who is Dr. Romaneli?
and guess what,
this doc really has done surgical practice before
At Darren Romanelli’s studio, the doctor is always in. With myriad identities that evolve as quickly as the trends he shapes, the thirty-three-year-old innovator, a.k.a. Dr. Romanelli’s a.k.a. DRx, is already an international household name. In fashion, music and marketing, Romanelli applies his singular aesthetic vision and exacting standards to a unified stylistic philosophy he calls “personalization customization.”
In the pursuit of revitalizing and revamping, Dr. Romanelli is a true surgeon. Rather than starting from scratch, he approaches each new project as a hybrid, using preexisting cultural elements and brands as a foundation and breathing new life into them with his own unique imprints. The result is neither old nor new, retro nor futuristic, but a one-of-a-kind product that bridges the gap between longtime devotees and the next generation.
Romanelli’s found-fashion obsession is long-standing and was born of necessity, dating back to his education at the University of Oregon, where his early thirst for an eclectic style, coupled with a student’s budget, inspired him to become a regular at vintage clothing stores in Eugene. He had no idea what began as a natural extension of his innate design sense and unbridled creativity – putting a fresh spin on the older and established – would soon evolve into a lucrative career.
Now a full-service designer, Romanelli is intimately involved with all levels of a project’s development, from inception to display to promotion. Each new series of Romanelli’s customized clothing, for example, occasions a complementary art installation to showcase the work. Whether he is creating independently or collaborating with any one of a number of well-known brands, Romanelli believes providing a narrative context for the work through a highly stylized exhibition format is what makes it memorable and marketable. “My work is about storytelling,” he explains. “It’s about connecting with consumers through the rich and authentic stories I tell via creating not only my spin on the newly designed product, but the marketing that goes into launching the product.”
Despite these revolutionary successes, Romanelli was not content to limit himself to visual design. Instead, he decided to also apply his talent for forecasting trends and creating fresh perspectives to the music industry, and he signed on to manage LA-based rock band Ima Robot. To spread the word about his new clients, he produced a graffiti and guerilla art campaign, and in this most public of arenas – the street – Romanelli succeeded in making the band one of the most celebrated groups of its genre.
Romanelli’s triumph with Ima Robot inspired him to found StreetVirus, a boutique marketing agency that specialize in creating custom-tailored marketing campaigns to reinvigorate some of the biggest names around, including Disney, FOX, Warner Brothers and Converse. He has also teamed up with Jose Parla on creating the June13th limited collection for Celux, and with Parisian artist Fafi on an exclusive collaboration for Colette. In 2007, Romanelli transformed Jaeger LeCoultre’s Reverso, a line of luxury Swiss watches, into a limited edition DRx/Reverson watch-jacket combination, worn by numerous celebrities, including Madonna, and shown in installation in the world’s top boutiques, such as Isetan, Japan; Maxfields, LA; and Joyce, Hong Kong. Working with Japan’s Sophnet creator, Hirofumi Kiyonaga, Romanelli also turned out 7 desirable collections of FCRB jackets, hoodies, bags, and blankets – and four seasons later, Romanelli and Kiyonaga have launched the DRx/Sophnet collection. DRx has also collaborated with HUF on a hunting inspired range and continues to develop product with Levis. Last year Romanelli designed the highly sought after “band-aid” Chuck Taylor for converse in conjuction with RED.
Romanelli’s most recent efforts have been centered around creating a DRx Fraggle Rock world and clothing collection which premiered in Los Angles at Kitson and in Paris at Colette. “Fall Out ToyWorks”, a comic book and animation initiative he created with the band Fall Out Boy, and a unique DRx interpretation of Hello Kitty for her 35th anniversary. Romanelli also curated an exhibition with Eric Nakamura of Giant Robot showcasing Japanese artist Masakatsu Sashie celebrating the life of Glam Rock legend TREX through a series of paintings.
Volume and visibility of these achievements notwithstanding, Romanelli insists that personal significance is a prerequisite for any partnership he joins. “The only way I will partake in a collaboration,” he says, “is if there is some level of connectivity, passion, or energy with the brand I’m working with.” Integrity, after all, is the primary thread in Romanelli’s endeavors. “I didn’t go into this business because I thought I could make money from it” he declared. “I got into it because I had passion for it. In a world where information and technology are forcing us to constantly challenge ourselves to rethink how brands define their identities in an ever-changing marketplace, it’s good to know there’s a doctor in the house.”
p/s
Biodata
(typewritten from the official site)
oh no
my cup of tea
