Most stylish New Yorkers: Felix Flores
Nothing is off-limits when it comes to singer Felix Flores’s eccentric outfits—including a mermaid tail.
Mon Mar 18 2013
Felix Flores, the singer-songwriter behind Felix and the Future, proves he is one of the most stylish New Yorkers by modeling his eccentric ensembles. Although he creates many of his own costumes, he also shops for pieces at 10 Ft. Single by Stella Dallas, Fuego 718, Allan & Suzi and Joe Fresh. He also favors the work of local designers, including Alexander Campaz and William Watson.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Flores received this body-con turtleneck from Jake Winn, co-owner of Mystery Train Vintage (38 Marcy St at Hope St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn). “He and [the bar above the shop] Don Pedro’s have always been supportive of those clad in spandex,” says Flores. His printed leggings were also a gift from a friend. “He was deported back to Australia because he was too fabulous for America,” he explains. “I think of him every time I see a clump of hair weave on the L train.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Local designer Megan Marie Curry (info.meganmariecurry@gmail.com) created this fanciful feather collar necklace. “She just signed on to design all of my jewelry for my upcoming music-video shoot in Costa Rica,” says Flores.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
“This is my favorite belt,” declares Flores, who received it as a gift from a friend. “She found it in the back of an antique store in Little Rock, Arkansas, and [she] swears it used to belong to Hillary Clinton before she met Bill.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Flores grounds his print-heavy ensemble with neutral metallic shoes from Asos (asos.com). “Gold shoes are important to maintain equilibrium,” he notes.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Streamlined MessQueen (messqueenny.com) scuba-diver–print leggings and a turtleneck from Joe Fresh (locations throughout the city; visit joefresh.com) keep a Lothar’s puffy coat from overwhelming Flores’s frame. “It was given to me by a fan—and now good friend—Hester Sunshine,” he explains of the jacket’s origins. “She came up to me when I was playing a show at RuPaul’s Drag Race finale party and told me that the jacket belonged to her mother in the ’80s and that she thought I should have it. It was such a great compliment.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
A metallic sash that Flores scored for $5 at Rags-A-GoGo (218 W 14th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves; 646-486-4011, rags-a-gogo.com) defines his waist. “It goes perfectly with the coat,” he enthuses.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
“Children are scared of them,” declares Flores of the mouth-shaped sunglasses he ordered from a discount Korean eyewear supplier for $3. He strung a ring that belonged to his mother featuring the birthstones of his family members through a beaded chain. “It doesn’t fit on any of my fingers, so I just wear it as a necklace,” he explains.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Flores purchased these Asos holographic platform shoes while the e-tailer was having a sale. “I’ve never been into tall shoes because I’m exactly the height I should be,” he says. “But sometimes it’s nice to be a tad taller.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
A fur-collared leather coat from 10 Ft. Single by Stella Dallas adds a luxe touch to a tuxedo shirt from O.K. Uniform Company (253 Church St between Franklin and Leonard Sts; 212-791-9789, okuniform.com) that Flores shortened and made sleeveless, and a pair of vibrant pants he made to attend someone’s nuptials. “That was the last wedding I was ever invited to,” he says.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Silk flowers from Mexico City lend a whimsical flourish to Flores’s lapel. “I have boxes of them for a music video that never happened,” he explains. “They pop up in videos and photo shoots.” He bought the bejeweled collar necklace from budget-friendly chain Strawberry (locations throughout the city; visit strawberrystores.com), which he describes as a “Tiffany’s for people who are on a budget.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
“I got an identical one for my grandmother for Christmas several years ago,” notes Flores of his cocktail ring from the now-closed Marc by Marc Jacobs Accessories store (marcjacobs.com). “She only wore costume jewelry.”
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Flores tops off his look with a Salvador Dali–inspired melting-clock fascinator from local milliner Heidi Lee (heidi337.tumblr.com). “She makes the most incredible hats,” he enthuses.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
These pristine dress shoes were picked up at an American Apparel (locations throughout the city; visit americanapparel.net) sample sale.
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Photograph: Noffar Gat
Hester Sunshine and Emily Lesser of the blog Sidewalk Spectacle (sidewalkspectacle.com) gave Flores this Fruhauf (fruhauf.com) band-uniform jacket. “They saw me play and said I reminded them of a deranged elf,” he recalls. Flores pairs it with a stage-curtain tassel he repurposed as a belt at a performance in Malmö, Sweden, and textured pants he created himself. “I was preparing for a European tour last June and all of my costume collaborations fell through last minute, so I bought a crotchless fishnet body stocking from a sex store and tied a million pieces of gold rope to it,” he explains. “It took me about 30 hours to finish, and 20 minutes of walking around in it to realize that the knot I used wasn’t sturdy enough—I had to retie all of the threads!”
