A genuine passion, as well as appreciation for “Old World Art, Literature and the Old Money aesthetic”, is something Author / Designer Prometheus Worley takes great pride in. The sophisticated artistic motifs associated with eras like the Second French Empire, the Victorian Age, and the Gilded Age are just some of the inspirational historic time periods he has drawn from to launch his “Old Money” leisure style apparel brand, Fashion 4 The Leisure Class™.
“The clothing is designed more so with an Old Money aesthetic in mind, containing a contemporary twist”, is how Worley describes his new designer brand. Thus the “Old Money Aesthetic” is embodied in that idea of “old world” style with contemporary elements, increasingly popular among the ever-fashionable generation Z. This rapidly growing trend in remaking one’s aesthetic sense to mirror the look and values of the exponents of the wealthy class, wealthy heiresses, and modern descendants of aristocratic families has seized the imaginations of millions of young people and has become the #1 trending topic on numerous social media platforms. According to a recent article in The CUT.com, “Together, the hashtags #oldmoney and #oldmoneyaesthetic have amassed over 1.3 billion views.” One might think that this fashion phenomenon was somewhat centralized and popular mainly within the confines of the United States, but those assumptions would be quite wrong. In countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Korea, Bangkok, and India; various global fashion luxury brands have taken notice and have begun to see a direct uptick in sales for many of their “old money” vintage-style product offerings. According to an article in Lifestyle Asia, “It’s not a coincidence, as something is known as the ‘Old Money aesthetic’ is becoming all the rage.”
Possessing a great passion for the Arts, and for fascinating periods within history like The Renaissance, The Impressionist Era, La Belle Époque, Fin de siècle, and The Gilded Age, this growing global appreciation for the vintage “Old Money aesthetic look” within the world of fashion, was not lost on Prometheus. In fact, some of the vintage motifs chosen by the fashion designer recall models and concepts typical of high-ranking wealthy young people at the turn of the century: the detail of the buttons of the timeless cardigans and polo shirts are repeated in the row of buttons on the front that characterizes his designer graphic t-shirt collection, while the sporty and chic crop tops are a revival of the classic tennis clothing of the “leisure class”. At the height of the Gilded Age, cutting-edge fashions with similar motifs within the art scene in Europe were extremely popular among the society set. From The Vanderbilts, The Astors, The Morgans, The Hearsts, The Mellons, The Frick’s, The Carnegie’s, and The Rockefeller’s to all of the other American families of high society, routinely making transatlantic trips across the pond to obtain the latest trendy fashions was writ in stone on many of the family’s annual travel calendars. Although some of the fashion styles for women of that day strove to maintain a more traditional corseted approach, revolutionary brilliant designers like Charles Fredrick Worth, Coco Chanel, and Paul Poiret strove to address fashion design from a different more radical perspective.
It is in this same line of thinking, regarding the “Old Money aesthetic” style, which sets Worley apart from many of the traditional “Old Money aesthetic” fashion styles available today. It is his contemporary touch and approach that distinguishes the genius of this designer. The neutral colors and the unique hues on which his style choices of the “old school” Old Money Aesthetic revolve, give way to an explosion of colors and eccentricity that allow the wearer to visually express the idea of wealth. Even the theme of gold, which for a certain social class is found in the classic use of bracelets and wristwatches, is revisited in a new key: Prometheus Worley re-proposes the theme of gold by means of large prints of chains and details gilded.
The most authentic originality of the brand, however, is found in the world where Fashion 4 The Leisure Class reinterprets the concept of legacy expressed by the bold unapologetic assignation of “LEISURE CLASS, that is, how it reinterprets the feeling of being the heirs of heritage and class one has defined for oneself. In Thorstein Veblen’s (author of The Theory of The Leisure Class) day, the very notion of a “leisure class” was fraught with indolence, frivolity, and whimsical conspicuous consumption. Worley has turned this very concept inside out and like many other creative artists and designers, redefined the parameters of what is meant by the term “Leisure Class”. While the term “Old Money Aesthetic” – as it is understood – traditionally has been expressed as a noble inheritance combined with generational wealth, the garments signed by Prometheus Worley instead showcase a very different artistic concept of heritage and multi-dimensional wealth grounded within the foundation of one’s sense of self. Like a Warhol, Motherwell, or Pollock, Worley uses the transformative medium of artistic design to express and transmit this revised conception of the old money aesthetic.
Through his carefully selected prints and designs, Worley communicates the subtle sophisticated elegance of a bygone era inviting participation while displaying an element of artistic-philosophical dynamism which is activated every time the represented fashionable piece is viewed by the observer. The prints thus engage multiple levels of emotion and conceptual thought: materialism vs. idealism, conspicuous consumption vs. austerity, societally imposed class distinctions vs. self-defined distinctions. It is at this point that the creative artistic genius of this emerging designer begins to shine. From its various product offerings like Tops, Blouses, Graphic T-shirts, and dress shirts for men and women, to its designer travel bags, Fashion 4 The Leisure Class’s “old money aesthetic style with a contemporary twist” takes on a broader meaning: furthering the societal discourse regarding “who” or what “power structures” have the intrinsic right to “define” or stratify an ever-changing dynamic global society. It is this term “Class” in which Fashion 4 the Leisure Class redefines and repurposes. With the very notion of “class” being a societal construct, Fashion 4 the Leisure Class defies and transforms the traditional boundaries of the “old money aesthetic”, upending authority and class. It’s a retro fashion aesthetic that belongs to no one…but is available for everyone.
A true appreciation for the Old Money Aesthetic gained through contemporary experience
Headquartered in a 7,200sqft., 9-bedroom, 11-bathroom, historic Landmark 1870 Victorian Mansion (Maison de Pillars), Fashion 4 The Leisure Class is located in the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District in Plainfield, New Jersey (historically known as “Millionaires Row” from the influx of, Intellectuals, Wall Street Bankers and generational wealthy families from the late 19th and 20th century). As if to step back in time, just walking out of his front door, Prometheus is surrounded by 10 beautiful historical districts in which 85% of the privately-owned large residences still maintain their architectural “old money aesthetic” style and elegance, so for this Author /Designer having a deep appreciation and healthy respect for the “Old Money” environment is something which is continuously nurtured every single day.
Surrounded by numerous works of fine art, canvases, sculptures, antiques, and an extensive private library, Worley draws continual inspiration daily for many of his creative fashion designs as well as writing projects. For him, the “Old Money aesthetic” is not just some passing fad one experiences through a television show like the Gilded Age, or a monogrammed Polo Knit Cardigan worn on a breezy day while out boating, for Prometheus Worley, experiencing the subtle elegant nuances of that bygone era, is a tangible “real-world” reality that artistically inspires him every day of his life.
