The ANTISOCIAL INTROVERT attends SS24 ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL CLUB in MAJOR style

words | CHAUNIELLE BROWN @chaunielle_brown

Could it be more fitting, On April, 18th, 2024, Anti Social Social Club, courtesy of Cancel Communications, hosted a non-traditional press preview of their latest Spring/Summer collection, titled “MAJOR.” 

Who knew I would find myself inside of PARTEA NYC, an arcade located in the downtown East Village streets of NYC, amidst stylists, editors, VIPs and industry executives sipping Talkhouse Encore canned cocktails and discovering the latest ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL CLUB collection in a newly fashioned, unconventionally unexpected, decoratively declarative press presentation tip top of a display.

Walking into PARTEA, met with smiles, neon minty sea foam and fuchsia lights, anime themed Taiwanese infused feel with the cutest of the cutest cultural exploration…in a memorably nostalgic arcade set style. And suddenly everything felt just right. If you love comics, superhero bits and glittery Harajuku sprinkled style, this is an invitation to your own sanctuary. With might I add, THE BEST FRENCH FRIES…basked and seasoned with butter, garlic and honey.

In exchange for the traditional racked and hanger hung threaded collection pieces, “press preview attendees discovered the collection by trying to win prized pieces via claw machines.” In each highlighted case…a treat to win, tokens given, I was taken right back to the arcade days of Riverboat playhouse, winning tickets, the fair, skee-ball, you name it. From key chains, to stuffed animals, t-shirts, sweaters, and grand prizing wallet…all at the hands of the crafty and cheeky cunning claw for the draw. 

Conventional capstone seasonal drop softened threads feature streetwear staples such as hoodies, hats and tees; with MAJOR uniquely including exclusive luxury collectibles such as an Anti Social Social Club x Maison Raksha engraved Apple AirPods Max, a customized Rimowa Classic Cabin carry-on, and a customized Goyard Portefeuille Matignon GM wallet. 

This S/S 24 boldly MAJOR collection, according to Pro Hunter and Maison Rasha, hopes to “disrupt our seasonal drop and offer the Anti fan an exclusive and singular set of customizations. You won’t find our tag on luxury products like this anywhere else—and these are the only ones we’re making.”

Major indeed for me too you see…that I would write a bit of, let’s say, an intimately personally relatable recap of ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL’s latest unveiling. How so? Bashful little oh me, brushing about with attendees including Emely Moreno, model Vienna Skye, Ryan Bailey Potter, Spencer Thomas, Ivan Lam, Nathan Katsuki, and Harry Tate, celebrity photographers, Sam Kang and Devin Kasparian, music industry execs Joshua Rothstein and Hadar Baron (both of Primary Wave), and editors, Gaby Keiderling of Esquire, Aaron Royce of The Daily Front Row, Elaina Bernstein of HYPEBEAST and oh look, Chaunielle Brown of Fault Magazine. 

I am what many may see from the outside as a social butterfly; or rather a butterfly in question if even to actually exist. In the quickest explanation…An extrovert introvert; with heavy on the intro part. It never used to be so, and I am not sure when it actually switched? Or I was always this way and carrying a mask for shielded protection. Make no mistake, I would LOVE to exit out the apartment with a brown paper bag (breathable, OBVIOUSLY) cut out eye holes, two pairs for the nasal breaths and a teensy cut for the necessary mouth inhales…or maybe just a drawn on SHARPIE smily face. Either way – the point is; that is how much at times I am held in suspense to step outside. And this is the detailed truth…even with all the retail racked years, face to face, hospitality hostess, work the room with the most-ess gigs here and there…I suppose the 20/20 lock up shut the chatty coco brown down…for a time.

Just a day or so before Thursday’s event, an unexpected ring came to my door and what a delightful surprise, a tiny gamed present for the reception. No idea or recall in reference to why I was receiving this particular gift. Those beautiful unknowns revealed in their own rightful time.

That said, I enlisted my dear and fellow friend, Bryant Salazar, former DIESEL partner in crime, actor, and well, ‘emotional support friend’ (and this should absolutely be a thing when inquiring fro a + 1 for events). And so here we are, locked in to a YES to attend, as I am doing my absolute best to do as I say and commit to my engagements all of the way. That accountability – stepping out to find out, rediscover who I am and leave the fear behind, walk boldly with courage – for whatever the task may be that lay ahead…and in DIESEL’s DNA, “ONLY THE BRAVE.” So take hold, and ‘BE BOLD. BE BAD. BE BRAVE.”

What an ideal and perfected event, the most recent collaboration unveiling of THE ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL CLUB to attend for two of the most bashfully shy shy semi anti-social jackals to clock in to. The day began and there was no turning back once Bryant was on the way. Bryant reminds me of the gifted bag sitting by its lonesome on the bed. Unwrap, like a kid on their birthday or Christmas Day to find two adorable ASSC stuffed animals, (I’ve yet to name) a wee baby frogie and elephant and two stacks of tokens. Game On; razzle dazzle and all that jazz, and we were on our way, just three stops off the L away. (I know – only three stops and I’m “Whoosaahhing, 1 potato, 2 potato, 3 like Martin Lawrence) in a frantic, yet subdued panic, with my ‘emotional support friend.’ 

Alas, after two and half years or so of emailing, online chatting, texting, phone calling, me always sending FAULT contributors to Matthew Cancel of CANCEL COMMUNICATIONS’ events…and here we were, us two, LIVE and in the FLESH. A “COOL WORLD’ feel, nearly a bit surreal = are we even real? Makes you wonder indeed. At one point, Cancel jokingly said, “I was beginning to even wonder if you were Ai, or even actually real! Wait or are you here in representation of Chaunielle? Or are you actually her?” All truly fair and valid questions to ask feathered with always needed and welcomed laughs.

A perfect well suited outing for one who never steps out…a beginning to the unknown of all that is to come. So may we say THANK YOU Matthew Cancel, CANCEL COMMUNICATIONS, ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL CLUB and PARTEA NYC for having us.

WHAT Anti Social Social Club

WHO Emely Moreno, Spencer Thomas, Vienna Skye, Ryan Bailey Potter, Devin Kasparian, Eric Sedeno, Nathan Katsuki, Ray Kam, Harry Tate, Kayo Martin

WHERE Partea NYC (220 E 14th St, New York)

WHEN April 18th, 2024