With its strong following and die-hard fans worldwide, chances are you’ve seen them circulating around the blogosphere alongside your Instagram feed. We talk to Creative Director Benjamin Fainlight of LPD New York as they introduce an exclusive line up of their widely popular Dream Team t-shirts for Lane Crawford, available from May 11th in stores and online. Show which name you’re rooting for during Fashion Meets Art with these sports jersey-inspired tees.

The Interview

Lane Crawford: How did the idea come about for the t-shirts – did you expect them to be such a hit?
Benjamin Fainlight: I've always been fascinated by the cult followings designers have, especially since there's no immediate way to show how much you love a particular designer without wearing a runway coat. So I came up with The Dream Team concept as a way to bring fashion lovers together in an identifiable way that's easy and accessible for everyone, especially younger people who might not be able to get that runway coat.

LC: How would you style your t-shirts or in what ways have you seen them worn by bloggers and other people?
BF: The shirts are inspired by American sports jerseys, so I always wear them a little oversized. I think Jayne Min (of Stop It Right Now) and Rita Ora always wear my shirts really well - a little loose, but with their own flare. I also love when people pair my shirts with the designer's own work, like the guys who wear Rick Owens with the Team Owens shirt.

LC: Do you actually play American football or other jersey-wearing sports?
BF: My brother was always the athletic one in the family, he always played baseball, lacrosse, water polo - the list goes on. But I did play baseball through high school and still play some pick-up basketball with friends when I can. Maybe now that I'm moving to LA for the summer I'll get out more.

LC: What does a typical day in the studio look like?
BF: I'm the only person working on the creative side, so it's non-stop. I'll get up and work on techpacks while answering emails on my phone, or I might be out running between design and production - every day is different. The one constant is that there's always music playing - I've never been able to work without music. Right now Little Dragon is on shuffle, but it could be anything - I was playing the BOY/FRIEND album earlier today.

LC: What is LPD’s stance on fashion meets art?
BF: I think fashion and art go hand in hand. Each requires lots of creativity and insanity to pursue, but the end products are definitely worth it. I don't think it's any coincidence some of the greatest artists had great style, either. Just think about it. Warhol, Basquiat, Haring - the most creative people didn't just paint, they worked in all forms of art, even if it just means having a distinct sense of style.

LC: What role does art play in your life and who are some artists that inspire you?
BF: I've always loved art, maybe even longer than I've loved fashion. I'm a big fan of Damien Hirst, George Condo, and Cy Twombly, but Jean-Michel Basquiat will always be my favorite fine artist. I'm also a big fan of Tino Sehgal, since working with him at the Guggenheim here in New York - that was one of the best (and strangest) experiences of my life. I was a "translator"/actor in his piece "This Progress", which required me to talk to hundreds of Guggenheim visitors a day about what they thought "progress" is. I'll tell you one thing I learned: people are strange, regardless of where they're from.

LC: How does it feel to collaborate with Lane Crawford on the exclusive artist name tees?
BF: It feels great! I've been working in fashion for a few years, and I was introduced to Lane Crawford while working at Givenchy or Lanvin. I'm really ecstatic about the collaboration. I think the idea and the timing make the artist tees a special and perfect way to celebrate Art Basel HK.

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