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Capezio (locations throughout the city; visit capezio.com) high-top dance shoes allow Flores to perform in comfort.
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Another one of Flores’s creations, this mermaid-tail skirt was made for his first music video with the help of director GrecoDeco (grecodeco.com). A Miel Paris quilted metallic jacket discovered at a Copenhagen vintage store helps balance the absurdist piece.
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Flores models another hat by Heidi Lee. “It reminds me of Dr. Seuss,” he muses. “Wearing it cures all ailments, including spontaneous combustion.”
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Ted Baker London leather belt, $68, at asos.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
American Apparel Bobby leather lace-up shoes, $95, at American Apparel, locations throughout the city; visit americanapparel.net
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Melting clock, $15, at thinkgeek.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Old Navy printed board shorts, $25, at Old Navy, locations throughout the city; visit oldnavy.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Topman baroque stripe snapback, $28, at Topman, 478 Broadway between Broome and Grand Sts (212-966-9555, topman.com)
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Bonobos Turquoise Blue washed chinos, $88, at Bonobos Guideshop, 45 W 25th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves, fifth floor (877-294-7737, bonobos.com)
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Asos wayfarer sunglasses with blue mirror lens, $20, at asos.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Ted Baker London Shadoh socks, $30, at Ted Baker, 107 Grand St at Mercer St (212-343-8989) • 34 Little West 12th St between Washington St and Ninth Ave (212-647-0991) • 595 Fifth Ave at 48th St (212-317-1514) • tedbaker-london.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Etro knitted silk tie, $180, at mrporter.com
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Swatch Bitstream watch, $85, at americanapparel.net
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SPIN HIS STYLE
Fine and Dandy striped-and-floral paneled handkerchief, $29, at at Fine and Dandy, 445 W 49th St between Ninth and Tenth Aves (212-247-4847, fineanddandyshop.com)
Felix Flores (a.k.a. Felix and the Future), 28, surrealist pop artist (felixandthefuture.com); Williamsburg, Brooklyn
His personal style: “Colorful, carbonated and cross-eyed.”
His inspirations: “Pimps, hookers, time travel, my grandma and matadors.”
Favorite stores: “10 Ft. Single by Stella Dallas (281 North 6th St between Havemeyer and Meeker Sts, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-486-9482) is the most organized vintage store in the city. I like that it’s close to my house. Fuego 718 (249 Grand St between Driggs Ave and Roebling St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-302-2913, fuego718.com) has fantastic Mexican folklore accessories and gifts. My family comes from Mexico, and all of the skeletons, mermaids and colors really remind me of my childhood. I like the insanely bizarre finds at Allan & Suzi (237 Centre St between Broome and Grand Sts; 212-724-7445, allanandsuzi.net), which stocks almost exclusively vintage clubwear. You can find anything from a disco-ball-studded jockstrap to a fur-lined top hat with matching suspenders. I never go there with an intention.”
Favorite salon: “I get my hair cut at Model Barbers (452 Union Ave between Devoe St and Metropolitan Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-387-9487). Ask for Jack Kh—he’ll turn you into a brand-new man.”
His signature accessory: “My ‘natural’ blond hair. I bleach it myself.”
Favorite NYC designers: “Alexander Campaz (alexandercampaz.com) had me at men’s lounging cape. It’s like a robe with bat wings and no waist tie. It’s luxurious and cozy, and it makes reaching for your cup of tea less laborious. Hester Sunshine (sidewalkspectacle.etsy.com) has wild taste and uses a range of materials for fabric [to create her] garments and accessories. She is currently working with transparent colored vinyl. William Watson (williamwatsonnyc.com) adds strange and exciting twists to elegant menswear. He often makes the elbows and knees of traditionally cut suits into structured peaks. He also makes pieces dark and ominous by adding black braided goat hair.”
How he describes New York style: “Cloudy with a chance of sun.”
How his style has evolved: “Once I became a natural blond, the world became my oyster.”
Follow Cristina Velocci on Twitter: @cvelocci
Follow Rachel LeWinter on Twitter: @Rachel_LeWinter
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