FEW WORDS CARRY the damning power of “basic.” While fashion brands generally eschew the term, squirmingly avoiding its connotations of pumpkin spice lattés and yoga pants, designer Scott Sternberg fully embraced it for his new direct-to-consumer venture, the Entireworld.
Even he, though, wants to elevate the idea. “How can a basic not just be basic?” the Los Angeles-based creative director said of his mission. “It seems like a boring question to ask, but for somebody who has designed for 15 years [I found it] way more challenging than setting off to do a luxury brand.” Just three years after exiting Band of Outsiders, the beloved label known for its cool-kid tailoring that he founded in 2004, he recently launched this new line via a playful website.
The sunny assortment of men’s and women’s wardrobe essentials invests a seemingly straightforward approach with charisma. Weighty cotton tees riff on the Breton look by twinning the stripes, while updated fits and pop-pastel colors add flavor to classics. Details like finely ribbed collars are subtle but, as Mr. Sternberg noted, “this is the stuff that’s closest to your body and should be kind of special.”