Homer and Langley Collyer, known as the Collyer brothers, were two American brothers who became infamous as the worst hoarders in history. The two lived in seclusion in their Harlem brownstone in New York City where they obsessively collected books, furniture, musical instruments, and a myriad other items, with booby traps set up in corridors and doorways to crush intruders. In 1947, both brothers ultimately suffocated to death by more than 140 tons of collected items that they had amassed over several decades. 

 

Upon first hearing about these brothers, your first instinct may be to view them as psychotic, and almost inhumane. However, when taking a deeper dive into the lives of Homer and Langley, you learn that they began as elite and social members of society before hoarding and secluding themselves into chaos. 

 

My collection aims to synchronize the initial status as well as the chaos associated with the Collyer Brothers into four tailored and elevated menswear looks. While maintaining a sense of chaos throughout, the looks aim to transition from concealing the body to becoming increasingly exposed, symbolizing the brothers descent. The majority of the fabrics, trims and hardware in this collection are materials that were meant to be discarded that I myself have hoarded. I aim to use my passion for fine craftsmanship to show just how these materials can be turned into refined and irreplicable pieces, hopefully bringing the richness of the Collyer Brothers into the 21st century.