As an LA brand through and through, it was only fitting that Los Angeles was the setting for Nats Getty's first runway show for Strike Oil, the unisex streetwear brand he founded in 2018 (the name is a cheeky play on the Getty family's oil business).
At a warehouse in Downtown LA's Arts District, Getty showed his label's Fall 2022 collection titled "The Future Is Past" with 18 runway looks presented. Guests including his wife Gigi Gorgeous, brother August Getty, queer activist Marsha Molinari, singers Quinton Griggs and Gia Woods, and model Princess Gollum were some of the VIPs who attended the debut last Thursday.
"I’ve been planning my first runway in my head since the first time I designed a piece of clothing, and now felt like the right time to finally see it come to life," Getty tells PAPER. "I envisioned my first runway show as whimsical and eerie, with edgy elements to reflect the brand aesthetic and how I design."
For the big day, Getty wanted to present some unusual and unexpected aspects to heighten the experience and get that point across. According to the designer, the "Future Is Past" concept was about themes of renewal and the cyclical nature of the universe after a period of existential introspection caused by the pandemic.
"The collection is an ode to time and space, the here, the now, what was, and what will be again," he says. "It's my way of exploring the idea of different versions of myself, my life, and my timeline, and I wanted that reflected in the clothing either with wording or bold designs that are unique, but also familiar."
Working primarily with cotton and silk, Getty's key colors were neon green, black, and red with unique touches like hand-painted bleach, rhinestones, and natural pearl cross zipper pulls. The menswear pieces will be sold at Fred Segal this fall, and prices range from $28 for a pair of socks to $600 for a jacket.
For Getty, the show was about channeling the rebellion Strike Oil is known for while subverting the status quo. "Being different isn't bad, it's our currency," Getty says.
This article is a sponsored collaboration between Strike Oil and PAPER
Photography: Nesrin Danan