The Graphic is Mightier than the Sword: Kiser

MTV sets stuff on fire. Someone special wears something, that something becomes special, people make money… no shock there. Although their pyro superpowers have been known to propel the wrong product into the spotlight, every now and then something really good comes out of the MTV machine. For instance, not too long ago Kanye West wore a certain “Sunglasses” shirt during an appearance on TRL, thereby spurring a quick sell-out via the shirt’s only two (online) distributors. The creator of this shirt was KiserNY, a Brooklyn based designer quickly gaining cred as one of the freshest streetwear providers around. What’s unique about Kiser is his refreshingly different approach to graphic design that’s at times political, at times playful, but always simple and well balanced. I didn’t see a single example of over-done graphics (my current pet peeve) in the entire collection. From what I can tell, this hoodie (my favorite) isn’t available yet, but the rest of the new line, including one-of-a-kinds and limited quantities of the famous “Sunglass” shirt, is available exclusively at KiserNY and Karmaloop.