DSquared2: Embracing Rebellion with Style
When it comes to fashion, DSquared2 is all about defying the norm and embracing a rebellious spirit. Founded by Dean and Dan Caten, who hail from the wilds of Toronto, the brand’s aesthetic is a far cry from the traditional idea of roughing it in the Canadian woods. Instead of oversized survival gear and muddy boots, DSquared2 is all about being prep school troublemakers who exude proper, polished rebellion.
The DSquared2 guys are draped in sharply tailored linen suits paired with crocheted polos that channel Gene Kelly’s Hollywood swagger, or distressed denim bombers straight out of James Dean’s playbook. Their girls exude sexiness and mischief in rugged, workwear-inspired denim cut into ultra-minis and jarring flashes of eye-popping lace. Bralettes and barely-there lingerie tops peek out from beneath sharply tailored blazers, while zippered denim onesies cling to the body like a second skin. The Catens believe in mixing masculine and feminine codes as a declaration of personal freedom, stating that true defiance lies in the courage to be unapologetically authentic in one’s self-presentation.
For DSquared2, rebellion isn’t just about fashion—it’s a way of life. The brand pays tribute to the radical queer aesthetic of the 1970s and ’80s with tees, hoodies, and swimwear featuring Polaroids by photographer Tom Bianchi. These snapshots depict Fire Island’s gay community at its carefree, hedonistic height, blending art, identity, and resistance into everyday fashion.
