, Brain Dead distinguishes itself as these subcultures not only shape the imagery found on their designs, but also produce the core ideals that lay the foundation for the collective. Kyle Ng, the founder of the brand and his collective create simple yet highly detailed graphics on their clothing that speak to their love of film and nature.
The Cognitive Prophecy t-shirt is something reminiscent of the targeting vision of The Terminator. Sci-fi films are one of the genres that heavily inspire the imagery found in Brain Dead’s clothing. Brain Dead has a popular boutique theatre called Brain Dead Studios on Fairfax Street in California where they play films that inspire their clothing and brand. Ranging from blockbuster hits like Jurassic Park to cult foreign films like Tetuso: The Iron Man, Brain Dead continues to push the envelope by showcasing works that inspired the designs they produce.
Brain Dead extrapolates many of its designs from the collective’s affiliation with earth. From showcasing films at their studio that speak on the natural world to manufacturing mushroom-inspired perfume, the brand is very open with their affiliation to nature. Brain Dead has always played with the environment in their creative endeavours by seeking to contextualize the audience and / or buyer with their relationship to earth.
Brain Dead is known for creating imagery that one could see in both their experiences and creative works through translating them onto graphic designs on clothing. Instead of catering towards a certain audience the brand creates inspired designs that they, as a collective, find awesome. Those who wear Brain Dead represent an esoteric fashion community who have an authentic appreciation for film, nature and creative expression.