Deserted: DT gets busy again

October 6th, 2009 at 09:19pm Ryan Darragh

It’s good to know that some things don’t change.  Or maybe Alphonse Karr had it right, and the truth is more along the lines of his famous saying, “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” (usually translated as “The more things change, the more they stay the same”).  I could get all philosophical, and bore you to death, but fortunately for you that’s not why we’re here today.

No, we’re here to talk about clothing.  Men’s clothing.  Casual men’s clothing, in fact.  I don’t have to imagine your shock and surprise—I can feel it from here!  Now, it’s true, I admit it—I don’t always give a lot of love to jeans and tees.  It’s true that pretty much anyone and everyone who sells clothing in SL has taken a stab at jeans and tees, commodity items that they are.  But it’s also true that, in spite of their commodity status, it’s possible to do them well, even exceptionally so.  Some of my favorite jeans and tees have consistently come from the creative minds and artistic talents of Donovan Brennen, Dragontat Zagato and Zabitan Assia.

And this is where it’s nice to see some things not changing, or maybe changing but retaining their defining qualities.  Recent months have seen DT not as routinely present in SL as he once was, and new designs at Desert Moon have been relatively rare.  But now he’s making what he describes as a “slow but steady” return to SL.  He’s been putting in long hours on a collection of new items, which he has just released under his new brand, Deserted.  I put together three outfits from his new releases, just to give you a teasing taste of what you’ll find.

One of the first things that caught my eye as I walked around DT’s new shop was the gleeful expression of the saucy devil wench on the Lucky T-Shirt (L$125).  Clearly she knows how to have a good time, and she hopes you do too…and, if not, it seems highly likely that she can provide private lessons.  With the naughty lady I’m wearing the Hustler Jeans (L$195), which are artfully ripped and have sculpted slouchie cuffs.  The fabric’s color is a deep but not dark blue that’s only slightly faded from new.  I love how DT’s photo-sourced denim textures look soft, comfortable and naturally lit, not harsh, “crispy” and ironed-on.  I chose the Seeker Jacket (L$250) in Brown to coordinate with the sunset color wash of the shirt, and the jacket’s open front lets the shirt’s artwork shine.  Here the fabric textures have the look of hand painting, which makes for an interesting contrast with the jeans.  Sculpted cuffs, prim raised collar and flexi lower section complete the jacket.

For another look that’s a bit more Bad Boy, I decided to go with basic black all around.  Well, almost all around—if basic black seems like too much of a cliché, hopefully the pink sneaks help to avoid that particular unforgivable sin.  I’m a complete and total sucker for leather jackets, and here I’ve opted for DT’s Ryder Jacket in Black (L$225).  The leather texture is realistic, the black deep and true, and details like seams, zipper and snaps stand out clearly.  Collar and cuffs are sculpted attachments, and in back you’ll find the Deserted logo subtly worked into the leather.  Although the closed jacket doesn’t let it show, I’m wearing the Essential Deep V Shirt in Black (L$125).  It’s not easy to impress me with what’s essentially a plain, undecorated shirt, but they certainly deserve a place in any man’s wardrobe, and here the fabric’s wrinkles and shading absolutely make it work.  The fabric itself is plain and simple—no big surprise there—but the shadow shading and wrinkle artwork appear to arise naturally from cloth pulling and stretching over the body, rather than being artificial or arbitrary.  I’m also wearing the Desolate Jeans (L$195), which are impressively, authentically black.   This means that careful attention has been paid to shades of grey and even bright highlights, so the garment doesn’t look like just a blot of inky black.  Nicely done.

I’m tempted to say that my third outfit is the most casual of the three, although how much more casual is it, really, to omit a leather jacket?  The Solitude T-Shirt in Rain (L$125) has a calm, peaceful vibe that’s set off nicely by the crisp white belt on the Essential Jeans (L$195 in a variety of fabric finishes and belt colors).  Since I felt kinda sorta naked not wearing a jacket, I’m also wearing the Dutch Cuffs (L$200).  The leather cuffs have metal accents and are constructed with some real depth, not just 2-D textures.  They’re also conveniently scripted for automatic resize, for your fitting convenience.  If you prefer prim belts, several different styles with different artwork are available.  I really like the Turntable Belt (L$200), but look around the shop for a number of other designs.

These are only a few of the wide-ranging selection of DT’s new designs, out now at Deserted (Deserted 163, 64, 22).  You’ll find shirts featuring what seems like dozens of different graphic designs, jeans in several fabric finishes, jackets in a solid handful of colors, and belts and cuffs in shades to mix, match and coordinate.  You should feel free to knock yourself out. 

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Yes | Friends List: Yes

Notes: On Ryan: "Steve Law" skin by Khai Sinister (The Abyss). "Jonas" hair by Maddox DuPont (MADesigns). "It was freedom" tattoo by Jesseaitui Petion (Aitui group gift). Low-top sneakers by Armin Rickena (Machienenwerk). "Porsh" and "Monza" glasses by Nibb Tardis (primOptic).

Entry Filed under: Accessories,Casual,Deserted,Designer Reviews,Jackets,Jeans,New Items,Shirts