Well, well my fellow Worshipers, I have a new favorite for you! Menswear line Third Floor New York is absolutely amazing, leaving me with severe peen-envy. Though luckily, some of the pieces are unisex enough, I might just be able to get away with wearing them! I recently got the chance to catch up with one half of the design duo, Cedric Haughton to ask him for a Confessional…

Hi Cedric, can you tell us about how you and Anthony Hendrickson(co-designer) met and where the idea for Third Floor New York came from?
Anthony and I met through our mutual friend Jerome Lamaar Fortez on the campus of the Fashion Institute of Technology back in 2003. We clicked instantly. Anthony is like a brother to me. Third Floor New York started as a side project in 2007. Now, we are growing into an apparel and accessories brand. Third Floor New York evokes an industrial feeling, like the third floor of an abandoned loft space. It also can be an individual’s mental level they are operating on any given day. We want everyone to get into Third Floor New York.

What is your design background, where did you get your start?
I’m a graduate of the Menswear Design Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. While attending FIT, I was blessed with the opportunity to intern for designers such as Richard Singh, Indigo People, and Rachel Comey. After graduation, I was a Casual Wovens Design Assistant at Banana Republic for a year and a half before focusing primarily on Third Floor New York.

The attention to detail in your recent collection, between the tailoring and cut-outs does not go unnoticed; how long do some of the more complex pieces take to make?
The timeline varies depending on the amount of detail that goes into a particular piece. We work with a pretty good technical and production team on some of the more intricate designs. They get our brand aesthetic and are able to execute our vision.

Your Fall/Winter ‘09 collection has a very futuristic vibe, what was your inspiration?
Fall/Winter 2009 explored three major themes. Movies such as “The Lost Boys” and “Elephant” served as a backdrop during our conceptualization phase this season. We were inspired by abstract armory, disobedience within a private academic environment, and recurring issues of mental entrapment. Everyone is feeling the woes of the recession. There is a strong need to protect ourselves, family, and finances. We researched past and futuristic armory with a slight focus on samurai warriors. Our Fall/Winter 2009 pieces serve as protection from the recession and various forces of nature. This season, the Third Floor New York man finds himself in a private academic environment, but reading, writing, and arithmetic is not his sole focus. He is training for a special mission. Mental entrapment is a theme that continues from our debut Fall/Winter 2008 collection and it will always be a theme of Third Floor New York.

Clearly avant-garde and somewhat androgynous, what kind of statement would you say your clothes make?
We tend to lean towards an avant-garde aesthetic, but it’s important for us to maintain contemporary relevance at the same time. We want longevity. We make clothes that compliment or bring life to men and that women secretly want.

If you could collaborate with any artist or brand, who would it be?
This season we collaborated with Sade Ologundudu of Luminary NYC to do our logo necklace and pin. In the future, we would like to collaborate and bring life to a defunct shoe brand.

Any recording artists on your wish list to provide the runway soundtrack for a Third Floor New York show? Why?
A live performance from up and coming lyricist legend Tigga Calore would be ideal for a Third Floor New York runway presentation. She turns it! Check out www.myspace.com/tigacalore and get in!

How would you describe your personal style?
My style is geek-chic glam-boi on an intergalactic voyage. A lot of classic futurism teases. Sometimes I feel like Denise Huxtable’s best friend. The one she goes shopping with and that can fit all of her clothes.

What pieces of your wardrobe will be in heavy rotation for you this summer?
For daytime I’m keeping it very easy breezy. White button up wovens and plain white tees, paired with cross hatch dark denim skinnies, snakeskin boat shoes by You Must Create, Reverse pocket bag shorts by Third Floor New York. Lanyard and Luminary NYC neckpieces will accent the look. For evening, you’ll just have to see me out on the scene.

If you had one superpower what would it be?
I would love the power to fly. I want to be able to see the world at my leisure and kiss the sky everyday. I’m a dreamer.

For more information visit www.thirdfloornewyork.com.

- Katy Bagli

“[This] pic is of Cortni Tuck and myself. Cortni used to write under the Worship Worthy umbrella on Riottt.com. She was also featured on the Hail Mary list a while ago. She is my best friend and I thought it would be appropriate to honor her in some sort of way because she is my best friend. She passed away late last year and I know she would be so proud of all my accomplishments.” - Cedric Haughton