As far as cultural icons go, few can swing as big a stick as Bob Dylan. It’s of little surprise then as to why Pleasures chose to work with Sony Music and the inimitable music legend for its latest collection of streetwear. Comprising T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps, this release pays homage to the original working class hero and his legacy.
The pieces in the new Pleasures collection feature iconic photographs of Dylan and handwritten lyrics from his classic song “Like a Rolling Stone”. Pleasures owner Alex James writes, “Bob Dylan was more than a musician. He was an activist, visual artist and fashion icon.” More than a nod to Pleasures’ street-punk roots, this latest collaboration is very much aligned with the Los Angeles streetwear brand’s style.
Fans of Pleasures will no doubt be familiar with its seminal work: the “R.I.P. Morrissey” and “A Girl Is A Gun” T-shirts. While the Bob Dylan collection may not be as visually provocative as these, it still makes a powerful statement. The handwritten lyric (which differs slightly from the recorded version) recognises the loss of innocence and the harshness of experience — a sentiment that resonates well with street culture.
Pleasures has always been about speaking to people in a different way, and its adoption of Bob Dylan’s iconography is very much in service of that goal. The new collection is already available for purchase at Pleasures’ website and is priced at $36 (caps), $40 (T-shirts) and $44 (sweatshirts).